Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 586. The Physician

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Greater Men and Women of the Bible by James Hastings: 586. The Physician


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I



The Physician



1. The companionship between St. Luke and St. Paul was not at first of long duration. Luke joined Paul at Troas and went with him into Macedonia, but parted from the Apostle-the reason is unknown-while yet at Philippi, to join him again after some years had passed-this time also at Troas. Then he accompanied Paul from Troas by Miletus and Cæsarea to Jerusalem, together with a number of companions, including the Jewish Christian Aristarchus of Thessalonica. In Jerusalem, where he saw James and the presbyters, but none of the Apostles (not even Peter), he seems to have stayed only a short time, for he does not represent himself as having been an eyewitness of what befell the Apostle here and in Cæsarea. But when Paul set out as a prisoner on the long voyage to Rome, we find Luke again in his company. With this exception, Aristarchus alone of the Apostle's friends voyaged with him. Paul was an invalid when he began the voyage. Only one day after the Apostle had begun his voyage he was obliged to land at Sidon to take advantage of the special care of his friends, having obtained the permission of his humane commanding officer. In Malta, where they were compelled to make a considerable stay, Luke (together with the Apostle) had the opportunity of practising his medical art (Act_28:2 f.). In Rome he tarried a considerable time with Paul, as his physician, and took part in the work of evangelization (Philem. 24). Yet he did not, like Aristarchus, share the Apostle's imprisonment (Col_4:10). Besides Jesus Justus, Epaphras, Demas, and others, he there made the acquaintance of Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (Col_4:10).



While Demas, who is mentioned in both Colossians and Philemon, along with Luke, deserted the Apostle from sordid motives in 66, after the Apostle's second arrest, and when his life was in constant danger, Luke remained faithfully with him. “Only Luke is with me” (2Ti_4:11)-that is the last we hear of him. But we know from his works that he survived the destruction of Jerusalem, and was still at work a good time afterwards.



Two clouds before the summer gale

In equal race fleet o'er the sky:

Two flowers, when wintry blasts assail,

Together pine, together die.

But two capricious human hearts-

No sage's rod may track their ways,

No eye pursue their lawless starts

Along their wild, self-chosen maze.

He only, by whose sovereign hand

Even sinners for the evil day

Were made-who rules the world He plann'd,

Turning our worst His own good way;

He only can the cause reveal,

Why, at the same fond bosom fed,

Taught in the self-same lap to kneel

Till the same prayer were duly said,

Brothers in blood and nurture too,

Aliens in heart so oft should prove;

One lose, the other keep, Heaven's clue;

One dwell in wrath, and one in love.

Two converts, watching by his side,

Alike his love and greetings share;

Luke the beloved, the sick soul's guide,

And Demas, named in faltering prayer.

Pass a few years-look in once more-

The saint is in his bonds again;

Save that his hopes more boldly soar,

He and his lot unchanged remain.

But only Luke is with him now:-

Alas! that even the martyr's cell,

Heaven's very gate, should scope allow

For the false world's seducing spell.

Ah! dearest mother, since too oft

The world yet wins some Demas frail

Even from thine arms, so kind and soft,

May thy tried comforts never fail!

When faithless ones forsake thy wing,

Be it vouchsafed thee still to see

Thy true, fond nurslings closer cling,

Cling closer to their Lord and thee.1 [Note: J. Keble.]



2. If we test what we know of Luke by the historical work which bears his name, we obtain the following results: (1) Luke is never mentioned in the Acts, which is just what we should expect if he himself was the author of the book. On the other hand, Aristarchus is mentioned three times-the man who is named with Luke in the Epistles of St. Paul. What reason, then, can we give for the omission of Luke's name in the Acts? (2) Luke was a physician, and thus belonged to the middle or higher plane of contemporary culture. To this plane we are directed not only by the prologue of the Gospel, but by the literary standard attained in the whole work. The man who could compose speeches like those of Paul in the Acts,-to mention only the most important point,-who also possessed gifts of style and narrative like those of this writer, who knew so well how much to say and could so well arrange his material in accordance with the purpose of his work-this man possessed the higher culture in rich measure.



In the familiar “we” passages, one must recognize how carefully Luke distinguishes between “we” and Paul. Wherever it is reasonably possible, in view of historic and literary truth, he emphasizes Paul and keeps the “we” modestly in the background. Let us take into account the narrative in Act_28:8-10 : “And it was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery: unto whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying his hands on him healed him. And when this was done, the rest also which had diseases in the island came, and were cured (more correctly, “received medical treatment”): who also honoured us with many honours.”



In this passage attention is concentrated on Paul, so long as historic truth allowed; but Paul's healing power by prayer and faith could not always be exercised. Such power is efficacious only occasionally, in suitable circumstances and on suitable persons. As soon as it begins to be exercised on all and sundry, it begins to fail, and a career of pretence deepening into imposture begins. Accordingly, when the invalids came in numbers, medical advice was employed to supplement the faith-cure, and the physician Luke became prominent. Hence the people honoured not “Paul,” but “us.”



The figures of Paul and Luke walking together through history as the ministers of Christ-the image of theology and medicine labouring in harmony for the redemption of man, for the saving of body, soul, and spirit-are very sacred and impressive.



“Not bread alone” but bread before all else

For these: the bodily want serve first, said I;

If earth-space and the life-time help not here,

Where is the good of body having been?

But, helping body, if we somewhat baulk

The soul of finer fare, such food's to find

Elsewhere and afterward.1 [Note: Browning, Prince Hohenstiel-Schwangau.]



John Locke and Thomas Sydenham-the one the founder of our analytical philosophy of mind, and the other of our practical medicine-were not only great personal friends, but were of essential use to each other in their respective departments; and we may safely affirm, that for much in the Essay on Human Understanding we are indebted to its author's intimacy with Sydenham. And Sydenham, it is well known, in the dedicatory letter to their common friend Dr. Mapletoft, expresses his obligation to Locke.2 [Note: Dr. John Brown, Horœ Subsecivœ, i. 36.]



The body is the spirit's cell,

But 'tis the avenue as well

Charged, through the finite, to transmit

The message of the infinite.

'Tis by the aid of mortal eyes

That man immortal truth descries;

'Tis by the aid of mortal ears

That he immortal tidings hears,

And by the help of every sense

May recognize God's providence.1 [Note: Ella Fuller Maitland.]



Able, cautious, and experienced physicians are gifts of God. They are the ministers of nature, to whom human life is confided; but a moment's negligence may ruin everything. No physician should take a single step, but in humility and the fear of God; they who are without the fear of God are mere homicides.2 [Note: Luther.]