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Religious rules
against contact with sickness, blood and death limited the development of the
healing arts in ancient Jerusalem. The
Jewish people looked upon physicians with suspicion because Jewish men could
not enter the temple unless they were in a state of ritual purity. Men avoided contact with the sick and left
anointing to women who were not allowed in the sanctuary of the temple.
There are three
words for healing in Greek. Therapeuo
is used for the idea of caring for the sick, treating illness and curing
disease. This was typically practiced by
women and is the forerunner of the nursing and medical professions. Sozo expresses the idea of restoring the
spirit, salvation and deliverance from sin.
This type of healing was offered only by the priests in ancient
Jerusalem and is still practiced by Jewish, Catholic and Orthodox priests
today.
The word iaomai or
iama is used for the idea of miraculously healing. This is the word used to describe the healing
power and exorcism that Jesus practiced and taught. The Jewish priests considered miraculous
healing to be a form of magic or sorcery, and punished those who practiced
it. The miraculous healing of Jesus and
his followers disturbed the religious and secular authorities more than their
preaching. They were put to death
because of it. Yet, the popularity of
the practice grew nonetheless.
