Do angels have souls?

Still, why is man called a living soul, a title which is his in common with all the animate creation, rather than a "living spirit," which would distinguish him from them? The answer would seem to be that the point of contrast is not with the lower animals, but with the class of God's creatures to which as a moral being man belongs. The angels are spirits, never souls. The distinction between them and man, "made a little lower than the angels," is thus that man is a soul. That which links him with the inferior creatures, is that which distinguishes him from pure "spirits," such as angels are.*

Still, why is man called a living soul, a title which is his in common with all the animate creation, rather than a "living spirit," which would distinguish him from them? The answer would seem to be that the point of contrast is not with the lower animals, but with the class of God's creatures to which as a moral being man belongs. The angels are spirits, never souls. The distinction between them and man, "made a little lower than the angels," is thus that man is a soul. That which links him with the inferior creatures, is that which distinguishes him from pure "spirits," such as angels are.*

Scripture speaks of God as “The Father of spirits” (Heb. 12:9), never of souls. Angels are called “spirits”—“Are they not all ministering spirits. … .” (Heb. 1:14)—never souls, and demons are constantly spoken of as “unclean spirits” (Mark 3:11)—never souls.

Man differs from other created beings in that he is made up of "spirit, and soul, and body" (1 Thess. 5:23). Angels are spirits only (Heb. 1:7); animals, etc., consist of soul and body (Gen. 1:20, see margin). The spirit is the seat of the will and of the intelligence — the mental and moral faculties (1 Cor. 2:11); the soul is the seat of the affections and desires (1 Sam. 18:1; Luke 2:35); the body is the vessel by means of which these express themselves. The word "mortal" is only applied in Scripture to the body; never to either soul or spirit. It is sometimes objected that the term "immortal soul" is not found in Scripture. This is admitted; but what is the force of the objection if that which the orthodox mean by the expression is found there? Moreover, it should be remembered that "immortal" is a negative term; and could only properly be applied to that in man which at some time was "mortal." Since the soul never was mortal; there was no need for the Spirit of God to specifically describe it as immortal.

Derived, as Genesis 2:7, informs us, from the inbreathing of the Creator, which raises him far above the beasts, which are said to have “soul” (Gen. 1:30, margin), man is the offspring of God (Acts 17:28), formed to have dominion, in the image and glory of God (1 Cor. 11:7), even though now fallen from his first estate. Man is linked with the inferior creatures by being, as they are, “a living soul,” and distinguished from angels, who are only “spirits” (Heb. 1:7, 14), but not “souls.” While man is alive in the body, he is a “soul” (see Ezek. 18:20 ; Lev. 5:2, 4; 7:20 , where the person—the individual—is clearly meant); when out of the body, he is then called a “spirit” (Heb. 12:23 ). It is the intermediate link between spirit and body, and the life of the latter. To it are ascribed the functions of loving (1 Sam.18:1), hating (2 Sam. 5:8), desiring (Job 23:13 ), longing (Ps. 84:2). Affections, appetites, desires belong to the soul. The soul is said to be the seat or spring of sin—“the sin of the soul” (Mic. 6:7)—for it atonement is said to be made (Lev. 17:11), and as it is by the soul needed, so by it is it made, as we read, “When Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied” (Isa. 53:10-11).

Scripture distinctly teaches in spirit, soul, and body a tri-unity of man. Spirit is that which makes him what an angel is, a son of God, and in his Father's image: for God is the Father of spirits (Heb. 12:9). To have said, "Father of souls" would have made Him Father of the beasts: for the beast is, as well as man, a "living soul," and that because a living soul is in it (Gen. 1:30). The common version of our Bible obscures the last passage by rendering "life" instead of "living soul," which it puts, however, in the margin; of course, a "living life" would have no sense. In other passages the word is uniformly translated "creature" (or once, "thing,") when applied to the beast: a meaning which does not belong to it. Yet the corresponding Greek word (psuche) is rightly rendered "souls," (in Rev. 8:9; Rev. 16:3,) where certainly animals are spoken of.

Manhood is thus seen to be a lower class of being than that of angels. Angels are spirits (Heb.1:14), who "excel in strength" (Ps.103:20), while man is "spirit and soul and body," (1 Thess.5:23), and is characterised by weakness, at least so long as connected with the first creation. This is seen also in the Lord Jesus, - Him Who is without sin - as John 4 teaches us: "Jesus therefore being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well" (v.6).

We have two things here: First, the formation of the body; then the impartation of life by the inbreathing of God. Man has, in consequence of this, a character of life within him that is not possessed by the lower creatures of God's hand. He holds a very special place in God's universe. Angels are spirits; beasts, etc., have soul and body; man is distinguished from them all by the possession of spirit, and soul, and body (Ps. 104:4; Gen. 1:20-21, 24; 1 Thess. 5:23).

Let us note first, then, that angels are spirits and that the angels had already fallen; also that the condemnation of the devil is for pride. (1 Tim. 3:6.) Now all through this account there seems the constant endeavor (which, to speak humanly, is God's, we know,) to "hide pride from man." (Job 33:17.) Thus he is called "Adam," from adamah, the ground, as if to remind him of his origin — "Dust thou art." Yet he was assuredly something more than "dust." Here, in the same way, his being a living soul reminds him of his kinship with the beasts; yet it does not show that he is not more. Among spiritual beings, this is, indeed, his real distinction, — that he is a "living soul."

In chap. 9. we come to the point: "Why should it be regarded as preposterous that we should be descended from angels — now children, as it were, of our former selves?" Does not the author know that the only scripture, which is believed by many grave and intelligent Christians to reveal such an abnormal departure from the divine landmarks, is Gen. 6. confirmed by the allusions of 2 Peter 2. and Jude? and that this frightful anomaly, root and fruit, disappeared in the Deluge? But it is truly preposterous to imagine that our souls have any such source. Gen. 2. attributes the soul of Adam, and consequently of the human race, to the direct inbreathing of Jehovah Elohim. Of man only is this written; and thereon depends the immortality of his soul. See in Prov. 8. the speciality of man's place as the delight of Wisdom, Himself Jehovah's delight for all eternity. And what a comment on it is the Incarnate Word, the Life Eternal, and the Light of men! This accounts for the divine interest in man and the earth to God's glory.