Human Necessity

Human Necessity

Today, we live in a world where the question, "why?" proceeds nearly every statement or action. We live in a society where faith alone, for most, is not enough to justify belief. In her novel Regeneration, Pat Barker shows us this need to question by referring to the Gospel of Saint Luke. On page 106, Dr. Rivers recites Luke 4:23 to himself: "Ye will sure say unto me this proverb. Physician heal thyself." Barker uses this Biblical reference to develop a theme concurrent with the entire novel: our innate human need to seek justification for actions.

The phrase, "Ye will surely say unto me this proverb. Physician heal thyself," is spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Saint Luke. Saint Luke tells us that at the age of 30 Jesus began his public ministry. Prior to his preaching, he had worked as a simple carpenter in the city of Nazareth (New International Version Bible, Luke 3:23). Upon hearing about the arrest of John the Baptist, Jesus left Nazareth and went to Capernaum, a city close to the Jordan River. In Capernaum, Jesus began his teachings. Jesus would preach in synagogues and perform miracles: casting out demons, making the paralyzed walk, and relieving deadly fevers from the sick ("Capernaum").

News of the coming of a Messiah spread all over Galilee, including to Jesus' hometown of Nazareth, where the residents had never known Jesus as the Messiah, or as a man who could perform miracles. To the residents of Nazareth, Jesus was merely a simple carpenter. For thirty years, the people of Nazareth had referred to Jesus as "The Perfect Man," but never had witnessed a miracle or anything that would prompt them to think more highly of Jesus (Gledenhuys 167). The residents of Nazareth had heard of Jesus' miracles at Capernaum and were eager to see if this man, whom they had known since birth, was what he claimed to be. Jesus began preaching to the Nazarenes, but as he spoke the residents began to grumble and question each other: "Isn't this Joseph's son?" (New International Version Bible, Luke 4:22). They did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, because they had not seen any physical evidence; they had not witnessed a miracle. Jesus, sensing their lack of faith, says to them, "Ye will surely say unto me this proverb. Physician heal thyself" (New International Version Bible, Luke 4:23).