[Greek] νόσος (nosos), [Latin] morbus; disease, infirmity, disability, malady, illness, wound, sickness; Mt.5:15,16, Mt.17:2, Lk.17:24, Acts 12:7, 2Cor.4:6
The Flagellation of Our Lord Jesus Christ: painting by William Adolphe Bouguereau (1880)
Background Information:
Greek Hellenism: This term, primarily meaning sickness, can refer to plague, calamity, suffering, patricide, vice, and epidemic. Impurity and sickness are thought be closely connected, with impurity (sin) causing sickness. Vengeful gods are also thought to be agents of affliction (sickness). Sickness can be defined by the inner moral character (vices, inclinations, and the soul) and the outward physical sense (physical afflictions). It was a highly attained value to maintain both a physical discipline (athletics) and a mental discipline (philosophy and education) at the individual and societal level. There is a link where moral defect can also lead to sickness. In Greek mythology and literature, the suffering (testing) of the sick hero takes on important significance.
Secular literature: Cicero, relating the moral condition with disease (faults), states, “As in the body there is disease, sickness, and fault, so is there in the soul.” Plato’s Laws 919c states, “What remedy, then is to be found for this disease (corruption) in a state gifted with understanding?” Plato’s Odyssey refers to an epic war hero experiences a severe home-sickness (nostalgia). This essentially is a pain (longing) to come home from the Trojan War.
Old Testament: This term, related to several Hebrew terms, can mean sickness, disease, malady, wound, blow, plague, scourging, and slaughter. There is not an explicit causal relationship between sin and sickness in the Hebrew Old Testament. Moral guilt, rather than sickness, is the consequence of sin. Rather than being compelled to appease a god, one seeks Yahweh with a contrite heart. The Old Testament adopts the Hellenist idea of sin relating to sickness. Yahweh is seen as a physician who provides healing (grace). There are prophetic references of a redeemer who will take on wounds (stripes). For I will restore you to health and I will heal you of your wounds (Jer.30:17). He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt (Deut.28:60). He may beat him forty times but no more, so that he does not beat him with any more stripes (Deut.25:3). My wound is incurable (Jer.10:19). Suddenly they will be wounded (Psa.64:7). He struck them with a great slaughter (Jdg.11:33). Yet it was our infirmities that He bore, our sufferings He endured. While we thought of Him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted (Isa. 53:4).
New Testament: This term refers to Jesus healing others. The Old Testament makes reference of a suffering messiah (Isa. 53:4), and Jesus giving the Apostles the power to heal others. While Jesus was never ill (sick), He was afflicted with the sins of humanity as the crucified Christ. Matthew refers to Christ stricken with our infirmities (sins) and sufferings on the Cross. Jesus could not heal if He couldn’t take upon the needs of those seeking help. Sickness becomes a vocational burden for Paul. This idea develops the notion that others (of the body of Christ) can join their sufferings with Christ. Jesus instructed His Church to visit, care, pray, and heal the sick.
Scripture:
“He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and He drove out demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew Him.” Mk.1:34
Jesus becomes a physician healing the sick. Jesus heals other physical affliction and sins (spiritual sickness).
“To fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: ‘He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.’” Mt.8:17
Matthew relates the Hellenistic notion that sins are infirmities and afflictions.
“He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.” Lk.9:1
Jesus gives the Apostles to authority to heal.
Conclusion:
Diagnosis, prognosis, nostalgia, morbid, morbidity
It was interesting to discover the Hellenistic notion that sickness is related to sin. This idea is later developed in the Old Testament culture. It would be certainly understandable that some believers would view gods as agents of affliction. Wellness was viewed both in a physical and mental sense.
Yahweh (God) is seen as a physician who provides healing (grace) to those who are sick. Sickness can involve political weakness, wickedness, and spiritual afflictions.
Jesus is also a physician. It is significant to note that others (in the body of Christ) may often participate in Jesus’ suffering. It is important that Matthew, a Jew, makes references to the Hellenistic notion that Jesus is afflicted with man’s sins on the cross.
Nostalgia is the sentimental longing, affection, or “aching” for a period or past with happy memories. Johannes Hofer first coined this word in 1688 to describe a psychological condition of longing for the past.
A diagnosis is the act of identifying a condition (disease). A prognosis is the forecast of the likely outcome of a situation.
I hope you are not sick of the following:
WARNING – USELESS WORDS ALERT –
Nosology: the art of identifying a disease.
Nostrum: a medicine that is not effective (quack medicine).