Jesus’ use of the words ‘heart’,
‘righteous’ and ‘wicked’.

 

JESUS’ USE OF
THE WORD ‘HEART’

 

Jesus uses the word ‘heart’
as if:
            a person’s heart has always been good or bad
            even before meeting Jesus/God,
            and will stay that way.

,         ,         Perhaps see earlier section:
,         ,         GOOD & BAD, RIGHT & WRONG.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
            My comments in orange.

 

            Matt c5 v8:
            Blessed are the pure in heart:
            for they shall see God.   KJV

            This statement leaves no room for change, for deterioration:
                 How their hearts are
                 is how their hearts will stay.

,                            Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                            Ideally changing people for the better.
,                            Matt c5 v29-30    Matt c5 v38 – c7 v12    Matt c16 v24-26    Matt c17 v14-20,,,

 

            Matt c12 v34:
            O generation of vipers,
            how can ye, being evil, speak good things?
            for out of the abundance of the heart
            the mouth speaketh.   KJV

            This statement is damning.
            It leaves no room for change, for improvement.

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Matt c18 v21-35    Matt c19 v16-30    Matt c21 v12-13,,,

 

            Luke c6 v45  (indeed v43-45)     (Matt c12 v35  (indeed, v33-35) ):
            A good man
            out of the good treasure of his heart
            bringeth forth that which is good;
            and an evil man
            out of the evil treasure of his heart
            bringeth forth that which is evil:
            for of the abundance of the heart
            his mouth speaketh.   KJV

            Again: no mention of possible change.

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Matt c21 v18-22    Matt c23 v1-12    Matt c24 v42-51    Matt c28 v18-20,,,

 

            Luke c8 v15:
            But that on the good ground are they,
            which in an honest and good heart,
            having heard the word,
            keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.   KJV

            Again: no mention of possible change, of deterioration.

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Mark c6 v7-13    Mark c8 v34-38    Mark c9 v28-29,,,


,                  Of Mark c9 v28-29, the last two words ‘and fasting’, are, I reckon, forged.
,                  Perhaps see earlier section: BIBLE VERSES THAT I OMIT, , , ,

 

            Matt c15 v8   
            This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth,
            and honoureth me with their lips;
            but their heart is far from me.   KJV

            Mark c7 v6:
            He answered and said unto them,
                  Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites,
                 as it is written,
                        This people honoureth me with their lips,
                       but their heart is far from me.   KJV

            Again: no mention of possible change, of improvement.

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Mark c9 v33-37    Mark c9 v41-47    Mark c10 v17-30    Mark c11 v20-25,,,

 

            Luke c16 v15:
            And he said unto them,
                  Ye are they which justify yourselves before men;
                  but God knoweth your hearts:
                  for that which is highly esteemed among men
                  is abomination in the sight of God.   KJV

            Again: no mention of possible change, of improvement.

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Mark c13 v31-37    Luke c6 v27-38    Luke c6 v46-49    Luke c7 v36-50,,,

 

Jesus didn’t use the word heart
this way every time.

But he did use them this way enough times
for me to confidently make this section.

.

 

JESUS’ USE OF THE WORDS
‘RIGHTEOUS’ AND ‘WICKED’

 

Just like the word ‘heart’ (see previous section)
Jesus uses the words ‘righteous’ and ‘wicked’
as if:
            a person has always been righteous or wicked
            even before meeting Jesus/God,
            and will stay that way.

            My comments in orange.

 

            Matt c9 v13:
            But go ye and learn what that meaneth,
                 I will have mercy, and not sacrifice:
            for I am not come to call the righteous,
            but sinners to repentance.   KJV

            A sarcastic reversal of the word righteous:
            i.e. ‘righteous’ in their own eyes, rather than in God’s eyes.

 

            But, no mention of possible change nevertheless.

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Luke c9 v1-6    Luke c9 v24    Luke c9 v59-62    Luke c10 v1-11,,,

 

            Matt c13 v43:
            Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun
            in the kingdom of their Father.
            Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.   KJV

            The context of this verse   (Matt c13 v24-30  &  v36-43)
            shows that those who are righteous now
            will definitely be righteous then.

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Luke c10 v25-37    Luke c10 v38-42    Luke c11 v1-13    Luke c12 v1-12,,,

 

            Matt c13 v49:
            So shall it be at the end of the world:
            the angels shall come forth,
            and sever the wicked from among the just,   KJV

            The context of this verse
                 (Matt c13 v47-50  one species of fish
                 does not change into another species of fish)
            shows that those who are wicked, or just, now
            will still be wicked, or just, at the end of the world.

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Luke c12 v13-34    Luke c14 v7-14    Luke c14 v26-33    Luke c15 v11-32,,,

 

            Matt c23 v28:
            Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men,
            but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.   KJV

            No mention of possible change:
            to actually become
            what they pretend to be.
.:
,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Luke c16 v10-13    Luke c16 v18    Luke c16 v19-31    Luke c17 v1-10,,,

 

            Matt c23 v29:
            Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
            because ye build the tombs of the prophets,
            and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,   KJV

            No mention of possible change regarding the Pharisees.
            Also, the people the Pharisees pretend to honour
            are declared righteous, even though Judgment Day
            has not yet come.   Matt c13 v24-30   v36-43

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  Luke c18 v9-17    Luke c18 v18-30    Luke c19 v1-27    Luke c21 v12-15,,,

 

            Matt c23 v35:
            That upon you may come
            all the righteous blood shed upon the earth,
            from the blood of righteous Abel
            unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias,
            whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.   KJV

            No mention of possible change
            regarding the people Jesus speaks to.
            Indeed, those he speaks of, he declares righteous,
            even though Judgment Day
            has not yet come.   Matt c13 v24-30   v36-43

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  John c1 v12    John c3 v3-8    John c4 v13-42    John c5 v14,,,

 

            Mark c2 v17:
            When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them,
                 They that are whole
                 have no need of the physician,
                 but they that are sick:
                 I came not to call the righteous,
                 but sinners to repentance.   KJV

            Luke c5 v32:
            I came not to call the righteous,
            but sinners to repentance.   KJV

            A sarcastic reversal of the word righteous:
            i.e. ‘righteous’ in their own eyes, rather than in God’s eyes.

            But no mention of possible change nevertheless.

,                  Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                  Ideally changing people for the better.
,                  John c7 v37-39    John c13 v34-35    John c14 v12-13,,,

 

            Luke c11 v39-44:
            And the Lord said unto him,
                 Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside
                 of the cup and the platter;
                 but your inward part
                 is full of ravening and wickedness.
                 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without
                 make that which is within also?
                 But rather give alms of such things as ye have;
                 and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
                 But woe unto you, Pharisees!
                 for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs,
                 and pass over judgment and the love of God:
                 these ought ye to have done,
                 and not to leave the other undone.
                 Woe unto you, Pharisees!
                 for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues,
                 and greetings in the markets.
                 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
                 for ye are as graves which appear not,
                 and the men that walk over them
                 are not aware of them.   KJV

            Will they stop being all these things?  No.
                 The possibility of change,
                 that Jesus gives them when he tells them to give alms,
                 is cancelled
                 by all that he says afterwards.

,                            Bear in mind that Jesus was very keen on change,
,                            Ideally changing people for the better.
,                            John c15 v5    Acts c1 v8    Rev c2 – c3    Rev c14    Rev c20 v12-13,,,

 

Jesus didn’t use the words righteous & wicked
this way every time.

But he did use them this way enough times
for me to confidently make this section.

 

.

 

In a rule-based society,
in order to be accepted:
            the wicked must hide their intent
            but the righteous needn’t hide anything.

.

 

WHAT ABOUT THE PHRASE
‘A CHANGE OF HEART’?

 

The concept: ‘a change of heart’ 
is in the Bible:
,                  Luke c15 v11-32:
,                  Parable of the prodigal son, who repented & was freely forgiven,
,                  (and his brother, who would not accept this).   my abbreviation
,                  Matt c21 v28-32:
,                  Parable of the son who said ‘no’ but later obeyed
,                  and the son who said ‘yes’ but later did not obey.   my abbreviation


But the phrase: ‘a change of heart’ 
is not in the Bible:
,                  The KJV Bible uses the word ‘heart’ 975 times
,                  and the word ‘change’ 94 times
,                  and the word ‘changing’ once.
,                  But ‘change’ and ‘changing’
,                  are never used near the word ‘heart’.

 

However, both concept and phrase are in common use today.
Why is that?

I reckon it’s because, when people talk about hearts/spirits changing,
they are actually talking about hearts/spirits
suddenly starting to express themselves:

            Someone may have a bad soul
            because they have bad:
                       genes
                       culture
                       education
                       upbringing
                       environment
                       circumstances
                       influences from people
                       temptations from demons.

            But then their good heart/spirit suddenly ‘kicks in’,
            suddenly starts to work against their bad soul.

 

            So it’s not a bad heart/spirit
            suddenly changing into a good heart/spirit.

            It’s a good heart/spirit
            suddenly starting to express itself.

,                  Saul (who later became the apostle Paul) is an example of this.

.

 


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