FLESH
594
FLESH
of bread (t(T\;ap(n/e, upTOKO-irinicug v. r. aproKOTTiKoi;'), and the Auth. Vers., following the Vulg. (assatura bu- buUn car7iis, pais assw carnis huhulxc, apparently ■with the absurd derivation from 'C'^,fire, and ^Q, a bullock), renders it " a ijood piece of (roasted) fesk." But there ! can be little doubt that it was a certain measure of 1 wine or drink (for "^S'^jAvith X prosthetic), a. measure, cup. An approach to the truth was made hy L. de Dieu, who, following the same etj'mology, understands a portion of the sacrifice measured out (Gesenius, lleb. Lex. s. V.) See Meat.
FLESH. The word flesh ("ib3, aap^ is used both in the 0. and N. T. with a variet}' of meanings, phys- ical, nietaphj'sical, and ethical, the latter occurring especially in the waitings of St. Paul.
I. Old Testament.— \n the O. T. it designates (1.) a particular /jcir^ or parts of the body of man and of ani- mals (Gen. ii, 21 ; xli, 2 ; Job x, 11 ; Psa. cii, 6) ; (2.) ill a more extended sense, the tehole body (Psa. xvi, 9 ; Ixsxlv, 2) in contradistinction from the heart (3?) or soul (—S3) — the bod3^, tliat is, as possessed of a soul or spirit (Lev. xvii, 11 ; Job xii, 10). Hence it is also applied (3.) to all living thinfjs having flesh (Gen. vi, 13), and particularly to man and humanity as a whole, which is designated as ^'■alljlesh" (Gen. vi, 12). It is often connected (4.) with the ideas of mutabilitj', of degencrac}', and of weakness, which are the natural de- fects of the flesh proper. It is thus represented as the counterpart of the divine strength, as the opposite of God or of the Spirit, as in 2 Chron. xxxii, 8, " With him is an arm ofjlesh, but with us is ike Lord our God to help Mi" (see also Isa. xxxi, 3; Psa. Ixxviii, 39). To this we can also add Gen. vi, 3, the only passage in the O. T. in which the word ap])roaches to an ethical sense, yet without actuallj' acquiring it. The peculiar softness of the flesh is also (5.) the basis of the expres- f.ion '■'■heart ofjlesh'''' QluTH -5) as opposed to '■'■heart of stone" (Ezek. xi,19). (6.) The expression " TO_?/_/?e.9/i" (oftener " mij flesh and hone''''), to indicate relationship (Judg. ix, 2 ; Isa. Iviii, 7X evidently refers to the phys- ical and corporeal connection between persons sprung from a common father. In all these cases the 0. T. only uses the word flesh in the physical and metaphys- ical senses.
II. Ne7v Testament. — These senses of the word " flesh" are also found in the N. T. (1.) As a name for the bod}', the exterior appearance of humanity, it easily passes on also to denote external phenomena in general, as opposed to what is inner and spiritual. So, when Christ says to the Jews, '■'■ I jitdfje not after the flesh," he means "the flesh is the rule by which you judge" (John vii, 15; compare also Phil, iii, 3 ; 2 Cor. v, 16). In Rom. iv, 1, the ethical sense appears. The word "flesh" here denotes man's incapacity for good apart from divine aid. This impotence, both practical and spiritual, is also expressed in other passages, as in Eom. vi, 19 ; Matt, xvi, 17 ; and in Matt, xxvi, 41, where the lower, earthly, and sensual element in humanity, as opposed to the "spirit," is, as sucli, incapable of bear- ing trial and temptation. The root of this weakness is sin dwelling in the flesh (Rom. vii, 18 ; xvii, 20), by which man is divided within himself as well as separ- ated from God, inasmuch as he has, on the one side, the self-conscious spirit (I'or'c), which sulmiits to the divine law, and takes pleasure in this obedience, desir- ing all that is commanded, and avoiding all that is for- bidden ; and, on the other hand, i\\c flesh, which, being inhabited by sin, seeks only for the lower satisfactions, thus inclining to evil rather than good, and opposed to the divine law (see Rom. vii, 7-25 ; viii, 3). The " «'w- ful flesV (niipK ((jiaoT'iac) hinders the efficacy of the divine law, so that, although it (the law) gains the as- sent of the "iimer man," it'is not fnlfilldd, because of this tendency of the flesh towards what is forbidden. Hence the " being 'n the flesh''' means, in fact, such ac-
tivity of the sinful passions (jra^iinaTa afiapriuii') of the organism (tv roif /^kXictv) as results in de^tli (Rom. vii, 5; viii, 8, 9). To live and act ^^ according to the flesh'" is to live and act sinfully; the "carnal mind is enmity against God" (Rom. viii, 4, 5, 7, 12). The '^wisdom according to the flesh" is a mistaken. God- less wisdom (1 Cor. i, 2G). All efforts, boasts, etc., having the flesh for object or for motive QiovXtiKu^ai OTpaTivtaSiai, Kav\twbai Kara ai'ipKa, 2 Cor. i, 17 ; x, 2 ; xi, 18), are foreign to the life of the true Christian. The lusts, desires, and works of the flesh are sinful, and opposed to hoi}-, divine impulses and actions (Gal. v, 16 ; Eph. ii, 3). To crucify the flesh and the works of the flesh is the great object of the Christian, which he attains through the power of the spirit of Christ Aviiich dwells in him (Gal. v, 25 ; Eom. viii, 13). The fleshly mind is the mistaken mind, leading awaj' from Christ to pride, and consequently to error (Col. ii, 18, 19). Finally, to act according to the flesh is called to "be sold under sin" (Rom. vii, 12; comp. 1 John ii, 16; Rom. viii, 3).