Ancient Definitions of Pharmacy

[Jemima]

I'm reading a fascinating book on Ecclesiastes, and came across a paragraph which pretty well sums up what doctoring (drugging) means:

 

"The New Testament puts drug use in the same class [as drunkeness]--- hollow. The word is pharmakeia, from which we get our word pharmacy, and our standard translations are sometimes odd. For example, in Galatians 5:20, it is usually rendered as sorcery or witchcraft. But Thayers gives the first definition as "the use or administering of drugs." The second definition is poisoning, and the third witchcraft. Liddell and Scott do much the same. First, it is the use of "drugs, potions, spells." The second definition is poisoning or witchcraft."

 

From Joy at the End of the Tether by Douglas Wilson.

 

I find this very interesting. As Solomon put it, "There is nothing new under the sun." I might add that doctoring hasn't changed since ancient times except that doctors and drug companies make a lot more money now.