HEALING FORGIVENESS SICKNESS SIN

HEALING AND FORGIVENESS: SICKNESS AND SIN

Virgil Warren, PhD

                        Four religious attitudes have been taken toward sickness. Most extreme, (1) sickness is an illusion, an idea associated with quasi-Christian groups and some Eastern thought. (2) Sickness indicates sinfulness. Passages like the following help avoid this mistake: the whole Book of Job; John 9:1-3ff.; Acts 28:1-6. There is not a correlation between a sin and a suffering (the “moralizing view of history”), nor is there a correlation between the degree of sinfulness and the degree of suffering (Psalm 73; Jeremiah 12:1-2; Malachi 3:15; Luke 13:1-5; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9). (3) Sickness is a feature of Satan’s rule that is overcome in Christ; consequently, Christians are freed from what characterizes the devil’s dominion. (4) Sickness is a continuing part of human life, potentially rather always overcome by prayer or miracle; its complete removal comes at the eschaton.

                        Despite passages like those noted, some Christians continue to correlate sin and suffering and therefore forgiveness and healing. Usually, the idea is not that a one-for-one correlation exists between a sin and a suffering in a causal sense (option #2 above). It is the somewhat freer belief that Christians should expect a high proportion of deliverance from sickness (options #3). Disease, deformity, and death are manifestations of the kingdom of darkness that Christ has conquered. Only in exceptional cases would there be any rationale for Christian suffering.

                        1. The first source of confusion is that scripture uses sickness to picture sin. Sin is to a society what disease is to the body; healing, then, is to disease what forgiveness is to sin. In the Old Testament, sickness as a figure for sinfulness is additionally integrated into Israel’s national calamities because God did not protect the nation when its people sinned. As the data below show, recovering from the ravages of war (national) correlates with recovering from wounds (physical), which correlates with forgiven sin (spiritual) pictured as healing.

                        2. A related source of confusion is that sin and sickness are combined in several texts; so a reader can misconstrue their connection. In a context about the atonement, (a) Isaiah 53 speaks of being healed by the stripes of one who took on himself our infirmities and bore our diseases. Matthew, in fact, cites Isaiah 53:4 in commenting on Jesus’ healings (8:17). Isaiah’s prediction must have some connection with Christ’s healing ministry, not just in the sense that sickness can figuratively represent sin, but in the sense that sickness is or can be overcome in him. An atonement-healing connection may be made, however, without having characteristic deliverance before the final resurrection. If suffering, sickness, and death came originally because of sin, then Christ’s solving the sin problem implies his solving the sickness and death problems as well. But even as death and calamity are not uniformly overcome this side of the consummation, so also disease and sickness are not uniformly overcome till then. Besides being indicative of divine sanction, first-century resurrections and healings were omens of that later uniformity; they were not the beginning of a present one. In the “now,” God has “appointed people . . . to die” (Hebrews 9:27). Whether by miracle or answered prayer, not everyone received healing for every malady even while Christ was here (2 Corinthians 12:7-10; 1 Timothy 5:23; 2 Timothy 4:20).

                              Mixing sin and sickness occurs also in (b) Mark 2:1-12, where four men lowered a paralytic through the roof to get Jesus to heal him, and Jesus forgave his sin (Mark 2:1-12). The link between healing and forgiveness here is not that the two coincide, but that in this instance Jesus used the former to prove he had the right to do the latter. (c) In Luke 13:1-5 Jesus disavows any correlation between the degree of sinfulness and the degree of suffering, but does tell his audience to repent or they will perish like those whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices and like the ones the tower of Siloam fell on.

                              (d) After healing a crippled man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:2-9), Jesus tells him sometime later to “sin no more lest a worse thing befall” him (5:14). Jesus may have said that lest the man succumb to pressure from the Pharisees to point out who had told him to carry his bedroll on the Sabbath (5:9b-13, 15-18). More likely he means that falling into sin is a worse fate than being crippled. At any rate, in both Luke 13 and John 5, Jesus uses suffering as a frame of reference for appreciating the destructive power of sin. Sin is worse than being crippled and more devastating than death by the sword or a collapsing tower. Most healings do not mention forgiveness, and Jesus pronounces forgiveness aside from healings—as in the case of the sinful woman who anointed his feet and wiped them with her hair (Luke 7:36-50). So, we need not correlate the frequency of the two.

                              When he tells the sick to call the elders, (e) James includes a comment about forgiveness (5:13-18). That forgiveness characteristically accompanies healing, nevertheless, is not said. The point may be that whenever people seek God in one way, they receive other benefits. Singing praise and sincerely praying for healing reveal the same attitude God requires for overlooking sin. Furthermore, inferring the uniformity of healing and forgiveness and a correlation between the two is not necessary because James’ promise is no more absolute than promises elsewhere about answered prayer generally (Matthew 21:21-22; cp. 17:19-20; Mark 10:23-24; John 15:16b; 16:23-24). James 5 is not talking, then, about miracle—with uniformity between attempt and success, nor is he saying that healing from prayer always occurs. Much less does he connect healing and forgiveness as if sin had caused that sickness or as if healing was as uniform as forgiveness. He only states a principle.

                              (f) Asa, king of Judah, is criticized in 2 Chronicles 16:11-14 for going to the doctors instead of the Lord. But the reason may be that he went only to them even though the kind of problem he had was nothing doctors of his day could handle. His failure to do so parallels his lack of resistance to idolatry in his realm. (See also Psalm 107:17-20 for a connection between sin, forgiveness, and healing.)

                        3. A third source of confusion is that we know sin does bring negative consequences. That is one reason it is sin: it is contrary to human nature and relationships. Sin associates with suffering in three ways. (a) Negative experiences come into human life indiscriminately because of the original sin. Death comes ultimately from sin; death and the experiences that tend toward it God put in the human condition as an act of grace—to force people to recognize their limitedness and their dependent position under him (Genesis 3:22-24; Romans 5:12-14). Death also brings evil people to an end. (b) Negative experiences come on some people because of the sins of other people. In the social situation, what one person does affects other persons. Finally, (c) negative experiences do come into a people’s life because of their own sin; sometimes they come by natural consequence and occasionally by divine punishment (Genesis 3; 6:5ff.; 18:16-21; 38:7, 8-11; Exodus 32:21-35; Leviticus 10:1-7; Numbers 14; 16; 21; Acts 5:1-11; 12:20-23; 13:4-12; and the Book of Jonah). The point is that not all negative consequences come from personal sin.

                        4. A fourth source of confusion is that from the standpoint of modern English, scripture mixes salvation and healing terminology. English uses healing for physical sores and wounds, but scripture uses healing for spiritual “salvation” as well—along with several other matters that need correcting. Christians use saving primarily for spiritual matters or from external dangers, but scripture uses saving to indicate physical healing as well. When English Christians read heal, they think of physical healing; and when they see save, they think of spiritual salvation. The cross-over in biblical terminology can cause them to associate being “saved” with being “healed.” That impulse reinforces the belief that sickness correlates with sin, that salvation includes delivery from both, and offers it now.

                        The following data show the range of New and Old Testament words for healing physical maladies, deformities, wounds, sickness, and disease, as well as the inability to conceive children. It applies to emotional conditions, spiritual lostness, political upheaval, chemical contamination, ceremonial uncleanness, and demonic possession. The New Testament terms are ἰάομαι/ἴασις/ἴαμα, and θεραπεύω; the Old Testament root is רפה.

 I. Physical

                  A. Specific physical maladies                                        

                        athlete’s foot/gangrene?: 2 Chronicles 16:12

                        boils: Leviticus 13:18; Deuteronomy 28:27; 2 Kings 20:5, 8 (+ 20:7)

                        dropsy: Luke 14:3a, 4

                        dysentery: Acts 28:8

                        epilepsy: Matthew 4:24a

                        itch: Leviticus 13:27; Deuteronomy 28:27

                        leprosy: Leviticus 14:3; Numbers 12:13; Luke 17:15

                        menstrual bleeding: Mark 5:28 (= Luke 8:47)

                        palsy: Matthew 8:7a; 8:8 (= Lk. 7:7); Luke 5:17; Acts 9:34

                        scurvy: Deuteronomy 28:27

                        severe weight loss (“withering away”): Psalm 6:2 (3)

                  B.  Specific physical handicaps

                        blindness: Matthew 12:22a; 15:30a; 21:14a

                        lameness/crippledness (χωλός, παραλυτικός, κυλλός): Matthew 4:24a; 15:302a;   

                              21:14a; John 5:13; Acts 3:11; 4:22; Hebrews 12:13;

                        muteness/deafness: Matthew 12:22a; 15:30

                        withered hand: Matthew 12:10a [= Mark 3:2a]

                  C. Wounds

                        from a whip: Isaiah 53:5

                        injury: Exodus 21:19, 21

                        “wounds”: Deuteronomy 32:39; 2 Kings 8:29; 9:15; 2 Chronicles 22:6; Job 5:18; Isaiah 30:26 (as a figure for general prosperity in the land); Jeremiah 15:18 (fig.); 30:17 (fig.); 51:8; Hosea 5:13 (fig.); 6:1

                        healing vs. smiting: Isaiah 19:22

                        pains/torments: Matthew 4:24a 

                        Malchus’ severed ear: Luke 22:51

                        crucifixion: Luke 4:23 (= 23:35?)

                  D. Restoring the ability to produce children: Genesis 20:17

                  E.   “Sickness(es)”: Psalm 107:20 + 17-19; Ezekiel 34:4; Hosea 5:13; Matthew 4:23a (μαλακία); 8:16a [= Mark 1:34] (κακῶς ἔχοντες); Matthew 9:35a (μαλακία); 10:1a (μαλακία), 8a; 14:14a (ἄρρωστοι); Mark 6:5a (ἄρρωστοι); Luke 9:2 (ἀσθενής); John 4:47 (ἀσθενέω); 5:5 (ἀσθένειαι) “diseases”: Exodus 15:26; Psalm 103:3; Matthew 4:23a, 24a; 9:35a; 10:1a; Mark 1:34a; 3:10a (μάστιξ); Luke 8:16 (νόσοι)

                  F.   What prevents dying: Psalm 30:2 (3); Ecclesiastes 3:3 (healing vs. butchering?)

                  G. “Physicians”: Genesis 50:22 (embalmers); Job 13:4 (fig.); Jeremiah 8:22 (fig.)

                  H.  General reference: Matthew 12:15; 19:2; Luke 9:11; Acts 4:30; James 5:16

II. Emotional

                  brokenheartedness: Psalm 147:3; Luke 4:18 < Isaiah 61:1 (Septuagint—LXX)

III. Spiritual

                  backsliding: Jeremiah 3:22; Hosea 14:4 (5)

                  sin: Isaiah 6:10 (fig.); 57:18-19; Jeremiah 17:14?; Matthew 13:15 [= Jn. 12:40 = Acts

                        28:27] < Isaiah 6:10

                  “heal the soul”: Psalm 41:4 (5)

IV. Ceremonial

                  2 Chronicles 30:20: because of special circumstances on one occasion during Hezekiah’s reign, God granted ceremonial cleanness to some people who had not purified themselves according to the Law for observing the Passover. The text calls granting that ceremonial cleanness, “healing.”

V. Political

                  “heal Babylon”: Jeremiah 51:8, 9

                  “heal the city”: Jeremiah 33:6 (independence?)

                  “heal Israel/Ephraim”: Hosea 7:1; 11:3

                  “heal the land”: 2 Chronicles 7:14

                  “heal nations”: Revelation 22:2a

                  political unrest: Jeremiah 6:14 = 8:11

                  heal from the ravages of warfare: Jeremiah 8:22 (Is “heal the daughter of Zion”

                        figurative for recovering from the ravages of war?)

VI. Demonic

                  possession: Matthew 4:24a; 12:22a; 15:21-28 (cp. Mark 7:24-30); 17:16a, 18a; Luke

                        6:18a; 9:42

                  oppression: Acts 10:38

VII. Miscellaneous

                  Repairing inanimate objects

                        broken vessels: Jeremiah 19:11

                        an altar: 1 Kings 18:20

                        breaches in a wall: Psalm 60:2 (4); Lamentations 2:13

                        broken things: Zechariah 11:16

                  Getting rid of a fungus (?) in the walls of a house: Leviticus 14:48

                  Making water drinkable: 2 Kings 2:21, 22 (poisoned?); Ezekiel 47:8, 9, 11

                        (brackish?)

                  The New Testament data for saving (σῴζω, sōιzō) is less complex. In the gospels it usually indicates saving from something besides sin. In the epistles, however, saving almost always refers to saving from sin. The data can be arranged as follows:

 I. Spiritual: salvation from sin

                  Matthew 1:21; 10:22; 18:11; 19:25; 24:13 (= Mark 13:13); Mark 8:35b (= Luke 9:24b); 10:26; 13:13; 16:16; Luke 8:12; 13:23; 18:26; 19:10; John 3:17; 5:34; 10:9; 12:47; Acts 2:21, 40, 47; 4:12; 11:14; 15:1, 11; 16:30, 31; Romans 5:9, 10; 8:24; 9:27; 10:9, 13; 11:14, 26; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 21; 3:15; 5:5; 7:162; 9:22; 10:33; 15:2; 2 Corinthians 2:15; Ephesians 2:5, 8; 1 Thessalonians 2:16; 2 Thessalonians 2:10; 1 Timothy 1:15; 2:4, 15; 4:16; 2 Timothy 1:9; 4:18; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 7:25; James 2:21; 2:14; 4:12; 5:20; 1 Peter 3:21; 4:18; Jude 23

 II. Physical: salvation from things other than sin

                  from death: in the sea (Matthew 8:25; 14:30; Acts 27:20, 31), in warfare (Matthew 24:22 = Mk. 13:20), by crucifixion (Matthew 27:40/42/49 = Mark 15:30/31 = Luke 23:35/37/39; John 12:27; Hebrews 5:7), from sickness (Mark 5:23; John 11:12);

                  from menstrual bleeding: Matthew 9:21, 222 (= Mark 5:28, 34; Luke 8:48, 50)

                  life: Matthew 16:25 (= Mark 8:35a = Luke 9:24a); Mark 3:4 (= Luke 6:9)

                  general: Mark 6:56

                  blindness: Mark 10:52 (= Luke 18:42)

                  lameness: Acts 4:9 (+ 3:2); 14:9

                  sickness: James 5:15

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