The Origin of Evil Spirits in Early Jewish Literature

The topic of evil spirits is one that is often approached with some skepticism by scholars and non-scholars alike. It is perhaps in part due to the bizarre and farfetched features that are granted the topic in the world of fiction novels and the “big screen”. Through the course of the history of biblical interpretation, it is clear that some, particularly in the modern era, have steered away from the topic due to the supernatural element involved with the alleged reality of these spiritual beings. As has been the case with other supernatural elements of the biblical text (e.g. the miracles of Jesus, the exorcisms performed by Jesus, or even the baptism of the Holy Spirit), many have refused to accept the historicity of the “demonic” events in the Jewish Scriptures and the New Testament. However, in the biblical and post-biblical periods of Israel and the later world of early Christianity, it appears the topic of the “demonic” was one of grave concern to a majority of those who held to certain aspects of a Jewish or Jewish-Christian worldview.

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