Etymology is the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history. (Source dictionary.com)
What is the etymology of the word faith?
Faith (n.)
Mid-13c., faith, feith, fei, fai “faithfulness to a trust or promise; loyalty to a person; honesty, truthfulness,” from Anglo-French and Old French feid, foi “faith, belief, trust, confidence; pledge” (11c.), from Latin fides “trust, faith, confidence, reliance, credence, belief,” from root of fidere “to trust,” from PIE root *bheidh “to trust, confide, persuade.” For sense evolution, see belief. Accommodated to other English abstract nouns in -th (truth, ealth, etc.). (Source etymonline.com)
The issue of faith goes much further back considering that its English translation was not used until the 13th century. What was the original language word, its true etymology? It is only used twice in the Old Testament and its root word is âman, aw-man’; a primitive root; (to go to the right hand) properly, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain;:—hence, assurance, believe, bring up, establish, fail, be faithful (of long continuance, steadfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right. (Source BLB.org Strong’s)
Comparing the English etymology with the Hebrew we discover that the English word fails to contain the most important aspect of faith, the right hand of God the Father. The right hand is associated with power, to enact will. Since we saw yesterday that faith is a gift from God then it is surely given with the purpose of enacting God’s will.
Considering both uses we must understand that the faith God gives us is used in various ways and is not limited to simply belief. That is only one aspect of faith. Not all these uses of faith are simply understood. Bring up and nursing might be associated with our growth in Christ. To foster as a parent might speak to our adoption but we rarely connect adoption with faith, but there it is in the âman definition.