Lectures on Scripture Miracles - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1812 Excerpt: ... NOTES. IT seems necessary, in addition to what has been advanced, in the preceding Lecture, on the subject of demoniacs, to make «orae remarks on the original language employed by the sacred writers, relative to such possessions: and which could not so well be introduced into the discourse itself; since, such criticism could only have tended to perplex the train of reasoning, and unduly to prolong the Lecture. The terms constantly employed by the evangelists are--of the evil spirits themselves, taipwv, and iuifxovi;, or iaifLioriov and taifuita, as they are singular or plural--concerning the subjects of their influence--buiuovigopirac--ha.tp.oii£opai, &c. The term demon is derived from im-M to learn or to know--" and this," says Parkhurst, " from the Hebrew " tv to know." Sometimes it is employed in reference to pernicious natural qualities: " the destruction of noon-day" is render ed by the seventy--Jaifwvm f«7T?piv«, the mid-day demon: and in like manner, in other passages. Sometimes it is applied to providence Itself; or to any particular event in providence, by the Greek writers. " It was used by the Greeks as a general term" said the learned and accurate John Fell, " and applied, without " scruple, to every intelligent nature." Sometimes it is applied to the primary deities, the supreme objects of the idolatry of the heathen world. " The primary gods," says the same writer, " whose existence was considered as prior to the creation of " man, and whose original i9 always connected with the forma" tion of the earth, the elements, and the heavenly bodies, are " frequently styled demons by the ancient Greek writers, but " more especially in Homer, (Iliad i. ver. 222) who,as Plutarch " well observes, indifferently useth these two words, s...