Though you may be skeptical of the term “exorcism”, the occurrence of people being possessed by demons, and those demons being exorcised was common during the first century. There is not only evidence for it in the Jewish community, but also in the greater Greek world of the time.
Aside from Jesus and the Apostles, the Bible refers to assistants of the religious leaders whose job it was to free people from demonic control (Acts 19). Accounts of demonic oppression and control are found in the Old Testament in the story of Saul (I Kings 4:29-34). Jews had techniques for exorcism as far back as Solomon’s reign.
During the first century, a variety of methods were used for freeing a person of demonic control These methods included rituals, incantations and spells, potions or herbs, and rings or other objects that were thought to have magical qualities. Josephus, the Jewish historian who lived in the first century, said he witnessed an exorcism where a man named Eleazar used a ring containing a magical root to draw out a demon through the nostrils of a demonized person.
Jesus’ exorcisms recorded in the New Testament are much different than the previous examples. He never used magical objects, spells or incantations. When you read an account of Jesus exorcising a demon (see Luke 8:27) there is no sense that the power for doing so is found in specific words or actions. Jesus had the ability to simply command the demons to depart and they immediately submitted. Jesus had the authority of God and no demon could argue, resist or refuse! Jesus passed the power to exorcise demons onto His disciples.
The message was clear: When the power of God was present to battle Satan or demonic powers, righteousness always prevailed, and it still does today.