If Lazarus and the rich man were separated from their bodies, why did the rich man want Lazarus to fetch some water for his tongue?
How can one be thirsty - or aware of any torment - or have a 'tongue' to cool without a body?
Those are pretty fair questions. First, I don't believe this is a "literal" account in the fullest sense of the word today. I believe it is a real account that actually happened, but I also believe Jesus used some imagery to vividly express it.
Just like gnashing of teeth isn't necessarily meant as literal teeth, but is a way of expressing agony and regret. Jesus also said "the worm will never die", but I don't think there are any literal worms. I believe the "thirst" was a picture of the torment and agony the man was/is experiencing.
I also think Jesus used this picture as a contrast to the "water of life" found in Him. Oh, if that rich man could just have one drop of that water of life from one who knew where to get it. He might have refreshment and rest as opposed to thirst, agony and torment. Alas, it was too late.
I'm sure this inevitably leads to the question of whether the fire was literal, if I believe the thirst wasn't. No, I do not believe the fire was literal in this account. However, this does not mean I deny any reality of hell.
We must take into account that the rich man did not go to hell. He was (and still is) in Hades. Death and Hades will be thrown into a lake of fire, so what would be the purpose of a fire in Hades? I can't see it. Also, how can a material fire burn an immaterial being? In Hades, there are no material beings. So a material fire in Hades would be pointless.
But Jesus said that everyone will receive a resurrected body (John 5:25-29), and from all indications, it will be immune to death just like a saint's body will be. In Adam all die, but in Christ all will live (physical resurrection - c.f. 1Cor 15:20-22)
A literal fire will not burn up a resurrected body, even though the fire will not be quenched. So it is still possible that there will be a literal fire in hell, but there is not one in Hades.
Then, to the question of how one can be aware of torment without a physical body? That's where I believe the soul is inextricably joined to the spirit.
I think you might have slightly misunderstood my other post. I don't believe there are three "parts" of a man. I believe man is made of two parts - spirit and body (dichotomy of nature, or substance)
But I believe there is a third "aspect" of man, his soul - psyche, awareness, will, emotions, personality, conscience, rationale, etc.
Maybe an analogy of a car might help. In the most raw sense, a car is "made" of two components - drive train (on a frame) and shell.
The drive train would correspond to a man's spirit. This is what drives the car. This is where the real, active part of the car is.
The shell would correspond to a human body. It is interchangeable. Conversion kits are available to put a Studebaker-like shell on a Chevy drive train, and so on. But the shell is useless without a drive train inside. So it is with our body. The body is dead (useless) without a spirit in it. We will take off a corruptible shell at death, and put on incorruptibility in the resurrection. We'll trade in our Chevy body and get that Studebaker
It is not necessary to have a shell of a car in order for the drive train to be a functioning machine. But the car is not complete without a shell, or body. Same with a human body. We are naked without our body, but alive nevertheless.
Now, the "soul" of a car is it's personality. This would be horsepower, torque, top speed, gas mileage, etc. These are not "parts" of a car. Rather, a car "has" these. The personality of a car is not the same thing as the drive train, but is inextricably tied to the drive train.
The car "is" a drive train and shell, but a car "has" horsepower, top speed, etc. And just as the "soul" of a car is attached to the innermost aspect of the car (drive train), a person's soul is attached to the spirit.
The car's personality does relate to the shell as long as there is a shell on the car. The shell adds the components of wind drag, weight, and other "accessories" which affect the car's character as a whole. But only with the shell on. Take the shell of a car off, and it's nothing more than metal rusting in a junkyard.
As long as a man is complete, in his body, the soul relates to the body. For instance, if someone touches my body, I might be startled in my psyche. If I feel sad in my psyche, it might manifest tears from my body. If my psyche is humored, my face will make a smile. Stress can make us physically sick. Being physically tired or drunk can make us think funny.
But since the soul is our awareness, thoughts, ambitions, desires, etc., and the soul is joined to the spirit inside, it is entirely accurate to say that a man can experience regret, remorse, agony and torment without being in the body.
I hope that's not too wordy. Just trying to be real clear.
:wavey: :laugh: