02.04 Differences Between First Century Roman-Greek And Jewish Worldviews

02.04.10 Divine Healing

Bill Heinrich  -  Jan 18, 2016  -  Comments Off on 02.04.10 Divine Healing

02.04.10 Divine Healing

Both Greeks and Jews believed that illnesses came into one’s life because of affliction or anger from the gods / God.  The Greeks, however, attributed sickness to bad luck, destiny, or displeasure of the gods. They also believed healing was available through the worship of Serasphis, Amphiaraus, Trophonios, and especially Aesculapius who apparently had at one point entered Jerusalem.[1]

It should be noted that in Hebrew and Aramaic there is no distinction between “body” and “soul.” Therefore, Jesus always healed the whole person. For that reason, when He healed people of physical diseases, He made comments such as “Your faith has saved you,” or “Go in peace.”[2]  In Matthew is the phrase “Lord have mercy” wherein the gospel writer makes it clear that the entire person was healed, not only the body.[3]

 

02.04.10 (2)

 

Early in the ministry of Jesus, people were healed who had no faith.  This was because Jesus was unknown to them, and they had no understanding that He was the Healer sent by God. In the course of time, after listening to His sermons and watching Him perform miracles, many came to Him because they had developed faith. Some were healed because of the faith of others (i.e. Mk. 2:5), while in some places He could perform few miracles because of their lack of faith.[4] Miracles are granted by the gracious love of God for the purpose of bringing people to Himself. Jesus never met a demon He could not exorcise or a sickness He could not heal; but He could not convert an unbeliever or skeptic who refused to believe who He was.

[1]. Kelsey, Healing and Christianity. 37.

 

[2]. i.e. Mk. 5:34; 10:52; Lk. 7:50.

 

[3]. Mt. 9:27-29, 15:22, 20:31.

 

[4]. i.e. Nazareth, see Mt. 13:58; Mk. 6:6.

 



02.04.11 Human and Divine Relationships

Bill Heinrich  -  Jan 18, 2016  -  Comments Off on 02.04.11 Human and Divine Relationships

02.04.11 Human and Divine Relationships            

The Greeks and Romans saw no need to have a covenant with their gods. Gods were considered a necessity, although the Greeks worshiped beauty, and the Romans, power.  Whatever happened in life was the result of fate, which was said to be cyclical, which in turn led to a strong belief in fatalism and astrology.

The Jews, on the other hand, had not only a covenant with God, but believed they were His special people living on land that was given to them by His divine command through Abraham. The Old Testament covenant, is in fact, a suzerainty covenant, which is defined as a covenant with unequal parties, where the stronger and more powerful party functions for the benefit of the weaker one.[1]

While the New Covenant or New Testament is also a suzerainty covenant, there are some notable differences.  For example, in the Old Testament, miracles were generally punitive, whereas those of Jesus were redemptive.  Yet Jesus did not come primarily as a miracle-worker, but He came to reveal the Father and to preach that the Kingdom of God was about to come to those who placed their faith in Him. Profound miracles of healing and raising the dead captured everyone’s attention to His Kingdom message.

[1]. Payne, “Covenant in the Old Testament.” 1:1102-03.

 



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