Sceva

SCEVA, chief of the Priests; that is to say, either Chief of the Synagogue at Ephesus, according to some, or rather, Chief of one of the Twenty-four Sacerdotal Families, who waited each in their Turn in the Temple at Jerusalem. Lastly, they gave the Name of Chief of the Priests to the High-Priests that were deposed, and were Joseph. Antiq. l. 17. c. 15.no longer in Office. Josephus speaks of the High-Priest Jesus the Son of Siah, who lived nine or ten Years after the Birth of Jesus Christ. The same Author speaks also in another Place¹, of another Priest called Jesus the Son of Sapha, or Saphia, who had a great Share in the Affairs of the Jews, during their last War against the Romans. This might be the Son of the one or the other of these Priests, who went from City to City, as several other Jews did, to exorcise those that were possessed. These Exorcists being at Ephesus, pretended to invoke the Name of Jesus over those that were possessed; saying, We conjure thee by Jesus whom Paul preaches. But the evil Spirit answered them; Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? And at the same time, he that was possessed, threw himself upon two of these Exorcists, and handled them so rudely, that they were forced to run out of the House naked and wounded.

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