Sceva ( grc-gre, Σκευᾶς, Skeuas) was a Jew called a "
chief priest" in , although whether he was a chief priest is disputed by some writers. Although there was no high priest in
Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
by this name, some scholars note that it was not uncommon for some members of the Zadokite clan (
Sons of Zadok
The Sons of Zadok ( he, בְּנֵי צָדוֹק ''bǝnê Ṣādōq'') are a family of priests, kohens, descended from Zadok, the first high priest in Solomon's Temple.
The sons of Zadok are mentioned three times in the Hebrew Bible, as part of ...
) to take on an unofficial high-priestly role, which may explain this moniker.
However, it is more likely that he was an itinerant
exorcist
In some religions, an exorcist (from the Greek „ἐξορκιστής“) is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or performs the ridding of demons or other supernatural beings who are alleged to have possessed a person, ...
based on the use of the Greek term ( grc-gre, περιερχομένων, perierchomenōn) "going from place to place" used in in relation to his so-called "sons".
According to the book of
Acts of the Apostles, he had seven sons who attempted to exorcise a demon from a man in the town of
Ephesus by using the name of
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
as an invocation. This practice is similar to the Jewish practice, originating in the
Testament of Solomon
The Testament of Solomon is a pseudepigraphical composite text ascribed to King Solomon but not regarded as canonical scripture by Jews or Christian groups. It was written in the Greek language, based on precedents dating back to the early 1st m ...
, of invoking Angels to cast out demons.
Because of the emphasis on healing and spiritual authority in the ministry of Sceva, it may be accurate to think of him as a
Shaman
Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spir ...
figure for the Jewish communities in which he worked.
References
{{New Testament people
People in Acts of the Apostles
1st-century Jews
Shamans