Verse

Luke 12:15 - 21 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Friday, 23 May 2025

Etymology & Evolution of the Word Pharmacy

 

📖 Etymology & Evolution of the Word Pharmacy


📜 Ancient Origins (Greek & Latin)

The word pharmacy ultimately comes from the Ancient Greek word:

  • φαρμακεία (pharmakeia)
    Pronounced phar-ma-KAY-uh, it meant:

    • the use or administration of drugs, potions, or medications

    • and also carried the darker meanings of sorcery, witchcraft, or poisoning

The related Greek verb was:

  • φαρμακεύειν (pharmakeuein)to administer drugs, practice sorcery

And the noun:

  • φάρμακον (pharmakon)originally meant a drug, medicine, poison, or charm

Interestingly, pharmakon had a dual meaning: it could be a remedy or a poison, depending on its use and dose — a notion still familiar in toxicology today (as Paracelsus later phrased: "The dose makes the poison").


📖 Classical Latin Adoption

The word passed into Latin as:

  • pharmaciameaning the use of drugs, medicine, or potion-making

This retained both neutral and sinister connotations in certain texts, especially among early Christian writers (like in the Latin Vulgate translation of pharmakeia in Galatians 5:20, where it was rendered as "witchcraft" or "sorcery").


📖 Medieval Usage

During the Middle Ages, the practice of compounding and selling medicinal preparations was handled by apothecaries, not "pharmacists" as we think of them today.

  • The word pharmacy itself was still rare in vernacular languages, with terms like apothecary, drugger, and chirurgeon (for surgeons) being more common in English and European texts.

  • The Greek pharmakeia was often referenced in religious or moral contexts, associated with witchcraft, as in its biblical usage.


📖 Renaissance to Early Modern Period

By the 16th–17th centuries, with the revival of classical learning, the term pharmacy began reappearing in scholarly Latin medical texts and gradually entered English.

  • The first recorded use in English of pharmacy in a medical sense dates from the late 14th to 15th centuries, used to mean the preparation and dispensing of medicinal drugs.

  • Meanwhile, apothecaries' shops were the forerunners of modern pharmacies, combining the roles of physician, pharmacist, and chemist.


📖 Modern Usage (18th Century Onward)

By the 18th–19th centuries:

  • Pharmacy was firmly established in English as:

    1. The art and science of preparing, compounding, and dispensing medicinal substances

    2. A place where medicinal drugs are prepared or dispensedwhat we'd call a pharmacy or drugstore today

Professional roles split:

  • Physicians: diagnosis and treatment

  • Pharmacists (or chemists): preparation and dispensation of drugs

The sinister connotations of pharmakeia largely disappeared in secular contexts, though they persist in biblical and theological discussions.


📖 Modern Language Descendants

  • French: pharmacie

  • Italian: farmacia

  • Spanish: farmacia

  • German: Pharmazie

  • English: pharmacy

All ultimately trace their roots to pharmakon.


📖 Biblical and Cultural Note

In biblical Greek, pharmakeia appears in Galatians 5:20, Revelation 9:21, and Revelation 18:23, often translated as witchcraft or sorcery, reflecting the ancient association between drug preparation and magical or illicit practices.


📖 Summary Timeline

PeriodWord/UsageMeaning/Context
Ancient Greekpharmakon, pharmakeiaDrug, remedy, poison, sorcery
Classical LatinpharmaciaMedicine, potion-making
MedievalApothecary, pharmakeia (religious texts)Drug preparation, witchcraft
Renaissance–17th c.pharmacy (scholarly texts)Art of drug preparation
18th c.–PresentpharmacyProfession and place for medicines

BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP: Managing God’s Gifts Faithfully II CV4

 

BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP
 Managing God’s Gifts Faithfully




📌 Module Overview

This module will help students grasp the biblical principle of stewardshiprecognizing that God owns everything and entrusts us with resources and responsibilities. Students will be guided on how to wisely and faithfully manage their time, talents, resources, relationships, and opportunities for the glory of God and the good of others.


📌 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be able to:
Understand the concept of stewardship from a biblical perspective.
Identify areas of life where stewardship must be practiced.
Develop practical ways to honor God through wise management.
Commit to being responsible stewards in school, family, and society.


📖 PART 1: God Owns Everything

Key Bible Verse:
📖 Psalm 24:1 (KJV)
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein."

Meaning:
Everything belongs to God — the earth, its resources, and even our very lives. Stewardship begins with acknowledging God’s ownership.

Reflection Question:
👉 How does knowing that God owns everything change the way you treat your time, talents, and possessions?


📖 PART 2: We Are God’s Stewards

Key Bible Verse:
📖 1 Corinthians 4:2 (KJV)
"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful."

Meaning:
A steward is someone entrusted to manage something that belongs to someone else. God requires us to be faithful managers of everything He has entrusted to us.

Activity:
List three things God has entrusted you with right now (e.g., time, a skill, friendships).


📖 PART 3: Stewardship of Time

Key Bible Verse:
📖 Ephesians 5:15-16 (KJV)
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

Meaning:
Time is a precious gift that must be used wisely. Wasting time dishonors God, while managing it well glorifies Him.

Reflection:
👉 How do you usually spend your free time? How can you better honor God with it?


📖 PART 4: Stewardship of Talents and Abilities

Key Bible Verse:
📖 1 Peter 4:10 (KJV)
"As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

Meaning:
Every talent and skill you have is a grace from God, meant to serve others and glorify Him.

Activity:
Identify one talent or ability you can use this week to help a classmate, your family, or your community.


📖 PART 5: Stewardship of Resources and Money

Key Bible Verse:
📖 Proverbs 3:9 (KJV)
"Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase."

Meaning:
Managing your finances and resources wisely, and giving to God first, is an act of worship and stewardship.

Reflection:
👉 How do you plan to honor God with your allowance, savings, or resources in simple, practical ways?


📖 PART 6: Stewardship of Relationships

Key Bible Verse:
📖 Romans 12:18 (KJV)
"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

Meaning:
God expects us to nurture, respect, and value our relationships as stewards of the people entrusted to our lives.

Activity:
Think of someone you need to reconcile with or encourage this week. Write down a step you can take.


📖 PART 7: Stewardship of the Environment

Key Bible Verse:
📖 Genesis 2:15 (KJV)
"And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."

Meaning:
Caring for the environment is part of our stewardship. God commanded humanity to take care of His creation.

Reflection:
👉 What simple actions can you start doing today to help protect the environment?


📌 Module Summary

Stewardship AreaBible VerseKey Lesson
God owns everythingPsalm 24:1Everything is God’s — we’re managers
Be a faithful steward1 Corinthians 4:2God requires faithfulness
Time managementEphesians 5:15-16Use time wisely for God’s glory
Talents and abilities1 Peter 4:10Serve others with your gifts
Money and resourcesProverbs 3:9Honor God first in your resources
RelationshipsRomans 12:18Value and nurture relationships
EnvironmentGenesis 2:15Care for creation


📌 Final Reflection & Prayer

Luke 16:10 (KJV)
"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much."

Write your personal response:
👉 Lord, help me to be faithful in managing ___________________ for Your glory.

Closing Prayer:
"Heavenly Father, thank You for entrusting me with the gifts of time, talents, relationships, and resources. Teach me to manage them wisely, faithfully, and for Your glory. Help me to grow as a good steward in school, at home, and in my community. In Jesus' name, Amen."


📌 Student Action Plan

This week, I will:

  • Spend my time wisely by ______________

  • Use my talent of ______________ to serve someone

  • Manage my resources by ______________

  • Care for creation by ______________

  • Strengthen a relationship by ______________


EXCELLENCE: Pursuing God-Honoring Standards in Life, Study, and Service

 

EXCELLENCE: Pursuing God-Honoring Standards in Life, Study, and Service




📌 Module Overview

This module invites students to embrace the value of Excellencenot just for personal gain, but as a way of honoring God and serving others well. It encourages developing skills, fostering teamwork, embracing continuous improvement, and pursuing higher standards in everything we do.


📌 Learning Outcomes

After this module, students will:
Understand God’s call to pursue excellence.
Commit to personal and academic growth.
Value teamwork and collaboration.
Appreciate the importance of self-assessment and continuous improvement.
Apply excellence in practical, everyday situations.


📖 PART 1: The Biblical Call to Excellence

Key Bible Verse:
📖 Colossians 3:23-24 (KJV)
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ."

Meaning:
Excellence isn’t just for show — it’s an act of worship. Every task, big or small, should be done wholeheartedly as if it were for God Himself.

Reflection Question:
👉 What is one thing you can improve in how you approach your schoolwork or responsibilities for God’s glory?


📖 PART 2: Developing God-Given Skills

Key Bible Verse:
📖 Proverbs 22:29 (KJV)
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men."

Meaning:
Hard work and competence open doors. God honors those who work diligently to develop their skills and talents.

Activity:
List 3 areas where you want to improve your skills this school year.


📖 PART 3: The Power of Teamwork

Key Bible Verse:
📖 Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (KJV)
"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."

Meaning:
Excellence thrives in a culture of teamwork. Working together makes us stronger and helps us achieve more than working alone.

Activity:
Recall a group project where teamwork led to a better outcome. What made the teamwork effective?


📖 PART 4: Continuous Improvement and Renewal

Key Bible Verse:
📖 Philippians 3:13-14 (KJV)
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Meaning:
Never settle. Keep learning, growing, and aiming higher. Past achievements are good, but there’s always room for improvement.

Reflection:
👉 What is one habit or skill you need to improve this semester to grow in excellence?


📖 PART 5: Accountability and Quality Assurance

Key Bible Verse:
📖 2 Corinthians 13:5 (KJV)
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?"

Meaning:
Regularly assessing ourselves — spiritually, academically, and personally — helps ensure we stay on track and grow consistently.

Activity:
Rate yourself from 1–5 on the following:

  • Academic Effort

  • Teamwork and Respect for Others

  • Personal Discipline

  • Contribution to Community Life

👉 Identify areas where you scored lowest. What’s one thing you can start doing today to improve?


📌 Module Summary

ValueBible VerseKey Lesson
Work wholeheartedlyColossians 3:23-24Excellence is worship
Develop your skillsProverbs 22:29Diligence brings honor
Team up effectivelyEcclesiastes 4:9-10Teamwork multiplies strength
Keep improvingPhilippians 3:13-14Press forward, don’t settle
Assess and grow2 Corinthians 13:5Self-examination ensures growth

📌 Final Reflection & Prayer

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Write your personal response:
👉 Lord, I commit to pursue excellence in _________ (academics, skills, teamwork, personal discipline). Strengthen me to…

Closing Prayer:
"Heavenly Father, help me to work with excellence in all that I do. May I be diligent, faithful, and humble in developing my skills and character for Your glory. Make me a good teammate and a continuous learner. In Jesus' name, Amen."


📌 Student Action Plan

This week, I will:

  • Improve one study habit by ________________

  • Work on my teamwork skills by ________________

  • Examine my personal growth by ________________

  • Seek feedback from a classmate/mentor on ________________



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