About Paul Jay Estro

In a time when many Christian artists are watering down their message, masking their lyrics, compressing their faith and trying to mimic the mainstream media, I am taking a stand for Biblical truth and the true word of God. Using humor, honesty and a variety of styles from folk to blues, to rockabilly, the music hits home to a post-modern world which seems to have lost its way. Sometimes it may hit too close to home. Caution: My music is politically incorrect, and contains lyrics based on the Word of God, not post modern church doctrine.

Besides false doctrines, I believe that another major problem in the church today is a lack of leaders. That is to say, there are too few people who are mature and stable enough in their Christian walk to lead others to that point. I have encountered many people who are no better off today than they were five or six years ago, when they first got saved. We can not keep bringing people into the kingdom when we are not moving people forward to wholeness. Church leaders are overwhelmed now, what would most churches do if suddenly their size doubled with new believers?

We need to teach the basics of the five fold ministry, wholeness, deliverance, justification, and sanctification. People need to understand and seek out their spiritual gifts and move forward in those gifts all the while dwelling on the word of God. To this end, worship is vital. We were made to worship the living God. In worship we can find peace of mind, fellowship and an inner understanding of our purpose on this earth.

Pastors, I urge you to equip your flocks with the tools they need, and to let them go. Your success should not be based on the numbers in your pews, but the numbers you have truly reached through those you trained.

My goal is to spread the gospel and to bring Christians to an understanding that we must run our race to the fullest. All the while growing in our gifts, living our lives to what God has called us for, and relishing in the joy that is found through the peace Christ gives us. That is not an easy task. It requires personal responsibility and effort, something a post modern world doesn't teach.

Ministry of Jesus

conflict with the Sadducees and the Pharisees



By: Paul Jay Estro
Published: November 04, 2009 7:08 PM EST
The New Testament tells us that the Ministry of Jesus was often in conflict with the Sadducees and the Pharisees, the two ruling parties of the Jewish religion at that time. Historically, all of our knowledge of these two groups has been derived from only three main sources. These sources are the New Testament, the writings of Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, and early rabbinical writings. Recently, work on the Dead Sea Scrolls uncovered at Qumran has given us more supporting information into the role the Pharisees played in Jewish life. ( Huie 1)

To the average Christian, most, if not all of their knowledge about the Pharisees, the Sadducees and their relationship with Jesus and his ministry, is derived from the Bible and the common stories that evolved out of church history. Most Christians are familiar with the story lines such as "the Sadducees were sad you see because they did not believe in the resurrection", and "the Pharisees weren't fair you see because they had so many laws that they made it impossible for anyone to obey them all." However many of the Pharisees spent their lifetime trying and making sure everyone saw their obvious efforts. The conclusions often drawn about the fraternity of the Pharisees from these stories does not represent the true picture. Stripping away all the cognitive dissonance around these two sects, and studying the facts that we know about them, brings to light a very different picture. As familiar as the word is to modern Christianity there is no subject on which there is more inaccurate or misleading information. (Edersheim 195)

Of the two sects, the Pharisees were the larger, and by far the most influential among the Jewish people. It would have been hard to walk anywhere in Judea or Galilee and not see a Pharisee. The Pharisees were a fraternity. They admitted only those, who, in the eyes of the presence of three other members, pledged themselves to Levitical purity and vowed to abstain from the presence of "Am ha-Arez" or the "ignorant and careless bore." The Pharisee brotherhood, or "Haburah," was made up primarily of middle-class families and they were very zealous for Mosaic Law. The Pharisees were very conscience to the payment of tithes, and believed in living a moral and conscientious life. ("Jewish")

Equally important to the Pharisees was purity. A good Pharisee would be ever watchful not to defile one's self by touching something that was ritually unclean. Even the daily tasks of shopping and eating became troubling times for the Pharisee, over the concern of whether or not the food offered had been properly tithed, harvested on the Sabbath, or touched by "unclean" hands. High-ranking Pharisees would bring every day trespass offerings just in case they may of committed some infraction they were unaware of. There seemed to be no limit on how far the most punctiliousness of that class of Pharisee would go in maintaining Levitical purity. The Chasid's, or upper class of the fraternity, would not even give a letter to a gentile to deliver for fear that it might be delivered on the Sabbath. There is also the story of one Rabbi who would not let his son be in the operating room with him when he had to have is arm amputated, for fear that the boy might touch the limb (which would be dead once removed), and therefore be defiled. (Edersheim 197)

The book of Maccabees tells us that the Pharisees wished to "embrace the whole people," and in particular, they thought to expand their beliefs on the populace through education. It was their desire and intention that everyone in Israel achieved holiness through the study of Scripture and prayer. Through their connections and influence with the common people, the Pharisees were able to control the culture, influence the Sanhedrin and usurp some of the control of the Temple rituals and customs.(Huie 1)

As in any culture, there were many who cared little for the detailed interpretations of the law or politics, and who were busy just trying to run their own lives. It was of little consequence to them that if a hen should lay and egg on the Sabbath, was it lawful to eat it? Yet, it was questions of the like that brought forth discussions and debates among the Pharisees. (Gower 203)

The Pharisees believed in the resurrection, and that the immortal soul would bring about a revival of the body. They believed in spirits, demons and angels. Not only did they believe in the spirit world, they were convinced that demonic activities were prevalent, and feared demons that they were sure lurked around every corner. This was not a new belief or a fear that had recently come to the forefront. The Pharisees, the common man, and most of the people in the known world at that time, believed in all sorts of spirit life, and held it accountable for mental illness, sickness and fate.

The fact that a demon could be cast out was not impressive to the Pharisees; they had seen it done many times before. What was impressive was the way the demons were cast out by Jesus and his followers. Here was a group of people, claiming to be from God, who could cast off demons and cure people without evoking invocations, but rather by simply mentioning the name of Jesus. To all but the Sadducees, who did not believe in demons, this was very disturbing, and many concluded that Jesus must have mumbled an invocation of Satan under their breath. (Collins 2)

The Sadducees were the ruling party in the Sanhedrin during the time of Jesus. The Sadducees were the elite of Jewish culture. They were wealthy members of the Jewish aristocracy, embraced Hellenism, held the high Priesthood and lived in the here and now. They rejected the idea of resurrection. They did not believe in angels, demons or spirits. The Sadducees limited canon to the five books of Moses, and believed in common sense morality. To the Sadducees the concept of good and evil resulted from personal action. (Gower 202)

While the Sadducees maintained control of the High Priesthood through bloodline, they had to surrender a lot of control in order to keep in power. The New Unger's Bible Dictionary puts it as follows.

Although the spiritual power of the Pharisees had increased greatly, the Sadducean aristocracy was able to keep at the helm in politics. The price at which the Sadducees had to secure themselves power at this later period was indeed a high one, for they were in their official actions to accommodate themselves to Pharisaic views. (Sadducees 1112)

There had been some dispute among scholars over who actually controlled the Temple sacrifices and the Temple rituals before and during the time of Jesus. While many accepted the witness of Josephus and the rabbinical accounts, some scholars took the position that those writings could not be validated because they were written after 70 CE. These scholars rejected the claims made in the post-destruction rabbinic documentation that the Pharisees were the dominant religious group in the affairs of the Temple as early as the Maccabean period. The unearthing of the Dead Sea scrolls brings to light new evidence and seems to discredit this skeptical viewpoint. (Huie 4)

Another riff between the Pharisees and the Sadducees resulted from their differing views on oral traditions. The Sadducees rejected everything except the Pentateuch and their own Book of Decrees, which specified a legalistic system of capital punishment. The Book of Decrees outlined in detail whom could be stoned, strangled, burned or beheaded. To the Law of Moses, there was strict adherence and they made little or no allowance for the spiritual intent of the Law. (Huie 7)

The Pharisees, on the other hand, were big proponents of oral law. They followed ancient traditions inspired by the text in Deuteronomy in which God proclaimed to Moses to put the His law into the mouths of the people. The belief in an oral law allowed for the possibility of Mosaic code to be adapted to changing conditions and administered in a practical manner. The Oral Torah, as it was known, was not a rigid legalistic code dominated by one solo interpretation. As the word oral applies, it was more word of mouth, passed around, vigorously debated at times and often subject to various degrees of diversity and interpretation. (Huie 8)

To the Pharisees, it was important to continually interpret the ancient law to fit newly arising situations. It was necessary that stories be composed that illustrate the principles of the Haggadah or law. It was also important that when decisions were finally reached concerning points of law that they be transcribed and forwarded to one another. The men responsible for this work were the Scribes. (Gower 202)

It is argued, as stated earlier, that no true estimate of the real character of the Pharisees could be honestly obtained from reading the New Testament, or the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus. Josephus was writing for Roman readers, and in view of the Messianic expectations, he portrayed the Pharisees as a philosophical sect. The New Testament usually set the Pharisees as antagonists to the mission of Jesus. ("Jewish") As a result of the harsh portrayal in the New Testament on the Pharisees the word itself has become synonymous with self-righteousness and hypocrisy. Because of this many Bible students and even scholars fail to understand that Jesus' conflict with the Pharisees was not the doctrine of the Pharisees but their understanding of the mission. The theology of Jesus is Jewish, and is built firmly upon the concepts of Pharisaic thought. (Huie 10)

During the persecutions of Antiochus, it is the Pharisees that became the defenders of Jewish tradition and law. During this time many died as martyrs. The Pharisees were so devoted to the prescription of law that on one occasion, when attacked by the Syrians on the Sabbath, they refused to defend themselves, barricade themselves in their shelter or fight.

Word was brought to the royal officials and forces stationed in Jerusalem, in the City of David, that those who had repudiated the king's edict had gone down to the hiding places in the desert. A strong detachment went after them, and when it came up with them ranged itself against them in battle formation, preparing to attack them on the Sabbath day, and said, "Enough of this. Come out and do as the king orders and you will be spared! The others, however, replied, "We refuse to come out, and we will not obey the King's orders and profane the Sabbath day." The royal forces at once went into action, but the others offered no opposition; not a stone was thrown, there was no barricading of the hiding places. They only said, "Let us all die innocent; let heaven and earth bear witness that you are massacring us with no pretence of justice. The attack was pressed home on the Sabbath itself, and they were slaughtered, with their wives and children and cattle, to the number of one thousand persons.(1 Maccabees 31-38 NJB)

It was actions like this that endeared many to respect and support the Pharisees. Owing to their heroic devotedness their influence in the lives of the everyday man became great and far reaching. Over a period of time they were able to influence their beliefs on the whole culture of Judea. By their power with the people and their prestige, they claimed the right to sit in "Moses' seat". This honor and influence led to an air of arrogance and conceit, and to a perversion in many respects of the conservative ideals in which they had been avid supporters. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, their rapacity and their failure to grasp the mission. (Driscoll 2)

However, Pharisaism paved the way and prepared the culture for the coming of Jesus' mission. It was the Pharisees who idealized nationalism based upon the monotheism of the prophets, the very foundation of Judaism. It was the Pharisees who championed the belief in resurrection and future reward. The pedagogical influence was a major factor in asserting national will and purpose for introduction of Christianity. The work of the Pharisees was marred with their arrogant orthodoxy and their exaggerated formalism, which insisted on ceremonial detail to the detriment of the more important precepts of the Law. (Driscoll 2)

While the New Testament portrays the Pharisees as standing in the way of change, the Pharisees were seen in their day as the party of progress. While the Sadducees ruled with an ironclad law such as an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth, the Pharisees with a few exceptions, were more liberal in their interpretations. The Pharisees also had so many qualifiers on the law that few were ever executed. While this was an unintentional by product of their many laws it none-the-less endeared the party to those families that saw their loved ones spared. The Pharisees interpreted the law with a sense of common sense and decency.

The Pharisees were also viewed as the party that brought a certain amount of joy and celebration on the Sabbath and Holy days. The Pharisees wrested power from the Sadducees and decreed that the Day of Atonement be made a day of remembrance and if there was no major transgression then one did not have to go to the priest or offer a sacrifice in his presence. The eve of Passover became a time of story recital over wine and the mazzah and less prominence was given to the paschal lamb. Likewise, the Pharisees were successful in acting change over the governance of laws on the Sabbath that forbid the mistress of the house to light a candle on its eve, or in leaving ones dwelling on said day. The Pharisees made allowances for carrying certain objects on the Sabbath and had lifted the prohibition on movement thus allowing for travel the whole breast of the camp, or one mile. The intent of the Pharisees there being to render the Sabbath" a delight" as written in Isaiah 58:24. In doing so the Pharisees turned the Sabbath and festivals into seasons of domestic joy, bringing into increasing recognition the importance and dignity of women as caretakers and keepers of the home.

On account of such consideration for the welfare of the home the Pharisees stood in high regard with Jewish women. Likewise the Pharisees objected to the Sadducees strict interpretation of Levitical purity, which excluded women for weeks or months after childbirth to be in the household. The Pharisees took a very common sense view of such laws and encouraged the wife, despite the letter of the law, to keep her usual place in the home and show herself with dignity before her family. The Pharisees were more lenient on views of women's rights and prevented arbitrary acts on behalf of a husband to abuse or mistreat his wife. ("Jewish")

On the whole however, so many new restrictions to the law were added that they ended up being mired in their own regulations. In an effort to keep the people separated from the masses, and in an attempt for forbidding anything that might inadvertently lead to something prohibited, statute upon statute was added to the point that purpose of the law was lost. This applied not only to rabbinic law but also against moral law. For instance, there was the prohibition against what was called "the dust of slanderous speech" or "the dust of usury." There were laws against the keeping of animals that might feed on your neighbor's property, or laws against acts that may lead to acts such as gambling. ("Jewish 5")

The Pharisees became so focused on the decent of Abraham and their own decrees that they failed to recognize the far deeper spiritual issues at play. This brought the culture to such a narrow, exclusive nationalism, it became incapable of understanding the concept of a universal church that included all people. This, combined with the Pharisees over valuation of external levitical observances, caused them to become coupled in opposition to what became known as prophetism, which focuses the main emphasis on religious spirit and character.(Driscoll 2) Jesus thus rebukes them in Mathew 23:23 "You have neglected the more important matters of the law-justice, mercy and faithfulness." (NIV)

The Pharisees, which in Hebrew means "separated ones" believed that they were obeying the will of God. They were also known as "The Chasidim," which is ironic considering that in Hebrew this means "loyal to" or "loved by God." Yet by the time of Jesus the Pharisees were so blinded by their extremist views they couldn't see the Messiah when He was in their very midst. They not only saw his signs and wonders, they openly scolded Jesus for doing them! (Blank 1)

When God brought forth the law to the Jewish people he did so as act of grace. The Pharisees turned that act of grace into an unbearable burden. If you did not carry out the law, then God would punish you. However, the law had become convoluted with amendment upon amendment, provisions, subsets and so many variables, it had become impossible to obey. Yet, the Pharisees went about in all their glory pretending to be willfully obeying all of it. This hypocrisy is what Jesus brought to light. Since this false sense of superior spirituality was at the center of their faith, they turned on Jesus and his followers. (Gower 203)

By virtue of the Law the priesthood was an elite class. No man was allowed to exercise a function in the Temple unless one could trace his descent from the priestly family as set down in the book of Law. However the institution of the synagogue for the common worship and instruction was a Pharisaic declaration based on the principle of Torah. By instituting schools and synagogues in almost every community the Pharisees made the Torah a power for education for Jewish people all over the known world. To get to this point it was a long and bitter struggle with the Sadducees. The Sadducees had jealously guarded the privileges and prerogatives established since the days of Solomon, when Zadok, their ancestor, officiated as priest. What the Sadducees saw for literal observance of the law, the Pharisees claimed prophetic or Mosaic authority for their interpretation claiming that God gave all the people the heritage, the kingdom and the priesthood. The concept of a priestly sanctity of the whole populace is based in Pharisaic interpretation. ("Jewish")

To the Pharisee, the aim and object of the law is to bring men up to the full realization of his responsibility to God, and to the consecration of life by performing its manifold duties. These duties are broken down into two groups the "ol malkut shamayin" (the yoke of God's Kingship) and "ol hamizwot" (the yoke of God's commandments). Every morning and every evening the Jew takes both upon himself when reciting the prayers. The law of the Torah teaches that one should take it upon themselves to let fear of God be the judge and arbiter, and deal with one another according to the dictates of love. ("Jewish")

Yet despite their desire to educate the population and bring everyone around to their schools of thought, the fraternity of the Pharisees remained separated from the people. A good Pharisee would carefully avoid all contact with those who were not a member of the fraternity or those who occupied an inferior degree the fraternity. The Pharisee was plainly visible in society by his clothing. Jesus himself outlined the dress of the Pharisee. They made broad their phylacteries and enlarged the borders of their outer garments. (Edersheim 205)

Furthermore, what many people fail to realize, is that the Pharisaic religion was sharply divided into two separate schools. These two schools were the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel. The group that Christ seems to have had the most issues with was the former, a faction that was extremely rigid and unforgiving in their outlook.(Huie 11)

Hillel and Shammai were two Jewish scholars. Hillel was the more popular of the two, and was chosen by the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish court to serve as its president. While Hillel and Shammai did not themselves differ on many of the fundamental principles of Jewish law, their disciples were often in bitter conflict. The Talmud records over 300 incidents where the two houses did not agree. The Rabbis of the Talmud generally sided with the rulings from the house of Hillel although often the sages saw both sides as being valid. Shammai believed that too much contact with the Romans would cause the Jewish community to be weakened. This fear led to a strict interpretation of Jewish law. Hillel did not share Shammai's opinion and therefore adopted a much more liberal view of the law. ("Jewish")

It should be noted that besides the Pharisees and the Sadducees there were two other prominent groups in Jewish culture. The Essenes were a group estimated to be around four thousand that withdrew from the world into their own private communities. They believed their good lives and prayers would bring an end to the evil age. The waited for God to bring a warrior prince of Aaron's line, (the Messiah) and this person would defeat the forces of evil and a prophet would reveal God's will. It is generally believed that the Essenes hid the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran during the rebellion of 66 CE when the Romans attacked their compound. Some also believe it was the Essenes who raised John the Baptist upon his parents death. There are many reflections of their message in the message of John, the need for repentance, spiritual washing or baptism and the coming of the Messiah. It is also unlikely to be coincidence that the traditional site of John's baptism is within sight of the monastery at Qumran. (Gower 204)

The Zealots were a group that reacted to foreign influence with violence. The Romans referred the Zealots as "Sicarii" or "Dagger Men" because the dagger was their weapon of choice. There are those who believe that the Zealots worked with Judas Iscariot to try to get Jesus to use his Devine powers to overthrow the government. The Zealots were involved in the revolt of 70 CE that brought the destruction of Jerusalem. During the fighting of this revolt they retreated to their final stronghold in Masada, which they wrestled, from the Romans at the beginning of the conflict. In 74 CE they were finally overthrown from there but were still active up until 135 CE where the rebellion at Bar Cochba led to the banishment of the Jews from their own country and the final destruction of Jerusalem. (Gower 210)

Both houses of the Pharisees, the common Jewish person, and most of the Gentile world in the time of Jesus believed in demons. Therefore Jewish and pagan exorcists found a fertile soil everywhere for applying their trade to cast them out. This is the atmosphere in which Christianity arose. Jewish exorcists of the first century were highly regarded in their trade because it was presumed that they knew the secret name of God. This ability to invoke the hidden name of God gave them special powers in the eyes of many to cast of demons. (Richards 258)

The dividing line between legitimate and illegitimate magic was anything but defined. There was also a division of belief in what was the best defense for protecting oneself from an unclean spirit. There was a belief at the time among the Pharisees, that if one cast out a demon, it would only draw up more, a point Jesus referred to in Luke 11:26. This cure, offered to a populace in constant dread of demons, only aggravated the disease. It is therefore stated in the Jewish Encyclopedia that it was not hostility which prompted the Pharisees to accuse Jesus and his followers of casting out demons, but the belief that the more you cast out, the more appeared.

There are only three scriptures in the New Testament that address the issue of where demons go once they are cast out. In Mark 9:25 Jesus demands the demon to never again enter the little boy he just delivered from an epileptic boy. The second is within the discourses with demons that Jesus ultimately sent into the swine upon the request of the demons. The third refers to the return of demons with seven others more dangerous once cast out if the person does not fill the void with the Holy Spirit. Demons are very legalistic, and appear fully aware of their legal authority. This fact is repeated many times in scripture.

When the Bible tells of Jesus giving authority to his disciples to go and cast out demons, he did not unfortunately provide detailed instructions on how to properly cast out demons and where to send them. In Matthew 8:29, once the demons knew it was Jesus they were facing, they were very quick to point out their time had not yet come. By this, we can conclude they realized that upon the appointed time He would cast them, along with Satan into the lake of fire and execute the judgment that is reserved for them. There they would join those angels that are already bound in the darkness for their failure to remain in their native state. Therefore, it is important when exercising a deliverance as to be careful not to overstate our authority, and order demons to eternal flames, outer darkness or assign them to the pit. However, those that would sit idly by and condemn the enthusiasts for that over zealous nature should be reminded of the parable of the sheep and the goats. (Horrobin) It should be noted that we should also be quite mindful, and appreciate dispensations of God's timetable. Remember that we cannot operate outside the confines of these dispensations.

It is sad to note that erroneous dispensational theology has been used in the arsenal of Satan to stop deliverance ministry and prevent the operation of the gifts of the Spirit. Some Dispensationalists have reasoned that the gifts of the Spirit were only for the appointed time and the gifts of the Spirit are no longer valid. This type of Dispensationalist concludes that any person or ministry operating in the gifts of healing or deliverance must therefore be doing the work of the evil one or at least deceived. This gives this dispensationalist an excuse to sit by and do nothing but condemn those who would venture to try and disarm the enemy and his strongholds, and unclean beings. (Horrobin 236)

The Pharisees believed that observance of the law was the best defense again demons. This included wearing of the Tefillin, regarded as amulets by the Greeks, putting on the zizit, and reciting of prayers. The zizit is defined as four threads of white wool and four threads of blue wool worn as a pendant, as a tassel. To the wearer, the Zizit were a reminder of the duty of Jew towards the law. Like the phylacteries worn on the head and arm, the zizit on the garment was a token of God's love for the wearer. Thus it was required that the zizit be removed if the wearer was to give the garment to a non-Jew.

The belief in the power of Law was the antidote against what may be termed "Satanophobia." While Pharisaism may have increased the yoke of ceremonial laws for the sake of the love of God it provided the best defense in their eyes against the demons of Satan, and against the spirit of asceticism and pessimism, which was fostered by the Essenes and their Christian heirs. ("Jewish") To the Pharisee every observance of the law is protection. (Sotah 21a)

With demons lurking everywhere, it was no wonder the Pharisees were so devout in their prayers. Demons that came in the night were terribly troubling and great care was taken to protect oneself from their meddling. It is reported that the close of the Sabbath was also a troubling time since the angel Dumah called all spirits of the evil one back to their place torment at that time. The Sabbath itself was seen as a time of respite but upon its close the demons swarmed everywhere, poisoning the wells and doing great harm anywhere they lay. The Pharisees are said to have had special incantatory formulas which were to be recited before drinking from a well. ("Jewish")

There is no instance in the Old Testament writings of demons actually being exorcised by individuals. The writings in the book of Tobias 8:3 would suggest that the angel who took the devil and bound him in the desert of upper Egypt, and the instruction previously mentioned to a young Tobias (6:18) to roast the fish heart in the bridal chamber, would seem to have been simply part of the plan by the angel to conceal his identity. However, in the extra-canonical books of Jewish literature there seems to be incantations for the exorcising of demons. We also see those incantations showing up on the inside of Jewish pottery. A collection of earthen bowls dating to the seventh century CE is preserved in the Royal Museum in Berlin. (Newadvent)

The demons mentioned in the Bible come from two main classes according to Jewish tradition. The "Se'irim" and the "Shedim." The former are described as hairy beings or sometimes referred to as "he-goats" and are identical in description to the Jinn of the Arabian woods and deserts. In Jewish tradition these are the beings referred in Leviticus 16:10. The wilderness is usually seen as the home of demons that were regarded as unclean and responsible for leprosy or skin diseases. The Jew would therefore set apart a bird and offer it as an expiatory sacrifice so that upon its release it could fly back and return the disease to its home should a person with a skin disease be cured as commanded in Leviticus 14.

The latter were considered messenger demons and they did only the bidding of God, their master. They were considered agents of God's divine wrath. Their name denotes destruction, and were also known as storm demons and are often represented as ox like creatures. They were to be warded off by applying the blood of the paschal sacrifice sprinkled upon the lintel and doorpost. Some of these demons were known to walk in darkness, others walked at midday and could attack those who are lazy. These demons were to be warded off by reciting the incantatory psalm "Shir shel Pega'im," ascribed to Moses by the Rabbis and is listed as Psalm 91:5-6. ("Jewish")

From these two main classifications of demons, there are many subsets of each. In Rabbinical literature we see many classifications and definitions of each. It is ascribed that Hillel was able, like king Solomon, to be able to understand their talk. It is written that there were over 300 known kinds of Shedim living near the town of Shihin. It is written that it was dangerous to walk between two palm-trees for demons are known to dwell there. It was unsafe to salute a person at night for he might be a demon, and it was especially dangerous on Wednesday evenings and Sabbath evenings to go out for the air is haunted by Agrat bat Mahlat (the dancing roof demon). With Agrat bad Mahlat came eighteen myriads of messengers of destruction with each having the power to harm. On those nights one should not drink water except out of a white vessel after reciting Psalm 29: 3-9 . It is interesting to note that those verses mention the voice of the Lord seven times. ("Jewish")

Many of the incantations recited consisted of words which have little if any real meaning or denoted the names of angels. The following is an incantation against boils: "Baz, Basiya, Mas, Masiya, Kas, Kasiyah, Shalia and Mariai-Ye Angels that come from the land of Sodom to heal painful boils. Let the color not become more red, let it not further spread. Let its seed be absorbed in the belly. As a mule does not propagate itself, let not this evil propagate itself in the body of (name), the son of (name)." (Richards 255)

As to the question as to whether the Pharisees could they themselves cast out demons, there seems to be two schools of thought. There are those who believe they could, and those who believe they couldn't. According to scripture Mathew 12:27 it is indicated they could, however, an Ad Hominem argument would lead one to conclude otherwise.

If the purpose of supernatural spiritual gifts was to confirm the validity of the message of the person performing the sign, which it is generally argued it is, then Jesus' promise that certain disciples would possess these signs to accompany their ministry would be the explanation for the working of those miraculous demonstrations. That being the case, if the Pharisees actually could cast out demons, one would have to conclude by reasonable argumentation that they were teaching the true will of God. (Christian Courier 1)

So what then did Christ mean in Matthew 12:27 when he said "And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges?" ( NIV) One would need to look at the broader context in which the statement was made. There was a blind man who was mute as well. It was said he was possessed with a demon and he was brought to Jesus. Upon curing the man the crowd was amazed and began to conclude that this Jesus was in fact the promised one. However the Pharisees were outraged. They concluded that Jesus' power can from Satan. Jesus however saw through their argument and reasoned that if he was from Satan how could he drive out Satan's demons?

According to this form of argumentation known as Ad Hominem (or "to the man") Jesus' answer is more rhetorical than accusatory. This is the sort of argument one reasons with when your adversary is not interested in the truth. It is a refutation and it underscores the inconsistency of the opposition's argument by bringing to light the concept of that which proves too much proves little. One could break it down as follows. Before you accuse me, you should tend to your own.

Many refute this argumentum ad hominum stating that the mere fact that Jesus states that the sons of the Pharisees cast out demons means they did. To them it does not seem reasonable to understand his reply to be mere irony or an implication of anything other than fact. Detractors of the Ad Hominum argument look to Mark 9:37-38 as further proof of others casting out demons who were not followers of Jesus and Jesus refused to reprehend or forbid the invocation of His name. (Newadvent)

This argument states that the Bible only claims two kinds of exorcism, the true and the false. The Bible repeatedly tells us that Jesus, his twelve Apostles, the seventy, Paul and Philip all cast out demons in his name. It also mentions others that cast out demons in Jesus name. When brought to his attention Jesus told his followers in Luke 9:49-50 that they were not to forbid him; "fore whoever is not against us is for us." It is argued that those with such power, even today, would have an apostolic gift and without that gift no one can cast out a demon. Hence forth, IF the sons of the Pharisees were casting out demons, they must have had an Old Testament gift of the Spirit of which there were many examples. Numbers 11:29 is the earliest mention of that happening. It is likely considering Jesus' rebukes to the Pharisees, that the sons of the Pharisees were only claiming to cast off demons, and in fact, were not actually successful. However, it is clear, they were not casting them out in Satan's name, as that would nullify the argument Jesus makes in Mathew twelve. (Anderberg)

There is also the argument that states demons can be cast on other authorities than Christ or Satan. The New Testament records many attempts at casting out demons from possessed persons. In Acts 19:13-16 two of the seven sons of Sceva, nonbelievers, try mimicking the Apostle Paul. The attempt fails miserably and they bring the demon's wrath upon themselves.

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of Jesus ,whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out. Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. (One day) the evil spirit answered them. "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. (NIV)

This happened in Ephesus, which was at that time the most important city in all of Asia Minor. Ephesus was a thriving commercial and religious center with a population well over a third of a million. It was also one of the world's greatest centers of occultism. It was the guardian city of Diana and an image of Diana was there which many believed to be made of rock that came down from heaven. (Probably a meteorite) At first Paul taught in the synagogue but there were many Pharisees who did not believe in his teaching so it was moved to the hall of Tyrannus, (Acts 19:8-10) The sons of Sveca undoubtedly saw Paul casting out demons and healing many in Jesus' name. In this they thought they had found the magic incantation. They found out the hard way that in order to have the authority of Jesus one must also be the service of Jesus. The final outcome of this event redounded to the Lord's glory. The people of Ephesus realized that it was with the power of Jesus this Pharisee could command demons. The net result the Bible tells in Acts 19-19 is that a small mountain of occult literature was accumulated and burnt in public. (Horrobin 208)

However, even the twelve disciples who were given the power by Jesus himself to cast out demons could not always achieve their task. There is no evidence that Jesus ever failed in casting out demons, thus proving that He was indeed sent from the Father. It is also notable that Jesus never denied when people professed to cast out demons, He just stated that they did so without his authority. So they may have prophesied, cast out demons or performed other signs and wonders, but they did it outside the will of the Father. The Bible is clear in Matthew 7:21 that only those doing the will of the Father will enter the Kingdom of heaven, while not everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will. (Judev)

It is argued that the Bible records a valid example of this in the man Judas Iscariot. In Matthew 10:1-8 the Lord sends the twelve out in pairs to cast out demons. Even though Judas betrayed the Lord and he is called a son of Perdition, he was still able to cast out demons, and heal the sick in the name of Jesus. There is no passage in the Bible to tell us otherwise. Some argue this proves that God can use whom He will to cast out demons. When the seventy-two were sent out to cast out demons they came back rejoiced that the demons were subject to them. Jesus rebuked them in Luke 10:20 telling them not to rejoice at the fact that the demons submitted but rejoice that you did the Father's will and therefore your names are written in heaven. (Judev)

There is a theory of demon possession called the Literal Theory. As it names suggests it requires a literal interpretation of the scriptures. To Christians the word of God is without error. The Bible cannot contradict itself since it is the word of God. Therefore, the clarity of the historical narratives allow for only one possible interpretation. The Bible clearly states there are beings called demons, and these beings have possessed people. These demons were cast out by our Lord, His disciples, and others, and done so either in His name or by some other mean. Any other basis impugns the Creator and therefore must be rejected. (Sterling)

There are a few other prevalent theories among scholars in reference to the casting out of demons. David Friedrich Strauss is considered the main proponent in advancing the Mythical Theory. This theory views that demons are mythical symbols and represent the symbolic presence of evil. The casting off of these mythical characters by Jesus and his followers represents Jesus' conquest over the power of evil by His doctrine and life. This theory holds its merit with the school of interpretation. To support this theory one must conclude that the writers of the Bible were fabricating the events and thus accuses the Lord and his followers of performing a mighty deception. Obviously this theory holds no weight with anyone within the Christian community. (Sterling)

The Christadelphian view or Accommodation Theory contends that Jesus and His apostles spoke only in accommodation to the popular culture of the time, and their ignorance and superstitions. Those who were possessed were simply suffering from mental or physical illnesses, and those who claimed to hear the voice of God were also suffering. This modern Secular Progressive argument works well for those proclaiming to a higher power. It is argued that the unscientific mind has always accounted for natural phenomenon by ascribing supernatural powers as its source.

Supporters of this theory point to references in the New Testament concerning demonical possession. They state that nowhere in the New Testament do we see instances of lunacy and epilepsy proper. These conditions were prevalent in the East as elsewhere, yet they do not appear in the writings. We only see demonical possession. They state that we do not find cases of Jesus curing people with these natural conditions only finding Jesus curing these symptoms as they were created by supernatural possession. Outside of the New Testament there is no writings of demonical possession, but only epilepsy and lunacy. Again, Christian scholars on many points readily debunk this theory but it is still held in esteem by the far left. (Sterling)

There are many in the church today believing the dispensation of the Spiritual gifts is over. While the passages on deliverance may appear relatively thin, there is much more than then may initially meet the eye. Each reference is quite profound in its consequence and holds many implications for our personal ministry. Much of the modern church dismisses the whole of Jesus' deliverance ministry. They reason that Jesus was a man of his day and casting out demons was based on the limited knowledge and understanding of the medical community and average intelligence of the people. Jesus, if around today, he would not use such language, as we are so much more educated.

Likewise there is also the Hallucination Theory. The major thought under girding this theory is that the individual psychologically has deluded himself into believing that he is controlled by a demon. Thus, when the demon is exorcised it becomes a real event as well. (Sterling)

It appears in the Bible that whenever Jesus was exercising his authority over the powers of darkness there was controversy. That hasn't appeared to change much. Today among Christians wherever there is a deliverance ministry flourishing there seems to be controversy from other church leaders and concerned Christians who feel that the ministry of Jesus is being "taken off the rails." Whenever a modern deliverance ministry is derailed it is a delight to the enemy. The more time one has to spend justifying their ministry there is less time available to actually carry it out. This is raising controversy against those embattled in the ministry of deliverance, evangelism and healing and is often referred to as the Beelzebul Syndrome. (Horrobin 217)

We read of many demons being cast off of people in the New Testament. How one formulates their belief will depend on several factors including the theology they ascribe to, the interpretation of the scriptures at hand and their view of the world around them. If one focuses on limited scriptures and does not understand the scriptures in a broader sense, Christian growth is stunted and our views become unbalanced. There must have been many times in Jesus' ministry that he grieved the populace' lack of understanding. None could have been more painful than the Pharisees charge that he cast out demons in the name of Satan.

The Pharisees had not been with Jesus in the wilderness those forty days while he battled with the enemy. The Pharisees also lacked the spiritual discernment to sense the demonic powers that were motivating them or to see what fear the demons had in the presence of Jesus. Jesus did have the discernment to understand what was happening in the spirit realm and to see what the Pharisees had written in their hearts. The ministry of Jesus is alive and well today, as is the continued line of the Pharisees, which still does not as a community understand the mission.

It is interesting to note that Jesus was very condemning of those who were adamant about the fulfilling of the letter of the law but completely blind when it came to figuring out the spirit of the law. The conflict between law and grace has kept the minds of theologians occupied for the last two thousand years. While obedience to the will of God is a mandatory prerequisite for moving under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Jesus made it amply clear that obedience to the will of God, and blind obedience to letter of the law, can be in complete conflict. Whenever the traditions of men become more important than the sensitivity to the Spirit of God, the church is need of a major revival.

Today we often see the dictates of the denomination, or that of the lead pastor, take president over the movement of the Holy Spirit. It is fascinating how the modern day Pharisees come out at such a time. Demons are given rights over men through sin. Demons are very legalistic, and like their leader, are very well versed in their rights under the law. Unless sin is recanted, the demons have the legal right to occupy the place given them. For example, no amount of shouting, or name calling, will result in a spirit of lust leaving, if the person in question refuses to confess their sin and change their lifestyle. (Horrobin 100)

Someone once wrote that those who fail to study history are bound to repeat it. The Pharisees thought they were doing the work of God. However, they were so caught up in following their vision they couldn't see the movement of God when it was happening right under their nose. Today, we see the church fractured, and much of it succumbing to the views of the post-modern world. Like the Pharisees in the time of Jesus they put doctrine, and world-views, ahead of the movement of God, and wonder why interest in church is falling. History has not been kind to the Pharisees. One has to wonder how the children of God will view the twenty first century American church two thousand years from now.

HONKY TONK TO HALO

ANOINTING FOR THE SECULAR MUSICIAN IN YOUR WORSHIP TEAM

By: Paul Jay Estro
Published: September 18, 2009 10:53 AM EST
Originally Published: C. 2007

The recent explosion in the number of churches and Christian fellowships that have accepted contemporary worship music as a vital part of their ministry creates an interesting dilemma for those concerned with anointing during worship. As worship groups grow so does the number of musicians playing in these groups whose background is secular performance. While it is exciting to see so many musicians wanting to play for the kingdom of God, too many times the music and fellowship falls short of bringing forth an outpouring of anointing from the Holy Spirit. There is a litany of reasons as to why this may happen, but two major contributors are the failure of the worship leader to focus on this issue during practice, and the number of people involved in the worship team who are not experienced in what it means to actually use their music as a tool of worship.

Worship is an act of fellowship between creation and creator that is both honoring and giving reverence to God for his glory. We enter into worship by humbling ourselves and subjugating ourselves to his awesome presence while giving God all the glory and praise. In John 4:23 Jesus instructs us to worship in spirit and truth. This worship brings forth an anointing that is an imbuement of spiritual power. In order for the Holy Spirit to come forth, the worship team needs to understand how to submit to the power of the anointing and to let the Holy Spirit take control. The worship team needs to be continually focused on who God is, and why they are up there to begin with.

This creates a problem because many of secular trained musicians do not have solid conceptual understanding of how this process works. In secular music the band feeds off of itself to create adrenaline charged energy. This creative energy is picked up on by the crowd, and the crowd then feeds this energy back to the band through their exuberance. This ping-pong effect creates a synergism of excitement and egotism, which in turn creates more energy for the band, and the crowd, and all expand on an emotional high that keeps growing. If this attitude is brought to the worship service then worship simply becomes secular entertainment in a church setting. This entertainment and energy takes the place of the anointing that should be flowing from the Holy Spirit. As the worship team becomes the focal point of the event, the adrenaline rush of the moment usurps the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Worship of God now becomes worship of music.

Now, I do not want to put God in a box. God can certainly use a highly talented set of entertainers to anoint his kingdom, but in general "entertainment" should not substitute for worship. As commercial contemporary Christian music has grown into a mainstream form of entertainment more and more worship teams have emulated the production techniques and style. I have heard too many bean counters and church leaders explain away the necessity for pure anointed worship by discounting the need for pure worship in the name of numbers. If it ("it" being high quality entertainment) brings people into church then "it" has worked and the church body can then work from there to bring them to Christ.

In the desire to produce the finest commercial entertainment available many churches are spending a small fortune on state of the art sound systems to have the best sound in town. This coupled with jumbo video monitors, expansive light shows and other electronic bells and whistles have turned sanctuaries into concert theaters. Some churches have even gone as far to hire secular musicians whose personal lives are an abomination, but accept them because they are quality players who can excite the crowd with their showmanship. It seems that soon some churches will be selling tickets to the Sunday service and having bouncers scanning the crowd to make sure no one is illegally taping. This seems a sad but logical next step if churches are going to hire secular musicians only for their talents and turn the Alter into a stage show that can rival the nightclubs down the street. The worship team needs to be in sync with the Holy Spirit and the church leadership needs to stop worrying about trying to sell In Sync for the churched.

If the worship team is focused where they should be, the Holy Spirit pours the anointing down onto the worship team. The team then needs to let this anointing flow through them and their music to the congregation. The congregation then takes this anointing and lifts it in worship to the Holy Spirit. At the same time, the Holy Spirit is pouring out the anointing on the congregation, which in turn naturally flows it back to the band as the focal point in the physical realm as they lift their thoughts and hearts to God. The band then accepts this anointing naturally and needs to allow it to flow back to the Holy Spirit that is pouring the anointing out to them, thus finishing the path, worshiping in spirit and truth while laying ego to rest.

While this seems like a simple and natural concept to a mature Christian, it is a very difficult task to explain to a secular musician who is focused on playing their instrument and the excitement created by the band atmosphere. Too many times the flow of the anointing never makes it to the stage because the musicians are feeding on the natural energy created by the playing of the music and the Holy Spirit never enters into the mix. If some of the musicians do accept the anointing of the Holy Spirit they enter into worship and send the anointing right back up. We see this usually as eyes closed, hands raised, a winsome smile, and a complete oblivion to the world around them.

This honest and pure worship between creation and the creator is what worship is all about, but as a worship team member you have to move past this at times and lead the rest of the people into worship. As a worship team, it is not about you, it is about anointing the Holy Spirit on everyone involved in the time of worship. Most worship teams these days have a plethora of singers standing around. These are the ones who should be constantly lifting the others in prayer and praying for those in the congregation who are standing in need. Whenever a member of the team is able, or the arrangement of the music lets them, they should be interceding on behalf of the others.

Now, I am sure I could wax poetic and weave a cacophony of scripture verses to make my point, but the fact is that the New Testament does not address musicianship in worship. Scripture tells us that worship is so important to God that it is going on in the Throne Room all the time. We know that Jesus sang a hymn at the last supper, but the Bible does not tell us how many band members where present at the time or how many monitor mixes they had. But, we know from fact that music does aid in worship and is a useful tool to bring us into fellowship with God.

Jesus didn't need to explain this in great detail to his disciples because he led by example and rightly assumed the Holy Spirit would lead them where they needed to be after his resurrection. The pure anointing of the Holy Spirit will come when we enter in with spirit and truth. It is getting this pure anointing flowing that can create issues in the contemporary worship service. The Bible says we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, so we must simply focus on God to start the process.

I have seen Pastors try to pray the anointing from the edge of the stage on to the congregation. I have seen the musicians use wireless connections to enter into the congregation to try and loosen the anointing, and I have seen a myriad of other ideas played out to little or no avail to try and compensate for the failure of the worship team to allow the flow of the anointing from heaven, through them, into the congregation. If that part of the flow is allowed to work, the rest of the described flow will naturally fall into place. If this isn't happening then the worship team is failing in their duty and the leaders need to address this.

Be forewarned, it is not an easy task. We need to be gentle to secular musicians trying to find their way in Christ. Remember, God is full of mercy and grace to the new believer. Also, remember that most musicians have a very frail ego and asking them to step outside their comfort zone requires a great deal of patience and prayer. There is a wholeness process that comes with being a Christian and we need to be careful not to add injury to insult as we work in this area of one's life. As a general rule, secular musicians change bands at the drop of a hat. If the going gets tough, they just find another place to play. Unfortunately that place may be the Honky Tonk down the street.

I spent twenty years as a Honky Tonk musician. I had a very simple concept for making a living doing this. I was always in three bands at once, the band I was leaving, the band I was in, and the band I was joining. This always assured a steady stream of jobs, and it always meant a large circle of friends for emotional and moral support. It also meant if I took issue with somebody I could just leave. Barroom friendships are a dime a dozen, and if you have buying cash the price drops dramatically. I'm sad to report that some Christians have adopted this practice and taken it to a new art.

The one constant in the local bar scene is that bands change members rapidly. It is the nature of the beast and instability in the musician's lives is the lead role. Musicians tend to never grow up. It is a life of immaturity and reckless abandon. It is also a great excuse to spend countless hours on a barstool. Most musicians see their career as their marriage partner, so relationships are all secondary, cumbersome and merely a steppingstone to something better.

The difference between life in the bar scene and a life in Christ Jesus is figuratively, and literally, night and day. Unfortunately the differences in the human heart are not always so far apart. Christians do NOT have a monopoly on ethics, morals and virtue. In fact, many of the people who spend their lives populating a bar stool are not bad people. They are just lost, lonely, and/or a little misguided. I know Christians do not want to hear this, but just because someone is not a Christian does not automatically mean they are immoral, unethical or criminal. While many people who live their lives in darkness are crooked, under handed, and conniving, so are some so-called Christians I've met. Please be careful not to judge, lest ye be judged.

It is important to realize that what is different between Honky Tonk stages and churches is that while one group has no place to put their trust, one trusts in a place they have never seen. Hope to a person living on a barstool is that roll of the dice that something positive will happen in the near future and they must rely purely on chance to secure the outcome. Hope to a Christian is a never ending trust in an unseen God that assures that all trials will lead to refining of self that makes us stronger and ready for the next task God has placed before us. That is a tough concept for someone to grasp when their whole life is a daily escape from themselves with nothing but past broken promises and a glass to hold on to.

In twenty years of living in a bar room I found very few people I could ever truly believe in. To ask someone to put heart and trust into an unseen God takes time. The only way to accomplish this goal is to lead by example just like Jesus did. You can not condemn someone if they are hesitant to do this, and the last thing you want to do is leave the poor soul alone with no one to talk to except the devil whispering in their ear. This is the problem with too many evangelists. You can't tell someone to put down their way of life, pick up the cross, and spend six and a half days a week alone with their thoughts. The devil will have a hay day in that fertile ground. The bars, at least where I live, are open from 7am to 3 am six days a week noon to 2am on Sundays. Any time I needed someone to talk to, or a place to go, the bar was always there. When the bars closed, the parking lot was still open.

Once I got grounded in Christianity, I could not believe how I ever had the time to spend so much time in the bar. In reflection, I still don't know where all that time went. Not having a life does afford you much time to waste. Humans are also creatures of habit. When the road starts to get rough, the first thing we do if we have no God to hold on to, is resort back to what we did in the past. The Honky Tonk to a nonbeliever is a lifeboat of safety. It is a place to hide from the storms of life. If someone starts rocking the boat there are dozens of others boats along side to jump into.

A life in Christ demands that you get out of the boat and walk on faith. The people in the boat are there to support you, but ultimately you must walk out of the boat and rise above the sea of life. You do this by placing your life in the hands of Christ. Too many Christians have found safety in the boat. We must lift each other up and continually walk towards the future Christ has for us. When we take someone new into the boat we have to lead by example how to walk out on faith and be there when they start to stumble, just like Christ did with Peter.

So, here I am a new creature in Christ, longing for companionship and to learn more of the word, and I have no place to do it. I've got a bunch of so called "old friends" trying every trick in the book to get me to hang with them, and none of my new friends to talk to. My Christian friends are all busy working, being good husbands, wives and servants. This is important, but God demands that we not lose even one in the flock. If we make time for God's creatures, God will assure us that we have enough time left over for ourselves.

I worked very hard to find places to get into the word and discovered, by God's grace, that being any where around a nightclub was very depressing. There was a lot of talk, but no one seemed to have the peace of mind my new friends had. There was a lot more laughter in the darkness, but the laughter in the light was much more sincere and the company much more fulfilling. I also learned some valuable lessons between true Christianity and those who can't walk the walk. I think this is what Jesus meant when, in Matthew 7:21 he said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord; will enter the kingdom of heaven."(NASB)

I also learned that Sunday morning church services are not the best place to minister to those who need help in their walk. Small group fellowship is a much more intimate place to teach and to mature. This small group setting is also one very familiar to the barroom musician. Therefore the band becomes the fellowship, the family, and the center, so it is very natural for a musician to find great comfort in the worship team, practice and public performance.

It is also very natural for the musician to pack up his bags and disappear if they feel abandoned or unduly pressured. Use all opportunities to minister and lead by example. It is important to have patience and to point out through the word Biblical principles for leading your life. This will be a practice that takes some time getting them used to. When someone sins against you in the darkness you take it outside or you right him off. Turning the other cheek and gently trying to correct them is not an option. Deflating the musicians ego is another task that will take time, mercy, and grace. Pride may be a sin, but it is often the only defense an old barroom musician may have against the pain of a wasted life. It is also a standard tool of the trade in the Bar band business. The Bible tells us 1Peter 4:8 that love covers a multitude of sins.

Music is a great ministry tool. Using this ministry to work on the wholeness process in secular musicians is a natural. It is very important however that we do not fall into the trap of sacrificing true worship to accommodate their temporary shortfalls. As worship leader, one must be patient but diligent and keep one's eye on the prize while understanding it can be a tough and rocky road. But, through prayer, grace and mercy God's glory will shine.