Medicine

The means that God has given for the cure of physical troubles. Medicine often symbolises the application of the gospel of God's grace in Jesus Christ for the healing of moral and spiritual ills.

Preventative medicine

A cheerful disposition

Proverbs 17:22

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Disinfection

See also Leviticus 14:41, Leviticus 15:5

Salt

Ezekiel 16:4

Physical exercise

1 Timothy 4:8

Curative medicine

Balm

Jeremiah 51:8 An example of medicine used as a picture of the gospel. The nation had the cure for its ills in the mercy of God if only it would repent and turn to him. See also Jeremiah 8:22, Jeremiah 46:11

Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been shattered. Wail for her; get her balm for her pain; perhaps she can be healed.

Leaves

Ezekiel 47:12 See also Revelation 22:2

Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be used for food and their leaves for healing.”

Mud

John 9:6 The connection between the medium used and the cure is not always clear. For example, the use of mud, spittle, oil and water appears sometimes to be more symbolic than practical.

Oil

Mark 6:13; Luke 10:34; James 5:14

A poultice

2 Kings 20:7 See also Isaiah 38:21

Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” So they brought it and applied it to the boil, and Hezekiah recovered.

Spittle

Mark 7:33

Water

Leviticus 15:5; 2 Kings 5:10; John 9:7

Wine

1 Timothy 5:23 See also Luke 10:34

Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

Eye salve

Revelation 3:18

I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Music

The music was intended to cure moods of depression in Saul's case, and extreme agitation in Elisha: 1 Samuel 16:23, 1 Samuel 18:10; 2 Kings 3:14–15

Spiritual surgery

Matthew 5:27–30; Romans 8:13

Soothing medicine

Myrrh

Mark 15:23

There they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it.

Oil

See also Isaiah 1:6

Wine

Proverbs 31:6; Matthew 27:48; Luke 23:36

Medicine cannot cure everything

Deuteronomy 28:27; Jeremiah 17:9, Jeremiah 30:12–13, Jeremiah 46:11; Mark 5:25–26

Application of the gospel as medicine

Matthew 11:28 See also Luke 5:31–32

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Resurrection as the ultimate medicine for all ills

1 Corinthians 15:42–44 See also Philippians 3:20–21

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.