Welcome, Guest. Login or register to use the forums.
Did you miss your activation email?
March 18, 2010, 01:39:17 AM
Home Help Search Login Register
GCM Home | Bible Search | Rules | Bookstore | Support | Newsletter


+  Christian Forums
|-+  Christian Interests
| |-+  Apologetics Forum
| | |-+  Heart as the center of thought		 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. « previous next »
Pages: 1 [2] Go Down Print
Author Topic: Heart as the center of thought  (Read 1065 times)
Jimmy
Legendary Member
******

Manna: 170
Offline Offline

Mood:

Posts: 6041

Blog entries (0)

View Profile
« Reply #15 on: October 21, 2009, 04:20:40 PM »
Quote from: Doc on October 21, 2009, 01:00:17 PM
Quote from: Jimmy on October 16, 2009, 06:55:35 AM
Quote from: Barabbas on October 15, 2009, 11:27:50 PM
It's difficult to think about this except metaphorically.  Today we usually always talk about the heart as being the emotional part of ourselves ... but we know it's not really our physical heart.  Our heart may beat faster because we are afraid... but we know it's our brain that tells it to do that.

The ancient world didn't know that.  The greeks actually thought the brain's function was to produce mucus.  It's often difficult to know for sure how the Hebrew authors used the term - but every indication would lead us to believe that they also thought of the heart as the center of thought.  Our metaphorical language of the heart owes it's etymology to that ancient belief.

It's just another one of those literal vs. figurative arguments that I find interesting.

I do not believe there is a Hebrew word for brain that is used in the Bible.  If there is, it is never used as the seat of consciousness, emotion, knowledge, etc.  We treat the heart that way metaphorically.  The ancients, as you have pointed out, treated the heart that way literally.  I suspect that there are some today who still, in ignorace, believe the heart is the seat of consciousness.  One would hope they are few and far between.

However, there are scores of references to the MIND throughout scripture.  Doc

Yes of course, but I believe that the Hebrews and the ancients, generally, considered the heart to be the center of all emotion and the rational mind.
Logged
0man
Member
***

Manna: 6
Offline Offline

Mood:

Gender: Male
Posts: 124


Blog entries (0)

View Profile
« Reply #16 on: October 24, 2009, 09:46:13 AM »
Quote from: farouk on October 15, 2009, 06:26:55 PM
Jeremiah 17.9 certainly sees the heart as the centre.

Looking at the Hebrew for heart (leb) we have this

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
a) inner part, midst
1) midst (of things)
2) heart (of man)
3) soul, heart (of man)
4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
6) conscience
7) heart (of moral character)
8) as seat of appetites
9) as seat of emotions and passions
10) as seat of courage

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=H3820

EDIT
Sorry, I have just seen larry2 beat me to it.
Logged
Christian Forums
« Reply #16 on: October 24, 2009, 09:46:13 AM »
 Logged
Doc
Guest
« Reply #17 on: October 24, 2009, 10:34:48 AM »
Quote from: 0man on October 24, 2009, 09:46:13 AM
Quote from: farouk on October 15, 2009, 06:26:55 PM
Jeremiah 17.9 certainly sees the heart as the centre.

Looking at the Hebrew for heart (leb) we have this

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
a) inner part, midst
1) midst (of things)
2) heart (of man)
3) soul, heart (of man)
4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
6) conscience
7) heart (of moral character)
8) as seat of appetites
9) as seat of emotions and passions
10) as seat of courage

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=H3820

EDIT
Sorry, I have just seen larry2 beat me to it.



And, what are we to conclude from this?  That the heart, mind, soul, will, thought, conscience, etc. are all identical? 

Would this not do violence to the idea that man has an eternal soul? 

When a person loses their mind, do they likewise lose their soul?  When a person's brain ceases to function, does their mind cease to function?

What do YOU think?  Doc
Logged
0man
Member
***

Manna: 6
Offline Offline

Mood:

Gender: Male
Posts: 124


Blog entries (0)

View Profile
« Reply #18 on: October 24, 2009, 10:54:45 AM »
Quote from: Doc on October 24, 2009, 10:34:48 AM
Quote from: 0man on October 24, 2009, 09:46:13 AM
Quote from: farouk on October 15, 2009, 06:26:55 PM
Jeremiah 17.9 certainly sees the heart as the centre.

Looking at the Hebrew for heart (leb) we have this

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
a) inner part, midst
1) midst (of things)
2) heart (of man)
3) soul, heart (of man)
4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
6) conscience
7) heart (of moral character)
8) as seat of appetites
9) as seat of emotions and passions
10) as seat of courage

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=H3820

EDIT
Sorry, I have just seen larry2 beat me to it.



And, what are we to conclude from this?  That the heart, mind, soul, will, thought, conscience, etc. are all identical?  

Would this not do violence to the idea that man has an eternal soul?  

When a person loses their mind, do they likewise lose their soul?  When a person's brain ceases to function, does their mind cease to function?

What do YOU think?  Doc

What I think is that the word heart, as it is used in the Bible, is speaking of our emotional will rather than our physical body.

We do not literally give our heart or our brain to the Lord or any other part of our physical anatomy which will rot in the grave, but rather we let Him enter in and give him our will (heart and mind) and allow Him rule over us and guide us. I feel it is like the love we have for our boyfriend or girl friend which cannot be touched, seen, weighed, or measured, but can move mountains, like faith, which we need in order to be able to give Him our heart. Faith is not a physical organ the same as our heart is not a physical organ in the sense the Bible uses the word as it has been translated and this in my view is our soul which has eternal life.
 
« Last Edit: October 24, 2009, 11:40:14 AM by 0man » Logged
Doc
Guest
« Reply #19 on: October 27, 2009, 10:05:05 AM »
Quote from: 0man on October 24, 2009, 10:54:45 AM
Quote from: Doc on October 24, 2009, 10:34:48 AM
Quote from: 0man on October 24, 2009, 09:46:13 AM
Quote from: farouk on October 15, 2009, 06:26:55 PM
Jeremiah 17.9 certainly sees the heart as the centre.

Looking at the Hebrew for heart (leb) we have this

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
a) inner part, midst
1) midst (of things)
2) heart (of man)
3) soul, heart (of man)
4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
6) conscience
7) heart (of moral character)
8) as seat of appetites
9) as seat of emotions and passions
10) as seat of courage

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=H3820

EDIT
Sorry, I have just seen larry2 beat me to it.



And, what are we to conclude from this?  That the heart, mind, soul, will, thought, conscience, etc. are all identical?  

Would this not do violence to the idea that man has an eternal soul?  

When a person loses their mind, do they likewise lose their soul?  When a person's brain ceases to function, does their mind cease to function?

What do YOU think?  Doc

What I think is that the word heart, as it is used in the Bible, is speaking of our emotional will rather than our physical body.

We do not literally give our heart or our brain to the Lord or any other part of our physical anatomy which will rot in the grave, but rather we let Him enter in and give him our will (heart and mind) and allow Him rule over us and guide us. I feel it is like the love we have for our boyfriend or girl friend which cannot be touched, seen, weighed, or measured, but can move mountains, like faith, which we need in order to be able to give Him our heart. Faith is not a physical organ the same as our heart is not a physical organ in the sense the Bible uses the word as it has been translated and this in my view is our soul which has eternal life.
 


Oman: Thank you for your comments.

If I may ask my question a bit differently: Do you believe that the physical organ - what we call the BRAIN - has any bearing on the biblical terms you mentioned before - i.e., heart, mind, will, understanding, etc?   Does human anatomy have any bearing or impact on the will, thinking, understanding, choices, or behavior of a person? 

I look forward to your reply.

BLESSINGS,

Doc
Logged
0man
Member
***

Manna: 6
Offline Offline

Mood:

Gender: Male
Posts: 124


Blog entries (0)

View Profile
« Reply #20 on: October 27, 2009, 11:55:11 AM »
Quote from: Doc on October 27, 2009, 10:05:05 AM
Quote from: 0man on October 24, 2009, 10:54:45 AM
Quote from: Doc on October 24, 2009, 10:34:48 AM
Quote from: 0man on October 24, 2009, 09:46:13 AM
Quote from: farouk on October 15, 2009, 06:26:55 PM
Jeremiah 17.9 certainly sees the heart as the centre.

Looking at the Hebrew for heart (leb) we have this

1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
a) inner part, midst
1) midst (of things)
2) heart (of man)
3) soul, heart (of man)
4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
6) conscience
7) heart (of moral character)
8) as seat of appetites
9) as seat of emotions and passions
10) as seat of courage

http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=H3820

EDIT
Sorry, I have just seen larry2 beat me to it.



And, what are we to conclude from this?  That the heart, mind, soul, will, thought, conscience, etc. are all identical?  

Would this not do violence to the idea that man has an eternal soul?  

When a person loses their mind, do they likewise lose their soul?  When a person's brain ceases to function, does their mind cease to function?

What do YOU think?  Doc

What I think is that the word heart, as it is used in the Bible, is speaking of our emotional will rather than our physical body.

We do not literally give our heart or our brain to the Lord or any other part of our physical anatomy which will rot in the grave, but rather we let Him enter in and give him our will (heart and mind) and allow Him rule over us and guide us. I feel it is like the love we have for our boyfriend or girl friend which cannot be touched, seen, weighed, or measured, but can move mountains, like faith, which we need in order to be able to give Him our heart. Faith is not a physical organ the same as our heart is not a physical organ in the sense the Bible uses the word as it has been translated and this in my view is our soul which has eternal life.
 


Oman: Thank you for your comments.

If I may ask my question a bit differently: Do you believe that the physical organ - what we call the BRAIN - has any bearing on the biblical terms you mentioned before - i.e., heart, mind, will, understanding, etc?   Does human anatomy have any bearing or impact on the will, thinking, understanding, choices, or behavior of a person?  

I look forward to your reply.

BLESSINGS,

Doc

The way you put it I suppose the brain is at the very centre of our thoughts and emotions while "we yet live" and of course it affects our behaviour and it is with our mind (brain) that we accept Jesus. So yes you are correct and what happens after death I am afraid I haven't a clue and I'm feeling a right Charlie at the moment, where's the smiley for help cos I feel I need some?  Confused  Smile
« Last Edit: October 27, 2009, 12:22:56 PM by 0man » Logged
Christian Forums
« Reply #20 on: October 27, 2009, 11:55:11 AM »
 Logged
Heart as the center of thought - Pages: 1 [2] Go Up Print 
« previous next »
Jump to:  



Login with username, password and session length

Grace-Centered Christian Forums
Bible concordance | abortion ticker | is God real? | galaga | play tetris | copter game | mini golf games | arcade | donkey kong | Christian marriage help | articles | privacy
Powered by SMF | SMF © 2006-2009, Simple Machines LLC