Luke the physician and Divine Healing

[lesjude]

I did a count on the number of times Luke used the words heal, heals, healing, healed in his gospel and in Acts. He uses these words 27 times in Luke all but once referring to physical healing by divine means, only once for "medical" healing and that was a negative reference to their failure, and once for spiritual healing which can include physical healing in the meaning of the word as well.

In Acts he used these words 12 times: 11 for divine healing and once for spiritual healing, and again NEVER for "medical" healing.

He used the word whole meaning saved and healed from disease once in Luke for divine healing. He never used it for "medical" healing anywhere. The word whole meaning made well he used once in Acts and never to refer to "medical" healing.
The word saved meaning healed from sickness Luke uses once in his gospel referring to divine healing.

There is no Bible evidence to indicate Luke practiced or believed in anything but divine healing. In fact the evidence above indicates divine healing is what Luke believed and practiced, not "medical" healing.

Luke 8:43New King James Version (NKJV)

43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any,


This is the ONLY place Luke uses heal to refer to the physicians and this is a NEGATIVE reference. No where does he refer to their healing as positive and ALWAYS uses the word for divine healing.

Now as to the use of drugs for healing as presented by Luke. In Acts 8:9-10 it mentions a sorcerer. It is clear that by definition they used drugs to cure. He repented and stopped doing that. Luke did not defend the use of drugs but presented it as sin.
Here is what the Bible says about the same term Pharmakon/pharmakia which is translated as sorcery. The Greek means primarily use of medicine, drugs, spells, then poisoning, then sorcery according to Vine's Expository Dictionary of Bible Words The same word is used in Revelations 9:21, 18:23. In the Greek Septuagint in Ex. 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18 Isaiah 47: 9, 12.

No where in the Bible is this word EVER used in a positive way that would suggest a believer should be using this magical poison. The Greek word *sorcery in Acts 8:9 is mageuo which means "used sorcery" according to Vine's. It is clear that sorcerers used drugs. *Sorceries in Acts 9:11 is magia in Greek which is plural for the magic art or sorcery which includes the use of drugs.
Acts 19:18-19

New King James Version (NKJV)

18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced *magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.

* Magia-The magic art which used drugs.

Again the use of drugs is presented by Luke in the context of sin that is repented of.

The apostle Paul NEVER would have called Luke a physician meaning one who used drugs or other carnal means to heal. The use of these means is presented as sin in the Bible. Physician simply means healer so Paul must have meant Luke had the gift of divine healing without the use of drugs or other carnal means.


ALL drugs are POISON and harm the body in any amount. Luke became a powerful witness to and practitioner of divine healing. In fact Luke uses the word heal to mean divine healing more than any other gospel.

 

[james1523]

In Mark 2:17 Jesus said those who are sick need a physician.

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Acts 15:19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
Acts 15:20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
Acts 15:21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

1 Timothy 4:4 For everything God created is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
Acts 10:15 The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

Drugs are things

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 2:20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
Colossians 2:21 "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
Colossians 2:22 All these regulations refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are commands and doctrines of men.

Drugs are things that go into the mouth,sorceries may include the use of drugs (pharmakeus) in rituals and spells with potions.
That would not include drugs administered by a physician for the purpose of healing or even casual use such as caffeine or aspirin.

I am a firm believer that nothing is impossible with God including healing and divine health.
I also believe scripture that claims that nothing is unclean of itself.

 

[james1523]

To illustrate that God's divine healing is not always without the use of medicines consider that God said He would heal Hezekiah and God healed him by the use of medicine:
"And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered." (2 Kings 20:7)

 

[amadeus2]

ALL drugs are POISON and harm the body in any amount

Isn't this a bit of a stretch? Aren't "drugs" contained in foods that are both good and necessary for natural life and growth? Isn't nearly anything that a person consumes taken in too great amounts harmful to the body? If a person were to eat potatoes and water and nothing else, he might live for a long time, but what would happen to his body over time?

 

[Eddy Fire]

men

I think perhaps @lesjude is referring to artificial drugs primarily (I say primarily as you know that there are many natural potions that can harm or cause mind altering effects to intoxicate and to impair)
and that you know this from what he was writing?
the man wants to give glory to God Who is the Healer and has manifested His healing in Jesus Christ and His Body

men you also know that many, many - the majority - of drugs called medicines have side effects and can lead to other problems and for most - none of them heal

there is a huge difference between healing and getting better with the help of medicinal compounds

however
this statement needs backing up or throwing out:
so Paul must have meant Luke had the gift of divine healing

as with this one:
There is no Bible evidence to indicate Luke practiced or believed in anything but divine healing.

Luke wrote those books and diligently testified to what happened
that does not automatically qualify him as these statements suggest

 

[lesjude]

In Mark 2:17 Jesus said those who are sick need a physician.

The context is healing from sin. Jesus IS the great Physician Exodus 15:26 so He would not refer anyone to an earthly physician when He promises healing from sin and sickness with no exceptions only conditions.

 

[lesjude]

To illustrate that God's divine healing is not always without the use of medicines consider that God said He would heal Hezekiah and God healed him by the use of medicine:
"And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered." (2 Kings 20:7)

Figs are food not medicine and have no medicinal properties. The medical system does not use figs to treat boils or anything else.

 

[lesjude]

Acts 15:19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
Acts 15:20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
Acts 15:21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

1 Timothy 4:4 For everything God created is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
Acts 10:15 The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

Drugs are things

The context is food. Drugs are not food, ALL are compounds made by fallen man, and ALL harm the body in any amount. All drugs cause drug induced illness called "side effects" which more drugs are given for. If you believe your own use of scripture give thanks and drink arsenic.

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 2:20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
Colossians 2:21 "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
Colossians 2:22 All these regulations refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are commands and doctrines of men.

Drugs are things that go into the mouth,sorceries may include the use of drugs (pharmakeus) in rituals and spells with potions.
That would not include drugs administered by a physician for the purpose of healing or even casual use such as caffeine or aspirin.

That would most especially include drugs administered by a physician. At best they guess ot what to prescribe and the dosage. These guesses kill over 200,000 people a year and do permanent harm to MANY more. All drugs, including aspirin harm the body in ANY amount. Jesus provides drug free healing for His believers.

I am a firm believer that nothing is impossible with God including healing and divine health.
I also believe scripture that claims that nothing is unclean of itself.

That is very generous of you to say nothing is impossible for God. What you seem to be saying is that you would rather trust the #3 cause of PREVENTABLE death in the US to be drugged, cut up, or both and that God gave this murderous system to His bride. Please give scripture for this.
If you believe nothing is unclean of itself take strychnine or rub on some Poison Ivy.
Paul is talking about the restrictions of the OT law in Colossians which has nothing to do with drugs.

 

[lesjude]

Acts 15:19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.
Acts 15:20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
Acts 15:21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

1 Timothy 4:4 For everything God created is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
Acts 10:15 The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

Drugs are things

The context is food. Drugs are not food, ALL are compounds made by fallen man, and ALL harm the body in any amount. All drugs cause drug induced illness called "side effects" which more drugs are given for. If you believe your own use of scripture give thanks and drink arsenic.

Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 2:20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
Colossians 2:21 "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
Colossians 2:22 All these regulations refer to what is destroyed by being used up; they are commands and doctrines of men.

Drugs are things that go into the mouth,sorceries may include the use of drugs (pharmakeus) in rituals and spells with potions.
That would not include drugs administered by a physician for the purpose of healing or even casual use such as caffeine or aspirin.

That would most especially include drugs administered by a physician. At best they guess ot what to prescribe and the dosage. These guesses kill over 200,000 people a year and do permanent harm to MANY more. All drugs, including aspirin harm the body in ANY amount. Jesus provides drug free healing for His believers.

I am a firm believer that nothing is impossible with God including healing and divine health.
I also believe scripture that claims that nothing is unclean of itself.

That is very generous of you to say nothing is impossible for God. What you seem to be saying is that you would rather trust the #3 cause of PREVENTABLE death in the US to be drugged, cut up, or both and that God gave this murderous system to His bride. Please give scripture for this.
If you believe nothing is unclean of itself take strychnine or rub on some Poison Ivy.
Paul is talking about the restrictions of the OT law in Colossians which has nothing to do with drugs.

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

What you seem to be saying is that you would rather trust the #3 cause of PREVENTABLE death in the US to be drugged, cut up, or both and that God gave this murderous system to His bride.

I did not mention anything about trusting man or his medicines.

If you believe nothing is unclean of itself take strychnine or rub on some Poison Ivy.

Mark 16:18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

I believe it because God said it,that may not please my logical mind but believing God is one of the few real choices we have in life.

Paul is talking about the restrictions of the OT law in Colossians which has nothing to do with drugs

Paul is talking about things.

These were the only rules to the Gentiles by the apostles who were mere men.
Acts 15:20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.

I will simply not receive(from any man) any other yoke than the one Jesus laid upon me.

 

[farout]

That is very generous of you to say nothing is impossible for God. What you seem to be saying is that you would rather trust the #3 cause of PREVENTABLE death in the US to be drugged, cut up, or both and that God gave this murderous system to His bride. Please give scripture for this.
If you believe nothing is unclean of itself take strychnine or rub on some Poison Ivy.
Paul is talking about the restrictions of the OT law in Colossians which has nothing to do with drugs.

I am living proof that Jesus Christ heals people today. On June 16, 2004 I went to the Veterans Hospital ER, in Columbia, Missouri. I couls hardly walk with out almost passing out. I had a hard time breathing whild moving. The Doctor sent me for a CAT Scan. While waiting for the results, I was admitted to the hospital. When the doctor came with the results he said my oxygen level was 94% which was good, but both my lungs were nearly completely filled with emboli. (blood clots) The doctor said he did not understand why I was not in sever pain and bleeding from my lungs. My wife and I were told there was no hope that I would survive. I was given a blood shots to thin my blood as a last ditch effort. We were told to make the most of this time and get a will and plan my funeral. This was earth shaking for the medical staff. We called our pastor and had he come and anoint me with oil, and pray for me. IWe asked only to be in the center of the Lord's will. I was never left alone, and we waited and prayed. Family members came and spent time with me. One day after another and soon it was one week then two then three. After four weeks we called to ask for another CAT Scan because I was to be dead by now. On July 23. 2004 another CAT Scan was done. We waited for nearly two hours for someone to tell us something. Finally the doctor sent his nurse to give us the results of the CAT Scan. She told us that Medical Director of Radiology had personally verified there were no emboli (blood clots) present. No one could believe I survived. The Medical Director of Radiology is a christian and he said "By His Stripes you have been healed"

The very next week the Director of Radiology gave us the CAT Scans of June 16, 2004 and the last CAT Scans of July 23,2994. He said no one would believe us unless we had the Scans tp prove it. This is a healing only from God. Even today when I am seen by a new doctor for some reason, whenthey see the record of the emboli in my lungs they are astonished. This is completely true, and I give all the glory to Jesus Christ my Lord!

farout

 

[james1523]

Frankly the beliefs that we should not use medicine are dangerous. If that's the way one wishes to live that's their choice, but don't make others feel guilty using the name of God, for receiving the medical care or medicine that they may require.

 

[Eddy Fire]

james1523
I don't think that this thread is about that
it appears to be a study in and about the use of words in the Book of Acts and the Gospel of Luke?
It is wonderful to read farout's post about the healing from God that he received and even the doctor's response.

if what lesjude has presented is true about the references to healing that Luke made then we have something to be in awe of and to seek after in our lives, if it be God's will
by all means any may use the medical system of the world but let us also remember that we still might pray that God would intervene and we ask for prayer at times for others and we would all much rather receive healing from the Lord in every area of our lives and the lives of others than to have to go through the failing medical systems around the world.

let us encourage one another in love and let us seek the loving healing of the One Who loved us and gave His Son for us - His healing Love

using doctors may be an interim thing and may sometimes even help people but that is no reason to resist the wonderful gift of God and it is no reason that we should cease from looking to Him for a new and living better way.