![]() ![]() In the first place, glass was expensive in the middle ages. If you compare the hardness of pills versus these ceramic bottles, ceramic bottles win in most cases. These are generally ceramic bottles cooked in fire. Even to this day, herbalists and witches still use earthenware beakers to store potions. ![]() As for the container being fragile, they didn't really use glass to store potions. ![]() Potions also already has water in it, while you need a separate water to make full use of pills. Potions are easier to digest, compared to pills, which require time to mix with your stomach juices. There's a reason why it remained in the same form as it was 5000 years ago. Potions on the other hand, has not changed for millenias. Pills as viable mean of taking medicine is fairly a new concept, only a couple centuries-old. That was why, ancient Chinese medicines were mostly in powder or dried form for you to add into water. There was a real risk of choking on the pills if they were one solid mass. Pills in ancient China were HUGE! Each the size of an adult man's thumb. In ancient China, they didn't actually use pills, or at least not as much as shianshia and wuxia want you to believe. When pressure is applied, the pill will turn to dust. You still have to put it in a container, such as a bottle, a pouch or your pocket. Want to learn more? Get started with Bible study here. Appreciate these answers? Help us continue by donating here.Pills are not really durable, you know. It involves individuals such as family or friends who support us (think of the four friends who carry the paralytic to Jesus) it involves treatment by physicians and licensed mental health care specialists and may include the appropriate use of specific drugs it involves faith – that is, trust in God it also involves our own willingness to engage in actions and activities that promote health. Most any physician today would agree with this and I believe such a view is present also in the New Testament. This does not condemn the medical profession rather it describes the desperate state of the woman. Both Mark and Luke tell a story about a woman who had been ill for many years and who had seen many physicians, none of whom were able to help here (Mark 5:26 Luke 8:43). Why say that the sick have need of a physician if medicine is condemned? And Colossians 4:14 brings greetings from “Luke, the physician.” Why would Luke’s profession as a physician be mentioned if it were viewed as inappropriate or tantamount to sorcery? The New Testament certainly recognizes that healing can occur in other ways besides through the care of a physician: Jesus is presented as the quintessential healer. There are two verses that point to a positive view of the practice of medicine: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” (Matt 9:12 Mark 2:7 Luke 5:31). Second, you ask if the practice of medicine is condemned in the New Testament. This does not mean that every possible definition of the word phramekeia is condemned. The translators have chosen this definition because of the context. Each time, it is translated as ‘sorcery’ or ‘magic’ and it is something that is spoken of in negative terms. In the New Testament the word pharmekeia occurs three times (Gal 5:19-21 Rev 9:21 18:23). It does not refer to both of these things at the same time. It can refer to magic, but it very often refers to the practice of medicine or what might be called healing arts (see Liddell and Scott, a Greek-English Lexicon). Which I am referring to will depend entirely on context generally, when someone uses the word ‘drugs’ they have a specific meaning in mind rather than all three. When I use the word “drugs” I can be referring to Tylenol (which can be purchased over the counter) or to prescription drugs (which require the oversight of a physician), but I can also be referring to illegal drugs (such as meth). I think there are really three questions here: one about translation, one about the practice of medicine, and one about interpretation for today.įirst, translation: The word pharmakeia is very much like our word for ‘drugs’: that is, it can refer to many things. ![]()
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