This is a continuing look into Psalm 22 as the music in Jesus’ heart as He endured the cross.
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Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Psalm 22:14c (Tanakh) Table | Psalm 22:14c (NET) | Psalm 21:15c (NETS) |
Psalm 21:15c (Elpenor English) |
| my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. | My heart is like wax; it melts away inside me. | my heart became like wax melting within my belly; | my heart in the midst of my belly is become like melting wax. |
Since the Masoretic text and Septuagint agree here, I want to spend some time considering what might have been on Jesus’ heart (Hebrew: לִ֖בִּי; Greek: ἡ καρδία μου). Here are the first occurrences of לִבּ֔וֹ (lēḇ) in the Masoretic text.
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Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Genesis 6:5, 6 (Tanakh) | Genesis 6:5, 6 (NET) | Genesis 6:5, 6 (NETS) |
Genesis 6:5, 6 (English Elpenor) |
| And HaShem saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart (לִבּ֔וֹ) was only evil continually. | But the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds (lēḇ, לבו) was only evil all the time. | And when the Lord God saw that the wicked deeds of humans were multiplied on the earth and that all think attentively in their hearts (τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ) on evil things all the days, | And the Lord God, having seen that the wicked actions of men were multiplied upon the earth, and that every one in his heart (τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ) was intently brooding over evil continually, |
| And it repented HaShem that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart (לִבּֽוֹ) [Table]. | The Lord regretted that he had made humankind on the earth, and he was highly offended (lēḇ, לבו) [Note 25: “and he was grieved to his heart”]. | then God considered that he had made humankind on the earth, and he thought it over (διενοήθη). | then God laid it to heart[1] that he had made man upon the earth, and he pondered [it] deeply (διενοήθη). |
The end result of this repentance, regret, consideration and pondering was the flood (Genesis 6:9-8:20). But the flood didn’t change the evil thoughts of human hearts.
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Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Genesis 8:21 (Tanakh) | Genesis 8:21 (NET) | Genesis 8:21 (NETS) |
Genesis 8:21 (English Elpenor) |
| And HaShem smelled the sweet savour; and HaShem said in His heart (לִבּ֗וֹ): ‘I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart (לֵ֧ב) is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done [Table]. | And the Lord smelled the soothing aroma and said to himself (lēḇ, לבו) [Note 33: “in his heart”], “I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, even though the inclination of their minds (lēḇ, לב) is evil from childhood on. I will never again destroy everything that lives, as I have just done. | And the Lord God smelled an odor of fragrance, and the Lord God, when he had given it thought (διανοηθείς), said, “I will not proceed hereafter to curse the earth because of the deeds of humans, for the mind (διάνοια) of humankind applies itself attentively to evil things from youth; so I will not proceed hereafter to smite all living flesh, as I have done. | And the Lord God smelled a smell of sweetness, and the Lord God having considered (διανοηθείς), said, I will not any more curse the earth, because of the works of men, because the imagination (διάνοια) of man is intently bent upon evil things from his youth, I will not therefore any more smite all living flesh as I have done. |
Jesus continued this teaching about the human heart (Matthew 15:18, 19; Mark 7:20-23 NET):
But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart (καρδίας, a form of καρδία), and these things defile a person. For out of the heart (καρδίας) come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
What comes out of a person defiles him. For from within, out of the human heart (καρδίας), come evil ideas, sexual immorality,[2] theft,[3] murder, adultery,[4] greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly. All these evils come from within and defile a person.
The first occurrences of לִבּ֔וֹ (lēḇ) in Genesis from the Masoretic text had me thinking this essay would be a contrast between the heart of human beings and the heart of God. As I made or studied the tables for these verses, however, I noticed that the rabbis who translated the Septuagint veered away from a mechanical translation (if a form of לֵב [lēḇ] was actually in the Hebrew they translated) whenever God was the subject. I took it to heart. It was a human heart, THE human heart, that melted like wax on the cross.
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Masoretic Text |
Septuagint | ||
| Psalm 68:2 (Tanakh) | Psalm 68:2 (NET) | Psalm 67:3 (NETS) |
Psalm 67:3 (English Elpenor) |
| As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax (דּ֖וֹנַג) melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. | As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away. As wax (dônāḡ, דונג) melts before fire, so the wicked are destroyed before God. | As smoke vanishes, let them vanish; as wax (κηρὸς) melts from before fire, so may sinners perish from before God. | As smoke vanishes, let them vanish: as wax (κηρὸς) melts before the fire, so let the sinners perish from before God. |
David’s prayer got a very literal answer in the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark when NAZIs, the contemporary archetype of evil, and their French collaborator literally melted like wax before the ark of the covenant. But NAZIs and their collaborators are not the only ones with evil human hearts, the source of evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly.
Do not be amazed that I said to you, Jesus said, ‘You must all be born from above.’[5] Paul wrote of Jesus: For he hath made him…sin for us, who knew no sin…[6] I don’t believe the phrase τὸν μὴ γνόντα ἁμαρτίαν (who knew no sin) means that Jesus lacked an evil human heart. Quite the contrary, the Word became flesh,[7] John testified of Jesus. Jesus stated explicitly how He knew (γνόντα, a form of γινώσκω) no sin: the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.[8]
Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith,[9] the beginning, the firstborn from the dead:[10] Before his crucifixion He was a human being with an evil human heart so led by the Holy Spirit, so filled with God’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that He knew no sin. But the Word become flesh did not need anyone to testify about man, for he knew (ἐγίνωσκεν, another form of γινώσκω) what was in man.[11] And God hath made him…sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made[12] the righteousness of God in him.[13]
The writer of Hebrews, who I think scribed what Jesus taught during the forty days between his resurrection and ascension, was fairly explicit about Jesus’ humanity (Hebrews 2:14-17; 4:15 NET):
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death. For surely his concern (ἐπιλαμβάνεται, a form of ἐπιλαμβάνω) is not for angels, but he is concerned (ἐπιλαμβάνεται, a form of ἐπιλαμβάνω) for Abraham’s descendants. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every respect (κατὰ πάντα), so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted[14] in every way just as we are (καθ᾿ ὁμοιότητα), yet without sin.
Through faith in Him we, too, receive his Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 NET):
But it is God who establishes us together with you in Christ and who anointed us, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts (ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν) as a down payment.
Paul prayed for the inner strengthening each of us needs to be a dwelling place of God (Ephesians 3:14-19 NET):
I kneel before the Father [Table], from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person [Table], that Christ will dwell in your hearts (ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν) through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth [Table], and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God.
I can think of no better way to end this essay than to conclude with Paul’s own benediction (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NET):
Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond[15] all that we ask or think, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen [Table].
Tables comparing Genesis 6:5 and Psalm 68:2 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Genesis 6:5 and Psalm 68:2 (67:3) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Mark 7:21, 22; Hebrews 4:15 and Ephesians 3:20 in the NET and KJV follow.
| Genesis 6:5 (KJV) | ||
| And HaShem saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. | And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. | But the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind had become great on the earth. Every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time. |
| ἰδὼν δὲ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ἐπληθύνθησαν αἱ κακίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶς τις διανοεῗται ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐπιμελῶς ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας | ᾿Ιδὼν δὲ Κύριος ὁ Θεός, ὅτι ἐπληθύνθησαν αἱ κακίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ πᾶς τις διανοεῖται ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἐπιμελῶς ἐπὶ τὰ πονηρὰ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, |
| And when the Lord God saw that the wicked deeds of humans were multiplied on the earth and that all think attentively in their hearts on evil things all the days, | And the Lord God, having seen that the wicked actions of men were multiplied upon the earth, and that every one in his heart was intently brooding over evil continually, |
| Psalm 68:2 (KJV) | ||
| As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. | As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. | As smoke is driven away by the wind, so you drive them away. As wax melts before fire, so the wicked are destroyed before God. |
| ὡς ἐκλείπει καπνός ἐκλιπέτωσαν ὡς τήκεται κηρὸς ἀπὸ προσώπου πυρός οὕτως ἀπόλοιντο οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ θεοῦ | ὡς ἐκλείπει καπνός, ἐκλιπέτωσαν· ὡς τήκεται κηρὸς ἀπὸ προσώπου πυρός, οὕτως ἀπολοῦνται οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Θεοῦ |
| As smoke vanishes, let them vanish; as wax melts from before fire, so may sinners perish from before God. | As smoke vanishes, let them vanish: as wax melts before the fire, so let the sinners perish from before God. |
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Mark 7:21, 22 (KJV) |
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| For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder, | For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| ἔσωθεν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς καρδίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων οἱ διαλογισμοὶ οἱ κακοὶ ἐκπορεύονται, πορνεῖαι, κλοπαί, φόνοι | εσωθεν γαρ εκ της καρδιας των ανθρωπων οι διαλογισμοι οι κακοι εκπορευονται μοιχειαι πορνειαι φονοι | εσωθεν γαρ εκ της καρδιας των ανθρωπων οι διαλογισμοι οι κακοι εκπορευονται μοιχειαι πορνειαι φονοι |
| adultery, greed, evil, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, pride, and folly. | Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| μοιχεῖαι, πλεονεξίαι, πονηρίαι, δόλος, ἀσέλγεια, ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός, βλασφημία, ὑπερηφανία, ἀφροσύνη | κλοπαι πλεονεξιαι πονηριαι δολος ασελγεια οφθαλμος πονηρος βλασφημια υπερηφανια αφροσυνη | κλοπαι πλεονεξιαι πονηριαι δολος ασελγεια οφθαλμος πονηρος βλασφημια υπερηφανια αφροσυνη |
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Hebrews 4:15 (KJV) |
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| For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. | For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν ἀρχιερέα μὴ δυνάμενον συμπαθῆσαι ταῖς ἀσθενείαις ἡμῶν, πεπειρασμένον δὲ κατὰ πάντα καθ᾿ ὁμοιότητα χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας | ου γαρ εχομεν αρχιερεα μη δυναμενον συμπαθησαι ταις ασθενειαις ημων πεπειραμενον δε κατα παντα καθ ομοιοτητα χωρις αμαρτιας | ου γαρ εχομεν αρχιερεα μη δυναμενον συμπαθησαι ταις ασθενειαις ημων πεπειραμενον δε κατα παντα καθ ομοιοτητα χωρις αμαρτιας |
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Ephesians 3:20 (KJV) |
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| Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think, | Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, |
| Stephanus Textus Receptus | ||
| Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν | τω δε δυναμενω υπερ παντα ποιησαι υπερ εκπερισσου ων αιτουμεθα η νοουμεν κατα την δυναμιν την ενεργουμενην εν ημιν | τω δε δυναμενω υπερ παντα ποιησαι υπερ εκπερισσου ων αιτουμεθα η νοουμεν κατα την δυναμιν την ενεργουμενην εν ημιν |
[1] The phrase laid it to heart is an English translation of the Greek word ἐνεθυμήθη (a form of ἐνθυμέομαι).
[2] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μοιχειαι (KJV: adulteries) preceding sexual immorality (KJV: fornications). The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.
[3] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had κλοπαί here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.
[4] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had μοιχειαι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κλοπαί (KJV: Thefts).
[6] 2 Corinthians 5:21a (KJV) Table I deliberately dropped the words to be added by the translators. They are not in the Greek and they add nothing to my understanding.
[8] John 14:10b (KJV) Table
[9] Hebrews 12:2b (NET) Table
[12] The Sephanus Textus Receptus had γινωμεθα here, where the NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had γενώμεθα (NET: would become).
[13] 2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV) Table
[14] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πεπειρασμένον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πεπειραμενον (KJV: was…tempted).
[15] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υπερ εκπερισσου (KJV: abundantly above).