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Is medical marijuana use okay?

Submitted: 10/24/2005
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Question: Is using marijauna okay for medical puposes? What does the Bible say?

Answer: Here is what the Bible says about using marijuana for any purpose:

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery... (Galatians 5:19-20).

The word translated 'sorcery' is pharmakeia (far-mak-i'-ah, Strongs #5331). It means medication and is the root of our word 'pharmacy.' The Greek dictionary also says it means magic, sorcery, and witchcraft. A related word is pharmakeus, which means a druggist, a magician, a sorcerer, or a poisoner.

The reason this word links medicine, drugs, magic, sorcery, and witchcraft is because in Bible days, the local priest was also the local doctor (i.e. witchdoctor). Dispensing psychotropic drugs was part of the pagan religions, enabling the users to commune with and communicate with demons. This is why we read the following verses, which speak of the days surrounding the return of the Lord Jesus, that is, the days we are currently living in.

And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries [pharmakeia] or their sexual immorality or their thefts (Revelation 9:21).

“The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery [pharmakeia] all the nations were deceived” (Revelation 18:23).

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers [pharmakeia], idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).

But outside are dogs and sorcerers [pharmakeia] and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie (Revelation 22:15).

The Bible never uses pharmakeia in connection with godliness. Look carefully at the other practices pharmakeia is listed with. According to the Bible, marijuana is not acceptable for use under any circumstances.