Acts 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; Matthew 12:27) undertook (ἐπεχείρ., see on Luke 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, Acts 19:15) by Jesus (who, besides, will punish you), whom Paul announces.

ἐπὶ τοὺς ἔχ.] 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.

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

τὸν ʼΙησοῦν] Comp. Mark 5:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:27. Equivalent to τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Ἰ., 3 Esdr. 1:48.

Acts 19:13. If we read καὶ after ἀπὸ (see critical note), it contrasts the Jewish exorcists who endeavoured to gain this power with those like St. Paul who really possessed it.—περιερχ.: “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 Genesis 4:12; Genesis 4:14, R.V. “wanderer,” and in Psalm 109:10, R.V. “vagabonds,” cf. Milton, Paradise Lost, xi., 16.—ἐξορκιστῶν: 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 Didaché, iii., 4, the use of charms and sorceries is expressly forbidden since they led to idolatry.—ὁρκίζομεν: with double accusative = of the one adjured and of the one by whom he is adjured, cf. Mark 5:7 (1 Thessalonians 5:27), see Grimm-Thayer, sub v., cf. Deissmann, Bibelstudien, p. 25 ff., for the constant use of the verb in inscriptions in formulæ of adjuration as here, see further “Demon” and “Exorcist” for examples of such formulæ, Hastings’ B.D., i., pp. 593, 812, and for the absurdities involved in them.

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 Acts 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.

Acts 19:13. Ἐπεχείρησαν, took in hand, attempted) And yet there was no room for temerity in the case of such matters. Comp. Hebrews 11:29, 1Ma 5:57, etc., concerning unseasonable imitation:—περιερχομένων, going about, vagabond) as impostors (jugglers) are wont to do.—τοὺς ἔχοντας, them who had) This is plural; but the singular in Acts 19:15. If the attempt had succeeded once, they would have dared to do it oftener.—ὀνομάζειν, 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.—ὀνομάζειν τὸ ὄνομα, to name the name) A frequent phrase in the LXX. In the Hebrew there is added to the word שם, the verb הזכיר or נקב or קרא.—Ἰησοῦν, 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.

Verse 13. - But certain also for then certain, A.V.; strolling for vagabond, A.V.; name for call, A.V.; the evil for evil, A.V.; I for we, A.V. and T.R. Strolling (περιερχομένων); going their rounds from place to place, like strolling players or like peddlers. The words should be construed together, "strolling Jewish exorcists." That certain Jews in our Savior's time exorcised evil spirits appears from Matthew 12:27; Luke 9:49. We learn also from Josephus, 'Ant. Jud.,' 8:2, 5, that forms of exorcism, said to have been invented by King Solomon, so efficacious that the devils cast out by them could never come back, were used with great effect in his days. He adds that he himself knew of an instance in which one of his own countrymen, Eleazar by name, had cast out devils in the presence of Vespasian and his sons and officers and a number of his soldiers. The method used was this: The exorcist applied to the nose of the possessed the bezil of a ring, under which was a certain root prescribed by Solomon, and so drew out the evil spirit through the man's nostrils. The possessed then fell to the ground, and the exorcist commanded the evil spirit in the name of Solomon never to return, and then recited one of Solomon's incantations. To give full assurance to the bystanders that the evil spirit had really left the man, the exorcist placed a vessel full of water at some distance off, and then commanded the ejected spirit to overturn it, which he did. Thus far Josephus. Lightfoot, on Acts 13. (vol. 3:215), quotes the book Juchasin as speaking of certain Jews as "skilled in miracles," and the Jerusalem Talmud as speaking of their enchantments and magical tricks and charms" in the name of Jesus" (see, further, Alford on Matthew 12:27). Acts 19:13Vagabond (περιερχομένων)

Lit., going about. Rev., strolling.

Exorcists (ἐξορκιστῶν)

Only here in New Testament. The kindred verb, adjure, occurs Matthew 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.

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