Would Jesus have experienced sickness?

[roccoangelo]

Greetings,

As per the title, I’m curious to know if Jesus would have ever experienced physical sickness, like a flu for example. I’ve heard it said that He was just like us in His humanity, that is, having limitations, but yet in His divinity He is perfect. Part of me thinks He would experience sickness and part of me thinks He wouldn’t. Any thoughts?

Pax Tecum,
Rocco

 

[LilyM]

He certainly experienced tiredness - wasn’t he fast asleep in the boat during the storm? (He must’ve been really tired for that).

He sweated blood during his Agony, and was frail enough to fall multiple times while carrying the Cross.

I think physically he was perfectly normal, including being vulnerable to illness.

 

[LindaS]

I think so. He would have had headaches or upset stomach or any of the other disorders that beset all of us. Jesus was fully human, so I believe that He would have had illnesses.

Peace,
Linda

 

[Sandi]

I think so. The Bible tells us that Jesus was human, just like the rest of us, and subject to the same frailties and temptations. Therefore, I think he experience illness at some time during his earthly life.

 

[minkymurph]

I think he must have if he became completely human in every sense. It wouldn’t have been very fair if God became incarnate and made sure he never got sick. I’ve put that very badly, Hope everyone knows what I mean.

 

[The_Augustinian]

Well, let’s turn to the trusty Catholic Encyclopedia, from the article on the Incarnation:

The Fathers deny that Christ assumed sickness. There is no mention in Scripture of any sickness of Jesus. Sickness is not a weakness that is a necessary belonging of human nature. It is true that pretty much all mankind suffers sickness. It is not true that any specific sickness is suffered by all mankind. Not all men must needs have measles. No one definite sickness universally belongs to human nature; hence no one definite sickness was assumed by Christ. St. Athanasius gives the reason that it were unbecoming that He should heal others who was Himself not healed (P. G., XX, 133).

However, the Fathers also thought that Christ suffered all those defects common to all men such as hunger, thirst, pain, and of course death.

 

[Abiien]

Personally, i think if jesus ever did get sick or something he would just heal him self

What point is there in being sick?
He healed any who had faith and came to him…

 

[minkymurph]

The Augustinian - never thought of it that way. Thanks for the response.

 

[LilyM]

Well, let’s turn to the trusty Catholic Encyclopedia, from the article on the Incarnation:

However, the Fathers also thought that Christ suffered all those defects common to all men such as hunger, thirst, pain, and of course death.

Just because there isn’t any specific illness that is universal doesn’t mean Christ never experienced any.

There isn’t one cause or way of death that is common to all mankind, yet he experienced one particular method - crucifixion.

Neither is there one gender that is common to all mankind - yet Christ chose a specific gender - male.

 

[FCEGM]

Just because there isn’t any specific illness that is universal doesn’t mean Christ never experienced any. . . .

Lily, it’s the same principle as re Our Lord’s inability to sin, as addressed here:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=1649556#post1649556

Christ as a healer must have what He is going to share, i.e., must be fully, i.e., perfectly human and Divine or He could not heal us. He gives us the health, as it were, He has. If He did not have this health we, being sick, could not receive healing. So it is not Christ Who is not fully human, it is we, in our fallen state, who are not yet fully human. Only when we by His merits are conformed to Him by divine grace will our humanity be all that it should be. Christ is the Model and Goal for humanity, not vice-versa.

 

[roccoangelo]

Greetings,

I think the quote that FCEGM gave properly reflects the mind of the church on this matter. It also reminds me of what our late holy father, JPII, wrote about in his theology of the body. In it he writes about how man is no longer fully human ever since original sin entered the world. Before original sin man didn’t experience sickness and was immortal, but when sin and death entered the world through man’s disobedience, he died spiritualy and also experienced the loss of physical immortality. Hence Christ came into the world to restore what man lost through original sin.

Pax Tecum,
Rocco

 

[minkymurph]

Greetings,

I think the quote that FCEGM gave properly reflects the mind of the church on this matter. It also reminds me of what our late holy father, JPII, wrote about in his theology of the body. In it he writes about how man is no longer fully human ever since original sin entered the world. Before original sin man didn’t experience sickness and was immortal, but when sin and death entered the world through man’s disobedience, he died spiritualy and also experienced the loss of physical immortality. Hence Christ came into the world to restore what man lost through original sin.

Pax Tecum,
Rocco

Sorry if I’m going off the topic but I have never heard this before and would like to know more. You say before original sin man was immortal? What therefore is the meaning of the tree of life in Genesis? I was under the impression that this was figurative, either literally or otherwise, of immortality. Because man fell he was not given the fruit of the tree of life, ie, immortality. Could you expand or direct me to another thread that discusses this?

 

[FCEGM]

Sorry if I’m going off the topic but I have never heard this before and would like to know more. You say before original sin man was immortal? What therefore is the meaning of the tree of life in Genesis? I was under the impression that this was figurative, either literally or otherwise, of immortality. Because man fell he was not given the fruit of the tree of life, ie, immortality. Could you expand or direct me to another thread that discusses this?

minky, not only was the punishment for sin the death of the soul (the loss of sanctifying grace), but also death of the body. Note that in chapter two of Genesis it is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that is forbidden to our first parents, while the tree of life stands in the middle as the source of their life - a life (eternal) that was lost to them until the cure (their descendant and Savior, Jesus Christ).

This is a difficult point and many systems have been invented to explain it: it will suffice to give the theological explanation now commonly received. Original sin is the privation of sanctifying grace in consequence of the sin of Adam. This solution, which is that of St. Thomas, goes back to St. Anselm and even to the traditions of the early Church, as we see by the declaration of the Second Council of Orange (A.D. 529): one man has transmitted to the whole human race not only the death of the body, which is the punishment of sin, but even sin itself, which is the death of the soul [Denz., n. 175 (145)]. As death is the privation of the principle of life, the death of the soul is the privation of sanctifying grace which according to all theologians is the principle of supernatural life.

newadvent.org/cathen/11312a.htm#VI

 

[roccoangelo]

minkymurph,

The tree of life in Genesis was what gave Adam and Eve knowlege of good and evil (aka - morality) that only God had. Before the fall A&E lived with God in an immortal state in Eden, trusting Him entirely. When they disobeyed Him through original sin they ‘became like us (God) knowing good and evil’. They’re dissobedience was rooted in pride and in a new lack of trust in God that the serpant tricked them into believing.

Pax Tecum,
Rocco

 

[LilyM]

Lily, it’s the same principle as re Our Lord’s inability to sin, as addressed here:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=1649556#post1649556

No it isn’t - Jesus was not immune from any of the conditions of humanity bar sin.

For example, working ‘in the sweat of one’s brow’ to earn a living was a punishment imposed on Adam when he sinned. In Eden they had everything they needed provided for them without having to work for it. You think Adam and Eve were ever hungry or tired prior to the fall? No. But Christ was.

He took on that consequence of the fall and all others but original and actual sin. This most likely includes illness.

 

[Saint_Augustin]

Greetings,

As per the title, I’m curious to know if Jesus would have ever experienced physical sickness, like a flu for example. I’ve heard it said that He was just like us in His humanity, that is, having limitations, but yet in His divinity He is perfect. Part of me thinks He would experience sickness and part of me thinks He wouldn’t. Any thoughts?

Pax Tecum,
Rocco

Yes, he was mortal.

 

[blackrobe]

Sorry if I’m going off the topic but I have never heard this before and would like to know more. You say before original sin man was immortal? What therefore is the meaning of the tree of life in Genesis? I was under the impression that this was figurative, either literally or otherwise, of immortality. Because man fell he was not given the fruit of the tree of life, ie, immortality. Could you expand or direct me to another thread that discusses this?

Immortality, freedom from suffering, and integrity are preternatural gifts given to Adam and Eve. That means they are not something due humans according to our nature, but gifts “above” our nature. They are, in fact, angelic qualities.

Adam lost them for us through sin. Integrity is that attribute by which our sense appetites and passions were in accord with the natural and moral law. Another word for lack of integrity is concupiscence-- our tendency toward disordered appetites and passions.

JSA

 

[The_Augustinian]

Just because there isn’t any specific illness that is universal doesn’t mean Christ never experienced any.

There isn’t one cause or way of death that is common to all mankind, yet he experienced one particular method - crucifixion.

Neither is there one gender that is common to all mankind - yet Christ chose a specific gender - male.

Those are good points. Christ of course wasn’t an Everyman–there’s no such thing–but a particular Man, born in Bethlehem and living a life like other people. Certainly if you were to look at Him on the street in Jerusalem, at first glance He would not look so different from anyone else.

Still, the Scriptures never mention Him getting sick, and as the Doctor of our souls and bodies it would be inappropriate to get sick. Forgive me for an extrapolation, but when the woman who suffered internal bleeding for twelve years touched Jesus’ garment, He felt “His power” going out of Him. So, if His ability to heal came from His own power (where else could it come from?), any sickness that would befall Him would immediately be healed, since He would, as it were, have this divine immune system.

Certainly it says that He was like us in all things except sin, but He was also God. That makes another huge difference.