Acts 19:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Here it is worthy of wonder why the demon did not aid the deception of the exorcists, but exposed them and revealed their pretense.

It seems to me that he became exceedingly enraged. He was like someone in extreme danger who, being insulted by a low and insignificant person, would wish to pour all his malice upon him.

So that he would not appear to despise the name of Jesus, he first confesses Him and then shows his own power.

That His name was not powerless, but that everything happened because of their deception, is clear from the fact that this did not happen with Paul.

Why, then, did the evil spirit not say who Jesus is, but utter words that brought no benefit?

It is worthy of wonder that the spirit did not assist the deception of these exorcists, but exposed them and revealed their fraud. It seems to me that he was greatly enraged. He was like someone, oppressed in extreme danger by a miserable and insignificant creature, who wants to pour all his anger upon that creature.

Although the Jewish seeking of signs could reduce all Christianity to these visible manifestations performed by the power of God, and consider it only a higher magic, as Simon the sorcerer thought, the very essence of Christianity contained something different.

Wherever it found true access to the heart, there it aroused the strongest revulsion against every such attempt.

At that time many Jewish exorcists roamed through this region. By various charms and incantations, and by the power of certain herbs, they claimed to cast evil spirits out of those possessed by them.

They acted according to rules whose origin they traced back to Solomon. These people could produce effects very striking at first sight.

The behavior of certain wandering Jewish exorcists and deceivers showed how strong an impression the miracles performed by the hands of Paul made on the inhabitants of Asia.

There were many such men then among both Jews and pagans; see 8:9 and following; 13:6 and following.

They were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest. Who this high priest was, and in what sense he is called a high priest here, is unknown.

Perhaps he was a relative of a high-priestly family. Perhaps he was chief of one of the twenty-four priestly courses; Lk 1:5.

They began to use the name of the Lord Jesus in exorcisms over the demon-possessed. They superstitiously supposed that wonderworking power lay in the very sounds of this name.

One of them, Sceva, attempted to imitate him. He hoped that, by using the name of Jesus, which he understood little, he would perform miracles as successfully as the Apostle Paul did.

But two of his sons, who practiced exorcisms, suffered a complete failure. This led to the complete uprooting of such charlatanry in Ephesus.

They were called to perform an exorcism over a man who was clearly suffering from violent demonic possession.

Addressing the evil spirits, they cried out, "We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preaches."

This time, however, the exorcism had no power. The demon-possessed man answered them with an evil sneer: "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?"

Then, rushing upon them with incredible strength, he tore their clothing and beat them so badly that they barely escaped from the house, wounded and naked.

In one such case of exorcism, the evil spirit in the demon-possessed man cruelly mocked the exorcists.

By the expression, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize," the demon acknowledges and confesses the power and authority over himself of the Lord Jesus Christ and of His Apostle.

By the expression, "but who are you?" he shows contempt for these people who abuse the name of Jesus.

He does not fear their power, does not acknowledge their authority over himself, and mocks them. In proof of this, the demon-possessed man beat them and drove them naked from the house where this took place.

The rising of the evil spirit against the exorcists is understandable. Although evil spirits do not know everything, they know much.

This was declared by the very spirit that rose against the exorcists, saying that he knew Jesus as Lord; cf. Mt 8:29; and Paul as His Apostle; cf. Acts 16:17.

Thus one may think that he also knew that the exorcists had no good relation to Jesus Christ.

He knew that they had begun to use the power of the name of Jesus Christ arbitrarily and without any right.

Here, so to speak, the kingdom of falsehood was divided. Some liars, the exorcists, rose against others, the evil spirits.