What is the Heart of God the Father in Christianity? – Response to a Question

The Heart of God the Father in Christianity is indicated by 27 specific references in Sacred Scripture, with 26 of these references being in the Old Testament whereas one of the references in in the New Testament (Bovenmars, 1991). Many of these references exist in all three major sources of Scripture as shown below: namely, the Septuagint (LXX), the Masoretic text and the Latin Vulgate. A few of the references could be considered doubtful because of their presence in only one of the aforementioned sources. The 27 references in Scripture which speak about the Heart of the Father are as follows:

1. Gn 6:6-7 (Vulgate, LXX);
2. Gn 8:21 (Masoretic);
3. Jb 7:17 (Vulgate, Masoretic);
4. Jb 9:4 (Vulgate, Masoretic);
5. Jb 10:11-13 (Vulgate, Masoretic);
6. Ps 32:11 (Vulgate) / 33:11 (LXX, Masoretic);
7. Ps 77:70-72 (Vulgate, Masoretic) / 78:70-72 (LXX);
8. Is 63:4 (Vulgate, Masoretic);
9. Jer 3:14-15 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
10. Jer 7:30-31 (Vulgate, LXX);
11. Jer 19:5 (LXX);
12. Jer 23:20 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
13. Jer 30:24 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
14. Jer 32:35 (Vulgate);
15. Jer 32:41 (Vulgate, Masoretic) / 39:41 (LXX);
16. Jer 44:21 (Vulgate) / 51:21 (LXX);
17. Lam 3:33 (LXX);
18. Ez 28:2 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
19. Hos 11:8-9 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
20. 1 Chr 17:19 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
21. 2 Chr 7:16 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
22. 1 Kgs 2:35 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
23. 1 Kgs 13:14 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
24. 2 Kgs 7:21 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
25. 3 Kgs 9:3 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
26. 4 Kgs 10:30 (Vulgate, LXX, Masoretic);
27. Acts 13:22 (Vulgate).

Reference

1. Bovenmars, J. G. (1991). Biblical spirituality of the heart. New York: Alba House.