Page 141 - ירושלים: גיליון רפואי

Faith Healers

King Solomon the Healer and the Miracles of Jesus in Jerusalem

It was said of King Solomon: “He could discuss trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the
hyssop growing out of the wall” (1 Kings 5:13), and in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
he was ascribed supernatural powers over the forces of nature and the ability to restrain
harmful demons. It was Solomon’s understanding of the curative attributes of plants
and animals that gave him the ability to heal. He knew the secrets of medicine and was
believed to have written ancient medical books.

In the story of the miracles of Jesus in Jerusalem, incidences of healing through the
acceptance of faith are described, such as opening the eyes of the blind. A widespread
tradition in Eastern Christian churches describes the plea of King Abgar of Edessa in
Northern Syria, who was stricken with a fatal illness, to Jesus “the good savior who
has appeared in the country of Jerusalem.” Referring to the three miracles of healing
that Jesus was said to have brought about, the King wrote that he had heard about the
miracles effected at the hands of Jesus, without the aid of drugs or medicinal herbs,
such as opening the eyes of the blind, raising the sick from their beds, cleansing lepers,
and raising the dead from their graves. In the letter delivered by a messenger, the king
expressed his faith in Jesus and asked that he come to heal him, and even join him on
the throne.

Jesus was unable to fulfill the king’s request, but he sent him a letter blessing him and his
city, and promising the king to send one of his messengers to heal him. In later versions of
the story, Jesus was said to have washed his face and impressed his likeness on a piece of
cloth which he gave to the messenger. The messenger hurried from Jerusalem to Edessa,
where the king looked at Jesus’ icon and was immediately healed of his affliction.

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