Biblical condition of the Dead

This website has previously considered many Scriptures that are turned to as proof texts to show that the soul lives on after death.  We have discussed the issue of hell and examined whether or not Christians go to heaven at death.  While extensively discussing the texts used by those advocating the false teachings on these subjects, only briefly have we considered the Biblical teaching on the condition of the dead.  While the limited discussion that has taken place is sufficient to solidly demonstrate what the Bible teaches on death, it proves valuable to further examine the issue. 

The Sleep of Death
Within both the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures death is referred to as simple sleep.  In fact, in a reference to the King James Version we find that this metaphor is used for death on some 66 occasions.[1]  Various individuals have attempted to create interpretations of this metaphor.  Some have argued that death is a dreamlike state, where existence is very difference but still real, during which the person is conscious.  Others have argued that the metaphor of sleep refers only to the body or that the expression simply means death, without a metaphorical value at all. 

That sleep does not simply refer to the body can be determined by examining nearly every text that speaks of it.  As an example, Jesus spoke of Lazarus as being asleep. (Joh. 11:11-13)  He did not say that only his body was asleep or resting, but he said that Lazarus, as a person, was asleep.  This also proves to be the case with Job, for he said: “Now I shall sleep in the dust.” (Job. 7:21)  Job fully anticipated this sleep for himself, not merely his body. 

What is the condition of this sleep?  Is it a dream-like state or a simple metaphor for what in reality is a conscious existence?   Solomon defines this “sleep” for us in Ecclesiastes.  He explains: “For the living know that they shall die; but the dead do not know anything; nor do they have any more a reward, for their memory is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy has now perished; nor do they any longer have a part forever in all that is done under the sun… All that your hand finds to do, do it with your strength. For there is no work, or planning, or knowledge, or wisdom, in Sheol, there where you go.” (Ecc. 9:5-6, 10) 

In our discussion on the soul we considered verse 10 of Ecclesiastes 9, noting that it cannot only refer to the state of the body “under the sun,” for such a view defeats the entire purpose of Solomon’s argument.  Solomon is maintaining that we must make the most of the life that we have now, for in death there is absolutely nothing.  To maintain that Solomon was only referring to physical existence would contradict the necessity of doing all that we can now, for in death there would be thousands of years in which much could be said, thought and done.   

While it is noted in the text that the dead are no longer involved in what is done “under the sun,” this is not put in as a limitation or a qualifier, but merely an addition.  The text speaks of Sheol/Hades (Ecc. 9:10), the abode of the dead, where both the righteous and the wicked go.  In doing this it is noted that there is nothing for the dead in this place just as there is nothing for the dead “under the sun.”   

Objecting to these points, it is noted that verse 5 states that they have no reward, thus having no hope for the future and no resurrection. By this they demand that Solomon is making use of a type of uninspired humanistic perspective. In response we would note that the dead do not have a reward, but they will be resurrected and in this resurrection they will receive either the reward of life or punishment in judgment. The reward is not given to the dead in that they go off to a paradise as a departed soul, but it is seen only once they are again alive. The same principle of resurrection would be understood when verse 6 states that they no longer have an involvement in what is under the sun. Indeed, as dead ones, they do not. In no way does this prohibit them from having an involvement once they are alive again. Many Bibles will speak of having no involvement in what is under the sun “forever,” yet the Hebrew word here used denotes an extended duration that is not specified. Thus Young’s translation renders it as “to the age,” and not “forever,” as many inappropriately do. The dead do not have an involvement in what is under the sun or anywhere else for the length of their death.

Some maintain that this text is Solomon in apostasy, but the text is inspired, (2Tim 3:16) and to claim that God inspired a book that is largely based upon apostate writings is contradictory and contrary to the how we are told to treat such individuals. (Tit. 3:10)  Further though, this view is confirmed elsewhere, in the book of Psalms.  At Psalm 146:4 we read: “His spirit goes out, he returns to the earth; in that day his thoughts perish.”   

Scripture clearly states that the person’s thoughts perish.  There is no limitation supplied by the text so that one might argue for it to only speak of their body or them in their body.  There is no issue with the translation of the Hebrew text, for this literal rendering is confirmed by the Septuagint.  Those who make such arguments are merely trying to overcome the powerful and explicit teaching of this text.  The person’s thoughts perish.  In no way then does that person have any further thoughts.  Hence, as we saw in Ecclesiastes, “the dead are conscious of nothing.”  They have no “planning or knowledge or wisdom,” because they are dead.  They are not in a dreamlike state in the spirit realm.  They are not aware of anything at all. 

What though of the spirit departing in death?  As we elsewhere have noted, this is not a conscious part of man.  The Bible distinguishes between soul and spirit, and our spirit is said to be what “God gave” to us.  In death, it “returns,” thus going back to where it originated from.  What is this?  It is “the breath of life,” the activating force in our body. (Gen. 2:7)  It is not a conscious part of man seen here leaving, for in such a case his thoughts would not perish, only his body would die.  The spirit that leaves could not be the person in a conscious state, for the person’s thoughts are said to have been done away with.

Solomon highlighted these points within the book of Ecclesiastes, writing:  “For that which happens to the sons of men, and that which happens to beasts, even one event is to them. As this one dies, so that one dies; yea, one breath is to all; so that there is to the man no advantage over the beast; for all is vanity.  All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all return to the dust.  Who knows the spirit of the sons of man, whether it goes upward; and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?” (Ecc. 3:19-21)   

This text properly explains that our death is no different than the death of an animal.  When we die the same thing that happens to an animal happens to us.  How then “is all vanity?”  Verse 20 explains that it is “all vanity” in death, for “all go to one place” and “all return to dust.”  Irregardless of what we may do now, this will be the outcome of us all.  Again we must remember that Solomon is not speaking of the resurrection or a future hope, but only the present life.  His statements must be taken in that context and thus we see that they are truth, not any type of inspired apostasy. 

When does this text teach us?  N.T. Wright explains the meaning of Solomon’s words: “Death means that the body returns to the dust, and the breath to God who gave it; meaning not that an immortal part of the person goes to live with God, but that the God who breathed life’s breath into human nostrils in the first place will simply withdraw it into his own possession.”[2]   

Considering the Opposing Proof Texts
While we have elsewhere discussed the vast majority of the opposing proof texts, it is worth revisiting a few general points in addressing these.  Many of these proof texts never speak of the souls of the individuals, but only the individuals themselves, lending nothing to the thought of a disembodied soul.  They often will speak of physical characteristics, such as the wearing of clothing or physical body parts too, again leading away from any thought of an immaterial soul.   

When we consider the account of the transfiguration many will note that Moses and Elijah are said to be with Jesus, thus arguing for life after death as a departed soul. (Matt. 17:1-9)  At no time is it said to be the souls of either of these, but only the whole, complete men. (c.f. Luk. 9:30)  Would anything have prohibited God from temporarily raising them from the dead in order to speak with Jesus?  If we take this text to be literal in that these two did appear, there would be nothing to prohibit God from doing this and it would indeed prove to be the most natural view of the text.  On the other hand, the event may have merely been a vision, with Moses representing the law and Elijah the prophets, with Christ at the center as the fulfillment of these.  

Another text that is argued from is the account of a vision in 2 Corinthians 12, where Paul speaks of himself in the third person as having been “caught up to the third heaven.”  He says that he does not know whether this was “in the body” or “out of the body,” and thus it is argued that Paul was speaking of his soul leaving his body.  But is this the case? 

The expression “out of the body” is used one other place, with regard to sin.  In 1 Corinthians 8:16 we read how all sins other than fornication are done “out of the body,” meaning that they are not physical activities defiling the flesh.  Instead, they were in the mind.  They were thoughts and words and even actions against other people.  The expression in 2 Corinthians 12 is in a way similar to that of 1 Corinthians 8, where it does refer to the physical body, but it does not mean that the person is somehow away from the body as an immaterial soul.  Paul is questioning whether he had this revelation by literal sight, being physically taken to the place of the third heaven, or if he has seen it in his mind as a vision.  Adam Clarke explains these options: “That the apostle was in an ecstasy or trance, something like that of Peter, Acts 10:9, etc., there is reason to believe; but we know that being carried literally into heaven was possible to the Almighty. But as he could not decide himself, it would be ridiculous in us to attempt it.”[3] 

While many commentators do argue that Paul is contrasting a physical visit to the third heaven or a visit as a soul, even Gill confesses this other option, stating:  “Whether this was not all in a visionary way, as John was ‘in the Spirit’ on the Lord’s day, and Ezekiel was taken by a lock of his head, and lifted up by the Spirit between earth and heaven, and brought ‘in the visions of God to Jerusalem’, cannot be said.”[4]

The text in no way teaches that man lives on as a soul outside of the body.  This is merely an interpretation of the text that is unnecessary and inconsistent with the rest of Scripture. Such is the case with the other proof texts as well.  What we find is that Scripture is not actually teaching that people live on as souls after death, but that is only how the text is being interpreted. Indeed, not only is it unnecessary and inconsistent with the rest of Scripture, the interpretations provided are generally inconsistent with the passage itself upon a close examination.

When we consider all of Scripture, we find that alternative interpretations of the claimed proof texts are equally and often more valid than those provided by those advocating life after death.  What is more important though is how clear Scripture is on the fact that death is sleep and that the sleep is a state of total unawareness, where the person’s thoughts “perish.” (Psa. 146:4) Yet this is not the end, for the sleep will flash by in what will seem to be the blink of an eye and then God’s servants, along with many others, will be resurrected. 

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[1] ‘Your Word is Truth’ – Essays in Celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1950, 1953), Edit by Anthony Byatt & Hal Flemings, (Golden Age Books, 2004) - Deut 31:16; 2Sam. 7:12; 1Ki. 1:21; 2:10; 11:21; 11:43; 14:20, 31; 15:8; 15:24; 16:6, 28; 22:40, 50; 2Ki. 8:24; 10:35; 13:9, 13; 14:16, 22, 29; 15:7, 22, 38; 16:20; 20:21; 21:18; 24:6; 2Ch. 9:31; 12:16; 14:1; 16:13; 21:1; 26:2; 26:23; 27:9; 28:27; 32:33; 33:20; Job. 3:13; 7:21; 14:12; Psa. 13:3; 76:5; 90:5; Jer. 51:39; Dan. 12:2; Matt. 9:24; 27:52; Mar. 5:39; Luk. 8:32; Joh. 11:11; Act. 7:60; 13:36; 1Cor. 7:39; 11:30; 15:6, 18, 20, 51; Eph. 5:14; 1Thes. 4:13, 14, 15; 2Pet. 3:4.
[2] Wright, N.T. The Resurrection of the Son of God (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003), 98-99
[3] Clarke, Adam. Commentary on the New Testament [www reference: http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/, cited June. 18, 2005] 2Cor. 12:2.
[4] Gill, John. The New John Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible (Gill) [Cited June. 18, 2006] http://www.studylight.org/com/geb/, 2Cor. 12:2.http://www.scripturaltruths.com/soul/dead/