DEMON POSSESSION #6
THE AUTHORITY FOR DIAGNOSIS AND EXORCISM
DEFINITION: Unger defines demon possession as "a condition in which one or more evil spirits or demons inhabit the body of a human being and can take complete control of their victim at will."i
RELIGIOUS WORLD'S VIEW. “Whether or not spirit possession exists today is whether the religious authorities so declare it so.” That is, "the Jesuit professor Dr. Malachi Martin, in Hostage to the Devil, outlines the stages of possession: Typically those viewed as "possessed"[are] merely afflicted by some mental condition unknown or untreated. In addition, exorcism is not the desired treatment. If the victim is truly possessed by demons, [it must be] determined by authorities of the Church, then, and only then, may an exorcism occur.” ii
AUTHORITIES OF THE CHURCH. According to this referenced article, “authorities of the Church” are the ones (1) to determine if a spirit possession exists and (2) to decide the means of exorcism that may be employed.
JESUS' AUTHORITY. The chief priests and the elders asked Jesus for His authority for doing the things He was doing in the Temple. “The chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?” (Matthew 21:23). Based on their view of John the Baptist, Jesus gave them two choices: heaven or men (v. 25). So we can rightly ask the question, who gave the Church or anyone today the authority to so practice the art of diagnosis along with a chant or a formula for spirit expulsion?
Nowhere does Jesus give authority to any disciple for determining who was possessed. Neither is there any verbal formula or procedure for disembodying any spirit. But the deliverance from unclean spirits was one of the signs that the reign of the Messiah had arrived (Matthew 12:28). Vincent's Word Studies comments that the verb here is “to come upon one before he/she expects it.” iii This was in keeping with the anticipation of the coming Kingdom.
THE TWELVE'S AUTHORITY. Jesus not only cast out demons but authorized certain of his disciples before His crucifixion to cast them out. But not all of them. In other words, a decision to follow Jesus did not automatically make them part of a team for exorcism of evil spirits. The Twelve: Before His Death, He chose twelve of His disciples and named them apostles (Luke 6:13) and gave them “power” against unclean spirits (Matthew 10:1). This “power” is not the dunamis (ability) power as used in Mark 12:24 (“power of God”) but rather is the word that's translated “authority” in such passages as Mark 1:27b, “For with authorityG1849 commandeth He even the unclean spirits, and they do obey Him.” In order to command the unclean spirits, one would have to have the authority to do so.
Some Jews in Ephesus, years later, who had practiced deceit as exorcists (Acts 19:13) “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.” The spirit responded, “Jesus, I know, and Paul, I know, but who are ye?” The possessed leaped upon them and stripped them of their upper garments, and beat and wounded them. They did not have the authority from Jesus.
UMBRAGE? Jesus also approved and authorized other "exorcists" than the apostles. The Twelve's appointment have been compared by historians to what was called in the first century Talmids.iv A Talmid wanted to be like their teacher, that is, to become what the teacher was. That meant that students were passionately devoted to their teacher and noted everything he did or said. This meant the teacher-talmid relationship was a very intense and personal system of education and we might expect a danger of jealousy for their position and/or an umbrage developing among the twelve (Luke 9:46; 22:24-27; Matthew 18:1-5; etc.).
Meanwhile, of course there were other disciples of Jesus than just the appointed twelve. Jesus would select 70 of them to go before Him and would cast out demons.
Before that happens, "And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out demons in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us"; that is, he was not one of the special and closen twelve inner circle "talmids", if you please, to differentiate the disciples in this case (Luke 9:49). It is called "this [special] ministry" (diakoniaG1248) in Acts 1:17. The verb "followeth" G190 means properly to be in the same way [road] with, that is, "join as attendant" (Thayer). The preposition "with" meta G3326 "denotes accompaniment” (Strong's). Although the person was not one of the close company of twelve, he effectively used "the authority of Jesus" ("in His name") to "cast out" the demons. Jesus said, "Do not forbid him for he that is not against us is for us." Who was this exorcist? It doesn't say; although we know there were several men that Peter referred to in Acts 1:15-22 who had associated G4905 with Jesus from “the beginning” when John baptized.
THE SEVENTY. After giving authority to the Twelve Apostles, “the Lord appointed [publicly proclaimed] seventy others, and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come" (Luke 10:1, ASV). Perhaps this time, Jesus, by publicly exhibiting their assignment, would settle any question of their authority. Now when the seventy returned, (10:17) they had "joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject unto us in thy name.” The demons obeyed the commands of the seventy who had been given authority by Jesus (“in the name of”, Luke 10:17) to prepare His way.
THE CHURCH WAS NOT IN EXISTENT. What was done with the 12 and 70 +1 did not involve the Lord's church per se. Now the Lord's church was not established until the day of Pentecost. Jesus promised Peter "Upon this rock I will build my church [in the future]" (Matthew 16:18). It was therefore not in existence during the third year of His ministry. Nor was it in existence before the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the special apostles on Pentecost in Acts 2. From Acts 2:47 the church is referred to as existing (cf. Acts 5:11). So we cannot presume to give the church authority over demons from the examples in the earthly ministry of Jesus.
Neither should we presume that the message of the apostles in Acts 2 originated with the church since they spoke as the Holy Spirit directed them. Jesus had promised them "when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: … for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” (John 16:13,14). The gospel plan of salvation is given to the apostles, including the initial commands in the gospel (Acts 2:38) in order to be saved.
APOSTLES AT FIRST DID NOT BELIEVE. Jesus had upbraided the apostles for their unbelief (after His resurrection) and promised them that the ones of them (the apostles) that were faithful would perform miracles (signs) to confirm their Spirit message; this included "in my name shall they cast out demons” (Mark 16:17). “And they (the believing apostles) went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs [including exorcism] following” (Mark 16:20). The apostles used the miraculous sign of the “cast our demons” to confirm their New Testament Holy Spirit message as authorized from Heaven..
On the day of Pentecost no demon was cast out. The miracle was the advantage of speaking in many languages and dialects to the huge audience. But by Acts 5:12, “... by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.” The signs worked included "... them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one” (5:16b). This action harmonizes with Jesus' promise to His apostles in Mark 16:20.
THE CHURCH WAS NEVER GIVEN AUTHORITY. The church was therefore not the source of authority but was the recipient of the beneficial miracles of the Holy Spirit through the apostles. The apostles in turn appointed and placed their hands on men to assist them (Acts 6:3-6). In this endeavor the church only had the important part of selecting and judging candidates for the apostles to appoint to help in ministering to the church (Acts 6:3-6). The rules were established by the Holy Spirit, not the church.
According to the Bible, “authorities of the Church” have no authority (1) to determine if a spirit possession exists nor (2) to decide the means of exorcism that may be employed. The first Christians that were authorized commanded the spirits and they simply obeyed.
editors: Mary Lou and Janie
GaylonWest
BibleStudyLessons.net
