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 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.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
Commentary
Vs. 11-12 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.
In establishing the Lord Jesus Christ’s testimony at Ephesus (Heb. 2:2-3), the Scripture says that God Worked unusual (Str. 3756) miracles by the hands of Paul (vs. 11). “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.” Vs.12 Therefore these people who were locked into all kinds of idolatrous and Satanic practices were able to see with their own eyes that God’s Power given through His Holy Spirit, which was being manifested through His Apostle Paul, who was preaching the Lord Jesus Christ to them, was exceedingly far greater than any power they had ever known or seen.
Vs. 13 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.”
Now when some Jewish itinerant exorcists saw how by the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ the Apostle Paul was able to exercise demons, that is exercise authority over them and command them to come out of people, they took it upon themselves to try to do the same in the Name of the Lord Jesus saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” Notice that in their declaration there is no declaration of having a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s their first error, assuming that God’s Son’s Holy Name and Power is a “magic formula” by which anyone can seek to use it to empower themselves to exercise demons, or do anything else. Their second is that they themselves were not Apostles of Christ, and only the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ after Pentecost ever exercised demons in His Name. For as we will see that unless one believes in and belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ, trying to exercise demons in His Name is only to have them turn on them, since they are still in the kingdom of darkness, and not in the kingdom of the Son of God’s love, (and thus they are still in Satan’s realm, which is the realm of the world in its unbelief), and so by no means will he or his own be exercised by them (consider Mark 9:38-40).
Vs. 14-16 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Now the seven sons of Sceva, the Jewish chief priest there at Ephesus, thought that they could just as easily exercise demons as the Apostle Paul was doing by using Christ’s Name. However, when they tried to do so, the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” vs. 15 And with that the evil spirit left the man whom they were trying to exercise it out of, and leaped upon them, overpowered them and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded (Vs. 16). The force and the immediacy of what that demon did to the sons of Sceva when they being unbelievers tried to exercise it then should stand as a stark warning for anyone not to dabble around with trying to exercise demons through the Lord Jesus Christ’s Name as they did.
Vs. 17-20 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
Now when what had happened to the sons of Sceva became known to all the Jews and the Greeks dwelling in Ephesus, the Scripture says that a great fear came upon them, as they realized that God’s Person and Power is exceedingly greater than all. Therefore, there was a great turning to God from the powers of darkness amongst the people of that region, for many now believed and came confessing and telling their deeds (Vs. 18). As well those who formerly practiced magic now brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all, the value of which totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver (vs. 19). For these people saw the Sovereign and Almighty Power of God on display and they now believed that what they had been doing was wrong, and they now wanted nothing more to do with Satan or his power. Therefore, the Scripture says that “the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.” Vs. 20 That is the Word of God prevailed against Satan and his influence over that region that he once so dominated and controlled. This section of Scripture then is a great testimony to both the Power of God, but also the grace of God, of turning people away from the powers of darkness and turning them to the Power of Light, and thus restoring them to God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! And how about you have you turned from the powers of darkness that so rule and influence and control this godless world, to the Power of love and light, found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. If not then please freely do so, for its not that you have sinned that will keep you from Him, its only you’re not acknowledging these things to Him, that keeps you from Him, for God doesn’t want to shame you, or punish you for whatever sins you have committed, He wants to save you from your sins and transgressions, and thus from His wrath and judgment to come on the unbelieving and unrepentant world. Now this He will immediately do you the moment you repent (that is turn from them) and believe in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the only question then is will you, will you forsake your sins and old life (and the lies of them) for Christ.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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