The Human Heart, the Centre of a Person and the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:6, Romans 5:5 and 2 Corinthians 1:22). (original) (raw)

2022, God’s Grace Inscribed on the Human Heart: Essays in Honour of James R. Harrison, Early Christian Studies No 23; P. Bolt and S. Y. Kim eds., Sydney: SCD Press, 2022, 155-169.

Different languages associate parts of the body with different func-tions. In the New Testament, the heart is the centre of the inner life, including the understanding, emotions, will, and spiritual life. This is in contrast to contemporary English, where the heart is most strongly associated with the emotions alone. When Paul writes of the Spirit in connection with the human heart in Galatians 4:6, Romans 5:5, and 2 Corinthians 1:22, we can see in context that he is not simply think-ing of the heart as the centre of emotions, but also as the centre of thinking, understanding, volition, and decision-making. Accordingly, contemporary readers risk misunderstanding the depths of what Paul is saying in these verses.