Jesus, then, cured not merely normal diseases, but cases of demonomania of which no particulars are given. ttt But there are recorded four types of
* Mt 423 817 935 1414. 35 2638. 39. 43. 44, Mk 65- 56. 56, Lk 4'"> 6" 72. 10 92 109, Jn 64 446. 63 6= 111-6, Ao 616 937 289, ph 226. 27, 2 Ti 420, Ja e". 16.
t Mt 42) 108, Lk 722 ; Mt 920, Mk 625, Lk 8'>3 ; Mt 424 92, Mk 23, Lk 518, Ac 8' 933 ; Mt 1529-31, Mk 73V, Lk 120 ; Mt 11=, Mk 732. 37, Lk 722; Mt 115 82 266, Mk 1« 143, Lk 427 612 1712; Mt 8», Mk ISO, Lk 438, Jn 452, Ac 288 ; Mt 115 927 1514. 29-31 2030 23I6, Mk 822 10«, Lk 4I8 639 722 1413, Jn 63 91 IO21 ; Mt 116 1529. 31, Lk 722 1413, Jn 62, Ao 32 87 ; Mt 1210, Mk 31, Lk 68, Jn 63 ; Lk 142 ; Ac 238 ; Mt 1630, Lk 1413 ; minor troubles, as stomachic complaints, stammeringf, are also alluded to, 1 Ti 523, Mk 732.
t Mt 424 816 101- 8, Mk 132- 34 3I6 glS 1617-18, Lk 4"- 41 61'- 18 1332 91. 2, Ac 87 1912.
§ Ac 1223 1311 233. II Ao 1223.
t Lk 1313 ♦» 2 Co 127.
ttMk 917.25. nMtl243etc.
§§ Lk 1311. Cf. the Mesopotamian differentiation of functions of the spirits of disease (Maspero, The Daum of Civilization, p. 631). The conception of disease produced by supernatural agents or causes is found in Rev 68, 1 Co 1130; cf. Ps 1033, Jahweh ' who healeth all thy diseases.*
II II Mt 1721, Mk 929.
in Jos. B./ VII. vi 8 ; Lk lOl' ; Davies, Magic, Divination, and Demonolofiy, p. 29.
**• DC<i ii. 92, 93 ; P. Dearmer, Body and Soul, London, 1909, p. 146; T. J. Hudson, The Law of Psychic Phenomena, do., 1913, chs. xxiii., xxiv. ; G. J. Romanes, Thoughts on Religion^, do., 1896, p. 180, and 0. Gore's note ; ExpT xxv. (1913-14) 483.
tf t Mt 424 81«, Mk 132 314. 16 a' 161', Lk 82 4*1 721 1333.
demonomania which appeared, and might well appear, to those of that age to be caused by the intrusion of a demon : (1) where certain organs existed but seemed prevented from fullilling tiieir proper functions, as cases of dumbness (Mt i)^-, Lk H"), dumbness allied with blindness (Mt 12--), and dumbness aggravated by deafness, sudden convulsions, causing suicidal tendencies, fojiming at the mouth and grinding the teeth (Mt ^7"'•'^ Mk 9"-2«, Lk 9"-") ; (2) the case of the demoniac of Capernaum, where tlie demon made its presence felt in outcries, shrieks, and convulsions (Mk l-^--", Lk 4^3-35) . • (3) t,|,y demoniac or demoniacs of Gadara present still stronger evidence of what would be deemed embodiment, such as abnormal phy.sical strength, exhibiting itself in fierceness, violence, the breaking of chains and fetters, passion for seclusion among the tombs and moun- tains, frenzied shriekings, self-mutilation, naked- ness, homicidal tendencies, loss of the sense of personality, and identification of the patient with the demon (Mt 8'-^-^=, Mk 5^-'^, Lk S^-^) ;t and (4) the case of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman, in which the cure was effected when the afflicted person was not present (Mt IS-'*"*, Mk
"7 24 -30 \
The question of how Jesus accomplished these cures brings us face to face with problems which have not as yet been satisfactorily solved, but which the study of insanity and kindred diseases will doubtless one day clearly explain. As to the outward methods employed, it is noticeable that our Lord used no incantations or similar outward means. He seems to have been in the habit of laying His hands on the suH'erers, and this became a means by which spiritual blessing was also conveyed. t His word alone seems to have been effective.§ Jesus Himself uses two expressions to indicate the power which lay behind and wrought through touch and word — 'the Spirit of God' (Mt 12-») and ' the finger of God ' (Lk 11-"). These ex- pressions do not help us much to understand the authority which the crowds recognized as accom- panying His acts (Mk 1'-^') ; nor, indeed, do the words of the Third Evangelist (Lk 5") : ' the power of the Lord was presi t for the work of healing.' The difiiculty is not lessened when we remember that this power is said to have been conveyed by Jesus to the Twelve and to the Seventy (see Exorcism). Indeed it is increased when we learn that, even during our Lord's ministry, unauthor- ized exorcists effected cures in His name (Mk 9^, Lk 9'"', Mt 7--), that such power was promised ' to all those that believe' (Mk 16"), and that Jewish exorcists used His name in a magical formula to cast out demons (Ac lU").
The real solution would seem to lie in the direction of suggestion. Suggestion is defined as ' the communication of any proposition from one person (or persons) to another in such a way as to secure its acceptance with conviction, in the absence of adequate logical grounds for its accept- ance.' The idea thus suggested 'is held to operate powerfully upon his bodily and mental processes,' with the result that owing to the conditions of mental dissociation 'the dominance of the sug- gested idea is complete and absolute. ' || Suggestion is most effective when the agent is a person with an intense personality wielding magnetic power, when he has gained a reputation for power to do what he is expected to do, and distinguished by