Hebrew vs Greek Thought (1 of 3)

Hebrew vs Greek Thought

Concrete, Absolute, Abstract, & Relative

Introduction

Hebrew vs. Greek Thought is a cultural interpolation study that sheds light on how thought influences dispositions, particularly with an emphasis toward truth and faith. This study helps faithful believers understand the conflicts and resolution of concrete, abstract, absolute, and relative thinking, in order to conform to the mind of Christ.

Hebraic Concrete Thought

Hebrew is a Semitic language. All Semitic languages are driven by concrete thought, though they are not void of abstract thought. Concrete thought consists of several characteristics:

Physical & Functional

Expression of concrete thought uses words that are understood through physical senses: sight, touch, smell, taste, and sound.

Isaiah 1:30 KJV - "For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water."

Expression of concrete thought uses words that describe an object by its function.

• The head is first or lead, the tail is last or least.

Deuteronomy 28:44 KJV - "He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail."

Dynamic & Provoking

Something that is dynamic expresses motion. Verbs are always dynamic. Something that is static does not express motion. Nouns are commonly known to be static.

In concrete thought, nouns may also render a meaning of action; whether through the root or parent root of the word.

• In Ecclesiastes 12:12, the Hebrew root definition for "Study" means to be eager.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 KJV - "And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh."

Verbs often carry an implication of another verb; emphasizing the provocation to take action.

• In Deuteronomy 6:4 the Hebrew root definition for "Hear" means to hear intelligently. In Hebrew, the word is Shema.  In Hebraic culture, Shema, means to listen and obey.

Matthew 20:22 KJV - "But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able."

Idioms & Analogies

Expression of concrete thought uses idiomatic phrases. Idioms are figures of speech that are commonly created and used within a culture.​

• Psalm 73:9, "...their tongue walketh through the earth"  is a Hebrew idiom for arrogant ordering.

Psalm 73:9 KJV - "They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth."

Expression of concrete thought uses analogies. An analogy is a comparison that joins two thoughts together by their similarities.

• Psalm 92:12, "shall flourish", is a Hebrew idiom for prosper; which is to advance, push forward, and become successful.

Psalm 92:12 KJV - "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon."

Literal & Direct

Concrete thought supposes that modes of expression are literal and direct.

That which is literal uses the original definition of words, as opposed to representing something else.

• In Jeremiah 24:2-5, good figs are good figs and bad figs are evil figs.

Jeremiah 24:2-5  KJV - "2 One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad. 3 Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil."

That which is direct expresses the similarities between two objects using their literal meaning.

Jeremiah 24:5, 8-10  KJV - "5 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. ... 8 And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt: 9 And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. 10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers."

Hebraic Absolute Thought

Hebraic concrete thought is synergistic with absolute thought. Absolute thought consists of several characteristics:

Factual

Absolute thought claims something is a fact with firm confidence that the fact is pure, sure, certain, and trustworthy.

Isaiah 45:6 KJV - "That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else."

Something that has been declared a fact is sealed in the mind as established truth.

John 3:33 KJV - "He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true."

Perpetual

Something that is absolute, always exists, is always fact, always stable, unwavering, and eternal.

Malachi 3:6 KJV - "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

Objective

Absolute thought holds that facts are independent to computation of the mind.

John 14:6 KJV - "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Uncompromising

Absolute thought strongly rejects any contradictory claims against what has been declared truth.

Luke 16:31 KJV - "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

Dispositional Implications

Thinking that is primarily concrete and absolute has both positive and negative influences on a persons dispositions.

Positively Committed

Concrete absolute thinkers may make resolutions and be committed to them.

Joshua 24:15 KJV - "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Positively Unwavering

Concrete absolute thinkers may be unwavering in what they put their trust in. An absolute focused mind may avoid deviation from the ways and rules they understand to be true.

Job 13:15 KJV - "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him."

Numbers 24:13 KJV - "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?"

Positively Dutiful

Concrete absolute thinkers may willfully be obedient to physical duties.

Exodus 24:7 KJV - "And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient."

Deuteronomy 6:24-25 KJV - "24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. 25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us."

Negatively  Hardened

Concrete absolute thinkers may look for physically observable proofs in order to accept something as fact.

Matthew 16:3-4 KJV - "3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed." (also Matthew 12:39, Mark 8:12, Luke 11:29)

Mark 6:52 KJV - "For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened."

Mark 8:17 KJV - "And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?"

John 12:40 KJV - "He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."

John 4:48 KJV - "Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe."

Negatively Ignorant

Someone who predominantly thinks concretely may find it challenging to understand from the heart.

Matthew 13:13 KJV - "Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand."

Matthew 13:10-17 KJV - "10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

Romans 10:3 KJV - "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

Romans 11:25 KJV - "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in."

Negatively Earthly

Someone who predominantly thinks concretely may focus on the physical and find it hard to accept spiritual truths.

Matthew 15:8 KJV - "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me."

Matthew 23:23 KJV - "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

John 3:12 KJV - "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"

Romans 8:5 KJV - "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."

Colossians 2:20-22 KJV - "20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?"

Philippians 3:19 KJV - "Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)"

*Review definitions.

*This study continues in Hebrew vs Greek Thought 2 of 3