Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 19:13

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

13. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists ] The best MSS. have “ And certain also, &c.” In addition to the real, though ignorant, faith of the converts alluded to in Act 19:12, some impostors, who had no faith, tried to win more credit for their jugglery by employing the names of Paul and Jesus. These were certain Jews who went about from place to place, professing by charms and spells to cure diseases. The A.V. “vagabond” conveys in modern language a moral censure, which probably these men well deserved, but which is not in the Greek. The Rev. Ver. has adopted strolling, which gives the sense of the original. We read in Josephus ( Ant. viii. 2, 5) that “God gave Solomon skill against demons for the help and cure of men. And he arranged certain incantations whereby diseases are assuaged, and left behind him forms of exorcism, wherewith they so put to flight the overpowered evil spirits that they never return. And this method of curing is very prevalent among us up to the present time.” The Jews at Ephesus were professors of this pretended art of healing.

took upon them to call [Better, to name ] over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus ] From an early date the traditional literature of the Jews ascribed great effects to the utterance of the incommunicable divine name. By means of this (they say) it was that Moses slew the Egyptian, and Elisha brought destruction on the mocking children “by the name of Jehovah.” We can understand therefore, if the fame of St Paul were become known, and the name of Jesus connected with his preaching and with the powers vouchsafed, how these men would make a pretence to the possession of the same secrets by which, as they would declare, the cures were wrought.

saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth ] The oldest texts give the singular, I adjure, and this no doubt is correct, for the words would be uttered only by the one person, who was performing the act of exorcism. It is easy to see how the plural form of the first part of the verse suggested the change.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The vagabond Jews – Greek: Jews going about – perierchomenon. The word vagabond with us is now commonly used in a bad sense, to denote a vagrant; a man who has no home; an idle, worthless fellow. The word, however, properly means one wandering from place to place, without any settled habitation, from whatever cause it may be. Here it denotes those Jews who wandered from place to place, practicing exorcism.

Exorcists – exorkiston. This word properly denotes those who went about pretending to be able to expel evil spirits, or to cure diseases by charms, incantations, etc. The word is derived from horkizo, to bind with an oath. It was applied in this sense, because those who pretended to be able to expel demons used the formula of an oath, or adjured them, to compel them to leave the possessed persons. Compare Mat 12:27. They commonly used the name of God, or called on the demons in the name of God to leave the person. Here they used the name Jesus to command them to come out. Such wanderers and pretenders are common in Oriental countries now. See Land and the Book, vol. i. 224, 510.

To call over them – To name, or to use his name as sufficient to expel the evil spirit.

The name of the Lord Jesus – The reasons why they attempted this were:

(1) That Jesus had expelled many evil spirits; and,

(2) That it was in his name that Paul had performed his miracles. Perhaps they supposed there was some charm in this name to expel them.

We adjure you – We bind you by an oath; we command you as under the solemnity of an oath, Mar 5:7; 1Th 5:27. It is a form of putting one under oath, 1Ki 2:43; Gen 24:37; 2Ki 11:4; Neh 13:25 (Septuagint). That this art was practiced then, or attempted, is abundantly proved from Irenaeus, Origen, and Josephus (Antiq., book 8, chapter 2, section 5). See Doddridge. The common name which was used was the incommunicable name of God, Yahweh, by pronouncing which, in a special way, it was pretended they had the power of expelling demons.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Act 19:13-16

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists.

Seven sons of Sceva

A great spiritual revolution had taken place in Ephesus. At first Paul found the twelve disciples without Christian knowledge beyond the baptism of John. Under Pauls ministry the Holy Ghost had been poured out, and from that time great interest was felt in the whole subject of spiritual influence. From time immemorial superstition has grown in Ephesus, and to add one superstition to another came quite easy. Christianity was another department of magic, and the men who had practised exorcism were willing to try it. We must not dismiss the men as impostors. They wanted to do a good work, and so far we must credit them with a good motive. A wonderful testimony–the more wonderful because unconscious is here borne to the power of Christianity. If Paul had failed, the Ephesians never would have tried the new art. Much is expected of Christians today, as much was expected of Paul in his time. Necromancers may fail in their momentary trick, but Christians must be kept up to the mark. This is the sublimest tribute which can be borne to the Christian faith.

2. Add to that thought the one which arises out of the endeavour of the seven sons of Sceva to cast out evil spirits. Wherein did they fail? At every point. They came into the ministry in a wrong way; and that is always an explanation of failure of the worst kind. They took upon them–that is the explanation. This ministry is not something which a man may elect in preference to something else. The ministry is nothing if it is not a burden, a necessity.

3. The sons of Sceva knew nothing about the Name with which they conjured. Instead of saying, We adjure you by Jesus Christ whom we love, they said, We adjure you by Jesus Christ whom Paul preacheth. The sacred influence will not pass through such negative or nonconducting connections. That is one of the noblest tributes that can be paid to the dignity of Christianity. There are many persons who would be glad to amalgamate Christianity with something else. But Christianity will not be amalgamated. Christianity wants the world to itself. How much modern meaning there is in We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. There was no doubt about the subject of Pauls preaching. This is a tribute to the honesty and consistency of Paul. We are urged today to preach the Christ whom the Puritans preached. That exhortation is not without deep meaning; but a man may say to his hearers I adjure you to serve the Christ whom the Puritans preached, and they will return the answer of indifference or mockery. A minister may go further and say, I adjure you by the Christ whom the apostles preached, and the Word would have no power. A man might go even further and say, I adjure you by the Christ of the New Testament, and the nineteenth century would know nothing about such a Christ. How is the Christian to suit his age and arrest it? By preaching the Christ whom his own heart knows and loves. Paul uses an expression which some persons cannot think is in the New Testament. He uses the expression, my gospel. Every man has his own hold of the gospel, and he must preach that. If I have to preach a Christ whom another man preached I have to commit a lesson to memory and to be very careful lest I stumble in the verbal recitation; but if I preach a Christ born in my own heart, the hope of glory, living with me day by day, then my whole life must break into eloquence, and men must be constrained to say, He has been with Jesus and learned of Him.

4. The answer returned by the evil spirit is the answer which every age will return to professional necromancers and moralists (verses 15, 16). These seven sons of Sceva are living today. Here is one of them. A man who indulges himself in some way and then seeks to exorcise the spirit of intemperance in others. The seven sons of Sceva have seven sisters, and the whole fourteen of them are living today. They are living, for example, in that person who reproves worldliness and practises religious vanity. There is a religious worldliness as well as a worldliness that does not debase the name of religion by calling it in as a qualification. Shall we who have a beam in our eyes be preaching about the mote that is in the eyes of other men? You will hurl the ten commandments at the head without effect if you do not go along with them. The world can laugh even at Christian theology when marked out in abstract propositions, but when theology is incarnated in personal godliness the age will begin to wonder, and may end in prayer. (J. Parker, D. D.)

The seven sons of Sceva–spurious Christianity

Note at the outset–

1. Mans craving for the supernatural. Under the shadow of Diana superstitions were rife, and priests and miracle workers abounded. Man feels that he has a relation to something deeper than the earth beneath and higher than the sky above him.

2. Accommodation in the work of Christian propagandism. The apostle, on entering Ephesus, meets the tendency of the inhabitants by performing miracles. As Moses met the magicians of Egypt on their own ground, confounding them by the supernatural, so Paul now confronts and confounds the deluded supernaturalists of Ephesus. This extraordinary narrative presents to us a spurious Christianity.

I. As in impious mimicry of the Divine (verse 13, 14). These exorcists witnessed the marvels that the apostle had wrought, and they impiously tried their hands at the same. The work they imitated was Divine–

1. In its object. Paul had expelled evil spirits; and this was the grand work of Christianity. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil.

2. In its method. Paul accomplished his work in the name of Jesus Christ. He never attempted it in his own power. As in the case of these exorcists, a spurious Christianity is ever a mimicry of the Divine. It has two distinctive forms in Christendom–the naturalistic and the ritualistic. Now, a spurious Christianity imitates the Divine both in the object and the method.

II. As the indignant scorn of hell (verse 15). The evil spirit is here spoken of as a person distinct from the man. We may infer, therefore–

1. That hell knows and respects Christ and His true followers. Jesus I know (Mar 1:23). He encountered and conquered our leader in the wilderness, and bruised his head upon the Cress. And Paul I know. I know he is an earnest and successful preacher of the faith he once endeavoured to destroy. Not a word does this evil spirit say either against Jesus or Paul.

2. That hell despises and avenges religious pretenders. Who are ye? What right have you to use that wonderful name at which we tremble? Hell has no respect for its own emissaries. Not only does the evil spirit express its indignation and contempt, but wreaks vengeance on the head of the pretenders (verse 16). This incidents suggests–

(1) That the efforts of a spurious Christianity only increase the force of evil. The evil spirit in the man seemed to get new strength from the efforts of the exorcists. That which is not the genuine gospel gives strength to the devil. He that is not with Me is against Me.

(2) That heaven employs evil to punish evil. The sinner is the tormentor of the sinner everywhere, and forever.

III. As Divinely overruled for good (verse 20). The narrative shows three useful results.

1. A popular excitement in favour of the true. And fear fell on them all. Much is done for truth when the general mind of the community is excited towards it. There is a sad tendency to run in old ruts, or sleep on the stagnant thoughts of ancestors. Sometimes, as in the case before us, the abominations of a spurious Christianity have so broken forth upon the public mind as to startle it from its slumbers, and to excite it into earnest inquiry after the truth. Witness Popery in the days of Luther.

2. An open profession of Christian faith (verse 18). Like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, they were secret disciples. They had not sufficient moral courage to declare convictions repugnant to popular belief. This event, however, brought them to a crisis.

3. A Conscientious renunciation of evil practices. The force of conscience is seen–

(1) In the sacrifice of secular interest. Let Englands conscience be Divinely touched, and many of her trades, crafts, and callings will go off in flame.

(2) In the outrage on historic feeling. They were associated with many a tender name, and with many a thrilling event in life, Notwithstanding that, conscience would have them go. Conclusion: This subject urges several important facts upon our attention–

1. That evil spirits are amongst men. Are not men possessed when they live the irrational, immoral, and ungodly?

2. That evil spirits must be expelled. Whoever does it is the philanthropist, the saviour.

3. That evil spirits can only be expelled by genuine faith in the name of Christ. The exorcists failed because they pronounced that name and had no faith in it. (D. Thomas, D. D.)

Demoniacal possession

I. There are powers of demon evil widely diffused and ceaselessly active. Look at–

1. Idolatry.

2. Superstition.

3. Infidelity.

4. Dissipation.

II. There are expedients formed to counteract and depose them, which only provoke their contempt.

1. Education.

2. Legislation.

3. Art.

4. Science.

III. Nevertheless, means of resisting them exist which they comprehend and dread. (R. W. Hamilton, D. D.)

Evil spirits in the heart

We are taught here–

I. The reality of Spiritual influences, good and bad.

1. It was believed in Ephesus, and all through the ancient world, and there must have been some foundation for this belief.

2. This fact is demonstrated by the miracles of Christ and His apostles.

II. There is manifest deliverance from the evil power in the name of Christ.

1. Men have tried various expedients in vain.

2. The name of Jesus has never been known to fail.

3. We shall have deliverance as we put ourselves under its protection. (Bp. S. Wilberforce.)

Religion used by those who do not believe in it

The wandering Jews wished to work wonders by the name without being disciples of the person of Jesus, which circumstance furnishes a rebuke–

I. To all who use religion at second hand.

1. How much of mere hearsay there is in the greatest concerns. Jesus is Jesus whom Mr. So-and-so preaches, or of whom men have learned in childhood.

2. How much of religion is a matter of proxy.

II. To all who use religion for selfish ends.

1. The politician who makes religion the stalking-horse behind which he aims at other things.

2. The theologian anxious to carry his point.

3. The bigoted sectarian, who will do anything for his religion but live it.

III. To all who try to influence others by a religion which does not influence themselves.

1. Worldly statesmen who use Christianity as a sort of moral police to hold a fretful realm in awe.

2. Ungodly parents who are wishful to keep their children from bad ways.

3. Preachers and teachers from whom the evil spirit is not exorcised.

IV. To all who try to conjure with religion as if it were a sort of magic.

1. People who use the Divine book as though it were a divining book.

2. Mere ritualists and sacramentarians. (H. Osborne.)

Unreal religion

1. In all that marvellous history of the conflict between the powers of this world and the world to come contained in the Acts, there is no more striking or instructive passage than this.

2. Rich and luxurious Ephesus was the stronghold of evil; the prince of this world held it as the very centre of his kingdom, and against him God set forth, by the hand of St. Paul, the special might of the Holy Spirit. Here, as upon some conspicuous theatre, the mighty contest raged.

3. Whether the powers of evil knew that in Christ, as the champion of humanity, the great battle must be fought, or whether the instincts of their nature were roused into a trembling energy by His appearance, we know not; but it is clear that about the time of the Advent they exerted an unusual amount of power over the bodies and spirits of men.

4. Against these powers a remedy had been found among the Jews in the use of the name of Jehovah; and so there had sprung up a class of men who professed (and sometimes, it would seem, with success, from our Lords words, By whom do your sons cast them out?) to counteract the workings of the evil one. And just as Simon Magus perceived the wonderful effect of the laying on of the apostles hands, and was led to strive to possess the same power, so was it with these men. Their own employment of the name of Jehovah would make them readily perceive that St. Paul drew his strength from the name of Christ; while their feeble and uncertain success would contrast strongly, in their own eyes, with the surpassing might with which he wrought. And so they were led to look at Christianity mainly as a system of powers against outward evils, and to use it as a means of effecting these wonders to obtain either influence or gain.

5. Now this was the very opposite to the whole course of St. Paul. The essence of Christianity to him was to know Christ and to find peace in Him, and not the power of working miracles. But knowing Christ, he had found power to heal others, as Christ had healed him: he had found Christ first for his own salvation, and then he spoke of what he had found himself; and these powers had come out of themselves.

6. Now look at the contrast. The sons of Sceva, not knowing Christ for their own salvation, His name, in their mouths, only stirred up to a higher flood tide of wrath these spirits of darkness. Instead of being able to curb it through the name of Christ, they were hurried helplessly along by it. The man, in the paroxysm of their working, leapt upon them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

7. This irreverent attempt, with its frightful issue, produced its natural effect upon all those who heard or saw it. These powers could not thus be trifled with. They were not merely matters of wonder, things to use for earthly purposes; they were not the fantastic tricks of a marvel monger, but they were indications of the nearness of the Almighty, with whom it was very fearful to have really to do. And so a searching self-examination sprung up among those upon whom this fear fell, and many became real seekers after Christ.

8. Now these events were no accidental peculiarities of that time; they point to a deep and an abiding evil inclination of mens hearts. Let us, therefore, ask ourselves this question, Are we free from this evil typified in these sons of Sceva, the essence of whose sin was using the name of Christ as a means of obtaining power, instead of seeking to know Christ for themselves as the Healer and portion of their own souls?

I. Take its plainest exhibition: how do they differ from them who in the ministry of Christs Church seek, without knowing Christ for themselves, to wield as to others the powers of the kingdom of His grace? Surely in those who seek to minister that gospel, of which they do not partake, the fearful character of the sons of Sceva is plain enough to everyone amongst us.

II. Look at the broad features of our own national and political life and see if we may not see the working of this evil. Are there not whole bodies of men manifestly without any governing principles of religion for themselves, yet believe Christianity so far as to think it an excellent thing for governing a nation, and preserving it in social order and in political quiet? And what is written, in broad characters, as the result of this but the same discomfiture?–for what more certainly tends to spread a universal infidelity than this unreal spirit of Christianity?–as if it were something good for others, but something which has no internal reality for ourselves.

III. If this evil is plainly to be read in the features of our public life, is our private life much more free from it? Are there not heads of families who think Christianity an excellent thing because it will keep their families respectable? Are there not masters who wish their servants to be religious enough to be good servants, but who know nothing themselves of Christ and of His salvation? And must not the effect of all this be a very shameful discomfiture now, just as it was of old? You only stir up evil that you cannot deal with. Servants, children, they see through all this. How do the rebellious appetites and sinful vanities of your children, as they grow up, laugh to scorn this ineffective and unmeaning resistance to their sway! And then this unreality brings a deadly wound upon themselves. We get so used to all the wonders of redemption, that nothing affects us. To such everything is a trick to play, and not a verity to be realised.

IV. And there is a form of this evil still more subtle, when a man calls all these powers over himself, and not upon other people–when he seeks to heal certain great evils in his own character. How many a man is seeking for the self-command, the courtesy, the intellectual power, or the power of influencing others, which Christianity bestows, for themselves; not seeking to know that his name is written in the book of life, and then knowing that the evil spirit will be subject to him, but seeking to have the evil spirit subject to him for itself, instead of seeking that he may know Christ. What is this but a man calling over his own spirit the name of a Saviour that he does not know? And so this man, too, becomes the sport of the enemy. Sometimes through mighty moral storms, which break in upon him, just when he thinks that he has become decent, some old temptation breaks out upon him, and hurries him away into open iniquity Sometimes there is a mysterious spiritual working in the man, and he becomes a mere empty formalist; or perhaps he sinks into the depths of despair, because he gets a perception that there is no reality, after all, in this work that he thought was going on within him. Conclusion: Now if these dangers are so common, what is the cure of them? Rest contented with nothing short of knowing Christ for yourself, as Him who is working salvation for you and in you. And then seek to use the powers which He thus gives you, as one who has his mission from Christ. And then, lastly, spend yourselves in working for Him. (Bp. S. Wilberforce.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 13. Certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists] ; Certain of the Jews who went about practicing exorcisms. Vagabond has a very bad acceptation among us; but, literally, vagabundus signifies a wanderer, one that has no settled place of abode. These, like all their countrymen, in all places, went about to get their bread in what way they could; making trial of every thing by which they could have the prospect of gain. Finding that Paul cast out demons through the name of Jesus, they thought, by using the same, they might produce the same effects; and, if they could, they knew it would be to them an ample source of revenue; for demoniacs abounded in the land.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Vagabond Jews; who wandered up and down, making it their trade and livelihood; as jugglers amongst us.

Exorcists; so called from their obtesting the evil spirits in the name of God. Of these Josephus tells strange stories, Antiq. lib. 8, and thinks that the way of their exorcising was derived unto them from Solomon, and that they used the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; as also of Zebaoth, and Adonai, as Origen tells us. Some think, that though there is certainly no power in the words and syllables which they pronounced, yet that the true God, being rather willing to be known and owned by those names, than that any should call on the names of the false gods, did sometimes put forth his power in casting out of devils at such times, as Mat 12:27. Howsoever, there being no warrant in the word of God for any such practice, and no promise to act faith in prayer upon, were the words never so serious, and the name of God and his attributes never so much (seemingly) manifested, it is a most abominable impiety.

The name of the Lord Jesus; instead of, or together with, those other names formerly mentioned.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

13. vagabond Jewssimply,”wandering Jews,” who went from place to place practicingexorcism, or the art of conjuring evil spirits to depart out of thepossessed. That such a power did exist, for some time at least, seemsimplied in Mt 12:27. But nodoubt this would breed imposture; and the present case is verydifferent from that referred to in Luk 9:49;Luk 9:50.

We adjure you by Jesus whomPaul preachetha striking testimony to the power of Christ’sname in Paul’s mouth.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Then certain of the vagabond Jews,…. Who strolled about from place to place, pretending to tell fortunes, cure diseases by charms, and dispossess devils by conjuration, and therefore are called as follows,

exorcists; such there were among the Jews, as Justin Martyr observes h, who adjured by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: these

took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus; they imitated the Apostle Paul, and attempted to do as he did, using the same: name; hoping to get money or applause, or both, in this way; and it may be observed, that there were some who really did cast out devils in the name of Christ, who did not belong to him, Mt 7:22

Saying, we adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth; that is, to come out the bodies of those men which they had possessed: and the Jews made use of the name of Jesus for healing diseases; for it is said of one i, that

“he swallowed something which almost choked him, and one came, and muttered to him in the name of Jesus ben Pandira, and he was well”

The Alexandrian copy, Beza’s ancient one, and others, the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions, read, “I adjure you”, &c.

h Dialog. cum Tryphon. p. 311. i T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 14. 4. & Avoda Zara, fol. 40. 4.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Disgrace of the Exorcists.

      13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.   14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.   15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?   16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.   17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.   18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds.   19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.   20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

      The preachers of the gospel were sent forth to carry on a war against Satan, and therein Christ went forth conquering and to conquer. The casting of evil spirits out of those that were possessed was one instance of Christ’s victory over Satan; but, to show in how many ways Christ triumphed over that great enemy, we have here in these verses two remarkable instances of the conquest of Satan, not only in those that were violently possessed by him, but in those that were voluntarily devoted to him.

      I. Here is the confusion of some of Satan’s servants, some vagabond Jews, that were exorcists, who made use of Christ’s name profanely and wickedly in their diabolical enchantments, but were made to pay dearly for their presumption. Observe,

      1. The general character of those who were guilty of this presumption. They were Jews, but vagabond Jews, were of the Jewish nation and religion, but went about from town to town to get money by conjuring. They strolled about to tell people their fortunes, and pretended by spells and charms to cure diseases, and bring people to themselves that were melancholy or distracted. They called themselves exorcists, because in doing their tricks they used forms of adjuration, by such and such commanding names. The superstitious Jews, to put a reputation upon these magic arts, wickedly attributed the invention of them to Solomon. So Josephus (Antiq. 8. 45-46) says that Solomon composed charms by which diseases were cured, and devils driven out so as never to return; and that these operations continued common among the Jews to his time. And Christ seems to refer to this (Matt. xii. 27), By whom do your children cast them out?

      2. A particular account of some at Ephesus that led this course of life and came thither in their travels; they were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, v. 14. It is sad to see the house of Jacob thus degenerated, much more the house of Aaron, the family that was in a peculiar manner consecrated to God; it is truly sad to see any of that race in league with Satan. Their father was a chief of the priests, head of one of the twenty-four courses of priests. One would think the temple would find both employment and encouragement enough for the sons of a chief priest, if they had been twice as many. But probably it was a vain, rambling, rakish humour that led them to turn mountebanks, and wander all the world over to cure mad folks.

      3. The profaneness they were guilty of: They took upon them to call over evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus; not as those who had a veneration for Christ and a confidence in his name, as we read of some who cast out devils in Christ’s name and yet did not follow with his disciples (Luke ix. 49), whom he would not have to be discouraged; but as those who were willing to try all methods to carry on their wicked trade, and, it should seem, had this design:–If the evil spirits should yield to an adjuration in the name of Jesus by those that did not believe in him, they would say it was no confirmation of his doctrine to those that did; for it was all one whether they believed it or no. If they should not yield to it, they would say the name of Christ was not so powerful as the other names they used, to which the devils had often by collusion yielded. They said, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches; not, “whom we believe in, or depend upon, or have any authority from,” but whom Paul preaches; as if they had said, “We will try what that name will do.” The exorcists in the Romish church, who pretend to cast the devil out of melancholy people by spells and charms which they understand not, and which, not having any divine warrant, cannot be used in faith, are the followers of these vagabond Jews.

      4. The confusion they were put to in their impious operations. Let them not be deceived, God is not mocked, nor shall the glorious name of Jesus be prostituted to such a vile purpose as this; what communion hath Christ with Belial? (1.) The evil spirit gave them a sharp reply (v. 15): “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you? I know that Jesus has conquered principalities and powers, and that Paul has authority in his name to cast out devils; but what power have you to command us in his name, or who gave you any such power? What have you to do to declare the power of Jesus, or to take his covenant and commands into your mouths, seeing you hate his instructions?” Psa 50:16; Psa 50:17. This was extorted out of the mouth of the evil spirit by the power of God, to gain honour to the gospel, and to put those to shame that made a bad use of Christ’s name. Antichristian powers and factions pretend a mighty zeal for Jesus and Paul, and to have authority from them; but, when the matter comes to be looked into, it is a mere worldly secular interest that is to be thus supported; nay, it is an enmity to true religion: Jesus we know, and Paul we know; but who are you? (2.) The man in whom the evil spirit was gave them a warm reception, fell foul upon them, leaped upon them in the height of his frenzy and rage, overcame them and all their enchantments, prevailed against them, and was every way too hard for them; so that they fled out of the house, not only naked, but wounded; their clothes pulled off their backs, and their heads broken. This is written for a warning to all those who name the name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity. The same enemy that overcomes them with his temptations will overcome them with his terrors; and their adjuring him in Christ’s name to let them alone will be no security to them. If we resist the devil by a true and lively faith in Christ, he will flee from us; but if we think to resist him by the bare using of Christ’s name, or any part of his word, as a spell or charm, he will prevail against us.

      5. The general notice that was taken of this, and the good impression it made upon many (v. 17): This was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus. It was the common talk of the town; and the effect of it was, (1.) That men were terrified: fear fell on them all. In this instance they saw the malice of the devil whom they served, and the power of Christ whom they opposed; and both were awful considerations. They saw that the name of Christ was not to be trifled with, nor his religion compounded with pagan superstitions. (2.) That God was glorified; the name of the Lord Jesus, by which his faithful servants cast out devils and cured diseases, without any resistance, was the more magnified; for now it appeared to be a name above every name.

      II. Here is the conversion of others of Satan’s servants, with the evidences of their conversion.

      1. Those that had been guilty of wicked practices confessed them, v. 18. Many that had believed and were baptized, but had not then been so particular as they might have been in the confession of their sins, were so terrified with these instances of the magnifying of the name of Jesus Christ that they came to Paul, or some of the other ministers that were with him, and confessed what evil lives they had led, and what a great deal of secret wickedness their own consciences charged them with, which the world knew not of–secret frauds and secret filthiness; they showed their deeds, took shame to themselves and gave glory to God and warning to others. These confessions were not extorted from them, but were voluntary, for the ease of their consciences, upon which the late miracles had struck a terror. Note, Where there is true contrition for sin there will be an ingenuous confession of sin to God in every prayer, and to man whom we have offended when the case requires it.

      2. Those that had conversed with wicked books burnt them (v. 19): Many also of those who used curious arts, ta perierga—impertinent things; multa nihil ad se pertinentia satagentes–busy bodies (so the word is used, 2Th 3:11; 1Ti 5:13), that traded in the study of magic and divination, in books of judicial astrology, casting nativities, telling fortunes, raising and laying spirits, interpreting dreams, predicting future events, and the like, to which some think are to be added plays, romances, love-books, and unchaste and immodest poems–histrionica, amatoria, saltatoria.–Stres. These, having their consciences more awakened than ever to see the evil of those practices in which these books instructed them, brought their books together, and burnt them before all men. Ephesus was notorious for the use of these curious arts; hence spells and charms were called Liter Ephesi. Here people furnished themselves with all those sorts of books, and, probably, had tutors to instruct them in those black arts. It was therefore much for the honour of Christ and his gospel to have such a noble testimony borne against those curious arts, in a place where they were so much in vogue. It is taken for granted that they were convinced of the evil of these curious arts, and resolved to deal in them no longer; but they did not think this enough unless they burnt their books. (1.) Thus they showed a holy indignation at the sins they had been guilty of; as the idolaters, when they were brought to repentance, said to their idols, Get you hence (Isa. xxx. 22), and cast even those of silver and gold to the moles and to the bats, Isa. ii. 20. They thus took a pious revenge on those things that had been the instruments of sin to them, and proclaimed the force of their convictions of the evil of it, and that those very things were now detectable to them, as much as ever they had been delectable. (2.) Thus they showed their resolution never to return to the use of those arts, and the books which related to them, again. They were so fully convinced of the evil and danger of them that they would not throw the books by, within reach of a recall, upon supposition that it was possible they might change their mind; but, being stedfastly resolved never to make use of them, they burnt them. (3.) Thus they put away a temptation to return to them again. Had they kept the books by them, there was danger lest, when the heat of the present conviction was over, they should have the curiosity to look into them, and so be in danger of liking them and loving them again, and therefore they burnt them. Note, Those that truly repent of sin will keep themselves as far as possible from the occasions of it. (4.) Thus they prevented their doing mischief to others. If Judas had been by he would have said, “Sell them, and give the money to the poor;” or, “Buy Bibles and good books with it.” But then who could tell into whose hands these dangerous books might fall, and what mischief might be done by them? it was therefore the safest course to commit them all to the flames. Those that are recovered from sin themselves will do all they can to keep others from falling into it, and will be much more afraid of laying an occasion of sin in the way of others. (5.) Thus they showed a contempt of the wealth of this world; for the price of the books was cast up, probably by those that persuaded them not to burn them, and it was found to be fifty thousand pieces of silver, which some compute to be fifteen hundred pounds of our money. It is probable that the books were scarce, perhaps prohibited, and therefore dear. Probably they had cost them so much; yet, being the devil’s books, though they had been so foolish as to buy them, they did not think this would justify them in being so wicked as to sell them again. (6.) Thus they publicly testified their joy for their conversion from these wicked practices, as Matthew did by the great feast he made when Christ had called him from the receipt of custom. These converts joined together in making this bonfire, and made it before all men. They might have burnt the books privately, every one in his own house, but they chose to do it together, by consent, and to do it at the high cross (as we say), that Christ and his grace in them might be the more magnified, and all about them the more edified.

      III. Here is a general account of the progress and success of the gospel in and about Ephesus (v. 20): So mightily grew the word of God, and prevailed. It is a blessed sight to see the word of God growing and prevailing mightily, as it did here. 1. To see it grow extensively, by the addition of many to the church. When still more and more are wrought upon by the gospel, and wrought up into a conformity to it, then it grows; when those that were least likely to yield to it, and that had been most stiff in their opposition to it, are captivated and brought into obedience to it, then it may be said to grow mightily. 2. To see it prevail extensively, by the advancement in knowledge and grace of those that are added to the church; when strong corruptions are mortified, vicious habits changed, evil customs of long standing broken off, and pleasant, gainful, fashionable sins are abandoned, then it prevails mightily; and Christ in it goes on conquering and to conquer.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Of the strolling Jews, exorcists ( ). These exorcists travelled around () from place to place like modern Gypsy fortune-tellers. The Jews were especially addicted to such practices with spells of sorcery connected with the name of Solomon (Josephus, Ant. VIII. 2.5). See also Tobit 8:1-3. Jesus alludes to those in Palestine (Matt 12:27; Luke 11:19). The exorcists were originally those who administered an oath (from , to exact an oath), then to use an oath as a spell or charm. Only instance here in the N.T. These men regarded Paul as one of their own number just as Simon Magus treated Simon Peter. Only here these exorcists paid Paul the compliment of imitation instead of offering money as Magus did.

To name over ( ). They heard what Paul said and treated his words as a magic charm or spell to drive the evil spirits out.

I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth (H ). Note two accusatives with the verb of swearing (cf. Mr 5:7) as a causative verb (Robertson, Grammar, p. 483). The papyri furnish numerous instances of in such constructions (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 281). Note also the article with Jesus, “the Jesus,” as if to identify the magic word to the demons with the addition “whom Paul preaches.” They thought that success turned on the correct use of the magical formula. The Ephesian mysteries included Christianity, so they supposed.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Vagabond [] . Lit., going about. Rev., strolling.

Exorcists [] . Only here in New Testament. The kindred verb, adjure, occurs Mt 26:63, and means, originally, to administer an oath. These Jewish exorcists pretended to the power of casting out evil spirits by magical arts derived from Solomon.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

SEVEN FAKE HEALERS BADLY BEATEN UP V. 13-16

1) “Then certain of the vagabond Jews,” (de tinas kai ton perierchomenon loudaion) “Then also certain of the strolling, vagabond, or unsettled Jews;” The term perierchomenon” points to a class of Jews who wandered about, from place to place, practicing exorcism as a monetary profession, base deceivers, covetous for monetary gain, 1Ti 6:10.

2) “Exorcists,” (eksotkiston) “Who were exorcists,” practitioners of deceit, trickery, or magic arts, covetous for gain from a life of cheating, theft, and dishonesty, thru incantations and false claims of ability to help their slave-like dupes, by the use of prominent names, including that of Abraham.

3) “Took upon them to call over,” (epercheiresan onomazein epi) “Took upon themselves, masqueraded, or attempted to operate or practice their evil trade, by calling over the needy,” by adjuring over the needy, and commanding evil spirits, with a strong appeal of command, Mar 1:23-25; Mar 5:6-8; Evil spirits adjured Jews not to interrupt their business.

4) “Them which had evil spirits,” (tous echontas ta pneumata ta pomera) “Those who had wicked spirits,” very vile, profane spirits, spirits of wicked disposition. Their form was a fake, a masquerade, for they had not even received the Lord Jesus – They knew Him not, nor did He know them, Mat 7:22-23.

5) “The name of the Lord Jesus, saying,” (to onoma tou kuriou lesou) “The name (that is the authority) of the Lord Jesus,” (Gk. legontes) “repeatedly saying,” using the rhythmic phrase repeatedly as follows:

6) “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.” (horkizo humas ton lesoun hon Paulos kerussei) “I exorcise you by (the authority of) Jesus whom Paul heralds or proclaims;” These, like many in this century, were apostles of sin and Satan, lying, deceiving, posing as miracle working apostles of Christ, doing it for personal gain, even as many do in protestantism and false cults today, 2Co 11:13-15; Mat 7:22-23.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

−

13. To the end it may more plainly appear that the apostleship of Paul was confirmed by those miracles whereof mention was made of late, Luke doth now teach that when certain did falsely pretend the name of Christ, such abuse was most sharply punished. Whereby we gather that such miracles were wrought by the hand of Paul, to no other end, save only that all men might know that he did faithfully preach Christ to be the power of God; forasmuch as the Lord did not only not suffer them to be separate from the pure doctrine of the gospel; but did so sharply punish those who did draw them preposterously unto their enchantments; whence we gather again, that whatsoever miracles do darken the name of Christ they be juggling casts of the devil; and that those be coziness and falsifiers who draw the true miracles of God to any other end, save only that true religion may be established. − (370) −

Certain exorcists. I do not doubt but that this office did proceed of foolish emulation. God was wont to exercise his power diverse ways among the Jews; and he had used the prophets in times past as ministers to drive away devils; under color hereof they invented conjuration, − (371) and hereupon was erected unadvisedly an extraordinary function without the commandment of God. Also, it may be that (God appointing it so to be) it did somewhat; − (372) not that he favored it preposterously, but that they might more willingly retain the religion of their fathers, until the coming of Christ. Under the reign of Christ, wicked ambition caused strife between the Christians and the Jews. For exorcists were made after the will of men; after that (as superstition doth always wax worse and worse) the Pope would have this common to all his clerks, who were to be promoted unto an higher degree. For after that they be made door-keepers, forthwith the conjuring of devils is committed to them; and by very experience they set themselves to be laughed at. For they are enforced to confess that they give a vain title, and such as is without effect, for where is the power they have to conjure devils? and the very exorcists themselves do take upon them, to their own reproach, an office which they never put in practice. But this falleth out justly, that. there is no end of erring, when men depart from the word of God. As touching these men, we gather that they were wandering rogues, and such as went from door to door, of which sort we see many at this day in Popery; for he saith that they went about. By which words he giveth us to understand, that they went to and fro as occasion was offered them to deceive men. −

We adjure you by Jesus. It is a thing like to be true, [probable] that these deceivers flee unto the name of Christ, that they might get new power, whereof they had falsely boasted before, or because the power which they had did cease, that they might darken the gospel. This invocation had two faults; for whereas they were enemies − (373) to Paul’s doctrine, they abuse the color thereof without faith, as it were, unto magical enchantments; secondly, they take to themselves without the calling of God that which is not in man’s hand. But the lawful calling upon the name of God and Christ is that which is directed by faith, and doth not pass the bounds of a man’s calling. Wherefore, we are taught by this example, that we must attempt nothing, unless we have the light of the word of God going before us, lest we suffer like punishment for our sacrilege. The Lord himself commandeth us to pray. Whosoever they be which have not the gift of miracles given them, let them keep themselves within these bounds. For when the apostles made the unclean spirits come out of men, they had God for their author, and they knew that they did faithfully execute the ministry which he had enjoined them. −

(370) −

“

Sanciatur,” sanctioned or confirmed.

(371) −

“

Exorelsmos,” exorcisms.

(372) −

“

Aliquid perfecerint,” they accomplished somewhat.

(373) −

“

Alieni,” aliens from, strangers to.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

CRITICAL REMARKS

Act. 19:13. Vagabond.I.e., wandering about, or strolling Jews, exorcists, by profession (compare Mat. 12:8). They appear to have regarded Paul as one of their own class, but of a higher order (Hackett). For we read I.

Act. 19:14. Which did so should be doing this, as a habiti.e., pretending to do so, because it cannot be assumed that they did so in reality. Christs language (Mat. 12:27) does not necessarily imply that the Jewish exorcists could successfully expel demons.

Act. 19:16. And overcame them.The best MSS. read both instead of them. Naked need not signify more than stripped of their outer garment. Compare Mar. 14:52; Joh. 21:7.

Act. 19:17. And this was known should be rendered and this became known. Fear fell. , as in Luk. 1:12.

Act. 19:18. Many that believed.Rather, of those who had believedi.e., not of those who were newly converted by this occurrence (Alford, Meyer, Holtzmann), but of those who had believed and were still believers (Lechler, Zckler, Plumptre, Spence). Confessed and shewed would be better translated confessing and declaring. Their deeds.Not their sins in general (Kuinoel), but their superstitious practices (Olshausen, Meyer, Holtzmann).

Act. 19:19. Those who used curious arts.Lit., practised things over-wroughti.e., superfluous, curious thingsa mild expression for magical arts. Their books.Those which contained their spells, charms, magical formul, and such like. The so-called Ephesian letters, , were small slips of parchment in silk bags, on which were written strange cabalistic words, of little or of lost meaning (Plumptre).

Act. 19:20. With regard to the preceding verses Ramsay (St. Paul, etc., 273) says:In this Ephesian description one feels the character, not of weighed and reasoned history, but of popular fancy; and I cannot explain it on the level of most of the narrative. The puzzle becomes still more difficult when we go on to Act. 19:23 and find ourselves again on the same level as the finest part of Acts. If there were many such contrasts in the book as between Act. 19:11-20; Act. 19:23-41, I should be a believer in the composite character of Acts. As it is, I confess the difficulty in this part; but the existence of some unsolved difficulties is not a bar to the view maintained in the present treatisethe view, namely, of the historical credibility of Acts as a whole. The literary contrast may be perfectly explained by supposing that Luke compiled this chapter from papers written by separate authors.

HOMILETICAL ANALYSIS.Act. 19:13-20

An incident in Ephesus; or, the Story of Scevas Sons

I. Their social standing.

1. Their fathers name. Scva, or Skeva, , otherwise unknown. The number of obscure individuals whose names have found a place in Holy Writ is remarkable. Fathers of no celebrity have frequently had sons who have risen to celebrity or achieved notoriety.

2. Their fathers dignity. A Jewish chief priest. Whether an actual high priest who had been deposed, or an individual connected with the high priests family, or the head of one of the twenty-four courses that officiated in the temple, or a priest of the higher class, or head of the priests attached to the local synagogue, cannot be determined. There is no warrant in the text for the view sometimes advocated that Scva was merely an impostor who pretended to be a chief priest (Ramsay).

II. Their professional character.Vagabondi.e., wandering exorcists. According to the best information, the whole Orient at this time was full of such worthies, exorcists of demons, interpreters of dreams, fortune-tellers, charmers, masters of the black art, jugglers; which renders the presence of such a detachment of this fraternity as Scvas sons formed perfectly credible.

III. Their ill-advised experiment.

1. The nature of it was to attempt the expulsion of demons by calling over such as were possessed the name of the Lord Jesus, and saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

2. The motive which impelled them was undoubtedly a consciousness that Paul, by employing the name of Jesus, could do in reality what they with their incantations and mystic arts only pretended to do, but were well aware they did not and could not do (see Critical Remarks).

3. The number of those who took part in the particular attempt recorded is not clear. According to one view, while all the seven addicted themselves to this practice of imitating Paul, only two (after the best reading in Act. 19:16) were engaged in this special instance (Lechler, Alford). Another explanation runs that though all the seven employed themselves about the business, only two, who acted as ringleaders, were set upon by the demon. A third suggestion (but not so good) is that all were overcome by the demon on both sidesi.e. when they stood before and afterwards when they fled from him (Ewald).

IV. Their richly-merited punishment.

1. From whom it proceeded. The man in whom the evil spirit was, and who now fiercely turned on the impostors. As, however, the man was more or less the involuntary instrument of the demon, the real author of their punishment was the spirit rather than the man.

2. To what extent it was carried. The man leaped upon them with wild fury, and, endowed like the Gadarene demoniac, with almost preternatural strength (Mar. 5:3-4), overcame and prevailed against them both, stripping their (outer) garments from them and inflicting on them bodily wounds, so that, like the cowards they were (and all like them are), they were glad to flee from the house in a semi-nude and, perhaps, bleeding condition.

3. By what argument it was justified. This was contained in the saying of the man, Jesus I know (or recognise) and Paul I know; but who are ye? For the moment the consciousness of the man was taken possession of by the demon, who, as in the similar instance mentioned in the gospels (Mat. 8:29; Mar. 5:7; Luk. 8:28), acknowledged the authority of Christ, and, as in the case of the pythoness at Philippi (Act. 16:17), recognised that of the apostle as Christs servant; but had no knowledge whatever of the sons of Scva.

4. To what good results it led.

(1) To the impression of the public mind. Becoming known it caused a tremendous sensation in the city among both Jews and Greeks. Fear fell upon them all (compare Act. 5:11).

(2) To the exaltation of the name of the Lord Jesus. The occurrence showed that Christs name, which Paul preached in the school of Tyrannus, stood on a different platform from that of any of the names which had been employed by the exorcists (see Php. 2:9).

(3) To the repentance of many in the Church. This humiliating admission that many of those who had professed to believe under Pauls ministry in the city had been leading lives wholly inconsistent with the holy gospel, to the extent even of trafficking with these vagabond exorcists, indirectly proves the historic faithfulness of Luke; while the confessions of the converts themselves offered no small testimony to the impression created by the incident and to the sense of the unseen felt by the Ephesian Christians. Whether this confession was made to Paul in private or in public before the Church is not stated. The Romish Church accepting the former hypothesis grounds on this text the institution of the confessional.
(4) To the conversion of not a few of the exorcists themselves. The practisers of curious or magical arts, literally of things over-wrought, curious and recondite, were so struck with awe that they renounced their superstitious practices, collected their books which contained their magical incantations, charms, nostrums and such like, to the value of fifty thousand pieces of silvernearly 2000 of English moneyand burned them in the sight of all. It was a strong proof of honest conviction on the part of the sorcerers, and a striking attestation of the triumph of Jesus Christ over the powers of darkness (Conybeare and Howson).

(5) To the accelerated progress of the gospel. The word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed, as it did years before in Jerusalem on the death of Herod (Act. 12:24).

Learn.

1. The danger of using Christs name unlawfully.
2. The sin of preaching Christs gospel without knowing Christ Himself.
3. The involuntary testimony Christ can extract from His foes.
4. The certainty that all who oppose either Christ or His gospel will ultimately suffer loss.
5. The impossibility of hindering the progress of the gospel.
6. The duty of believers acknowledging their sins.
7. The power of the truth to excite to repentance.
8. The great sacrifices to which Christianity sometimes calls its adherents.
9. The absolute exclusiveness of Christianity which admits of no compromise.

HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS

Act. 19:13. The Name of the Lord Jesus.

I. The most exalted in the universe.

1. In heaven higher than that of principalities and powers.
2. On earth more widely known than that of any other teacher or founder of religion.
3. In the Church, more trusted, loved and honoured by believers than any other.

II. The most powerful in the universe.

1. The Healer of disease.
2. The conqueror of Satan.
3. The Saviour from sin.
4. The awakener from death.

III. The most permanent in the universe.His name shall endure for ever.

Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

I. Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, sent forth in the fulness of the times and declared to be Gods Son by His resurrection from the dead.

II. Jesus, the sinners substitute, set forth to be a great propitiation through faith in His blood.

III. Jesus, the Messiah of Israel, proved to be so by the meeting in Him of Old Testament prophecies.

IV. Jesus, the Saviour of believers, who accept Gods testimony concerning Him, and trust in His finished work, who renounce their own righteousness and embrace the righteousness which is of God by faith.

V. Jesus, the conqueror of the devil, who came indeed to destroy the works of the devil, and who triumphed over the principalities and powers of darkness through His cross.

Act. 19:15. Jesus and Paul.

I. The Saviour and the saved.
II. The Lord and the servant.

III. The agent and the instrument.

IV. The sovereign and the ambassador.
V. The subject and the preacher.

Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?A sermon by an evil spirit; or the (sound) doctrines of devils.

I. That Jesus is the Son of God and the conqueror of the devil (Mat. 10:29; Luk. 4:34; Heb. 2:14).

II. That the gospel is a message of salvation for guilty men, or of deliver ance from the bondage of the devil (Luk. 4:18; Heb. 2:15).

III. That the ministry is an institution appointed by Jesus Christ for the propagation of this gospel of soul emancipation.

IV. That those who preach the gospel without themselves standing in personal relation to Jesus Christ or having been appointed by Him are false teachers and cannot really harm them, the devils (2Co. 11:4; Gal. 2:4; 1Ti. 4:1).

V. That false teachers will eventually bring upon themselves swift destruction (2Pe. 2:1).

Act. 19:17. The Name of the Lord Jesus magnified. This happens

I. When it is openly, widely and courageously preached as by Paul.

II. When it is explicitly, extensively and firmly believed in.

III. When it is seen to be powerfully influential over mens hearts and lives, leading the unbelieving to faith, and the faithful to repentance and self-sacrifice.

Magnifying the Name of the Lord Jesus.The Ephesians saw in this, and so should Christians to day

I. The founder of Gods kingdom on the earth.

II. The author of salvation in the individual soul.

III. The conqueror of the devil and his emissaries.

IV. The deliverer of the captives of Satan and sin.

V. The ruler of His peoples hearts

Act. 19:19. The Burning of the Books.

I. Some books have been burnt which should have been preserved.E.g., many noble volumes of science, philosophy and literature in the library of Alexandria.

II. Some books are preserved which should be tossed into the flames.E.g., the pernicious fugitive pieces of a frivolous superficial knowledge, the seductive works of an impure light literature, and the arrogant decrees of an unchristian tyranny of the conscience.

III. Some books, though cast into the fire, will not burn.The magical books of the Ephesians perished; but the sacred books of the Old and New Testaments though they have often been committed to the flames, have always come forth again fresher, livelier and with more power than ever.

Act. 19:20. The Growth and Power of the Word of God.Exemplified in Ephesus.

I. The word grew.Mightily:

1. In clearness of exposition. This to be expected considering that Paul was the preacher.

2. In intensity of impression. Also natural, remembering what was Pauls themethe things concerning Jesus and the kingdom of God, and who was Pauls keeperthe Holy Ghost.

3. In extensiveness of reception. All they which dwelt in Asia. heard the word, while many believed. Scarcely less wonderful, seeing that Pauls word was accompanied by special signs.

4. In productiveness of fruits. It led to marvellous deeds of self-renunciation as well as to the manifestation of great solemnity and joy.

II. The word prevailed.Also mightily.

1. Over the corruption of the natural heart. Leading those who heard the gospel to turn from dead idols to serve the living God.

2. Over the opposition of the powers of evil. Manifested in the exposure of Scvas sons and the deliverance of the man possessed.

3. Over the besetting sins of believers. Enabling those who had received the word to shake themselves free from the love of magic and the fascinations of money.

Act. 19:8-20. A Three Years Mission in Ephesus.During this period the cause of the gospel as represented by Paul was

I. Energetically pushed.Pauls activity was remarkably displayed in three directions.

1. In preaching the word of God (Act. 19:8; Act. 19:10).

2. In working miracles, or signs of the Holy Ghost (Act. 19:11).

3. In founding churches of Jesus Christ. Though not stated, it was doubtless during this period that the Churches of Ephesus, Coloss, Laodicea, and Hierapolis were founded.

II. Vehemently opposed.By the attempted imposture of Scvas sons.

1. The form it took. Attempting to exorcise an evil spirit by naming over it the name of Jesus.

2. The motives inspiring it. Many. Perhaps

(1) On the part of the devil, to counterfeit the work of the Holy Ghost.
(2) On the part of the Jews, to oppose the work of Paul as a preacher of the cross.
(3) On the part of the jugglers, to make money, since they saw that Pauls charm was more effective than theirs.
3. The result to which it led. Defeat, exposure, and damage. So will every attempt to hinder Christs cause eventually recoil on its authors head.

III. Wondrously prospered.The impression made upon the community as well as on the Church was deep and lasting.

1. On the community. It led to fear and veneration, if not to conviction and conversion.

2. On the Church. It stirred to confession and reformation, both voluntarythey cameand realthey burned their books.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

(13) Certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists.The men belonged to a lower section of the class of which we have already seen representatives in Simon of Samaria or Elymas of Cyprus. (See Notes on Act. 8:9; Act. 13:6.) They practised exorcisms as a profession, and went from city to city, pretending with charms and spells to cure those who were looked on as possessed with demons. Many of these were said to have come down from Solomon. In Layards Nineveh and Babylon (c. 22) there is an interesting account of several bronze bowls containing such formul. To them the name of the Lord Jesus, which was so often in St. Pauls lips, was just another formula, mightier than the name of the Most High God, or that of the archangels Raphael or Michael, which were used by others.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

Heathen Exorcism Punished by its own Demons the Sons of Sceva and the Demoniac , Act 19:13-20 .

13. Vagabonds Called by the Romans circulatores. They were travelling claimants to the power of casting out demons and restoring the diseased. Similarly, nearly to our own times, travelling gipsies and other fortune-tellers have perpetuated old heathen superstitions even through the Christian ages.

Exorcists Men who, by the authority of the name of some powerful being, solemnly assumed to require the demon to depart so effectively as to be obeyed. For some occult reason Solomon, the king of Israel, was supposed to possess that mighty power over demons that used in adjuration would compel or frighten them to depart.

Whom Paul preacheth In the hall of Tyrannus they had heard Paul proclaim the divinity of Jesus.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘But certain also of the strolling Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches”.’

Ephesus is here revealed to be a centre of the occult. This was so much so that the phrase ‘Ephesian writings’ (Ephesia grammata) was common in antiquity for documents containing spells and magical formulae. We have already encountered Bar-jesus in Cyprus (Act 13:6). Jews especially appear to have been involved in exorcisms, and there was a recent history of exorcism in Judaism as is evident from the literature at Qumran (compare Luk 11:19), which exorcism (probably spuriously) dated itself back to the time of Solomon, and even Abraham. Here in Ephesus, seeing the wonders performed in the name of Jesus, Jewish exorcists took His name and added it to their armoury. Their failure to appreciate Who He was or to seek to have any relationship with Him comes out in the way in which they are said to have used the name, ‘by Jesus Whom Paul preaches’. They are in total contrast with the one of whom Jesus spoke in Luk 9:49.

Interestingly a papyrus that has been discovered mentions the use of the name of Jesus in exorcisms in the form ‘I adjure you by Jesus, the God of the Hebrews’, while the Rabbinic prohibition of using the name of Jesus in exorcisms indicates that it certainly occurred. Thus there is no good reason for doubting the historicity of these verses.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The encounter with the exorcists:

v. 13. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

v. 14. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew and chief of the priests, which did so.

v. 15. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are yep

v. 16. And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

v. 17. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

The success of Paul in expelling demons made a great impression upon some Jewish exorcists that were in Ephesus at that time. It seems that this form of demoniac healing was practiced by certain wandering or strolling exorcists, who went from one city to another and attempted to drive out the evil spirits by adjuring them in the name of some prophet, the men in this instance being the seven sons of a Jew named Skeva, either the head of one of the twenty-four courses of priests at Jerusalem, or related to the high-priestly family. These men in the present case undertook to use the name of the Lord Jesus as a spell to charm with, to gain power over the evil spirit. Their formula, which they individually used, was: I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches. It is a stratagem and deceit of the devil to use the Word of God, the name of God and the name of Jesus, to perform his dark and devilish tricks. It was an abuse of the name of God, a criminal, blasphemous game, which they were playing. But they found their punishment with unexpected suddenness. For the evil spirit in the man whom they were trying to heal answered them that he knew Jesus, was fully familiar with His power and authority, and that he was also acquainted with Paul, some other spirits having experienced the miraculous power that dwelt in him, but who might they be, to use the name of both in such an assured manner? That was an expression of sneering contempt, since the devil would not recognize their superiority and refused to heed their adjuration. And what is more: their self-satisfied assurance filled the evil spirit with fury. The man whose body he controlled sprang upon them like an infuriated beast, mastered them with the greatest ease (two of them being present upon this occasion), and overpowered them completely; they were like helpless infants in his hands. With their clothes torn from their bodies and covered with wounds they fled out of the house which they had entered with such great confidence. Instead of coming back in triumph, they crept back in shame and disgrace. And the story became known to all the inhabitants of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, causing fear to fall upon them all. As a consequence, the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified, was highly praised, and continued to receive praise from an increasing number of disciples. Thus the plans of the devil to hinder and interfere with the work of the Lord only result in the furtherance of His kingdom.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Act 19:13. Vagabond Jews, exorcists, Several of the Jews about this time pretended to a power of casting out demons, particularly by some arts and charms pretended to be derived from Solomon. Some of these strolling exorcists, observing that St. Paul, by invoking the name of Jesus, did real miracles in the casting out of demons, resolved to attempt the same; the consequence of which was, not only the preventing such impostors from abusing the sacred and venerable name of Jesus in future, but the rendering it more aweful.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Act 19:13 . But some, also, of the itinerant Jewish demonexorcisers (sorcerers, who, for the healing of demoniacs, used secret arts derived from Solomon, and charms, see Joseph. Antt . viii. 2. 5, Bell. Jud . i. 1. 2; Mat 12:27 ) undertook ( ., see on Luk 1:1 ), in expectation of greater results than their own hitherto had been, and provoked by the effects which Paul produced by the utterance of the name of Jesus, to use this formula with the demoniacs: I conjure you (to come out, ye evil spirits, Act 19:15 ) by Jesus (who, besides, will punish you), whom Paul announces .

.] denotes the local direction: towards the possessed , not, as Kuinoel proposes, on account of the possessed (perhaps with a design towards , of the direction of the will), in which case the vivid form of the representation is entirely overlooked.

. .] are the demons concerned , then and there to be expelled.

] Comp. Mar 5:7 ; 1Th 5:27 . Equivalent to ., 3 Esdr. 1:48.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

Chapter 71

Prayer

Almighty God, surely this is thy day, and thou art in this place, and the gate of heaven is not far from our hand. The brightness of the sun is thine; the living air blows from the hills of heaven, and the calm day is a pledge of still deeper rest. This is the day which the Lord hath made hast thou not made all days? Were they not all rounded by thyself into the completeness of their beauty? Yet is there upon this day some touch more wonderful, some sign more tender, and about it there breathes an atmosphere unlike all other. We know this day amongst all the seven. It stands alone, yet is the friend of all; none may aspire to its sublimity of memory, though all may be touched by the grace of its history. We would that all our time might receive from this sacred day some touch that shall lift it up into nobler responsibility and honour. Thou hast led us through the week, and brought us to see the beginning of another. May we know the meaning of all these beginnings in life. Thou hast jewelled our time with new chances. Thou dost make every day a new possibility, every week a fresh opportunity, every year another time for doing better than before. May we understand this providence of time; may we know the meaning of the succession of days. We bless thee for the black night-river into which we can throw all that was evil in the day gone. We come with psalms yea, with shoutings and raptures before thee, because thy gentleness hath made us great. Thou hast withheld nothing from us. Thou hast delighted in our souls. We have been as a garden of precious flowers unto thee, which thou hast watched and tended and watered with dew and warmed with special fire. Thou hast cared for us with wondrous care. When we put our life together and see its true shape, it is a temple not made with hands; it is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. When we thought we saw the place of ruin, thou didst clothe the wilderness with choice flowers. When we said, “This river will surely swallow us up,” behold, thou didst strike it with a rod, and the waters parted, and we went through on soft golden sand. Thou hast beaten down mountains for us, and made our foes into friends, and caused our persecutors to become our helpers. We will not burn incense unto ourselves, but wave the censer of a thankful heart before thyself Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, from whom all good things come. We would remember our sin were not our hearts filled beforehand with the Cross. We cannot see the blackness through the sacrificial blood. We hide ourselves in the Cross. Rock of Ages, let us hide ourselves in thee. Pity us. Lift us up from the lowest dust. Show the miracle of grace triumphing over the rebellion of sin, and may we in the Cross of Christ find the answer to our hearts’ guilt and the despair of conscience. Thou knowest what we need, every one of us, down to the least child whose only song is laughter, and whose only prayer is wonder. We want so much, but it is all as nothing to thee. Feed us with the bread of heaven. Lead us into all truth. Give us the royal heart that takes in the prodigal and prays for him as if he were already at home. Take away from us all anti-Christ, all bigotry, littleness, exclusiveness, self-idolatrousness, and may we stand in the love of God as shown in the Cross of Christ, and carry up the whole world as the object of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. Destroy our love of opinion. Utterly drive out of us the notion that we are to be saved by notions. Help us to slay our views and thoughts, our conceptions and theories, and to abandon the base idolatry which kneels to its own inventions. Help us to know nothing but Christ and him crucified not to know him with explanations, but without them, by the wondrous insight of the heart. The Lord dry our tears; make our knees strong, and our hands skilful, and make our eyes clear and far-sighted. The Lord reconstruct our manhood, and make us like Jesus Christ through and through. We have friends at home who cannot come to thy house because they are sick. Thou wilt visit them, and make the house a church, and bring to the heart memories and hopes and joys full of heaven’s own tender grace. We have friends for whom we dare not pray if Christ had not died. Find them out, and as a shepherd layeth the strayed lamb on his shoulder and bringeth it home, do thou bring by the sweet compulsion of grace every wanderer to thine own table. The Lord hear us; heighten the heavens above us, and make the earth greener, and work in us all the wondrousness of a conscious immortality, until there shall be in our life no sin, no sorrow, no night, no death, and may our life be as the New Jerusalem, which lieth four-square, the length being as the breadth. Amen.

Act 19:13-16

13. But certain also of the strolling [itinerant] Jews, exorcists, took upon them to name over them which had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

14. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest [? head of one of the twenty-four courses of the Levitical priesthood], which did this.

15. And the evil spirit answered and said unto them, Jesus I know [recognize], and Paul I know; but who [what sort] are ye?

16. And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and mastered both of them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Seven Sons of Sceva

IN considering these circumstances we must call to mind what had been done in the city of Ephesus, the capital of Asia. A great spiritual revolution had taken place. Paul had been resident in Ephesus, more or less, for two years. At first he found the twelve disciples of Apollos utterly without Christian knowledge beyond the introductory baptism of John. Under Paul’s ministry the Holy Ghost had been poured out, and from that time great interest was felt in the whole subject of spiritual influence. From time immemorial superstition has grown in Ephesus, and to add one superstition to another came quite easy to the sophisticated minds of the Asiatics. Christianity was another department of magic. It seemed to succeed well in the hands of Paul and his colleagues, and it might be worth while to incorporate it with Ephesian mysteries. At all events, the men who had practised exorcism, or the art of casting out, were willing to try it, and the trial is related in this passage.

Even the Jews of Ephesus were tainted by this superstition. As we see from the 14th verse “there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests,” which “took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus.” We must not dismiss the men as impostors. They were deluded, but not necessarily wicked. They wanted to do a good work, and so far we must credit them with a good motive. You and I are most concerned in finding out the modern meaning and present-day force of the narrative. A wonderful testimony the more wonderful because unconscious is here borne to the power of Christianity. Such testimony is of high corroborative value. The outsiders had been looking on, wondering how the new magic would act. They said nothing about it, but when occasion served they endeavoured to practise it; and so much to the world’s testimony, unconscious or reluctant, to the potent power of Christian action. The Ephesians did not say, “This argument is cumulative, cogent, and unanswerable, therefore we yield our intellectual citadel to the holy siege.” They uttered no words, but looking on they saw wonder after wonder, and when the Apostles were not there they tried to conjure according to the apostolic necromancy, as they regarded it. That is being done today. If Paul had failed, the Ephesians never would have tried the new art. When the seven sons of the chief of the priests tried to repeat the processes of Paul they unconsciously certified to the practical influence which Paul had exercised in Ephesus.

The thirteenth verse sums up a large mass of evidence; it is a condensed history of Christian triumph. The Ephesian necromancers and exorcists had seen the most stubborn of the devils dragged out of their heart-caves. For years they had been trying to silence this evil spirit and that, and the evil spirit had mocked them, chattering back in broken speech the boldest words of a timid audacity. But in this instance the most reluctant and stubborn of the spirits had been dispossessed, and the Ephesians, without saying to Paul, “You are right and we will follow you,” tried to turn Paul’s art into a department of Ephesian mystery. Much is expected of Christians today, as much was expected of Paul in his time. Never did the public arise and say to Christ, “You really must be excused if you cannot cast out this one particular devil.” They expected him to cleanse the very hell of the heart. There must be no break-down; there must be no saying, “Hitherto thy power can go, and no further.” He must walk through the very centre of the burning hell, and work miracles where miracle had never before been worked. It is exactly so with Christians today. They are expected to keep the whole ten commandments and to add all other possible commandments to them, and if they fail to touch the very uppermost line in the heights of virtue there are men at the foot cruel enough to chide them for failure, to mock their prayers, and turn their aspiration into reproaches. Necromancers may fail in their momentary trick, but Christians must be kept up to the mark. Christians are never allowed to tamper with law, pureness, commandment, moral authority, Divine or human exaction they are scourged to the mark. What is the meaning of this? Rightly understood, it is the sublimest tribute which can be borne to the moral nobleness of Christian faith. They who would but laugh a careless laugh over a necromancer will denounce bitterly any Christian heart that fails to give in its life the Amen to its own prayer.

Add to that thought the one which arises in connection with the endeavour of the seven sons of Sceva to cast out evil spirits. Wherein did they fail? They failed at every point. They came into the ministry in a wrong way; and that is always an explanation of failure of the worst kind. How did they come into the ministry in a wrong way? The answer is given in the thirteenth verse. “They took upon them,” that is the explanation. When men take the ministry “upon them” it fails in the last outcome in their hands. No man must go to war in this battle on his own account or at his own charges. This ministry is not something which a man may elect in preference to something else. The ministry is nothing if it is not a burden, a necessity, a fire in the bones, a spectre that will not let a man sleep at midnight till he has given his answer in a vow to serve it. There are those who would tell us that if we give our ministers better incomes we shall have better men. God forbid. Such teaching is the ruin of true ministry. When a man begins to calculate that he can have so much in the ministry and so much out of it he is not called to the ministry. This is a vocation, not a profession; this is an inspiration, not a calculation.

They the seven sons of Sceva knew nothing about the Name with which they conjured. Instead of saying, “We adjure you by Jesus Christ whom we love,” they said, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.” The sacred influence will not pass through such negative or non-conducting connections. That is one of the noblest tributes that can be paid to the dignity and heavenliness of Christianity. It will not have anything to do with any other thought; it will not be incorporated; it will stand by itself and by itself alone. There are many persons who would be glad to amalgamate Christianity with something else. But Christianity will not be amalgamated. This is new cloth that will be put upon an old garment without making the rent worn. This is new wine that will be put into old bottles without utterly tearing them to pieces. Christianity will not mix. Christianity will not consent to be part of an eclectic philosophy, saying, “You can add a little of me to a little of Aristotle and other great teachers and inventors of ethical systems.” Christianity wants the world to itself. It would be more popular if it were more neighbourly. If it could sit down with other philosophies and confer with them upon equal terms it might receive a little caressing and a little patronage and a more immediate recognition. But no; it must cleanse the house, drive out all revelry, and reign alone. Can we wonder that it is not the popular religion? The wonder would be if it were.

How much modern meaning there is in the expression, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.” There was no doubt about the subject of Paul’s preaching. If you asked the seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, whom Paul preached, they would answer you instantaneously and without qualification, “He preached one Jesus.” This is a tribute to the honesty and consistency of Paul. Here is a certificate signed by seven unexpected but trustworthy signatories. We are urged today to preach the Christ whom the Puritans preached. That exhortation is not without deep meaning; but a man may stand in the pulpit and say to his hearers, “I adjure you to serve the Christ whom the Puritans preached,” and his hearers will return the answer of indifference or the reply of mockery. A minister may go further and say, “I adjure you, by the Christ whom the Apostles preached, to save yourselves,” and the word would have no power; the powder might blaze, but there would be no ball to take effect. A man might go even further and say to nineteenth-century hearers, “I adjure you, by the Christ of the New Testament, to believe,” and the nineteenth century would know nothing about such a Christ. What then is the secret of force? How is the Christian man to suit his age and arrest it? By preaching the Christ whom his own heart knows and loves not by preaching a Christ whom somebody else once preached with great effect, but the Christ known to him, loved by him, so that he can at any moment stand up and say, “Once I was blind, now I see, and a Man called Christ opened mine eyes, and it is to my Christ that I call you.” Paul uses an expression which some persons cannot think is in the New Testament. He uses the expression, “My gospel.” Every man has his own conception of God, his own hold of the Gospel, his own reading of truth, and he must preach that. If I have to preach a Christ whom another man preached I have to commit a lesson to memory and to be very careful lest I stumble in the verbal recitation; but if I preach a Christ born in my own heart, the hope of glory, living with me day by day, talking to me on the road, watching me whilst I sleep, meeting me in new converse when I awake, showing me the mystery of sin and the greater mystery of grace; if I have communion with him, deep, loving, ardent fellowship then I can preach without learning a lesson, my whole life must break into argumentative eloquence, and men must be constrained to say, “He has been with Jesus and learned of him.” O Church of the Living God! do not refer the nineteenth century to books written in the seventeenth, or even the first, century, except as incidental illustrations and corroborative testimonies. The only Christ any age can listen to is the Christ which the preacher himself knows, loves, and serves.

The answer returned by the evil spirit is the answer which every age will return to professional necromancers and moralists. “The evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcome them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” Exactly what every ministry is doing that adjures or conjures in a secondary way. The answer of the spirits was argumentative; so is the answer of the spirits today. The answer of the spirits was violent; and the answer of the spirits is violent in every age, when they are charged or appealed to by unauthorized assailants. These seven sons of Sceva are living today. Here is one of them. A man who indulges himself in some way and then seeks to exorcise the spirit of intemperance in others. He gratifies every appetite, never cuts with a knife right into the indulgence which pleases him; but looking over his own indulgence, as over foaming wine, he bids some other man be self-controlled. What wonder if the drunkards of the land should throw back in the face of the Church its calls to sobriety? They are mocking calls. He only has power over his age in this direction who says, “I should like to drink this to take this; I could take so much and let it alone, but for your sake I set it down. Now be sober!” That man is not preaching a total abstinence which somebody else practises, but a self-control which he has imposed upon his own appetite. The seven sons of Sceva have seven sisters, and the whole fourteen of them are living today. They are living, for example, in that person who reproves worldliness and practises religious vanity. If the Christian is not consistent with his own principles, what wonder that the nineteenth century should laugh at his preaching? It is quite right. O evil spirit, if I might speak to thee, black, damned thing, go on, mock the preachers, mock the Christian assemblies, twit them with their inconsistencies and vanities and follies, never let them alone! O hell, be the ally of Christ! There is a religious worldliness as well as a worldliness that does not debase the name of religion by calling it in as a qualification. Shall we who have a beam in our eyes be preaching about the mote that is in the eyes of other men. You will hurl the ten commandments at the head without effect if you do not go along with them. The world can laugh even at Christian theology when marked out in abstract propositions, but when Christian theology is incarnated in personal godliness, individual holiness, when the Christ that is preached is not only a historical Christ but also a living, present, and personally-known Christ, the age will begin to wonder, and there is a wonder which may end in prayer.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

Ver. 13. Exorcists ] But of these (having no call from God, but unwarrantably emulating Paul, and yet using good words) we may say, as one doth of witches with their good prayers (as they call them, Si magicae, Deus non vult tales; si piae, non per tales. If magical, God will none of them; as if good prayers, yet because out of an evil mouth, he rejects them.)

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

13. ] See note on Mat 12:27 , respecting the Jewish exorcists. These men, seeing the success of Paul’s agency in casting out devils, adopt the Name of Jesus in their own exorcisms.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Act 19:13 . If we read after (see critical note), it contrasts the Jewish exorcists who endeavoured to gain this power with those like St. Paul who really possessed it. .: “vagabond,” A.V., the word as it is now used colloquially does not express the Greek; R.V. “strolling,” Vulgate, circumeuntibus ; Blass renders circumvagantes . The word “vagabond” is used only here in N.T.: in the O.T. we have it in Gen 4:12 ; Gen 4:14 , R.V. “wanderer,” and in Psa 109:10 , R.V. “vagabonds,” cf. Milton, Paradise Lost , xi., 16. : the word points to a class of Jews who practised exorcisms as a profession, cf. Jos., Ant. , viii., 2, 5. The usual method of exorcism was the recitation of some special name or spell, and these Jewish exorcists having seen the power which Paul wielded by his appeal to the name of Jesus endeavoured to avail themselves of the same efficacy. It would be difficult to say how far these Jewish exorcists would employ the incantations so widely in vogue in a place like Ephesus, but there is a notable passage in Justin Martyr in which, whilst admitting that a Jew might exorcise an evil spirit by the God of Abraham, he complains that as a class the Jewish exorcists had adopted the same superstitions and magical aids as the heathen, “Exorcist,” B.D. 2 , i., 1028. In the Didach , iii., 4, the use of charms and sorceries is expressly forbidden since they led to idolatry. : with double accusative = of the one adjured and of the one by whom he is adjured, cf. Mar 5:7 (1Th 5:27 ), see Grimm-Thayer, sub v., cf. Deissmann, Bibelstudien , p. 25 ff., for the constant use of the verb in inscriptions in formul of adjuration as here, see further “Demon” and “Exorcist” for examples of such formul, Hastings’ B.D., i., pp. 593, 812, and for the absurdities involved in them.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

vagabond = roving. Greek. perierchomai. Only here, Act 28:13. 1Ti 5:13. Heb 11:37. Compare Gen 4:14.

exorcists. Greek. exorkistes. Only here. The verb exorkizo, to adjure, only in Mat 26:63.

took upon them = took in hand. Greek. epicheireo. See note on Act 9:29.

call . . . the name = name.

over. Greek. epi. App-104. To get control over a demon, it was necessary to know its name (compare Mar 5:9) or to invoke the name of a superior power or spirit. Josephus (Antiquities VIII. ii. 5) relates how an exorcist, named Eleazar, when expelling a demon in the presence of Vespasian, invoked the name of Solomon. The great magical Papyrus of the third century, in the Bibliotheque Nationale of Paris, gives spells in which the names of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of Jesus, God of the Hebrews, are used.

We. The texts read “I”.

adjure. Greek. orkizo. This is the formula for casting out a demon in the above-named Papyrus, where exorkizo also is found.

preacheth. Greek. kerusso. App-121.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

13.] See note on Mat 12:27, respecting the Jewish exorcists. These men, seeing the success of Pauls agency in casting out devils, adopt the Name of Jesus in their own exorcisms.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Act 19:13. , took in hand, attempted) And yet there was no room for temerity in the case of such matters. Comp. Heb 11:29, 1Ma 5:57, etc., concerning unseasonable imitation:-, going about, vagabond) as impostors (jugglers) are wont to do.- , them who had) This is plural; but the singular in Act 19:15. If the attempt had succeeded once, they would have dared to do it oftener.-, to name) though they were in other respects aliens to Him, and void of the power of faith. They say, whom Paul preacheth, as if they would say, We will try whether evil spirits go out in (by) this name: in short, there was no faith in them; but Satan is to be overcome by no forms of speech, and by no works, but by faith alone in the Word of GOD: wherefore also the very cunning spirit, seeing in this case that they have not faith, nor the word of GOD deeply fixed in their heart, laughs at their attempt. The expulsion of Satan from demoniacs is only an adumbration of the expulsion of Satan in ordinary cases from the hearts of all men. But even as he here mocked at those who attempt to effect the expulsion from demoniacs by a mere literal invocation of the name of Jesus without faith: so he derided, and in the present day laughs at, those who have attempted by works to deliver themselves from his power, ex. gr. priests and monks, etc.; for he then first began to have dominion over them, and to treat them altogether as he pleased. Satan is a most crafty spirit, as compared with whose cunning and strength all the light of reason is nothing. His cunning is not known except through the Holy Ghost; and he is not to be expelled except in the exercise of true faith, and by the most spiritual.-Justus Jonas.- , to name the name) A frequent phrase in the LXX. In the Hebrew there is added to the word , the verb or or .-, Jesus) They use the appellation, Jesus, simply, whereas they ought to have called Him the Saviour of the world, who had risen from the dead.-Chrysost.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Act 19:13-20

THE SEVEN SONS OF SCEVA

Act 19:13-20

13 But certain also of the strolling Jews,-These strolling Jews were exorcists, who traveled from place to place and practiced their spells of sorcery which was connected with the name of Solomon. Jesus alluded to them in Palestine. (Mat 12:27; Luk 11:19.) Exorcists comes from the Greek exorkizo, which means to exact an oath; they used an oath as a spell or a charm. These men regarded Paul as one of their own; they attempted to use the name of Christ as did Paul in performing his miracles. They did not know Christ, but their formal oath was: I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. This case is similar to that of Elymas the sorcerer (Act 13:8), and that of Simon Magus (Act 8:21). They had not learned the difference between the real miracles that Paul performed and the pretended ones of the exorcists.

14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva,-We do not know who Sceva was; some think that he was a high priest. Some think that the Greek here should be translated ruler instead of priest. His name is of Latin origin. Chief priest means one who is at the head of one of the twenty-four courses of the Levitical priesthood; hence, we cannot tell whether he had been at the head of one of the twenty-four courses of priests of the temple, or had once been the high priest at Jerusalem. He had seven sons who were engaged in sorcery; they were exorcists.

15 And the evil spirit answered-These seven sons of Sceva attempted to cast out an evil spirit. The evil spirit answered: Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? The meaning is, the Jesus whom you mention I recognize, and the Paul whom you mention I know, but you, who are you? The evil spirit did not recognize in the sense of obeying the authority of these seven sons. I know is from genosko, with respect to Jesus, and from epistomai, with respect to Paul; so the verbs are different, and carry a different meaning. The spirit here spoke through the man as in Mar 3:11.

16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was-This shows that the evil spirit spoke through the man who was afflicted. Instead of this evil spirit obeying these exorcists, it leaped on them. Both of them seems to imply that only two of the seven were attempting to practice upon this evil spirit; however, both is from the Greek amphoteron, and means all or more than two; hence, here amphoteroi includes all seven; both in old English was used for more than two. The defeat was so pronounced that the sons of Sceva fled out of that house naked and wounded. The word naked here comes from the Greek gum nous, and probably means only torn garments. Wounded is from the old verb to wound. It is used in the New Testament only here and in Luk 20:12. A similar case is found in Mar 5:3-4, where no one could control the evil spirit.

17 And this became known to all,-This had a wonderful effect on the people of Ephesus; they learned of it, and all who had practiced hidden arts were so extensively known that fear fell upon them all when they learned what this evil spirit had done to the sons of Sceva. They thought that an undefined power resided in the sacred name of Jesus, and fear fell upon them as it did upon the church when Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead. (Act 5:5 Act 5:10.) It was a perilous thing for men to use the name of Jesus rashly; all people thought more of this name now than they had before. Hence, the name of Jesus was profoundly respected.

18 Many also of them that had believed came,-The fear of Jesus came upon the superstitious idolaters of Ephesus, and also upon the church. Luke is faithful to record the facts and does not hesitate to mention any shame that may have come upon the church. This was a humiliating confession and shows how many of the early converts were imperfect in their lives. Many of these early converts had kept some of the things which they had before their conversion; they practiced these things before their conversion and had not given them up, but now, since fear had come upon them, they were ready to destroy everything that pertained to this sorcery.

19 And not a few of them that practised magical arts-It seems that those who had been converted who had practiced the magical art, and even those who were not converted that practiced it, were ready now to quit the practice and destroy their books. They brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. These books were filled with incantations, recipes for love philters, formulas for casting out evil spirits, and such like. Ephesus swarmed with magicians and astrologers. The Christians brought their books and the others were led to renounce their evil practices; hence, they were ready to destroy their books. They burned them in the presence of all; this was a confession of the evils that they had practiced, and an open declaration to cease such evil works. They counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. Ephesus was largely populated with Greek citizens and probably the silver pieces were the Greek drachmae/ or the Latin denarius; probably the total cost was about ten thousand dollars. This was a great sacrifice. No doubt that many of these books were rare and possessed a peculiar value of their own from the precious secrets they were supposed to contain. The results of preaching the gospel to the Ephesians and the confirmation of the word by miracles are thus seen in the effect that it had on these people to cause them to suffer such a great loss.

20 So mightily grew the word-While the people were in this state of mind the word of God increased among them. Since they had given up their magical arts, they were now ready to accept something else; hence, the truth as preached by Paul found lodgment in their hearts. The full meaning of the word rendered mightily is with overpowering force and strength, which nothing could resist. No wonder we find a large church at Ephesus. The word of the Lord grew and prevailed; that is, it kept growing and gaining strength; this was a day of triumph for Christ in Ephesus; Ephesus for centuries after this was a center of Christian power. Timothy came to Ephesus as also did John the apostle.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

the Power of Jesus Name

Act 19:13-29

Where Gods spirit is mightily at work, Satan is not far away. Here the enemys emissaries were mean enough to use the name of Jesus to get themselves a few more shekels. But the name is useless apart from the living power of the Spirit. It is terrible when the very demons flout those who profess religion. Who are ye? meant, You do not count. The demons knew Christ as the Holy One of God and Paul as His representative, but these exorcist Jews were hollow as sounding brass. Cast into the balances, they were altogether lighter than vanity, Psa 62:9.

The outcome of all this was a mighty revival. The name of the Lord Jesus was magnified, and a searching work of grace led to the confession of sin and the cleansing of heart and life in many who had followed vain superstitions.

So deep was the work of God in that great city of Ephesus that the trade in charms and amulets, sold in the neighborhood of the temple, began to fall off. The crowd of worshippers in Dianas temple was also perceptibly less. People who came in from the seaboard would find their way to the Apostle, who preached the gospel with a power that could not be withstood. Regenerated souls therefore, in turn, carried the gospel throughout the whole region.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

56. “SO MIGHTILY GREW THE WORD OF GOD AND PREVAILED”

Act 19:13-20

Sometimes it appears that the cause of Christ is failing, that satan and the powers of darkness are triumphant; but that is never the case (Mat 16:18; Isa 55:11; 1Co 15:58). In the end all things shall show forth the praise of our God and Savior, all of God’s elect will be saved, every purpose of God shall be accomplished, and the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God. Things are not as they seem. Our great Savior is sovereignly ruling this world from his heavenly throne, accomplishing his will everywhere by his omnipotent power and grace. The instrument by which Christ prevails over the hearts of men is the gospel of his free and sovereign grace. The church of God is a conquering army; and the weapon, the only weapon, of her warfare is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, the gospel of Christ.

Nowhere is this fact so vividly displayed as in the Book of Acts. In Acts 19, when Paul came to the city of Ephesus he found twelve men who believed God. They began meeting together in a little room in a school house to worship God and preach the gospel. From the beginning they met with opposition. The Jewish zealots, the idolatrous worshippers of Diana, the businessmen, and even the Jewish gypsies who passed through town were all united in their opposition to the band of God’s saints who met at the school of Tyrannus. Satan did everything he could to stop the spread of the gospel in Ephesus. But Paul and his little band went right on preaching Jesus Christ and him crucified. They had no regard for the religions of the people, the opinions of the people, or the power of the people. Their only concern was for the glory of God and the truth of God. God always honors people like that (1Sa 2:30). In less than three years’ time that little band of believers had become a large, influential congregation, well grounded in the doctrine of Christ. By the end of three years of faithful preaching the church at Ephesus was so large that it required several elders to oversee its ministry (Act 20:17).

This phenomenal growth came about without the use of puppet shows, musical recitals, Sunday school contests, ball teams, or the testimonials of famous movie stars, athletes, and politicians. Without gimmickery and without political influence, the naked truth of God, preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, in the simplicity of everyday language, had done its work. “So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed” (Act 19:20). Four things in Act 19:13-20 are set before us by God the Holy Spirit for our learning and admonition.

AN EXAMPLE OF MEN WHO MAKE MERCHANDISE OF THE GOSPEL (Act 19:13-16). The sons of Sceva were vagabond Jews, gypsies who travelled from city to city practicing witchcraft in the name of God! They claimed to tell men’s fortunes by astrological signs, cast evil or good spells on people, conjure up the spirits of the dead, and cast out demons. To give some credibility to their work they claimed that their magic was passed on from one generation to another since the days of Solomon. These demonic people were active in our Lord’s day (Mat 12:27). They were active in Paul’s day. And they are active today. Beware of the occult. Do not toy with witchcraft, astrology, etc. God commands us to have nothing to do with such people (Lev 19:31; Lev 20:6; Deu 18:10-11).

These men did whatever they had to do to make a buck and to gain influence. When they saw the power Paul possessed by the name of Christ (Act 19:11-12), they decided to imitate his power and tried to cast out demons by the name of “Jesus whom Paul preacheth” (Act 19:13). They had no regard for the honor of Christ, his Word, or the souls of men. But if it could get them gain, they were willing to prostitute anything, even the things of God. We have many like these sons of Sceva today in pulpits, on radio, and on television throughout this country. Like the willfully ignorant multitudes in Ephesus, multitudes today follow them, send them money, and keep them in business. Those charlatans are money grubbing, self-serving false prophets who willingly prostitute the gospel of Christ and the glory of God for their own interests (Jer 5:30-31; Jer 6:13-14; Isa 56:10-11). Like self-serving politicians, the preachers of this age keep their ears to the ground and say exactly what people want to hear (2Ti 4:3-4; 2Co 11:14-15). They will do or say whatever they have to to get a name for themselves, a crowd to follow them, and money in their coffers. Have nothing to do with the religious hullabaloo of this age. God is not in it (2Jn 1:10-11). As the sons of Sceva were exposed, even by the demons of hell, God will expose the modern sons of Sceva, if not in this world, in the world to come (Mat 7:21-23).

AN EXAMPLE OF GOD’S OVERRULING PROVIDENCE (Act 19:17). When these sons of Sceva went running out of the house, beaten and naked, everyone in Ephesus heard about it. The demon in that man, being forced by the Son of God to do so, confessed his subjection to Christ and to his servant Paul by the power of Christ’s name (Act 19:15). Thus, the evil the sons of Sceva thought to do was overruled by our sovereign Lord for the glory of his own great name. We worship a God who is absolutely sovereign (Psa 76:10). No creature in heaven, earth, or hell can wiggle a finger without his decree, permission, and direction. “The Most High ruleth!” (Dan 4:32; Psa 115:3; Psa 135:6; Isa 46:9-11; Lam 3:37). Even the evil that men do, he turns to good!

AN EXAMPLE OF TRUE REPENTANCE (Act 19:18-20). As a result of what happened to the sons of Sceva the curiosity of many was aroused, and they came to hear Paul preach the gospel of Christ. When they heard the gospel, God saved many and gave them faith in Christ (Rom 10:17). Here are three marks of true repentance which were displayed in these people.

1. THEY BELIEVED ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (Act 19:18). They trusted his righteousness, his redemption, and his rule. They trusted Christ alone for all their salvation (1Co 1:30).

2. THEY PUBLICLY CONFESSED THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST (Act 19:18). This was not a confession of sin in Paul’s ear, as though he were a popish priest, but a public confession of faith in Christ by believer’s baptism (Mat 3:6; Rom 6:3-6).

3. THEY PUBLICLY DENOUNCED THEIR FORMER RELIGION OF WORKS, SUPERSTITION, AND WILL WORSHIP (Act 19:19). Being saved by God’s free grace in Christ, they publicly denounced the religion that had held them in bondage for so long. They did so by making a bonfire to burn their books of false religion and witchcraft. Why did they go to such extreme measures? To show their indignation and contempt for their former religion. To show their determination never to return to it. To put as great a distance as they could between themselves and those who continued in the ways of darkness. To prevent others from being led astray. And to show their complete allegiance to Christ and his gospel.

AN EXAMPLE OF CHRIST’S CONQUEST BY THE GOSPEL (Act 19:20). I cannot help thinking that above all else, this incident at Ephesus is recorded here by inspiration to encourage God’s church and his servants to go on preaching the gospel. Luke is saying, “Carry the gospel of Christ into the field of battle and make war against the gates of hell. As you preach the grace of God the Son of God rides forth on his white stallion, conquering and to conquer. Thus, the mighty Word of God shall prevail!”

Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible

vagabond: Gen 4:12, Gen 4:14, Psa 109:10

exorcists: Mat 12:27, Luk 11:19

took: Act 8:18, Act 8:19, Mar 9:38, Luk 9:49

adjure: Jos 6:26, 1Sa 14:24, 1Ki 22:16, Mat 26:63, Mar 5:7

Reciprocal: 1Ki 22:11 – horns of iron 2Ki 4:31 – neither voice 2Ch 18:15 – shall I adjure Psa 50:16 – What Mat 7:21 – saith Mat 7:22 – have we Mat 8:16 – and he Mat 17:18 – rebuked Mar 3:11 – unclean Mar 9:39 – there Luk 9:40 – and they Act 3:6 – In Act 3:16 – through Act 8:35 – preached Act 16:17 – These 1Th 5:27 – I charge

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

3

Act 19:13. Vagabond Jews were some who were wandering around from house to house. An exorcist was a person who expelled demons from men by pronouncing some mysterious sentence, or by commanding the evil spirit by some important name. But even evil characters can be imitated and their work be pretended to be done by mere impostors. The present ones were frauds and pretended to be working through the name of Jesus; and to add weight to their pretense, they used the name of Paul.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Act 19:13. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits. There were, as heathen writers tell us, numbers of these Jews in various parts of the world, who wandered about trading on the credulity of men and women, professing to be magicians, fortune tellers, practising the exorcism of evil spirits. Among the Hebrew race there seems always to have existed a strange hankering after these dealings with unlawful arts, and we find in the Pentateuch repeated laws and enactments against these sorcerers, witches, dealers in enchantments, and the like. At the time of our Lord many of the Jewish exorcists pretended to possess a power of casting out evil spirits by some occult art, which they professed was derived from King Solomon. This legend Josephus relates in the following terms: God enabled Solomon to learn the art of expelling demons; he left behind him the method of using exorcism by which demons are driven away so that they never return, and this manner of cure is of great power unto this day. These impostors, seeing with their own eyes that Paul could really do what they only pretended to do, attempted to use what they fancied was his powerful incantation; powerful it was indeed, only they were ignorant how that glorious name alone could be used!

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Here observe, 1. That we read not of any in the Old Testament that were bodily possessed with devils and evil spirits: but, in the New Testament, we meet with many both in our Saviour’s time and also in the apostles’, to the intent that the power of Christ might more signally appear in their ejection and casting out.

Observe, 2. How some of the Jewish exorcists, like our jugglers, who make it their trade to wander up and down, to get a livelihood by pretending to cure diseases, and cast out devils, seeing what great miracles Paul had wrought in the name of Jesus, attempted to cast a devil out of a possessed man, by using the same name, though in Jesus they believed not. But Satan was so far from obeying them, that he made the possessed man fall violently upon them and wound them.

Thence learn, 1. That Satan scorns all human attempts, as weak and impotent, and is conquered only by a divine power; Jesus I know; but who are ye?

Learn, 2. That the devil would gladly be God’s ape. The Jewish jugglers would by all means imitate the apostles in casting out devils; accordingly they use the name of Jesus as a charm; but saying the same word with the apostles signified nothing, without exercising the same faith and grace. These exorcists soon found that words without faith would not work to cast out devils, and that Christ would not give power to his name when used as a charm.

Learn, 3. That the devil, by God’s permission, has power over those who profane the name of Christ. Satan here was too hard for these conjurers; he rushes upon them, and masters them, tears their clothes, wounds their bodies, and, had not God restrained him, had unavoidably destroyed them. Satan’s malice is infinite, but his power is limited and bounded.

Lord! abate his power, since his malice cannot be abated.

Observe, lastly, How this execution of divine vengenance wrought wonderfully for the conviction and conversion both of Jews and Greeks, ver. 18. Many believed, and came and confessed their sinful deeds. And as an evidence of their detestation of their former faults and follies, they make a bonfire of all their magical books; burning so many of them, as the learned say, the price amounted to eight hundred pounds. Thus these conjurors evidenced themselves to be real converts, by plucking out their right eye, and cutting off their right hand; that is, sacrificing their bosom and best beloved lust and corruption.

Thence learn, That there is no better evidence of the truth of a person’s conversion, than cheerfully to part with a very profitable and pleasing lust.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Act 19:13-16. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists Dr. Whitby, and several other critics, have produced many passages from Irenus, Origen, Epiphanius, and Josephus, to prove that several of the Jews, about this time, pretended to a power of casting out devils, particularly by some arts or charms derived from Solomon. These men are called vagabond Jews, and exorcists, because they strolled through the countries of the Lesser Asia, practising that magic which was in such vogue among the heathen. But when they came to Ephesus, hearing of the wonderful things which Paul performed in the name of Jesus, and, perhaps, seeing some of them, they took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus Vain undertaking! Satan laughs at all those who attempt to expel him, either out of the bodies or souls of men, except by divine faith. Saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth They do not say whom we believe in, or depend upon, or have authority from; but whom Paul preacheth As if they had said, We will try what that name will do. The exorcists in the Roman Church, who pretend to cast the devil out of melancholy people, by spells and charms which they understand not, and for which they have not any divine warrant, and, therefore, cannot use them in faith, are the followers of these vagabond Jews. There were seven sons of one Sceva A Jewish chief priest, who did this, desirous of the honour or profit which they thought would redound from such cures, and imagining there was some secret charm in the name of Jesus, to which these infernal agents would submit. But the evil spirit Contemning their adjuration; answered, Jesus I know, and Paul I know I know the authority and power of Jesus and Paul, and am ready to obey them; but who are ye? What power have you to command us in his name? Or, who gave you any such power? And the man, in whom the evil spirit was, leaped, or sprung, on them, and overcame them To such a degree, as to tear off their clothes from their backs, and beat them with great violence; so that they fled out of the house In which they had attempted the cure; naked and wounded And became public spectacles of scorn and derision, in a city where these things were peculiarly regarded. This is written for a warning to all those who name the name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity. The same enemy, that overcomes them with his temptations, will overcome them with his terrors, and their adjuring him in Christs name to let them alone, will be no security to them. If we resist the devil by a true and lively faith in Christ, he will flee from us; but if we think to resist him by the bare using of Christs name, or any part of his word, as a spell or charm, or by merely professing his religion, he will prevail against us.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

13-17. It is difficult to imagine how men could witness miracles so astonishing and not acknowledge the presence of divine power. We would suppose that even atheism would be confounded in the presence of such manifestations, and that the most hardened sinner would tremble. How deep the depravity, then, of men, even Jews by birth and education, who would see in them nothing but the tricks of a skillful and designing magician. Simon the sorcerer had offered to purchase this power with money, and Bar-jesus had sought to convince Sergius Paulus that it was a cheat; but the former was made to tremble under the withering rebuke of Peter, and the latter had been smitten with blindness by the power which he reviled. A similar display of human depravity, followed by a castigation equally severe, occurred in connection with the unusual miracles just mentioned. (13) “Then certain of the wandering Jewish exorcists undertook to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had wicked spirits, saying, We adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches. (14) And they were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, who did this. (15) But the wicked spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; but who are you? (16) And the man in whom the wicked spirit was, leaped upon them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled, naked, and wounded, out of the house. (17) And this became known to all the Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” Nothing is more mortifying, or better calculated to provoke the contempt of the community, than the unexpected exposure of mysterious pretensions such as were assumed by these exorcists. The spirit was enraged at their insulting pretensions, and doubtless enjoyed the joke of exposing them. The seven resisted until they were stripped and wounded, when they fled, presenting a very ludicrous aspect as they passed along the streets. While all Ephesus was laughing at them, it was remembered that the spirit acknowledged the authority of Jesus, and of Paul, and that a licentious use of the name of Jesus was the cause of all their trouble. The mirth awakened by the event was soon changed to reverence for the name of Jesus, which they now saw was not, as the exorcists had pretended, a mere conjurer’s talisman.

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

13. The Jews always recognized demoniacal possessions and the feasibility of their ejectment by the power of Jehovah. It is very clear from the Scripture that the Jews availed themselves, ever and anon, of the superior power of their God to cast out devils.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Verse 13

Vagabond; wandering; having no settled residence.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

19:13 {4} Then certain of the vagabond Jews, {f} exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

(4) Satan is forced to give witness against himself.

(f) So were they called who cast out demons by forcing them to leave in the name of God: and in the beginning of the Church, those who had the gift of working miracles, and laid their hands on those that were possessed with demons, were called the same.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

The seven sons of Sceva 19:13-20

The following incident throws more light on the spiritual darkness that enveloped Ephesus as well as the power of Jesus Christ and the gospel to dispel it. It also presents Paul as not only a powerful speaker (Act 19:8-12) but also a powerful miracle worker.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

"But" introduces a contrast to the good miracles that "God was performing . . . by . . . Paul" (Act 19:11). As had been Peter’s experience, some of Paul’s observers tried to duplicate his miracles (cf. Act 8:18-19). They wrongly concluded that the simple vocalization of Jesus’ name carried magical power. Some people feared the Jews in the ancient world because they thought the name of God, which the Jews refused to utter, was the key to their powers, including their success in business. This was Paul’s third contact with demonic powers that Luke recorded (cf. Act 13:6-12; Act 16:16-18).

"The use of magical names in incantations to exorcise evil spirits was common in the ancient world, and it seems to have been especially prominent at Ephesus." [Note: Longenecker, p. 497. See Bruce M. Metzger, "St. Paul and the Magicians," Princeton Seminary Bulletin 38 (1944):27-30.]

Earlier Jesus’ disciple John had asked Jesus to rebuke someone who was casting out demons in His name, and Jesus refused to do so. He replied, "Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is for you" (Luk 9:49-50; cf. Mar 9:38-40). This incident exposed an attitude of rivalry among the Twelve that existed toward other disciples of Jesus. This was not a problem of orthodoxy; that exorcist believed in Jesus. It was rather a problem of fellowship or association; he was not one of the Twelve. He appears to have been on the fringe of Jesus’ followers. The Twelve wanted to exclude him, but Jesus wanted to include him. Jesus’ reply was proverbial. He had stated the reverse truth earlier (Mat 12:30). Disciples should regard people who do not oppose them as associates rather than as enemies. The exorcists whom Paul encountered in Ephesus, however, appear to have been unbelievers.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)