from θεραπεύω; attendance (specially, medical, i.e. cure); figuratively and collectively, domestics:--healing, household.
Transliteration:therapeía
Pronunciation:ther-ap-i'-ah
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek noun G2322 (therapeía) derives from the verb θεραπεύω (therapeúō), which carries the core meaning of "to serve, to attend to, to care for, to heal." Consequently, therapeía encompasses a dual semantic range:
1. **Medical/Curative:** This is the most prominent sense in biblical usage, referring to the act or process of healing, treatment, or restoration to health. It denotes the remedial care provided to one who is ill, leading to their recovery. The English gloss "healing" directly reflects this meaning.
2. **Service/Household:** Less common in the New Testament for this particular noun, but inherent in its etymology, is the sense of attendance, service, or care within a domestic context. This can refer to the service rendered by domestics or the collective body of servants within a household. The English gloss "household" captures this potential meaning, though its direct application in the New Testament occurrences of G2322 is not evident.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The noun G2322 appears twice in the New Testament, and in both instances, it unequivocally refers to the concept of healing or cure:
* **[[Luke 9:11]]**: "But the crowds knew it and followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and healed those who had need of θεραπεία (healing)." Here, therapeía clearly signifies the physical restoration and cure that Jesus provided to those who were sick. This verse highlights Jesus' compassionate ministry, where the proclamation of the Kingdom of God was consistently accompanied by tangible acts of divine therapeía, demonstrating the power and presence of God's reign. The word underscores the *result* of Jesus' healing power, the actual state of being healed.
* **[[Revelation 22:2]]**: "through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the θεραπεία (healing) of the nations." In this eschatological vision of the New Jerusalem, therapeía takes on a cosmic dimension. The leaves of the tree of life are not merely for physical healing in the temporal sense, but for the ultimate restoration and well-being of all peoples. It signifies a profound, comprehensive, and eternal healing from all forms of brokenness—spiritual, social, and physical—that afflict humanity. This points to the final and complete eradication of sin's effects in the new creation.
In both contexts, therapeía is linked to divine intervention and the restorative power of God, whether manifested in Jesus' earthly ministry or in the consummation of His eternal kingdom.
### Related Words & Concepts
Understanding G2322 is enhanced by examining its relationship with other Greek terms:
* **θεραπεύω (therapeúō) (verb, root of G2322):** This verb, meaning "to heal, to serve, to attend to," is foundational. While therapeía is the noun denoting the *act* or *result* of healing/care, therapeúō describes the *action* itself. Jesus "therapeúō-ed" (healed) those in need, resulting in their therapeía (healing).
* **ἰάομαι (iaomai) `{{G2390}}`:** Another common verb for "to heal, to cure." While often used interchangeably with therapeúō in the context of physical healing, iaomai tends to emphasize the *cure* or *restoration* from illness, often implying the immediate effect. therapeúō can sometimes carry a broader sense of careful attention or service that leads to healing, though in the NT, both frequently refer to miraculous cures.
* **σῴζω (sōzō) `{{G4982}}`:** Meaning "to save, to deliver, to preserve." While sōzō has a primary theological meaning of spiritual salvation, it can also encompass physical healing as a form of deliverance or preservation from harm. Biblical healing is often seen as a tangible expression of God's saving power.
* **δύναμις (dynamis) `{{G1411}}`:** Meaning "power, ability." Jesus' acts of therapeía were often accompanied by or described as demonstrations of divine dynamis.
### Theological Significance
The occurrences of G2322 (therapeía) carry profound theological weight:
1. **Manifestation of the Kingdom of God:** In [[Luke 9:11]], Jesus' acts of therapeía are not merely humanitarian gestures but powerful demonstrations of the inbreaking Kingdom of God. They signify that God's reign is one of restoration, compassion, and victory over the brokenness introduced by sin, including sickness and suffering. Healing is a sign that God's redemptive purposes are actively at work.
2. **Divine Compassion and Authority:** The ability to bring about therapeía underscores Jesus' divine nature and authority over all forms of affliction. His willingness to heal reflects God's deep compassion for humanity's suffering.
3. **Eschatological Hope and Cosmic Restoration:** The use of therapeía in [[Revelation 22:2]] elevates its meaning to an ultimate, cosmic scale. It points to the final state of the new heavens and new earth, where all the effects of the Fall are undone. The "healing of the nations" signifies a complete and universal well-being, peace, and reconciliation, indicating that God's redemptive plan culminates in the total restoration of creation and humanity. It is a promise of a future free from all sickness, sorrow, and division.
4. **Holistic Salvation:** While often referring to physical healing, the biblical concept of therapeía implicitly points to a holistic restoration that includes spiritual, emotional, and social dimensions. God's desire is for the complete well-being of His creation.
### Summary
G2322 (therapeía) is a Greek noun primarily signifying "healing" or "cure" in the New Testament. Derived from the verb θεραπεύω (therapeúō), it denotes the act or result of restoration to health or wholeness. Its two biblical occurrences, in [[Luke 9:11]] and [[Revelation 22:2]], powerfully illustrate its theological significance. In Luke, therapeía manifests Jesus' divine authority and compassion, serving as a tangible sign of the Kingdom of God breaking into human history. In Revelation, it expands to an eschatological promise, representing the ultimate, comprehensive "healing of the nations" in the new creation—a state of perfect well-being and reconciliation. While the word's broader semantic range includes "household service," its actual usage in the New Testament focuses exclusively on the miraculous and divine work of restoration and healing.
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