Ok, before we start; please bear with me, as we are digging through some more linguistic-laden stuff, which might appear quite theoretical, but plays a vital role, if we want to get some more in-depth understanding of how "primary source identification" of language represents the starting point of a domino effect that eventually ends in sonship identity.
In doing so, I will be drawing attention to three components that quite explicitly reinforce what I have been trying to signpost more specifically in these last couple of entries. In that effect, I will be pointing out some examples in order to sketch out what I would call an integral approach.
As I have already emphasized previously- the heart is at the core of everything; the source of life, as King Salomon, very simply, yet profoundly clarifies in Proverbs 4:23. Apparently, we can't ignore the fact that the meaning of one word (in this case, the heart) is so multi-faceted, as similarly laid out by the Lockmann Foundation in its provision of all the different definitions of this word.
accord (1), attention (4), attention* (1), bravest* (1), brokenhearted* (3), care* (2), celebrating* (1), chests* (1), completely* (1), concern* (1), concerned* (1), conscience (1), consider* (2), considered* (2), courage (1), decided* (1), determine* (1), discouraged* (1), discouraging* (1), doing* (1), double heart (1), encouragingly* (1), heart (396), heart's (2), hearts (40), Himself (1), himself (6), imagination (1), inspiration (2), intelligence (1), kindly (5), life (1), merry-hearted* (1), middle (2), midst (1), mind (36), minds (3), myself (6), obstinate* (2), planned* (1), presume* (1), pride* (1), recalls* (1), reflected* (1), regard* (1), self-exaltation* (1), sense (10), senseless* (1), seriously (1), skill* (1), skilled* (1), skillful man* (1), skillful men* (1), skillful persons* (1), skillful* (3), spirits (1), stouthearted* (1), stubborn-minded* (1), tenderly (2), thought (3), understanding (7), undivided* (1), well (2), willingly* (1), wisdom (2), yourself (1), yourselves (1).*1
Although all these different synonyms for the word "heart" are used in different scriptural contexts, the root word "leb" remains always the same for each of the verses it appears in.
Another angle that I want to spotlight here with relation to the kaleidascope of meaning in Hebrew language is part of speech. In this case we are going to take a very famous verse that is highlighted, both in the Old Testament, as well as repeatedly in the Gospels. And the reason why I am focusing on this particular Bible passage is the fact that the word "strength", which famously pops up there, is visibly interchanged throughout its recitings. But before I am tempted to jump ahead of myself, let's read the Deutoronomy version first (since it's the origin of all the other renditions of this verse), in order to emphasize the importance of what I would call "word class recognition".
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and all your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5, New King James Version).
While a Christian, as raised within a Western church culture context, would certainly take the word "strength" quite literally, naturally translating it into: we are commended to bundle up all our natural resources (think back to one of my first posts where I defined this 'endeavour' as a form of 'spiritual activism') in order to be able to please God, the following analysis draws a different picture:
The Hebrew word for strength is called "me'od", which isn't even a noun (in common with what we would or have always assumed), as summarized by a scholar named Skip Moen, who, in his analysis of this particular word clarifies that:
It’s used 300 times in Scripture, and almost always as an adverb, something that modifies an action, not a thing. Most of the time it means “exceeding” or “great” or “much”, like the way it is used in Genesis 1:31 or Exodus 1:7 (“exceedingly good”). Literally, we might translate this commandment like “love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and exceeding-ness.” Of course, that contorts the language so badly we can’t stand it. Rabbinic scholars opt for “with all your resources,” but that’s just another noun in place of a modifier.*2
Kind of resonates differently when you think about it, right?!...
...and of course this in itself is enough food for thought; however, let me point you to one more equally important component, recognizable as the figure of speech approach (i.e. the third angle); one that we as Christians in the 'West' might be more familiar with, yet still often times neglect to consider, so as to understand scripture and ultimately the way we see our own reflection in it.
As nicely exemplified on a webpage that highlights the relevance of symbolic language, the list provided there offers a clearer picture of how this is applied and played out in the Bible, respectively:
Personification: Ascribing human characteristics to something else, such as “the trees will clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:12).
Exaggeration: Saying that things are greater than they are, such as “Saul & Jonathan…they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions” (2 Samuel 1:23).
Metonymy: Changing one noun for another related one, such as “for where your treasure is, there will your heart (thoughts & affections) be also” (Matthew 6:21).
Name change: Changing a name for a description, such as “You disowned the Holy and Righteous One” – meaning Jesus (Acts 3:14).
Euphemism: Changing what is unpleasant for something pleasant , such as “our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep” – died (John 11:11).
Simile: Comparison by resemblance, such as “Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church…” (Ephesians 5:25).
Representation: Comparison by one thing’s representing another, such as “Take, eat; this is my body” (Matthew 26:26).
Irony: Thought in a form that conveys its opposite, such as “Doubtless you are the people and wisdom will die with you” (Job 12:2).
Oxymoron: A wise saying that seems foolish, such as “Your light will rise in the darkness …” (Isaiah 58:10).
Idiom: Unusual usage of words or phrases “break bread,” “turn to ashes,” “hide from your eyes,” etc. *3
Since the Bible is supposed to be our spiritual 'manna', which we should be chewing on and digesting daily; no wait!... actually meticulously - day and night (according to Joshua 1:8), I guess it is just fair to draw some attention to the significance of using the designated 'magnifying glass' (i.e. the right liguistic, and consequently the right cultural angle), in order to comprehend much better of who our creator is (by HOW he is talking to us) and therefore of who we are.
So, as I have taken a side street on the root of everything pertaining to our understanding of what drives us to the decisions we make, according to what we are presented with through scripture, I will now take you back to the main road without deviating from what is on my heart to convey to you with relation to sonship identity.
*1 as extracted from https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3820.htm
*2 Hebrew Word Study. Skip Moen, Ph.D. January 22, 2008. Available at: https://skipmoen.com/2008/01/circular-reasoning/
*3 Figures of speech and symbolic language in the Bible. Christadelphians. Jes. February 9, 2019. Available at: https://www.christadelphians.ns.ca/figures-of-speech-and-symbolic-language-in-the-bible/
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