Studying The Meaning Of Heart In The Bible (Part 2)

I contend here that the heart is to be distinguished from the soul and mind, but I also argue for the premise(s) which alludes that the word "heart" is used interchangeably with mental faculties.  The question I have before me is, "How does the heart differ from mind and soul?"  Here are several things I would like to consider:

• The heart is an actual physical organ.  As a physical organ the heart is important to the continual living of a person, because the heart provides the power needed for life.  Without a physical heart a person would not be able to survive.  Thus, the heart as a physical organ is vital to the very life of a person.

• The heart is an immaterial part of man.  As an immaterial form the heart is at the center of man's spiritual life.  What comes from the heart flows to the passions, desires, thoughts, affections, purposes, and endeavors of men.  Consequently, the heart as an immaterial part of man is at the core of man's self, and thus, the heart is the controlling factor of what represents that specific individual in his or her inner being ([as in person-hood] 1 Peter 3:4).

For an example of this dual (physical and immaterial) idea of the heart I offer the Greek word καρδία, which proposes that the heart "denotes the seat and centre of all physical and spiritual life."[1]  The Greek word captures the essence of what I am trying to communicate on how the Bible (2 Corinthians 5:12) depicts the meaning(s) of heart.

As I try to differentiate between "heart" and "mind", I would like to consider different versions of the Old Testament (OT) and how each one uses "heart" and "mind."  Psalms 38:10-11 states the following:

• My heart pants, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.  My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, and my relatives stand afar off. [New King James Version] 

• O Lord, You are aware of all my entreaties; my groaning is not hidden from You.  My mind reels; my strength fails me; my eyes too have lost their luster. [Tanakh]

Notice how the Tanakh utilizes "mind" instead of "heart," but most if not all Protestant interpretations of the verse use the word heart.  The difference in the usage of the two different words could come from The Tanakh drawing from Masoretic Texts as its main source, and the Protestant version of the OT using The Septuagint as its main source.  It could be the linguistic differences between Hebrew and Greek that encapsulate the nuances of the word "heart."  With regards to a verse like Deuteronomy 6:5 the Tanakh is similar to the Protestant versions of the verse.  However, I would like to consider the following:

בכל לבבך ובכל נפשׁך ובכל מאדך, “with all your heart and with all your being and with all your might.” The pairing of לבב, “heart,” and נפשׁ, “being, soul-life,” suggests that a distinction of some sort is being made between mental and emotional energy and activity. In terms of modern depth psychology, we would say that our love for God is to embrace the whole of our mind, both conscious and unconscious. Self-discipline is required, in that we are to love God with all our might (מאד) as well.[2]

as well as,

In Old Testament anthropology, the seat of the intellect, equivalent to the mind or rational part of humankind.  The “soul” (better, “being” or “essential person” in line with commonly accepted understanding of Heb. nepeš) refers to the invisible part of the individual, the person qua person including the will and sensibilities.[3]

and finally,

The heart is mentioned first, as the seat of the emotions generally and of love in particular; then follows the soul (nephesh) as the centre of personality in man, to depict the love as pervading the entire self-consciousness; and to this is added, “with all the strength,” sc., of body and soul.

(In quoting this commandment, Matthew (Matt. 22:37) has substituted δαίνοια, “thy mind,” for “thy strength,” as being of especial importance to spiritual love, whereas in the LXX the mind (διάνοια) is substituted for the heart. Mark (Mark 12:30) gives the triad of Deuteronomy (heart, soul, and strength); but he has inserted “mind” (διάνοια) before strength (ἰσχύς), whilst in v. 33 the understanding (σύνεσις) is mentioned between the heart and the soul. Lastly, Luke has given the three ideas of the original passage quite correctly, but has added at the end, “and with all thy mind” (διάνοια). Although the term διάνοια (mind) originated with the Septuagint, not one of the Evangelists has adhered strictly to this version.)[4] [5]

Therefore, the idea the heart is interchangeably used with mental abilities, and the heart is also seen as the controlling feature to man's soul appears to be true.  Furthermore, it seems as if in the LXX (Septuagint) the word mind is "substituted" for heart on certain instances.  I find it interesting that the formula used in Deuteronomy 6:5 is also employed in the New Testament (NT) (i.e. Mark 12:30), but we find the NT writers expand on the concepts of the formula.  For example, Mark 12:33 alludes to the heart first and then it goes onto understanding.  Recall I explained lēb can mean heart, understanding, and mind, which in this instance could be interpreted as:  the heart controls [the action of loving] the soul (person-hood) of man—man will gain understanding, and thus be strengthened.
        

cont.

______________________________
[1] Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm's Wilke's Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1889). 325.
[2] Duane L. Christensen, Word Biblical Commentary: Deuteronomy 1-21:9, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 2002). 143.
[3] Eugene H. Merrill, Deuteronomy, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001). 164.
[4] Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament. (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2002). Dt 6:5.
[5] The paragraph I put in parenthesis is from the Commentary on the Old Testament from footnote 10, which comes as a later part of the quoted material from footnote 4 above.

Studying The Meaning Of Heart In The Bible (Part 1)

So, I am taking a class where we explore the meaning of heart in the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The class has caused me to pause and question my assumptions about what the word means.  I would like to note in passing that I think the heart is interwoven and/or part of this thing that I label as the mind.  In the class I am currently taking the professor alluded that the "heart" is to be distinguished from the mind and soul (i.e. Deuteronomy 6:5; 26:16; Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33; Luke 10:25-27).  I am going to attempt to flesh out certain ideas about the word "heart" in order to assess the essence of the word.  

One has to ask, “How is the word 'heart' used in the Bible?”  Perhaps I can propose the following in order to distinguish the definitions for the word heart: 

(lēb), לֵבָב (lēbāb). Heart, understanding, mind (also used in idioms such as “to set the heart upon” meaning “to think about” or “to want”).

Concrete meanings of lēb referred to the internal organ and to analogous physical locations. However, in its abstract meanings, “heart” became the richest biblical term for the totality of man’s inner or immaterial nature. In biblical literature it is the most frequently used term for man’s immaterial personality functions as well as the most inclusive term for them since, in the Bible, virtually every immaterial function of man is attributed to the “heart.”[1]

There are several things to consider here: (1) "heart" is used to describe an internal organ, and (2) "heart" is also used to describe something that lies within man.  It also must be noted that inner nature of man is categorized as immaterial.  Furthermore, the heart appears to cover every immaterial function from the nature of man.[2]  Thus, the "heart" is the center of the internal nature of man (Exodus 36:2; Deuteronomy 28:47; Jeremiah 4:14; 4:19; Proverbs 10:20; 14:30; 1 Kings 3:12; 4:29; 8:17).  However, I would also like to recognize the word "heart often refers to the mental faculties,"[3] which is important to establish, because it shows the heart is used interchangeably, metaphorically, and allegorically with the mind.  Which begs the question:  in what way is the heart different from the mind and soul of man?

cont.

______________________________
[1] R. Laird Harris, Robert Laird Harris, Gleason Leonard Archer and Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999). 466.
[2] There are different conceptions of what the nature of man really is.  Some Christians hold to a tripartite nature of man, and others support a dualistic nature of man, and finally there are those who maintain a materialistic nature of man.
[3] NET Notes.