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Matthew 12:34 |
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O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Note 3 at Mt 12:34: The word "heart" is used 833 times in the Bible. The plural is used 113 times, and variations such as "heartily," "brokenhearted," etc., are used 26 times. There are less than 20 references where the word "heart" is referring to the physical organ that pumps blood (examples: 2Sa 18:14 and 2Ki 9:24).
The dominant words for "heart" are (1) in the Old Testament Hebrew, "LEB" and (2) in the New Testament Greek, "KARDIA." Both of these words signify the chief organ of physical life, but as has already been mentioned, they are used mainly to denote the inward mental and moral makeup of man (1Sa 16:7).
Some of the things Scripture describes as part of the heart are (1) imagination of thought (Ge 6:5, 8:21; 1Ch 29:18; and Pr 6:18), (2) conscience (1Sa 24:5, Ac 2:37, Ro 2:15, Heb 10:22, and 1Jo 3:20-21), (3) wisdom and understanding (1Ki 3:9, 12, 4:29; Pr 10:8, 11:29, 14:33, and 23:15), (4) pride (2Ki 14:10; 2Ch 26:16; Ps 101:5; Pr 16:18 with 18:12, 28:25; and Jer 49:16), (5) gladness or joy (Ps 4:7; Pr 15:13, 15; Isa 65:14; Joh 16:22; Ac 14:17; and Eph 5:19), (6) fear (1Sa 28:5), (7) mischief (Ps 28:3, 140:2; and Pr 6:14), (8) broken heart (Ps 34:18 and 51:17), (9) iniquity (Ps 66:18), (10) the issues of life (Pr 4:23), (11) subtlety (Pr 7:10), (12) foolishness (Pr 12:23 and 22:15), (13) sorrow (Pr 15:13; Isa 65:14; Joh 14:1, 16:6; Ro 9:2; and 2Co 2:4), (14) rebellion (Jer 5:23), (15) deceit and wickedness (Jer 17:9), (16) pureness (Mt 5:8), (17) sin (Mt 15:19, Mr 7:21, and Ac 5:3), (18) faith (Lu 24:25, Ac 8:37, Ro 10:9-10, 1Ti 1:5, and Heb 10:22), (19) love (Mr 12:33, Lu 10:27, Ro 5:5, 1Ti 1:5, and 1Pe 1:22), (20) unbelief (Mr 11:23 and Heb 3:12), and (21) desires (Ps 37:4, Mt 5:28, and 2Pe 2:14).
The spirit is definitely a part of the heart (Ro 2:29, 2Co 1:22, Ga 4:6, and 1Pe 3:4), but as seen in 1Pe 3:4, it is only a part. Sin, iniquity, unbelief, etc., come from the heart but not the born-again spirit. Heb 4:12 suggests that spirit and soul are both part of the heart; hence, the Scriptures admonish us to believe with all our hearts (Ac 8:37), have singleness of heart (Col 3:22), and tell us our hearts can have two minds, or ways of thinking (Jas 4:8).
Therefore, the term "heart" can include all of the inner man: spirit, soul, and any portion thereof.
