All Your Strength: The antihero

Samson: The Antihero

A cautionary tale

When I embarked on this study several years ago, I intended to seek the scriptures for a positive example of each command (heart, mind, soul, strength). Sadly, the Bible doesn't go out of it's way to fabricate success stories. Sometimes we need to learn from failure.

When thinking of strength in the Bible, you have to think of Samson. There really is no one who compares to the lore of Samson's strength. Sure, Caleb is a close second. He did conquer the land of Giants in his generational twilight years. But Samson is the icon of strength--it is the thing for which he is known.

It was also his downfall.

Samson is an interesting case study. We have 4 episodes of his life. Four snippets of a 20-year ministry. (Or 40-year ministry depending on you interpretation of the two verses stating he judged Israel for 20-years.) This begs the following question:

What if...

What if God decided that your four biggest failures were more important to posterity than the remainder of a successful ministry? What would your weaknesses be? Samson's Achilles heel was women and pride. What are yours? Where are the weak points in your love for the Lord?

I would not like that and I doubt anyone would feel comfortable writing down their failures for the world to see. I've seen many people lay into Samson. I've seen precious few who use Samson's life as a mirror reflecting the human condition--a condition inside me/you--right back at them.

A Revealing Prayer

It's easy to gloss over Samson's prayer in Judges 15:18-20. After all, he just fought with the jawbone of a donkey! But it is his first prayer in the narrative, and it reveals some interesting details.

1. Consciousness: He acknowledges God's work through him.
2. Relation: He considers himself God's servant, even if his behavior is inconsistent.
3. Victory: He recognizes the enemy and desperately wants to avoid falling victim to the enemy.

I think these elements, if we're honest, can be found in our prayers.We know what to say to God. Sometimes we actually believe what we say. However, we fall so short. We don't have the strength.

The First Step...

So where are we? How can we live a successful life and love the Lord with all our strength? I guess our first step is to realize our weakness. We must admit that the strength we have in the flesh is not enough, though we wish it were.

The next step is to acknowledge the desire we have within us to please God. And to realize that this desire is likely only there because God placed it in us to begin with. Note the frequency with which "The Spirit of the Lord" comes upon Samson. It's not something he prays for or waits on, it's something that takes hold of him. 

At first, it comes upon him for every mighty act. But, slowly, it becomes replaced by his own strength. Finally, in the case of Delilah, he doesn't even realize that the Spirit of the Lord was not with him. It is a sad state of affairs that has direct correlation with the ability of a believer to grieve the Holy Spirit.

I'm sorry that this is not an "uplifting" message. But it is an important warning to hear and realize as we journey towards a more perfect love for the one who loved us and gave Himself for us.

3 Fold Nature of Man

I'm getting ready for Sunday morning, when I will be preaching on the third part of my series on the Greatest Commandment: The Soul. Here is a little graphic to which I will refer during the message.

See it here as a web page!

All Your Mind: An Extension

Material not included in the sermon due to time constraints.

Jesus' Follow-up Question

Mark 12:35-40
So after all this crazy questioning, Jesus continues the debate with a follow-up question about David calling his own kid "Lord." At first blush, this question apears to be another example of reductio ad absurdum—a bit of crazy talk meant for either an exaggerated point or for empty discussion.

Jesus wants to re-orient the discussion to his Messiahship. That is precicely what David was referring to in the Psalm Jesus referenced.

The Scribe was not far from the kingdom of God. But he needed to take the next step and love Jesus with the same love he offers God. Nobody becomes a Christian by virtue of their knowledge. It is by grace through the virtue of faith. Yet, one's knowledge is a doorway to faith. Some things must be realized first, for instance:

• Man's Depravity: Man has fallen into sin, which displeases God.
• The Wages of Sin: Since Man has displeased God, he has no hope to be in God's presence. Without God—the source of life—he is doomed to the only alternative: death.
• God's Grace: God, in His grace, has provided a solution for this predicament in the death, burial and resurrection of His Son.

If you do not know these things, how could you ever believe them? There are levels of understanding. Admittedly, I understand them better than some. Most understand them better than me. The level of understanding does not matter much. Regardless of the level of understanding, one is judged by their response to the information they have.

Beware of the Scribes

The scribes abused their knowledge. They used it unwisely, in the pursuit of selfish gain. They had good information, but their application was wrong.

Library Science espouses a theory of knowledge that works as a hierarchy. In it, the slight differences are highlighted between data, information, knowledge and wisdom as follows:

• DATA basic facts, building blocks (look in the kitchen: eggs, flour, milk, sugar)
• INFORMATION data within a framework ("Hey! I can make a cake with these ingredients!")
• KNOWLEDGE information that can be applied ("Here's my mom's favorite cake recipes. Which one...")
• WISDOM reflective, decides what to do with the knowledge (Should I have cake for breakfast? Should I eat the entire cake myself in one sitting? Is there a healthier option for breakfast?)

It would be a shame for someone to get to the point where their knowledge is applied unwisely. It would have been a shame for that scribe who agreed with Jesus in Mark 12 to have rejected Jesus as his Messiah. It is a shame that the religious leaders seem to have fallen short at this point.

Conclusion

We can pursue knowledge wisely and honor the Lord with it. It starts when your knowledge draws you towards your knees in repentance and continues by informing your daily routines.

1. Apply your knowledge to God's word.
2. Apply God's word to your life.

Love the Lord with All Your Mind: A Sermon

From a sermon delivered on February 7, 2016 at Fellowship Bible Chapel in Fort Myers, Fl. Part of a study series on The Greatest Commandment. Browse mini-studies on this topic.

3 Questions

In Mark 12:13-34 we have three questions asked of the Lord Jesus. The first two were cold, calculated inquiries intended to trap Jesus in his words and give the religious leaders just cause to condemn him. The third was an honest inquiry. Notice that Christ offers a legitimate, lucid answer to every inquiry regardless of the intention behind it. The only difference is the benefit to the inquirer.

Paying Taxes

Mark 12:13-17
The Pharisees begin the questioning by asking if it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. What is interesting is the way they pose this question. They layer four compliments before finally getting around to the money question. The tactic they employ is known as an argumentum ad superbiam—an appeal to pride.

The appeal to pride is common, you've probably heard it before or even used it. A few examples include:

"You are so good at doing the dishes, you should do them more often."

"You students are way too intelligent to believe some mystical being bothered to create this world, you should accept that an uncoordinated, unthinking big bang set the laws of nature into motion."

"This is the car for you, you look 10 years younger behind that steering wheel!"

It is fallacy to believe that an appeal to pride can take the place of fact when drawing a logical conclusion. Notice I did not say an appea to pride means to lie. These compliments may well be truthful (skill at dishwashing, a student's intelligence, how young one looks behind the wheel of a car) but they distract from the actual point of the argument. That's the intention.

The Pharisees did not lie about Jesus. Here are the things they said about him in verse 14:

1. Jesus is the embodiment of Truth. He only said what is true and never omitted truth.
2. Jesus is no respecter of persons. He had no problems calling out the religious leaders.
3. Jesus is no respecter of persons. He comes to seek and save all who were lost.
4. Jesus knew the Father in a way no one else ever could. He is one with God the Father.

However, the Pharisees' flattery was intended to cloud the issue and lure Jesus into making a grave mistake. They set up a platform where a politically charged, revolutionary statement was the easiest thing in the world to make. The problem is, Jesus' revolution was a spiritual one and not a worldly one. Jesus did not come into this world to overthrow the government. He came to obey the Father and establish his spiritual kingdom.

Jesus cuts through the flattery and gets at the core of the issue. In verse 15, the Pharisees try to cloud the issue even more by asking if it is lawful to pay taxes—Roman law is clear: pay taxes. Mosaic law was written for Israelites in a different time. There was no king ruling over Israel at the time. Jesus' response clarifies all of that by saying, You are under both God and your Government. Respect both. In other words: You are where you are because God has placed you there. Praise the Lord and pay your dues.

In the end, Jesus retains his focus and displays his testimony.

Afterlife Nuptuals

Mark 12:18-27
The Saducees take over the questioning with a theoretical story. They propose (pun intended) a scenario in which a man dies and leaves a widow with no child who is then taken, by Jewish law, as wife by his brother. The brother also dies without leaving an heir and this cycle repeats itself through seven brothers. The question then becomes: In the resurrection, whose wife will she be?

It is can be quickly deduced that this line of question follows the fallacy of reductio ad absurdum—it is a reduction to absurdity. It follows the same lines as Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal or the exasperated mother scolding their child by reciting the old line, "If your friends all jumped off a clff to their deaths, would you do it too?" Both are absurd. For Swift: of course we are not going to eat Irish babies, that's gross and should not even cross our minds. For the child: of course I'm not going to jump off a cliff to my death just because Johnny did it. All I wanted was to skip school and watch the new Star Wars movie.

NOTE: I do not condone skipping school. But comparing following foolish friends in skipping school with jumping off a cliff is absolutely an example of reductio ad absurdum. It is an exaggeration with the intent to prove a point. The conclusion is supposed to be so crazy that you must reject the premise of the argument.

The point of the Saducees' story? The doctrine of resurrection is ridiculous.

However, I can certainly see this scenario's place in the synagogue. It is a religious football that can be kicked around and pondered for ages with no resolution. It is an endless debate. It is an opportunity to stroke your intellectual ego.

The Saducees huddle together and laugh at how funny those resurrectionists are for holding on to this crazy belief while Pharisees stand up and try to answer the question of the Seven Brother's Bride:

• "It will be the first brother because he chose her."
• "It will be the last because his vows were the final ones taken into the afterlife."
• "It is not for us to know. Whichever brother was her bashert will be her husband."
• "Whichever loved her most..."
• Whichever made the greatest sacrifices for her..."

The debate is endless. There may be great truths to uncover in these responses, but none of them effectively end the discussion. There is a lot of discussion in the Christian community that falls under this category: interesting but not effective.

Jesus' answer brings clarity to the debate. He effectively says Wow, you've got it all wrong. Remember, Jesus is no respecter of persons. His only aim is for truth.

Jesus assumes the resurrection in direct contradiction to the Saducees. He does not even bother to meet them at their level on this one. Further, He calls out the fallacy that marriage bonds exist in eternity as they do in this world. Note that he does not go into much detail on the nature of marriage in the afterlife. And fi;juy6dedc5rtcd nally, he shifts the focus to something concrete and unquestionably true:

God IS. He is the God of the living. He is the God of life itself.

The religious football of speculation is worthless when compared to the revelation of concrete truth.

Sincere Inquiry

Mark 12:28-34

"A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel" Proverbs 1:5

Verse 28 represents a shift in the line of questioning. There was a scribe who was actually listening to Jesus and recognized the wisdom in his words. So, he extends the conversation by asking Jesus about the greatest commandment.

Jesus' response is unique. Only here and in Matthew does Jesus separate the MIND from the HEART in the recitation of this verse from Deuteronomy. Even the account in Matthew is couched in the same context, which makes Jesus' highlight especially poignant. He says that the mind is a critical part of man's makeup and it should be devoted to God's pleasure. Jesus had just fielded questions soaked in pretext, an honest inquiry will never be ignored. Ask and you shall receive.

The Scribe Agrees

When the scribe says "Right" or "Well said" he is agreeing with Christ's answer to his question. Not only so, but he goes on to state that the Lord desires love over offerings & sacrifices—the trappings of religiosity. In doing so, he echoes the sentiments of the prophet Samuel and writings in the Psalms.

Jesus Responds

to the scribe with both recognition and affirmation. According to v.34, Jesus recognizes that the scribe's answer is intelligent and well reasoned. Then he affirms that his rationale was on the right track. He is not far from the kingdom of God.

Conclusion

What did Jesus see in the scribe? He saw someone who truly loved the Lord with all his mind. But what did he do that proves this statement?

1. He came to Christ with no Presuppositions. He had a true inquiry.
2. He came to Christ with Prior Knowledge. He knew the law.
3. He came to Christ with his Powers of Perception. He was able to take knowledge of Christ and apply is to knowledge of the Law.

Finally, these points are applicable to anyone who seeks to love the Lord with all their minds:

1. Presuppositions: We lay down our paradigms and honor God's
2. Prior Knowledge: We don't check our intelligence at the door.
3. Perception: We know what prior knowledge needs to be abandoned in light of Christ & what prior knowledge dovetails with scripture

How is your love life? (Frank's Morning Devo)

What follows is a short, daily, SMS devotional that one of my old Sunday School teachers sends out. It follows along with one of my studies here on WTHT, so I figured I'd pass it along to my readers. I suppose it is also especially poignant for Valentine's Day. Enjoy!

Jesus once made an incredible statement. He said that you can summarize the entire teaching of the Bible  in just two commands. The most significant of all directions ever given to man, said Jesus, was "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." The second most significant? Love people. (Matthew 22:37-39). Jesus is saying to you that the whole Bible was written to teach you to love God so completely that, compared with that love, everything else in your life is insignificant. How much people like you, how wealthy you are, what car you will drive, how big your TV is - all those things matter zero compared to loving God. So. How is your love life? What could you do to increase your love for the Lord?

Skype Study Audio: An Intro to Deuteronomy

Session One

Last Saturday, we got together via Skype and held the first of our Summer Skype Study Sessions with Jonathan Brower. Our intention, as stated repeatedly on this blog, is to study what it means to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We began with an in-depth introduction to the book of Deuteronomy complete with an overview of God's ultimate plan and what level of commitment the scriptures require of us.

I have edited the study and posted them on my podcast: The Christopher Jimenez Show. It is also on Youtube, and I have embedded the same audio in both formats below for your consumption.

The Christopher Jimenez Show

YouTube

All Your Heart: Strong and Very Courageous

This post is part of a continuing study on The Greatest Commandment. 

Use that link to read other articles in this series.

Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:5b-9

NASB

Courageous Because You Care

With this ongoing discussion of what it means to love The Lord with all your heart, we have focused on the interpretation of "heart" that focuses on what we would call courage. Courage (or boldness) is the virtue which allows one to do what is right in the face of opposition. Clearly, when discussing courage in scripture, one cannot do so without coming across the first chapter of Joshua.

Interestingly enough, the virtue that corresponds with "courage" is humility. Humility is the act of thinking of oneself less while thinking more of God's will and glory. When one looks at their life in light of eternity, it follows that the individual will be emboldened to step out in faith and do what God has commanded. The problem comes when we take our eyes off of God's word and gaze at our circumstances.

As Joshua entered the land, it was imperative that he always remember God's words. Notice words like "careful" and "meditate." These are not impulsive words. These are words that imply deliberation. We are to be deliberate as we study and simply read God's word. Not only are we to be deliberate in the reading of scripture, but we are also to be deliberate as we apply the word to our lives. Be careful when you step, that wherever possible your footfall may be in the direct center of God's will.

Note that God's presence is directly behind the call to be courageous. The Christian also has God's presence as a promise. We are always carrying around within us the dying and resurrected Christ. The life we lead is led in his power. In light of this, why should we be anything but courageous as we live for him? As a result of the presence and power of his love, how could we not respond with courageous love for him?

Finally, realize that courage is nothing less than a command. Courage is not something that you have or don't have, courage is something you do. It's like running. You may or may not consider yourself a runner, but if you laced up your shoes and pounded the pavement, you were just running. Likewise, if you stood up and did something even when it wasn't popular, you were just courageous. God commands us to stand up and live a certain way, even when the world's opinion is contrary.

That's called courage.

That's called loving the Lord with all your heart.

All Your Heart: Your response to God

This post is part of a continuing study on The Greatest Commandment. 

Use that link to read other articles in this series.

As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.” Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

1 Samuel 13:10-14

NASB

Fainthearted

If you were to ask what Saul's biggest problem was in comparison with David, what would you answer be? What makes David "a man after God's own heart" while Saul is a man discarded by God?

An obvious answer would have to do with the morality of each man. "David was morally upright while Saul was corrupt." However, while this sounds nice it would also be dead wrong. David has many more moral missteps during his tenure as king than Saul did. In fact, It is hard to find fault with Saul's morality. David was an adulterer who decided that murder was the best way to resolve his adultery—not exactly a high point in morality.

"Intentions. Saul's intentions were evil while David's were pure of heart." Again, a nice idea that does not hold up well when considered against the narrative. Saul's intentions were mostly good—religious, even. Saul's major sins, like the one references in the quoed passage, were made in favor of burnt offerings. Either he disobeyed God so that he could have more stuff to burn on an altar or he disobeyed God by acting as a priest and burning stuff on an altar on his own schedule. His intentions, according to a cursory reading of scripture, was to worship.

I think this passage provides a snapshot of Saul's heart problem and sets the stage for David's superior heart condition. Notice that Saul here caves in to the people's wishes instead of obeying God's command. Saul tries to deflect accountability while clearly making a conscious decision to disobey.

Obedience is not easy. Obedience takes courage.

Enter Goliath

The episode of David and Goliath could easily be viewed through the lens of "David and Saul." Consider how fearful Saul behaves as the perfect foil to courageous David. In every aspect, Saul shows he is afraid while David displays confidence. Here are a few things hat pop out in the story:

• Saul would not respond to the giant, David wanted to fight him immediately.
• Saul would have been clad in armor, David goes out with a sling and a few stones.
• Saul looks at the size of the giant, David looks at the size of his God.

Throughout David's life, he displayed the courage to do what was right. Even in the aforementioned case of adultery and murder, when he was confronted by the Prophet he owned his sin. He did not look for a place to hide. I believe it is in this sense that David was a man after God's own heart. He was not fainthearted, he was able to look at the mirror and blame the man who looked back at him. This was something that Saul never did.

A Courageous Heart

Remember our definition of the heart. When scripture speaks of the heart, sometimes it does so within the domain of the will. When our pride finds itself in direct opposition to God, what are we going to do? How will we react? It takes courage to step up and say I was wrong. It takes courage to be humble when everyone else is trying to craft their brand and curate a positive aura around themselves.

Let us remember that obedience takes courage. Let us, like Joshua, be very courageous as we seek to follow God's word. Let us, like all the saints who have gone before, stand up after we fall and continue following The Lord.

The Heart: First Mention

This post is part of a continuing study on The Greatest Commandment. 

Use that link to read other articles in this series.

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved [a]in His heart.

Genesis 6:5 & 6, NASB

Evil Hearts

It behooves us to observe the first instance in scripture that mentions "the heart." In our English Bibles, Genesis 6 is that portion. Here, God looks upon the heart of man and what he sees becomes the catalyst for the destruction of mankind.

Here, we find that a heart can be evil. We also find that our evil hearts bring grief to God's heart. The creator feels a close connection to his creation. He desires to have a relationship with mankind. But holiness cannot mingle with wickedness.

Notice that Noah finds favor in God's eyes according to verse 8. Notice also that scripture does not say his heart was pure or holy or reformed. We know he was righteous, blameless and that he walked with God (v. 9), but we are left to assume that God includes his heart in the initial discouraging assessment.

The difference is that Noah strove for righteousness and blamelessness despite his heart condition. He desired to walk with God. He obeyed God's commands to the best of his abilities. Therefore, though scripture does not come out and tell us that Noah's heart was pure, we can assume that his heart was at least purified by virtue of his relationship with God. All mankind is born with this heart condition. All mankind is given the opportunity to walk with God. However, only a few take up the challenge and respond to God's call.

Heart Intention

Though this passage contains a word translated into English as "heart" it is not the same word used in Dueteronomy 6:5. A short discussion of that portion follows:

Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married.” Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a nation, even though blameless? Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. Now therefore, restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

Genesis 20:1-7, NASB

It is interesting that the first time we see this term for heart is in reference to Abimelech. Notice that scripture concerned with the intentions of Abimelech's heart as he attempted to commit sin. This sin that Abimelech would have committed would have been inadvertent, as he had no way of knowing that Sarah was married to Abraham. On the contrary, Abimelech was deceived and made to believe that Sarah was Abraham's sister.

Note what this passage says about God's sense of justice. He realizes that we are frail and may commit evil unwittingly. A sin committed in ignorance is still detestable to God, but his judgement is mitigated by the circumstances. This principle is expounded on in other passages which insist that God is a discerner of hearts. He knows man's true intentions.

Abimelech is given an opportunity to correct his error given new revelation. Abimelech can prove the integrity of his heart by returning Sarah to Abraham, which is exactly what he does. This is also a major theme in scripture: Your sinful character is revealed by God's proclamations, how are you going to respond to it?

Conclusion

Your responses to the things scripture reveals says a lot about your heart and how devoted it is to God. It was true for both Noah and Abimelech. It is also true for you.

All Your Heart: A Definition

This post is part of a continuing study on The Greatest Commandment. 

Use that link to read other articles in this series.

Defining Terms

We have already completed a rough comparison of the different places in scripture that reference the Greatest Commandment: To love The Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. The next logical hermeneutical step is to define our terms. We will do this with each topic when we embark on that study.

NOTE: Since I do not personally read Hebrew or Greek, I rely on study tools like Strong's in order to put this information together.

Old Testament Definition

We begin with Deuteronomy 6:5. The term, in Hebrew, is "lebab," (Strong's 3824) and it occurs 252 times in scripture.

lebab: inner man, mind, will, heart

NASB Translation:
anger (1), breasts (1), conscientious* (1), consider* (5), courage (1), desire (1), encouragingly* (1), fainthearted* (3), heart (185), heart and the hearts (1), heart's (1), hearts (27), hearts like his heart (1), intelligence (1), intended (2), mind (8), purpose (1), thought (1), timid* (1), understanding (2), wholehearted* (1), wholeheartedly* (1), yourself (1).

Notice the range of translations based on context; in addition to a literal translation, sometimes "lebab" refers to the domain of the mind, sometimes of the will, and sometimes of emotion. The breakdown is as follows:

1. Literal Translation(216)

   
   * Breasts (1)
   * Heart (185)
   * Heart and the hearts (1)
   * Heart's [possesive] (1)
   * Hearts [plural] (27)
   * Hearts like his heart (1)
   
   

2. Domain of the Mind (19)

   
   * Consider (5)
   * Intelligence (1)
   * Mind (8)
   * Thought (1)
   * Understanding (2)
   
   

3. Domain of the Will (10)


* Conscientious (1)
* Courage (1)
* Desire (1)
* Fainthearted (3)
* Intended (2)
* Purpose (1)
* Timid (1)



4. Domain of Emotion (4)

* Anger (1)
* Encouragingly (1)
* Wholehearted (1)
* Wholeheartedly (1)

Reader, you undoubtedly had a few disagreements with the strict placement of some of these terms. I had a bit of difficulty strictly relegating terms to the Domain of the Will instead of Emotion. Specifically courage, desire, fainthearted and timid. This has to do with the ambiguity of language. One can easily place these terms in either category. Courage is both the desicion to do what is right (Will) and feeling emboldened to do right (Emotion). This same interplay between will and emotion is true for the remaining three terms.

The expansive meaning of lebab accounts for the missing "mind" in Deuteronomy 6:5. Here, the one term expresses both the idea of the heart and the mind. We will deal with the mind at a later time. Here, we need to know what is meant by the Heart.

We can safely conclude, once we exclude references to the mind, that The Heart has to do with the development of once's emotions and will. Or, more specifically, how one's perception of their environment (emotions) influences their reaction to their environment (will). When an individual receives a stimulus from their environment, they must react to it in one way or another. One may feel timid, but will they react faintheartedly or courageously? When a person is wronged and anger burns within them will they desire justice or vengeance?

New Testament Definition

Now we turn our attention to the synoptic gospels. The term, in Greek, is "kardia," (Strong's 2588) and it occurs 158 times in scripture.

kardia: heart

heart (102), heart's (1), hearts (49), mind (2), minds (1), quick (1), spirit (1)

[Explanatory note] "the affective center of our being" and the capacity of moral preference (volitional desire, choice; see P. Hughs, 2 Cor, 354); "desire-producer that makes us tick" (G. Archer), i.e our "desire-decisions" that establish who we really are.

Note, again, the ambiguity caused by variance in the translations. Again, there is interplay between the term "heart" and "mind." Please note that while I consider the translation of "heart" as literal, scripture rarely refers to a physical heart. Typically, when these terms are translated "heart" it is used figuratively to refer to something deeper than just a blood-pumping organ.

The explanatory note hits at the heart of the issue (pun intended). As "the affective center of our being" it is the part of us that receives input (emotion) and processes output (will). The Greek usage confirms what we have found in the Hebrew translations, that the term "heart" refers to the way an individual receives and reacts to stimuli.

Many English colloquialisms also confirm this interplay between emotion and the will. When someone has their "heart set on something" it means their desires (both will and emotion) are wrapped up in the object. When someone is "heart-broken" it means that they are saddened (emotion) that their expectations (will) did not prove correct. A "disheartened" person is depressed (emotion) because their plans (will) did not come to fruition.

Conclusion

Once again we refer to the explanatory note. Our "desire-decisions" are at stake here in this discussion of the Greatest Commandment. What does our heart long for? Where are the desires of our heart? Where are treasure is, there will our heart be also. Our desires will influence our actions. Scripture effectively ties our emotions in with our will. Do we find pleasure in the things that please God?

Let me know what you think with a comment!

I know I did not get too much into scripture with this post. I intended to keep it semantic and build on these definitions with biblical examples in the coming weeks. What scripture verses did you think of while reading this post? Who in scripture is a good example of heart that loves The Lord and why?

A Harmony of the Greatest Commandment

The Best

I'm beginning a study on The Greatest Commandment over the summer. Therefore, I will likely begin posting information coming from my studies on the topic. I will begin (now) with generic talk about the passage as a whole. My starting point will be Mark 12:29 & 30, where Jesus states that the greatest commandment is as follows:

“The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’"

(New American Standard Bible)

After general comments, I will begin addressing the following questions monthly:

1. What does it mean to love The Lord with all your heart?
2. What does it mean to love The Lord with all your soul?
3. What does it mean to love The Lord with all your mind?
4. What does it mean to love The Lord with all your strength?

The Background Stuff

When studying (anything, but specifically scripture) it is important to have a clear picture of how the two main verses you are interested in fit in with the rest of scripture. All cross-references should be inspected to highlight both differences and similarities in each scenario. The obvious reference is the one that Jesus quoted in Deuteronomy 6:5, but this incident is reported in each of the synoptic gospels. The references in question are as follows:

• Deuteronomy 6:5
• Matthew 22:37
• Mark 12:30
• Luke 10:27

Each reference is slightly different. Clearly, everything about Deuteronomy is different than the incidents in the Gospels. Matthew and Mark are the most similar. Luke stands out as unique in its own right. This exercise in comparison and contrast may or may not highlight significant differences. However, it affords a degree of familiarity with the passage in question.

The Elements

The most obvious elements in this topical study is the presence and order of the topics in question. Notice that the gospels add the "mind" topic which is not present in the Old Testament text. Notice also that the order of the topics are shuffled somewhat. Again, it is not a big issue. Just something to be aware of.

Next, look at context within the passages. We take note of the action surrounding these verses. The elements we consider are as follows:

• Speaker: Who is talking?
• Audience: Who are they talking to?
• Narrative: Where does this take place in the story?
• Pre-Context: What happens before?
• Post-Context: What happens After?

Once we are clear on these things, then we can delve into deeper analysis of the text. After deeper analysis, we can begin with applications.

Harmony

Here is a pdf of this comparison. Check it out and be sure to a) correct any mistakes I made and b) suggest any more elements we could compare/contrast between these passages. How can you do this? Just leave me a comment below!

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