Article November 5, 1921 Issue

The Healing of Naaman

ELSIE M. SHAW

The story of Naaman, the captain of the host of the king of Syria, and how he was healed of his leprosy is well known to all readers of the Bible. But it is only as the spiritual understanding of the Bible is gained, which is one of the priceless gifts bestowed upon humanity by Mrs. Eddy, and which follows the study of Christian Science, that the story opens up and unfolds to the Bible student.

It can readily be seen that it was Naaman's pride that stood in the way of his healing, and this was discerned by Elisha "the man of God," who told the great warrior to go and wash seven times in Jordan. Naaman's pride is at once up in arms. He says: "Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper." This shows that Naaman expected to receive his healing in a spectacular manner that would but enhance the dignity and pomp that always surrounded him. Therefore, when the prophet would not even come out to see him, and simply sent a message telling him to do what seemed a rather ridiculous thing, Naaman was wroth and said: "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?" However, when he is finally persuaded to obey the prophet and to overlook the apparent slight to his dignity, he is instantaneously healed of his leprosy, "and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." It is, of course, obvious to any student of Christian Science that it was not the waters of Jordan that healed Naaman, but that the laying aside of his pride paved the way for his physical healing.

When this story is studied with the aid of a Bible concordance, still further spiritual meanings come to light. The name "Elisha" is found to mean "God is saviour." Therefore in going to Elisha, Naaman was in reality turning away from matter to God, Spirit, which is the first step to any real healing. Washing seven times in the river Jordan signified that Naaman was divesting himself of material error.

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