Dropsy
Summary
A condition of abnormal fluid accumulation in body tissues, which Jesus healed on a Sabbath in the house of a Pharisee.
☩Jesus' Healing
On a Sabbath, Jesus dined at the house of a chief Pharisee where a man with dropsy was present. The lawyers and Pharisees watched to see whether Jesus would heal on the Sabbath. Jesus asked them directly: 'Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?' They remained silent. He healed the man and let him go, then challenged them: 'Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?'
☩Medical Nature
Dropsy (Greek hudropikos) involves abnormal accumulation of fluid causing swelling. It is typically a symptom of heart, kidney, or liver disease rather than a disease in itself. The man's conspicuous condition made him an obvious test case for the Pharisees' rigid Sabbath interpretations.
Related Verses1 mention
Luke· 1 verse
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Dropsy," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. II (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Dropsy," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).