It’s time for another Windows Wednesday! Today, we will examine the center of Sanctuary Window 5—The Physician. This window’s theme shows the power of Christ as a healer, and the middle of this large window is a scene from the life of Jesus.

As described in Mark, chapter 2, a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus for healing. The crowd around the house where Jesus was staying was so large, the group could not get through. Determined to reach him, they finally lowered the man through the roof of the house. As a reward for their faith, Jesus forgave the sins of the sick man and healed him.

Below the scene of Jesus and the paralyzed man, we see two images closely aligned with medicine and healing. The snake on a pole is an image out of the book of Numbers, chapter 21. As the Hebrews wandered in the wilderness, they were beset by poisonous snakes. At God’s command, Moses “made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.” (Numbers 21:9). The image of a snake on a rod has carried through to modern times as well. The Greeks associated the image with that of the staff of Asclepius, Greek god of healing. The “Star of Life,” seen below, was developed by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the mid-1970’s to identify ambulances and emergency medical personnel, one of many modern examples of its use. Below the staff, we see a retort on a tripod (a piece of glassware used in laboratories to distill or concentrate liquids). These images mark the transition through alchemy and chemistry to the scientific nature of modern medicine and the ability we have gained to heal ourselves through the study and application of science. The healing power of the Holy Spirit at work today will be examined next week in the lowest panel of this window. Click or scroll over the image below to see the artist’s design for this window.

When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” —he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:1–12

“Star of life2” by Verdy p – Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Related posts:

Sanctuary Window 2—The Teacher—B Sanctuary Window 5—The Physician—A Sanctuary Window 5—The Physician—C Sanctuary Window 6—The Friend of Sinners—A