Madness

VIEW:17 DATA:01-04-2020

Madness. In Scripture, "madness" is recognized as a derangement proceeding either from weakness and misdirection of intellect or from ungovernable violence of passion. In one passage alone, Joh_10:20, is madness expressly connected with demoniacal possession by the Jews in their cavil against our Lord; in none, is it referred to any physical causes.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863

mad?nes. See MAD, MADNESS.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.

Madness
The words rendered by “mad,” “madman,” “madness,” etc., in the A. Vers., vary considerably in the Hebrew of the O.T. In Deu_28:28; Deu_28:34; 1Sa_21:13-15, etc. (μανία, etc., in the Sept.), they are derivatives of the root שָׁגִע, shaga', “to be stirred or excited;” in Jer_25:16; Jeremiah 1, 38; Jer_51:7; Ecc_1:17, etc. (Sept. περιφορά), from the root הָלִל, hal', “to flash out,” applied (like the Greek φλέγειν) either to light or sound; in Isa_44:25, from סִכּל, sakkel', “to make void or foolish” (Sept. μωραίνειν); in Zec_12:4, from תָּמִתּ, tamah', “to wander” (Sept. ἔκστασις). In the N.T. they are generally used to render μαίνεσθαι or μανία (as in Joh_10:20; Act_26:24; 1Co_14:23); but in 2Pe_2:16 the word is παραφρονία, and in Luk_6:11, ἄνοια The term is used in Scripture in its proper and old sense of a raving maniac or demented person (Deu_28:34; 1Sa_21:13; Joh_10:20; 1Co_14:23), and may be medically defined to be delirium without fever. Our Lord cured by his word several who were deprived of the exercise of their rational powers, and the circumstances of their histories prove that there could neither be mistake nor collusion respecting them. See LUNATIC. How far madness may be allied to, or connected with demoniacal possession (as implied in one passage, Joh_10:20), is a very intricate inquiry; and whether in the present day (as perhaps anciently) evil spirits may not take advantage from distemperature of the bodily frame to augment evils endured by the patient is more than may be affirmed, though the idea seems to be not absolutely repugnant to reason (see Thomson, Land and Book. 1:213). SEE DAEMONIAC.
The term “mad” is likewise applied in Scripture, as in common life, to any subordinate but violent disturbance of the mental faculties, whether springing from a disordered intellect (as by over-study, Act_26:24-25; from startling intelligence, Act_12:15; from preternatural excitement, Hos_9:7; Isa_44:25; from resistance of oppression, Ecc_7:7; from inebriety, Jer_25:16; Jer_51:7; or simple fatuity, 2Ki_9:11; Jer_29:26), or from irregular and furious passion (e.g. as a persecutor, Act_26:11; Psa_102:8; from idolatrous hallucination, Jeremiah 1, 38; or wicked and extravagant jollity, Ecc_2:2). In like manner, “madness” expresses not only proper insanity (Deu_28:28, and so “madman,” 1Sa_21:15; Pro_26:18). but also a reckless state of mind (Ecc_10:13), bordering on delirium (Zec_12:4), whether induced by overstrained intellectual efforts (Ecc_1:17; Ecc_2:12), from blind rage (Luk_6:12), or the effect of depraved tempers (Ecc_7:25; Ecc_9:3; 2Pe_2:6). David's madness (1Sa_21:13) is by many supposed not to have been feigned, but a real epilepsy or falling sickness; and the Sept. uses words which strongly indicate this sense (ἔπιπτεν ἐπὶ τὰς θύρας). It is urged in support of this opinion that the troubles which David underwent might very naturally weaken his constitutional strength, and that the force he suffered in being obliged to seek shelter in a foreign court would disturb his imagination in the highest degree. A due consideration, however, of the context and all the circumstances only serves to strengthen the opinion that it was feigned for obvious reasons (see Kitto's Daily Bible Illustr. ad loc.). “It is well known that among Oriental, as among most semi-civilized nations, madmen were looked upon with a kind of reverence, as possessed of a quasi-sacred character (see Lane, in od E. 2:346). This arises partly, no doubt, from the feeling that one on whom God's hand is laid heavily should be safe from all other harm, but partly also from the belief that the loss of reason and self- control opened the mind to supernatural influence, and gave it therefore a supernatural sacredness. This belief was strengthened by the enthusiastic expression of idolatrous worship (see 1Ki_18:26; 1Ki_18:28), and (occasionally) of real inspiration (see 1Sa_19:21-24; comp. the application of ‘mad fellow' in 2Ki_9:11, and see Jer_29:26; Act_2:13).”

CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.

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