Setting the Mind — More than Just Attention Setting
I find there to be something very interesting about the word used by Paul in Greek for "mind" in Romans 8. At the close of chapter 7 Paul articulates the wretchedness of the human condition apart from God, that being the body that is ruled by the "law of sin" in the flesh, or as I may say the person whose life is dominated by a focus on things within this temporal world. Though this person may want to do better than they do, though they may wish to focus on things that are bigger than themselves, like Paul they are subjected to the temporal world issues and can be consumed by them (this "law of sin"), whether physical temptation or simply naval gazing at their own life. When we get into the start of chapter 8, Paul describes that those who are in Christ Jesus have no condmenation held against them, noteably those who "do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
- Romans 8:1 NKVJ
... [For Christ has died on our behalf] ...
that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
- Romans 8:4 NKVJ
After this introduction, Paul continues on to help us understand what he's saying by describing in contrast the difference between "walking in the flesh" and "walking according to the spirit",
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
- Romans 8:5-8
It is these verses where my interest is peaked. At first glance I see that Paul repeats this phrasing of "walking according to...", and also mentions this phrase "set their minds". Just reading this in English, it seems to me that Paul is saying the difference between these two states (walking according to the Spirit / walking according to the flesh) is that one sets their thoughts on their body while another sets their thoughts on the spirit. When looking at the words written in Greek, I find this (literally):
Οἱ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ὄντες τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς φρονοῦσιν,
Those for according to flesh being, the things of the flesh mind;
(Romans 8:5A)
Going to biblehub we can see a tool where sometimes they put the words in a somewhat different order for better understanding of translation, which we would see below:
Οἱ ὄντες κατὰ σάρκα φρονοῦσιν τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς
Those therefore who exist in accordance with [flesh, body, human nature, materiality] set their minds on the things of the [flesh, body, human nature, materiality]
(Romans 8:5A)
I highlighted the word φρονοῦσιν. This is the word that gets translated as "mind" in essentially all versions I've seen. This word is used as a verb in 3rd person plural. I find it very interesting that when looking more deeply into the word and it's usage in the sentence, we can get a different picture of what Paul is saying here than what first comes to my mind when reading the English. Paul is not simply talking about "thinking about things in this world" being the nature of the difference between walking according to the flesh and walking according to the spirit, although the focus of our thought life is a fundamental component of what Paul is saying. Paul is talking about something even deeper than that.
Checking out the logos bible dictionary, we can see where the word has even more flavor than just "thoughts":
φρονοῦσιν
Strong's 5426 (φρονέω)
set the affection on, (be) care(-ful), (be like-, + be of one, + be of the same, + let this) mind(-ed), regard, savour, think
to exercise the mind, i.e. entertain or have a sentiment or opinion; by implication, to be (mentally) disposed (more or less earnestly in a certain direction); intensively, to interest oneself in (with concern or obedience)
Checking out other sources, we see on wikipedia that this word's root is φρονέω, which has its own section in the wiktionary:
φρονέω • (phronéō)
1. to think, to have understanding, to be wise, prudent quotations
2. to be minded in a certain way, to mean, intend, purpose quotations
1. (with a neuter adjective)
1. to have certain thoughts towards someone quotations
2. (preceded by μέγα (méga)) to be high-minded, to have high thoughts, to be sprited and bold quotations
1. (in Attic, in a bad sense) to be heady, presumptuous, conceited, proud quotations
3. to agree, to side with quotations
3. to have a thing in one's mind, mind, take heed quotations
4. to be in possession of one's senses, to be sensible, to be alive
So we see here from both of these sources that there's some nuance to the phrasing that we end up getting in our English translation "set their minds on things of the flesh". Upon first reading in English, my first thought is that this means to set your attention on your body instead of God's Spirit. This seems somewhat confusing to me, though, as we must sometimes put our attention on our body. We have biological mechanisms for eating, for sleeping and for many other things. However, noteably here, it's interesting to me how the usage of the word as a verb and the understanding I've gained of the word in Greek now somewhat change my understanding of the passage. As I may put it below in my own words:
To walk according to the flesh is for one to foremost take heed of the material world in their thinking and in their affections. To purpose their focus and expend their energy on that which can be gained or influenced in the material world.
This would mean to me then, that the contrasting position that Paul is promoting in these verses would be something like the following (in my own words):
To walk according to the Spirit then is for one to foremost take heed of the immaterial world in their thinking and in their affections, founding their very life upon that which is from the Spirit of God. This, to purpose their focus and life upon that which is from the Sprit of God, is to pursue the expending of one's energy specifically for the purposes that the Spirit of God desires.
This very well may just be some conjecture on my part, seeing as I am no Greek expert. But this excercise has made the text come alive in a somewhat different capacity than just reading the English. That is what I find most interesting!