Reference: Flesh
American
The substance of which the bodies of men and animals are composed. In the Bible, besides the ordinary sense, Job 33:25, it denotes mankind as a race, Ge 6:12; Ps 145:21; Isa 40:5-6; and all living creatures on the earth, Ge 6:17,19. It is often used in opposition to "spirit," as we use body and soul, Job 14:22; and sometimes means the body as animated and sensitive, Mt 26:41, and the seat of bodily appetites, Pr 5:11; 2Co 7:1. In the New Testament, "flesh" is very often used to designate the bodily appetites, propensities, and passions, which draw men away from yielding themselves to the Lord and to the things of the Spirit. The flesh, or carnal principle, is opposed to the spirit, or spiritual principle, Ro 8; Ga 5:17.
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Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
for the flesh desireth things contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit things contrary to the flesh: and these are opposite to each other; so that ye do not those things which ye would.
Easton
in the Old Testament denotes (1) a particular part of the body of man and animals (Ge 2:21; 41:2; Ps 102:5, marg.); (2) the whole body (Ps 16:9); (3) all living things having flesh, and particularly humanity as a whole (Ge 6:12-13); (4) mutability and weakness (2Ch 32:8; comp. Isa 31:3; Ps 78:39). As suggesting the idea of softness it is used in the expression "heart of flesh" (Eze 11:19). The expression "my flesh and bone" (Jg 9:2; Isa 58:7) denotes relationship.
In the New Testament, besides these it is also used to denote the sinful element of human nature as opposed to the "Spirit" (Ro 6:19; Mt 16:17). Being "in the flesh" means being unrenewed (Ro 7:5; 8:8-9), and to live "according to the flesh" is to live and act sinfully (Ro 8:4-5,7,12).
This word also denotes the human nature of Christ (Joh 1:14, "The Word was made flesh." Comp. also 1Ti 3:16; Ro 1:3).
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And Jesus replied and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon son of Jonas, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, being full of grace and truth: and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father.
who was of the seed of David according to the flesh,
I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh: as ye have yielded your bodies servants to impurity and iniquity to work iniquity; so now present your bodies servants to righteousness, unto holiness.
For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions while we were under the law operated in our bodies so as to bring forth fruit unto death.
that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. For they who are after the flesh, mind the things of the flesh; but they who are led by the Spirit, do mind spiritual things.
because the carnal mind is an enemy to God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be: and they who are carnal, cannot please God. read more. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you: but if any one hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live after the flesh:
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory.
Fausets
In an ethical sense opposed to "the spirit." Ge 6:3, "for that lie also (even the race of godly Seth) (is become) flesh (carnal)." When the salt of the church has lost its savor, the whole mass is corrupt and ripe for judgment. 1Co 1:26, "wise after the flesh," i.e. with wisdom acquired by mere human study without the Spirit. Contrast Mt 16:17; 26:41. Not the body, which is not in itself sinful; it was through thinking it so that Gnostic ascetics mortified it by austerities, while all the while their seeming neglecting of the body was pampering "the flesh" (Col 2:21-23). "The flesh" is the natural man, including the unrenewed will and mind, moving in the world of self and sense only.
Self imposed ordinances gratify the flesh (i.e. self) while seemingly mortifying it. "Trouble in the flesh" is in their outward state, namely, through the present distress (1Co 7:28). So Joh 6:63, "it is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and are life." Not the outward flesh, but the word of Christ, is what gives life. So Peter understood Christ, as his reply shows: "Thou hast the words of eternal life." "To know Christ after the flesh" (2Co 5:16) means to know Him in His mere outward worldly relations, with a view to "glorying" in them (Joh 8:15; Php 3:3-10); as Judaizing Christians prided themselves on the fleshly advantage of belonging to Israel, the nation of Christ, or on having seen Him in the flesh, as a ground of superiority over others (2Co 11:18; 10:7).
Contrasted with knowing Him spiritually as new creatures (2Co 5:12,15,17). Outward rebellions toward Him profit nothing (Lu 8:19-21; Joh 16:7,22; Mt 7:22-23). All outward distinctions are lost sight of in experiment, ally knowing Him in His new resurrection life (Ga 2:6,20; 3:28; Ro 6:9-11; 1Co 15:45; 1Pe 3:18; 4:1-2); disproving both Mariolatry and transubstantiation. In Ro 4:1, "what hath Abraham found, as pertaining to the flesh?" i.e. as respects carnal ordinances (circumcision). "All flesh," i.e. all men (Lu 3:2; Joh 17:2).
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many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name have wrought many miracles? and I will then declare unto them, I never owned you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.
And Jesus replied and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon son of Jonas, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being high priests, the word of God came unto John the Son of Zacharias in the wilderness:
Now his mother and his brethren came to Him, and could not come at Him for the croud: and it was told Him, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to see thee. read more. And He answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God and do it.
The spirit is the principle of life, the flesh availeth nothing: now the words that I speak unto you are spirit, and therefore life.
Ye judge according to the flesh, but I judge no man as yet:
Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I should go away; for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.
And ye therefore now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy shall no one take from you.
as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that as to all which Thou hast given Him, He might give them eternal life;
What shall we say then that Abraham our father obtained according to the flesh?
knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more power over Him: for as He died, He died once for all on account of sin; but as He liveth, He liveth unto God. read more. So also do ye reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
For ye see by your calling, brethren, that not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called:
Though, if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: such however will probably have more trouble in life: but I spare you.
for we are not again recommending ourselves to you, but giving you an occasion of glorying on our account; that ye may have somewhat to answer those who glory in appearance, and not in heart.
And He died for all, that those who live might no longer live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and rose again. Wherefore we henceforth know no one according to the flesh: and if we have known even Christ after the flesh, yet now we thus know Him no more. read more. And therefore if any one be in Christ, he is created anew: old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.
Do ye look at things according to the outward appearance? If any one is confident in himself that he is Christ's, let him consider this again of himself, that as he is Christ's, so we also are Christ's.
And as to those who seemed to be men of note, whatever they were, it is all one to me, (God accepteth no man's person) for even these eminent persons added nothing more to me.
I am crucified with Christ; yet I live, though no longer I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave up himself for me.
and there is neither Jew nor Greek, those is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
For we are of the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other thinks he hath whereof to trust in the flesh, I more: read more. having been circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of Hebrews, with respect to the law a pharisee, as to zeal persecuting the church, as to the righteousness of the law blameless: but those things, which were once gain to me, I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless and I count all but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all, and I account them but dung, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is by the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know Him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death;
(such as "touch not, taste not, handle not," which all tend to corruption in the using,) according to the commandments and doctrines of men? read more. which things indeed have a pretence to wisdom in voluntary worship, and humiliation, and bodily penance, as having no regard to the satisfying of the flesh.
Hastings
This word is used in Scripture to express: (1) the substance of the animal body, whether of man or of beast (Ge 41:2). (2) The whole human body (Ex 4:7). (3) Relationship by birth or marriage (Ge 2:24; 37:27; Ne 5:5), for which also the further phrase 'flesh and bones' is found (Ge 2:23; 2Sa 19:12)
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Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, being full of grace and truth: and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father.
who was of the seed of David according to the flesh,
who was of the seed of David according to the flesh, but powerfully declared to be the Son of God, according to the spirit of holiness, by his resurrection from the dead, even Jesus Christ our Lord;
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with my mind I serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
For that which was impossible for the law to do, and in which it was weak through the corruption of the flesh, God by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sacrifice for sin, hath done; that is, hath condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.
it is sown an animal body, it is raised a spiritual body: for there is an animal body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, "The first man Adam was made a living soul." But the last Adam is an enlivening spirit. read more. However, the spiritual is not first, but the animal; and afterwards the spiritual. The first man being made out of the earth, was earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. Such as the earthy was, such are they also that are earthy: and such, as is the heavenly, are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. But this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor doth what is corruptible inherit incorruption.
But this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor doth what is corruptible inherit incorruption.
Having therefore, my beloved, these promises, let us purify ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
I am crucified with Christ; yet I live, though no longer I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave up himself for me.
I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye will not fulfil the desire of the flesh:
lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, enmities, strifes, emulations, animosities, contentions, divisions,
among whom also we were all conversant heretofore in our carnal desires, indulging the appetites of the flesh and of our imaginations; and were by nature children of wrath, even as others.
Let no one deprive you of your reward by an affected humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into what he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his carnal mind;
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.
And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly: and grant that your whole frame, spirit, soul, and body may be kept blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Seeing then the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself in like manner partook of them; that by death He might destroy him that had the empire of death, that is, the devil:
Morish
????. This term is used in various senses in scripture. The principal are
1. The estate of man: "all flesh shall see the salvation of God," Lu 3:6; "the Word became flesh." Joh 1:14.
2. The material part of man and of animals: "all flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts." 1Co 15:39.
3. The same kindred: "thou art my bone and my flesh," Ge 29:14; "he is our brother, and our flesh." Ge 37:27.
4. Union: "they shall be one flesh," Ge 2:24; Eph 5:29-31.
5. Man's nature, but corrupted by sin: "that which is born of the flesh is flesh," Joh 3:6; "sinful flesh," Ro 8:3.
6. The state which characterises man before knowing deliverance: Rom. 7, Ro 8:8-9.
7. Though no longer the state of the Christian, yet the flesh is in him, and is antagonistic to the Spirit, "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye should not do the things that ye would." Ga 5:17. Thus the Spirit resists in the Christian the accomplishment of the lusts of the flesh.
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and all men shall see the salvation of God."
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, being full of grace and truth: and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father.
That, which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that, which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.
For that which was impossible for the law to do, and in which it was weak through the corruption of the flesh, God by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sacrifice for sin, hath done; that is, hath condemned sin in the flesh:
and they who are carnal, cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if the Spirit of God dwelleth in you: but if any one hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
All flesh is not the same kind of flesh: but there is one flesh of men, and another of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
for the flesh desireth things contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit things contrary to the flesh: and these are opposite to each other; so that ye do not those things which ye would.
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord also doth the church: for we are members of his body, as if taken out of his flesh, and of his bones, as Eve was out of Adam's. read more. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Smith
Flesh.
[FLOOD]
See Flood
Watsons
FLESH, a term of very ambiguous import in the Scriptures. An eminent critic has enumerated no less than six different meanings which it bears in the sacred writings, and for which, he affirms, there will not be found a single authority in any profane writer:
1. It sometimes denotes the whole body considered as animated, as in Mt 26:41, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
2. It sometimes means a human being, as in Lu 3:6, "All flesh shall see the salvation of God."
3. Sometimes a person's kindred collectively considered, as in Ro 11:14, "If by any means I may provoke them which are my flesh."
4. Sometimes any thing of an external or ceremonial nature, as opposed to that which is internal and moral, as in Ga 3:3, "Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect in the flesh?"
5. The sensitive part of our nature, or that which is the seat of appetite, as in 2Co 7:1, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit;" where there can be no doubt that the pollutions of the flesh must be those of the appetites, being opposed to the pollutions of the spirit, or those of the passions. 6. It is employed to denote any principle of vice and moral pravity of whatever kind. Thus among the works of the flesh, Ga 5:19-21, are numbered not only adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, drunkenness, and revellings, which all relate to criminal indulgence of appetite, but idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, and murders, which are manifestly vices of a different kind, and partake more of the diabolical nature than of the beastly.
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Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
and all men shall see the salvation of God."
I extol my office, that if possible I may excite to emulation my brethren according to the flesh, and may save some of them:
Having therefore, my beloved, these promises, let us purify ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Are ye so void of understanding? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, such as, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, enmities, strifes, emulations, animosities, contentions, divisions, read more. heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and the like: of which I forewarn you, as I have also told you before, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.