What was considered the seat of the Mind and Will?

[Floatingaxe]

I agree. The soul operates sort of like our operating system. It integrates our thoughts, feelings, will, social relationships, and body

[Phil.2:12]

Before we begin our descent into semantic hell, shouldn't a few definitions be considered?

The Scripture teaches that man is made up of body soul and spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:23). So --

What is meant by the body.

What is meant by the soul.

What is meant by the spirit.

These three things make up the thing we refer to as a "human", so how are they defined in Scripture so that we can understand from God's Word just what a human is?

Having defined the elements of the thing referred to as "human", we can now begin a reasoned discussion of just what each one means in light of God's Word and thus not be led down fruitless paths of fancy by our logical ideals of what these terms mean. By this method we should be able to identify such things "heart", "seat of emotions", "bowels of mercy", etc that are found in Scripture and attempt to define what makes man distinct.

[EricH]

Before we begin our descent into semantic hell, shouldn't a few definitions be considered?

The Scripture teaches that man is made up of body soul and spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:23). So --

What is meant by the body.

What is meant by the soul.

What is meant by the spirit.

These three things make up the thing we refer to as a "human", so how are they defined in Scripture so that we can understand from God's Word just what a human is?

Having defined the elements of the thing referred to as "human", we can now begin a reasoned discussion of just what each one means in light of God's Word and thus not be led down fruitless paths of fancy by our logical ideals of what these terms mean. By this method we should be able to identify such things "heart", "seat of emotions", "bowels of mercy", etc that are found in Scripture and attempt to define what makes man distinct.

Dallas Willard has a great discussion of what constitutes the numan being in his book "Renovation of the Heart" it is the most satisfying to me from a biblical perspective of any I have read. He posits 6 dimensions of the person. Here is a summary:

1. Thought is that which enables the will to range beyond the "immediate boundaries of our environment and the perception of our senses". It enables us to bring things before our minds and consider them in "various respects and in relationship to one another".

2. Feeling is that which "inclines us toward or away from things that come before our minds". i\It includes pleasure, pain, attraction, or repulsion in regards to what is thought or perceived. Willard positis that thought and feeling always go together. The fall into sin actually resulted in a human mind where thought and feeling are intermixed to create "willful stupidity, blatant inconsistency, confusion, etc.

3. Will (Heart, Spirit) is the capacity to originate things and events. It includes freedom and creativity.

4. Body is the focal point of our presence in physical reality.

5. Social Context is our rootedness in others

6. Soul is the dimension of a person that "interrelates all of the other dimensions so that they form one life". It is the deepest part of the self.

[OopsMartin]

I'm curious to see others responses to this question. What do you think was considered to be the seat of the mind and will in the Bible?

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. The emotions run a direct correlation to what the brain is telling them. One cannot "think" with one's heart. You think with your brain. Physiologically, ALL emotions come from what is going on with the brain. Some emotions we act on; some we don't. I think this verse combines what causes emotions and what we do with them. Your brain causes the emotion, your heart decides what to do with them.

Any questions !

Peace.

When this verse was written people didn't know that thinking happened in the brain. That wasn't discovered for several hundred years later.

But they probably suspected that emotions greatly influenced the tone of ones thinking. Good people flavor everything with kindness, goodness, mercy, etc. Bad people flavor their thinking with evil inclinations.

"Your brain causes the emotion, your heart decides what to do with them."

Something like that.

[OopsMartin]

Before we begin our descent into semantic hell, shouldn't a few definitions be considered?

The Scripture teaches that man is made up of body soul and spirit. (1 Thessalonians 5:23). So --

What is meant by the body.

What is meant by the soul.

What is meant by the spirit.

These three things make up the thing we refer to as a "human", so how are they defined in Scripture so that we can understand from God's Word just what a human is?

Having defined the elements of the thing referred to as "human", we can now begin a reasoned discussion of just what each one means in light of God's Word and thus not be led down fruitless paths of fancy by our logical ideals of what these terms mean. By this method we should be able to identify such things "heart", "seat of emotions", "bowels of mercy", etc that are found in Scripture and attempt to define what makes man distinct.

Dallas Willard has a great discussion of what constitutes the numan being in his book "Renovation of the Heart" it is the most satisfying to me from a biblical perspective of any I have read. He posits 6 dimensions of the person. Here is a summary:

1. Thought is that which enables the will to range beyond the "immediate boundaries of our environment and the perception of our senses". It enables us to bring things before our minds and consider them in "various respects and in relationship to one another".

2. Feeling is that which "inclines us toward or away from things that come before our minds". i\It includes pleasure, pain, attraction, or repulsion in regards to what is thought or perceived. Willard positis that thought and feeling always go together. The fall into sin actually resulted in a human mind where thought and feeling are intermixed to create "willful stupidity, blatant inconsistency, confusion, etc.

3. Will (Heart, Spirit) is the capacity to originate things and events. It includes freedom and creativity.

4. Body is the focal point of our presence in physical reality.

5. Social Context is our rootedness in others

6. Soul is the dimension of a person that "interrelates all of the other dimensions so that they form one life". It is the deepest part of the self.

sounds like a good book.