ἐξορκιστής

an exorcist

Definition

The word ἐξορκιστής (exorkistēs) refers specifically to an exorcist, a person who casts out evil spirits. In the New Testament context, it denotes someone who attempts to command or adjure demons to leave a possessed individual, often by invoking powerful names or formulas. Its sole biblical occurrence in Acts 19:13 describes certain itinerant Jewish individuals who practiced this. The term implies a professional or ritualistic activity, distinct from the authority exercised by Jesus and his apostles, which came directly from God.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 19:13. It describes 'some itinerant Jewish exorcists' who attempted to use the name of 'the Lord Jesus' over those who had evil spirits, modeling their practice after the apostle Paul's powerful ministry in Ephesus. The context highlights a failed, imitative use of spiritual authority, contrasting with the genuine power demonstrated by Paul and, by extension, Jesus.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition ἐξ (ex, meaning 'out of') combined with a root related to ὁρκίζω (horkizō, 'to adjure' or 'to put under oath'). Literally, it means 'one who adjures out,' referring to the practice of commanding an evil spirit to come out of a person, often by invoking a sacred name or oath to compel obedience.

Semantic Range

This term is theologically significant as it highlights the contrast between genuine divine authority and superstitious or magical imitation. In Acts 19:13-16, the failure of the exorcists demonstrates that power resides not in the ritualistic repetition of a name but in a recognized relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. It underscores that spiritual authority over demons belongs solely to Christ and those to whom He delegates it, not to professional incantation.

In the first-century Greco-Roman world, exorcism was a recognized practice. Jewish exorcists, like those mentioned in Acts, often used elaborate rituals, incantations, and the invocation of various divine names (including the name of Jesus, seen as a powerful new name) to cast out demons. This was part of a broader magical worldview where spiritual power was thought to be accessible through correct formulas. The biblical account challenges this perspective by showing the supremacy of Christ's personal authority.

δαιμονίζομαι (daimonizomai, G1139) — a passive verb meaning 'to be demon-possessed,' describing the condition of the afflicted person, not the exorcist. ἐκβάλλω (ekballō, G1544) — a common verb meaning 'to cast out,' used frequently for Jesus and the apostles expelling demons by their authority.

Word Details

Scripture References