Part 3: Various Scriptures Addressing God’s Approach to Man’s Health

               (Continued from Part 1: Old Testament Wordy Study and Part 2: New Testament Word Study

               Beyond the word studies considered in the Old and the New Testament in which physical or spiritual health were restored, many other Biblical references address various aspects of health where God through His Scripture authors addressed issues of physical health.   An attempt to formulate a Biblical view of whole person health would be deficient without considering these examples.

               We see some explicit instructions for both Old Testament Israel and the New Testament church which teach us that God cared for the physical needs of His people as well as the spiritual needs.  Beginning with the Old Testament in the Pentateuch, in the giving of the Ceremonial food laws, there were religious aspects and additionally there were physical health aspects which we better understand now.  Certain prohibited foods like those which feed on the filtering of sea water are now known to be ones with higher contaminants and parasites.  Avoiding these foods benefitted the Jew not only  spiritually in obedience to God’s commands, but also benefitted them physically. 

               In the New Testament, Paul could instruct Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach which apparently was causing some type of distress for Timothy.  Paul was not a masochistic leader telling others to buck up and take the punishment but wanted Timothy to be well physically (I Timothy 5:23). However, in balancing spiritual and physical health, Paul would also urge Christians to submit one’s body to the spiritual health race.  One’s physical health was important, but clearly not the primary and ultimate goal (I Corinthians 9:24

               Many other inferences to the importance of physical health to the reality and order of God’s created world then come to attention when looking for them even if they are not the primary focus of the particular Biblical text.  In Genesis, God created man out of the dust of the earth and created man with the need to breathe, eat, sleep, and relate with others.  This was God’s design.  Later we see the sin in taking of another human’s life whether in Cain killing Abel and receiving judgment or in other condemnations of murder (Genesis 4) up to and including the 10 commandments prohibition of murder (Exodus 20:13).  God also demonstrated care of the physical bodies of the Jews during the plagues on Egypt in the Exodus.  While the Egyptians suffered multiple bodily illnesses, the land of Goshen where the Hebrews lived was spared.  Even the Egyptians took notice of God’s preservation of the Hebrews.  During their time in the wilderness, God provided food and water to the wandering Hebrews rather than just making them to not need such physical things.  During the time of the famine, God provided for Elijah (I Kings 17).  While God cared for the physical needs of the Jews in the Old Testament time, He concurrently called them to pursue holiness over comforts and pleasures. 

               We also see pictures of God providing for the physical needs of believers and unbelievers in the New Testament accounts of Jesus’ works.  His first miracle addressed a physical need and also a relational need at the wedding feast in Cana as He made water into wine (John 2:1-12). As we already read, He healed countless diseases.  He often addressed spiritual and physical needs together either in series or simultaneously in these accounts.   God as the Father and in the humanity of the Son demonstrated God’s interest in caring for the physical, emotional, spiritual, and relational needs of his disciples and followers. 

               Taken together and considered in light of the principles gleaned from a broader understanding of the Bible we get a better sense of God’s view of health for mankind.  God created man with a body and a spirit, with a mind and with emotions relating to other humans.  He provided a garden to meet the physical needs.  He created a woman to meet relational needs.  He preserves humanity despite the rebellion of the fall and promises to restore man to a state of holiness again in the new heavens and new earth, still with body and soul in Revelations.  While we live upon the present earth waiting for the  future restored earth, he continues measures of temporary restoration in healing body, mind, spirit, and relationships through obedience and His Spirit’s work.

               The shalom he offers is one of wholeness without an exclusive focus on any one aspect of health, although He emphasizes the primacy of spiritual health with its greater impact in the eternal realm.  With this emphasis on the spiritual health of His children, He does not ignore the physical needs of His people. He uses many physical pictures to explain the blessings of the spiritual life so that the two are analogically tied together.  He mentions feasts in heaven (Revelation 19:7-9 and many others), the bread of life (John 6;35), and “living water” (John 4:14). In each, a physical reality images the spiritual blessings that God provides or offers to mankind.

               Our values should reflect His values for health if we are to be obedient. Shalom which includes body, mind, spirit, and relationship should be sought with spiritual health being primary and never sacrificed for any other aspect of health.  In this way, blessings can be enjoyed in all areas as none are inherently sinful unless they become an idol.  The blessings of whole person health are interdependent parts of a whole interacting in such a way that Ignoring one aspect, especially the spiritual, can limit enjoyment of others.  We can thus view ourselves as stewards of the gift of spiritual and physical life, caring for our body so that we can pursue spiritual health, mental strength, and relational health.  We should and can value the right ordering and functioning of our whole being rather than an overemphasis on a single aspect.

Next in the Series… Virtues to uphold in Whole Person Health