Heart issues?
Have a heart!
We know that everyone has indeed a heart, which started to beat 22 days after conception. In the usual course of events your heart beats (pumps) till your death.
A heart of gold? Or, a black heart? Heart of hearts? A kind heart? A broken heart? A good heart? Yes, we also use the word in a meaningful non-biological way.
I wonder if this following critical heart test question was a common one in Jesus' day:
The original of the command is found in Deuteronomy 6:5. The word for "heart" is used regularly in the Bible; the Greek Old Testament (LXX) has the same word (origin of "cardio") as in the quote from Jesus. How do you think the word is being used? In a metaphorical sense: the heart as the centre of thinking and decision making; the place for the repository of the laws of God about our lives. Jesus might have said, "With your whole self".
The Pharisees had no argument with what Jesus said and in fact that was the final test question they put to him. (Jesus, however, had something confronting to ask them, which you could read on to see.)
Today we have considerable anatomical knowledge and amazing work is done in the cardio-vascular field. The advances have been enormous. Apart from being a vital target in fighting, what did people back then think of the heart?
They were used to the equivalent word being used in their Hebrew Bible (our Old Testament plus the other preserved writings). The English versions list many hundreds of occurrences; see for example a word search using Bible Gateway. ("Heart" is less frequent in the CEV.)
By looking at occurrences we may gather the common usage of heart.
One example from Jesus: When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path. (Matthew 13:19 CSB). This comes in the Sower parable, which describes what happens to God's words (kingdom words) as they come to people; to us. Do you think Jesus expected us to take in and grasp what he said? What God says? The word here is used of the mind; our capacity to receive and consider what we are told; to intentionally take it to heart; to want to retain it; to reflect; to think!
Here are some more examples of heart:
And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow[a] after your own heart (LXX, mind) and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after (Numbers 15:39 ESV). Other translations, interpreting the Hebrew Bible "heart", render the word as "own desires". Is this not about disregarding God's directions and instead simply following my own ways? That is pictured as the heart's self-pleasing desires. Today we might speak in other terms but we could use the same language and understand it as metaphorical, not literal. Do you see it is referring to the inner person and deep desires? To deciding on the easy and broad path? To being self-willed and self-centred? To following the wrong heart beat?
"But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find [Him] if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul (Deuteronomy 4:29 NASB20). The "heart and soul" combination is frequent. It clearly conveys the notion of my inner being, my true "self". It is about more than simply what I consciously think. Instead of rebellious independence, there can be humble intentional obedience.
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise (Psalm 51:17 NIV). In this rendering the writer is admitting that external observance can never make things right with God. A plea from the heart will be heard by God. There is a deeper, internal need - for mercy and forgiveness. (In this well-known passage the word "heart" is used by all the English translations I usually consider.)
even though they saw everything I did.
For forty years I was angry with them, and I said,
‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me.
They refuse to do what I tell them.’
So in my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” (Psalm 95:8-11 NLT).
Because these people draw near with their mouths
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far from me
and their worship of me is a human commandment learned by rote... (Isaiah 29:13 NRSVUE). The Lord assessed the religion being practised. Can you guess what might follow the assessment? I dare say the adverse finding applied to the (large part of the) professionally religious and very many others. Appearances may be deceiving! Their sacrifices and so on, may have been exactly as prescribed. Outward compliance is not the point! What is happening behind the facade?
The heart is more deceitful than anything else,
and incurable—who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9 CSB). Beware of being mislead, not only by false advertising and scammers, but by your own heart! (Sadly, there is much falseness outside of us and we need good advice!) God can and will act internally; will guide the humble petitioner in right living.
You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13 ESV). The same prophet Jeremiah looks forward to a so much better day when God's words would be earnestly followed and lived out; when prayer would be real.
“I will write my laws
on their hearts and minds.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people (Jeremiah 31:33 CEV). God's teaching was promised to be internal, not external rules. In this vision the follower of God is internally aligned with God.
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 11:19-20, NIV; also 36:26). A divided heart will not fully heed God - tugged in two directions at once. A stone heart can never respond to God. It is unyielding and impervious. Some radical surgery is required!
Tear your hearts,
not just your clothes,
and return to the Lord your God.
slow to anger, abounding in faithful love,
and he relents from sending disaster (Joel 2:13 CSB). There were problems? Yes, indeed. The fix? Not external compliance, nor meticulous observance of rules or customs. The answer is return to the source; return to the "real God". The God who graciously makes himself known. A true change of heart. This occurrence of the word makes this usage really clear... Obviously, no one hearing these words could take them literally. The contrast is between outer, meaningless religion and inner and willing submission to God. To God, who is gracious.
Jesus spoke about the heart that has genuinely returned to the Lord your God. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8 CSB). God will make sense to these! God is not a remote police officer!
Nonetheless, evil, or wrongdoing, or rebellion, is close to hand. And then he (Jesus) added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness (Mark 7:20-22 NLT). Not environment; not bad example. Influences are around us, indeed. We are not merely helpless or gullible victims. We all share the same flawed humanity here. (Do you agree that, despite our potential to respond, Jesus held no rosy view of human nature.)
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Luke 12:34 NRSVUE). Jesus spoke about the power of your "heart's desire". He asks about my focus and my intention.
A particular use of heart comes from the story of David in his conflict with Saul the king. They had sneaked up on sleeping Saul and David sliced off some cloth. (The context suggests to me an abandoned "first-strike" intention to kill Saul.) Afterward David was stricken to the heart because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak (1 Samuel 24:5 NRSVUE). Somewhere within, David was convinced he had acted wrongly, even if with rational strategy. This particular instance of the word raises another, related word, as seen in this translation: Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe (1 Samuel 24:5 NIV). Am I ever conscience-stricken? Am I ever heart-stricken? Are you?
Remember: Don't rip your clothes to show your sorrow. Instead, turn back to me with broken hearts. I am merciful, kind, and caring. I don't easily lose my temper, and I don't like to punish (Joel 2:13 CEV). Abandon the arrogance and accept mercy. Your welcome stands.
God means every word God says.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are not moderated. Allen Hampton