Demonic possession and Epilepsy

[Pete_1]

The New Testament describes some of those who are sick as having a ‘devil’, what does this mean?

And they brought him. And when he had seen him, immediately the spirit troubled him; and being thrown down upon the ground, he rolled about foaming. (Douay Rheims)

The boys symptoms suggest that he had Epilepsy. However the verse suggests that ‘the spirit’ (i.e a demon) shook the boy (not Epilepsy).

How are we to interpret this?

 

[Verbum]

HI Pete,

Epilepsy was commonly associated with possession. So, where it says in the Bible that someone has a devil, when alluding to epilesy symptoms, we don’t have to think it was necessarily possession.

But there are definite cases of possession in the Bible, where there is no question of epilepsy.

Verbum

 

[MarcoPolo]

As you said, the verse says it was the “spirit” that shook the boy, so if you go by what it says, then the boy was possessed. The symptoms of epilepsy and possession can be similar. One case of either occurrence would not trump any case of the other. But since they are so similar, that’s why Bishops tend to proceed with exorcism one there has been careful medical and psychological examination of the subject.

 

[buffalo]

The excorcist will tell you clues can be found in the eyes.

 

[iaskquestions]

How are we to interpret this?

It was indeed a demon.

(Mark 9:20-25)

And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has he had this?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.”

It rather seems strange to me that the person had an epileptic stroke as soon as he saw Jesus! Jesus himself commanded the demon to come out. So this case was surely an exorcism, not merely the healing of a disease.