Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

HEART

In general, the center or middle of things (Deut. 4:11; Matt. 12:40). The ancients did not seem as concerned about the heart (Heb. lēḇ, lēḇāḇ; Gk. kardía) as an organ as they were about such other organs as the liver and kidneys. References to the heart as a physical organ are extremely rare in the OT (cf. 1 Sam. 25:37). Even in 2 Sam. 18:14; 2 Kgs. 9:24 the meaning seems to be wider than the specific organ of the heart, indicating the internal organs generally. In Ps. 104:15 the “heart” is affected by food and drink, which could be true of the literal heart as an organ, but probably denotes a more general reference to “experience” (cf. REB, NAB).

Heart was commonly used, as today, of the center of something — whether humans or other objects, and from this usage the term was applied to the whole range of internal and central things in humans. The ancients did not use detailed psychological vocabulary to make the fine distinctions used in modern speech. The Hebrews thought of the whole human being and personality with all its physical, intellectual, and psychological attributes when they used “heart.” It was considered the governing center for all of these. It is the heart (the core) which makes and identifies the person (Prov. 4:23). Character, personality, will, and mind are modern terms which all reflect something of the meaning of “heart” in its biblical usage.

Less often was “heart” used for emotions which are preferably expressed by such organs as the liver, or the bowels, or the kidneys, the region of the “loins.” In general, Hebrew thought placed the emotional focus lower in the anatomy (liver, bowels, kidneys) than the intellectual or volitional, which was placed higher in the anatomy (heart). The same anatomical geography is generally true in English which uses the higher area of the “head” (brain or mind) to express the intellectual and volitional matters but the lower “heart” for emotional issues. Modern English translations are inclined to use “mind” to translate lēḇ/lēḇāḇ (cf. NRSV Eccl. 1:17; Prov. 16:23); however, “heart” is a broad term and does not make the same distinctions in reference to the rational or mental processes as did Greek philosophy.

NT usage is colored by the OT and contains very similar examples. Heart still is used in the physical sense, for it is made of “flesh” (2 Cor. 3:3), but it is also the seat of the will (Mark 3:5; 7:21-23), the intellect (2:6-8), and emotion (Luke 24:32). Thus it also means “person” in the NT.

Larry L. Walker

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

HEART

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)