Miracle Healing in Christian History

During the first century, healing was a common occurrence among followers of Christ. There were stories of miraculous healings, such as the healing of a leper by God himself, and the healing of a blind man by Jesus.

Some Christians even believed that they were free from sickness. In the Middle Ages, many expected healing to be rare. This misconception was largely fueled by harsh penances and the fear of death. Those who embraced Christianity had to take the risk. Some even left everything to follow Christ.

The apostles had power over disease and demons. They performed miracles, such as the healing of a man with an epileptic condition. However, their miracles were limited in scope. They could not perform a miracle as grand as walking on water or feeding the five thousand.

During the apostolic era, the best way to get healed was to pray for it. However, church leaders tended to restrict prayer for the sick.

There were also many false claims of divine healing. These included healings using vials of Mary’s breast milk, and healings with pieces of the cross.

Some even claimed that they had a “second blessing” of infilling with the Holy Spirit. This was true for most Protestants.

In the apostolic era, anointing of the sick with oil was the sacrament. However, the most important reason for anointing the sick was to prepare them for heaven. It was also a form of compassion. In the twelfth century, the anointing of the sick was renamed “extreme unction” and was confined to those in grave danger.