Jottings

by J. Miller | Category: Jottings | May 1961

Two Greek words, in various forms of the word, for the "mind" are used, in the main, to describe the faculty of the mind and its various workings. The words are Nous or Noos and forms of the word Phren. No"', in its use in Greek philosophy, was used to describe the perceptive and intelligent faculty, intellect, reason. Nous signifies [1] the "mind," as employed in perceiving and thinking; [2] an act of the mind, a thought, purpose or design; [8] the sense or meaning of a word, sentence, speech. Phren is the diaphragm (the midriff) and the membranes about the heart. Parkhurst in his lexicon suggests that it is derived from a Hebrew word which means "to free, set free, disengage, because they are of so loose a structure as not to impede the motion of the heart, lungs and arteries." And because the Phrenes are much affected by the various motions of the mind, hence the word is used by the Greek poets for the mind itself. Phrenes, in the Greek prose-writers, often denotes "Prudence, understanding," and is thus applied twice in 1 Corinthians i4. 20. The noun Phren (singular) is not used in the New Testament, but the verb Phroeeo, "to think, etc.," is of frequent usage, also Phronema, Phronesis, Phronimos, derivatives of the word Phren, are used.

It may be helpful to refer to a few passages where the word Non' is used. It is first used in Luke 24.45. "Then opened He their mind (understanding, A.V.), that they might understand the Scriptures." This opening of the mind of the apostles in particular resulted in a profound knowledge on their part of what was contained in the Old Testament Scriptures, in the law, the prophets, and the psalms. We need a renewing of our mind, if we are to be transformed, and not take on the fashion of the world, and also to "prove what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God" (Romans i2. 2, R.V.M.). This is similar to the renewing in the spirit of our mind, of Ephesians 4.28. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4.16 of the outward man, which is the body of our flesh in which we live, which he says is decaying, but in contrast our inward man, which is the spiritual part of the being of those who are born again (for both the soul and spirit are spiritual in character), which he says is renewed day by day. The inward man, he says, delights in the law of God (Romans 7. 22). But he saw another law in his members warring against the law of his mind, that is the mind of the inward man, against which there is a ceaseless warfare by the flesh, which is not subject to the law of God, and, says Paul, "neither indeed can it be" (Romans 8.7).The safety of the believer against its evil designs is to reckon himself dead as having been crucified. Paul in summing up his argument in Romans 7 on the question, "Is the law sin? " says, "So then I myself with the mind serve the law of God; and with the flesh the law of sin" (Romans 7.25). Though no one has known the mind of the Lord so as to be His counsellor (Romans 11. 84), yet though we have not known the mind of the Lord that we should instruct Him, nevertheless, we, who are spiritual, have the mind of Christ, because of the revelation of His mind made known to us through the Spirit which searches all things (1 Corinthians 2.10, 15, 16). Many have a reprobate mind (Romans i. 28), and it is sadly possible for believers to have a fleshly mind (Colossians 2.18), a corrupt mind (1 Timothy 6.5; 2 Timothy 3.8), and to have both mind and conscience deified (Titus 1. 15).

Though the singular word Phren is not used in the New Testament, we have its plural twice in 1 Corinthians i4. 20 as we have seen above. This plural word is described as "the mind, including both the understanding and the affections or will" (Phroneo). "It is a general word comprehending the actions and operations both of the understanding and will. It is in the Scripture applied to both, but most commonly to the actions of the will and affections, which are particular motions of the will." In Romans 8.5, Paul says, "They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; "which means, they " mind, relish, affect, set the affections on" the things of the flesh. Likewise those who mind earthly things set their affections on the things of earth (Philippians 3.19). In contrast, we are to set our "mind (affections, A.V.) on the things that are above, not on the things that are upon the earth" (Colossians 3.2). Again, Phroneo is rendered "to think" in Romans i2. 8, where brethren were not to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think, but to think soberly.

What is the "heart," so frequently mentioned in the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testaments? This is an easier question to ask than to answer as to the use that Scripture makes of the word "heart." As to the physical heart, it is defined as the muscular organ situated in the thorax (the cavity of the chest). But is this physical organ the seat of thought, the seat of understanding, the seat of affections and passions, of the will, of moral sense, of love, of courage? No one would readily answer, Yes, to such a question who has at all considered the subject of the heart.

The ancients associated thought with the heart, the mind, the Phren (the muscle which parts the heart and lungs from the lower viscera, and the membranes about the heart) and the reins or kidneys. The complexity and mystery of the human system, of what is the seat and source of thought, and what the effect of the processes of thought upon the different parts and organs of the body through the nervous system, is quite beyond the present writer's knowledge. Modern knowledge associates thought with the human brain. But let us remember that persons who are dead as to this world, and know not any thing as to things under the sun (Ecclesiastes 9.5), (and despite the fact that their bodies with all their organs may be buried in the earth and returned to dust), have powers of memory and thought in their disembodied state. This fact comes out clearly in the conversation between Abraham and the rich man in Hell (Hades). It is said by the Lord that the rich man saw Abraham, and Lazarus in his bosom. He told Abraham of his present anguish in the flame of Hell, and besought that Lazarus might be sent with a drop of water to cool his tongue. Abraham called upon him to remember his past life and the life of Lazarus, to remember the good he had known and the destitution of Lazarus, and that now there was a complete reversal of their experiences. He was told of the impassable gulf between where Abraham and Lazarus were and where he was. The rich man suggested that Lazarus be sent to warn Ins brothers not to come to the place where he was, but he was told by Abraham that they had Moses and the prophets (i.e. the books of these prophets), and if they did not hear them they would not hear if one rose from the dead. We have here knowledge, memory and thought proceeding from both Abraham and the rich man in their conversation, yet each of their bodies had crumbled, or were crumbling, to dust in their respective tombs (Luke 16. 19-81 ; see also Revelation 6.9-11, and Luke 9. 28-86).

We see from such a narrative that men can think without a brain and nervous system, also see, remember, feel and speak, though not, of course, in this present sphere of earthly and material things.

The heart is the seat of life. "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life " (Proverbs 4.23). It is with the heart that men trust God. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding" (Proverbs 3.5). It is also with the heart that man believeth (Romans 10. 9, 10). The great and first commandment of the law is, "Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart," and also with all one's soul and might (Deuteronomy 6.5). The heart is where the word of God is to be laid up; "Thy word have I laid up in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee" (Psalm 119.11). It is in the heart that we may know gladness (Psalm 4.7; 16. 9) and rejoicing (Psalm 19. 8), and also grief (Psalm 73.26) and sorrow (John 16. 6). We may have a whole heart (Psalm 9.1), or a broken heart (Psalm 51. 17), a double heart (Psalm 12. 2), or singleness of heart (Acts 2.46; Colossians 3.22). The heart (of the flesh) is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17. 9), yet we may be upright in heart (Psalm ii. 2), and have a pure heart (Psalm 24.4), a clean (Psalm 73.1), and a perfect heart (Psalm 101. 2). We may have a froward and a proud heart (Psalm 101. 4, 5), and, thanks be to God, our Lord had a lowly heart (Matthew 11. 29), but, alas! we may know little of it in our own case.

There is one affliction of heart for which there is no remedy and that is hardness of heart. It has no cure physically or spiritually. Jeremiah said of God's dealings with His people, "Thou wilt give them hardness of heart, Thy curse unto them" (Lamentations 3.64, 65). See also Hebrews 3.8, 18, 15; 4.7; Romans 9.18 ; Exodus 8.15, 19, 82; 10.1, 20, 27, etc.

J. Miller | May 1961
Jottings