Epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, is mentioned in the Bible, though not explicitly by name. In biblical times, conditions like epilepsy were often attributed to demonic possession or spiritual affliction, reflecting the understanding and cultural context of the era.

Biblical References:

1. Matthew 4:24 : "News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed—and He healed them." In this passage, individuals suffering from seizures are brought to Jesus for healing. The term "seizures" in the Berean Standard Bible is translated from the Greek word "selēniazomai," which some versions render as "lunatic" or "moonstruck," reflecting ancient beliefs about the influence of celestial bodies on human health.

2. Matthew 17:14-18 : "When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus and knelt before Him. 'Lord, have mercy on my son,' he said. 'He has seizures and is suffering terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not heal him.' 'O unbelieving and perverse generation,' Jesus replied, 'How long must I remain with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to Me.' Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment." This account highlights the belief in a spiritual cause for the boy's seizures, as Jesus rebukes a demon to heal him.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the ancient world, epilepsy was often misunderstood and feared. The symptoms of seizures, which can include convulsions, loss of consciousness, and other dramatic physical manifestations, were sometimes interpreted as signs of spiritual or demonic activity. This perspective is evident in the biblical accounts where Jesus heals individuals with seizures by casting out demons.

Theological Implications:

From a theological standpoint, the healing of those with seizures by Jesus underscores His authority over both physical and spiritual realms. It demonstrates His compassion and power to restore individuals to health, regardless of the nature of their affliction. The accounts of healing also serve as a testament to the faith required to seek Jesus' intervention and the transformative impact of His ministry.

Modern Understanding:

Today, epilepsy is recognized as a medical condition with various causes, including genetic factors, brain injury, and neurological disorders. While the ancient understanding of epilepsy as a spiritual affliction is not supported by modern medicine, the biblical accounts of healing continue to inspire faith in the power of prayer and divine intervention in the lives of those who suffer.

Conclusion:

The biblical references to epilepsy, though framed within the cultural and spiritual context of the time, highlight the enduring themes of faith, healing, and the compassionate nature of Jesus' ministry. These accounts encourage believers to seek both medical and spiritual support in addressing the challenges posed by epilepsy and other health conditions.(n.) The falling sickness, so called because the patient falls suddenly to the ground; a disease characterized by paroxysms (or fits) occurring at interval and attended by sudden loss of consciousness, and convulsive motions of the muscles.EPILEPSY

ep'-i-lep-si.

See LUNATIC.

875. aphrizo -- to foam at the mouth
... foam. From aphros; to froth at the mouth (in epilepsy) -- foam. see GREEK aphros.
(aphrizei) -- 1 Occurrence. (aphrizon) -- 1 Occurrence. 874, 875. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/875.htm - 6k

4682. sparasso -- to mangle, convulse
... from spairo (to grasp; apparently strengthened from spao through the idea of spasmodic
contraction); to mangle, ie Convluse with epilepsy -- rend, tear. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4682.htm - 6k

Spiritual Epileptics.
... at considerable intervals, during which he who suffers from it seems in no way to
differ from the man in good health, at the season when the epilepsy is not ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/4 spiritual epileptics.htm

Note on Demons.
... that our Lord found a general belief in demoniacal agency, which attributed to demons
various diseases, including some forms of lunacy, and epilepsy, that he ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/note on demons.htm

Whether it is Lawful for a Priest to Refrain Entirely from ...
... sometimes happens that those who are already ordained as priests incur defects whereby
they are hindered from celebrating, such as leprosy or epilepsy, or the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is lawful for 18.htm

The Demoniac Boy
... The demon which afflicts him is dumb; it works in the guise of epilepsy, and as
a disease it is affected by the changes of the moon; a malicious design is ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 9 14-29 the demoniac boy.htm

A Desperate Case --How to Meet It
... will. This lad seems also to have been afflicted with what is here called
lunacy, which was, indeed, only a form of epilepsy. He ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/a desperate casehow to meet.htm

The Fulton St. Prayer Meeting.
... CURED OF EPILEPSY. "I wrote you to aid me by your prayers, that my afflicted
son, who was troubled with epilepsy, might be cured. ...
/.../various/the wonders of prayer/the fulton st prayer meeting.htm

Miracles.
... div of concupiscence," adopted by the Jews under the name of Asmodeus,[2] became
the cause of all the hysterical afflictions of women.[3] Epilepsy, mental and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/renan/the life of jesus/chapter xvi miracles.htm

Argument: the Story About Christians Drinking the Blood of an ...
... Catiline to conspire under a compact of blood, and Bellona to steep her sacred rites
with a draught of human gore, and taught men to heal epilepsy with the ...
/.../felix/the octavius of minucius felix/chapter xxx argument the story about.htm

That I May Refute More Thoroughly These Charges, I Will Show that ...
... Those, too, who at the gladiator shows, for the cure of epilepsy, quaff with greedy
thirst the blood of criminals slain in the arena, as it flows fresh from ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/apology/chapter ix that i may.htm

The Demoniac
... He had become liable to convulsions and fits of epilepsy, which all men mistook,
and which the wretched youth himself mistook, for demoniac possession. ...
/.../chapter vi the demoniac.htm

Epilepsy
... loss of consciousness, and convulsive motions of the muscles. Int. Standard
Bible Encyclopedia. EPILEPSY. ep'-i-lep-si. See LUNATIC. ...
/e/epilepsy.htm - 6k

Epileptic (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Pertaining to, affected with, or of the nature of, epilepsy. 2. (n.) One
affected with epilepsy. 3. (n.) A medicine for the cure of epilepsy. ...
/e/epileptic.htm - 7k

Lunatick (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia LUNATIC(K). lu'-na-tik: I. Epilepsy. 1.
Incorrect Translation: The English word "lunatic," which ...
/l/lunatick.htm - 9k

Fit (47 Occurrences)
... 15. (n.) A stroke or blow. 16. (n.) A sudden and violent attack of a disorder; a
stroke of disease, as of epilepsy or apoplexy, which produces convulsions or ...
/f/fit.htm - 23k

Disease (213 Occurrences)
... Fevers of several kinds, dysentery, leprosy, intestinal worms, plague, nervous diseases
such as paralysis and epilepsy, insanity, ophthalmia and skin diseases ...
/d/disease.htm - 39k

Daemoniac
... permitted by God to exercise an influence both over the souls and bodies of men,
inflicting dumbness (Matthew 9:32), blindness (12:22), epilepsy (Mark 9:17-27 ...
/d/daemoniac.htm - 7k

Diseases (38 Occurrences)
... Fevers of several kinds, dysentery, leprosy, intestinal worms, plague, nervous diseases
such as paralysis and epilepsy, insanity, ophthalmia and skin diseases ...
/d/diseases.htm - 25k

Smiting (76 Occurrences)
... The latter was supposed to cause lunacy (hence, the name), and epilepsy, so in Matthew
4:24 the word rendered "lunatic" (the King James Version) for "epileptic ...
/s/smiting.htm - 31k

Thorn (30 Occurrences)
... Krenkel has at great length argued that it was epilepsy, and thereby endeavors to
account for his trances and his falling to the earth on his way to Damascus ...
/t/thorn.htm - 35k

Sun (1708 Occurrences)
... The latter was supposed to cause lunacy (hence, the name), and epilepsy, so in Matthew
4:24 the word rendered "lunatic" (the King James Version) for "epileptic ...
/s/sun.htm - 14k

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