Lexical Summary puthón: Python, spirit of divination Original Word: πύθων Strong's Exhaustive Concordance divination. From Putho (the name of the region where Delphi, the seat of the famous oracle, was located); a Python, i.e. (by analogy, with the supposed diviner there) inspiration (soothsaying) -- divination. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Puthó (Pytho, an area of Greece) Definition Python, a mythical serpent slain by Apollo, divination NASB Translation divination (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4436: ΠυθώνΠυθών, Πύθωνος, ὁ, Python; 1. in Greek mythology the name of the Pythian serpent or dragon that dwelt in the region of Pytho at the foot of Parnassus in Phocis, and was said to have guarded the oracle of Delphi and been slain by Apollo. 2. equivalent to δαιμόνιον μαντικον (Hesychius, under the word), a spirit of divination: πνεῦμα Πύθωνος, or more correctly (with L T Tr WH) πνεῦμα πύθωνα (on the union of two substantives one of which has the force of an adjective see Matthiae, p. 962, 4; (Kühner, § 405, 1; Lob. Paralip. 344f)), Acts 16:16; some interpreters think that the young woman here mentioned was a ventriloquist, appealing to Plutarch, who tells us (mor., p. 414 e. de def. orac. 9) that in his time ἐγγαστριμυθοι were called πυθωνες; (cf. Meyer). The term refers to an oracular or ventriloquizing spirit identified in the Greco-Roman world with the mythical Python of Delphi, the serpent slain by Apollo. By New Testament times it had become a general label for a possessing entity that enabled fortune-telling, especially through slaves who generated profit for their owners. Biblical Occurrence: Acts 16:16 “One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a great deal of money for her masters by fortune-telling.” (Acts 16:16) Historical and Cultural Context Philippi was a Roman colony steeped in pagan practices. Oracles of Delphi were widely respected, and traveling ventriloquists capitalized on that reputation. Possession by a “Python-spirit” was therefore both religiously prestigious and economically lucrative. Luke’s inclusion of this incident exposes the clash between first-century Christianity and the entrenched occult economy of the empire. Old Testament Parallels and Warnings The Law strictly forbids every form of divination (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-12). Saul’s tragic consultation of the medium at Endor (1 Samuel 28:7-20) illustrates the spiritual peril and civil consequences of seeking guidance from the dead. Prophets consistently denounce sorcery as covenant infidelity (Isaiah 8:19). The appearance of the Python-spirit in Acts continues this biblical trajectory: God’s people must reject occult counsel and proclaim true revelation in Christ. Theological Significance 1. Christ’s Supremacy: The immediate expulsion of the spirit under Christ’s name testifies to His absolute authority over the unseen realm (Colossians 2:15; Luke 10:19). Implications for Ministry and Discipleship • Discernment: Not every supernatural manifestation is of God; testing the spirits remains vital (1 John 4:1). Comparative Biblical Teaching • Magi at Ephesus (Acts 19:18-20) burned occult books, showing repentance must sever all links to divination. Applications and Warnings 1. Reject every allure of fortune-telling, astrology, and occult games; they open doors to deception. Related Concepts and Further Study Divination (μαντεία), Sorcery (φαρμακεία), Familiar Spirit (ὀβ) in Old Testament, Authority of Jesus’ Name, Deliverance Ministry, Spiritual Gifts of Discernment. |
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