Reference: Magic, Divination, and Sorcery
Hastings
Magic, divination, sorcery, and witchcraft are all connected with belief in superhuman powers, and are methods whereby men endeavour to obtain from these powers knowledge of the future, or assistance in the affairs of life. Belief in magic and divination is most prevalent in the lower stages of civilization and religion. The arts of the magician and the diviner were founded upon the same logical processes as have issued in the development of modern science; but the limits within which deduction would be valid were disregarded, and the data were frequently imperfect. Accidental coincidence was often confused with causal sequence. (See Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, art. 'Divination'). Magic and divination were derived from attempts at reasoning which were very often erroneous; but from such crude beginnings science has slowly grown.
In their beginning these arts were associated with religion; and diviners and magicians were those thought to be most intimately connected with the Deity, and, owing to their superior knowledge of Him and His ways, best able to learn His secrets or secure His aid. Among the Arabs the priest was originally also the soothsayer; the Heb. k
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But while he was thinking of these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take home Mary your wife; for that which is begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem,
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed into their own country by another way.
But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason, they shall be your judges.
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered and said: Teacher,- we wish to see a sign from you.
And the Pharisees and Sadducees came to tempt him, and asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
And they do all their works for the purpose of being seen by men. They make their amulets broad, and enlarge the fringes of their mantles.
While he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent to him, saying: Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered much to-day in a dream, because of him.
And others, that they might tempt him, asked of him a sign from heaven.
Then Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a certain courtier, whose sou was sick in Capernaum.
But there was a certain man, named Simon, who had, be fore this time, been practicing magic in the city, and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying that he was some great one;
But the magician Elymas (for this is his name, when translated) withstood them, desiring to turn away the proconsul from the faith.
And it came to pass, that as we were going to the house of prayer, there met us a certain maid-servant that had a spirit of Python, who brought much gain to her masters, by giving responses.
And some of the roving Jews, who were exorcists, under took to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying: I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.
And many of those who practiced magic, brought together their books, and burned them, in the presence of all. And they computed their value, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strifes, jealousies, anger, party-spirit, divisions, sects,
by means of death in his fleshly body, that he may present you holy, and without spot, and blameless in his sight;
But evil men and impostors will become worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their lewdness, nor of their thefts.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying: Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them: and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them, their God.