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Spiritual (4152)(pneumatikos from pneuma = wind, spirit <> in turn from pneo = to blow) is an adjective which means pertaining to the wind and then pertaining to the spirit referring to the inner life of a human being or to the divine Spirit. Pneumatikos refers to Jesus (1Cor 15:47), but primarily is used of impersonal things - law (Ro 7:14), gift (Ro 1:11), blessing (Eph 1:3), songs (Eph 5:19, Col 3:16), food (1Cor 10:13), understanding (Col 1:9 - as given by the Spirit). Believers are a spiritual (pneumatikos) house and offer spiritual sacrifices (1Pe 2:5).
MacArthur (commenting on Eph 1:3) says pneumatikos "is always used in relation to the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore it does not here (Eph 1:3) refer to immaterial blessings as opposed to material ones but to the divine origin of the blessings...Spiritual refers to the source, not the extent, of blessing."
W E Vine -
Pneumatikos "always connotes the ideas of invisibility and of power. It does not occur in the Sept. nor in the Gospels; it is in fact an after-Pentecost word. In the NT it is used as follows:
(a) the angelic hosts, lower than God but higher in the scale of being than man in his natural state, are 'spiritual hosts,' Ephesians 6:12 ;
(b) things that have their origin with God, and which, therefore, are in harmony with His character, as His law is, are 'spiritual,' Romans 7:14 ;
(c) 'spiritual' is prefixed to the material type in order to indicate that what the type sets forth, not the type itself, is intended, 1 Corinthians 10:3,4 ;
(d) the purposes of God revealed in the gospel by the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:13 , and the words in which that revelation is expressed, are 'spiritual,' 1 Corinthians 2:13 , matching, or combining, spiritual things with spiritual words [or, alternatively, 'interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men,' see (e) below]; 'spiritual songs' are songs of which the burden is the things revealed by the Spirit, Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; 'spiritual wisdom and understanding' is wisdom in, and understanding of, those things, Colossians 1:9 ;
(e) men in Christ who walk so as to please God are 'spiritual,' Galatians 6:1; 1Corinthians 2:13 [but see (d) above],1Cor 15; 3:1; 14:37;
(f) the whole company of those who believe in Christ is a 'spiritual house,' 1Peter 2:5 ;
(g) the blessings that accrue to regenerate men at this present time are called 'spiritualities,' Romans 15:27; 1Corinthians 9:11; 'spiritual blessings,' Ephesians 1:3; 'spiritual gifts,' Romans 1:11 ;
(h) the activities Godward of regenerate men are 'spiritual sacrifices,' 1Peter 2:5; their appointed activities in the churches are also called 'spiritual gifts,' lit., 'spiritualities,' 1Corinthians 12:1; 14:1 ;
(i) the resurrection body of the dead in Christ is 'spiritual,' i.e., such as is suited to the heavenly environment, 1Corinthians 15:44 ;
(j) all that is produced and maintained among men by the operations of the Spirit of God is 'spiritual,' 1 Corinthians 15:46 . ...
"The spiritual man is one who walks by the Spirit both in the sense of Galatians 5:16 and in that of Galatians 5:25 , and who himself manifests the fruit of the Spirit in his own ways. ...
"According to the Scriptures, the 'spiritual' state of soul is normal for the believer, but to this state all believers do not attain, nor when it is attained is it always maintained. Thus the Apostle, in 1Corinthians 3:1-3 , suggests a contrast between this spiritual state and that of the babe in Christ, i.e., of the man who because of immaturity and inexperience has not yet reached spirituality, and that of the man who by permitting jealousy, and the strife to which jealousy always leads, has lost it. The spiritual state is reached by diligence in the Word of God and in prayer; it is maintained by obedience and self-judgment. Such as are led by the Spirit are spiritual, but, of course, spirituality is not a fixed or absolute condition, it admits of growth; indeed growth in 'the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,' 2Peter 3:18 , is evidence of true spirituality." [From Notes on Galatians, by Hogg and Vine, pp. 308-319.] (Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words)
Friberg - spiritual, pertaining to the spirit, opposite sarkikos (fleshly, carnal) and sarkinos (worldly, earthly);
(1) as distinguishing the nonmaterial from the material part of man;
(2) predominately as distinguishing what belongs to the supernatural world from what belongs to the natural world (1Co 15.44, 46)... the spiritual person, the Spirit-filled person, i.e. a person possessing and governed by the Spirit of God (1Co 2.15); neuter plural ta pneumatika, spiritual things or matters (1Co 9.11); spiritual gifts or enablements (1Co 14.1);
(3) as an adjective expressing the qualifying characteristic of impersonal things under the divine order spiritual (Ro 7.14);
(4) as an adjective denoting relationship to satanic forces; neuter plural ta pneumatika. tes ponerias as a substantive spiritual forces of evil, supernatural evil powers (Ep 6.12)
Thayer - In secular writings from Aristotle, down it means pertaining to the wind or breath; windy, exposed to the wind; blowing
Zodhiates -
(I) Pertaining to the nature of spirits. “A spiritual body” (1Cor 15:44) means a body dominated by the Spirit, in contrast to a natural or soulish body (soma psuchikón [soma {4983}, body; psuchikón, pertaining to soul]) which obeys one’s natural instincts or soul. In Eph. 6:12, tá pneumatiká tes ponērías, iniquity) means the evil spirits.
(II) Pertaining to or proceeding from the Holy Spirit.
(A) Of persons who are spiritual, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, enjoying the influences, graces, gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:13, 15; 3:1; 14:37; Gal. 6:1).
(B) Of things spiritual, communicated or imparted by the Holy Spirit: Ro 15:27; 1Cor 2:13, meaning those things pertaining to the Spirit (as in 1Cor 2:14); 1Cor. 9:11; 12:1; 14:1, the things pertaining to the Spirit; Ep 1:3; 5:19; Col. 1:9; 3:16, “spiritual songs,” meaning those composed in the Spirit on spiritual and instructive subjects. In Ro 7:14 “the law is spiritual” means it is according to the mind and will of the Spirit. In Ro 1:11 chárisma pneumatikón (chárisma, gift), “a spiritual gift,” means a gift relating to the mind or spirit of Christians as enlightened and quickened by the Holy Spirit (cf. Ro 1:12). Also spoken of things in a higher and spiritual sense, not literal or corporeal, including also a reference to the Holy Spirit (1Co 10:3, 4, they ate spiritual food and drank spiritual drink; 1Pet. 2:5 “a spiritual house”). (The Complete Word Study New Testament)
Pneumatikos - 26x in 21v - NASB Usage: spiritual(23), spiritual men(1), spiritual things(2). Not found in the Septuagint.
Romans 1:11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;
Romans 7:14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
Romans 15:27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things.
1 Corinthians 2:13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
1 Corinthians 2:15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.
Barclay - Paul speaks about interpreting spiritual things to spiritual people. He distinguishes two kinds of men. (a) There are those who are pneumatikoi. Pneuma is the word for Spirit; and the man who is pneumatikos is the man who is sensitive to the Spirit and whose life is guided by the Spirit. (b) There is the man who is psuchikos. Psuche in Greek is often translated soul; but that is not its real meaning. It is the principle of physical life. Everything which is alive has psuche; a dog, a cat, any animal has psuche, but it has not got pneuma. Psuche is that physical life which a man shares with every living thing; but pneuma is that which makes a man different from the rest of creation and kin to God. So in 1Corinthians 2:14 Paul speaks of the man who is psuchikos. He is the man who lives as if there was nothing beyond physical life and there were no needs other than material needs, whose values are all physical and material. A man like that cannot understand spiritual things. A man who thinks that nothing is more important than the satisfaction of the sex urge cannot understand the meaning of chastity; a man who ranks the amassing of material things as the supreme end of life cannot understand generosity; and a man who has never a thought beyond this world cannot understand the things of God. To him they look mere foolishness. No man need be like this; but if he stifles "the immortal longings" that are in his soul he may make himself like this so that the Spirit of God will speak and he will not hear. (1 Corinthians 2)
1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
Barclay - Paul has just been talking about the difference between the man who is spiritual (pneumatikos), and who therefore can understand spiritual truths, and the man who is psuchikos, whose interests and aims do not go beyond physical life and who is therefore unable to grasp spiritual truth. He now accuses the Corinthians of being still at the physical stage. But he uses two new words to describe them. In 1Corinthians 3:1 he calls them sarkinoi. This word comes from sarx which means flesh and is so common in Paul. Now all Greek adjectives ending in -inos mean made of something or other. So Paul begins by saying that the Corinthians are made of flesh. That was not in itself a rebuke; a man just because he is a man is made of flesh, but he must not stay that way. The trouble was that the Corinthians were not only sarkinoi they were sarkikoi (sarkikos), which means not only made of flesh but dominated by the flesh. To Paul the flesh is much more than merely a physical thing. It means human nature apart from God, that part of man both mental and physical which provides a bridgehead for sin. So the fault that Paul finds with the Corinthians is not that they are made of flesh--all men are--but that they have allowed this lower side of their nature to dominate all their outlook and all their actions. (1 Corinthians 3)
1 Corinthians 9:11 If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?
1 Corinthians 10:3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.
1 Corinthians 14:1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment.
1 Corinthians 15:44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body....46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.
Comment - Pneumatikos refers to a body directed by the Spirit as opposed to one under the dominion of the flesh. And so it is not ruled by the flesh which perishes but the Spirit which endures. Here spiritual (pneumatikos) body refers to one that is immortal and imperishable.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
John Eadie Comments: Pneumatikos is, indeed, in a generic sense opposed to sarkikos (pertaining to what is human or characteristic of human nature = human, natural) in 1Corinthians 9:11, and in Ro15:27; while in 1Corinthians 15:44-46 pneumatikos is employed in contrast with psuchikos (natural, sensual.)-the latter term descriptive of an animal body, and the former of a body elevated above animal functions and organization, with which believers shall be clothed at the last day. Similar usage obtains in Eph 6:12; 1Peter 2:5; 1Corinthians 10:3; 1Corinthians 4:3. But in all other passages where, as in Eph 1:3, the word is used to qualify Christian men, or Christian blessings, its ruling reference is plainly to the Holy Spirit. Thus-spiritual gifts, Ro 1:11; a special endowment of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:1; 1 Corinthians 14:1, etc.; spiritual men, that is, men enjoying in an eminent degree the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 2:15; 1 Corinthians 14:37; and also in Galatians 6:1; Romans 7:14; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; and in 1 Corinthians 2:13, “spiritual” means produced by or belonging to the Holy Spirit. Therefore the prevailing usage of the New Testament warrants us in saying, that these blessings are termed spiritual from their connection with the Holy Spirit. (Commentary on Ephesians)
Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Colossians 1:9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
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