Act 19:13-16 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 13. The vagabond Jews . Gr., Jews going about. περιερχομενων. 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 . εξορκιστων. 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 ορκος orkos , an oath, and from ορκιζω, 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. Comp. . 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. 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 wrought 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, . It is a form of putting one under oath, . (Septuagint.) That this art was practised then, or attempted, is abundantly proved from Iraeneus, Origen, and Josephus. (Ant. b. viii. chap. 2, 5.) See Doddridge. The common name which was used was the incommunicable name of God, JEHOVAH, by pronouncing which, in a peculiar way, it was pretended they had the power of expelling demons. (&) "vagabond Jews" "Some of the travelling Jews" (i) "took upon them to call" (k) "adjure by Jesus"

Acts 19:13-16

Verse 13. The vagabond Jews. Gr., Jews going about. περιερχομενων. 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. εξορκιστων. 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 ορκος orkos, an oath, and from ορκιζω, 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. Comp. Mt 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.

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 wrought 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, Mk 5:7, 1Thes 5:27. It is a form of putting one under oath, 1Kgs 2:43, Gen 24:37, 2Kgs 11:4, Neh 13:25. (Septuagint.) That this art was practised then, or attempted, is abundantly proved from Iraeneus, Origen, and Josephus. (Ant. b. viii. chap. 2, 5.) See Doddridge. The common name which was used was the incommunicable name of God, JEHOVAH, by pronouncing which, in a peculiar way, it was pretended they had the power of expelling demons.

(&) "vagabond Jews" "Some of the travelling Jews" (i) "took upon them to call" Mk 16:20, Lk 9:49 (k) "adjure by Jesus" Josh 6:25 Verse 14. One Sceva. Sceva is a Greek name, but nothing more is known of him.

Chief of the priests. αρχιερεως. This cannot mean that he was high priest among the Jews, as it is wholly improbable that his sons would be wandering exorcists. But it denotes that he was of the sacerdotal order. He was a Jewish chief priest; a priest of distinction, and that had held the office of a ruler. The word chief priest, in the New Testament, usually refers to men of the sacerdotal order, who were also rulers in the sanhedrim. Verse 15. Jesus I know. His power to cast out devils I know. Comp. Mt 8:29.

Paul I know. Paul's power to cast out devils, Acts 19:12.

But who are ye? What power have you over evil spirits? By what right do you attempt to expel them? The meaning is, "You belong neither to Jesus nor Paul; you are not of their party; and you have no right or authority to attempt to work miracles in the name of either." Verse 16. Leaped on them. Several such instances are recorded of the extraordinary power and rage of those who were possessed with evil spirits. Mk 5:3, 9:29, Lk 9:42.

(l) "leaped on them" Lk 8:29