Healing the Whole Person

Last night I was reading from Luke 17 and was reminded of the teaching from Kris Vallotton of Bethel Church in Redding, CA, talking about the healing of the whole person, and how that is different than just healing of a disease, and he used the story of the 10 lepers from Luke 17 to illustrate the point. He described the different words that were used in verse 14 and again in 17 and the word used in verse 19.


Here is the story:


(NIV)Luke 17:11-19
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. [12] As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance [13] and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” [14] When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. [15] One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. [16] He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him---and he was a Samaritan. [17] Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? [18] Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” [19] Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”


In verse 14 and 17 the word that is translated "cleansed" is the Greek word katharizo. The definition follows:


I. to make clean, cleanse
  a. from physical stains and dirt
    1. utensils, food
    2. a leper, to cleanse by curing
    3. to remove by cleansing
  b. in a moral sense
    1. to free from defilement of sin and from faults
    2. to purify from wickedness
    3. to free from guilt of sin, to purify
    4. to consecrate by cleansing or purifying
    5. to consecrate, dedicate
II. to pronounce clean in a levitical sense


So in other words a being physically healed of the disease. Clearly this is miraculous, and a wonderful sign of God. This would have made a huge difference in the lepers' lives.


The Greek word that is used in verse 19 is the word Sozo. This word is defined as follows:




1. to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction
  a. one (from injury or peril)
    1. to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health
    2. to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue
  b. to save in the technical biblical sense
    1. negatively 1b
  c. to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment 1b
  d. to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance


This word means much more than physical healing, but also speaks of receiving salvation, being saved from our sins, and the judgement that would be due us. It is a word that describes the salvation of the whole person, not just a touch of healing in their physical body.


So in this case, the leper who returned and worshiped Jesus, who recognized that God had touched him, and in faith came back and met Jesus, he was saved, healed, delivered and redeemed. The other 9, had a physical healing, but we do not hear of their salvation.


This really makes me aware of how important my thanks and worship are in my life of faith. They appear to be that which draw me into a deeper encounter with the Lord, and enable me to receive His touch in every area of my life.