The Bible student is often puzzled with the question,

How many kinds of life are there; and what is the difference between them?

Our authorized version answers the question vaguely, if at all.

The word life, as found in the New Testament, is, in most places, a translation from one of the two Greek words, Zoee and Psuchee. The rendering of both by the one English word Life covers up a clean-cut difference of meaning between the two.

The word Psuchee has several significations. When it refers to life, and is so translated in our New Testament, it invariably alludes to the natural, fleshly, or blood-life. Liddell and Scott, in their lexicon, give the meaning as follows:

“Psuchee: breath; Latin, anima – life – spirit. It leaves the body with the blood. Periphr for the man himself. The life of animals, and etc.

Zoee in contrast refers generally, in the New Testament, to the spiritual life, either in this age, or after the resurrection. Liddell and Scott give, Zoee, a living, i.e., means of life; life opposed to death.

It sometimes, at least, as in the definition, “means of life,” seems to indicate an inherent or independent life power; thus, opposed to psuchee, which is dependent upon the breath.

In the New Testament, we find eternal, or everlasting, life (Zoee) over forty times. Also, endless life; resurrection of life; word of life; book of life; water of life; crown of life, and etc. Also, our Lord is called the Prince of Life; Author of Life; Bread of Life, and etc. – All from Zoee.

Psuchee is never found in any such connection.

In reference to psuchee, and its corresponding Hebrew word, nephesh, an able critic remarks:

“Perhaps it may be worthy of notice, that in all the seven hundred times in which nephesh occurs, and the one hundred and five times of psuchee, not once is the word immortal, or deathless, or never-dying, found in connection, as qualifying the terms.”

We will quote as samples the occurrences of psuchee, wherever translated life in Matthew:

“They are dead who sought the child’s life;”

“Take not thought for your life, what you shall eat;”

“He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake, shall find it;”

“For whoever will save his life, shall lose it; and whoever may lose his life for my sake, shall find it.”

These last two passages are made still clearer by John 12:25, where, apparently, the complete remark of Christ is given, and psuchee and zoee are brought into direct contrast:

“He that loves his life (psuchee) shall lose it; and he that hates his life (psuchee) in this world, shall keep it unto life (zoee) eternal.”

We reserve last occurrence of life – from psuchee – in Matthew, for the present.

We are never taught to hate the zoee, but the psuchee (the natural life) is to be held in comparatively low estimation. For instance:

“If anyone comes to me and hates not his father… and even his own life” (psuchee), and etc. Barnabas and Paul were called “men who have hazarded their lives for the name of Jesus.” Paul said, “neither do I count my life dear to myself” and etc. When Eutychus fell from the third loft during Paul’s preaching, and was taken up insensible, the apostle said: “His life (psuchee) is in him.” It is applied to beasts: “The third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life (psuchee) died.”

We will look at a few passages in which zoee occurs. “Straight is the gate, and narrow the way, which leads to life (zoee).” “If thou desire to enter into zoee keep the commandments.” “He that believes on the Son has everlasting zoee, and he that believes not the Son shall not see zoee. “You will not come to me, that you may have zoee.” In John, Chapters 5 and 6, every occurrence of life is from zoee.

From Psuchee we obtain the adjective, Psuchikos; which occurs six times in the New Testament, is twice translated sensual, and four times natural, as follows:

“But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him.” It is sown a natural body; it rises a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual…but the spiritual is not first, but the natural (psuchikos) and afterward the spiritual.”

In perfect harmony with this last scripture, we find in relation to the two Adams, the corresponding heads of the natural and spiritual planes: “The first man Adam was made a living psukeen (natural man); the last Adam a life (zoee) giving Spirit.”

We have probably quoted sufficient to render clear the distinction between the two Spirit inspired words, in our next post we will consider their force and bearing on the question of the atonement, which has been agitating our people lately.