Heal, Health

With characteristic realism the Bible accepts the prevalence in God's world of ill-health and affliction, although originally it had no place in God's plan, and declares that God who made us is our only healer. The fact the Lord is our healer echoes through patriarchs, law history, psalms, and prophecy. Psalm 103:1-5 traces among God's "benefits" the separate stages of convalescence.

That God alone heals remains true even though human and traditional means are used. "Physicians" embalmed Isaac ( Gen 50:2 ), and apparently practiced in early Israel ( Exod 21:19 ); later both doctors and healing balm were associated with Gilead ( Jer 8:22 ; cf. Luke 4:23, ; and probably Mark 2:17, ; for familiar proverbs ). Sirach 38:1-15 praises highly, if defensively, the physician's skill and prayerfulness when making diagnosis (contrast 2 Chron 16:12 ). Priests, too, as God's representatives bore medical responsibilities ( Lev 13:2-45 ), while prophets were consulted for medical advice and action ( 1 Kings 14:1-3 ; 17:17-24 ; 2 Kings 4:18-37 ; note 2 Kings 5:1-3 ; note 2 Kings 20:1-11 ). Naaman the Syrian vividly describes how a prophet was popularly expected to proceed ( 2 Kings 5:11 ). In New Testament times, Jewish exorcists practiced, evidently with some success ( Luke 11:19 ; Acts 19:13 ), and Luke became Paul's "beloved physician" ( Col 4:14 ).

Ordinary means of healing were of most diverse kinds. Balm ( Gen 37:25 ) is thought to have been an aromatic resin (or juice) with healing properties; oil was the universal emollient ( Isa 1:6 ), and was sometimes used for wounds with cleansing wine ( Luke 10:34 ). Isaiah recommended a fig poultice for a boil ( 38:21 ); healing springs and saliva were thought effectual ( Mark 8:23 ; John 5 ; 9:6-7 ). Medicine is mentioned ( Prov 17:22 ) and defended as "sensible" ( Sirach 38:4). Wine mixed with myrrh was considered sedative ( Mark 15:23 ); mint, dill, and cummin assisted digestion ( Matt 23:23 ); other herbs were recommended for particular disorders. Most food rules had both ritual and dietary purposes, while raisins, pomegranates, milk, and honey were believed to assist restoration.

One extraordinary means of healing is recorded in 2 Kings 4:25-37: Elisha first ordered that his staff be laid on the inert body of a child, and when that failed, he lay face to face upon the child until warmth and life returned. Nevertheless, ordinary or exceptional, agent and method were but channels of divine healing, which could operate efficiently without either ( 2 Kings 5:10-14 ).

The Healing Messiah. With this background, the prevalence of sickness in the ancient world, it was natural that hearts should hope for a better future, when sorrow and sighing would flee away ( Isa 29:17-19 ; 35:10 ). There is rabbinic evidence that some were looking for a Messiah who would heal the world's sickness. The Talmud later preserves among "signs of the Messiah" the portrait of "one in the midst of the suffering poor tending their wounds." This may look back for scriptural warrant to Isaiah's picture of the Servant of the Lord who would bear our griefs and carry our sorrows. That such a hope was current much earlier is shown by Matthew's quoting these words (in a variant version, 8:17 ) to "explain" the healing mission of Jesus. For Matthew understands "he took up our infirmities and carried our diseases" to mean, not that Jesus was sick, but that he was concerned about the sick.