The First Christians Had Illnesses
Timothy (bishop of Ephesus) suffered from a stomach ailment, so much so that the apostle Paul tells him to relax his fast because of the illness:
“No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities” (1 Tim. 5:23)
The apostle Paul himself was given an illness so that he would not become proud:
“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure” (2 Cor. 12:7)
Epaphroditus (a companion of the apostle Paul) was sick and near death:
“Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. <…> because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me” (Phil. 2:25-27,30)
The apostle Paul delivers a sinning Christian to Satan, to be struck with illness:
“have already judged <...> him who has so done this deed, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 5:3,5)
Unworthy participation in the Eucharist led many Christians to illnesses, infirmities and even death:
“For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep” (1 Cor. 11:30)
The righteous of the Old Testament fell ill
“Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see…” (Gen. 27:1)
The Benefit of Bodily Suffering
Help in Leaving Sins
“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin” (1 Pet. 4:1)
Protection from Pride
“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure” (2 Cor. 12:7)
Bringing to One’s Senses
“Then it was that, broken in spirit, he began to lose much of his arrogance and to come to his senses under the scourge of God, for he was tortured with pain every moment” (2 Macc. 9:11)
God Can Punish with Illness
God can punish for lawlessness and sins:
“Why do you cry about your affliction? Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you” (Jer. 30:15)
God punished Miriam (the sister of Aaron and Moses) with leprosy for reproaching Moses:
“Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? So the anger of the LORD was aroused against them, and He departed. And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper” (Num. 12:8-10)
A plague befell the people of Israel for turning away from the worship of God:
“So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel. <…> And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand” (Num. 25:3,9)
The Savior points to sins as a cause of illnesses:
“Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you’” (John. 5:14)
God can also have mercy and protect from illnesses
“If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you” (Ex. 15:26)
Not All Illnesses Come from Sins
“Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him’” (John. 9:1-3)
See also: Medicine.
The Didache — a Christian Writing of the 1st–2nd Century
“Accept whatever happens to you as good, knowing that apart from God nothing comes to pass”