Early Christian Beliefs About Medical Science and Healing

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

For since the science of medicine is useful and necessary to the human race, and many are the points of dispute in it respecting the manner of curing bodies, there are found, for this reason, numerous heresies confessedly prevailing in the science of medicine among the Greeks, and also, I suppose, among those barbarous nations who profess to employ medicine.

Arnobius, Against the Heathen Direct teaching

For if they have at any time ordered, as is reported, either that medicine or a special diet be given to some, or that a draught be drunk off, or that the juices of plants and of blades be placed on that which causes uneasiness or have ordered that persons should walk, remain at rest, or abstain from something hurtful — and that this is no great matter, and deserves no great admiration, is evident, if you will attentively examine it — a similar mode of treatment is followed by physicians also, a creature earth-born and not relying on true science, but founding on a system of conjecture, and wavering in estimating probabilities.

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching

What other action worthy of divine honours, except the healing of Hippolytus, did Æsculapius perform, whose birth also was not without disgrace to Apollo?

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Direct teaching

Who is the Physician? God, who heals and makes alive through His word and wisdom.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Honour the physician for his usefulness, says the Scripture, for the Most High made him;

Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus Supporting witness

And what sick person can be healed, unless first he trusts himself to the care of the physician?

Athenagoras, The Resurrection of the Dead Supporting witness

nor the physician introduce any wholesome medicines into the body that needed his care, if he did not previously remove the disease within, or stop that which was approaching.

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

...btain what he chooses. For although, in the diseases and wounds of the body, there are some that no medical skill can cure, we hold that in the mind there is no evil so strong that it cannot be overcome by the Supreme Word and God. For the Word is stronger than all the evils in the soul, and the healing power that dwells in Him. This healing, according to the will of God, He applies to every man. The consummation of all things is the destruction of evil. But whether it will be so destroyed that it can never arise again anywhere is beyond our present purpose to say. Many things are spoken obscurely in the prophecies about the total destruction of evil and the restoration of every soul to righteousness. But for our present purpose, it will be enough to quote the following passage from Zephaniah: “Prepare and rise early; all the gleanings of their vineyards are destroyed. Therefore wait upon Me, says the Lord, on the day that I rise up for a testimony. For My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kings, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger. For all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy. For then I will turn to the

Lactantius, The Divine Institutes Direct teaching

He will give true and lasting health. This remedy should be sought by all, inasmuch as the soul is harassed by greater danger than the body, and a cure should be applied as soon as possible to secret diseases.

Tatian, Address to the Greeks Supporting witness

If any one is healed by matter, through trusting to it, much more will he be healed by having recourse to the power of God.

Tatian, Address to the Greeks Supporting witness

Even if you be healed by drugs (I grant you that point by courtesy), yet it behooves you to give testimony of the cure to God.

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

I indeed, from no wish to flatter Christianity, but from a desire thoroughly to examine the facts, would say that even those who are engaged in the healing of numbers of sick persons, do not attain their object — the cure of the body — without divine help;

Tertullian, On Prayer Supporting witness

For what has God, who requires it, ever denied to prayer that comes from spirit and truth? We read, and hear, and believe, what mighty proofs of its power there are. In old times, prayer did indeed free people from fires, Daniel 3, and from beasts, Daniel 6, and from famine. And yet at that time it had not received its form from Christ. But how much more fully effective is Christian prayer! It does not place the angel of dew in the midst of fires, or muzzle lions, or transfer the farmers' bread to the hungry, 2 Kings 4:42-44. It has no grace given to it to keep away any sense of affliction. But it supplies the suffering, and the feeling, and the grieving, with endurance. It increases grace by virtue, so that faith may know what she obtains from the Lord, understanding what, for God's name's sake, she suffers. But in former days, prayer also used to call down plagues, scatter the armies of enemies, and withhold the wholesome influence of the showers. Now, however, the prayer of righteousness turns away all God's anger, keeps camp on behalf of personal enemies, and makes supplication on behalf of persecutors. Is it any wonder if it knows how to obtain the rains of heaven, when it was

James 5:14 Direct teaching

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

James 5:15 Direct teaching

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

... that the Lord may strengthen and confirm them. Let us pray for our brothers who are afflicted with sickness, that the Lord may deliver them from every sickness and every disease, and restore them healthy to His holy Church. Let us pray for those who travel by water or by land. Let us pray for those who are in the mines, in banishment, in prisons, and in chains for the name of the Lord. Let us pray for those who are afflicted with bitter slavery. Let us pray for our enemies and those who hate us. Let us pray for those who persecute us for the name of the Lord, that the Lord may calm their anger and scatter their wrath against us. Let us pray for those who are outside and have wandered out of the way, that the Lord may convert them. Let us remember the infants of the Church, that the Lord may perfect them in His fear and bring them to full age. Let us pray for one another, that the Lord may keep and preserve us by His grace to the end, and deliver us from the evil one, and from all the scandals of those who work iniquity, and preserve us for His heavenly kingdom. Let us pray for every Christian soul. Save us and raise us up, O God, by Your mercy. Let us rise up, and let us pray e

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Direct teaching

Remember, O Lord, the sick and afflicted, and those troubled by unclean spirits, their speedy healing from You, O God, and their salvation.

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Supporting witness

For those who are in old age and infirmity, for the sick and suffering, and those who are troubled by unclean spirits, for their speedy cure from God and their salvation;

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. Mark Direct teaching

Look down in mercy and compassion, O Lord, and heal the sick among Your people.

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. Mark Supporting witness

raise the fallen; confirm the wavering; heal the sick;

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

which matter, dearest brother, it is our business to advise for and to aid in, since we who consider the divine clemency, and hold the balance in governingthe Church, do thus exhibit the rebuke of vigour to sinners in such a way as that, nevertheless, we do not refuse the medicine of divine goodness and mercy in raising the lapsed and healing the wounded.

Mark 6:13 Direct teaching

And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Exodus 29:7 Background

You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...rward baptize him with water, and at the end you shall seal him with the ointment. In this way, the anointing with oil may be the participation of the Holy Spirit, the water the symbol of the death of Christ, and the ointment the seal of the covenants. But if there is neither oil nor ointment, water is enough for the anointing, for the seal, and for the confession of Him who is dead, or rather of the one dying together with Christ. But before baptism, let him who is to be baptized fast. For even the Lord, when He was first baptized by John and remained in the wilderness, afterward fasted forty days and forty nights. But He was baptized and then fasted, because He Himself had no need of cleansing, or of fasting, or of purification, since He was by nature pure and holy. Rather, He did it so that He might bear witness to the truth to John and give an example to us. Therefore our Lord was not baptized into His own passion, or death, or resurrection, for none of those things had yet happened, but for another purpose. Therefore, by His own authority He fasted after His baptism, as being the Lord of John. But he who is to be initiated into His death ought first to fast and then to be b

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

...at the person who is baptized should be anointed, so that, after receiving the chrism, that is, the anointing, he may be anointed by God and have in himself the grace of Christ. Further, it is from the Eucharist that the baptized are anointed with the oil sanctified on the altar. But one who has neither an altar nor a church cannot sanctify the created thing of oil. Therefore there also can be no spiritual anointing among heretics, since it is clear that among them the oil cannot be sanctified nor the Eucharist celebrated at all. But we ought to know and remember that it is written, “Let not the oil of a sinner anoint my head,” which the Holy Spirit warned about beforehand in the Psalms, lest anyone who has gone out of the way and wandered from the path of truth should be anointed by heretics and adversaries of Christ. Besides, what prayer can a priest who is impious and a sinner offer for a baptized person? Since it is written, “God does not hear a sinner; but if any man is a worshiper of God and does His will, him He hears.” John 9:31 Moreover, who can give what he himself does not have? Or how can he carry out spiritual acts when he himself has lost the Holy Spirit? And there

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

...drug that stirs up the passions. Rubbing yourself all over with ointment is entirely different from anointing yourself with ointment. The first is effeminate, but anointing with ointment is beneficial in some cases. So Aristippus the philosopher, when he had been anointed with ointment, said that the miserable Cinœdi deserved to perish miserably because they had brought the useful practice of ointment into bad repute. "Honor the physician for his usefulness," says the Scripture, "for the Most High made him," and "the art of healing is of the Lord." Then it adds, "And the compounder of ointments will make the mixture," since ointments have clearly been given for use, not for sensual pleasure. For we must not care about the stimulating qualities of ointments, but choose what is useful in them, since God has allowed oil to be produced to lessen human pain.

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

37 Mark 6:13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick with oil, and healed them.

Matthew 10:1 Direct teaching

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Matthew 10:8 Supporting witness

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Acts 5:16 Supporting witness

The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Matthew 8:16 Supporting witness

That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.

Matthew 4:24 Supporting witness

And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Acts 28:8 Supporting witness

It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching

...ound that Jesus our Christ was foretold as coming, being born of a virgin, growing up to adulthood, healing every disease and sickness, raising the dead, being hated and unrecognized, crucified, dying, rising again, ascending into heaven, and being called the Son of God. It is also predicted that certain people would be sent by Him to every nation to announce these things, and that people would believe in Him more among the Gentiles than among the Jews. He was predicted before He appeared, first 5000 years before, then 3000, then 2000, then 1000, and again 800 years before; for through the generations, prophets arose one after another.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

...ense judgment to the humble, and reprove the arrogant of the earth.” Again, Isaiah, prophesying His anointing and the reason for it, says, “The Spirit of God is upon Me, because He has anointed Me: He has sent Me to preach the Gospel to the lowly, to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, and sight to the blind; to announce the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance; to comfort all who mourn.” Since the Word of God was man from the root of Jesse, and a son of Abraham, the Spirit of God rested upon Him, anointing Him to preach the Gospel to the lowly. But as He was God, He did not judge by appearances, nor reprove with mere words. For “He needed no one to testify about man, for He Himself knew what was in man.” He called all who mourn, and by granting forgiveness to those captivated by their sins, He freed them from their chains, of whom Solomon says, “Everyone is held by the cords of his own sins.” Therefore, the Spirit of God descended upon Him, the Spirit promised by the prophets who said He would anoint Him, so that we, receiving from the abundance of His anointing, might be saved. This, then, is the testimony of Matthew.

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

...es and villages. He was teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. And many followed him. When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep that have no shepherd. He called his twelve disciples and gave them power and great authority over all demons and diseases. He sent them out two by two, so that they might proclaim the kingdom of God and heal the sick. He commanded them and said, "Do not go on the road of the Gentiles, and do not enter the cities of the Samaritans. But go especially to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, proclaim and say, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your money belts. Take nothing for the journey except a staff only: no bag, no bread. Do not have two tunics, nor shoes, nor staff, but wear sandals. For the laborer is worthy of his food. Whatever city or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay there until you leave. When you enter the house, ask for the peace of

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

...re before, he forgets those that are behind. Therefore, when our Lord Jesus Christ was teaching and healing the race of men, so that all belonging to it might not utterly perish together, and when the minds of all who were listening to Him were intently occupied with these concerns, it was a completely untimely interruption when this messenger came in and reminded Him of His mother and His brothers. "What then? You yourself be the judge. Should He have left those whom He was healing and instructing, and gone to speak with His mother and His brothers? Would not such a thought at once lower the character of the Person Himself? Again, when He chose certain men who were loaded and burdened with sins for the honor of discipleship, twelve in number, whom He also named His apostles, He gave them this command: 'Leave father and mother, that you may be made worthy of me.' By this He meant that from there on the memory of father or mother should no longer weaken the steadfastness of their heart. "And on another occasion, when a different man said to Him, 'I will go and bury my father,' He answered, 'Let the dead bury their dead.' See, then, how my Lord Jesus Christ builds up His disciples

Pamphilus, Exposition on the Acts of the Apostles Supporting witness

BB. Of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost conferred by means of the prayer of Paul on those who believed in Ephesus, and of the healing of the people.