The healing takes place by the laying of hands on the women by Christ. In John 5:1-18 we have the story of a seriously ill man placed at pool waiting for healing. This episode stresses the importance of listening to Christ's instruction and the man is healed when Jesus tells him to take up his pallet and walk. The aspect of instruction and counsel in the process of healing will also be dealt with in more detail in the discussion section. The healing through thought is also stressed in Matthew 8:2-4, when Jesus cures a man of leprosy.
3.1.2. Discussion
Easton's Bible Dictionary refers the term healing in the Bible to Ephphatha which is "...the Greek form of a Syro-Chaldaic or Aramaic word, meaning "Be opened," uttered by Christ when healing the man who was deaf and dumb (Mark 7:34)" (Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ephphatha). This is significant, as the term is also related to our present understanding of the therapeutic implication of 'opening up "or disclosing his or her inner thoughts and feelings - which in turn faculties psychological healing.
Furthermore, in Strong's Lexicon we find the Hebrew term for healing as follows:
8585 t'alah the-aw-law' from 5927; a channel (into which water is raised for irrigation); also a bandage or plaster (as placed upon a wound): -- conduit, cured, healing, little river, trench, watercourse" (Strong's Hebrew Lexicon Search Results: "healing") the idea of healing as a conduit and a channel also serves to relate to counseling and the therapeutic process. The patient or the subject is modern counseling is involved in a process of disclosure and opening up, as it were, of the hidden and problematic aspects of life and personality.
In the sense of the Biblical definitions and descriptions of the terms noted above, the therapist opens up channels and avenues that can facilitate healing. The difference of course lies in the fact that the precipitator of all healing is seen as God, acting through Christ in the New Testament. However, as has already been suggested in the introduction to this paper, there is a growing acceptance of the view in therapy and counseling that the counselor is a facilitator who opens up avenues for healing - avenues that are greater and more significant possibly than the counselor or a particular theoretical stance. This means that counseling in the secular environment is becoming more cognizant of the importance of religious and spiritual aspects of healing and intervention in the process of counseling. As Garzon (2005) states; "...therapists are sometimes challenged in their work with appropriately religious clients to develop treatment components that incorporate the Bible" (Garzon, 2005. p.113). Garzon emphasizes the perceived importance of the Bible in counseling.
Scripture remains a rich resource for clinicians in their work. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Heb. 4:12 (NASB)
(Garzon, 2005. p.113)
3.2. Correlation with the terms wisdom and communication
Related to the above and to the view of counseling in general is the view of counseling as it relates to the word "wisdom." This term occurs 234 times in 222 verses in the KJV. (Blue Letter Bible) in Pr 12:18 - we read: "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Blue Letter Bible). This suggests a correlation between wisdom, counseling and the healing process. Biblical commentary on this aspect is as follows:" the wicked is snared...While the wicked, such as liars, flatterers, & c., fall by their own words, the righteous are unhurt. Their good conduct makes friends, and God rewards them "(Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible:CHAPTER 12).
This aspect is explored in more depth in the Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible.
Those that have grace and love it will delight in all the instructions that are given them by way of counsel; admonition, or reproof, by the word or providence of God; they will value a good education, and think it not a hardship, but a happiness, to be under a strict...
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