Healings or Exorcisms? Evil Spirits as Impersonal Powers in the Gospels
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/BPTh.2014.023Keywords
miracles, healings, exorcisms, Jesus of history, demons, evil spirits, unclean spirits, Satan, GospelsAbstract
Pneuma in Greek and ruah in Hebrew should be understood impersonally as “wind, invisible power”. Daimonia are indefinite half-divine powers, occasionally personified (Jas 2.19). These “evil powers” are never equated with Satan, and only some enemies of Jesus made them satanic agents. “Unclean” means “unholy, belonging to the profane, earthly sphere”. “Evil” means “malicious”. Accordingly, the Gospels imply that so called “possession” is an insane behaviour with unknown causes; from pour point of view they could be medical, moral, or satanic. The authors of the Gospels and Jesus himself followed the popular way of speaking without judging it. However, on the literary level, the descriptions of such cases in the Gospels are similar to the other stories of healings and they should not be separated from them. They are not too similar to the apocryphal descriptions of exorcisms. Even if Jesus was perceived as exorcist, the Gospels do not really support this view.
References
Miracles
Busse U., Die Wunder des Propheten Jesu, Forschung zur Bibel 24, Stuttgart 1977.
Cavadini J.C. (ed.), Miracles in Jewish and Christian Antiquity. Imagining Truth, Notre Dame Studies in Theology 3, Notre Dame 1999.
Cotter W., Miracles in Greco-Roman Antiquity. A Sourcebook, London-New York 1999.
Eve E., The Jewish Context of Jesus’ Miracles, JSNT Supplement Series 231, London-New York 2002.
Hendrickx H., The Miracle Stories of the Synoptic Gospels, San Francisco 1987.
Howard J.K., Disease and Healing in the New Testament. An Analysis and Interpretation, Lanham et al. 2001.
Jaschke H., Jésus, le guérisseur, Paris 1997.
Latourelle R., Miracles de Jésus et théologie du miracle, Montreal 1986.
Les miracles de Jésus, [collected essays] Paris 1977.
Meier J.P., A Marginal Jew. Rethinking the Historical Jesus, vol. 2, Mentor, Message, and Miracles, Anchor Bible Reference Library, New York-London 1994.
Theissen G., Urchristliche Wundergeschichten, Studien zum Neuen Testament 8, Gütersloh 1974.
Twelftree G.H., Jesus the Miracle Worker. A Historical & Theological Study, Downers Grove 1999.
Wenham D., Blomberg C. (ed.), The Miracles of Jesus, Gospel Perspectives 6, Sheffield 1986.
Wojciechowski M., Cuda Jezusa, Częstochowa 2010.
Exorcisms and Satan
Fröhlich I., Koskenniemi E. (ed.), Evil and Devil, London 2013.
Góźdź K. (ed.), Teologia o szatanie, Lublin 2000.
Jędrzejewski S., U korzeni zła, Lublin 1997.
Kościelniak K., Złe duchy w Biblii i Koranie, Kraków 1999.
Maggi A., Jezus i Belzebub. Szatan i demony w Ewangelii św. Marka, Kraków 2001.
Page S.H.T., Powers of Evil. A Biblical Study of Stan and Demons, Grand Rapids 1995
Sorensen E., Possession and Exorcism in the New Testament and Early Christianity, WUNT 157, Tübingen 2002.
Thomas J.C., The Devil, Disease and Deliverance. Origins of Illness in New Testament Thought, Journal of Pentecostal Theology. Supplements 13, Sheffield 1998.
Twelftree G.H., In the Name of Jesus: Exorcism Among Early Christians; Grand Rapids 2007.
Twelftree G.H., Jesus the Exorcist. A Contribution to the Study of the Historical Jesus, WUNT 2. Reihe 54, Tübingen 1993;
Witmer A., Jesus, the Galilean Exorcist: His Exorcisms in Social and Political Context, Library of New Testament Studies, New York 2013.
Zając R., Szatan w Starym Testamencie, Lublin 1998.
Commentaries
Bovon F., Das Evangelium nach Lukas, Evangelisch-Katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament 3/1-3, Zürich i in. 1989-2001.
Brown R.E., The Gospel according to John, Anchor Bible 29-29A, New York 1966-70.
Davies W.D., Allison D.C., A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, Edinburgh 1988-97.
Evans C.A., Mark 8:27-16:20, Word Biblical Commentary 34B, Nashville 2001.
Fitzmyer J.A., The Gospel according to Luke, Anchor Bible 28-28A, Garden City 1981-85.
France R. F., The Gospel of Mark, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, Grand Rapids – Carlisle 2002.
Guelich R.A., Mark 1-8:26, Word Biblical Commentary 34A, Dallas 1989.
Hagner D.A., Matthew, Word Biblical Commentary 33AB, Dallas 1993-95.
Luz U., Das Evangelium nach Matthäus, Evangelisch-Katolischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament I/1-4, Zürich i in. 1985-2002.
Marcus J., Mark, Anchor Bible 27-27A, New York et al. 1999-2009.
Neuer Wettstein, Neuer Wettstein. Texte zum Neuen Testament aus Griechentum und Hellenismus, ed. U. Schnelle, Teilband 1.1-2, Berlin 2009-2013.
Nolland J., Luke, Word Biblical Commentary 35ABC, Dallas 1989-93.
Pesch R., Das Markus¬evangelium, Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, wyd. 2, Freiburg/B 1984.
Schnackenburg R., Das Johannesevangelium, Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament IV/1-3, 1966-77.
Yarbro Collins A., Mark, Hermeneia, 2007.
Articles and studies:
Adna J.,The Encounter of Jesus with the Gerasene Demoniac, in: Authenticating the Activities of Jesus, New Testament Tools and Studies 28.2, ed. B.D. Chilton, C.A. Evans, Leiden 1999, pp. 279-301.
Bauckham R., Davila J.R., Panayotov A. (ed.), Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1, Grand Rapids 2013.
Bytner W., Perykopa o uzdrowieniu opętanego z Kafarnaum (Mk 1,21-28) w świetle analizy pragmatycznej, „Studia Płockie” 28(2000), pp. 81-91.
Chapa J., Exorcistas y exorcismos en tiempos de Jesús, in: Los milagros de Jesús. Perspectivas metodológicas plurals, ed. R. Aguirre, Estella 2002, pp. 121-146.
Charlesworth J.H. (ed.),The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1-2, London 1983.
Chilton B.D., An Exorcism of History: Mark 1:21-28, in: Authenticating the Activities of Jesus, New Testament Tools and Studies 28.2, ed. B.D. Chilton, C.A. Evans, Leiden 1999, pp. 215-245.
Chilton B.D., Exorcism and History: Mark 1:21-28, in: The Miracles of Jesus, Gospel Perspectives 6, ed. D. Wenham, C. Blomberg, Sheffield 1986, pp. 253-271.
Conrady J. – Vouga F., Zur Interpretation der Erzählungen von Exorzismen im Markusevangelium. Ein Werkstattbericht aus einem interdisziplinären Dialog zwischen einem Arzt und einem Theologen, in: Exegese und Methodendiskussion , TANZ 23, ed. S. Alkier, R. Brucker, Tübingen 1998, pp. 257-270.
Gérard B., Marc 5,1-20: Des hommes, des démons et des cochons!, „Lectio Divina” 96 (2013), pp. 26-37.
Grochowski Z., Heroiczna wiara i wytrwała modlitwa Syrofenicjanki, in: Kobieta w życiu Kościoła, ed. M. Karczewski, M. Żmudziński, Elbląg 2004, pp. 41-48.
Guijarro Oporto S., The Politics of Exorcism: Jesus' Reaction to Negative Labels in the Beelzebul Controversy, „Biblical Theology Bulletin“ 29(1999)3, pp. 118-129.
Jędrzejewski S., Demonologia w Biblii i w pismach z Qumran, in: Z badań nad Biblią. Gwiazda Jakuba - demony - Niewiasta Apokalipsy, ed. T. Jelonek, Kraków 2007, pp. 53-76.
Kollmann B., Jesu Schweigegebote an die Dämonen, ZNW 82(1991), pp. 267-273.
Macura A., Kim jest Jezus w świetle perykopy o uzdrowieniu opętanego Gerazeńczyka (Mk 5,1-20), in: Prorok potężny czynem i słowem, Fs. J. Kudasiewicz, ed. B. Szier-Kramarek et al.. Lublin 1997, pp. 59-71.
Maggioni B., Chrystus i szatan w Ewangelii Markowej, in: Zło w świecie, Kolekcja Communio 7, Poznań-Warszawa 1992, pp. 34-49.
Malina A., "Wszystko możliwe dla wierzącego" (Mk 9,23), „Verbum Vita” 3(2004)5, pp. 89-105.
Miquel E., How to Discredit an Inconvenient Exorcist. Origin and Configuration of the Synoptic Controversies on Jesus' Power as an Exorcist, „Biblical Theology Bulletin” 40 (2010)4, 187-206.
Nasiłowski P., Egzorcyzm w Gerazie (Mk 5,1-20), in: Trud w Panu nie jest daremny (por. 1 Kor 15,58), Fs. J. Załęski, ed. W. Linke, Niepokalanów 2010, 277-299.
Niemirski Z., Einige Bemerkungen zu "der Besessene von Gerasa" Erzählung (Mk 5,1-20), „Studia Diecezji Radomskiej“ 1(1998), 121-136.
Oegema G.S., Jesus' Casting Out of Demons in the Gospel of Mark against Its Greco-Roman Background, in: Die Dämonen: Die Dämonologie der israelitisch-jüdischen und frühchristlichen Literatur im Kontext ihrer Umwelt - Demons: The Demonology of Israelite-Jewish and Early Christian Literature in Context of their Environment, ed. A. Lange et al., Tübingen 2003, 505-518.
Ormanty S., Działanie Jezusa w oparciu o psychologię "Gestalt" na przykładzie perykopy o uzdrowieniu epileptyka (Mk 9,14-29), in: Sentire cum Societate, ed. W. Necel, Poznań 2007, 89-102.
Paciorek A., „(Demony) prosiły Jezusa: 'Poślij nas w świnie'. I pozwolił...” (Mk 5,1-20) - opętanie w krainie Gerazeńczyków, in: Gaudium in litteris, Fs. S. Wielgus, ed. S. Janeczek et al., Lublin 2009, 305-315.
Parchem M. (ed.), Pisma apokaliptyczne i testamenty, Krakow – Mogilany 2010.
Redalié Y., L'indemoniato di Gerasa (Mc 5,1-20). Una tessera nei "ritratti originali di Gesù", in: Nuovo Testamento: teologie in dialogo culturale, Fs. R. Penna, Rivista Biblica. Supplementi 50, ed. N. Ciola, G. Pulcinelli, Bologna 2008, 115-123.
Rosik M., La Donna Sirofenicia (Mc 7,24-30). Analisi esegetica ed interpretazione teologica, “Studia Warmińskie” 39(2002), 259-279.
Skierkowski M., Egzorcyzmy Jezusa, in: Szatan w religii i kulturze, ed. Sławomir Bujalski, Szczecin 2008, 113-126.
Sterling G.E., Jesus as Exorcist: An Analysis of Matthew 17:14-20; Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-43a, CBQ 55(1993), 467-493.
Strus A., Cristo, Liberatore dell`uomo nella catechesi di Pietro, secondo Mc 5,1-20, Salmaticensis 44(1982), 35-60.
Strus A., Géraseniens dans la tradition synoptique: jalon topographique ou omen onomastique?, in: El misterio de la palabra, Fs. L. Alonso Schökel, ed. V. Collado, E. Zurro, Madrid 1983, 283-301.
Szymik S., Współczesne metody analizy tekstu biblijnego na przykładzie Mk 5,1-20, RBL 48(1995)2, 94-100.
Wojciechowski M., Jezus jako Święty w pismach Nowego Testamentu, Warszawa 1996.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
CC BY ND 4.0. The Creator/Contributor is the Licensor, who grants the Licensee a non-exclusive license to use the Work on the fields indicated in the License Agreement.
- The Licensor grants the Licensee a non-exclusive license to use the Work/related rights item specified in § 1 within the following fields: a) recording of Work/related rights item; b) reproduction (multiplication) of Work/related rights item in print and digital technology (e-book, audiobook); c) placing the copies of the multiplied Work/related rights item on the market; d) entering the Work/related rights item to computer memory; e) distribution of the work in electronic version in the open access form on the basis of Creative Commons license (CC BY-ND 3.0) via the digital platform of the Nicolaus Copernicus University Press and file repository of the Nicolaus Copernicus University.
- Usage of the recorded Work by the Licensee within the above fields is not restricted by time, numbers or territory.
- The Licensor grants the license for the Work/related rights item to the Licensee free of charge and for an unspecified period of time.
FULL TEXT License Agreement
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 1094
Number of citations: 0
