[Greek] νόημα (noēma), [Latin] cogitatio, [Latin] sensus, [Latin] intellectus, [Latin] mens: mind, perception, purpose, disposition, design, scheme; 2Cor.2:11, 2Cor.3:14, 2Cor.4:4, 2Cor.10:5, 2Cor.11:3, Php.4:7
All of us are called to mindful of the devil lurking behind the scenes. We often forget that Satan can also potentially influence us through deception, seduction, busyness, and distraction.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means what is thought, thought, concept, the point of the matter, and what is willed.
Plutarch’s Alexander 35: “There was a certain Athenophanes, an Athenian, who was accustomed to minister to the person of the king and to furnish suitable diversion for his thoughts.”
Aristophanes’ Clouds 704: “Now meditate and examine closely; and roll yourself about in every way, and spring to another mental contrivance.”
Homer’s Odyssey 14.273: “But in my heart Zeus himself put this thought—I would that I had rather died and met my fate.”
Aristophanes’ Clouds 743: “Come, then, wrap yourself up, and having given your mind play with subtlety, resolve your affairs by little and little, rightly distinguishing and examining.”
Aristophanes’ Knights 1202: “Please tell me, how did you get the idea to steal it from him…The idea came from the goddess; the theft is all my own.”
Old Testament: This term, used only in an evil sense, means evil plan, attack, evil intentions, and wrath.
Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden: (where the Serpent tricked Adam and Eve)
Serpent: “Did God really say, ‘You shall not eat from any of the trees in the garden?” The serpent is already planting seeds of doubt in Eve’s mind
Serpent: “You certainly will not die!” The serpent is actually calling God a liar. ‘Therefore, you shouldn’t believe what God is saying. You can do whatever you want’!
Serpent: “God well knows that when you eat of the fruit, your eyes will be opened and you will be like the gods, who know good and evil” The serpent is telling Eve: ‘God is holding you back from understanding wisdom’. ‘God doesn’t want you to know this! Don’t you want to be like God’?
Pleasing to the eyes: What could possibly go wrong with this!
New Testament: This term, always used in the plural, means purposes, minds, thoughts, and perceptions. With the exception of Php.4:7, this term is always used in an evil sense. The negative meanings include Satan’s devices (intentions), clouded human perceptions, dull thoughts, pretentious attitudes towards God, and corrupted thoughts. Php. 4:7 refers to general hearts and minds. The Corinthian community was beset with issues such as factionalism, dissension, idolatry, and liturgical and doctrinal abuses.
Scripture:
“So that we might not be taken advantage of by Satan, for we are not unaware of his purposes.” 2Cor.2:11
Paul calls for one to have forgiveness and encouragement for an offender. This is necessary so that Satan will not take advantage of this situation (or one’s insecurity). Satan may (or could) be at work in causing division and opposition in the Corinthian community.
“Rather, their thoughts were rendered dull, for to this present day the same veil remains un-lifted when they read the old covenant, because through Christ it is taken away.” 2Cor.3:14
The Corinthians’ thoughts were rendered dull like Moses veiling his face to protect the Israelites from God’s reflected glory. These dull thoughts (lack of understanding) become a barrier, a veil over their perceptions.
“And even though our gospel is veiled, it is veiled for those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they may not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” 2Cor.4:3-4
Paul confidently asserts that there is no veil over the gospel. If some fail to perceive its light, that is because of unbelief. This is a blindness induced by Satan, and a sign that they are headed for destruction.
“Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Php.4:7
The peace (of mind) of God surpasses and differs from the peace that the world offers. This references Jn.14:27 where Jesus offers us peace that the world cannot give. Jesus tells us to not let our hearts be troubled.
“We destroy arguments and every pretention raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ.” 2Cor.11:4-5
Paul states that, although we are in flesh, we fight spiritual battles destroying arguments and pretensions against God.
“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere and pure commitment to Christ.” 2Cor.11:3
Paul fears a repetition of the primal drama of seduction to evil. Corruption of minds can be a result of satanic influence.
Cogitation: This is the capacity to think or reflect. A cogitation is a thought, reflection, or reasoning. A cognition is the process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. A phenomenon is an observable object or event perceived through the senses.
Rene Descartes: This French philosopher posed this famous philosophical quotation: “Cogito ergo sum”. This means “I think, therefore I am”. He attempted to prove his existence as a thinking being, by thinking.
Understanding: “Houston, We have a problem!” Gender Ideology
This is a post-modern belief system that one’s experiences, not God, makes one male or female.
Subjective reality rather than objective reality determines what gender is.
The intentional and unintentional blurring of the masculine and the feminine seeks to confuse one’s understanding of what it means to be masculine (man) and feminine (woman). What is a man? What is a woman?
What was once considered disordered (homosexuality) has become normalized and even celebrated.
One now can declare (identify) one’s own gender identity.
One’s chosen gender and sexual behavior is openly permitted, allowed, and celebrated in this secular culture.
In some situations, one is allowed to physically alter one’s body with puberty blockers and gender reassignment surgery (transgenderism).
These attitudes are encouraged as these notions are couched in personal exploration, freedoms, liberties, and rights.
If you criticize or oppose this, you are deemed intolerant. Many often cannot see these issues and the potential societal consequences.
Next post: Blindness: “Houston, we can’t see the problem!” Gender Ideology
Conclusion:
Phenomenon, phenomenology, cogitation, intellect, intellectual, mental, sense
I am not surprised that this term would be commonly used in the Classical and Hellenistic Greece era. This term was certainly “food for thought” for philosophers. I can imagine that Plato and Socrates would have a field day using this term. It does seem very plausible that man would write of gods putting thoughts into their minds. (The gods made me do it!)
In the Old Testament culture, you can clearly see that the serpent is causing mischief and creating confusion with Adam and Eve.
The proverbial moral genie has already been left out of the bottle in society as it pertains to the changes (and harms) to marriage, life creation (abortion), sex/gender. However, Paul states that forgiveness remains available to each one of us.
Our society is now redefining marriage, altering God’s life creation (abortion), becoming any gender we want to be, and changing gender/sex. It is as if we are already becoming like God!
We currently have many gods in our age: wealth, power, technology, fame, material stuff, etc. (We have become like little pagans each worshipping our own little god(s)!
Post peractum cogito ergo sum!
(I think, therefore, that I have finished this post!)