Conceptions of the Human Body in the Greco-Latin and Jewish Perspectives

The human body has been a subject of reflection throughout the centuries, from ancient times to the present day. There has never been a consensus regarding the definition of this element. Thus, each culture has a specific interpretation of what the body is.

According to Greco-Latin culture, the body is a kind of prison of the soul, while the soul is the place to which virtues belong—that is, the spiritual realm. This perspective approaches the human being in a dualistic way, highlighting a struggle between both parts, which makes the anthropological view somewhat pessimistic.

The greatest exponent of this current was the philosopher Plato, who influenced a large part of Western culture—even renowned theologians such as Augustine of Hippo. According to Dr. Fernando Albano:

For Plato, the body and the soul are in opposition to one another; the soul is the source of all motion. Proceeding from God, the soul would not be subject to perish, because it is immortal. The body, therefore, was merely the “prison” of the soul.¹

In contrast, there is the Hebrew conception of the body, which adopts a unitary view. According to the Jewish perspective, the body is not evil—it is integral: body, soul, and spirit. On the subject, Albano states:

In general, the Bible presents a unitary view of the human being, although in a non-systematic way. […] The Old Testament understands the human being “holistically” and does not make divisions between mortal body and immortal soul, or between body and spirit.²

It is worth noting that the Platonic view influenced a large part of the Hellenistic ontological reading of the New Testament and even Pentecostal anthropology. The latter sees the body as something to be overcome through practices such as “mortifying the flesh” through fasting and prayer, for example. However, the same body is understood as a vehicle of liturgical worship, manifesting emotions by dancing, raising hands, clapping, and other forms of expression.

It is concluded that, although there are various conceptions about what the human body truly is in different cultures, the human being is composed of body, soul, and spirit, which complement and cooperate with one another. Therefore, man must be understood as a unity—and not as a fragment. For this reason, it is essential to take proper care of the human being as a whole.

¹ ALBANO, Fernando. Dualismo corpo/alma na Teologia Pentecostal. Tese de Mestrado — São Leopoldo: EST/PPG, 2010, p. 21.
² Ibidem, p. 65.