Did Jesus advocate the Germ Theory of Disease?

A few of days ago, I did an article on Germ Theory vs Terrain Theory of Disease. In there, I said that those who advocate the Germ Theory of Disease tend to live in the fear of external germs, whereas those who advocate the Terrain Theory of Disease do not fear the “germs” that constantly surround us.

Germ Theory teaches that we must get rid of the germs in order to remain in health. That’s why we have antibiotics which fight infections by killing the germs, or vaccinations which produce antibodies in the blood that recognize foreign substances like bacteria and viruses, and neutralize them. Modern medicine is based on the Germ Theory.

The Terrain Theory, on the other hand, states that the more unhealthy a person is, the more out of balance his body is, the more susceptible the person is to illness and the sicker he may get when he comes into contact with an external germ or virus. It is the internal ecosystem which defends against an external agent that will determine if a person will catch a disease. That’s why Terrain Theory teaches that in order to prevent disease, we have to create health through diets or other lifestyle factors such as exercise. The healthier a person is, the less likely he or she is going to catch a disease.

Consider this passage of scripture:

Matthew 15:1-2 "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread."

Notice that Peter and the rest of the disciples did not wash or sanitize their hands before they eat bread. This, according to the Germ Theory, will cause them to catch a disease and become ill. Not only that, but notice that washing (sanitizing) hands before food was in fact a tradition of the scribes and the Pharisees.

Mark 7:3-4 "For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables."

Mark gives us more details on this tradition of the scribes and the Pharisees. Notice that they not only require the Jews to wash their hands before food, but there are also “many other things” which they have received to hold, such as washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Basically, it is cleaning and sanitization, and more cleaning and sanitization, just like what the Germ Theory of disease advocates to do.

Mark 7:8 "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do."

According to this verse, cleaning and sanitization is not a commandment of God. God did not require the Jews to wash their hands before they eat their food, nor did he require them to sanitize the cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and tables and such. That is a tradition of men, and not a commandment of God.

Mark 7:15 "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man."

According to Jesus, there is “nothing” that enters into a man that can defile him. The word “defile” has the same meaning as “pollute,” for example:

Numbers 35:33 "So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it."

Ezekiel 7:22 "My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it."

The Germ Theory of disease teaches that when a body is “polluted” by germs coming from outside the body, the body will catch a disease and become sick. That’s why it advocates that we must clean and sanitize our hands before we eat, so that we don’t become sick from the germs. Contrast this with the words of the Lord in Mark 7:15 “… nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him.” That is to say that the germs that come in from outside the body cannot pollute it and cause a person to become ill.

The Lord further explains:

Matthew 15:16-17 "And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?"

Whatsoever that enters in at the mouth goes into the belly, and will be cast out as dung. That would include the germs and bacteria that enter in when we eat our food with unwashen hands. The Terrain Theory of disease teaches that it is not the germs and bacteria coming from outside that makes us sick, but the health of our internal ecosystem in being able to defend and protect against the external germ, bacteria, virus or poison. Those things cannot hurt us if our internal ecosystem is healthy and robust. That’s the reason why according to the Terrain Theory, in order to prevent a disease, we have to create health.