ἴαμα
healing, curing
Definition
ἴαμα refers to a healing, cure, or remedy, specifically denoting the act or result of restoring health. In the New Testament, it consistently describes the supernatural healings performed by God's power, particularly through the gifts of the Holy Spirit. All its occurrences are in 1 Corinthians 12, where it is listed among the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30). The word emphasizes the concrete manifestation of healing, not just the abstract concept.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12, within his discussion of spiritual gifts for the common good of the church. It appears three times, always in the plural ('healings'), and is listed alongside other gifts like prophecy and tongues. The pattern shows it as a specific, divinely enabled ability to restore health, given to some but not all believers (1 Corinthians 12:30).
Etymology
Derived from the verb ἰάομαι (iaomai, G2390), meaning 'to heal' or 'to cure.' It is a noun form indicating the result or act of healing. Related cognates include ἰατρός (iatros, G2395), meaning 'physician.' The root conveys the idea of making whole or restoring.
Semantic Range
ἴαμα is theologically significant as it points to the ongoing power of the Holy Spirit in the church, demonstrating God's compassion and kingdom breaking into the present age. It underscores that healing is a sovereign gift from God, distributed according to His will for building up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11). Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting that these 'healings' are tangible manifestations of grace, not merely metaphors.
In the first-century Greco-Roman world, healing was often sought from pagan temples (like Asclepius) or physicians. Paul's use of ἴαμα for supernatural, Spirit-empowered cures would have contrasted sharply with these common sources, presenting the Christian God as the true healer. The gift also served as a sign authenticating the apostles' message in a culture attuned to miraculous claims.
θεραπεία (therapeia, G2322) — often denotes service, care, or healing in a broader, sometimes more general sense. σωτηρία (sōtēria, G4991) — emphasizes salvation or deliverance in a comprehensive, often spiritual sense, which can include physical healing.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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