Sceva /ˈsiːvə/ (Greek: Σκευᾶς, translit. Skeuas) was a Jew called a "chief priest" in Acts 19:14, although whether he was a chief priest is disputed by some writers.[1] Although there was no high priest in Jerusalem by this name, some scholars note that it was not uncommon for some members of the Zadokite clan (Sons of Zadok) to take on an unofficial high-priestly role, which may explain this moniker.[2] However, it is more likely that he was an itinerant exorcist based on the use of the Greek term (Greek: περιερχομένων, translit. perierchomenōn) "going from place to place" used in Acts 19:13 in relation to his so-called "sons".[3]

According to the book of Acts of the Apostles, he had seven sons who attempted to exorcise a demon from a man in the town of Ephesus by using the name of Jesus as an invocation. This practice is similar to the Jewish practice, originating in the Testament of Solomon, of invoking Angels to cast out demons.[3] Because of the emphasis on healing and spiritual authority in the ministry of Sceva, it may be accurate to think of him as a Shaman figure for the Jewish communities in which he worked.[3]

References

  1. ^ Lake, Kirssop; Lake, Silva (April 1934), "The Acts of the Apostles", Journal of Biblical Literature, The Society of Biblical Literature, 53 (1): 34–45, doi:10.2307/3259338, JSTOR 3259338
  2. ^ Jeremias, Joachim (1969), Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus: An Investigation Into Economic & Social Conditions During the New Testament Period, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, p. 193, ISBN 978-1-4514-1101-0, retrieved 2013-03-01
  3. ^ a b c Arnold, Clinton (March 2012), "Sceva, Solomon, and Shamanism: The Jewish Roots of the Problem at Colossae" (PDF), Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 55 (1): 7–26, ISSN 0360-8808, retrieved 2013-03-01
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