Difference between revisions of "Doubt"

<p> <b> [[Doubt]] </b> </p> <p> In Lat. <i> dubitare </i> , from <i> duo </i> ‘two’ and <i> bito </i> ‘go’; Germ. <i> Zweifeln, Zweifel </i> ; from <i> zwei </i> , ‘two’; Mid. English <i> douten </i> , ‘to doubt,’ had the meaning of <i> to fear </i> (‘I doubt some foul play’ [Shakspeare], ‘nor slack her threatful hand for danger’s doubt’ [Spenser]), and this meaning, perhaps, survives in such expressions as ‘I doubt he will not come.’ But, as commonly used, <i> to doubt </i> means <i> to be of two minds, to waver, to hesitate </i> . It suggests the idea of perplexity; of being at a loss, in a state of suspense. The questioning attitude is implied. The word has, in short, a variety of meanings. </p> <p> <i> References in the [[Gospels]] </i> .—The word ‘doubt’ occurs several times in Authorized Version and Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885. It is used, however, to translate several Greek terms; nor are these invariably rendered by the word in question. A study of the respective passages reveals differing circumstances and conditions, different types of character, a variety of subjects exercising the mind. Doubt in several phases is in illustration. </p> <p> ( <i> a </i> ) The doubt of perplexity. Thus in &nbsp;Mark 6:20, &nbsp;Luke 24:4, &nbsp;John 13:22—where the verb ἀπορέω occurs (the strengthened compound διαπορέω is found in &nbsp;Luke 9:7). There is no question in these passages of the apprehension of religious truth; the idea suggested is rather that of being taken aback, disturbed, distracted, by the unintelligible and the unexpected. Herod is ‘much perplexed’ (&nbsp;Mark 6:20 Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885, cf. &nbsp;Luke 9:7) as he listens to the Baptist, as reports reach him concerning Jesus; he is puzzled, at a loss for explanations. And thus in &nbsp;John 13:22 ‘the disciples looked one upon the other, doubting of whom he spake’; the unexpected statement has bewildered them. [[Similar]] feelings may be recognized in the case of the women at the sepulchre (&nbsp;Luke 24:4); they are ‘much perplexed’; utterly unable, that is, to account for the empty tomb. A like meaning may, perhaps, be read into the ‘how long dost thou hold us in suspense?’ of &nbsp;John 10:24 (τὴν ψυχὴν ἠμῶν αἴρεις): the [[Jews]] being understood as professing an uncertainty which could be at once dispelled by some plain declaration on the part of Jesus. </p> <p> ( <i> b </i> ) [[Wavering]] faith. A second group of passages, where the verbs μετεωρίζεσθαι and διστάζειν occur, has now to be considered. Again the word ‘doubt’ is found in Authorized Version and Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885, but with reference to a mental condition other than that which has been noted in the preceding paragraph. A religious significance is now observable; the existence of faith is implied, but it is an imperfect, a wavering faith. Because of distractions of one kind or another, confidence is impaired. The doubters referred to are sometimes the ὀλιγόπιστοι; their faith not only wavering but small. Thus in &nbsp;Luke 12:29 ‘neither be ye of doubtful mind’ (καὶ μὴ μετεωρίζεσθε), the context supplies the explanation: anxiety about earthly things is incompatible with absolute trust in the Fatherhood of God. So also in &nbsp;Matthew 14:31 ‘wherefore didst thou doubt?’ (εἰς τί ἐδίστασας;), where St. Peter’s confidence has given way before sudden panic. And thus, perhaps, in &nbsp;Matthew 28:17 ‘but some doubted’ (ἐδίστασαν). What, precisely, the condition of these genuine disciples was is difficult to determine, but it was one which left them unreceptive while others were convinced of a manifestation of the living Lord. With this passage may be compared &nbsp;Luke 24:38; the διαλογισμοί ( Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ‘reasonings’) being significant of fearsome hesitation on the part of those who could not at once realize that the mysterious visitor was none other than Jesus Himself. </p> <p> ( <i> c </i> ) The critical attitude. This is implied by the verb διακρίνεσθαι; a term which, as used in NT, denotes the absence of faith, the paralysis of faith. It occurs but twice in the Gospels (&nbsp;Matthew 21:21, &nbsp;Mark 11:23); where the power of faith is, by implication, contrasted with the impotency which is involved in the want of faith. [[Thought]] seems to be directed to the inevitable consequence of regarding [[Divine]] things as a subject for curious investigation rather than as matter of personal concern. On the one hand, there is the emphatic declaration which may be expressed in the words of Bacon, ‘Man, when he resteth and assureth himself upon divine [[Protection]] and Favour, gathereth a [[Force]] and Faith [in its sense of fidelity] which Human Nature, in its selfe, could not obtaine.’ On the other hand, there is the implied warning that, as the vision of God darkens and vanishes, man’s capacity for useful action becomes weaker, until at length it dies away. </p> <p> [For discussion of ‘the doubt of Thomas’ See [[Thomas]] and Unbelief]. </p> <p> Literature.—Lyttelton, <i> Modern [[Poets]] of Faith, Doubt, and [[Paganism]] </i> ; Illingworth, <i> [[Christian]] Character </i> ; James, <i> The Will to [[Believe]] </i> ; Carlyle, <i> Sartor Resartus </i> ; Browning, <i> Christmas-Eve and Easter-Day </i> ; Tennyson, <i> In Memoriam </i> (edited, with commentary, by A. W. Robinson); Jowett, <i> Sermons </i> . </p> <p> H. L. Jackson. </p>

<p> '''''dout''''' : This word, found only a score of times in the Bible, translates nevertheless about half as many different [[Hebrew]] and Greek originals with a corresponding variety of meanings. </p> <p> In &nbsp;Genesis 37:33 "without doubt" is to be taken in the common sense of "certainly"; in &nbsp; Job 12:2 in the sarcastic sense of "indeed!" In &nbsp; Daniel 5:12 , &nbsp;Daniel 5:16 , it is used as a difficult problem or mystery to be explained, and these are the only cases of its employment in the Old Testament. </p> <p> In the New [[Testament]] it is about equally used to translate διαπορέω , <i> '''''diaporéō''''' </i> , and διακρίνω , <i> '''''diakrı́nō''''' </i> , and their cognates. The first means "to be without resource," "utterly at a loss," "nonplussed"; and the second, "to judge diversely." For the first, see &nbsp;John 13:22; &nbsp;Acts 2:12 the King James Version; &nbsp; Acts 5:24 the King James Version; &nbsp; Acts 10:17 the King James Version; &nbsp; Acts 25:20 the King James Version; and &nbsp; Galatians 4:20 the King James Version. For the second see &nbsp; Matthew 21:21; &nbsp;Mark 11:23; &nbsp;Acts 10:20; &nbsp;Romans 14:23 . The last-named is deserving of particular attention. "He that doubteth is condemned (the King James Version "damned") if he eat," means that in a case of uncertainty as to one's Christian liberty, it were better to err on the side of restraint. In &nbsp;Luke 12:29 "to be of doubtful mind" ( μετεωρίζω , <i> '''''meteōrı́zō''''' </i> , literally, "to suspend"; see Thayer, under the word), means "to be driven by gusts," or "to fluctuate in mid-air." </p> <p> Here, as in &nbsp;Matthew 14:31 , "doubt" does not indicate a lack of faith, but rather "a state of <i> qualified </i> faith": its weakness, but not its absence. </p> <p> In &nbsp;John 10:24 "doubt" translates αἴρω ψυχήν , <i> '''''aı́rō psuchḗn''''' </i> , which literally means "to lift up the soul" or "to keep one in suspense"; so the Revised Version (British and American). See also [[Disputation]] . </p>

<p> (dubito, to go two ways). "Man knows some things and is ignorant of many things, while he is in doubt as to other things. Doubt is that state of mind in which we hesitate as to two contradictory conclusions, having no preponderance of evidence in favor of either. Philosophical doubt has been distinguished as provisional or definitive. Definitive doubt is skepticism. Provisional or methodical doubt is a voluntary suspending of our judgment for a time, in order to come to a more clear and sure conclusion. This was first given as a rule in philosophical method by Des Cartes, who tells us that he began by doubting everything, discharging his mind of all preconceived ideas, and admitting none as clear and true till he had subjected them to a rigorous examination. Doubt is some degree of belief, along with the consciousness of ignorance, in regard to a proposition. Absolute disbelief implies knowledge: it is the knowledge that such or such a thing is not true. If the mind admits a proposition without any desire for knowledge concerning it, this is credulity; if it is open to receive the proposition, but feels ignorance concerning it, this is doubt. As knowledge increases, doubt diminishes, and belief or disbelief strengthens (Taylor, [[Elements]] of Thought)." — Fleming, Vocabulary of Philosophy, Phila. 1860. (See Des Cartes); (See [[Scepticism]]). </p>