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The Ancient World Behind the Text: Ideas

The customs, offices and ideas a first reader knew without being told, what each meant then, and the nearest thing you already know.

Magic and sorcery

Spells, charms and incantations were sold and used across the ancient world, by Jews as well as pagans, and many feared the evil eye. People told a sorcerer, who worked in secret and for pay, from a holy man who acted openly.

Greek and Roman worldTemple, synagogue and festivals

First, in plain English

The man in the back of the market sold charms for love, luck and revenge, and he never did his work in daylight. Magic was everywhere in the ancient world. People paid magicians for spells to heal, to bless, to curse or to keep demons away, and magicians bought and sold the formulas. Some of the most respected magicians were Jews, though Jewish teachers condemned magic. People drew a line between a sorcerer, who worked secretly and for money, and a holy man or prophet who acted in public and lived simply.

What it meant then

Observers told sorcerers, who used their power for gain and worked in secret, from public wonderworkers who lived simply. Pagans and Jews alike turned to magic for healing, blessing and cursing, and to fend off curses and demons. They used incantations that called on the names of gods and demons, along with potions, amulets and incantation bowls. Magicians drew large followings. Jewish magicians were among the most respected, and Jewish elements often turn up in magical texts beside pagan ones, though mainstream Judaism opposed magic. Magic served private ends rather than the common good, and "Sorcerers could buy magical formulas" (Keener). Arnold cautions that the magical papyri survive mostly from Egypt and mostly from the second century AD. Spells on stone and metal, though, run back through the Hellenistic period with the same vocabulary. Romans generally distrusted magic, yet Roman officials kept diviners. Josephus says the governor Felix had a Cypriot Jewish friend who "pretended to be a magician." Ephesus was famous for magic. Practitioners believed that calling on a spirit's name let them control it, and that spells worked only while kept secret. Formulas rolled into amulets were known as Ephesian writings. One story told of an Ephesian wrestler at Olympia who lost three bouts in a row once the referee found the Ephesian letters on his ankle (Arnold). The word Paul uses for bewitched in Galatians 3:1 refers to spells or the evil eye, "a jealous look with magical efficacy" (Keener), sometimes a way of cursing someone. Wright adds that people who met a disfigured stranger feared the evil eye, which might be "warded off by apotropaic actions such as spitting."

The bridge to today

An analogy: a back-street dealer in good-luck charms and curses, set beside a doctor with a public clinic. Both may draw a crowd, but people know which one works for whoever pays.

What it changes in the reading

Because magic was bought and sold for private ends, Simon's offer of money in Acts 8:18-19 shows he took the Spirit for one more power to purchase, and new believers at Ephesus burn their books of magic in public in Acts 19:19. Paul's question in Galatians 3:1, who has bewitched you, borrows the language of the evil eye.

Where the analogy breaks

Not medicine against superstition. A doctor's clinic rests on medicine. In Acts both the sorcerer and the holy man claimed power from the spirit world, and people told them apart by secrecy, payment and private gain.

Where scholars disagree

Whether magic had real power behind it. The ESV and CSB Study Bibles see demonic influence in it. Arnold defines it as the manipulation of good and evil spirits, which Luke ties to Satan in three of his four episodes of magic. Keener notes that Judaism credited sorcerers' wonders to Belial and that, as in Exodus 7-8, they were limited in scale. The cultural backgrounds notes say magic could imitate signs but not match their scale. Their article adds that some Jewish teachers thought some magic fake and other cases real and dangerous, and that people tended to call magic any power that served a rival belief.

Passages where it appears

{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/acts-5-12-42\/","n":"Acts 5:12-42, Peter's shadow, the prison and Gamaliel","s":"Crowds bring the sick for Peter's shadow to fall on them. The apostles are jailed, freed by an angel, and brought before the council, where Gamaliel compares the movement to the failed causes of Theudas and Judas the Galilean.","r":"Acts 5:12-42"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/acts-8-4-25\/","n":"Acts 8:4-25, Samaria and Simon the magician","s":"Philip preaches the Messiah in Samaria, and even the famous magician Simon is baptized. When Peter and John lay hands on the Samaritans and they receive the Spirit, Simon offers money for the power.","r":"Acts 8:4-25"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/acts-13-1-12\/","n":"Acts 13:1-12, Sent from Antioch: the proconsul and the magician","s":"The church at Antioch fasts, prays and sends out Barnabas and Saul. On Cyprus the Roman proconsul believes after Paul confronts the Jewish magician in his entourage.","r":"Acts 13:1-12"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/acts-14-1-20\/","n":"Acts 14:1-20, Iconium and Lystra: taken for Zeus and Hermes","s":"After a plot in Iconium, Paul heals a lame man at Lystra and the crowd hails him and Barnabas as Hermes and Zeus. When they refuse the sacrifice, the crowd is turned against them and Paul is stoned.","r":"Acts 14:1-20"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/acts-19-8-20\/","n":"Acts 19:8-20, The lecture hall and the burned books","s":"In Ephesus Paul teaches daily in the hall of Tyrannus for two years, and even cloths that touched him bring healing. When the sons of Sceva try to use Jesus' name as a spell, the spirit overpowers them, and believers burn their magic books in public.","r":"Acts 19:8-20"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/galatians-3-1-14\/","n":"Galatians 3:1-14, Who bewitched you? Abraham's blessing and the law's curse","s":"Paul asks the Galatians who has bewitched them, since they received the Spirit by believing, then argues from Abraham that those who believe share his blessing, while Christ took the law's curse by being hung on a tree.","r":"Galatians 3:1-14"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/galatians-4-12-20\/","n":"Galatians 4:12-20, Welcomed as an angel of God","s":"Paul appeals to the Galatians as friends, reminding them that when he first preached to them in bodily weakness they did not scorn him but welcomed him as an angel of God, and asks whether he has now become their enemy by telling them the truth.","r":"Galatians 4:12-20"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/ephesians-1-15-23\/","n":"Ephesians 1:15-23, Far above every name that is invoked","s":"Paul prays that the believers will know the hope, the inheritance and the power God showed when he raised Christ and seated him above every ruler, authority, power and name, in this age and the next.","r":"Ephesians 1:15-23"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/2timothy-3-1-9\/","n":"2 Timothy 3:1-9, Terrible times, homes entered, and Jannes and Jambres","s":"Paul warns that the last days will bring terrible times and people who love themselves, money and pleasure, having a form of godliness but denying its power; some worm their way into homes and win over gullible women, opposing the truth as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses.","r":"2 Timothy 3:1-9"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/2timothy-3-10-17\/","n":"2 Timothy 3:10-17, Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, and the sacred writings","s":"Timothy has followed Paul's teaching, life and sufferings, as in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra; he is to continue in what he learned, knowing from whom he learned it and how from infancy he has known the sacred writings, for all Scripture is God-breathed.","r":"2 Timothy 3:10-17"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/revelation-13-11-18\/","n":"Revelation 13:11-18, the beast from the earth, the mark and 666","s":"A second beast, harmless-looking like a lamb but speaking like the dragon, rises from the earth and drives everyone to worship the first beast, working wonders and making its statue speak. Trade is barred to anyone without its mark on hand or forehead, a mark tied to the beast's name and number, 666.","r":"Revelation 13:11-18"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/revelation-21-1-8\/","n":"Revelation 21:1-8, new heaven, new earth, no more sea","s":"John sees a new heaven and a new earth, with no more sea, and the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God like a bride dressed for her husband. A voice announces that God's dwelling is now with people, that he will wipe away every tear, and that he makes all things new; the thirsty will drink freely, while the cowardly, the faithless, murderers, sorcerers, idolaters and liars have their place in the lake of fire.","r":"Revelation 21:1-8"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-passages\/revelation-22-6-21\/","n":"Revelation 22:6-21, I am coming soon","s":"The angel confirms that the words are trustworthy, and Jesus says he is coming soon. John is told not to seal up the prophecy, since the time is near; those who wash their robes may enter the city while dogs, sorcerers and liars stay outside. The book closes with the Spirit and the bride saying come, a warning against adding to or taking from it, and the prayer, come, Lord Jesus.","r":"Revelation 22:6-21"}

Beings in the Gods of the Bible

{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/gods-of-the-bible\/the-watchers-enochic\/","n":"The Watchers (Enochic)","s":"Angels who, in 1 Enoch, come down to earth, marry women, and teach humanity things it should not know.","r":"Daniel 4:13"}
{"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/gods-of-the-bible\/daimonion\/","n":"Daimonion","s":"The New Testament word for demon, borrowed from a Greek word that was morally neutral.","r":"Mark 1:34"}

Sources

NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on Acts 3:6, 8:13, 8:18, 13:6 and 13:7
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, on Acts 8:9, 8:13, 8:18-24, 13:6 and 14:18-20a
ESV Study Bible, study notes on Acts 8:18 and 13:6
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on Acts 19:13, 19:18 and 19:19
CSB Study Bible, note on Acts 13:8
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 20.7.2, trans. William Whiston
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, on Acts 19:13, 19:18 and 19:19-20
N. T. Wright, Paul: A Biography, ch. 10, Ephesus I
Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, on Galatians 3:1
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on Galatians 3:1 and 4:13
ESV Study Bible, study note on Galatians 3:1
N. T. Wright, Galatians, Commentary, True Friends and False Friends (4:12-20)
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, article Magic in the New Testament
Clinton E. Arnold, Powers of Darkness, ch. 1, Magic and Divination, opening section and sections The Uses for Magic, Simon the Magician: Acts 8 and Summary

All ideas