volume 7, issue 1, 2015, pages 75-87

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64438/sbsFQGA3538
Published online: 2015-06-01
Published in print: 2015-06-30

Abstract: The word horkizō, and its intensive forms exorcizō and enorkizō, are rare in the New Testament. Exorcizō occurs only once, when Caiaphas demands an answer from Jesus (Matt 26,63). In its one appearance in LXX, Abraham uses it to put his servant under oath (Gen 24,3). Paul uses enorkizō to urge his readers to pass his letter around (1 Thes 5,27). Horkizō is used by Legion in begging Jesus not to torment him and his fellow filthy spirits (Mark 5,7), and it is also the term used by the Judean exorkistai against malign spirits, without success, in Acts 19,13, whereas similar spirits were easily removed by the simple application of cloths handled by Paul (Acts 19,12). Jesus expels demons by simple words of command, while his disciples invoke his name (Luke 10,17), as does Paul himself for the pythonic spirit (Acts 16,18). Fasting and prayer as well faith are required in recalcitrant cases, as with the mute spirit of Mark 9,14-29. In one case, Jesus removes a persistent weakness-spirit (pneuma astheneias) by the laying on of his hands (Luke 13,11-13). Later demon-expelling efforts add to these methods, employing the term “exorcism” for all, but the non-demonic meaning of “exorcism” is also preserved in the liturgy.