Heart, Might, Mind and Strength?
Recently, I have been pondering the words "heart, might, mind and strength" as related to D&C chapter 4. In verse 4:2 we read:
"2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."
For the most part, serving with all your "heart, might, mind and strength" means simply to give all you have in your service to God. If this is done we are given the promise that we will stand blameless before God.
The question I am pondering is: "Is there is there a difference between might and strength that could help me better understand myself and what I need to do to align my will to God's?
It might also be interesting to show the process I went through to come to my conclusion. So here goes. I investigated the following:
Dictionary meanuings
It seems that in the way these words are used that they are nouns. That being said, I know from doing a lot of crossword puzzels that you have to consider the verb and other forms also. Depending on the dictionary, the nouns might and strength mean the same thing. In other dictionaries, the word "might" implies power or capacity to wield power, whereas "strength" is a state of being strong or being able to resist being broken. Considering other forms of the word "might" we get: "may, to be able to, can, will".
Origin of the this phrase in scripture
There are several similar passages in the Bible of this idea. These are:
1) Deuterononmy 6:5 uses: heart, soul and might
2) Christ recites part of the Shema in Mark 12:29-30 and uses: heart, soul, mind, strength
3) Lawyer speaks to Christ in Luke 10:27 and uses: heart, soul, strength and mind
4) Scribe speaks to Christ in Mark 12:33 and uses: heart, understanding, soul and strength
I found some research about the Greek words used in the New Testament. This table is interesting to see the comparison of the Greek words in the New Testament and the Greek word translated from the Old Testament. In addition, there are many translations of Deut6:5.
I'm not too worried about the exact translation but I am interested in it if it leads me to some additional insights. If I choose Mark's version of the Savior's words as the best to consider then in Mark 12:29-30 I see that He uses: heart, soul, mind and strength.
What is the context it is used in?
The context is the Shema Yisael a prayer said night and day by the Jews to show their conviction to God. This is the context that Christ recited it also in Mark and is consistent with His words in the Doctrine and Covenants sections 4, 59 and 98. The conviction is basically simple: give all you have in your service to God for He is the one true God.
Is there any other special meaning I can interpret from it?
Ok, So I know that the verse (D$C 4:2) means that if I want to embark in the service of the Lord, I need to give "my all" to the work, so that I can be found blameless in His eyes. How about other insights?
I am particulary interest in the difference between might and strength. Here are some of my thoughts:
#ShareGoodness #Seminary
Recently, I have been pondering the words "heart, might, mind and strength" as related to D&C chapter 4. In verse 4:2 we read:
"2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."
For the most part, serving with all your "heart, might, mind and strength" means simply to give all you have in your service to God. If this is done we are given the promise that we will stand blameless before God.
The question I am pondering is: "Is there is there a difference between might and strength that could help me better understand myself and what I need to do to align my will to God's?
It might also be interesting to show the process I went through to come to my conclusion. So here goes. I investigated the following:
- What are the dictionary meanings if these words?
- What is the origin of this phrase in other scripture or contemporary writings?
- What is the context it is used in?
- Is there any other special meaning I can interpret from it?
Dictionary meanuings
It seems that in the way these words are used that they are nouns. That being said, I know from doing a lot of crossword puzzels that you have to consider the verb and other forms also. Depending on the dictionary, the nouns might and strength mean the same thing. In other dictionaries, the word "might" implies power or capacity to wield power, whereas "strength" is a state of being strong or being able to resist being broken. Considering other forms of the word "might" we get: "may, to be able to, can, will".
Origin of the this phrase in scripture
There are several similar passages in the Bible of this idea. These are:
1) Deuterononmy 6:5 uses: heart, soul and might
2) Christ recites part of the Shema in Mark 12:29-30 and uses: heart, soul, mind, strength
3) Lawyer speaks to Christ in Luke 10:27 and uses: heart, soul, strength and mind
4) Scribe speaks to Christ in Mark 12:33 and uses: heart, understanding, soul and strength
I found some research about the Greek words used in the New Testament. This table is interesting to see the comparison of the Greek words in the New Testament and the Greek word translated from the Old Testament. In addition, there are many translations of Deut6:5.
Kardia (heart)
|
Psyche (soul)
|
Dunamis (power)
|
Dianoia (mind)
|
Ischus (strength)
| |
Deut 6.5 (LXX)
|
X (some vss)
|
X
|
X
|
X (some vss)
| |
Matthew 22.37
|
X
|
X
|
X
| ||
Mark 12.30 (Jesus)
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
| |
Mark 12.32 (scribe)
|
X
|
X
|
X
| ||
Luke 10.27 (lawyer)
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
I'm not too worried about the exact translation but I am interested in it if it leads me to some additional insights. If I choose Mark's version of the Savior's words as the best to consider then in Mark 12:29-30 I see that He uses: heart, soul, mind and strength.
What is the context it is used in?
The context is the Shema Yisael a prayer said night and day by the Jews to show their conviction to God. This is the context that Christ recited it also in Mark and is consistent with His words in the Doctrine and Covenants sections 4, 59 and 98. The conviction is basically simple: give all you have in your service to God for He is the one true God.
Is there any other special meaning I can interpret from it?
Ok, So I know that the verse (D$C 4:2) means that if I want to embark in the service of the Lord, I need to give "my all" to the work, so that I can be found blameless in His eyes. How about other insights?
I am particulary interest in the difference between might and strength. Here are some of my thoughts:
- Might as a subjuctive form of the verb "to be able to" extends its form to include one's state of mind, such as opinion, belief, purpose, intention, or desire. Eventhough the subjunctive is not used in English much, other languages like French use it often. So if I consider "might" to be intention or desire I can also consider it to be like the noun"Will". "all my might to God" could mean "all my will to God". Now I have something more insightful: Heart, Will, Mind and Strength
- Might as "what we might do"; our possibilities
- Strength is power unfocused. Might is the application or focus of that power. Each of us has been given strengths and weaknesses from the Lord, Applying them for good purposes is surely what He would have us do.
- Strength is like faith and Might like action. We can't effectively act without faith, and faith is dead without action. In the same way, might is inneffective without strength and strength without focus is powerless.
- In an 1991 Education week talk on the subject Chanucy Riddle says the following about might. "Might is trail we leave in our path, the wake of our boat." Might is thus the result of the strength we use.
Summary
I like the idea of thinking about "might" as being the application, focus or result of the strengths and talents He has given us. If we serve Him with all of our might and strength, we are promising that through our "will", the strengths and talents He has given us will be turned to His purposes.
I believe that in D&C 4 MIGHT refers to our resources, not a reiteration of strength. Merriam Webster defines MIGHT (noun) as
ReplyDelete1a : the power, authority, or resources wielded (as by an individual or group)
b (1) : bodily strength (2) : the power, energy, or intensity of which one is capable
So in this scripture God is asking for our all--Heart (desires, love), Might (resources, property, money, time), Mind (intellect, thoughts, focus), and Strength (energy).
I like your idea of "might" being: resources, property, money, time. It makes me think of our capacity or out "being able to". Further, I think there is something significant about the word "being", in the context of acting or living.
DeleteThank you so much for taking the time to respond and sharing your thoughts with me.