Bloody Flux
What Was Bloody Flux?
"Bloody flux" is the historic English term for dysentery, derived from the Greek phrase puretos kai dusenteria found in Acts 28:8, which translates literally as "fever and dysentery." It describes a severe gastrointestinal infection causing intense abdominal pain, high fever, and frequent diarrhea containing blood and mucus. In the ancient world, without modern medical treatments like rehydration therapy and antibiotics, dysentery was a common and dangerous disease with a high mortality rate, often spreading in epidemic form.
The Biblical Narrative
The disease appears explicitly in the New Testament. After being shipwrecked on Malta, the Apostle Paul and his companions were shown kindness by the island's chief official, Publius. Paul learned that Publius's father was "lying sick with fever and dysentery" (Acts 28:8). In response, Paul went to him, prayed, laid his hands on him, and healed him. This miraculous healing led to many other sick people on the island coming to Paul and being cured (Acts 28:9).
While not named directly, a similar affliction is strongly implied in the Old Testament account of King Jehoram of Judah. After a reign marked by evil, Jehoram was struck by the Lord with an incurable disease of the bowels (2 Chronicles 21:18-19). The description, that his bowels came out because of the disease after two years of suffering, aligns with the complications of severe, chronic dysentery, where intestinal tissue can become gangrenous and slough away.
Historical and Medical Context
Historical accounts and modern medical understanding confirm that dysentery was a major health threat in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Poor sanitation, contaminated water, and close living quarters facilitated its spread, especially among military garrisons and traveling groups. The condition was well-known to Greek and Roman physicians. The high mortality noted in historical records, such as in 19th-century Egypt and Malta, mirrors the peril it posed in biblical times. The term "bloody flux" vividly captures the most alarming symptom of the disease: the bloody discharge.
Significance of the Healing in Acts
The healing of Publius's father is a pivotal moment in the narrative of Acts. It occurs during Paul's divinely guided journey to Rome as a prisoner. This miracle serves several purposes: it demonstrates that God's power to heal and confirm apostolic authority traveled with Paul even to a remote island; it functioned as a sign of God's grace to Gentiles, leading to the hospitality and honor shown to Paul and his companions (Acts 28:10); and it illustrated the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God, where sickness is overcome, in a new geographical region. The event turned a disaster, a shipwreck, into an opportunity for gospel witness and divine power to be displayed.
Biblical Context
The term "bloody flux" (dysentery) appears directly in Acts 28:8 in the account of Paul's ministry on Malta. It is also the likely referent for the severe intestinal disease that afflicted and ultimately killed King Jehoram, as described in 2 Chronicles 21:15-19. In Acts, the disease provides the context for a miraculous healing that validates Paul's apostolic ministry among Gentiles. In 2 Chronicles, the disease is presented as a specific divine judgment on a wicked king, fulfilling a prophetic warning (2 Chronicles 21:14-15).
Theological Significance
The instances of bloody flux in Scripture touch on key theological themes: divine judgment and divine healing. In Jehoram's case, the illness is a direct instrument of God's judgment against covenant unfaithfulness and idolatry, underscoring the biblical principle that actions have consequences and God is just. In Acts, the healing demonstrates God's compassion, the continuation of Jesus's healing ministry through his apostles, and the extension of God's saving power to all nations. It shows that God's care encompasses physical suffering and that miracles can serve as signs to authenticate the message of the gospel and open doors for its reception.
Historical Background
Dysentery, caused by bacteria (like Shigella) or amoebas, was endemic in the ancient world. Extra-biblical historical sources from Greece, Rome, and the Near East frequently mention epidemics of dysentery, particularly in military camps and crowded cities, contexts relevant to Paul's travels and Jehoram's Jerusalem. Medical papyri from Egypt describe its symptoms and treatments. The disease's prevalence in regions like Malta, Palestine, and Egypt is attested in historical medical records well into the modern era, confirming the biblical account's realistic setting. The high fatality rate, especially before the 20th century, makes the healing in Acts all the more remarkable.