Acts 19:14

"But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”"

Key Reflection

These itinerant Jews attempted to use the name of Jesus, as preached by Paul, in an exorcism, demonstrating a superficial or misguided understanding of Jesus' power and authority. Their actions reveal a lack of genuine faith and the proper channel for spiritual authority, highlighting the contrast between true discipleship and mere ritualistic invocation.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 14. One Sceva. Sceva is a Greek name, but nothing more is known of him. Chief of the priests. arcierewv. 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. __________________________________________________________________

More from Acts 19

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42

Go deeper with Bible.talk - your AI Bible study companion