Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 15:6, believe/ faith, as it relates to common usage in science

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Rolf Furuli <furuli AT online.no>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Genesis 15:6, believe/ faith, as it relates to common usage in science
  • Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:47:09 +0200

Dear Steve,

Here are some late comments to your questions:

A core meaning of the Hebrew word )MN is "to be firm," and the Hiphil form of the verb
is often translated as "have trust in; believe in". However, these renderings tell us very little about the subtleties of believing ()MN), whether belief according to the the Hebrew mind was something that needed a solid foundation, or something that could be taken out of thin air. Even if we look at all the occurrences of the Hebrew word, it would be very difficult to know its full force.

In the New Testament, however, we find a definition-in an epistle written in Greek to Hebrews by a person who evidently wrote and thought in Hebrew. In Hebrews 11:1 we find the following definition. For theological reasons most modern Bible translations give biased renderings of this verse-they do not give the full force of the Greek verbs. One exception is "The New Testament An Expanded Translation" by K. S. Wuest, and I quote this translation:

(1) "Now faith is the title deed of things hoped for, the proof of things which are not being seen. (2) For by means of this /namely, faith/ the elders had witness born to them. (8) By faith, Abraham, while he was being called, obeyed to go out into a place which he was about to be receiving as an inheritance."

The rendering "title deed" for hUPUSTASIS is excellent. If you have a title deed for a field or a house or something else, you have a very good foundation for the expectation of getting hold of the thing in the future. The rendering "proof" for ELEGCOS is excellent as well; the word was often used in court to describe a refutation of something that seemed to be true. Thus, for the writer of Hebrews the faith ()MN) of Abraham was built on solid evidence, and it was not some kind of imagination. Faith is not defined elsewhere in the New Testament, but I am not aware of any mention of faith that contradicts the definition above.

Two scientific examples can illustrate the definition of faith:

In the beginning of the 20th century, the ninth planet (today no longer called a "planet") Pluto was not known. However, in 1905 certain irregularities in the orbits of Uranus and Saturn were discovered. And these clearly suggested the existence of an unknown celestial body. It was possible to calculate that this celestial body was about 3,680,000,000 miles distant from our sun. In 1930 a telescope with sufficient strength was used, and Pluto was discovered. Before 1930 Pluto was not seen, but evidence about the existence of the planet were extant.

Another example is the periodic table of chemical elements which was discovered in the middle of the 19th century. It is very orderly because of the increase of atomic weight (hydrogen 1; heliom 2; lithium 3 ...). It was discovered by John Newland in 1864 that similar physical and chemical properties recurred at intervals of 8. In 1869 the elements gallium and germanium was not discovered, but Dimitri Mendeleev was then able to predict their existence on the basis of the orderliness of the periodic table. These two elements were not seen, but evidence about their existence were extant.

Both examples above are special cases. In most instances, science is based on axioms, theories, guesses and hypotheses, and the situation described in Hebrews 11:1 of the existence of "proof of things which are not being seen" rarely exists inside science.

There is also a subjective element that works in connection with faith. Jesus said to the Jews (John 5:44 Wuest): "As for you, how are you able to believe, habitually receiving laudation from one another, and the praise which is from the presence of the only God you are not seeking." These words indicate that certain motives may prevent a person from accepting "proof of things which are not being seen". This is seen both in connection with religion and science. Thus, there is both an objective and a subjective element that may be considered in connection with )MN.


Best regards,

Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo



Dear Rolf Furuli and list members:

I had earlier requested information from Rolf Furuli about the research he had done. Perhaps the request was outside of the scope of this list.

I hope that this question is more appropriate:

Since the word "faith" is sometimes used by scientists ("With solid faith
that laws of the small should fit together into a coherent whole, physicists
are relentlessly hunting down the elusive unified theory." Brain Greene, The
Elegant Universe, page 386), Does the biblical Hebrew word translated as
"faith" (Gen. 15:6, The New American Bible... "believe" according to most others) engage the ideas that scientists intend (as above) when they invoke faith?

My understanding of Greene's words is that physicists note the tendencies in the evidence and develop a strong belief about what they will find in the end, even though there is, at present, no direct observational or experimental experience for the belief upon which they can rely.

Although I have an opinion, I accept my limitations and would therefore appreciate list members comments.

Thank you,

Steve Teague
_______________________________________________
b-hebrew mailing list
b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page