I would appreciate very much if you would explain … on the Mind and Heart. I have always thought they were the same, but in the last year, the subject has come in 3 different classes and only one out of the three teachers have said it was the same. ~ Lottie Pickett, Franklin, NC
Matthew 22:37 illustrates that sometimes the words “mind” and “heart” are not precisely the same: “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind“; see also Hebrews 10:16. In addition, several Hebrew and Greek words are translated “mind” and have various meanings. Consider some of the New Testament appearances of the English word “mind.”
The Greek word, dianoia, refers to the thinking part of man or the exercise of his intellect (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27; Ephesians 2:3; Colossians 1:21; Hebrews 8:10; 10:16; 1 Peter 1:13; 2 Peter 3:1). Consequently, dianoia is also translated as “in the imagination” (Luke 1:51) and “understanding” (Ephesians 1:18; 4:18; 1 John 5:20).
The Greek word, sophroneo, means to be in one’s right mind, as in sane or sober (“right mind” Mark 5:15; Luke 8:35; “soberly” Romans 12:3; “be sober” 2 Corinthians 5:13; 1 Peter 4:7; “be sober minded” Titus 2:6). The Greek word, dialogizomai, means to consider, reason or think (“cast in her mind” Luke 1:29; “reason,” “reasoning” or “reasoned” Matthew 16:7-8; 21:25; Mark 2:6, 8, 16-17; Luke 5:21-22; Luke 20:14; “disputed” Mark 9:33; “mused” Luke 3:15; “thought” Luke 12:17; “consider” John 11:50). The Greek word, meteorizo, means to be of a “doubtful mind” (Luke 12:29).
The Greek word, meteorizo, means a willing mind (“readiness of mind” Acts 17:11; “a readiness” 2 Corinthians 8:11; 2 Corinthians 10:6; “a willing mind” 2 Corinthians 8:12; “ready mind” 2 Corinthians 8:19; “forwardness of mind” 2 Corinthians 9:2). The Greek word, tapeinophrosune, means humility (“humility of mind” Acts 20:19; “lowliness” Ephesians 4:2; “in lowliness of mind” Philippians 2:3; “humility” Colossians 2:18, 23; 1 Peter 5:5; “humbleness of mind” Colossians 3:12). The Greek word, nous, means intellect (“mind” Romans 1:28; 7:23, 25; 11:34; 12:2; 14:5; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 2:16; Ephesians 4:17, 23; Colossians 2:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 Timothy 6:5; 2 Timothy 3:8; Titus 1:15; Revelation 17:9; “understanding” Luke 24:45; 1 Corinthians 14:14-15, 19; Philippians 4:7; Revelation 13:18).
The Greek word, phronema, means inclination (“mind” or “minded” Romans 8:6-7, 27). The Greek word, homothumadon, means unanimously (“one mind” Romans 15:6; “with one accord” Acts 1:14; 2:26; 4:24; 5:12; 7:57; 8:6; 12:20; 15:25; 18:12; 19:29). The Greek word, epanamimnesko, means to remind of something (“mind” Romans 15:15). The Greek word, zelos, means zeal (“fervent mind” 2 Corinthians 7:7; “zeal” John 2:17; Romans 10:2; 2 Corinthians 7:11; 9:2; Philippians 3:6; “indignation” Acts 5:17; “envy” or “envying” Acts 13:45; Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 12:20; James 3:14, 16; “jealousy” 2 Corinthians 11:2; “emulations” Galatians 5:20).
The Greek word, psuche, means heart, life, mind or soul, depending on the context in which it is used; this Greek word is used 106 times in the New Testament and is translated as “life,” “soul,” “minds” (Acts 14:2; Hebrews 12:13) and “heartily” (Colossians 3:23). Psuche is the word from which “soul” is translated in Matthew 22:37.
The Greek word, gnome, means one’s judgment or opinion (“mind” Philemon 14; Revelation 17:13; “purposed” Acts 20:3; “judgment” 1 Corinthians 1:10; 7:25, 40; “advice” 2 Corinthians 8:10; “will” and “to agree” Revelation 17:17). The Greek word, homophron, means harmonious (“mind” 1 Peter 3:8). The Greek word, ennoia, means thoughtfulness (“mind” 1 Peter 4:1; “intents” Hebrews 4:12). The Greek word, prothumos, means willingly (“mind” 1 Peter 5:2). Another Greek word for “mind” is anamimnesko, which means to remind (“called to mind” Mark 14:72; “remembrance” Mark 11:21; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 2 Corinthians 7:15; 2 Timothy 1:6; Hebrews 10:32). The Greek word, phroneo, means to exercise the mind and is used 31 times in the New Testament (“mind” Romans 8:5; 12:16; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 2:2, 5; 3:15-16, 19; 4:2; “savourest,” “thinkest,” “highminded,” “to think,” “regard,” “regardeth,” “likeminded,” “understood,” “care,” “careful” and “affection”).
In contrast to the word “mind,” the word “heart” is translated from far fewer Greek words into our English New Testaments. However, there are still several Greek words from which we derive our English word “heart.” Likewise, these words possess different meanings, too.
The Greek word, kardia, literally refers to the pumper of blood in our chests, and figuratively it means one’s thoughts or emotions. Kardia is the Greek word for “heart” in Matthew 22:37. Kardia appears 161 times in the Greek New Testament, translated “heart” in each instance. The Greek word, sklerokardia, means hard heartedness (“hardness of heart” Matthew 19:8; Mark 10:5; 16:14). The English word “heart” in Ephesians 6:6 is translated from the Greek word, psuche.
From the foregoing, it ought to be apparent that it would be an oversimplification to affirm that “mind” and “heart” do refer to the same thing. Likewise, it would be an oversimplification to affirm that “mind” and “heart” do not refer to the same thing. Both the original language words as well as the contexts in which they appear often determine the definition of words. Therefore, sometimes “mind” and “heart” have the same or similar meaning and sometimes they do not.
HEART, HEARTILY kardia, “the heart” (Eng., “cardiac,” etc.), the chief organ of physical life (“for the life of the flesh is in the blood,” Lev 17:11), occupies the most important place in the human system. By an easy transition the word came to stand for man’s entire mental and moral activity, both the rational and the emotional elements. (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Vine’s also has an extensive categorization of the different ways in which kardia is used in the New Testament (with Bible citations) to essentially convey references to the willpower, emotions and intellect, depending upon the various contexts in which kardia is employed.
