Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 82 No. 2, 2012.
Original scientific paper
The Miraculous and Healing Activities of the Prophet Elisha
Božo Lujić
orcid.org/0000-0003-4645-406X
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
In the Second Book of Kings there is a dosed cycle of stories about the prophet Elisha (2 K 2; 2:4-8; 3:4 - 8:15; 9:1 -10:26; 13:14-21). The stories in that cycle speak about Elisha's activities. Elisha succeeded Elijah in his prophetic service in ninth century B.C. as a great healer and miracle worker. Healing activity is primeraly God's saving activity. Even though it appears that the main character in the stories is Elisha, they nevertheless emphasise the primary role of the Lord, the God of Israel in all facets of life. The world that shows Elisha through his actions is a world of miracles, the unusual, that emerges out of the world of the ordinary.
In that regard, Elisha is shown as a great miracle worker and healer in the field of natural phenomena and on historical-political activities and on human beings. Miracles in their varieties always emphasise that the Lord is the God of life and fertility, the God of history and the God of man. Elisha's activities show God's love toward all creation transforming the life of everyday to a world of miracles and health, a world of death to a world of life, a world of war to a world of true peace. Throughout all his actions Elisha speaks about the God in whom Israel believes. He is the God that heals and saves.
Keywords
Elisha; healing actions; miracles; miracle worker; healer; life; God
Hrčak ID:
84374
URI
Publication date:
12.7.2012.
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