Biblical Terms Used for Counseling

Biblical Terms Used for Counseling

There is much debate and contention about secular as opposed to religious approaches to counseling - which is in effect a reflection of the secular / religious divide in contemporary culture. However, an analysis of the terms and concepts found in the Biblical texts showed evidence of a great deal of similarity and concurrence with contemporary counseling terminology. This study examines a few central terms in the light of Biblical meaning as well as the relevance of these terms in a contemporary therapeutic and counseling environment. The result of this analysis indicates the ways in which Biblical concepts enrich and expand the meaning and effectiveness of modern counseling. The analysis of the specific words tends to concur with Olsen's (1997) view that modern counseling that takes into account Biblical terms is one which, "speaks to our existential present" (p. 6). In this sense the understanding of Biblical terms and counseling terminology suggests a process which possibly transcends the dualism between secular and religious view of counseling in general.

1. Introduction

2. Research Methodology

3. Analysis

3.1. Healing

3.1.2. Discussion

3.2. Correlation with the terms wisdom and communication

3.3. Counsel

3.3.1. Discussion

3.4. Help

4. Summation and Conclusion

Reference List

1. Introduction

The contemporary views and the common dispute about the validity and the need for counseling that takes into account biblical views and interpretations of key concepts should, in the first instance, be briefly discussed in this introduction. This refers to the antagonism between secular and Biblical or religious approaches to counseling. As one article on this subject states;

Psychology approaches human behavior from a secular, humanistic perspective. Accordingly, Biblical revelation is irrelevant to understanding or changing human behavior. Psychology seeks to describe and explain human behavior apart from what God has clearly revealed. Its premises are derived from man-made theories, human wisdom and research conducted without a corresponding search for truth as God defines truth. (What Is Biblical Counseling?)

The above approach is in direct contrast to the strictly Biblical view of counseling, which is succinctly expressed in the following quotation.

By contrast, the emphasis in Biblical counseling is exactly opposite. Whereas secular psychology begins with a study of man's ideas, Biblical counseling begins with a study of the Word of God as it relates to human behavior and human need. It is dependent upon the revealed mind of God rather than the easily deceived mind of man. Yet it does not just begin with God, it follows a path that is in constant harmony with the Word of God and addresses man's problems in light of God's answers.

(What Is Biblical Counseling?)

The above two divergent views express the extremes in the debate about secular vs. religious counseling. However, both these dualistic view have been replaced in recent years by a third alternative way of viewing counseling. This is often referred to as the secular-humanist approach, which tends to attempt to integrate religious views and perceptions within the ambit of psychological counseling. On the other hand the tension between secular and religious attitudes towards counseling is a reflection of the larger secular- religious divide that characterizes much of the discourse and debate in our world in almost every modern academic discipline.

In the light of this division it has been suggested by many pundits that there is another alternative stance or theoretical trajectory that can be adopted. This is the more open - ended and intellectually liberal approach to the praxis of counseling; where the Bible and religion are enlisted to aid and expand the concept and meaning of counseling. This view tends to envisage counseling in religious terms that are not dogmatic or necessarily bound by traditional interpretation.

Modern counseling also sees religion as an important component of the cultural aspects that are important in counseling any individual; and that these cultural aspects must be taken into consideration. This form of counseling is described as a process of listening and communication and taking into account religious criteria that influence the individual.

Counseling is the process of prayerfully and sensitively listening to another person (Prov 18:13, 17), helping them discern real soul needs, and providing practical, biblical advice about changing their attitudes and behaviors in relationship to God and others (Mat 22:36-40).

(What Makes Counseling "Biblical"?)

This paper aims to show the usefulness and the value of the Christian Bible as a source for counseling as well as a means of expanding the secular view of counseling concepts. The paper will, through the analysis of words and concepts in the Bible and their comparisons to modern counseling concepts, also attempt to show the significance as well as the problematics that are involved in this comparative process. It is also suggested that the use of Biblical concepts adds depth and enriches counseling in the modern environment. It expands counseling in various ways which are not necessarily subject to dogma or particular belief systems. This also refers to the "Relevance of Religion and Spirituality to Counseling in the area of multicultural theory..." where "...psychologists have continued to call for psychological treatments and interventions that are culturally sensitive and relevant and that integrate aspects of client culture into the counseling process... "(Walker, Gorsuch & Tan, 2004, p.64). This stance is concerned in a theoretical sense with the view of counseling which stresses that "... counseling is inescapably a religious endeavor, focused around the progressive sanctification of the soul" (What Makes Counseling "Biblical"?).

This paper will therefore discuss examples of Biblical terms and their relationship to modern counseling concepts and terminology. This discussion will also take into account the secular- religious debate referred to above. The central thesis that will be explored is that Biblical terms can not only provide a useful tool for counseling in a social and cultural contact but that a study of these terms extends the understanding of counseling concepts and widens and enriches the area of discussion, research and application.

The discussion of these terms will be relatively open-ended and will take into account the variations in meaning of Biblical terms and the way that these meaning interrelate with modern counseling terminology. For example, while the terms addiction might be a term used in the modern counseling lexicon, this term can be referred in meaning to Biblical words such as "in bondage" or "enslaved to"; likewise, the term deception can be related to "self-deceived." As one commentator states;

Common words such as "dysfunction," "bulimia," "self-esteem," and "cognitive therapy" are not used in the Bible -- yet the Bible does describe them. Furthermore, while we do not read a clinical description of such things as panic attacks in the Bible, we do read about the problems that underlie and feed panic attacks and other such difficulties. Every problem that originates in the way we think and respond to life's circumstances is addressed in the scriptures!

What Is Biblical Counseling?

2. Research Methodology

The methodology used in this paper involved a number or different sources and resources to address the issue of biblical terms used for counseling. Firstly, articles and books were consulted that dealt specifically with this issue and the approaches of different theorists both from a theological and psychological counseling perspective were taken into account. This theoretical base provided the groundwork for an informed examination of certain terms used in counseling and the way that these terms were reflected in Biblical usage.

These terms examined included the following: 'health', 'counsel', 'wisdom', 'communication' and 'help'. A number of sources were used in the analysis section of the paper. These included online dictionaries and concordances, including Strong's Concordance. A number of Biblical Web sites were also consulted, such as Crosswalk.com; which were related to offline papers and articles dealing with the various terms and words. This methodology was employed to provide a wide, discursive and inclusive view of the words and phrases in order to explore the central theme of paper; which is that Biblical text is an important element in modern counseling ands in fact enriches counseling concepts without necessarily being dogmatic or exclusionary of secular approaches.

3. Analysis

3.1. Healing

The term "healing" is a broad term which can be applied in many medical and counseling contexts. It is also possibly a significant term to explore at the beginning of this discussion of the relationship between biblical and counseling terms. Therefore, the term healing and related words such as sickness and illness were investigated using Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. More than fifty references to healing were found in the Bible and these were cross referenced with Strong's Concordance.

There are different versions and interpretations to the way that healing is presented in both the Old and New Testaments. Healing appears in a number of the gospels of the New Testament. As one commentary notes;

In some cases Jesus' disciples requested the healing and in other cases Jesus himself saw the need and interceded directly without another person making a request. Most of the references are in the New Testament (n = 52) probably because of Jesus' influence and emphasis on spiritual as well as physical renewal in that portion of the Bible.

(Byrd and Byrd, 1993)

The process of healing can be found, for example, in Luke 13:10-17, which refers to a woman who has been crippled for eighteen years. The healing takes place by the laying of hands on the women by Christ. In John 5:1-18 we have the story of a seriously ill man placed at pool waiting for healing. This episode stresses the importance of listening to Christ's instruction and the man is healed when Jesus tells him to take up his pallet and walk. The aspect of instruction and counsel in the process of healing will also be dealt with in more detail in the discussion section. The healing through thought is also stressed in Matthew 8:2-4, when Jesus cures a man of leprosy.

3.1.2. Discussion

Easton's Bible Dictionary refers the term healing in the Bible to Ephphatha which is "...the Greek form of a Syro-Chaldaic or Aramaic word, meaning "Be opened," uttered by Christ when healing the man who was deaf and dumb (Mark 7:34)" (Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ephphatha). This is significant, as the term is also related to our present understanding of the therapeutic implication of 'opening up "or disclosing his or her inner thoughts and feelings - which in turn faculties psychological healing.

Furthermore, in Strong's Lexicon we find the Hebrew term for healing as follows:

8585 t'alah the-aw-law' from 5927; a channel (into which water is raised for irrigation); also a bandage or plaster (as placed upon a wound): -- conduit, cured, healing, little river, trench, watercourse" (Strong's Hebrew Lexicon Search Results: "healing") the idea of healing as a conduit and a channel also serves to relate to counseling and the therapeutic process. The patient or the subject is modern counseling is involved in a process of disclosure and opening up, as it were, of the hidden and problematic aspects of life and personality.

In the sense of the Biblical definitions and descriptions of the terms noted above, the therapist opens up channels and avenues that can facilitate healing. The difference of course lies in the fact that the precipitator of all healing is seen as God, acting through Christ in the New Testament. However, as has already been suggested in the introduction to this paper, there is a growing acceptance of the view in therapy and counseling that the counselor is a facilitator who opens up avenues for healing - avenues that are greater and more significant possibly than the counselor or a particular theoretical stance. This means that counseling in the secular environment is becoming more cognizant of the importance of religious and spiritual aspects of healing and intervention in the process of counseling. As Garzon (2005) states; "...therapists are sometimes challenged in their work with appropriately religious clients to develop treatment components that incorporate the Bible" (Garzon, 2005. p.113). Garzon emphasizes the perceived importance of the Bible in counseling.

Scripture remains a rich resource for clinicians in their work. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Heb. 4:12 (NASB)

(Garzon, 2005. p.113)

3.2. Correlation with the terms wisdom and communication

Related to the above and to the view of counseling in general is the view of counseling as it relates to the word "wisdom." This term occurs 234 times in 222 verses in the KJV. (Blue Letter Bible) in Pr 12:18 - we read: "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Blue Letter Bible). This suggests a correlation between wisdom, counseling and the healing process. Biblical commentary on this aspect is as follows:" the wicked is snared...While the wicked, such as liars, flatterers, & c., fall by their own words, the righteous are unhurt. Their good conduct makes friends, and God rewards them "(Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible:CHAPTER 12).

This aspect is explored in more depth in the Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Those that have grace and love it will delight in all the instructions that are given them by way of counsel; admonition, or reproof, by the word or providence of God; they will value a good education, and think it not a hardship, but a happiness, to be under a strict and prudent discipline. Those that love a faithful ministry, that value it, and sit under it with pleasure, make it to appear that they love knowledge.

(Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible: Chapter 12)

The above serves to link healing and counseling to the value of wisdom in a number of ways; including the idea that counseling is a form of wisdom. This in turn relates to the term deception or the avoidance of deceiving thoughts, which is another important aspect that is found in modern counseling terminology, such as self-deception. Self-deception is referred to in the Bible in terms of the natural propensity in mankind towards self-deception in the Old Testament. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17: 9.; Crosswalk)

The following definition of self - deception from the ACCI (American Community Corrections Institute) is enlightening in this regard.

Self deception is a dysfunction of the mind that allows individuals to continuously act in a negative manner. Without intervention, the cycle of justification and deception gets worse. The result is resistant people stay in denial and blame others for their problems. (SELF DECEPTION)

Therefore this view would tend to relate counseling terminology to a certain extent with the Biblical idea of self-deception where self-deception is seen as a deviance from the wisdom and the instruction of God

These correlations have a number of implications for contemporary counseling praxis. In the first instance, Byrd and Byrd (1993) refer to the concept of intercession that takes place as a component of Biblical healing. This is turn refers to the importance or communication in the process of healing, which also reflects on the importance of the process of communication in counseling that taken place in the Bible. This also relates to the importance of communication in the process of contemporary counseling.

These treatments appeared to be coincidental with the intercession and were intended to be ways of communication with the person receiving the healing. The gestures of touching, or application of some substance (e.g., dipping into a pool of water), or verbal instruction appeared to be concrete aspects of the healing treatment that occurred with the intercession to God. Prayers were not necessarily verbalized by the intercessor. However, in each case the reader assumes that the prayer is in fact the healing treatment.

(Byrd and Bird, 1993)

The Biblical concept of healing therefore carries within it the idea that the individual has a certain amount of power to overcome ill-heath or various problems. This power is however dependent on the aspect of listening, obedience and acceptance that the term "opening up" would tend to suggest. In modern counseling this relates to the view that, "... mind sets do contribute to the lowering of anxiety associated with concern over death, or at the least loneliness" (Byrd and Byrd, 1993) Some theorists are of the opinion that these Biblical terms and the way that they interact with contemporary counseling suggests a more holistic view of the counseling and the balance between body and mind. The holistic view is succinctly seen in Christian Biblical terms by Byrd and Byrd (1983)

The holistic principles discussed by Perls (1969) place great importance on the balance of our body and mind, body and soul, thinking and feeling, thinking and action, and feeling and action. These ideas contribute to the great potential for healing offered by belief in one's self and the empowerment that comes from those beliefs, as well as the empowerment that may come from belief in the power of a supreme being who can alter disabling conditions.

(Byrd and Byrd, 1993)

The implication of the above is that from a Biblical perspective the Word of God and the actions of Christ are the source of healing and counseling power; while in a secular context this would refer to the counseling expertise of the therapist or counseled. This apparent divide is an aspect that continually occurs in a comparison of these terms; yet there is also a sense in which the similarities between the Biblical and secular counseling terms are indicative of a correspondence rather than an antagonism of meaning. This aspect will be further explored in the analysis of the word 'counsel'.

3.3. Counsel

This term occurs in 30 verses of the Old Testament and in two verses in the new Testament (Crosswalk) the concept of counsel or counseling is related to the word advice and the Word of God. In 1Ki 22:5 we read; "But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "First seek the counsel of the Lord." (Online Study Bible) the view of counseling as advice and instruction is underlined by Isa 11:2 "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord "(Crosswwalk) the perception is related to the concept of knowledge as discussed above and to the concept of spiritual health as well. In Exodus 18 the Word of God is linked to the idea of holy counseling. "

Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto

God: (Online Study Bible). Counseling in this context is therefore akin to the interpretation and the understanding of the message and the requirements of God.

In the KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon, the word counsel is defined as; "...to advise, consult, give counsel, counsel, purpose, devise, plan" and as "...(Niphal) to consult together, exchange counsel, deliberate, counsel together" (the KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon the word) However it is also seen in a negative light as; " (Hithpael) to conspire " (the KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon the word) in this sense it has a double meaning - to counsel and instruct but also to conspire. Psalms 64:2 states that "

Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity" (Crosswalk com)

The word is also defined in different ways to the above in the Bible. For examples the lexicon interprets the word as; "...to ask, enquire, borrow, beg: and...to enquire, enquire carefully" (the KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon the word) This interestingly relates the term to the concepts of knowledge and wisdom. The term is continually related to the Word of God. http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?word=ec+8:2&version=str&st=1&sd=1&new=1&showtools=1" Ec 8:2 counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. http://bible.crosswalk.com/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?word=isa+5:19&version=str&st=1&sd=1&new=1&showtools=1" Isa 5:19

That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy

One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!

Croosswalk)

The meaning of this term is also strongly related to the idea of Christian counseling and to the teachings of Christ in the New Testament. (Hastings, 1898, p. 476)

3.3.1. Discussion

It is significant that there is an emphasis on listening in both the Bible and in modern counseling theory. The following quotation is reiterated to emphasize this aspect.

Counseling is the process of prayerfully and sensitively listening to another person (Prov 18:13, 17), helping them discern real soul needs, and providing practical, biblical advice about changing their attitudes and behaviors in relationship to God and others (Mat 22:36-40).

What Makes Counseling "Biblical"?)

The above states a view of modern therapy couched in an understanding and application of Biblical terms. This is a pointer to the importance in counseling of creating and maintaining relationships between the counselor and the patient. This aspect again emphasizes in the Biblical assessment of counseling. In Proverbs 27:6, we read; "...So a man's counsel is sweet to his friend." A useful comment on this verse is that "The counselee needs to see the counselor as a trusted friend or advisor." (Pile, 2003) the emphasis on communication and relationships also implies the concept of involvement which is "...dependent on availability to council (Acts 20:31) and the importance of balance in the process of counseling, (Gal. 6:2 and 6:5)" (Pile, 2003). These examples stress the point that the models of spiritual counseling in the Bible can serve as important templates for counseling in the contemporary and secular world.

One study of this subject stresses an important aspect; namely that the Biblical meaning of the word 'counsel' act as the foundation for a modern theory of counseling. This is related to the view that; "By deriving the purpose of psychotherapy from the teachings of Jesus I am also asserting the present relevance of his message I believe Jesus' message speaks to our existential present, not primarily or exclusively to a heavenly future" (Olson, 1997, p. 6) in other words this underlines the central thesis that is being explored in this paper; that the use of Biblical, terms is not historically limited or even limited in a formal religious sense, but that the Biblical terms and teaching regarding counseling "speaks to our existential present" (Olson, 1997, p. 6)

3.4. Help

According to Crosswalk Online Study Bible this term appears in 167 Verses in the Old Testament and in 44 verses in the New Testament. (Online Study Bible) What is interesting is the etymology of the word help. HOLPEN is the old past participle of "help." "From the fourteenth to the seventeenth century it was also spelled "holpe" or "holp," and it was gradually displaced by "helped." (Bridges & Weigle, 1960, p. 174) the King James Version uses "holpen" 5 times and "helped" 6 times, as past participle. "Holpen" appears in Psalms 83.8; 86.17; Isaiah 31.3; Daniel 11.34; Luke 1.54. "Helped" appears as participle in 1 Samuel 7.12; 1 Chronicles 5.20; 2 Chronicles 26.15; Job 26.2; Psalm 28.7; Isaiah 49.8. (Bridges & Weigle, 1960, p. 174)