Miracle Healing in Early Christianity

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Miracle Healing in Early Christianity

During the ministry of Jesus, divine healing was manifest. However, during the apostolic era, it was restricted in scope. The Apostles only received power to heal the sick and cast out demons.

Many people claimed to have the gift of healing. This was believed to be a sign of special blessing. They prayed and had faith, and God did what He wanted. Unfortunately, many were caught using chicanery to claim the gift.

During the apostolic era, the primary purpose of healing was to show compassion for the sick. After Constantine converted to Christianity in 312 AD, healing drifted to the margins. Church leaders did not approve of exorcising demons, and they restricted prayer for the sick.

In the early Church, miracles were often performed by evangelists. They spoke the gospel in a foreign language. These individuals had unique apostolic gifts. The apostles also did miraculous signs. For example, Philip cast out a demon and healed a sick person.

The Twelve Apostles and seventy others had the gift of healing. This was the “second blessing”, or infilling of the Holy Spirit. This gift is listed in 1 Corinthians 12. It included the ability to discern spirits. It is believed to have been used to reveal the faith of the saints.

The Bible also lists numerous healing stories. These include the raising of a dead child and the healing of an epileptic boy. The Gospels brim with healing tales. Nevertheless, the majority of Christians in the Middle Ages believed that healing was rare. They incorporated Neoplatonic notions that the body was a prison of the soul.