Sunday February 8th, 2015 5th Sunday after Epiphany Mark 1:29-39
And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. (verse 34)
In most other versions of the Bible, the word for “cured” in this verse (etherapeusen is the New Testament Greek word) is translated “healed.” There is a difference between curing and healing. While Jesus does cure the sick of their diseases in this and other gospel texts, he is doing much more. Healing is really what Jesus is about. Curing entails the removal of disease. Healing engages the whole person. It includes not just the physical body, but the emotional, social, psychological, spiritual, etc., dimensions as well-the whole person.
Jesus’ ministry is spiritual, flowing forth from his unity with the Father in the Spirit. We read in the next verse, “he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.” (verse 35) But it is a spiritual ministry not separate from all of life and the world. Jesus’ healing of us in faith and our healing of one another in the Spirit extend to all of life, the earth and society in the reign of God.
Healing God, may we know your healing power in our lives. May we be healing presences for one another and the earth. Amen. — TDW
Contributed by Holistic Healing
In most other versions of the Bible, the word for "cured" in this verse (etherapeusen is the New Testament Greek word) is translated "healed." There is a difference between curing and healing. While Jesus does cure the sick of their diseases in this and other gospel texts, he is doing much more. Healing is really what Jesus is about. Curing entails the removal of disease. Healing engages the whole person. It includes not just the physical body, but the emotional, social, psychological, spiritual, etc., dimensions as well-the whole person.
Jesus' ministry is spiritual, flowing forth from his unity with the Father in the Spirit. We read in the next verse, "he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed." (verse 35) But it is a spiritual ministry not separate from all of life and the world. Jesus' healing of us in faith and our healing of one another in the Spirit extend to all of life, the earth and society in the reign of God.
