Why does the book of Revelation say that you can anoint your eyes with medicine to cure blindness?

[NathanH83]

You say you are rich. You think you have become wealthy and don’t need anything. But you don’t know that you are really miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy gold from me—gold made pure in fire. Then you will be rich. I tell you this: Buy clothes that are white. Then you will be able to cover your shameful nakedness. I also tell you to buy medicine to put on your eyes. Then you will be able to see.
-Revelation 3:17-18

Bible Gateway passage: Revelation 3:17-18 - Easy-to-Read Version

You say you are rich. You think you have become wealthy and don’t need anything. But you don’t know that you are really miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy gold from me—gold made pure in fire. Then you will be rich. I tell you this: Buy clothes that are white. Then...

www.biblegateway.com

It seems to me that this is a false doctrine. Because the act of putting magical potions on your eyes to cure blindness is a form of magical incantations. The Bible condemns magic!

This is an endorsement of sorcery and witchcraft!

 

[Lamb]

That's a harsh claim that God is endorsing sorcery and witchcraft when in fact, He's is pointing people to Jesus and the warning in those verses were to churches that had strayed. The cure is always JESUS.

 

[NathanH83]

That's a harsh claim that God is endorsing sorcery and witchcraft when in fact, He's is pointing people to Jesus and the warning in those verses were to churches that had strayed. The cure is always JESUS.

But is there really such a thing as a medicine that can anoint the eyes and heal blindness?

If not, then why would it reference something that doesn’t exist in the real world?

 

[NathanH83]

That's a harsh claim that God is endorsing sorcery and witchcraft when in fact, He's is pointing people to Jesus and the warning in those verses were to churches that had strayed. The cure is always JESUS.

It’s not a harsh claim against God. It just means that Revelation doesn’t belong in the Bible. The council of Laodicea declared it so. Luther also didn’t want it included.

Clearly proof that Revelation doesn’t belong.

 

[Lamb]

But is there really such a thing as a medicine that can anoint the eyes and heal blindness?

If not, then why would it reference something that doesn’t exist in the real world?

The real blindness is not seeing the Savior and the forgiveness of sins.

 

[Bluezone777]

Seeing as the entire book of Revelation is full of images meant to point to spiritual things, I would dare say you shouldn't take what is said literally as the letters tot he churches were tailored to speak to each people group. For Laodicea which was known for its wealth, fine clothes, and eye ointment would be quite startling for Jesus to tell them they themselves are poor, blind. and naked which would be the very things they would have never saw themselves as if Jesus didn't point it out to them.

Bible hub does good commentary on the Bible. Here's a link to their commentary on Revelation 3:18....

Revelation 3:18 Commentaries: I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your ey

 

[NathanH83]

Seeing as the entire book of Revelation is full of images meant to point to spiritual things, I would dare say you shouldn't take what is said literally as the letters tot he churches were tailored to speak to each people group. For Laodicea which was known for its wealth, fine clothes, and eye ointment would be quite startling for Jesus to tell them they themselves are poor, blind. and naked which would be the very things they would have never saw themselves as if Jesus didn't point it out to them.

Bible hub does good commentary on the Bible. Here's a link to their commentary on Revelation 3:18....

Revelation 3:18 Commentaries: I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your ey

Of course it’s talking about spiritual blindness….but it’s using things in the real physical world.

It’s talking about spiritual poverty. But there really is such a thing as gold in the world
It’s talking about spiritual nakedness. But there really is such a thing as clothes in the world.

Obviously it’s also talking about spiritual blindness. But is there such a thing as medicine that can cure blindness in the world?

Where on Earth would they get that idea?

 

[Lamb]

Of course it’s talking about spiritual blindness….but it’s using things in the real physical world.

It’s talking about spiritual poverty. But there really is such a thing as gold in the world
It’s talking about spiritual nakedness. But there really is such a thing as clothes in the world.

Obviously it’s also talking about spiritual blindness. But is there such a thing as medicine that can cure blindness in the world?

Where on Earth would they get that idea?

I'm not sure why you're so caught up in that detail instead of focusing on what the verses point to...the need for the Savior.

 

[Josiah]

Clearly proof that Revelation doesn’t belong.

No matter what title you give to your never-ending threads, the point is always the same. You never can actually substantiate a thing.... and so you just start over.... with another angle on the same thing.



.

 

[NathanH83]

I'm not sure why you're so caught up in that detail instead of focusing on what the verses point to...the need for the Savior.

Because Bible teachers have told me that when a book says that magical potions can heal blindness, then it’s endorsing witchcraft and sorcery, and therefore the book ought to be ripped out of the Bible and thrown into the trash.

I’m just going by the logic Bible teachers follow.

Tobit says there’s a medicine made from fish gall that can cure cataracts, a common form of blindness. That’s a magical potion. The Bible condemns magical incantations. So Tobit is bad and should be taken out of the Bible.

Using the same logic, Revelation is bad, and endorsing magic too.

I’m very much focused on Jesus’ instructions. He told us not to add or subtract from His word.

 

[Josiah]

Because Bible teachers have told me that when a book says that magical potions can heal blindness, then it’s endorsing witchcraft and sorcery, and therefore the book ought to be ripped out of the Bible and thrown into the trash.

If so, then perhaps your "issue" is with those "Bible teachers."

Tobit ...

It only took one post for you to confirm what I said in post # 9.

It's a broken record for you.... and one we've found to be based on phantoms and falsehoods, which you spin in absurd, baseless ways.



.

 

[NathanH83]

If so, then perhaps your "issue" is with those "Bible teachers."





It only took one post for you to confirm what I said in post # 9.

It's a broken record for you.... and one we've found to be based on phantoms and falsehoods, which you spin in absurd, baseless ways.



.

You better go home and rip the book of Revelation out of your Bible. It talks about magical potions. Magic is evil.

 

[Lamb]

You better go home and rip the book of Revelation out of your Bible. It talks about magical potions. Magic is evil.

You should look more to what Revelation is about and discuss Him a bit more. You'd find much more satisfaction and it will stop you from worrying so much about the apocryphal books.

 

[NathanH83]

You should look more to what Revelation is about and discuss Him a bit more. You'd find much more satisfaction and it will stop you from worrying so much about the apocryphal books.

I believe every book of the Bible.

I’m not hung up on books that are truly apocryphal. I’m hung up on the real books of the Bible that have been ripped out.

 

[Lamb]

I believe every book of the Bible.

I’m not hung up on books that are truly apocryphal. I’m hung up on the real books of the Bible that have been ripped out.

So tell me how not having those books prevents you from studying about the Savior and forgiveness of sins?

 

[NathanH83]

So tell me how not having those books prevents you from studying about the Savior and forgiveness of sins?

You know, I have one of these pocket Bibles. It has only the New Testament and Psalms and Proverbs. It doesn’t have most of the Old Testament.

Does this Bible hinder me from studying about Christ?

Uh, well, it has the New Testament. Of course I can use it to study about Christ.

But it’s still missing the Old Testament, and therefore not a complete Bible.

I don’t mind if someone makes a scaled down pocket Bible with missing books. Just don’t lie to me that it’s a full Bible.

If Esther was missing from our Bibles today, would we be hindered from studying about Christ? Probably not. But Esther is an amazing story that belongs in the Bible, and I’d hate to be missing the books that God wants me to have.

I think your question is absolutely ridiculous. It’s just another smoke screen to deflect the issue.

“Oh, well, you can believe in Jesus and go to Heaven with certain books missing….so pay no attention to them.”

 

[Lamb]

You know, I have one of these pocket Bibles. It has only the New Testament and Psalms and Proverbs. It doesn’t have most of the Old Testament.

Does this Bible hinder me from studying about Christ?

Uh, well, it has the New Testament. Of course I can use it to study about Christ.

But it’s still missing the Old Testament, and therefore not a complete Bible.

I don’t mind if someone makes a scaled down pocket Bible with missing books. Just don’t lie to me that it’s a full Bible.

If Esther was missing from our Bibles today, would we be hindered from studying about Christ? Probably not. But Esther is an amazing story that belongs in the Bible, and I’d hate to be missing the books that God wants me to have.

I think your question is absolutely ridiculous. It’s just another smoke screen to deflect the issue.

“Oh, well, you can believe in Jesus and go to Heaven with certain books missing….so pay no attention to them.”

I've never known anyone to call the New Testament, Psalm/Proverbs to be a complete bible. Are you sure it's labeled that way? Normally they're indicated what's inside.

What I'm saying is that the Old Testament and New Testament are complete enough for YOU to have salvation, know who God is and you are not lacking in anything in order to have eternal life.

 

[NathanH83]

I've never known anyone to call the New Testament, Psalm/Proverbs to be a complete bible. Are you sure it's labeled that way? Normally they're indicated what's inside.

What I'm saying is that the Old Testament and New Testament are complete enough for YOU to have salvation, know who God is and you are not lacking in anything in order to have eternal life.

You totally just missed my point.

Obviously people aren’t claiming those little pocket Bibles to be complete. But they ARE claiming Protestant Bibles to be complete. But they’re not.

And to say that they’re not lacking anything is not true. I’ve already explained why (prophecies in Daniel, etc.).

No, it’s not complete.

I can rip the book of Job out of your Bible, and it will still be complete ENOUGH for you to have salvation. That doesn’t mean that it’s complete.

You might say, “Oh, but the New Testament mentions Job!”

Yea, exactly. And the New Testament also mentions things from Maccabees and Tobit.

 

[NathanH83]

Anyway, it’s something to think about. The book of Revelation does provide at least some verification for this eye remedy from the book of Tobit.

 

[Lamb]

You totally just missed my point.

Obviously people aren’t claiming those little pocket Bibles to be complete. But they ARE claiming Protestant Bibles to be complete. But they’re not.

And to say that they’re not lacking anything is not true. I’ve already explained why (prophecies in Daniel, etc.).

No, it’s not complete.

I can rip the book of Job out of your Bible, and it will still be complete ENOUGH for you to have salvation. That doesn’t mean that it’s complete.

You might say, “Oh, but the New Testament mentions Job!”

Yea, exactly. And the New Testament also mentions things from Maccabees and Tobit.

You claim the Protestant bible is not complete enough to know Jesus and His salvation? And yet you can't say HOW the Apocyrpha points to Jesus?