Early Christian Views of the Flesh and Spirit

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

...nderstand the Scripture: “And I, brothers, could not speak to you as to spiritual people, but as to carnal people, as to babes in Christ,” 1 Corinthians 3:1, so that the carnal may be understood as those recently instructed, and still babes in Christ. For he called those who had already believed in the Holy Spirit spiritual, and those newly instructed and not yet purified carnal. He rightly still calls them carnal, since, like the heathen, they also mind the things of the flesh: “For whereas there is among you envy and strife, are you not carnal, and walk as men?” 1 Corinthians 3:3. Therefore also, “I have given you milk to drink,” he says, meaning, “I have instilled into you the knowledge which, from instruction, nourishes up to eternal life.” But the expression, “I have given you to drink,” is the symbol of perfect appropriation. For those who are full-grown are said to drink, babes to suck. For the Lord says, “My blood is true drink.” John 6:55. In saying, therefore, “I have given you milk to drink,” has he not indicated the knowledge of the truth, the perfect gladness in the Word, who is the milk? And what follows next, “not meat, for you were not able,” may indicate the cle

Ignatius, The Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians (Short Version) Direct teaching

...u and need to be sanctified by your Church of Ephesus, renowned throughout the world. Those who are carnal cannot do things that are spiritual, nor can those who are spiritual do things that are carnal, just as faith cannot do the works of unbelief, nor unbelief the works of faith. But even the things you do according to the flesh are spiritual, for you do all things in Jesus Christ.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

This is what the Apostle Paul openly and manifestly declares by his words: The flesh, says he, lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: for these are contrary the one to the other;

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

for the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.

Tertullian, On Monogamy Supporting witness

The flesh, says (the apostle), lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. Galatians 5:17

Hippolytus, Refutation of All Heresies Supporting witness

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

Origen, De Principiis (On First Principles) Supporting witness

This statement, moreover, that the flesh struggles against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh;

Galatians 5:17 Direct teaching

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Romans 8:5 Direct teaching

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:6 Direct teaching

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Galatians 5:19 Supporting witness

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

Tertullian, On the Resurrection of the Flesh Direct teaching

You may notice that the apostle everywhere condemns the works of the flesh in such a way that he seems to condemn the flesh itself. But no one can suppose that he means this, since he goes on at once to suggest another sense, even though it somewhat resembles that one. For when he actually declares that those who are in the flesh cannot please God, he immediately calls the statement back from a heretical sense to a sound one by adding, "But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit," in Romans 8:8-9. Now, by denying that they were in the flesh, though they obviously were in the flesh, he showed that they were not living among the works of the flesh. Therefore, those who could not please God were not those who were in the flesh, but only those who were living after the flesh. But those pleased God who, although they existed in the flesh, were still walking after the Spirit. And again, he says that the body is dead. But it is dead because of sin, just as the Spirit is life because of righteousness. When, however, he thus sets life over against the death that is established in the flesh, he unquestionably promises the life of righteousness to the same condition for which he assigned

Tertullian, Against Praxeas Direct teaching

... He is rather some third substance, very different from either. But the truth is that we find Him clearly presented as both God and Man. The very psalm we quoted indicates, concerning the flesh, that God became man in the midst of it. “He therefore established it by the will of the Father.” Certainly, then, He is in every respect both the Son of God and the Son of Man, being God and Man. No doubt they differ according to each substance and its own special property, since the Word is nothing other than God, and the flesh is nothing other than Man. In this way the apostle also teaches about His two substances, saying, “who was made of the seed of David,” Romans 1:3 and in these words He is Man and Son of Man. And, “who was declared to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit”; in these words He is God, and the Word, the Son of God. We plainly see the twofold condition, not confused but joined in one Person, Jesus, God and Man. As for Christ, I am postponing what I have to say. I remark here that the property of each nature is so fully preserved that the Spirit, on the one hand, did in Jesus all things suitable to itself, such as miracles, mighty deeds, and wonders. And the Flesh

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

... are guided by the Spirit and walk in all things according to reason, the apostle rightfully calls "spiritual," because the Spirit of God dwells in them. Now, spiritual people will not be incorporeal spirits, but the union of flesh and spirit, receiving the Spirit of God, forms the spiritual person. However, those who reject the Spirit's guidance and are slaves to fleshly lusts, living lives contrary to reason, and who recklessly pursue their own desires without seeking the Divine Spirit, live like swine and dogs. These people, the apostle rightly calls "carnal," because they think only of carnal things.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

...em in God's image and likeness. However, if the Spirit is missing from the soul, the person remains carnal and incomplete, possessing the image of God but not the likeness through the Spirit, making them imperfect. Additionally, if someone removes the image and the handiwork, they cannot understand this as being a human, but just a part of a human, or something else. The flesh formed is not a complete human on its own, just the body of a human and part of a human. The soul alone is not a human but a part of a human as well. The spirit, too, is not a human, as it is called the spirit, not a human; the mixture and union of all these make up the complete human. For this reason, the apostle clarifies that the saved person is both a complete person and a spiritual one, saying in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, "Now the God of peace sanctify you completely, and may your spirit, soul, and body be preserved whole without fault at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ." What was his purpose in praying for these three—soul, body, and spirit—to be preserved until the Lord's coming, unless he knew about their future reintegration and union and their shared salvation? He declares that

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

Just as the grafted wild olive doesn't lose its wood but changes the quality of its fruit and gets a new name, becoming a fruit-bearing olive, so too does a person, when grafted by faith and receiving the Spirit of God, not lose their physical nature but change the quality of their deeds. They receive a new name, showing they have improved, becoming a spiritual individual. If the wild olive is not grafted, it remains useless to its owner and is cut down and burned, because it doesn't bear fruit. Similarly, if a person does not receive the Spirit through faith, they remain in their old state and, being mere flesh and blood, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Thus, the apostle rightly states, “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,” and, “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” These words don't reject the body but show that the Spirit must be infused into it. For this reason, he says, “This mortal must put on immortality, and this corruptible must put on incorruption.” He further clarifies, “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.” He explains further, “The body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life beca

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

For, since man is composed of flesh and spirit, and the spirit must earn immortality by works of righteousness, the flesh, since it is earthly, and therefore mortal, draws with itself the spirit linked to it, and leads it from immortality to death.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

[there is] the flesh possessed by the Spirit, forgetful indeed of what belongs to it, and adopting the quality of the Spirit, being made conformable to the Word of God.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

and again, when the Spirit absorbs the weakness [of the flesh], it possesses the flesh as an inheritance in itself, and from both of these is formed a living man,—living, indeed, because he partakes of the Spirit, but man, because of the substance of flesh.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Supporting witness

Therefore the spirit, apart from the flesh, could by no means be a guide to immortality for man, since the flesh hinders the spirit from following God.

Tertullian, Against Marcion Direct teaching

... he himself was walking, and to put off the likeness of the earthy, that is, of the old man, in the works of the flesh. For what are his next words? "Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 15:50. He means the works of flesh and blood, which in his Epistle to the Galatians keep men out of the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21. In other places too, he often uses the natural condition in place of the works done in it, as when he says that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:8. Now, when can we please God except while we are in this flesh? I suppose there is no other time in which a man can act. But if, while we are living naturally in the flesh, we avoid the deeds of the flesh, then we are not in the flesh, in that sense. For although we are still present in the substance of the flesh, we are nevertheless strangers to its sin. Therefore, since in the word "flesh" we are told to put off not the substance but the works of the flesh, in the same way the kingdom of God is denied not to the substance of the flesh, but to its works. For what is condemned is not that in which evil is done, but the evil that is do

Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ Supporting witness

...ndivisible substance. But in Christ we find the soul and the flesh spoken of in plain and unfigured terms. That is to say, the soul is called soul, and the flesh, flesh. Nowhere is the soul called flesh, or the flesh, soul. And yet they ought to have been named that way, in confusion, if that had been their condition. The fact, however, is that even by Christ Himself each substance has been mentioned separately by itself, in agreement, of course, with the distinction that exists between the properties of both: the soul by itself, and the flesh by itself. "My soul," He says, "is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death." And, "the bread that I will give is my flesh," which I will give for the life of the world. John 6:51 Now, if the soul had been flesh, there would have been in Christ only the soul composed of flesh, or else the flesh composed of soul. Since, however, He keeps the kinds distinct, the flesh and the soul, He shows them to be two. If two, then they are no longer one. If not one, then the soul is not composed of flesh, nor the flesh of soul. For the soul-flesh, or the flesh-soul, is only one, unless indeed He even had some other soul besides that which was flesh, and car

John 6:63 Direct teaching

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching

For man is made of flesh and spirit. The spirit must gain immortality by works of righteousness. But the flesh, since it is earthly and therefore mortal, pulls along with it the spirit joined to it, and leads it from immortality to death. Therefore, apart from the flesh, the spirit could in no way be a guide to immortality for man, since the flesh keeps the spirit from following God. For the flesh is weak and liable to sin, and sin is the food and nourishment of death. For this reason, a mediator came—that is, God in the flesh—so that the flesh might be able to follow Him, and so that He might rescue man from death, which rules over the flesh. Therefore He clothed Himself with flesh, so that, with the desires of the flesh subdued, He might teach that sinning was not the result of necessity, but of man's purpose and will. For we have one great and chief struggle to carry on against the flesh. Its endless desires press upon the soul and do not allow it to keep control, but make it a slave to pleasures and sweet temptations, and bring upon it everlasting death. And so that we might be able to overcome these things, God has opened and shown us the way to overcome the flesh. And this pe

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Direct teaching

...prophet: ‘It shall come to pass in the last days, says the Lord, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and their sons and their daughters shall prophesy, and their young men shall see visions, and their old men shall dream dreams. And upon my servants and upon my handmaidens I will pour out of my Spirit,’” Acts 2:17-18. We find that this Spirit was communicated in the Old Testament, not indeed everywhere or widely, but along with other gifts; or rather, that He sprang up by His own will in certain men, or clothed them, or was upon them. So we see that the Lord said to Moses about the seventy elders, “And I will take of the Spirit which is upon you, and will put it upon them,” Numbers 11:17. For this reason also, according to His promise, God put upon them from the Spirit that had been upon Moses, and they prophesied in the camp. And Moses, as a spiritual man, rejoiced that this had happened, although Joshua the son of Nun had urged him, against his will, to oppose this thing, and yet he was not led to do so. Further, in the book of Judges, and also in the books of Kings, we see that upon several men either the Spirit of the Lord was present, or He came to them, as upon Othni

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

14. Beloved brothers, vices and carnal sins must be trampled down. The corrupting plague of the earthly body must be crushed under foot with spiritual strength, so that we may not turn back again to the way of life of the old man and be caught in deadly snares. For the apostle, with wise and helpful foresight, warned us about this very thing and said: "Therefore, brothers, let us not live after the flesh; for if you live after the flesh, you shall begin to die; but if you, through the Spirit, put to death the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Romans 8:12-14 If we are the sons of God, if we are already beginning to be His temples, if, having received the Holy Spirit, we are living in a holy and spiritual way, if we have lifted our eyes from earth to heaven, if we have lifted our hearts, filled with God and Christ, to things above and divine, let us do nothing except what is worthy of God and Christ. So also the apostle stirs us up and urges us, saying: "If you have risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God; set your minds on things that are above, no

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching

...oned: "Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse our hearts from every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God," 2 Corinthians 7:1. "For I am jealous over you with God's jealousy; for I have betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ," 2 Corinthians 11:2. And the Church is not joined in marriage to another, since she has the Bridegroom. But each one of us has the right to marry whatever lawful wife he wishes, that is, in first marriages. "But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ," 2 Corinthians 11:3. The Apostle spoke very devoutly, and like a teacher. For this reason the admirable Peter also says, "Beloved, I beg you as strangers and pilgrims, keep yourselves from fleshly desires, which fight against the soul, having your conduct good among the Gentiles." For this is the will of God: that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men, "as free, and not using freedom as a covering for evil, but as servants of God." In the same way Paul also writes in the Epistle to the Romans: "How shall we who died to

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

This flesh, accordingly, in which the Holy Spirit dwelt, was nobly subject to that Spirit, walking religiously and chastely, in no respect defiling the Spirit;

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Supporting witness

For this is He who desires against the flesh, because the flesh resists against the Spirit.

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Background

...phets in the Church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works, often gives discrimination of spirits, provides powers of government, suggests counsels, and orders and arranges whatever other gifts of charismata there are. And so He makes the Lord's Church everywhere, and in all things, perfected and completed. This is He who, in the manner of a dove, when our Lord was baptized, came and remained upon Him, dwelling in Christ full and entire, and not diminished in any measure or part. Rather, with His whole overflow He was copiously distributed and sent forth, so that from Him others might receive some enjoyment of His graces. Yet the source of the entire Holy Spirit remained in Christ, so that from Him streams of gifts and works might be drawn, while the Holy Spirit dwelt abundantly in Christ. For truly Isaiah, prophesying this, said, “And the Spirit of wisdom and understanding shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and piety; and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him.” This same thing he also said in the person of the Lord Himself, in another place: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;

Victorinus, Commentary on the Apocalypse Background

...phets in the Church, instructs teachers, directs tongues, gives powers and healings, does wonderful works, often gives discrimination of spirits, affords powers of government, suggests counsels, and orders and arranges whatever other gifts of charismata there are. And thus He makes the Lord’s Church everywhere, and in all things, perfected and completed. This is He who, after the manner of a dove, when our Lord was baptized, came and remained upon Him, dwelling in Christ full and entire, and not diminished in any measure or portion, but with His whole overflow copiously distributed and sent forth, so that from Him others might receive some enjoyment of His graces. The source of the entire Holy Spirit remained in Christ, so that from Him streams of gifts and works might be drawn, while the Holy Spirit dwelt abundantly in Christ. For truly Isaiah, prophesying this, said: “And the Spirit of wisdom and understanding shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and piety; and the Spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill Him.” This same thing he also said in the person of the Lord Himself in another place: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because H

Methodius, From the Discourse on the Resurrection Direct teaching

... be harmful to anyone. For spiritual things are far removed from irrational lust and sin. But "I am carnal, sold under sin," Romans 7:14. This means: I, being carnal and placed between good and evil as a voluntary agent, am in such a condition that I have it in my power to choose what I want. For, "Behold I set before you life and death," meaning that death would come from disobedience to the spiritual law, that is, the commandment, and from obedience to the carnal law, that is, the counsel of the serpent. For by such a choice I am sold to the devil and fall under sin. So evil, as if it were surrounding me, clings to me and dwells in me, while justice gives me up to be sold to the Evil One because I violated the law. Therefore these words also, "That which I do, I allow not, and what I hate, that do I," Romans 7:15, are not to be understood as doing evil, but only as thinking it. For it is not in our power either to think or not to think about improper things, but it is in our power to act or not to act on our thoughts. For we cannot keep thoughts from coming into our minds, since we receive them when they are suggested to us from outside. But we are able to refrain from obeying

Peter of Alexandria, The Genuine Acts of Peter Supporting witness

... be harmful to anyone. For spiritual things are far removed from irrational lust and sin. But "I am carnal, sold under sin," Romans 7:14, which means this: I, being carnal and placed between good and evil as a voluntary agent, am such that I have it in my power to choose what I will. For, "Behold I set before you life and death," meaning that death would result from disobedience to the spiritual law, that is, the commandment; and from obedience to the carnal law, that is, the serpent's counsel. For by such a choice I am sold to the devil, having fallen under sin. Therefore evil, as if besieging me, clings to me and dwells in me, since justice gives me up to be sold to the Evil One because I violated the law. Therefore also the words, "That which I do, I allow not, and what I hate, that do I," Romans 7:15, are not to be understood as doing evil, but only as thinking it. For it is not in our power to think or not think of improper things, but to act or not act on our thoughts. For we cannot keep thoughts from coming into our minds, since we receive them when they are stirred up in us from outside. But we are able to keep from obeying them and acting on them. Therefore it is in our

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

..., and ask him what will happen to them. And he, the false prophet, not having the power of a Divine Spirit in him, answers them according to their questions and according to their wicked desires, and fills their souls with expectations according to their own wishes. For since he is empty himself, he gives empty answers to empty inquirers, for every answer is made to the emptiness of man. Some true words he does occasionally speak, for the devil fills him with his own spirit, hoping that he may be able to overcome some of the righteous. As many, then, as are strong in the faith of the Lord and are clothed with truth have no connection with such spirits, but keep away from them. But as many as are doubtful in mind and repent often turn to soothsaying, just like the heathen, and bring greater sin on themselves by their idolatry. For he who asks a false prophet about any action is an idolater, devoid of the truth, and foolish. For no spirit given by God needs to be asked. But such a spirit, having the power of Divinity, speaks all things of itself, because it proceeds from above, from the power of the Divine Spirit. But the spirit that is asked and speaks according to the desires of

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness

thus saying, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, benignity, faith, meekness, continence, chastity: against these there is no law.” As, therefore, he who has gone forward to the better things, and has brought forth the fruit of the Spirit, is saved altogether because of the communion of the Spirit;