Lexical Summary iatros: Physician, Doctor Original Word: ἰατρός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance physician. From iaomai; a physician -- physician. see GREEK iaomai NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom iaomai Definition a physician NASB Translation physician (5), physicians (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2395: ἰατρόςἰατρός, ἰατροῦ, ὁ (ἰάομαι) (from Homer down), a physician: Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17; Mark 5:26; Luke 5:31; Luke 8:43 (here WH omits; Tr marginal reading brackets the clause); Colossians 4:14; ἰατρέ, θεράπευσον σεαυτόν, a proverb, applied to Christ in this sense: 'come forth from your lowly and mean condition and create for yourself authority and influence by performing miracles among us also, that we may see that you are what you profess to be,' Luke 4:23. Topical Lexicon Greek Term Overview ἰατρός (iatros) designates a physician, one who treats physical ailments. The New Testament employs the word both literally for medical practitioners and figuratively for spiritual healing. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Luke 4:23 – proverbial challenge: “Physician, heal yourself!” Seven references appear in six distinct settings, illustrating both professional medicine and its spiritual parallel. Historical Background of Physicians in the First Century Greco-Roman physicians varied from highly trained practitioners to itinerant healers. Medical knowledge drew on Hippocratic tradition, herbal remedies, and rudimentary surgery. Fees could be steep, explaining Mark 5:26: the hemorrhaging woman “had spent all she had.” Jewish culture generally welcomed medical help (Sirach 38:1-15), though ultimate healing was attributed to God (Exodus 15:26). Jesus and the Concept of the Physician Jesus adapted current medical imagery to reveal His messianic mission: Christ’s miracles outshine human physicians, confirming His divine authority (Luke 8:43-48). Luke the Beloved Physician Colossians 4:14 identifies Luke as “the beloved physician,” suggesting: Spiritual Implications 1. Sin resembles disease—universal, destructive, incurable by human means. Theological Themes • Incarnation: the Healer enters the diseased world (John 1:14). Practical Ministry Applications • Integrate medical vocation with evangelism, modeling Luke. Related Old Testament Motifs • Jehovah-Rapha, “the LORD who heals” (Exodus 15:26). These threads culminate in Christ, the ultimate fulfillment. Summary ἰατρός enriches Scripture’s portrayal of Jesus’ mission, frames human helplessness, and honors legitimate medical practice while directing ultimate trust to the Savior who heals body and soul. Forms and Transliterations Ιατρε ιατρέ Ἰατρέ ιατροί ιατροις ἰατροῖς ιατρος ιατρός ἰατρὸς ιατρου ιατρού ἰατροῦ ιατρούς ιατρων ιατρών ἰατρῶν ίβεις ίβιν ιγνύαις Iatre Iatré iatrois iatroîs iatron iatrôn iatrōn iatrō̂n iatros iatròs iatrou iatroûLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 9:12 N-GMSGRK: οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ' οἱ NAS: who need a physician, but those KJV: not a physician, but INT: they who are strong of a physician but they who Mark 2:17 N-GMS Mark 5:26 N-GMP Luke 4:23 N-VMS Luke 5:31 N-GMS Luke 8:43 Noun-DMP Colossians 4:14 N-NMS Strong's Greek 2395 |
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