Lexicon

G4983 - soma

Strong's: G4983 · BLB lookup Pronunciation: so'-mah Part of speech: neuter noun NT occurrences: 142

Semantic range (Thayer / BDAG / TDNT)

Physical body of a human or animal, alive or dead
The whole person considered as embodied (the integrated psycho-somatic unity)
The body of Christ in two senses:

The physical body of the historical / risen / glorified Christ
The church as the corporate body of which Christ is the head

The "spiritual body" of the resurrection (1 Cor 15:44)
The substance / essence as opposed to shadow (Col 2:17, "things which are a mere shadow… but the sōma belongs to Christ")

Theological force, three major NT applications

1. The body in human anthropology

The sōma is the integrated physical aspect of human existence. The NT does not present the body as inferior or evil (against Greek-philosophical / Gnostic body-soul dualism that disparages embodiment):

The body is created good (Gen 1:31)
The body is part of the imago Dei (Genesis 1.27)
The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20)
The body is to be presented "as a living sacrifice" to God (Rom 12:1)
The body will be redeemed / resurrected (Rom 8:23; 1 Cor 15)

The NT anthropology is embodied / holistic, the person is not a "soul trapped in a body" (Greek-philosophical) but a unity of body, soul, and spirit (1 Thess 5:23).

2. The body of Christ, Eucharistic / Christological

Matthew 26:26 / Mark 14:22 / Luke 22:19, "this is My sōma"
1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:24, 27, 29, Eucharistic sōma
Hebrews 10:5, 10, Christ's body offered as the once-for-all sacrifice
John 2:21, Christ's sōma as the temple to be raised in three days
Philippians 3:21, "the sōma of His glory"; our bodies to be conformed to it
Luke 24.39, risen sōma of "flesh and bones" (anti-docetic)
1 Peter 2:24, Christ "bore our sins in His sōmati"

The Eucharistic-theological interpretations diverge:

Roman Catholic transubstantiation, the bread literally becomes Christ's body
Lutheran consubstantiation / sacramental union, Christ's body is "in, with, and under" the bread
Reformed spiritual presence (Calvin), Christ is truly present spiritually in the believer's communion-reception
Memorial / Zwinglian view, the Eucharist is a memorial; the bread symbolizes the body

3. The body of Christ, ecclesiological

Paul develops the church as the sōma of Christ extensively:

Romans 12:4-5, "we, who are many, are one sōma in Christ, and individually members one of another"
1 Corinthians 12:12-27, the most extensive treatment; many members, one sōma; each member has indispensable function
Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4, 12-16; 5:23, 30, Christ as head of the sōma (the church)
Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:19; 3:15, the sōma of which Christ is head

The ecclesiology: the church is one body with many members organically united to Christ as head. This is not metaphorical alone but spiritual-real, the church is Christ's body in the world.

Sōma and the resurrection body

1 Corinthians 15:35-49, the most extensive NT treatment of the resurrection body:

Sōma psychikon (natural body), current embodiment, animated by the soul
Sōma pneumatikon (spiritual body), resurrection embodiment, animated / empowered by the Spirit

Pneumatikon does NOT mean "non-physical." It means "Spirit-empowered" / "Spirit-animated." The resurrection body remains physical (per Luke 24.39, flesh and bones) but is transformed: imperishable, glorious, powerful, Spirit-empowered.

The continuity:

Same body, Christ shows His wounds (Jn 20:27)
Transformed, passes through closed doors (Jn 20:19)

The body / spirit distinction (and non-distinction)

NT anthropology is debated, three main positions:

Trichotomism, body, soul, spirit as three components (1 Thess 5:23; Heb 4:12)
Dichotomism, body + soul/spirit (the soul and spirit are facets of one immaterial component)
Monism / holistic dualism, the person is one integrated whole that may temporarily separate at death (intermediate state) but will be re-united in resurrection

Conservative scholars (Wayne Grudem; Bruce Ware; Anthony Hoekema) typically defend dichotomism or holistic dualism. The body is not the prison of the soul (Plato) but the integrated companion of the soul / spirit.

Apologetic significance

Sōma anchors:

Anti-docetic Christology, the real bodily incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ (Luke 24.39)
Anti-Gnostic anthropology, the body is good, redeemable, eschatologically glorified
Pro-life / sexual ethics grounding, the body's sacredness; sexual ethics integral to bodily integrity (1 Cor 6)
Ecclesiology, the visible church as Christ's body; the necessity of the local church
Eschatology, resurrection of the body, not mere immortality of the soul

Notable verses

Matthew 26:26, "this is My sōma"
Romans 6:6, "our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with"
Romans 8:23, "the redemption of our sōmatos"
Romans 12:1, "present your sōmata a living and holy sacrifice"
1 Corinthians 6:13-20, body for the Lord; temple of the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:12-27, body / members ecclesiology
1 Corinthians 15:35-49, resurrection-body treatment
Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:12-16, body / head ecclesiology
Philippians 3:21, bodies conformed to Christ's glorified body
Hebrews 10:5, 10, Christ's body sacrificed
Luke 24.39, risen body of flesh and bones

Patristic / scholarly note

Patristic anti-Gnostic literature defends the goodness / reality of the body extensively (Irenaeus Against Heresies; Tertullian On the Resurrection of the Flesh; Augustine City of God XXII).

Modern: N. T. Wright (The Resurrection of the Son of God, 2003); Anthony Hoekema (The Bible and the Future, 1979); Wayne Grudem (Systematic Theology); David VanDrunen on bodily ethics; J. P. Moreland (Body and Soul, 2000 with Scott Rae).

Notes

Lexical workspace for sōma.