SEV Biblia, Chapter 19:14
(Y había siete hijos de un tal Esceva, judío, príncipe de los sacerdotes, que hacían esto.)
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 19:14
Verse 14. Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests] The original ioudaiou arcierewv, dignifies a Jewish high priest; but it is not probable that any sons, much less seven sons of a Jewish high priest, should be strolling exorcists: it is therefore likely that uioi skeua tinov ierewv, the sons of Skeva, a certain priest, as it stands in the Codex Bezae, is the true reading. The whole verse in that MS. reads thus: Among them there also the sons of Skeva, a priest, who wished to do the same: for they were accustomed to exorcise such persons. And entering in to the demoniac, they began to invoke that Name, saying, We command thee by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth, to go out. And the evil spirit angered, and said unto them, Jesus I know, &c. It has been often remarked that in our Lord's time there were many of the Jews that professed to cast out demons; and perhaps to this our Lord alludes, Matt. xii. 27. See the note there. Josephus, in speaking of the wisdom of Solomon, says that he had that skill by which demons are expelled; and that he left behind him the manner of using exorcisms, by which they are cast out; and that those arts were known among his countrymen down to his own time; and then gives us the following relation: "I have seen a certain man of my own country whose name was Eleazar, releasing people that were demoniacs, in the presence of Vespasian, his sons, his captains, and the whole multitude of his soldiers.
The manner of the cure was this: He put a ring, that had a root of one of those sorts mentioned by Solomon, to the nostrils of the demoniac, after which he drew out the demon through his nostrils; and, when the man fell down, immediately he adjured him to return into him no more, making still mention of Solomon, and reciting the incantations that he had composed.
And when Eleazar would persuade the spectators that he had such power, he set at a little distance a cup of water, and commanded the demon, as he went out of the man, to overturn it; and, when this was done, the skill and wisdom of Solomon were showed very manifestly." Joseph. ANTIQ.
book viii. cap. 2, sect. 5. Whiston's edition.
That there were such incantations among the Jews we know well, and that there are still such found, and that they are attributed to Solomon; but that they are his remains to be proved; and could this even be done, a point remains which can never be proved, viz. that those curious arts were a part of that wisdom which he received from God, as Josephus intimates.
Indeed, the whole of the above account gives the strongest suspicion of its being a trick by the Jewish juggler, which neither Josephus nor the emperor could detect; but the ring, the root, the cup of water, the spell, &c.; all indicate imposture. Magicians among the Jews were termed yl[b baaley shem, Masters of the Name, that is, the name of Jehovah hwhy by a certain pronunciation of which they believed the most wonderful miracles could be wrought. There were several among them who pretended to this knowledge; and, when they could not deny the miracles of our Lord, they attributed them to his knowledge of the true pronunciation of this most sacred name.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. And there were seven sons of one Sceva a Jew , etc.] Who strolled about the country, and used exorcisms: and chief of the priests ; that were at Ephesus; not the high priest of the Jews, for he would have been at Jerusalem, and not at Ephesus; though indeed it does not necessarily follow from the words, that Sceva himself was there, only his seven sons: however, no such name appears in the catalogue of the Jewish high priests, nor is it reasonable to think, that seven sons of an high priest should follow such a vagabond course of life: Bezas ancient copy only calls him a priest; and the Alexandrian copy reads his name, Sceuta, and the Ethiopic version omits it; it is the same with hawks , and signifies a spectator, or observer; see the Targum on ( 2 Samuel 13:34, Isaiah 21:6). which did so ; adjured the devils in the name of Jesus, to come out; at least they did so in one case, as follows.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-20 - It was common, especially among the Jews, for persons to profess or to try to cast out evil spirits. If we resist the devil by faith in Christ, he will flee from us; but if we think to resist him by the using of Christ's name, or his works, as a spell or charm, Satan wil prevail against us. Where there is true sorrow for sin, there will be free confession of sin to God in every prayer and to man whom we have offended, when the case requires it. Surely if the word of God prevailed among us, many lewd, infidel, and wicked books would be burned by their possessors. Will not these Ephesian converts rise up i judgement against professors, who traffic in such works for the sake of gain, or allow themselves to possess them? If we desire to be in earnest in the great work of salvation, every pursuit and enjoymen must be given up which hinders the effect of the gospel upon the mind or loosens its hold upon the heart.
Greek Textus Receptus
ησαν 2258 5713 V-IXI-3P δε 1161 CONJ τινες 5100 X-NPM υιοι 5207 N-NPM σκευα 4630 N-GSM ιουδαιου 2453 A-GSM αρχιερεως 749 N-GSM επτα 2033 A-NUI οι 3588 T-NPM τουτο 5124 D-ASN ποιουντες 4160 5723 V-PAP-NPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
14. Did (poiountev). The participle denotes a practice.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
19:14 {Seven sons of Sceva} (skeua hepta huioi). Who this Sceva was we do not know. If a high priest, he was highly connected in Jerusalem (cf. #5:24). Some MSS. have ruler instead of priest. His name may be Latin in origin. skeua has Doric form of genitive. But that he had seven sons in this degraded business shows how Judaism had fared poorly in this superstitious city. Did they imagine there was special power in the number seven?
