The Bible Penetrates Straight Through The Heart

The Bible is the Word of God and is truth for the Christian.

Hebrews 4: 12-13

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.



quick (zao - pronounced dzah-o)

to live, literally or figuratively, lifetime

powerful (energes - pronounced en-er-gace)

active, operative, effectual

sharper (tomoteros - pronounced tom-o-ter-os)

to cut, as if by a single stroke, keen

twoedged (distomos - pronounced dis-tom-os)

double edged; with two edges

sword (machaira - pronounced makh-ahee-rah)

a knife, dirk; figuratively war, judicial punishment

piercing (diikneomai - pronounced dee-ik-neh-om-ahee)

to reach through, penetrate

dividing asunder (merismos - pronounced mer-is-mos)

a separation or distribution

joints (harmos - pronounced har-mos)

articulation of the body

marrow (muelos - pronounced moo-el-os)

the marrow

thoughts (enthumesis - pronounced en-thoo-may-sis)

deliberation, device

intents (ennoia - pronounced en-noy-ah)

thoughtfulness, that is, moral understanding, mind



creature (ltosos - pronounced ktis-is)

building, creation, creature, ordinance

manifest (aphanes - pronounced af-an-ace)

non apparent

sight (enopion - pronounced en-o-pee-on)

in the face of (literally or figuratively); before, in the presence of

naked and opened (tracheliZo - pronounced trakh-ay-lid-zo)

to seize by the throat or neck, that is, to expose the gullet of a victim for killing (generally to lay bare)

to do (logos - pronounced log-os)

something said (including the thought); by implication a topic, also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension a computation; intent, account, cause



We cannot escape the notice of God because all insincerity, unbelief, and hypocrisy will be detected by him. Because our hearts are perfectly open before him, we should be sincere and should not attempt to deceive him. The truth of God is all-penetrating and searching, and the real thoughts and intents of the heart will be brought to light.

The Bible is quick, or “living.” It is not dead and powerless, but has a “living” power, and is energetic and active. Its power is seen in awakening the conscience, alarming the fears, laying bare the secret feelings of the heart, and causing the sinner to tremble with the apprehension of the coming judgment. All the great changes in the moral world for the better, have been caused by the power of truth.

Sharper than any two-edged sword - Literally, “two-mouthed” sword - The word “mouth” was given to the sword because it seemed to “devour” all before it. The comparison of the Bible to a sword or to an arrow, is designed to show its power of penetrating the heart. The idea is that of piercing, or penetrating, and the meaning here is that it reaches the “heart” - the very center of action, and lays open the motives and feelings of the man. It was common among the ancients to have a sword with two edges. The Roman sword was commonly made in this manner. The fact that it had two edges made it more easy to penetrate, as well as to cut with every way.

It penetrates so as to divide and is like a sharp sword that inflicts deadly wounds. The sinner “dies;” that is, he becomes dead to his former hopes, or is “slain” by the Law. There is no being who is not wholly known to God.

Click Here to Study Verses 14 - 16



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