What’s the evidence? What is evidence? Where is the evidence? The kind of evidence one searches for, or gathers would depend on the context and circumstances. In the context of a crime, those in authority, who know what to look for, must gather evidence to assess what happened: with the intent of finding out the truth.
In so-called “white collar crimes”, the evidence gathered would be different than, say, the death of a person in which the cause and circumstances were in question. Was the death accidental, intentional, of natural causes, medical malpractice etc? Then there is scientific evidence regarding a myriad of topics; usually there is a hypothesis: a question that needs an answer. By applying the scientific method, implying rigorous, empiric processes of experimentation, which gives objective data that is reproducible, certain conclusions can be made as to what is true regarding a particular topic.
In Western medicine, the history and physical exam leads to 90% of the diagnoses. The signs and symptoms, gathered from the patient, along with the appropriate physical examination, will gather most of the intellectual “evidence” for a physician to make the proper diagnosis and subsequently offer the correct medicine to the patient. Blood tests and other diagnostic tools such as MRIs, X-rays are confirmatory evidence of the thoughts of the physician.
So, what is evidence? As a noun it means: “the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid. Similar: proof, confirmation, verification, substantiation, corroboration”. As a verb it means to “be or show evidence of. Similar: indicate, show, reveal, be evident of, display, exhibit”. (1) How does the Bible define evidence? Unlike the Western Greek definition, the Hebraic meaning of words reflect their character and function and often have a deeper meaning than our typical English equivalent. Evidence: record: scribe, tell, declare, number, count, show, writer, speak, account, commune, reckon, talk. (2)
In the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon Bible, the pictographic representation of the word evidence is much richer in that the pictographs themselves are a story within a word. Moses, the first writer in the Bible, was given the text in pictographic form. Reading from the right to the left, the first pictograph, Samech, is symbolic of a thorn and one of its meanings is to grab hold. The next is the Peh, symbolic of the mouth which speaks, and the third letter is the Resh, symbolic of the head or mind. So, evidence is a record which involves all these other words that one holds on to, which speaks to the mind. The context can expand it even more.
In the New Testament the word evidence is mentioned only once and is more consistent with the Western understanding (the New Testament was translated into Greek from Hebrew). In Hebrews 11:1 the Apostle Paul says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”. In verse three he continues,
“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen (evidence) were not made of things which are visible”. (Emphasis supplied)
An expanded explanation of the word evidence in Greek form by the WordStudy Dictionary says,
“Conviction. Metonymically, meaning certain persuasion. In the sense of refutation of adversaries. Implies not merely the charge on the basis of which one is convicted, but the manifestation of the truth of that charge and the results to be reaped, also the acknowledgement, if not outwardly, yet inwardly, of its truth on the part of the accused”.
What is the evidence that there is a transformation of the mind (ref Philippians 2:5), which will allow us to do what Jesus said: we would do “greater works” than He did! (ref John 14:12) He, Jesus, said for those who “believe” are “baptized” and “saved” certain signs will follow.
Based on the Apostolic teaching, patterned after the Early Church (before 325 AD), which transforms the mind, The Voice of Healing is experiencing the prophecy of Jesus. The healing of cancers, deliverance from demonic possession, healing of scoliosis, spina bifida, third degree burns (new skin within one week of injury), the raising of the dead; this is the calling card of a Christian. But, more importantly is the transformation of the soul by the “implanted” Word, who is Christ, that saves us in order for us to become One with Him (ref James 1:21). Christ’s desire is to restore us completely in our “spirit, soul and body” (ref 1 Thes 5:23). The question is, do we have faith to believe the evidence? Until next time experience Him.
I’m Dr Roni, Shalom.
References:
- Oxford Dictionary
- Ancient Hebrew Lexicon Bible, word evidence
- WordStudy Bible Dictionary, word evidence
- All scripture references for the New King James Version