The inward part is a symbolic expression for the deepest inner life, including the heart, thoughts, emotions, moral nature, and spiritual understanding. Scripture portrays it as the place where God’s law may be written.
Definition
“Inward part” is a symbolic expression for the deepest interior life. It may refer to the inmost breast or bowels, the reins, or the heart, and includes the intellect, moral nature, feelings, affections, and spiritual life. Biblical language sometimes expresses the same idea adverbially as “inwardly.”
Biblical Usage
Scripture presents the inward part as the seat of wisdom, moral wickedness, and spiritual obedience. Wisdom may be located there, wickedness may characterize it, and God’s law may be written there. In this sense, the expression is substantially identical in meaning with “inward man.”
Historical Background
Ancient people regarded the viscera, especially the heart, liver, and kidneys, as the organs of the mind, feelings, affections, and soul. The expression reflects that older understanding of the inner person.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>A symbolic expression in the Old Testament represented by three Hebrew words: chedher, "chamber," hence, inmost bowels or breast; tuchoth, "the reins"; qerebh, "midst," "middle," hence, heart. Once in the New Testament (esothen, "from within," Lu 11:39). The viscera (heart, liver, kidneys) were supposed by the ancients to be the seat of the mind, feelings, affections: the highest organs of the psyche, "the soul." The term includes the intellect ("wisdom in the inward parts," Job 38:36); the moral nature ("inward part is very wickedness," Ps 5:9); the spiritual ("my law in their inward parts," Jer 31:33). Its adverbial equivalent in Biblical use is "inwardly." INWARD MAN (which see) is identical in meaning.</p><p>Dwight M. Pratt</p>
