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Were there Jewish exorcists in the days of Jesus and his disciples?
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1. Yes, there were. And their exorcism ritual was effective. (Matthew 12:27; Luke 11:19)
2. We know from Jewish sources that the ritual involved asking the demon’s name, then ordering it out by name.
3. Therefore the Jewish exorcists were unable to drive demons out of people who were rendered or were naturally dumb. (Mark 9:17-29; Matthew 17:14-21 )
4. Jewish tradition stated that when the Messiah came, he would be able to cast out demons even from the dumb.
5. One of the titles of the Messiah was “Son of David”. (Matthew 22:42)
6. That is why the onlookers in Matthew 12:23 said: “Is not this the son of David?”
7. But Jesus did not fit the Jewish Leadership’s perceived mould of the Messiah’s social and political status.
8. Which is why they felt the need to accuse him of being empowered by the Devil. (Matthew 12:24)
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