Reference: Medicine
Fausets
The physicians in Genesis 1 were Egyptian embalmers. Physic was often associated with superstition; this was Asa's fault, "he sought not unto Jehovah but to the physicians" (2Ch 16:12). Luke "the beloved physician" practiced at Antioch, the center between the schools of Cilicia (Tarsus) and Alexandria. Ecclesiastes (Ec 12:6) uses language which under the Spirit (whatever Solomon knew or did not know) expresses scientific truth: "the silver cord" is the spinal marrow, white and precious as silver, attached to the brain which is "the golden bowl." The "fountain" may mean the right ventricle of the heart, the "cistern" the left, the "pitcher" the veins, the "wheel" the aorta or great artery. The "wheel"' however may mean life in its rapid motion, as Jas 3:6, "the wheel of nature." The circulation of the blood is apparently expressed.
The washing's, the restriction in diet to clean animals and the prohibition of pork, the separation of lepers, the laws of marriage and married intercourse (Leviticus 15), the cleanliness of the camp (De 23:12-14), and the comprehension of all varieties of healthful climate in Palestine, account for Israel's general exemption from epidemics and remarkable healthiness. The healing art in the Old Testament seems mainly to consist in external applications for wounds, etc. balm abounded in Gilead, and therefore many physicians settled there. Jer 8:22, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health (lengthening out) of the daughter of my people gone up (Hebrew)?" i.e., why is not the long bandage applied? or why is not the health come up again, as skin coming up over a wound in healing? (See BALM.)
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And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: in such manner is the tongue placed among our members, that it defileth all the body, and setteth on fire the circle of nature; and is set on fire of hell.
Hastings
Palestine was probably a comparatively healthy country in Bible times, as it is now. Its natural features in most localities would protect it from the usual endemic diseases of Oriental lands, and its want of harbours would to a great extent prevent the importation of epidemics (contrast the reputation of Egypt, as attested by De 7:15; 28:50; Am 4:10); moreover, the legislation of the Priestly Code, if it was ever observed, would have operated to prevent the spread of disease, and the existence of far-reaching destitution. These provisions, and the common occurrence of external and internal warfare, must also have tended to eliminate overcrowding as a cause of disease; but the ratio of population to area in ancient times is very difficult to estimate; the figures in 1Ch 21:5 and 2Sa 4:9 are clearly untrustworthy.
1. Jews believed in a definite connexion between health and virtue (cf. Isa 58:8; Jer 8:15,22). Disease was popularly regarded as penal (Joh 9:2), and as sent by God either directly (Ex 4:11; De 32:39) or permissively by means of others (Job 2:7; Mr 9:17,25). It might also be caused by human envy (Job 5:2), or by bodily excess (Sir 37:30-31), but even so its vera causa was God's direct authorization.
Under these circumstances healing was treated as a token of Divine forgiveness (Ex 15:26). And the connexion of priest with physician was correspondingly close. On the whole, the medical knowledge of the Bible peoples was very defective; nor are there any traces of medical education in Palestine. Jacob was embalmed by Egyptian physicians (Ge 50:2), but there must probably have been some Jewish practitioners at the time when Ex 21:19 was compiled. The word in Jer 8:22 means a 'bandager.' The writer of 2Ch 16:12 seems to take the extreme view that it was a sin to consult physicians, but saner ideas are represented in Sir 38:2. Still, it may be doubted whether medical duties were not usually performed by priests (as in early Egypt), at any rate in the earlier OT times; certainly the priests had the supervision in the case of certain diseases, e.g. leprosy; and prophets also were applied to for medical advice (cf. 1Ki 14:2; 17:18; 2Ki 4:22; 20:7). And even in Sir 38:14 the physician is regarded as having certain priestly duties, and the connexion between religion and medicine is seen in the counsel, given in that same chapter, that repentance and an offering shall precede the visit of the physician. In the NT we have St. Luke described as a physician (Col 4:14), and a somewhat depreciatory remark on physicians in Mt 5:26, which, however, is much toned down in Lu 8:43.
It is therefore probable that up till late times medicine was in the charge of the priests, whose knowledge must have been largely traditional and empirical. The sacrificial ritual would give them some knowledge of animal morphology, but human anatomy can scarcely have existed as a science at all, since up to about a.d. 100 the ceremonial objections to touching or dissecting the dead prevailed. Thus Bible references to facts of anatomy and physiology are very few in number. Blood was tabooed as food (Ge 9:4; Le 17:11)
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But when he saw many of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, O ye broods of vipers! who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
And there went out a report of him into all Syria: and they brought unto him all who had illness, the afflicted with various diseases and painful complaints, and the demoniacs, and lunatics, and paralytics; and he healed them.
And there went out a report of him into all Syria: and they brought unto him all who had illness, the afflicted with various diseases and painful complaints, and the demoniacs, and lunatics, and paralytics; and he healed them.
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt in no wise come out from thence, till thou hast paid the last farthing.
and saying, My servant is lying in the house paralytic, terribly tormented with pain.
And, behold, there was a great tempest in the sea, so that the vessel was hid by the waves; but he was asleep.
But Jesus hearing it, said unto them, They who are in the vigour of health have no need of the physician, but they who have illness.
And, behold, a woman, who had an haemorrage twelve years, came behind, and touched the fringe of his garment:
And when they were coming out, behold, they brought unto him a man, dumb, a demoniac.
and, behold a man was there who had a withered hand. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
Then was brought to him a demoniac, blind and dumb; and he cured him, so as to enable the blind and dumb both to speak and see.
Ye broods of vipers, how can ye speak good things, yourselves being wicked? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Lord, have compassion on my son, for he is a lunatic, and suffers grievously; for oftentimes he falleth into the fire, and often into the water.
For there are eunuchs, who were so from their mothers' womb; and there are eunuchs, who have been made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that is capable of receiving, let him receive it.
Then the blind and the lame came unto him, into the temple, and he cured them.
Ye serpents, ye broods of vipers! how can ye escape from the damnation of hell?
naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye took care of me: I was in prison, and ye came to me.
they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and having tasted it, he refused to drink.
And immediately one of them, running, and taking a sponge, and filling it with vinegar, and fastening it to a pole, put it to him to drink.
AND he entered again into the synagogue; and a man was there who had a withered hand.
and had suffered much from many physicians; and had expended all she had, and was nothing better, but rather growing worse and worse;
And they bring him a deaf man, who could scarcely articulate; and they entreat him to put his hand upon him.
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring him a blind man, and entreat him that he would touch him.
And one of the people addressing him, said, Master, I have brought my son to thee, who hath a dumb spirit; and wherever he seizeth him, he throws him into strong convulsions: and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and pines away. And I spoke to thy disciples, that they should cast him out; and they were unable.
Then Jesus, seeing that the multitude were running up to him, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee, come out of him, and enter into him no more.
Then Jesus, seeing that the multitude were running up to him, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee, come out of him, and enter into him no more.
And they gave him to drink wine medicated with myrrh: but he received it not.
Then one ran, and filling a sponge with vinegar, fixed it round a cane, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone, let us see if Elias comes to take him down.
they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly potion, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover health.
And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he himself made signs to them, and continued deaf and dumb.
And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
He said, therefore, to the multitudes who came out to be baptised by him, Ye broods of vipers, who hath warned you to fly from the approaching wrath?
"The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for the work whereunto he hath anointed me; he hath sent me to preach glad tidings to the poor; to heal the contrite in heart; to proclaim liberty to the captives; and restore sight to the blind; to send forth the bruised free from bonds;
And he said unto them, Ye will probably say to me this parable, Physician, heal thyself! the works which we have heard to have been performed by thee at Capernaum, do the like here in thy own country.
Then rising up out of the synagogue, he came into the house of Simon: and Simon's mother-in-law was seized with a violent fever, and they besought him on her behalf.
Now he knew their thoughts, and said to the man who had the withered hand, Rise, and stand in the midst. And he arose, and stood up.
And a woman, who had a flux of blood, for twelve years, who had spent all her substance on physicians, and could not get a cure from any;
And a woman, who had a flux of blood, for twelve years, who had spent all her substance on physicians, and could not get a cure from any;
And her spirit returned, and she immediately arose; and he commanded to give her something to eat.
And, behold, a man from among the multitude cried out aloud, saying, Master, I pray thee, look upon my son; for he is my only begotten.
Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shalt in any wise hurt you.
and coming up to him, bound up his wounds, after pouring on them oil and wine; then setting him on his own beast, he led him to an inn, and took particular care of him.
And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb person spake, and the people marvelled.
And, behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and unable to raise herself at all up.
And he laid his hands upon her: and instantly she became erect, and glorified God.
And, behold, there was a certain man who had a dropsy, before him.
and there was a certain pauper, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate covered with ulcers,
And being in an agony, he prayed with greater intenseness: and his sweat was as clots of blood falling on the ground.
Then Pilate interrogated him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said to him, Thou sayest so.
Jesus saith unto her, I that am speaking to thee am he.
In these lay a vast multitude of infirm persons, blind, lame, withered, waiting the motion of the water.
The infirm man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is disturbed, to cast me into the pool: but when I am coming, another goeth down before me.
AND as he passed along, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples inquired of him, saying, Rabbi, who was in fault, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
So speaking, he spat on the ground, and made mud with the spittle, and anointed with the mud the eyes of the blind man;
NOW there was a sick man, Lazarus, of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
Now there was placed a vessel full of vinegar: they then filling a spunge with the vinegar, and putting it on a stick of hyssop, carried it to his mouth.
when a certain man who was lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple called Beautiful, to ask alms of those who were entering into the temple;
Then the young men arose, and swathed him up, and carrying him out, buried him. Now it came to pass at the distance of about three hours, his wife also, not knowing what had passed, came in. read more. And Peter addressed her, Tell me, if ye sold the estate for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have conspired together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? see, the feet of them who have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then she fell instantly at his feet, and expired: and the young men entering, found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her with her husband.
And he arose and went: and lo! an Ethiopian man, an eunuch, a person in power under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury; he had gone to worship unto Jerusalem,
And the men who travelled with him stood astonished, hearing indeed a voice, but seeing no man. Then Paul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.
And directly there fell from his eyes as it were scales: and he recovered sight instantly, and arose, and was baptised.
And found there a certain man named AEneas, during six years stretched on a bed, who was paralytic.
But it came to pass that in those days she sickened and died: having then washed her, they laid her out in an upper room.
But instantly the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not the glory to God: and being devoured with worms, he expired.
And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, seeing the sun no more for a season. And instantly there fell on him a thick mist and darkness; and groping about he sought some to lead him by the hand.
And a certain youth named Eutytchus, who sat in the window, fell into a profound sleep: as Paul discoursed much longer than usual, quite overpowered with sleep, he fell down from a third story, and was taken up dead.
But as Paul was gathering up a faggot of sticks, and laying them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
And it so happened that the father of Publius was then confined to his bed with an attack of fever and dysentery: unto whom Paul went in, and after praying, laid his hands upon him, and healed him.
WE then that are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of those who are feeble, and not to gratify ourselves.
For this cause many are diseased and infirm among you, and some asleep [in death].
What then was your blessedness, for I bear witness to you that, if it were possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and given them to me.
For sick indeed he was, nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.
Luke, the beloved physician, saluteth you, and Demas.
Till I come, apply to reading, to exhortation, to teaching. Neglect not the gift which is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with imposition of the hands of the presbytery. read more. Let these things be thy care; be wholly devoted to them; that thy progress may be evident to all men. Take heed unto thyself, and to thy doctrine; abide in them: for so doing thou shalt both save thyself, and those who hear thee.
confine thyself no longer to water-drinking; but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thy frequent indispositions.
Erastus hath abode at Corinth: but Trophimus I left behind me at Miletum sick.
Is any man sick among you? let him send for the presbyters of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
I advise thee to buy of me gold purified by the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white robes, that thou mayest be completely clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear; and anoint thine eyes with a collyrium, that thou mayest see.
Morish
On the banks of the future river that will flow from the sanctuary, trees will grow, of which it is said, "The fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine." Eze 47:12. This agrees with Re 22:2. The prophet Jeremiah twice observes that when God brings His judgements upon a people, no medicine will cure them. Jer 30:13; 46:11. Pr 17:22 says, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine," or 'promoteth healing.'
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In the midst of the street of it, even on this side, and on that of the river, grew the tree of life, producing twelve crops of fruit, and ripening its fruit in succession every month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Smith
Medicine.
Egypt was the earliest home of medical and other skill for the region of the Mediterranean basin, and every Egyptian mummy of the more expensive and elaborate sort involved a process of anatomy. Still we have no trace of any philosophical or rational system of Egyptian origin; still medicine in Egypt was a mere art or profession. Compared with the wild countries around them, however, the Egyptians must have seemed incalculably advanced. Representations of early Egyptian surgery apparently occur on some of the monuments of Beni-Hassan. Those who have assisted at the opening of a mummy have noticed that the teeth exhibited a dentistry not inferior in execution to the work of the best modern experts. This confirms the statement of Herodotus that every part of the body was studied by a distinct practitioner. The reputation of Egypt's practitioners in historical times was such that both Cyrus and Darius sent to that country for physicians or surgeons. Of midwifery we have a distinct notice,
and of women as its Practitioners, which fact may also be verified from the scriptures. The scrupulous attention paid to the dead was favorable to the health of the living. The practice of physic was not among the Jews a privilege of the priesthood. Any one might practice it, and this publicity must have kept it pure. Rank and honor are said to be the portion of the physician, and his office to be from the Lord. Ecclus. 38:1,3,12. To bring down the subject to the period of the New Testament, St. Luke, "the beloved physician," who practiced at Antioch whilst the body was his care, could hardly have failed to be convenient with all the leading opinions current down to his own time. Among special diseases named in the Old Testament is ophthalmia,
which is perhaps more common in Syria and Egypt than anywhere else in the world; especially in the fig season, the juice of the newly-ripe fruit having the power of giving it. It may occasion partial or total blindness.
The "burning boil,"
is merely marked by the notion of an effect resembling that of fire, like our "carbuncle." The diseases rendered "scab" and "scurvy" in
may be almost any skin disease. Some of these may be said to approach the type of leprosy. The "botch (shechin) of Egypt,"
De 28:27
is so vague a term as to yield a most uncertain sense. In
De 28:35
is mentioned a disease attacking the "knees and legs," consisting in a "sore botch which cannot be healed," but extended, in the sequel of the verse, from the "sole of the foot to the top of the head." The Elephantiasis gracorum is what now passes under the name of "leprosy;" the lepers, e.g., of the: huts near the Zion gate of modern Jerusalem are elephantissiacs. [LEPROSY] The disease of King Antiochus, 2 Macc. 9:5-10, etc., was that of a boil breeding worms. The case of the widow's son restored by Elisha,
See Leper, Leprosy
was probably one of sunstroke. The palsy meets us in the New Testament only, and in features too familiar to need special remark. palsy, gangrene and cancer were common in all the countries familiar to the scriptural writers, and neither differs from the modern disease of the same name. Mention is also made of the bites and stings of poisonous reptiles.
Among surgical instruments or pieces of apparatus the following only are alluded to in Scripture: A cutting instrument, supposed a "sharp stone,"
the "knife" of
The "awl" of
was probably a surgical instrument. The "roller to bind" of
was for a broken limb, and is still used. A scraper, for which the "potsherd" of Job was a substitute.
is a prescription in form. An occasional trace occurs of some chemical knowledge, e.g. the calcination of the gold by Moses,
the effect of "vinegar upon natron,"
; comp. Jere 2:22 The mention of "the apothecary,"
and of the merchant in "powders,"
shows that a distinct and important branch of trade was set up in these wares, in which, as at a modern druggist's, articles of luxury, etc., are combined with the remedies of sickness. Among the most favorite of external remedies has always been the bath. There were special occasions on which the bath was ceremonially enjoined. The Pharisees and Essenes aimed at scrupulous strictness in all such rules.
River-bathing was common but houses soon began to include a bathroom.
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Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread?
Then the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, Why do not thy disciples walk conformable to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?
But the Pharisee seeing it, marvelled, that he had not washed before dinner.