Abstract:
Through interacting with the sick, did Jesus contract infectious diseases or did he take
preventive herbs to avoid them? During biblical times, infectious diseases were fatal. Diarrhoea,
cough, pneumonia and skin diseases would quickly spread across villages or cities.
Underscoring the seriousness with which prevention of infectious diseases was taken, 213 of
the 613 biblical commandments concern hygiene. This study has two tasks: firstly, exploring
the various techniques undertaken to avoid infectious diseases by looking at daily preventive
hygienic activities. Secondly, given that Jesus was always in the company of sick crowds, the
study re-describes Mark 1:4–45, where Jesus, after healing the leper, was forbidden from
entering the city as indicative of fear against infectious diseases. Furthermore, the story (Mk
3:7–12) whereby Jesus requested a boat to create a gap between himself and the people is
plausible from the perspective of infectious diseases.
