The Heart

by McCubbin, A. D. | Category: Fundamentals | Sept 1976

While the Bible contains a considerable number of references to the heart, only a very few of these relate to the physical organ, which occupies such an important place in the human system, and which is indirectly recognized in "the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Lev. 17:11). As the heart is central to the body so the word when used in a figurative or metaphorical sense means the controlling centre of personal life or the inner man, which indeed makes a man what he is.

We are accustomed to the everyday usage of the word "heart" as the seat of the emotions, but in the Scriptures it carries a much wider range of meanings. While the main use applies to men, there are other occasional uses; to God (Gen. 6:8), to beasts (Dan. 4:16), to inanimate objects (Jonah 2:3), and also collectively to a nation (Josh. 14:8). Other central organs of the body, such as the liver, the bowels, and the kidneys are also used figuratively, but only infrequently. In each case the meaning must be determined from the context.

The Old Testament

The Hebrew words, leb and lebab, which are mainly translated as heart occur over 800 times in the Old Testament. These occurrences may be divided into various meanings: physical - Joab took darts and thrust them through the heart of Absalom (2 Sam. 18:14), character (see 1 Sam. 16:7), understanding (see 1 Kings 3:9), memory (see Deut. 4:9), skill (see Exod. 28:3), will (see Prov. 11:20) and emotions of many sorts such as joy (see Isa. 30:29), sorrow (see 1 Sam. 1:8), anger (see Deut. 19:6), fear (see Gen. 42:28) and love (see 2 Sam. 14:1).

These typical examples show the widespread use of the term, but it is not possible here to consider these variations in detail. While the divisions help to a better understanding of a complex subject, care is needed as sometimes more than one meaning is involved, and generally they should be seen not as separate uses but as various facets of the inner man.

The first reference, in Gen. 6:5, is a most emphatic indictment of mankind, showing how sin had affected the heart, so that every imagination or impulse was only and continually evil, demonstrating a complete turning away from God. This grieved the heart of God, so that man's apostasy caused Him pain and suffering.

In the midst of this anarchy the only exception was Noah, who was described as perfect, that is wholehearted. So God delivered Noah from the destruction of the Flood, but his descendants proved little better and only the forbearance of God saved mankind from further destruction (Rom. 3:25). The majority of mankind continued in their evil ways with hearts variously described as erring, foolish, hardened, perverse, proud and wicked; there was a minority who sought after God whose hearts were clean, perfect, pure, upright and wise. David is called a man after God's own heart, who would do all His will, but he was by no means sinless. However, when he committed a sin for which the law required the death penalty, and for which no sacrifice could atone, he acknowledged his personal guilt and responsibility, sought mercy from God and a clean heart (Psa. 51). Solomon too has much to say on the subject in Proverbs. He warns, "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (4:23). Life is not static, and the heart is the source of our actions, good or evil, and as one has said, it is difficult to keep but dangerous to neglect. The heart must be right first, then guarded, which can only be done by the power of God.

That God required from His people an inward and spiritual obedience to the law, expressed as love from the whole heart, is repeatedly stressed in Deuteronomy. For this obedience they would be peculiarly honoured and blessed. Israel said, "All that the LORD hath spoken will we do and be obedient" (Exod. 24:7), but mere ritual performance of ceremonies was not acceptable to God without the right state of heart. He could say, "Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear Me, and keep all My commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!" (Deut 5:29-30). Israel indeed showed themselves to be so intractable and perverse, so prone to depart from God, that in no way did they conduct themselves as a redeemed and called people of God. God repeatedly sent prophets to denounce this outward adherence, for example they were urged "to rend your heart and not your garments" (Joel 2:13).

Jeremiah and Ezekiel who lived at the time of the Captivity and saw the collapse of the nation, not only condemned the apostasy, but also prophesied that God would make a new beginning and provide the means for maintaining a right relationship with mankind. Jeremiah foretold that some of the exiles, duly chastened, would return to the land committed to seeking God with their whole heart (24:7). Later, he wrote with great hope of a new covenant that God would make with His people in the future, and of their sins that would be remembered no more; for the law would be written in their hearts, so that all would know God from the least to the greatest (Jer. 31:31-34). To know God is the highest objective, and this would not be solely a matter of intellectual attainment, as it would be available to the least as well as the greatest, nor would scribes then be necessary to interpret God's will. Ezekiel too spoke of Israel's restoration, through which God was going to vindicate His name, which had suffered in the eyes of the nations, because Israel's failure was attributed to the ineffectiveness of their God. The people were to be cleansed from the defilement of idolatry; they were to have a heart transplant to remove their insensitive stubborn heart and in place to receive a heart responsive to God. Additionally the spirit of disobedience would be replaced by the Spirit of God. They would then be able to fulfil their covenant obligations and to demonstrate to all that they were the people of God (Ezek. 36:22-31).

The New Testament

The Greek word kardia (=heart) occurs some 150 times in the New Testament, including several mentions in quotations from the Old Testament. The general usage of the word is similar to that in the Old Testament, but in addition other more precise terms are found such as conscience, mind, understanding and will, which are found less frequently if at all in the Old Testament.

Examples can again be given for the various meanings of the heart:

physical, the nearest approach is "filling your hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:17; James 5:5), personality (see 1 Cor. 14:25), intellect (see Rom. 1:21), will (see Rom. 2:5), various emotions (see Luke 24:32; Rom. 9:2; 2 Cor. 2:4; 7:3).

The importance of a right condition of heart is emphasized throughout the New Testament, and the term is found in practically every book.

The Lord Jesus stressed that He was meek and lowly in heart (Matt. 11:29), which means that He was humble-minded and entirely committed to doing the will of His Father, and to showing men the way to God. When challenged on the great commandment of the law, He could so beautifully reply, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (Matt. 22:37). This teaching was in striking contrast to that of the religious teachers of the time, of whom Christ could say, "Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying ... But their heart is far from Me" (Matt. 15:8). Their teaching consisted of making endless rules and regulations which governed every action of life, and their works were essentially self-seeking and directed to impress men; they will get their reward from men but nothing from God. However, God will reward secret actions done for Him (Matt. 6). The parable of the sower is explained by Christ to His disciples; in this the seed represents the word sown in the heart, to be received or rejected. The good ground means the right condition of the one who hears, understands and bears fruit (Matt. 13:18-23).

Paul in Romans shows the desperate plight of mankind, and that both

Gentiles and Jews are guilty before God, because having rejected Him

(1)their senseless heart was darkened (1:21)

(2)the lusts of their hearts led to uncleanness (1:24)

(3)their hard and impenitent heart was piling up wrath for them (2:5). However, God in His grace has provided an answer, which the apostle

later summarizes in 10:9-15, "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation". This involves the consent of the intellect, will and emotions, and then the inward faith publicly confesses that Jesus is Lord. Believers are further required to be "obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered" (6:17). This total voluntary commitment of obedience from the heart is only possible through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer.

The writer to the Hebrews warns repeatedly against hardening one's heart (3:8; 3:15; 4:7), and also of the dangers of apostasy through "an evil heart of unbelief in falling away from the living God" (3:12,13). So he urges his readers to continue stedfastly in their faith and hope to the end. He later quotes the prophecy of Jeremiah, and shows that the forgiveness of sins and the renewal of the heart that were promised have now become a reality through the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ (chapters 8 and 10). The new heart is essential to the new covenant; this covenant expresses a relationship that is new in character as well as time, for the law is no longer external but in the heart, and so God brings the whole man into harmony with His will. However, the ultimate purpose is the same, namely "I will be their God, and they shall be My people". His people are no longer determined by natural descent, but are those who by faith acknowledge His Lordship under the new covenant; they are then encouraged to draw near into the holy place, which has now been opened to them by the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Great Priest over the house of God; the access must be with a true heart, that is in perfect sincerity, but also in full assurance based on faith in God's word, and a conscience cleansed from sin (10:21,22).

Peter provides a fitting conclusion to this subject with his instruction to "love one another from the heart fervently" (1 Pet. 1:22). Fervently means to the fullest extent. A Roman historian writing on the persecutions of the early Christians could witness "how they love one another". This surely is a commendation that we should all seek to merit.

McCubbin, A. D. | Sept 1976
Fundamentals