EXORCISM, EXORCIST ek’ sôr siz’ əm, ek’ sôrsist (ἐξορκισμός, the administration of an oath, ἐξορκιστης, an exorcist). The act, and the performer of that act, of expelling an evil spirit, thereby releasing the person possessed by that spirit.

The latter word occurs once in the NT (Acts 19:13). A cognate, ἐξορκίζω, G2019, “to adjure,” “to exorcise,” is found in the LXX (Gen 24:3; Judg 17:2; Matt 26:63; Acts 19:13).

The concept of possession by a god or evil spirit is ancient. The Babylonians, Egyptians, and Greeks have left ample evidence. Various physical illnesses and states of frenzy were attributed to possession. Formulas of exorcism of definable types are found in ancient incantation texts. Exorcists employed such formulae, sometimes saying a specific magical word thought to have extraordinary power, and occasionally using magical objects. The demon was addressed by name if possible, as it was characteristic of ancient thought that to know the name of such a being was to control him. The exorcist might also invoke the name of a favorable deity. This was in contrast to the practice of Jesus who performed exorcisms with a touch or word of command, without invoking the name of another. It should be noted that there are many instances, particularly in Gr. lit., where possession by a demon was not considered bad. Plato attributed Socrates’ impulses to a “daimon.”

The OT reflects God’s opposition to evildoers, but in only one case is there anything like an exorcism. This was by music rather than command, the release of Saul from an evil spirit by David (1 Sam 16:14-23). In two further instances (18:10; 19:9) this therapy did not prevent possession. Instances of recorded demonic activity in Jewish lit. increase in the Hel. period. Exorcism is described in Tobit 6:7, 16, 17; 8:3. King Solomon acquired a reputation as an exorcist in Josephus (Jos. Antiq. VIII. ii. 5) and, later, in the Talmud. Josephus testifies that he saw Solomon’s methodology used effectively. Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:27 imply the existence of Jewish exorcists, and some itinerant ones are mentioned in Acts 19:13.

The NT narratives assume two things, the actuality of demon possession and the victory of Christ over Satan and the demon world. Although there have undoubtedly been numerous cases of alleged demon possession throughout history which, along with reputed exorcisms, may be attributed to suggestion, insanity, etc., the cases in the NT cannot be dismissed without radical implications for NT history and theology. 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; and Matthew 25:41 speak of the eventual doom of Satan and his angels. The actual victory was accomplished by Christ (John 12:31; Col 2:15; 1 John 3:8), who once spoke of Satan’s defeat in connection with the casting out of demons (Luke 10:18). When Jesus was accused of performing exorcisms by the power of Beelzebub, he stated that these acts were accomplished against Satan, in the power of the Holy Spirit, the “finger of God,” and as an expression of the kingdom, the reign of God. The various instances of Jesus’ expulsion of demons cannot be understood in isolation, or merely as acts of mercy to release oppressed people, although such was also the case. All was part of the great conflict against the powers of evil, in which conflict the disciples were commissioned. Whereas the text of Mark 16:17 is uncertain, the earlier commands to the disciples are clear (Mark 3:14f.; 6:7; and parallels).

This confrontation with demons occurred at the very beginning of His ministry (Mark 1:23ff., 27, 32; Luke 4:33ff., 36). Mark distinguishes between exorcism and the healing of merely physical diseases and notes that the demons obeyed the authoritative command of Christ. In a similar passage, Matthew says the act was performed “with a word” (Matt 8:16). The woman bound by Satan was released simply by the laying on of Jesus’ hands (Luke 13:10-16). The Lord’s disciples, however, needed to invoke the name of Christ (Luke 10:17; so Paul in Acts 16:16ff.). The daughter of the Syrophoenician woman was healed at a distance, which rules out suggestion as an explanation of Jesus’ exorcisms (Matt 15:21-28). In the case of the Gerasene demoniac (Luke 8:26-39), Jesus asked the demon’s name, but it is not stated that this is related to His control of the demons. The demons on expulsion entered swine. Instances of such transference are also described in earlier, non-Biblical sources. In another case of violent behavior (Mark 9:14-29), the disciples were unable to perform the exorcism. Jesus stressed the need of strong faith and prayer on the part of the exorcist. (Some ancient MSS include the word “fasting.”)

The apocryphal Acts, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Origen, and Jerome provide evidence of the continuing involvement of early Christians in this activity. The apologists cited cases of exorcism to prove the power of Christ and the compassion of His followers. During the course of church history, matters of possession, witchcraft, etc., had great importance. Near the end of the 15th cent., James Sprenger and Heinrich Kramer compiled their code of the practices of the church against such evils, the Malleus Maleficarum. The next cent. saw the Flagellum Demonum, and in the 17th cent. there appeared the Thesaurus Exorcismorum and the Rituale Romanum. The latter, based on some of the preceding material, has been revised and published through the present time by the Roman Catholic Church. In the rites of that church, exorcism has become a preventative measure (for example, warding off demons from a baptism), as well as a curative one.

In conclusion, it should be stressed that the expulsions performed by Jesus are not called exorcisms in the NT, and that in contrast to typical exorcisms in pagan and even Jewish lit. they were devoid of magical formulae, devices, and invocations. Our Lord’s authoritative commands were an expression of His victory.

Bibliography J. L. Nevius, Demon Possession (1894); M. Summers, The History of Witchcraft (1926, 1956); H. C. Lea, Materials Toward a History of Witchcraft, I (1939); C. William, Witchcraft (1941); E. Langton, Essentials of Demonology (1949); M. F. Unger, Biblical Demonology (1952); R. H. Robbins, The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology (1959); J. Lhermitte, Diabolical Possession, True and False (1963); T. K. Oesterreich, Possession Demoniacal and Other (1966); K. Koch, Occult Bondage and Deliverance (1970).