One thing to keep in mind, along with the knowledge given above that not all of those sufferings were considered demonic activity, is the contemporary theology of the writings. Whereas you and I have been raised in a society rife with the notion that life exists after death, many of the first century Jews (the Sadducees being a prime example) did not believe that there was a reward after this life but rather a dry, dusty, non-existence in Sheol. For the Jewish people of much of the old testament, and still a very prevalent thought during Jesus time, rewards happened here and now during our temporal existence. Those who were ‘good’ were rich, wealthy, rewarded. Those who were ‘bad’ were blind, lame, poor, etc.
We still see remnants of this in many of the caste based societies today. The Sacred Scriptures are still first and foremost a journey through the developing theology and philosophy of a people. So we see things in there that often offer a primitive understanding of God, one that becomes more refined, more matured over the centuries; culminating in the full revelation of God through the person of Christ.
