What Does Colossians 4:14 Mean in the King James?
Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse places healing inside a greeting: Luke is both beloved and a physician, and Demas stands with him.
THE MEANING
You are greeted now by Luke and Demas. Luke is named as both beloved and physician, holding affection and healing work in a single identity. Their greeting makes care relational: the healer is also someone known in love, and he is named alongside a companion.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the idea that a healer is defined only by the work he does: Luke is also named as beloved.
THE ROOT
ἰατρός
iatros
GROWS FROM
ἰάομαι
iaomai
to heal, cure
The word for physician belongs to the same word family as the verb for healing. English names Luke’s profession, while Greek keeps its healing work audible within the title.
ALSO GROWS
iaomai: to heal, cure
ἰάομαι
The verb makes the physician’s title point toward the work of healing.
iasis: healing, cure
ἴασις
This noun shares the root and makes the connection between the physician and healing explicit.
ἀγαπητός
agapētos
GROWS FROM
ἀγαπάω
agapaō
to love
“Beloved” belongs to the same word family as the verb “to love” and the noun “love.” Luke is named not only through his work, but also through his relation to love.
ALSO GROWS
agapaō: to love
ἀγαπάω
This verb shares the root behind the description of Luke as beloved.
agapē: love
ἀγάπη
This noun shows the same root as a word for love itself, held within Luke’s description as beloved.
THE PATTERN
A greeting carries care across distance by making relationship audible.
And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.All the saints salute you.THE THREAD
And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.Luke is called ἰατρός (iatros, “physician”) here, and Jesus uses that same Greek word for physician in this saying. The shared word opens Luke’s title onto its root-work: healing.
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