LrrKEATTRE.— Wendt, Teaching of Jestis, i. 151 ff. ; Bushnell, Xature and the Supernatural; Drummond, Sai. Late in the Spiritual World ; Mozlev, University Sermons, pp. 122-144 ; Expositor n. vii. [lSs4] 103, ni. iL [1SS5] 224.
W. D. Thomson.
PHYSICIAN. — 1. Luke, the jihyskmn. — It is a fact of special importance, in reference to Christ's miracles of healing, that one of the four Evangelists was himself a physician (Col 4»). Traces of this fact appear in his Gospel (ct. 8^ i Mk 5^), and still more in Acts (cf. Holmrt, Medical Lang, of St. Luke). His training would probably Ije GentUe (Col 4"- », cf. Eus. HE iii. 4), and his medicines, like Gentile food, would be imdean in Jewish eyes. See, further, art. Luke.
2. Jewish phmirians. — Priests were inspectors of leprosy (Mt S^ Lk 17^^), but thev were not the regular physicians, (a) The physicians whom a sufferer had consulted before she Mas healed by Christ are alluded to in one case (Mk 5^ il Lk 8*). Elsewhere physicians are mentioned in proverbial sayings only (Mt 91- Mk 2^', Lk 5«i 4^) -. there is no censure of them in Christ s words, on the con- trary He implies that tlie sick sliould resort to the physician ; but Mk 5^ probably gives a fair im- pression of their general value, (b) References to remedies are few: e.g. a lotion (Lk 10*^), an anodyne (Mk 15^), both, we may a.^sume, cus- tomary amongst Jews, but in neither of the*;e
cases administered by them ; operations (circura cLsion, Lk I^^ etc. ; " castration, Mt 19"). The language of Mt 18"*- speaks of mutilation rather than of surgical amputation. Superstitious cures were much sought ; cf. the addition to Jn 5^, which Westcott {ad loc. ) describes as ' a very early note added while the Jewish tradition was still fresh.' (c) A special defect of Jewish medical science was the want of anatomy, necessarily in- volved in the ceremonial uncleanness of contact with the dead (cf. Mt 23-''), i.e. (as explained in Jeu-ish Encyc. art. ' Metlicine ') contact with a complete corpse, or an * anatomical unit ' (a bone covered with its soft parts), or a collection of bones equal in bulk or number to more than half a skeleton. An illustration of this want may be seen in the fact that a young criminals corpse was dissipated by long boiling, in order that the bones of the skeleton might be coimted (ib.). The in- spection of the bodies of animals slaughtered for sacrifice or food could be no real compensation for this want.
3. Christ, the great Physician. — Such a title is not found in the Gospels, but is at least suggested by Lk 4^ 5^1 13^-. [The word iioiw.!. is used (Uter- aily) 20 times in NT, and always, except in Ac 2S-, directly of Christ]. Indeed, the word ' Saviour ' implies it (Mt 9^^^). The following jioints are ob- servable in Christs healings: — (a) Variety: blind- ness (Mt ^«- 2tj^- , Mk 8-^, Jn 9), deafness (^^Ik 7^1*), palsy (Mt 91*- ). ^vithe^ed hand (12^ ), issue (^ i ), dropsy (Lk 141^^). fever (Mt 8^^ i ). leprosy (S^*- 1 Lk \1^-), wound (22*«^), possession (Mt 8^, , Mk 1^^- etc.) ; (b) purpose : not merely works of mercy (Mk 3^, Jn 1C>^'), but also ' signs " ("Jn 4^ etc.), parables of a spirittial healing (Lk 5-^ *'^, Jn 9^ ®) ; (c) universality : without price (Mt 10^. ct. Mk 5^), without exception (Mt IP, Mk 1"-^ 7^, Jn 9*^), with- out fail (ct. Mk 5*-^ 9^®); {d) conditions: (i.) on Christ's part, — the (Divine) will (Mt S^h in some cases is added the (human) prayer (Mk 9^. Jn 11^) ; (ii. ) on the sick one"s or the petitioners part. — faith (Mt 81* fp- 22- -^ 15^ etc.) and (though seldom requir- ing mention) desire or will (.Jn 5* : Lk 22*"^ is alto- gether exceptional); (e) preliminaries: (L) ordi- narily an application, either i>ersonal (Lk o^- 17^* 18^*) "or intercessory— with (Mk 2* 7^ 9^') or without (Mt S«, Mk 7^, Jn 4""^) the presence of the suf- ferer; (ii.) often no ajiplication preceded (Mk 5*, Lk 1312 22«— and so always in Jn., e.g. 5«9^ [IP^]) ; (/) performance : usually immediate (Mt 8^"^. Mk 5®), sometimes delayed (T"^*- 9^*-), rarely a gradual process (8^**-); (g) aecompanimeiits : a word (Mt §8. 13 1213)^ neyer otherwise in the case of possession (8J«; 31), a touch (8^ 9'^ ^ » Mk 5^" 6^), a symbolic action (Mk 7^. Jn 9**-) : (A) sequel: an a^^urance (Mk 5^ Lk 17i» 18^^), a command (Mt 8* 9«, Mk 51*- ^), a warning (Jn 5"). See also artt. Cures, Disease.
LrrKRATTRK. — In addition to the ordinary books of reference and those already mentioned, the follovrinsr touch the subject : Ebstein, Die Medizin im ST und im Tdlm., Stuttgart, 1903; Bennett, Diseaees of the Bible; Trench, MiraeUs. See also
C. H. Spunreon, The Messiah, 483.
F. S. Raxkex. PIECE OF SILYER.— See Moxey, p. 2<X»».
PIGEON.— See AxiMALS, vol. i. p. 65% and Dov^.
PILATE.— Pilates first name, that by w hich he would l>e known in his own household, has not been recorded ; we know only his second name ' Pontius," and Ms third ' Pilatus.' Pontius may be derived from potis (' bridge '), or be cognate with TrivTf ('five ') ; and Pilatus meant, no doubt, origin- ally, ' armed with the pike ' (of the Roman legion- ary) : but we are no nearer his origin. We know nothing of liis parent*. Ms birthplace, or the date