Wordsmithing #6HDC-RobHDC-Rob202010-04-25T21:09:00Z2010-04-25T21:09:00Z36603765Overflowing Cup318441712Wordsmithing #6By Rob BohningWHAT IS FAITH?What is faith? Few places in Scripture define so clearly and precisely what a concept means as does Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”Yet our English western vocabulary has confused, obscured, and diluted the concept. Here are a few misguided concepts which are marked by the term “faith”:I have faith that my football team will win.Christianity is my faith.In the first example, faith is lowered in concept to a preference that a person has. Biblical faith determines the course of a person’s life, yet in this example, faith is just a feeling that can be changed. In the second example, faith is synonymous with “religion,” and while it is meaningful, it also connotes something sterile with no affective difference.According to Hebrews, a book written to Jewish, Hebrew speaking believers in Jesus/Yeshua, faith is both a cognitive declaration as well as a heartfelt decision that drives each motivation of decisions believers make.“Faith is the substance…” Following the Greek meaning for hupostasis, substance is a similar compound word. It is made of the prefix, “sub,” which means underneath. It is also made of the word “stance,” which is the noun form of the verb “to stand.” Thus, when one has “substance,” there is a picture of the ground or some strong material on which a person stands. Allegorically, faith refers to what lies underneath the stands, or positions, that a person takes.“Faith is the substance [of things] hoped for...” The Greek meaning for elpizo refers to a type of hope that involves both trusting and waiting. Spanish speakers recognize this singular connotation in the word esperanza. One who hopes is not impatient and accepts trials understanding that the trial has a purpose. A person with hope is not discouraged, because trusting and waiting influence the manner by which a person takes their stand.“Faith is the substance [of things] hoped for, the evidence…” With this term (eleglos), the meaning of the sentence is put into the legal realm. When a person is accused of some crime, the prosecution is working to obtain a conviction based upon evidence. Also, when a person has a strong belief, they have a conviction. Another way to consider this concept is to say that faith is something that one would be guilty of in a court of law. Faith has a legal connotation. It is not merely a feeling.“Faith is the substance [of things] hoped for, the evidence of things…” When looking at the Greek words for this sentence, it must be understood that the first “of things” is not represented with a Greek word. It is added to the English to smooth out the sentence, but it should probably be left out. But in the second “of things,” the Greek word pragma is utilized. In English, when one discusses pragmatics, they are discussing what one does in a practical way in the fields of education or linguistics. The Greek term pragma often refers to a court case or law suit. Thus, the legal connotation of this sentence is reinforced.“Faith is the substance [of things] hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In Greek, blepo is a term for the seeing that is done with the physical body; but it also connotes ideas that can be imagined or understood in one’s mind. Therefore, the evidence of things not seen can mean that the evidence cannot be understood. In science, the basic premise is that through observations using the five basic senses of man, a theory can be deduced in order to explain some aspect of nature. This verse helps to show that faith goes beyond any understanding from science. Certainly, an honest scientific mind must accept that there might be something in the universe that cannot be perceived by our five senses or even instruments that aid these senses. Thus God and faith in God are contrary to any scientific theory or ideal. Who God is and man’s faith in God are everything that cannot be observed through a scientific process.So, this verse could be reworded in this way to flush out some of the lost connotations in English: “Faith is what underlies all decisions [that a person makes] due to their trust and waiting; they are legally convicted of their faith in contradiction to scientific and theoretical observations.” (Perhaps it would be easier if we simply learned Greek.)Shavuah Tov/Good Week