The Great Commandment

[IsaacJ]

Hey Guys. I've been chewing on Matthew 22:37-40. I'm surprised how many commentators fail to address the greek words for 'Heart, soul, mind and strength.' Have any of you guys gotten to break these down?

I read a couple things: One by Spiros Zodhiates and the other by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown...they seems to contradict one another in the definitions of these words. I guess perhaps they each have a broad application so maybe it's hard to pin down exactly what's meant here.

It seems to me in scripture that heart goes past emotions to also include the place of reason, but then what would the difference between the heart and mind? Some people say the soul is what we have in common with other living creatures while others say it's what makes us different from them.

Anyways, I'd love any insights you might have.

[steve]

I agree that it is hard to find exact perimeters for the range of meaning of some of these words. The differences between "heart", "soul" and "mind" (and possibly even "spirit", which is not in that passage), if they exist at all, are very subtle. I am not sure that they are not simply used interchangeably most of the time. If they are interchangeable, then they may be stacked up in this verse for effect—just a way of saying "with all that is within you"(cf. Ps.103:1) or "with all that you are."

[IsaacJ]

Thanks for the note Steve. I guess either way it's not to hard to get at the heart of the passage since either way it implies all that we are...I just get curious what I'm supposed to think of when I hear these different words.