Images of Illness in the Gospel of Luke: Insights from Ancient Medical Texts (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen Zum Neuen Testament 2, 164)

Analyzing the illness-related terminology of the Gospel against the background of classical medical texts, Annette Weissenrieder examines the degree to which ancient medical knowledge was incorporated into the healing narratives of Luke's Gospel. Her work focuses on the crossroads of theology and medical history. Her primary reference is the "Corpus Hippocraticum," supplemented by other ancient authors. She also examines Jewish sources in the light of these secular medical texts. The premise of the study is the constructivist concept that the cultural norms of a particular society shape the description of the body and the perception of illness. Annette Weissenrieder confirms that the concepts of illness used by the Lucan author were profoundly characteristic of his time.