STUDY ON AUTHORITY
Understanding Authority invested in the believer
15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon them to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, ‘We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;’ 14and there were certain—seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest—who are doing this thing; 15and the evil spirit, answering, said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye—who are ye?’ 16And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house
15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
13. vagabond Jews—simply, “wandering Jews,” who went from place to place practicing exorcism, or the art of conjuring evil spirits to depart out of the possessed. That such a power did exist, for some time at least, seems implied in Mt 12:27. But no doubt this would breed imposture; and the present case is very different from that referred to in Lu 9:49, 50.
We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth—a striking testimony to the power of Christ’s name in Paul’s mouth.
14. seven sons of … Sceva … chief of the priests—head, possibly, of one of the twenty-four courts.
15. the evil spirit answered, Jesus I know—“recognize.”
and Paul I know—“know intimately,” in contrast to them, whom he altogether disowns.
but who are ye?
16. And the man in whom the evil spirit was—Mark the clear line of demarcation here between “the evil spirit which answered and said” and “the man in whom the evil spirit was.” The reality of such possessions could not be more clearly expressed.
leaped on them … so that they fled … naked and wounded—This was so appalling a testimony at once against those profane impostors and in favor of Paul and the Master whom he preached, that we wonder not that it spread to “all the Jews and Greeks at Ephesus, that fear fell on them,” and that “the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.”
11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13
