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Reason and the Message: Difference between revisions
→Jesus talked about reasoning
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:'''''diánoia''''': literally "thorough reasoning," incorporates both sides of a matter to reach a meaningful (personal) conclusion. Such "full-breadth reasoning" is essential to loving (25 /agapáō) the Lord and our neighbor (see Mk 12:30).– properly, movement from one side (of an issue) to the other to reach balanced-conclusions; full-orbed reasoning (= critical thinking), i.e. dialectical thinking that literally reaches "across to the other side" (of a matter). (from 1223 /diá, "thoroughly, from side-to-side," which intensifies 3539 /noiéō, "to use the mind," from 3563 /noús, "mind") <ref>Strongs Concordance</ref> | :'''''diánoia''''': literally "thorough reasoning," incorporates both sides of a matter to reach a meaningful (personal) conclusion. Such "full-breadth reasoning" is essential to loving (25 /agapáō) the Lord and our neighbor (see Mk 12:30).– properly, movement from one side (of an issue) to the other to reach balanced-conclusions; full-orbed reasoning (= critical thinking), i.e. dialectical thinking that literally reaches "across to the other side" (of a matter). (from 1223 /diá, "thoroughly, from side-to-side," which intensifies 3539 /noiéō, "to use the mind," from 3563 /noús, "mind") <ref>Strongs Concordance</ref> | ||
Here is how one translator put it: | |||
:''‘You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your thinking.’ This is the great and first commandment. 39 But there is a second which is like it: ‘You are to love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.<ref>R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007), 842.</ref> | |||
There are many Greek words that Jesus might have used if he meant that we love God simply by thinking about him, or by committing his promises to memory, or any number of other mental capabilities. All of those things are wise habits for a Christian, but the implication of this word choice is abundantly clear here. We are to love God with all our mind by using the gift of intellect that God gave us to make good, balanced, informed decisions through critical thinking, and thorough, full-orbed reasoning. | There are many Greek words that Jesus might have used if he meant that we love God simply by thinking about him, or by committing his promises to memory, or any number of other mental capabilities. All of those things are wise habits for a Christian, but the implication of this word choice is abundantly clear here. We are to love God with all our mind by using the gift of intellect that God gave us to make good, balanced, informed decisions through critical thinking, and thorough, full-orbed reasoning. | ||