Acts 19:13

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Acts 19:13

The NKJV is a bit off. More precisely, it reads, “And certain of the vagabonding Jews, exorcists, undertook to invoke over those having evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, ‘We adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims’” (CG).

The previous verse noted the healings and exorcisms that occurred when Paul’s handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick. Luke next records, “And certain of the vagabonding Jews.”

The introductory words “And ... of (literally from)” are given to contrast what was just stated about Paul. Healings and the removal of evil spirits were brought about indirectly through him as the material cause of God’s power. Now, this contrasting account is provided by Luke as an instructional tool.

In them is a new word in Scripture, perierchomai. It signifies “to go about” or “to make a circuit.” It will be seen again in 1 Timothy 5:13 and Hebrews 11:37. As it is in the form of an aorist participle, it should be rendered “wandering,” “roving,” “vagabonding,” “strolling,” etc. In this case, rather than just wandering around their own town, it appears that they are itinerant, going from town to town in a manner not unlike gypsies. Thus, “vagabonding” seems to give a sense of their lifestyle. They are next noted as “exorcists.”

It is a word found only here in Scripture, exorkistés. It is one who casts out evil spirits, adjuring them by oaths and incantations. That is from exorkizó, an intensive form of a word meaning to adjure. That word is found only in Matthew 26:63 –

“But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, ‘I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!’”

That word is then derived from horkizó, which also means to adjure. This word will be used as the verse continues.

These exorcists went from place to place challenging those who had evil spirits, adjuring them to depart from those who were tormented by them. With that in mind, it next says that they “undertook to invoke over those having evil spirits.”

The word translated as “invoke” means “to name.” For example, Simon was “named” Peter by Jesus. In this case, they took it upon themselves to invoke “the name of the Lord Jesus.” What is obvious is that these were not saved believers. Luke does not term them brethren. Rather, they had heard about the healing powers of Jesus’ name, and they took it as a sort of verbal talisman to ward off or cast out evil spirits.

They may have heard of Jesus having cast out demons in the past, and/or they may have derived this idea from what was recorded about Paul in the previous verses. Paul didn’t even have to go to the place of healing for it to take place. Thus, they assumed that it was simply the name of Jesus that possessed the power. Their error in thinking will reveal them as false exorcists. What they are doing is not unlike what Jesus was accused of in Matthew 12 –

“Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, ‘This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.’
25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.’” Matthew 12:24-28

The Pharisees accused Jesus of invoking Beelzebub as His authority to cast out demons. These Jews are taking Jesus’ name and are attempting to do the same, saying, “We adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”

Here, they use the word horkizó, noted above. They are attempting to bind the evil spirits by oath while using the name of Jesus proclaimed by Paul. Their assumption is that Paul was likewise invoking the name of Jesus in an incantation.

Life application: What these false exorcists have failed to take into consideration is that the name “Jesus,” even the “Jesus whom Paul proclaims,” is not in and of itself an instrument of power. There must be a valid connection to the Person who bears the name.

This is no different than what people do all the time in Charismatic churches. They claim the power of the name as if the name itself will then cause obedience to their demands, be they for healing, casting out demons, prosperity, wealth, etc. This makes obtaining the outcome for self the final cause of the act.

However, it has already been explained that the final cause of God’s acts is that He be glorified. Thus, there is a disconnect in the process, a fault, that cannot be overcome by using the name of Jesus in this manner.

In the case of these false exorcists, or in the case of charismatics who make their claims, the supposed material cause is the claimant, he is the one who attempts to make the thing (like wood in a table) to be. The formal cause, the design, is supposed to be the miracle as it occurs. The efficient cause, what brings it about, is supposedly the Lord’s presence working through the claimant’s use of the name of Jesus. The final cause, the purpose, is that the claimant or his addressee will be the main beneficiary.

Because the glory of God is not the final cause, the other causes cannot accomplish what is anticipated. Think of these aspects of the process as you consider these words from Deuteronomy 13 –

“If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.” Deuteronomy 13:1-5

Even if the Lord allowed a sign or wonder to come to pass by someone, His glory is what is anticipated as the final cause. This is not what false teachers and false prophets ultimately have in mind. If anything, other than the glory of God is the main result of the process, the process is not of God.

Lord God, help us to properly analyze what is happening when people use Your name in the world today. It is obvious that many do so to profit from it at the expense of Your glory. May we be discerning enough to see when this is the case and turn away  from such people and such false teachings. May we be instruments working to bring You honor and glory with our lives. Amen.