If you haven’t heard of the recent changes to New York’s abortion laws which now allow the termination of a growing fetus right up to the moment of delivery, then you’ve likely been living on a deserted island with no wi-fi. To be honest, I sometimes wish that’s exactly where I was when I hear news like this. It’s tragically barbaric. It also reminds me very profoundly that this world is not my home.
I avoid watching the news on purpose a lot. But at least once a month, I binge on it, updating myself on everything that’s been going on out there. Inevitably, there’s rarely anything good happening. I watch and learn, and I grow sad or angry or shocked.
I’m broken over this latest news. And sadly, my State will likely be the next one to jump on this bandwagon. We’re very progressive like that.
I say all of that to bring you to the real point of today’s blog: the word “fetus.”
This word is thrown around a lot, but I’m not certain everyone knows its origin. I didn’t. I also didn’t know if God had ever used it in his Word. Newsflash: He didn’t.
I looked up the word in several sources; the conclusion was the same in each. I will share two with you here:
Merriam-Webster’s definition:
: an unborn or unhatched vertebrate especially after attaining the basic structural plan of its kind
specifically : a developing human from usually two months after conception to birth— compare EMBRYO sense 1b
First Known Use of fetus
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The Online Etymology Dictionary
late 14c., “the young while in the womb or egg” (tending to mean vaguely the embryo in the later stage of development), from Latin fetus (often, incorrectly, foetus) “the bearing or hatching of young, a bringing forth, pregnancy, childbearing, offspring,” from suffixed form of PIE root *dhe(i)- “to suck.”
In Latin, fetus sometimes was transferred figuratively to the newborn creature itself, or used in a sense of “offspring, brood” (as in Horace’s “Germania quos horrida parturit Fetus”), but this was not the basic meaning. It also was used of plants, in the sense of “fruit, produce, shoot,” and figuratively as “growth, production.” The spelling foetus is sometimes attempted as a learned Latinism, but it is not historic.
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The first thing you should note is that the word “fetus” did not originate until the late 14th century, which would be the end of the 1300s. It was a Latin man-made word. Thus, those inspired by God to write the Bible would not have used this word. It didn’t exist. Still, by this definition, the originators of the word intended it to describe a life in the womb.
So what word was used in the Bible to describe an unborn child?
You may or may not be surprised to learn that the same word is used for both an unborn child, a newborn, an infant, and a toddler. You see, God makes no distinction.
Spiros Zodhiates is likely the most famous Greek etymologist of his day. He has compiled a full study of EVERY single word in the Bible as it was first written in its original language: Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament. If you have yourself a Bible with commentary from this man in the margins, you’ve got a true gem. I have used his study tools for years. This definition of the word “babe” or “baby” comes from his book, The Complete Word Study Dictionary. See screenshot.
The Lord uses the Greek word, bréphos, to define both a baby in the womb before birth and an infant afterwards. It is the word used to describe John the Baptist while he’s still in the womb (Luke 1:41, 44). It is the same word used to describe baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes after birth (Luke 2:12, 16).
Aside from this, the most interesting piece of information I discovered came from the book of Genesis: 25:22. Rebekah is pregnant with twins, Jacob and Esau, and as siblings do, already they are jostling with each other… in her womb. The word used for babies in this verse is the Hebrew word ben (ref. 1121), which occurs over 5000 times in the Old Testament. It’s definition is: Although the most basic meaning and general translation is son, the direct male offspring of human parents (Gen. 4-25; 27:32, Isa. 49:15), it is more generally a relational term because of its variety of applications. This word can express an adopted child (Ex. 2:10), children in general, male and female (Gen 3:16; 21:7; Ex. 21:5); descendants, such as grandsons (Josh. 22:24, 25, 27; 2 Kgs. 10:30), etc…
So the “fetuses” in Rebekah’s womb are called ben, human children. Interesting.
In conclusion, it’s very simple. God acknowledges human life in the womb. Before conception, there is merely a sperm and an egg. After conception, there is life. As far as I can comprehend, this is God’s ONLY plan for creating life. I’m going to accept his definition of it.
Thanks for reading,
Casey
“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.” Eccl. 11:5
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