The Naked State of Human Being

The Meaning of Gymnos in 2 Corinthians 5:3 and its Theological Implications

Toledo

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9781498274289
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Linguistics
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

This book explains the image of nakedness (gymnos) taken by Paul in the Corinthian correspondence to refer to the state of human being during death. Through an academic approach, but simple language, the author explains the biblical monist understanding of human being. He takes the biblical experience of death and resurrection to point out his arguments. This book uncovers the ancient problem of the continuation of personal identity from life prior to death, on to resurrection. It also provides a fresh biblical approach from an anthropological and biblical perspective to the problem of what being human really is. Those who enjoy traveling through the Bible with an open mind and warm heart will find in this book a good experience.

Chapter 1

Introduction

Having a dualistic understanding of the nature of human being, perhaps inherited from our Greco-Roman background, most Christians think that “something” left the human body at the moment of death. This “something,” which sometimes is called “soul” represents the real person, or at least, links the person before death and after it.

Laid on this understanding, many other concepts that, in my opinion, can modify our beliefs regarding salvation, future rewards, and the hope of eternal life, are affected. In this book the reader will not find a general study on the theological or philosophical issue of life after death; instead I would like to tackle one of the main passages used in this discussion: 2 Corinthians 5, especially the concept of nakedness found in verse 3.

The reader will notice that the book is quite technical, although I have transliterated Greek and Hebrew terms. I try to use simple and plain language, first, because I would like everyone to be able to read the book, and second, because English not my mother tongue and I would not like to confuse things that are not very clear.

The Greek term γυμνός (gymnos from now on) commonly translated as “naked” in 2 Cor 5:3 has been understood to refer to the state of the human being between death and resurrection. The nature of the human being in the NT, and especially in relation to what happens between death1 and resurrection, has been the object of more philosophical argumentation than of exegetical study. For some the doctrine of resurrection, which includes what happens between death and resurrection, “has not received as much philosophical attention as some other aspects of Christian theology.”2 Moreover, the passages used have been largely interpreted “through conceptual schemes borrowed from Greek philosophical traditions”3 according to Oscar Cullmann, even to the point of negating biblical truths on behalf of philosophical heritage.4

Congruent to a correct understanding of gymnos are some other Greek terms, the meaning of which is sometimes overlapping or seemingly ambiguous.5 Examples of these are (a) those used to refer to the human nature or some dimension of it, such as psychē (“soul”), pneuma (“spirit”), sōma (“body”), and sarx (“flesh”); and (b) those used to refer to the span between death and resurrection, such as koimaomai (“to sleep”).6 Of such terms, the one most strongly used by dualists, and less explained by monists, is gymnos in 2 Cor 5:3 and its inferences in the rest of the chapter, as I will show later. It seems that, generally speaking, there is no clear interpretation of the state of nakedness in this passage that can be consistent with the other terms and the general concept of the Bible. So, the whole concept of death has an exegetical void.

The Corinthian correspondence, especially 1 Cor 15:35–55 and 2 Cor 4:7–5:10, have been the most frequently used NT passages to approach the issue of the nature of the human being between death and resurrection.7 Scholars have seen them as parallel passages due to their similarities in language, subjects, and theme.8 These passages have to be considered together due to the fact that they are the only ones that use gymnos in the context of the nature of the human being at death.

Due to the language of these passages, such as skēnos, “tent,” oikia, “house,” oikodomē, “building,” ependyō, “to be clothed with,” and gymnos, some interpreters “feel” that Paul is “referring to an intermediate body, which already exists in heaven, to be put on at death.”9 The literalism of the imagery, and some comparison with its use in Greek philosophy,10 has led some scholars to see some kind of human existence between death and resurrection;11 although others recognize that this teaching is not explicit in NT but has to be inferred.12 David Hocking, after stating that “the soul represents the real person, but without a body,” says that there is even the possibility that “God has some sort of intermediate body which we take on between the time we die and the time when our bodies are resurrected.”13 Nevertheless, Hocking maintains that in 1 Cor 15 there is no body in the intermediate state. He explains this clear contradiction by saying that “While God can make some of the dead appear in a body, it is not their normal condition.”14

Others tend to spiritualize the terms and imagery in 2 Cor 5:1–10 leading the discussion away from the field of anthropology15 towards soteriology,16 taking expressions regarding human existence and turning them into expressions regarding spiritual or moral experiences.17 Thus, according to Bruce R. Reichenbach, Pauline anthropology “is not developed philosophically.”18 Paul’s concern was to develop a theology in relation to the redemption of man, “not to present a coherent anthropology in consonance with or contrast to Hellenistic thought.”19 Reichenbach sees Paul as a monist20 and s...

Table of contents

• Figures
• Abbreviations
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Foreword
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Literary Background
• Chapter 3: Gymnos in 2 Corinthians 5:3
• Chapter 4: Theological Implications
• Chapter 5: Conclusion
• Bibliography