triloquist (Hebrew )$%); of which Πύθων is thus used as an equivalent, is the term employed in the LXX, Lev. xix. 341, xx. 6, 27,1 Sam. xxviii. 7, etc., for those that have a familiar spirit (cf. also the use of the two words ἐγγαστρ. and Πύθων amongt the Rabbis, R. Salomo on Deut. xviii. 11, and instances in Wetstein), {.6., a man or a woman in whom is the spirit of divination ; Gesenius uses "1 for the divining
spirit, the python, supposed to be present. in the body of a sorcerer or conjurer,.
15---17.
347
17. αὕτη 1 κατακολουθήσασα τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ ἡμῖν, ἔκραζε λέγουσα,
Obs α) ἄνθρωποι δοῦλοι τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου εἰσίν, οἵτινες
1 κατακολουθουσα is read by ΜΒΓ 180, Tisch., W.H., R.V., Weiss, Hilg.; but
Blass in B follows T.R. P. and H., Arm., Aethpp.,
ημιν (2)---υμιν is best supported, heodt., so Tisch., W.H., R.V.,
ον. Vulg., Syrr. Blass, Weiss, Wendt,
Hilg.; Meyer and Lach. follow Τ.Ε. (AC?HLP, Sah., Boh., Aethro., Or., Chrys.,
Eusth.). demons.
and illustrates from this passage in Acts, and adds that the LXX usually render
May correctly by ἐγγαστρίμυθοι, ven-
triloquists, since amongst the ancients this power of ventriloquism was often misused for the purposes of magic. But in addition to ventriloquism, it would certainly seem from the narrative in Acts that some prophetic power was claimed for the maiden, µαντενοµένη, so Blass in describing the ἐγγαστρ. “credebatur demon e ventre illorum loqui et vatici- nari,” cf. τὴν Εὐρυκλέους µαντείαν, Arist., u. s.); so too Suidas explains Πύθων as δαιµόνιον µαντικόν, connecting the word directly with the Pythian ser- pent or dragon, the reputed guardian 6f the oracle at Delphi, slain by Apollo, the successor to the serpent’s oracular power. If therefore the girl was regarded as in- spired by the Pythian Apollo, the expres- sion in T.R. simply expresses the current pagan estimate of her state; this is the more probable as the physicians of the time, ¢.g., Hippocrates, spoke of the way in which some symptoms of epilepsy were popularly attributed to Apollo, Neptune, etc.; article “' Divination,” B.D.?, i., 490; C. and H., p. 231, smaller edition; Lightfoot, Phil., p. 54; Plumptre and Wendt, in loco, and Page on the deriva- tion of the word.—épyaciav: only in Luke and Paul; A. and R.V. “ gain,” although primarily the word denotes work done, so Rendall, ‘ business”’; Wisdom xiii. 19 well illustrates its use here. The word is used of gain (qua@s- tus), Xen., Mem., iii., 10, 1.—rots κυρίοις αὐτῆς, ver. I9, seems to imply not suc- cessive but joint owners (on the plural in Luke see Friedrich, Ρ. 21).—pavrev. : if Luke had believed in her power he would more probably have used προφη- τεύειν. µαντεν. used only here in N.T., but it is significant that in LXX it is always employed of lying prophets or of divination contrary to the law, ε.ρ., Deut. xviii. 10, 1 Sam. xxviii. 8 (ο), Ezek. xiii, 6, xxi. 29 (34), Micah iii, 11, etc. The Greeks themselves distinguished
ημιν would have been easily changed, as it seemed unfitting for the
between the two verbs and recognised the superior dignity of προφητεύειν; ε.ρ., Plato contrasts the µάντις who more or less rages (cf. derivation µανία, patvopat, thus fitly used of Pythonesses, Sibyls, and the like) with the προφήτης, Timeus, 71 E, 72 A, B, Trench, Synonyms, i., 26.
Ver. 17. κατακολουθήσασα, but if we follow R.V. the present participle de- notes that she continuously followed after (κατά), and kept crying (ἔκραζε). The verb is only used by St. Luke in N.T., cf. Luke xxiii. 35; in LXX, Jer. xvii. 16, Dan., LXX, ix. 10, 1 Esd. vii. 1, Jud. xi. 6, 1 Macc. vi. 23, but not in same literal sense as here; used by Polyb., Plut., Jos. ---οὗτοι: placed emphatically first (see also Friedrich, pp. το, 89). If we turn to the Gospel narratives of those pos- sessed with evil spirits, as affording an analogy to the narrative here, we recall how Jesus had found recognition, ο. Mark i. 24, iii. 11, Luke iv. 41 (where the same verb, κράζω, is used of the ἀκάθαρτα πνεύματα καὶ δαιµόνια).---τοῦ ©, τοῦ ὑψ.: similar title used by the demoniacs in Mark ν. 7, Luke viii. 238; see Plumptre’s note on formaer passage. Both Zeller and Friedrich note that Luke alone employs 6 ὑψ. of God without any word in apposition, Luke i. 32, 35, 76, vi. 35, Acts vii. 48, and that we have the title with τοῦ Θεοῦ, both in his Gospel and Acts. (Heb. vii. 1, probably from Gen. xiv. 18.) ---ἡμῖν --ὑμῖν very strongly supported, see critical note. But ἡμῖν might easily have been altered into ὑμῖν, as the former would appear to be an unfitting expres- sion for the evil spirit: but ἡμῖν may point to that disturbed and divided con- sciousness which seems to have been so characteristic of the possessed (Eder- sheim); at one time the girl was ονεΓ- mastered by the evil spirit who was her real Κύριος, at another she felt a longing for deliverance from her bondage, and in ἡμῖν she associates herself with those around her who felt a similar longing for some way of salvation, for we must by no means regard her as a mere impostor (Ramsay).