From Strength to Undersanding

When asked “What is the great commandment?” in Mat 22, our Lord answers by quoting Deu 6.5 with modifications. The most significant is the change from strength to understanding. Strength was needed for God’s earthly people to fulfill His prescriptive will in the promised land. Understanding is needed for God’s heavenly people to grow in His sovereign will, increasing their appreciation of His favor and increasing their knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

NKJ  Deuteronomy 6:5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

WTT Deuteronomy 6:5 וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃

LXE  Deuteronomy 6:5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and all thy strength.

BGT  Deuteronomy 6:5 καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς δυνάμεώς σου

NKJ  Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, "`You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'

BGT  Matthew 22:37 ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ· ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου·

“Understanding” is a better translation of “διανοίᾳ” than “mind” in Mat 22.37.

The LXE is not as literal as I would like. It tries to harmonize the above two verses, while the differences in the Greek have significance as follows:

One. “Heart” is better than the LXE translation of “καρδίᾳ” than “mind”. The Septuagint does translate the Hebrew word as “understanding” or “mind” in a similar passage, Jos 22.5. First century Jewish tradition appears to have regarded that single Hebrew word as meaning “heart” and “understanding” in Greek.

Two. “Thy” (“your”) is not in the Greek. It is in the Hebrew. NT and LXX literal translations should replace with “the”.

Three. Literal Greek translation would replace “with” (the translation of the Hebrew preposition) with “out of”. Interestingly the “first commandment” of Mark 12.30,33 follows this with the addition of “and out of all the understanding”.

The “great commandment” of Matt. 22.37 omits the “strength” phrase of Deut. and Mark, and changes the prepositions from “ἐξ” (“out of”) to “ἐν” (“in”).

The following literal translations of the relevant verses summarize the above in a more coherent way.

Hjvb  Deuteronomy 6:5 "You will love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength.

Gjvb  Deuteronomy 6:5 And you will love the LORD your God out of all the heart, and out of all the soul, and out of all the strength.

Gjvb  Mark 12:30 `And you will love the LORD your God out of all the heart, and out of all the soul, and out of all the understanding, and out of all the strength.' This is the first commandment.

Gjvb  Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, "`You will love the LORD your God in all the heart, and in all the soul, and in all the understanding.'

Note: It would be overly literal to translate “κύριον” as “Lord” when it stands for “יהוָ֣ה” (“Jehovah” or “LORD”) in the Hebrew.

Have just noticed that “love” is not in the imperative in the original languages. English versions have mostly been written by crypto-Galatians. William Kelly warned us, “The error of the Galatians is ubiquitous.” More about this later.

Sovereign will vs. prescriptive will

God's sovereign will and  god's prescriptive will are theological terms.

A medical illustration explains them: A doctor's prescription is an expression of his prescriptive will. You may get and take the pills or you may not. In a hospital you are subject to the doctor's sovereign will. His minions will make sure that you take the pills.

The man of faith  trusts God's sovereign will and is at peace.

The man of works worries about God's prescriptive will and has no rest.

The first and greatest neighbor

Mothers are our first and greatest neighbors. (Wives the second and greatest, perhaps, like the commandments) I have been convinced for some time that the second great commandment is like the first in that it commands the love of the giver,... not the receiver. All our neighbors and ourselves are the primary made-in-His-image channels of God's love and care for us. Some, like Joseph's brothers, may intend evil in their actions, but God intends good for His children and uses even rotten neighbors as channels of His perfect love and care. For some time, I have felt particularly blessed when thanking God for various onetime neighbors probably deceased whom I have lost touch with. I generally know nothing about their probable eternal destiny but I praise God for all His gifts. Exodus and Deuteronomy tell us that father is first in honor, but Leviticus tells us that mother is first in reverence.

The Great Commandment

The change from “strength” (Deu 6.5) to “understanding” (Mat 22.37) is of interest. (“understanding” seems to be a better translation of “διανοίᾳ” than “mind” in the verses cited below. Darby and Young agree for Mat 22.37.) The “first” commandment:

NKJ  Deuteronomy 6:5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

BGT  Deuteronomy 6:5 καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς δυνάμεώς σου

Two further passages in Deut restate a part of the commandment as “to love . and to serve . with . heart and . soul.

NKJ  Deuteronomy 10:12 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

BGT  Deuteronomy 10:12 καὶ νῦν Ισραηλ τί κύριος ὁ θεός σου αἰτεῖται παρὰ σοῦ ἀλλ᾽ ἢ φοβεῖσθαι κύριον τὸν θεόν σου πορεύεσθαι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀγαπᾶν αὐτὸν καὶ λατρεύειν κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου

NKJ  Deuteronomy 11:13 `And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul,

BGT  Deuteronomy 11:13 ἐὰν δὲ ἀκοῇ εἰσακούσητε πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον ἀγαπᾶν κύριον τὸν θεόν σου καὶ λατρεύειν αὐτῷ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου

Two further passages in Deut restate a part of the commandment as “to love . with . heart and . soul.

NKJ  Deuteronomy 13:3 "you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

BGT  Deuteronomy 13:4 οὐκ ἀκούσεσθε τῶν λόγων τοῦ προφήτου ἐκείνου ἢ τοῦ ἐνυπνιαζομένου τὸ ἐνύπνιον ἐκεῖνο ὅτι πειράζει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς εἰδέναι εἰ ἀγαπᾶτε κύριον τὸν θεὸν ὑμῶν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας ὑμῶν καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς ὑμῶν

NKJ  Deuteronomy 30:6 "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

BGT  Deuteronomy 30:6 καὶ περικαθαριεῖ κύριος τὴν καρδίαν σου καὶ τὴν καρδίαν τοῦ σπέρματός σου ἀγαπᾶν κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου ἵνα ζῇς σύ

“Understanding” (“διανοίας”), usually translated “mind” in the New Testament passages first shows up in the ancient Jewish translation of the Old Testament in place of the expected “heart”. The ancients used “heart” (“καρδίας”) to refer to the inner man including thoughts as well as feelings. The Septuagint translators seem to think that the context required directing readers toward the mental capacities of the inner man.

NKJ  Joshua 22:5 "But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul."

BGT  Joshua 22:5 ἀλλὰ φυλάξασθε ποιεῖν σφόδρα τὰς ἐντολὰς καὶ τὸν νόμον ὃν ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν ποιεῖν Μωυσῆς ὁ παῖς κυρίου ἀγαπᾶν κύριον τὸν θεὸν ὑμῶν πορεύεσθαι πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ φυλάξασθαι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ προσκεῖσθαι αὐτῷ καὶ λατρεύειν αὐτῷ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς ὑμῶν

The passage in Matthew has to do with our Lord as the promised Messiah. Sadducees, Pharisees, and scribes interrogate Him in order to find some error in His thought that disqualifies Him. There seems to have been some theory current that there was a “great commandment”, superior to the rest, and some controversy about it. Jesus replies with “the first and great commandment and the second …”

As is done elsewhere in the New Testament, the traditional Septuagint translation and other traditional doctrines are used to reveal new truth in a form understandable in the culture. Four changes from the great and first commandment of Moses are to be noted.

1. This is the great commandment in a form that transcends dispensations, particularly that of the law.

2. “Strength” (“ἰσχύος”) is omitted. (As it is in other Old Testament passages about loving and/or serving God.) Dependency upon “strength” came in with law. Israel was only too human and aspired to a covenant of works. (“And all the people answered together and said, All that Jehovah has spoken we will do.” - Exo 19:8).

3. “Understanding” (“διανοίας”) (or “mind”) is added. This appears to be also a current tradition. The Septuagint’s translation of Joshua is pertinent. “Jesus” is Greek for “Joshua”. Joshua is a type, I believe, not only of our Lord, but also of His body, the church. Joshua’s understanding was based upon memorization, recitation, meditation, and study of scripture (Jos 1.8).

4. “In all” (“ἐν ὅλῃ ”) is substituted for “out of all” (“ἐξ ὅλης ”) in all three places. (Such substitution also occurs in Luke 10.27, perhaps showing current usage. Othe verses herein use “out of” exclusively.). The usual translation of both Greek prepositions in these verses as “with” obscures this significant distinction. The distinction is consistent with the indwelling of the Spirit in the church dispensation and the circumcision of the heart (and related new heart of flesh) in the millennial dispensation. (These individual spiritual millennial blessings may also apply in the post apostolic church.)

A related common problem with our current translations of these verses is the use of “your” instead of “the” for the Greek article after each occurrence of the word “all”. The Hebrew contains “thy” as a second person masculine singular noun suffix in these places. But the substitution of “the” in the Septuagint seems to be affirmed as special providence by New Testament quotation. Works religion is dependent on one’s own capacities. But faith religion in all dispensations implies spiritually enhanced and aided capacities. Best to depend on “the” capacities and not our capacities.

NKJ  Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, "`You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'

BGT  Matthew 22:37 ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ· ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου·

Mark is the gospel that has a focus on our Lord as the Servant of God. Christ was born under the law of Moses. The question is “which is the first commandment of all” and our Lord’s answer appears to be in accord with the current traditions.  Deut 6.5 is “first” in that it is at the beginning of the instructions {or covenant) for inhabiting the promised land. And that it is preceded by the important verse (which Jesus repeats) “Hear, oh Israel, thy God is One.” (It should be noted that Jesus adds, after reciting “the second”: “There is no other commandment greater than these.”)

NKJ  Mark 12:30 `And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.

BGT  Mark 12:30 καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου.

The scribe agrees with the answer to his question. (With the exception that “understanding” (or “mind”) is moved closer to its probable source as an alternative for “heart” in the Septuagint’s Joshua. The almost universal use of my preferences in this one verse by English translations is possibly due to an attempt to portray the scribe as overly pedantic or to improve grammar. They have stumbled into the truth: “the” not “your”, “understanding” not “mind”.

NKJ  Mark 12:33 "And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

BGT  Mark 12:33 καὶ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν αὐτὸν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς συνέσεως καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος καὶ τὸ ἀγαπᾶν τὸν πλησίον ὡς ἑαυτὸν περισσότερόν ἐστιν πάντων τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων καὶ θυσιῶν.

It is of interest that the scribe whose questions lead to the parable of the good Samaritan uses an interesting variation of the Greek prepositions in Luke 10.27.

For him, it is “out of” the heart and “in” soul, strength, and understanding. Like many in our century, he seems to feel that if you have the right affections the rest will follow. No wonder he misunderstood the question: “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” The right answer is all three. All should be loved. But those who are hooked on works religion must generally be allowed to go their way. Until they come to their senses, or not.

NKJ  Luke 10:27 So he answered and said, "`You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and`your neighbor as yourself.'"

BGT  Luke 10:27 ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης [τῆς] καρδίας σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου, καὶ τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν.

The texts above were rather easily captured on Bible Works 9. A verse list was set up by a search on “.love heart soul” in NKJ – New King James and a copy of resulting references. The list of references was then used with NKJ as search and BGT (Bible Works Greek New Testament plus Septuagint) as display to output the texts used above into an editor. This document was prepared on a starter version of Word 2010. It incorporates some very useful clipboard copy paste improvements.