Not to be confrontational, but I'm curious what you do with passages that mention the existence of a soul and/or something occurring after death. A few examples listed below:
Gen 35:18: "And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin." Where was Leah's "soul" departing to if there was no afterlife (not to mention that fact that the existence of a "soul" is clearly mentioned)?
It's only mentioned in some English translations like the KJV, and unfortunately the NRSV. The word translated here as "soul" (
nephesh) doesn't really mean soul as we envision it - it refers to tangible signs of life, such as breath. A better translation of the above passage would be "And with her dying breath, she called his name Ben-Oni"
Leviticus 17:11: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul." This is an interesting passage. I'm not sure the word that is translated "soul" really goes to what we are talking about in the thread. But interesting nonetheless that it discusses atonement for part of us that is beyond the physical body.
Again, this is the same word in Hebrew as your previous example,
nephesh. It is the same word that the beginning of this passage translates as "life." It doesn't refer to a soul as we understand the term, as you alluded.
1 Kings 17:21: "And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the LORD and said, 'O LORD my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.'" This is clearly talking about a spiritual component to our being that is separate from our physical body. Here, the boy's "soul" had left him at death, and Elijah prays for the boy's soul to return that he might live again. Return from where if it had not gone somewhere?
Well, again, this is
nephesh, and basically means "breath" or "life." The boy was no longer living, and Elijah prayed that life be returned to him. This isn't talking about a spiritual component, just to life itself.
Psalm 16:10: "For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." So, according to this Psalm of David, the soul will not be left in the grave. Where would it go if there is no afterlife?
Nephesh again. This isn't talking about a soul in our understanding of the word. And according to what we know, Sheol was not a definite place, such as Heaven or Hell. It just meant, as you said, the grave. Besides, the Psalms are basically poetry and, by nature, poetic and metaphorical. While one of my favorite books of the Bible, and full of rich imagery which is important in a full relationship with God, I would never take any of it literally as a basis of forming any kind of doctrine. That wasn't its purpose.
It is an interesting study because, much how the work "spirit" in modern English carries multiple meanings, some of which pertain to very earthly emotions while others are meant to convey a more supernatural existence, the Hebrew also seems to use the terms for "spirit" and "soul" in various ways, many times clearly not pertaining to any supernatural part of ourselves. But there are plenty of references to belief in an extra-eartly part of our being that, at least to me, clearly imply a belief in the afterlife. I've yet to see a satisfactory explanation from any biblical scholars as to how these passages can support a view that the Jews living in the various OT time periods did not believe in an afterlife.
Well, it is certainly interesting. But I've just given a little explanation, at least on the four passages you listed, so if I could do that, I'm not sure what kind of scholars you've been examining.
But the possibility remains that some ancient Israelites may have believed in an afterlife of some kind. But my main point (which started all of this) is that there was no ancient Israelite conception of a Hell to which people are doomed that don't believe a certain way, or of a Heaven to which true believers would go to be rewarded. I still see no evidence of such a belief on their part.
Topic: Jamesman vs. Hef - Who will die and go to heaven...or will they? (Read 12201 times)