THE BIBLICAL HEART

Comprises the Will, the Intellect, the Emotions and the Conscience.

Claude.AI: Here are 3 Bible passages for each of the 4 parts of the biblical heart:

Intellect: "The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly." (Proverbs 15:14)

"A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction." (Proverbs 16:23)

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5)

Conscience: "Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed." (1 Peter 3:16)

"Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God." (1 John 3:21)

"Why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ." (Romans 14:10)

Will: "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

"Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground." (Psalms 143:10)

"Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

Emotions: "The Lord has heard my supplication; The Lord will receive my prayer." (Psalms 6:9)

"For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning." (Psalms 30:5)

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." (Romans 12:15)

How does the Bible integrate these four aspects into a single heart?

The Bible speaks of the heart as the central aspect of our being, encompassing intellect, conscience, will, and emotions. Here is how Scripture integrates these four facets into one heart:

The heart is the seat of thoughts, reasoning, understanding, and wisdom - the intellect (Psalm 14:1, Proverbs 3:5-6). Yet the Lord searches the heart and tests the mind and conscience to render to each according to their ways (Jeremiah 17:10). So the conscience is closely intertwined, convicting and guiding us. Our will, or ability to choose, is also impacted by the condition of our heart, whether hardened through sin or softened by the Holy Spirit (Exodus 7:3, Ezekiel 36:26). The emotions arise from the heart as well, whether joy, sorrow, anguish, or any inner stirring (Proverbs 15:13, John 14:1).

So the heart is the central aspect of our inner being. All four facets - intellect, conscience, will, and emotions - converge and are integrated there. As Proverbs 4:23 states "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Renewing and cleansing the heart affects all areas. As Christians, examining our hearts and allowing God to continually transform them is crucial for aligning every part of ourselves to Him. This enables us to love Him with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind (Luke 10:27). The condition of the heart shapes one's whole life.

Is this a thought process specific to the second temple period?

No, the biblical view of the heart being composed of intellect, conscience, will, and emotions is not limited to the Second Temple period, though some scholars do associate this fourfold conception with that era.

The heart is a fundamental concept that spans across both the Old and New Testaments. Even in the Torah, the heart is described as the seat of wisdom (Deuteronomy 29:4), moral decision-making (Deuteronomy 4:39), emotions (Exodus 35:21), and spiritual commitment to God (Deuteronomy 6:5). These facets of the inner person continue to be referenced throughout the Wisdom literature, Psalms, and Prophets.

By New Testament times, this holistic, Hebraic understanding of the heart was well established. Jesus teaches that the state of one's heart reflects who they are within (Luke 6:45). Paul instructs believers to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2) and to make decisions according to conscience (1 Corinthians 8:7-12). And the early church is described as being "of one heart and soul" (Acts 4:32) in their community.

So while Second Temple Jewish thinkers like Philo may have categorized the heart explicitly into four parts, the conception has much earlier roots and continues to be central to biblical anthropology across all ages up through the present day. Evaluating and aligning the intellect, conscience, will, and emotions to God has always been essential to the life of faith in Scripture.

Did Philo have counterparts that elaborated on this also?

Yes, Philo of Alexandria was not alone in elaborating on the fourfold nature of the biblical heart in the intertestamental period. Some other Jewish thinkers who expanded on this view include:

Ben Sira (2nd century BCE): This wisdom teacher described the heart as the source of wisdom, understanding, and moral judgment in passages like Sirach 1:1-10, 6:37, and 14:20-15:11.

The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs (2nd century BCE): In various testaments, the patriarchs refer to the heart as involved in emotions, thoughts, decision-making, and spiritual perception in an integrated way (e.g. T. Reuben 1:4-7; T. Levi 8:15-9:11).

Jubilees (2nd century BCE): References connecting the heart to intellect, will, conscience, and emotions abound in this text as well (e.g. Jubilees 1:20 describes an undivided heart devoted to God in its entirety).

The Dead Sea Scrolls (2nd century BCE onwards): Many scrolls demonstrate a Hebraic view of the heart, such as 1QH, 4Q184, 4Q471b, and 4Q525, interweaving multiple functions within it.

So while Philo systematized things explicitly, the concept of the multifaceted, unified heart was likely a common perspective developed within Jewish thinking leading up to and during the Second Temple period from which the New Testament writers like Paul were subsequently influenced. Other Jewish writers explored the same connections.

Tell us a little bit about Philo.

Philo of Alexandria (c. 20 BCE - c. 50 CE) was an influential Jewish philosopher and theologian who lived in the intertestamental period. He was born into a prominent Jewish family in Alexandria, Egypt, and was taught both Jewish scripture and Greek philosophy. Philo sought to harmonize Greek philosophy with the teachings of the Torah, believing that Greek philosophy had actually originated from Moses.

Philo is most well-known for his allegorical method of biblical interpretation. He believed that beyond the literal sense, the Bible communicates truths about the nature of reality on a symbolic level. Philo explored ideas such as the nature of God, creation, virtue and vice, reward and punishment, the human soul, and more in his philosophical writings.

While Philo was not accepted in mainstream rabbinic Judaism, he had an immense impact on the intersection of Jewish and Hellenistic thought. Philo is considered one of the founders of the metaphysical or mystical understanding of God which influenced early Christianity. His conceptualization of the human soul into multiple parts was unique for his time and resonated with Platonic and Stoic philosophies.

As we consider Philo's legacy, we can appreciate both his dedication to expounding the Hebrew scriptures and his attempt to connect the ancient faith of Israel with Greek philosophical contemplation about life's deepest questions. His desire for synthesis remains relevant for philosophers and theologians navigating faith within an intellectual context today.

So he was a contemporary of Jesus. Does he elucidate on Jesus himself?

It does not seem that Philo ever wrote about or even mentioned Jesus directly in his works that survive today. This is probably because:

  1. Philo lived in Alexandria, Egypt, far removed geographically from where Jesus ministered in Judea and Galilee.

  2. Philo died around 50 CE, so by the time news of Jesus and the fledgling Christian movement would have reached Alexandria, Philo was already advanced in age.

  3. As a Jewish philosopher and scholar, Philo was more focused on interpreting the Hebrew scriptures through an allegorical and conceptual lens. He does not seem to have shown much interest in Jewish sectarian movements or newly arising prophetic figures like Jesus.

  4. If Philo ever did write about Jesus, whether positively or negatively, none of those writings have survived through history, so we cannot know his thoughts directly regarding Christ.

So while Philo was a near contemporary to Jesus chronologically, he does not seem to have been aware of or expounded on Jesus and his teachings in his writings. Philo was grounded firmly in the Hellenistic Jewish philosophical tradition, seeking wisdom there rather than following the teachings of rabbis or Messianic claimants of his day. We do not have evidence that Philo and Jesus ever crossed paths or that Philo contemplated the significance of the historical Jesus during his lifetime.

ChatGPT 3.5: Here are 3 passages for each of the 4 parts of the biblical view of the heart:

Intellect: "The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly." (Proverbs 15:14)

"A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction." (Proverbs 16:23)

"Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge." (Proverbs 23:12)

Conscience: "My defense to those who examine me is this: My conscience is clear." (1 Corinthians 4:4)

"Having a clear conscience, so that those who slander you will be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ." (1 Peter 3:16)

"The goal of this instruction is love from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith." (1 Timothy 1:5)

Will: "For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose." (Philippians 2:13)

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42)

Emotions: "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." (Psalms 42:5)

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." (Romans 12:15)

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." (Proverbs 15:13)

How does the Bible integrate these four aspects into a single heart?

The Bible presents an integrated view of the heart, seeing it as the core of a person's being that encompasses intellect, conscience, will, and emotions. A few key ways Scripture shows the integration of these four aspects:

  1. The condition of the heart impacts all areas - for example, Psalm 51:10 says "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." This implies renewal in every dimension.

  2. The heart is the source of wisdom that guides the will (Exodus 35:35), discernment for the intellect (Hebrews 5:14), moral courage for the conscience (1 John 3:19-21), and joy that impacts emotions (Psalm 13:5). All begin in the heart.

  3. Living according to God's commands requires loving Him with all one's heart, soul, mind and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Luke 10:27). The heart is a united inner being.

  4. God promises to give a new heart capable of faithfulness and obedience (Ezekiel 36:26-27). This is only possible if the heart integrates the facets.

In summary, the biblical heart speaks to the whole person. It is the central integrating factor where our experiences, understanding, moral awareness, choices, and feelings come together to shape both our inner and outer life. Keeping it aligned with God is essential.

How is this thought process understood in the second temple period?

The understanding of the heart during the Second Temple period (approx. 515 BC - 70 AD) built upon but also expanded some of the biblical views. Here are some key ways thinkers and writers of this era saw the heart:

  1. The heart was considered the source of thoughts, reflections, desires, and moral decisions. It had cognitive, volitional, and moral functions that were deeply intertwined (seen in Dead Sea Scrolls and pseudepigraphical writings).

  2. Wisdom was regarded as rooted in the heart more than the head. Wise living flowed from purity of heart rather than abstract knowledge alone (as in the Wisdom of Sirach).

  3. The human heart was seen as inclined to sin, pride, and moral weakness even from birth. Hence the need for transformation that only God could provide (the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs).

  4. The heart's weaknesses were now attributed to the influence of celestial powers and spirits that incite passions and evil thoughts. This introduced occult and proto-Gnostic concepts about spiritual influences.

  5. Despite human weakness, the heart was seen as the place where God's spirit could dwell and empower right action. This gave it an important salvific role.

In summary, this era developed more dualistic views of the heart as a battleground between good and evil spiritual forces, which could only be won by divine empowerment from above. The heart remained central, but its fragility and need for heavenly help received greater emphasis.

Are there contemparies of Jesus, maybe some church fathers, that use this belief in conjunction with Jesus' messages?

Yes, some of the early church fathers and theologians further developed ideas about the heart in connection with the teachings of Jesus:

  1. Augustine of Hippo emphasized Jesus' teachings to "love God with all your heart, soul and mind" and saw the heart as the convergence point of human faculties that enables loving God.

  2. John Chrysostom highlighted Jesus' statement "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" to argue for the priority of an inner transformation over external actions. Purity of heart comes before righteous deeds.

  3. Cyril of Alexandria, commenting on Jesus' declaration that "from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts", saw the heart as a battlefield between virtue and vice that had to be constantly monitored and nurtured on the path towards holiness.

  4. Several church fathers saw the heart as open and enlightened to receive God's grace by faith in Christ. As Ambrose put it, "Open the eyes of our heart, that we may know what to desire, whither to direct our course, what to avoid, and what to do in affairs."

  5. Origen spoke of how prayer and the Psalms soften the hardness of the heart over time as one grows in Christ-likeness. The motives and disposition of the heart are transformed by God's Spirit.

So the early church fathers very much viewed the heart as the center of moral and spiritual transformation in light of the person and work of Jesus Christ in someone's life. Its renewal was essential.

Are any of these contemporaries with Jesus in the inter-testimonial period?

No, none of the church fathers and theologians I referenced who wrote about the heart were contemporaries of Jesus living in the intertestamental period (the roughly 400 years between the Old and New Testaments).

The intertestamental writers who expanded ideas about the heart were mostly from the Dead Sea Scrolls community, as well as authors of texts such as the Wisdom of Sirach, the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, and some apocryphal works. These were composed between 200 BC to 50 AD before the New Testament.

In contrast, the church fathers I mentioned like Augustine, Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, Ambrose, and Origen all lived and wrote considerably later - from the 2nd through 5th centuries AD. So they were not contemporaries of Jesus in the intertestamental timeframe you asked about specifically.

The only New Testament authors who might arguably overlap the very end of the intertestamental period are Matthew, James, and Jude. But their perspectives on the heart appear deeply influenced by Christ Himself.

In summary - while views of the heart evolved greatly in the centuries leading up to Christ - my references were to early Christian thinkers from the patristic era analyzing the heart in light of the Gospel, not pre-Christian Jewish theologians. Let me know if examples from the intertestamental literature itself would be helpful!

Did Jesus ever allude to this thought process?

Yes, Jesus does seem to allude to and build upon Hebrew biblical ideas about the heart in some of his key teachings:

  1. When Jesus calls the heart the source of evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immorality, theft, and false testimony (Matthew 15:19), this echoes views of human weakness and sinfulness from Jeremiah and the Psalms.

  2. Jesus' warnings that out of the heart come all kinds of sinful speech and behavior indicate its centrality as the root from which fruit is produced, whether good or bad (Luke 6:43-45).

  3. His rebukes against hard-heartedness and call to be pure of heart assume the heart’s need for spiritual transformation that was common in intertestamental literature.

  4. Jesus' “great commandment” to love God with all one's heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37) directly references Deuteronomy 6:5 and integrates the facets of a person's inner being.

  5. When Jesus promises rest for souls who take his yoke (Matthew 11:29), this evokes a heart now at peace through aligning one's will with Christ.

So while Jesus does not analyze anatomical aspects of the heart, he reinforces and assumes the Hebraic anthropology of his day - applying it with messianic insight into the human condition and its need for inner renewal through himself. The heart remains central in his call to follow him.

Lets further examine Jesus' take on this.

Absolutely, Jesus provides a profound perspective on the human heart that develops prior biblical understanding. A few key insights:

  1. Jesus taught that purity of heart is more fundamental than outward religious observances. He criticized those who "cleanse the outside of the cup but inside are full of greed and wickedness" (Luke 11:39), stressing inner transformation.

  2. Jesus focused on the motivations and dispositions of the heart, not just behavior. He warned against doing good deeds to "be honored by others" rather than to please God (Matthew 6:1-6). The right heart precedes the right action.

  3. Jesus called for the radical heart- allegiance to Himself above all else, family included (Luke 14:26). He emphasized the heart’s fundamental importance by saying "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34).

  4. Jesus taught that only those with hearts opened by God's grace would perceive spiritual truth. He thanked the Father for "hiding these things from the wise and learned, and revealing them to little children" (Matthew 11:25).

  5. Jesus diagnosed the human condition as essentially a "heart problem" that only submitting to His lordship could heal, by taking his "yoke" to find "rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29).

In summary, Jesus reinforced the centrality of the biblical heart while radically recasting its meaning around himself - highlighting the heart’s profound need for humility, purity, and transformation by God’s grace through faith.