spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State
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spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State spirit and healing in africa - University of the Free State

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theological frame. The ideas that will be developed in the chapters 7-10 are rooted in the following biblical perspectives: (1) God is the ultimate healer in the Bible. Biblical texts such as Ex. 15:26 (‘I am the Lord who heals you’) and Deut. 32:39 (‘I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal’) define the setting in which reflection on health and healing takes place. All thoughts and concepts are shaped by the fundamental biblical issue that God is the origin of life, health and healing. Both Testaments express explicitly that the God of the Bible is the God who desires healing and restoration for his people and for all of creation. Not only texts such as Ex. 15:26 refer to God’s identity as a healer, also in Jesus the Messiah is God’s work of healing revealed (Matt. 4:23; Luke 4:18-19). The basic thrust is that God is in a loving relationship with his creation, and the well-being of creation is included in this covenant (Psalm 139:14; Sir. 34:20). (2) God’s ways of healing are pluriform. The Bible does not speak about the relation between God and healing in one voice, but rather shows that God accomplishes healing in rich and diverse ways. God’s initiative to restore and protect his creation is not bound to particular times or places. Frederick Gaiser’s publication on healing in the Bible (2010) offers a clear view on the pluriformity of God’s methods of healing. His somewhat eclectical selection of biblical witnesses (Ex. 15:22-26; Numbers 21:4-9; 1 Sam. 1:1-2:10; 2 Kings 5:1-27; 2 Kings 20:1-11; Psalm 6; Psalm 38; Psalm 77; Isa. 38:1-22; Isa. 53:4-5; Mark 2:1-12; Mark 5:21-43; Mark 9:14- 29; Luke 17:11-19; John 9:1-4; Acts 3:1-26; Sirach 38:1-15) is brought into dialogue with modern insights in order to explore the ways in which the Bible amplifies the claims and the promises of both the Old and the New Testament (Gaiser 2010:4). Gaiser’s study of these texts also shows the multi-dimensionality of God’s healing. The biblical stories of healing are not to be seen as witnesses in a vacuum; they are not separated from other parts of life, but are instead fully related to realities such as culture, community, prayer, medicine, human wisdom, demons, sin, the cross, the covenant and the Kingdom. (3) Biblically speaking God’s healing stretches out to believers and to nonbelievers (Gen. 20:17; Luke 7:7), to individuals and to the community of believers (2 Chron. 30:20), to the whole of humanity (Jer. 51:8; Rev. 22:2) and to all of creation (2 Chron. 7:14; Isa. 1-7; Rom. 8:21). The scope of God’s healing power is not to be underestimated, because God encompasses the entire creation and every dimension of it. Relationships, body and mind, soul and spirit – the Scriptures testify that anything or anyone broken, can be restored and healed by God. The notion of God’s power is inherent to God’s healing. Creation is not an autonomous reality but is created by God 204

and as such dependent on God who has revealed Himself to his creation. The biblical stories bear witness to what God has in mind for his creation: to become healed and complete, that is to experience God’s fullness and shalom (Jer. 29:11; John 10:10). The Scriptures also disclose that God’s fullness and shalom are references to what is to come, even though it is possible to experience genuine healing in the present tense. (4) In the New Testament Gods healing work is manifested in Jesus Christ. His ministry is programmatically linked to preaching and teaching (Moltmann 1992:188; Gaiser 2010:247). The biblical stories, narrating the healings accomplished by Jesus, indicate that the notions of healing and saving (redeeming) are closely related but they are not the same. Often they are properly distinguished: some healing stories are about physical healing but remain silent about God’s redemptive work (Mark 1:30-31; 6:5), while other stories emphasize God’s saving work without mentioning physical healing (Matt. 16:25). Yet there are also biblical testimonies that bring healing and saving together (Isa. 57:18; Mal. 4:2; Luke 7:50). The complexity of biblical evidence shows that there is no unequivocal understanding of healing in biblical sense. However, it is important to conclude that the theme of health and healing is prominent in both Testaments in the sense that God’s desire for healing and restoration is allpervasively present in the Bible. The contours of healing in the Bible are determined by the holistic and relational approaches to healing, as well as by the fact that God’s healing work is always open and diverse. 205

<strong>and</strong> as such dependent on God who has revealed Himself to his creation. The biblical stories bear<br />

witness to what God has <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d for his creation: to become healed <strong>and</strong> complete, that is to<br />

experience God’s fullness <strong>and</strong> shalom (Jer. 29:11; John 10:10). The Scriptures also disclose that<br />

God’s fullness <strong>and</strong> shalom are references to what is to come, even though it is possible to<br />

experience genu<strong>in</strong>e <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> present tense.<br />

(4) In <strong>the</strong> New Testament Gods <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> work is manifested <strong>in</strong> Jesus Christ. His m<strong>in</strong>istry is<br />

programmatically l<strong>in</strong>ked to preach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> teach<strong>in</strong>g (Moltmann 1992:188; Gaiser 2010:247). The<br />

biblical stories, narrat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong>s accomplished by Jesus, <strong>in</strong>dicate that <strong>the</strong> notions <strong>of</strong> <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong><br />

<strong>and</strong> sav<strong>in</strong>g (redeem<strong>in</strong>g) are closely related but <strong>the</strong>y are not <strong>the</strong> same. Often <strong>the</strong>y are properly<br />

dist<strong>in</strong>guished: some <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> stories are about physical <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> but rema<strong>in</strong> silent about God’s<br />

redemptive work (Mark 1:30-31; 6:5), while o<strong>the</strong>r stories emphasize God’s sav<strong>in</strong>g work without<br />

mention<strong>in</strong>g physical <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> (Matt. 16:25). Yet <strong>the</strong>re are also biblical testimonies that br<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>and</strong> sav<strong>in</strong>g toge<strong>the</strong>r (Isa. 57:18; Mal. 4:2; Luke 7:50).<br />

The complexity <strong>of</strong> biblical evidence shows that <strong>the</strong>re is no unequivocal underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong> biblical sense. However, it is important to conclude that <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>me <strong>of</strong> health <strong>and</strong> <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> is<br />

prom<strong>in</strong>ent <strong>in</strong> both Testaments <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> sense that God’s desire for <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>and</strong> restoration is allpervasively<br />

present <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bible. The contours <strong>of</strong> <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bible are determ<strong>in</strong>ed by <strong>the</strong><br />

holistic <strong>and</strong> relational approaches to <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong>, as well as by <strong>the</strong> fact that God’s <strong>heal<strong>in</strong>g</strong> work is<br />

always open <strong>and</strong> diverse.<br />

205

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