A Parallelism between Epidemic

in the New Testament and

Modern-day Maladies
Canoy, June Ashley Marie | Jorillo, Alexis
Luayon, Eduard Joseph | Manalo, Carlo
Martinez, June Antoniette | Zhang, Yang
“
In God’s hands.
”
We seem to refer to disease, especially severe or progressive cases, as a test from God.
Introduction
Yang Zhang
 Objectives
• To describe the instances of disease and epidemics in the New Testament
• To describe the emergence of epidemics in the world today
• To make connections between the bible and the current situation
• To highlight humankind’s role and responsibility for the world we live in
 Definition of Terms
• Parallelism: the quality or state of being parallel; resemblance
• Epidemic: an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects
many individuals at the same time.
• Pandemic: an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide
geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of
the population
 Definition of Terms
• Malady: a disease or disorder of the animal body; an unwholesome or
disordered condition
• Premonition: previous notice or warning; anticipation of an event without
conscious reason
• Apocalypse: something viewed as a prophetic revelation; a great disaster one
of the Jewish and Christian writings of 200 b.c. to a.d. 150 marked by the
expectation of an imminent cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the
ruling powers of evil and raises the righteous to life in a messianic kingdom
Epidemic in the Bible
Joseph Luayon; Alexis Jorillo
SICKNESS FOR THE
RIGHTEOUS
JOB
• A blameless, wealthy man (Job 1:1-3).
• Was stripped off of his wealth (Job 1:13-
20).
• Afflicted with painful sores (Job 2:7).
• Restored to a better condition than his
former state (Job 42:10-17).
• Blessed to have 7 sons and 3 daughters.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Book_of_Job_Chapter_42-1_(Bible_Illustrations_by_Sweet_Media).jpg
 SICKNESS CAUSED BY SIN
Psalm 107:17, NIV
- “Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered
affliction because of their iniquities.”

Psalm 107:20-21, NIV

- He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the
grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and
his wonderful deeds for mankind.
 COMMON DISEASES
DURING THE EARLY
CHRISTIANITY
1. LAMENESS OR ATROPHY
Luke 6:6-10 NIV
- On another Sabbath he went into the
synagogue and was teaching, and a man was
there whose right hand was shriveled. The
Pharisees and the teachers of the law were
looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they
watched him closely to see if he would heal
on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew what they
were thinking and said to the man with the
shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front
of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which
is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to
do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” He
looked around at them all, and then said to
the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did
so, and his hand was completely restored.
http://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/PH/Polio/15.jpg
COMMON DISEASES DURING THE
EARLY CHRISTIANITY
1. LAMENESS OR ATROPHY
Possible causes of Lameness
• Polio meningitis
• Injured nerves

http://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/PH/Polio/15.jpg
 COMMON DISEASES DURING THE
EARLY CHRISTIANITY
2. BOILS AND SKIN DISEASES
Luke 16:20-21
- At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores
and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the
dogs came and licked his sores.
 COMMON DISEASES DURING THE
EARLY CHRISTIANITY
2. BOILS AND SKIN DISEASES
Possible causes:
• Staphylococcus (a bacterium)
• Leprosy

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/staph-infections/symptoms-causes/syc-20356221
 COMMON DISEASES DURING THE
EARLY CHRISTIANITY
3. EPILEPSY
Matthew 4:24 NIV
- News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all
who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the
demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he
healed them.

https://images.medicaldaily.com/sites/medicaldaily.com/files/styles/headline/public/2015/01/
21/prone-position.jpg
 COMMON DISEASES DURING THE
EARLY CHRISTIANITY
3. EPILEPSY
Possible causes:
• Inheritance
• Head trauma
• Brain conditions
• Infectious diseases

https://images.medicaldaily.com/sites/medicaldaily.com/files/styles/headline/public/2015/01/
21/prone-position.jpg

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20350093
 COMMON DISEASES DURING THE
EARLY CHRISTIANITY
3. BLEEDING
Luke 8:42-44 NIV
- ...because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on
his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had
been subject to bleeding for twelve years,[a] but no one could heal her. She
came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her
bleeding stopped.

https://cdn1.medicalnewstoday.com/content/images/articles/320/320322/bruise-on-leg-
caused-by-hemorrhage-or-internal-bleeding.jpg
COMMON DISEASES DURING THE
EARLY CHRISTIANITY
3. BLEEDING
Possible causes:
• Hemorrhage or blood vessel rupture
• Dysentery
• Vaginal bleeding

https://cdn1.medicalnewstoday.com/content/images/articles/320/320322/bruise-on-leg-
caused-by-hemorrhage-or-internal-bleeding.jpg
Epidemic in the Modern World
Carlo Manalo
 West Africa Ebola Virus Outbreak
• The year was 2013, and the people of
Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, and
Nigeria were not prepared for the
onslaught of death they were about to face.
• The west African Ebola Virus Epidemic was
the biggest Ebola virus outbreak that had
ever occurred. It had a case fatality rate of
70% and caused about 11,310 deaths in
the region
• The Ebola Virus did not only kill the lives of many, but it also killed the country’s
economy. The virus took a toll on the socio-economic situation of country in
whole since a lot of airports, trains or any mode of transportation was stopped
due to the possible overseas infection.
• In September 2014, the United Nation Security Council declared the Ebola Virus
as a “threat to international peace and security”. This action pushed countries to
provide more resources to fight the outbreak.
• People all over the globe were acting with much caution since they all feared
getting infected by the fatal disease.
 Measles Outbreak 2019

• Measles, caused by a virus that infects the respiratory tract, can be passed
through direct contact and through the air. Its complications include severe
diarrhea, pneumonia, blindness, and even death, according to the DOH.
• In just 1 month and 20 days over 11,000 people have contracted Measles while
almost 200 have died by the outbreak in Luzon, with NCR having the highest
number of cases.
• The main reason for contraction being the
negligence of the parents and disallowing their
children from getting vaccinated.
• Free vaccine against measles is available in
government hospitals and health centers.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/21/19/doh-over-11000-measles-cases-189-
deaths-in-philippines
2009 H1NI PANDEMIC

• Also called the Swine Flu.

• Was an Influenza pandemic that lasted for
almost a whole year. Infecting a huge
number of individuals especially in the
U.S.A.,
• According to W.H.O. as of July 2010 the
virus had killed more than 18,000 people.
• People claimed that W.H.O had exaggerated the danger, spreading fear and
confusion rather than immediate information.
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/epidemiology-surveillance/report-finds-10-lessons-learned-h1n1-outbreak
Symbolism of Maladies in the Bible
June Ashley Marie Canoy
 Symbolism of maladies in the bible
• God’s punishment (diseases) always have the goal of repentance
and restoration

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts

to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who
are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will
forgive their sin and will heal theirland.”
2 Chronicles 7:13-14
• Jesus healed “every diseases and every sickness” as well as plagues in the
areas that He visited, to verify His ministry (Matthew 9:35; 10:1; Mark 3:10)

• Diseases and plagues are reminder that life on Earth is tenuous, and can be
lost at any moment
The Fourth Horseman
June Antoniette Martinez
 Parallels to the Four Horsemen
• Conquest/Pestilence: The Inquisition (1200s-1400s), Voyages to the New
World (1400s and 1500s), Colonization (1500s-1800s)
• War: The First and Second World Wars, and currently, the ongoing war in the
Middle East
• Famine: Yemen, Africa
• Death: Modern Epidemics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9-BIBz5dOA; http://www.yemenfamine.com/
 Acts of God or Human Creations?
• We live in a vulnerable world.
Antibiotic resistance Pesticide-resistant malaria-carrying mosquitos
HIV and AIDS International flights
Developing countries
Biochemical terrorism

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2004/march-april/disease-epidemics-the-fourth-horseman
 Acts of God or Human Creations?
• We create the perfect, fertile conditions for disease to run rampant.
Pollution Global warming and unpredictable weather
Environmental destruction Irresponsible parenting
Malnutrition Poor hygiene
Promiscuity

https://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2004/march-april/disease-epidemics-the-fourth-horseman
 Acts of God or Human Creations?
• The Fourth Horseman rides in response to the summons of human actions.

Yes, illness is naturally-occurring, however, its

spread is propagated by the irresponsibility and
ignorance of the people.
Conclusions
 First, diseases are manifestations and proof of God’s
power over us. From the accounts of the bible to this day,
despite our medical breakthroughs, disease remains a
constant threat to mankind.

Then and now, the socioeconomic status associated with disease is poverty (due to
poor/unsanitary living conditions, no access to clean water, etc). If we managed to solve
poverty worldwide, then perhaps epidemics can be avoided altogether in the future.
 Second, diseases are a way for us to repent and renew our
faith in God. They serve as constant reminders that we live
borrowed lives which we owe to Him. Therefore, we must
obey the Lord, and observe His commandments.
 Finally, epidemics are BOTH Acts of God and human
creations. Therefore, we must open our eyes to our role
and responsibility in limiting the incidence of outbreak by
conserving our environment and leading purposeful lives.
 END
Thank you for your time and participation!