Being Discerning About Discernment

An interesting, and somewhat confusing (at first), encounter is recorded for us in the Book of Acts.

I thought it might be a good time to bring it up to get us to think about it since it underscores our intense focus on Prophets and their prophecies the past week or so.

In every fellowship there should be people who have experienced the gift of discernment. They should be able to discern the false prophet from true prophet. An example of this is found in Acts 16.

Acts 16:16-18 (KJV) And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

A slave girl kept calling Paul and Silas servants of the most high God. She was able to predict the future. She was also acknowledging God, so in a sense she fulfilled both the conditions given in Deuteronomy.

However, Paul became troubled, and discerned in his spirit that she had a spirit of divination. He cast the spirit out and she lost her fortune-telling powers.

In the coming days, God will raise up true prophets, but there will also be many false prophets around. The church must learn to discern the true from the false.

[SOURCE]

What do we make of this encounter and Paul's reaction to it?

At first glance, we may be troubled by it because we can't quite figure out what it was that Paul was reacting to here. But let's look at this a little more closely.

"A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us..."; in the Greek text it is, "the spirit of Python"; the Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin version read, "the spirit Python"; the same with Apollo, who was called Pythius, as was his oracle, from the people coming to him, to inquire of him and consult with him, about difficult matters; or rather from the Hebrew word which signifies a serpent; and so Apollo is said to have his name Pythius, from his killing the serpent Typhon, or Python.

Let's add some historical context too before we attempt to dissect this portion of the text. Python, in Greek Mythology, was the serpent which guarded Delphi. Fitting that it's a serpent that comes up during our deep discussion about the subtleties of discernment, huh?

According to the legend, as related in the Homeric Hymn, Apollo descended from Olympus in order to select a site for his shrine and oracle. Having fixed upon a spot on the southern side of Mount Parnassus, he found it guarded by a vast and terrific serpent, which he slew with an arrow, and suffered its body to rot in the sun. Hence, the name of the serpent "Python" ("Rotting"); "Pytho", the name of the place, and the epithet "Pythian", applied to Apollo.

The name Python was subsequently used to denote a prophetic demon, and was also used of soothsayers who practiced ventriloquism, or speaking from the belly.

So, let's return to the main portion of these highlighted verses: "A certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us." Literally, "the spirit of a Pythoness" is what we should render this verse as saying to us. This meant, among the Greeks, a prophetic spirit, Pythias being one of the names of Apollo, the god of prophecy.

The account shows us 3 things then...

(1) that the damsel was possessed

(2) that her strange power gave her value in that it was superhuman

(3) that she was a slave, owned by several masters, and brought them much gain by soothsaying (Luke does not say that she foretold the future, but the people thought she did. She was a demoniac.)

Clearly, we need to recall that Satan transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and covets to enter by undermining, but Paul openly stops him, and casts him out, which begs the question, "How did he know to do that especially after hearing what she was saying!?!"

Well, I think the answer can be found by further examining the rest of that verse about the "damsel" presented to us. The words "possessed with a spirit of divination" is a sure sign of the god Apollo, who would give answers to those that asked him, if we take this encounter within the proper cultural context, and put ourselves in the region and time that it actually took place.

Still, I'm sure that at this point, if you're anything like me, then you're probably asking yourself, "Ok, but why would a demon possessed person follow them and proclaim the truth like that? It seems like it would completely go against a demon's nature, doesn't it?" Yes! Yes, it does!

Others have summed things up as follows...

"The same followed Paul and us..." -- Why she did this, or under what presence, the sacred writer has not informed us. It may have been:

(1) That as she prophesied for gain, she supposed that Paul and Silas would reward her if she publicly proclaimed that they were the servants of God. Or,

(2) Because she was conscious that an evil spirit possessed her, and she feared that Paul and Silas would expel that spirit, and by proclaiming them to be the servants of God she hoped to conciliate their favor. Or,

(3) More probably it was because she saw evident tokens of their being sent from God, and that their doctrine would prevail; and by proclaiming this she hoped to acquire more authority, and a higher reputation for being herself inspired. Compare Mark 5:7.

"These men are the servants of the most high God, etc..." -- It is astonishing how such a testimony could be given in such a case; every syllable of it true, and at the same time full, clear, and distinct. But mark the deep design and artifice of this evil spirit:

1. He well knew that the Jewish law abhorred all magic, incantations, magical rites, and dealings with familiar spirits; he therefore bears what was in itself a true testimony to the apostles, that by it he may destroy their credit, and ruin their usefulness. The Jews, by this testimony, would be led at once to believe that the apostles were in compact with these demons, and that the miracles they wrought were done by the agency of these wicked spirits, and that the whole was the effect of magic; and this, of course, would harden their hearts against the preaching of the Gospel.

2. The Gentiles, finding that their own demon bore testimony to the apostles, would naturally consider that the whole was one system; that they had nothing to learn, nothing to correct; and thus the preaching of the apostles must be useless to them. In such a predicament is this, nothing could have saved the credit of the apostles but their dispossessing this woman of her familiar spirit, and that in the most incontestable manner; for what could have saved the credit of Moses and Aaron, when the magicians of Egypt turned their rods into serpents, had not Aaron's rod devoured theirs? And what could have saved the credit of these apostles but the casting out of this spirit of divination, with which, otherwise, both Jews and Gentiles would have believed them in compact?

"But Paul, being grieved..." -- Being molested, troubled, offended. Paul was grieved, probably:

(1) Because her presence was troublesome to him;

(2) Because it might be said that he was in alliance with her, and that his pretensions were just like hers;

(3) Because what she did was for the sake of gain, and was a base imposition;

(4) Because her state was one of bondage and delusion, and it was proper to free her from this demoniacal possession; and,

(5) Because the system under which she was acting was a part of a scheme of delusion and imposture, which had spread over a large portion of the pagan world, and which was then holding it in bondage.

Throughout the Roman empire the inspiration of the priestesses of Apollo was believed in, and temples were everywhere reared to perpetuate and celebrate the delusion. Against this extensive system of imposture and fraud Christianity must oppose itself; and this was a favorable instance to expose the delusion, and to show the power of the Christian religion over all the arts and powers of imposture. The mere fact that in a very few instances - of which this was one - they spoke the truth, did not make it improper for Paul to interpose. That fact would only tend to perpetuate the delusion, and to make his interposition more proper and necessary. The expulsion of the evil spirit would also afford a signal proof of the fact that the apostles were really from God a far better proof than her noisy and troublesome proclamation of it would furnish.

While that's a good summary overview, let's dig a little deeper still.

The woman (or the demon) was speaking the truth. These men were servants of the Most High God, and they were showing the way of salvation. Why then was Paul grieved? Again, because Satan is very subtle.

Rather than openly oppose the truth, he will often attempt to conceal it by maintaining that the occult and God are compatible. Of course, this is patently absurd.

I've heard people say that if you are open-air preaching, don't be surprised to have someone who is obviously demonically controlled loudly agree with you, so that it looks to the crowd that you are both preaching the same message. This can be very frustrating I'm sure. To a crowd, it would appear that both the woman and the men were on the same team so-to-speak when they definitely were not.

The question arises as to whether Paul did the right thing by casting out the demon. To be blunt, my first instinct was to say that I'm not sure he did. If the woman wasn't repentant, then she may have received seven more demons (Matthew 12:43-45). Perhaps we should explore modern day, popular "Deliverance Ministries" in light of that passage. Plus, after his action, great persecution came against the disciples, but God in His goodness worked it out for their good, and for the good of the Philippian jailer and his family (Acts 16:24-34).

I'm probably completely wrong about that point though. I mean, Paul made no haste to do this miracle, for he did all things only as he was led by the Spirit we should assume.

Maybe it helps to always think of a few key verses from Leviticus that should immediately set the record straight whenever it comes to this issue I think...

Leviticus 19:31 (KJV) Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God.

Leviticus 20:6 (KJV) And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

Leviticus 20:27 (KJV) A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood [shall be] upon them.

There are others, but those are pretty clear. Then there's this exclamation point...

Isaiah 8:19 (KJV) And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

My dear friends, hopefully, now you see why it is absolutely vital that we all learn how to discern the truth better than we already do (or better than we think we do).

It's far too easy in this day and age for Christians to be deceived if they let their guard down for just a moment and assume that someone and something and some word is consistent with the holy Scriptures. Don't assume anything without holding it up to the Word of God (Acts 17:11)!

Thus, as I've been fond of doing so often lately with these Bible studies, I would like to share what Matthew Henry had to say about this unusual passage of Scripture, and about being discerning about discernment...

Acts 16:16-24 Satan, though the father of lies, will declare the most important truths, when he can thereby serve his purposes. But much mischief is done to the real servants of Christ, by unholy and false preachers of the gospel, who are confounded with them by careless observers. Those who do good by drawing men from sin, may expect to be reviled as troublers of the city. While they teach men to fear God, to believe in Christ, to forsake sin, and to live godly lives, they will be accused of teaching bad customs.

I look at this brief exchange that's probably easy to miss and see something even greater than it being a mere commentary on being discerning about discernment.

See, whether the woman said what she said of her own accord, or was obliged to it by divine impulse, and whether it was through fear of Paul, and in flattery to him, or was with a good or bad design, is not easy to determine.

However, we're certain that what she said was truth, and sometimes the Devil himself, Satan, the Father of Lies, is obliged to speak it. A glimpse of of that day when "every knee shall bow" that we read about (Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11).

Why? Because the Lord is sovereign. A good place to end today's study I think.

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