- Leviticus 19:26
You shall not eat anything with the blood; [or predict events by horoscope or signs and lucky days].
Leviticus 19:25-27 (in Context) Leviticus 19 (Whole Chapter)
neither shall you use magic, omens, or witchcraft
- Thread starter loveschild
- Start date
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C
Hey it's like the whole Harry Potter thing, excites people to get involved with witchcraft. And white witches now theres a laugh, as if there are good and bad ones, they are all bad. I come from an occultic background in my life, people just don't realise just how dangerous it is. By the grace of God He set me free. My sister helped start aust psychic assoc, like bad news, but by the grace of God she has been set free and is staunch I mean staunch against the practice of it in any form. Let me tell you, she had a divining spirit but no more thanks be to our Jesus.
Play with matches you get burned.
Play with matches you get burned.
From all our exposure to unnecessary penicillin through medication as well as through
treatment of cattle and pork, life-threatening bacteria have grown resistant to our
number-one line of defense. In 1960, 13 percent of staphylococci infections were
resistant to penicillin. Now, 91 percent are resistant to penicillin.
There are three or four places in the New Testament describing 'sorcerers' and 'sorcery'
(in the KJV that is, newer translations often don't use these words). Some (mainly in the
cults, sects and extremist charismatic groups) have associated these references with
modern pharmacists and the medical profession; but is there any validity in this
approach? We need to look at these words very closely:
1. SORCERER (Acts 13:6,8 - KJV)
This is from the Greek 'magos', it means 'sorcerer', 'magician' or, 'wise man' (Word
3097 in Strongs). There is no association with pharmacy or medicine.
2. SORCERIES (Acts 8:11 - KJV)
This is from the Greek 'mageia' it refers to magic (Word 3095 in Strongs) – no
connection with pharmacy.
3. SORCERIES (Revelation 9:21 and 18:23 - KJV)
This is from the Greek 'pharmakeia' (Word 5331 in Strongs). There is some connection
here to the word 'pharmacy' which we must look at in a moment.
4. SORCERERS (Revelation 21:8 and 22:15 - KJV)
These uses of 'sorcerers' (KJV) use a different Greek word to the singular use of this
word in Acts 13:6,8; so this is not just the plural of the same word. From the Greek
'pharmakeus' (Words 5332 and 5333 in Strongs). So there is a connection between all four
uses of words 5331, 5332 and 5333 in Revelation. There is indeed a relationship here to
the English word 'pharmacy' (which of course, is directly derived from these Greek words).
Paul in his epistle to the Galatians enumerated a concise list of the works of the flesh.
Contained in that list is the Greek word, pharmakeia. The King James scholar translated
pharmakeia as "witchcraft" but a more probable rendering is that of "sorcery" and is so
given by the American Standard Version. Sorcery is far closer to the meaning of the term.
Pharmakeia (sorcery) is a form of the Greek root from which we get our English words
pharmacy, pharmacist, and pharmaceutical. Pharmakeia (sorcery) fundamentally has to
do with drugs or medicine. Originally the word was used only in the sense of medicine.
Plato talked about the different kinds of medicinal treatment: cautery, incision, the use of
drugs (pharmakeia), and even starvation. (Plato, Protagorus 354a). In the beginning,
pharmakeia was a medical term; it had to do with the proper use of drugs.
Later pharmakeia took on an entirely different meaning. The learned William Barclay says
that pharmakeia began "to denote the misuse of drugs, that is, the use of drugs to poison
and not to cure. So we read about the law regarding poisoning (Plato, Laws 933 B), and
Demosthenes accuses a bad man of poisoning and all kinds of villainy (Demosthenes
40.57). This is the beginning of the bad use of the word" (Flesh And Spirit, p. 36)
In the New Testament, pharmakeia carried with it the idea of sorcery, occultism, and
black magic. It is in this sense that Paul used the term in Galatians 5.20. The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia clearly points out that "since the ideas we
attach to 'witch' and 'witchcraft' were unknown in Bible times, the words (witch and
witchcraft) have no right place in our' Eng. Bible..." (p. 3097). When Paul spoke of
pharmakeia (witchcraft KJV) he certainly did not have in mind witches on broomsticks,
black cats, and silly superstitions. The Apostle was speaking of sorcery -- the evil abuse
of drugs.
The Greek scholar, W.E. Vine summarized the different uses of pharmakeia in his
Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Said Vine of pharmakeia: "primarily
signified the use of medicine, drugs, spells; then, poisoning; then sorcery." It is at this
point the dark and grim fact of pharmakeia emerges. Pharmakeia literally is the abuse of
drugs coupled with the occult. Pharmakeia is a chain connecting drug addiction with
sorcery!
The herbalist of the time who were almost always female. It was one of the few
businesses available to single women, herbalism was complex so there was an aura of
secrecy to it. They also were fond of saying incantations or using symbolic items etc to
increase the "mystery" around their practice. It gave them both power and prestige,
it would have also increased their incomes and perhaps the more mystical it appeared
the greater price people were willing to pay for their "potions". These women challenged
the authority structure of both Paul's church and the society of the time in general.
The ability to heal, poison, abort fetuses, etc. gave them an incredible amount of power
and would have created a diversion from God and Christianity. So, you have that aspect of
that term used here.
Later, there are frequent references in church writings (not scripture) referring to
abortionist using the term "pharmakeia". Outside of the church Plutarch uses the term
pharmakeia in reference to contraception and abortion.
Clement of Alexandria identifies pharmakeia as an abortifacent. An early church council
in the capital of Galatia referenced adulterous woman who who avail themselves to
pharmakeia for abortion.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
an adjective signifying "devoted to magical arts," is used as a noun, "a sorcerer,"
especially one who uses drugs, potions, spells, enchantments, Rev. 21:8, in the best
texts (some have pharmakeus), and Rev. 22:15.
Plato writes of Pharmakeia the Naias Nymphe of a poisonous spring near Athens,
Orithyia is swept away by Boreas while she was playing with Pharmacia. Later Socrates
compares the written texts Phaedrus has brought along to pharmakon, he describes it as
both a cure and poison.
The noun "pharmakeia" occurs in Gal.5v20. Rev.9v21. 18v23.. "Sorcerer," "pharmakus,"
occurs in Rev.21v8.; and "pharmakos," in Rev.22v15.. "Mageia," "sorceries," in Acts.8v11.
and "mageuo," "sorcery," in Act8v9.. "Magos," is translated as "sorcerer" in Acts.13v6,8.;
and the plural "magi," as "wise men" in Mt.2v1,7,16.
Sorcery and witchcraft in Paul's time were very similar to their modern equivalents;
images of people were made and destroyed, and curses were put upon people by invoking
the powers of darkness.
In Paul's time, magic, divination, astrology and the occult powers mentioned in
Deut.18v10-22., were commonly practised. People were full of fear, and used amulets and
charms in an effort to protect themselves from witchcraft, sorcery, magical spells and the
evil eye.
The value of the books on magic burned in the revival at Corinth was about £50,000,
which shows how rife magical practices were in Paul's time. Acts.19v19. These occult
practices were one of the main obstacles to the spread of the Gospel in the early Church,
and this is why miracles were needed to confirm the truth of the Gospel. Philip and Paul
compelled the Gentiles to believe in Jesus, by doing greater miracles than the servants of
Satan. Acts.8v4-13. 13v6-12. 18v11-20. Rom.15v18-21.
Then we come to one of the most abused pharmaceutical drug on the market today with
terrible side effects. It’s a relatively new pain medicine called OxyContin. This drug
contains a powerful alkaloid derived from opium. It has replaced cocaine, heroin and
ecstasy as the number one killer in the State of Florida. People suffering from tremendous
pain have become junkies on this drug. OxyContin sales in the year 2000 alone were over
a billion dollars. OxyContin is fast becoming the new drug of choice in America. The tablets
are manufactured in a time-released delivery system so the mind-altering effects of the
opium alkaloid are not experienced by the users. They are designed to deliver painkilling
effectiveness for between a 12 and 24 hour period. On the street users either chew the
tablets, crush them and snort the powder, or boil down the tablets and inject it
intravenously because it bypasses the time-released system and delivers a powerful
euphoric, heroin-like punch. Entire towns and neighborhoods are dealing with problems
associated with OxyContin. The Roanoke Times ran a story on August 16, 2000 that
reported OxyContin to be the worst problem seen in the community. “Tazewell County’s
prosecutor has charged more than 150 people in the last year with felonies associated
with the addictive painkiller… Tazewell County Commonwealth’s Attorney Dennis Lee
called abuse of OxyContin an epidemic… Andy Anderson, a narcotics detective with the
Pulaski Police Department, estimated that 90 percent of the people in Pulaski who admit
to such crimes as breaking and entering, shoplifting, forgery or stealing checks said they
committed the crimes to get money to finance their OxyContin addiction.”
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/200_miles.html
The Medical Messiahs: Chapter 8
Pharmakeia aka Witches
treatment of cattle and pork, life-threatening bacteria have grown resistant to our
number-one line of defense. In 1960, 13 percent of staphylococci infections were
resistant to penicillin. Now, 91 percent are resistant to penicillin.
There are three or four places in the New Testament describing 'sorcerers' and 'sorcery'
(in the KJV that is, newer translations often don't use these words). Some (mainly in the
cults, sects and extremist charismatic groups) have associated these references with
modern pharmacists and the medical profession; but is there any validity in this
approach? We need to look at these words very closely:
1. SORCERER (Acts 13:6,8 - KJV)
This is from the Greek 'magos', it means 'sorcerer', 'magician' or, 'wise man' (Word
3097 in Strongs). There is no association with pharmacy or medicine.
2. SORCERIES (Acts 8:11 - KJV)
This is from the Greek 'mageia' it refers to magic (Word 3095 in Strongs) – no
connection with pharmacy.
3. SORCERIES (Revelation 9:21 and 18:23 - KJV)
This is from the Greek 'pharmakeia' (Word 5331 in Strongs). There is some connection
here to the word 'pharmacy' which we must look at in a moment.
4. SORCERERS (Revelation 21:8 and 22:15 - KJV)
These uses of 'sorcerers' (KJV) use a different Greek word to the singular use of this
word in Acts 13:6,8; so this is not just the plural of the same word. From the Greek
'pharmakeus' (Words 5332 and 5333 in Strongs). So there is a connection between all four
uses of words 5331, 5332 and 5333 in Revelation. There is indeed a relationship here to
the English word 'pharmacy' (which of course, is directly derived from these Greek words).
Paul in his epistle to the Galatians enumerated a concise list of the works of the flesh.
Contained in that list is the Greek word, pharmakeia. The King James scholar translated
pharmakeia as "witchcraft" but a more probable rendering is that of "sorcery" and is so
given by the American Standard Version. Sorcery is far closer to the meaning of the term.
Pharmakeia (sorcery) is a form of the Greek root from which we get our English words
pharmacy, pharmacist, and pharmaceutical. Pharmakeia (sorcery) fundamentally has to
do with drugs or medicine. Originally the word was used only in the sense of medicine.
Plato talked about the different kinds of medicinal treatment: cautery, incision, the use of
drugs (pharmakeia), and even starvation. (Plato, Protagorus 354a). In the beginning,
pharmakeia was a medical term; it had to do with the proper use of drugs.
Later pharmakeia took on an entirely different meaning. The learned William Barclay says
that pharmakeia began "to denote the misuse of drugs, that is, the use of drugs to poison
and not to cure. So we read about the law regarding poisoning (Plato, Laws 933 B), and
Demosthenes accuses a bad man of poisoning and all kinds of villainy (Demosthenes
40.57). This is the beginning of the bad use of the word" (Flesh And Spirit, p. 36)
In the New Testament, pharmakeia carried with it the idea of sorcery, occultism, and
black magic. It is in this sense that Paul used the term in Galatians 5.20. The
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia clearly points out that "since the ideas we
attach to 'witch' and 'witchcraft' were unknown in Bible times, the words (witch and
witchcraft) have no right place in our' Eng. Bible..." (p. 3097). When Paul spoke of
pharmakeia (witchcraft KJV) he certainly did not have in mind witches on broomsticks,
black cats, and silly superstitions. The Apostle was speaking of sorcery -- the evil abuse
of drugs.
The Greek scholar, W.E. Vine summarized the different uses of pharmakeia in his
Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. Said Vine of pharmakeia: "primarily
signified the use of medicine, drugs, spells; then, poisoning; then sorcery." It is at this
point the dark and grim fact of pharmakeia emerges. Pharmakeia literally is the abuse of
drugs coupled with the occult. Pharmakeia is a chain connecting drug addiction with
sorcery!
The herbalist of the time who were almost always female. It was one of the few
businesses available to single women, herbalism was complex so there was an aura of
secrecy to it. They also were fond of saying incantations or using symbolic items etc to
increase the "mystery" around their practice. It gave them both power and prestige,
it would have also increased their incomes and perhaps the more mystical it appeared
the greater price people were willing to pay for their "potions". These women challenged
the authority structure of both Paul's church and the society of the time in general.
The ability to heal, poison, abort fetuses, etc. gave them an incredible amount of power
and would have created a diversion from God and Christianity. So, you have that aspect of
that term used here.
Later, there are frequent references in church writings (not scripture) referring to
abortionist using the term "pharmakeia". Outside of the church Plutarch uses the term
pharmakeia in reference to contraception and abortion.
Clement of Alexandria identifies pharmakeia as an abortifacent. An early church council
in the capital of Galatia referenced adulterous woman who who avail themselves to
pharmakeia for abortion.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
an adjective signifying "devoted to magical arts," is used as a noun, "a sorcerer,"
especially one who uses drugs, potions, spells, enchantments, Rev. 21:8, in the best
texts (some have pharmakeus), and Rev. 22:15.
Plato writes of Pharmakeia the Naias Nymphe of a poisonous spring near Athens,
Orithyia is swept away by Boreas while she was playing with Pharmacia. Later Socrates
compares the written texts Phaedrus has brought along to pharmakon, he describes it as
both a cure and poison.
The noun "pharmakeia" occurs in Gal.5v20. Rev.9v21. 18v23.. "Sorcerer," "pharmakus,"
occurs in Rev.21v8.; and "pharmakos," in Rev.22v15.. "Mageia," "sorceries," in Acts.8v11.
and "mageuo," "sorcery," in Act8v9.. "Magos," is translated as "sorcerer" in Acts.13v6,8.;
and the plural "magi," as "wise men" in Mt.2v1,7,16.
Sorcery and witchcraft in Paul's time were very similar to their modern equivalents;
images of people were made and destroyed, and curses were put upon people by invoking
the powers of darkness.
In Paul's time, magic, divination, astrology and the occult powers mentioned in
Deut.18v10-22., were commonly practised. People were full of fear, and used amulets and
charms in an effort to protect themselves from witchcraft, sorcery, magical spells and the
evil eye.
The value of the books on magic burned in the revival at Corinth was about £50,000,
which shows how rife magical practices were in Paul's time. Acts.19v19. These occult
practices were one of the main obstacles to the spread of the Gospel in the early Church,
and this is why miracles were needed to confirm the truth of the Gospel. Philip and Paul
compelled the Gentiles to believe in Jesus, by doing greater miracles than the servants of
Satan. Acts.8v4-13. 13v6-12. 18v11-20. Rom.15v18-21.
Then we come to one of the most abused pharmaceutical drug on the market today with
terrible side effects. It’s a relatively new pain medicine called OxyContin. This drug
contains a powerful alkaloid derived from opium. It has replaced cocaine, heroin and
ecstasy as the number one killer in the State of Florida. People suffering from tremendous
pain have become junkies on this drug. OxyContin sales in the year 2000 alone were over
a billion dollars. OxyContin is fast becoming the new drug of choice in America. The tablets
are manufactured in a time-released delivery system so the mind-altering effects of the
opium alkaloid are not experienced by the users. They are designed to deliver painkilling
effectiveness for between a 12 and 24 hour period. On the street users either chew the
tablets, crush them and snort the powder, or boil down the tablets and inject it
intravenously because it bypasses the time-released system and delivers a powerful
euphoric, heroin-like punch. Entire towns and neighborhoods are dealing with problems
associated with OxyContin. The Roanoke Times ran a story on August 16, 2000 that
reported OxyContin to be the worst problem seen in the community. “Tazewell County’s
prosecutor has charged more than 150 people in the last year with felonies associated
with the addictive painkiller… Tazewell County Commonwealth’s Attorney Dennis Lee
called abuse of OxyContin an epidemic… Andy Anderson, a narcotics detective with the
Pulaski Police Department, estimated that 90 percent of the people in Pulaski who admit
to such crimes as breaking and entering, shoplifting, forgery or stealing checks said they
committed the crimes to get money to finance their OxyContin addiction.”
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/200_miles.html
The Medical Messiahs: Chapter 8
Pharmakeia aka Witches