Madness

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

Madness —It is somewhat remarkable that the OT ideas about madness should differ so much from those of the Gospels. In the OT madness is due to the influence of a spirit from God ( 1 Samuel 16:14;  1 Samuel 18:10), in the Gospels to a demon; in the OT it is conceived of as being closely connected with the ‘spirit of prophecy’ (which likewise came from God); this is clear from such passages as  1 Samuel 10:6;  1 Samuel 10:10-13;  1 Samuel 19:23-24,  Hosea 9:7,  2 Kings 9:11,  Jeremiah 29:26; there is no sign of this in the Gospels.* [Note: See, however,  Acts 16:16 ff.] It was, no doubt, owing to the belief that madness was a sign of the indwelling of a spirit from God that a madman was looked upon (in the OT) as, in some sense, sacred;† [Note: This is still the case in the East.] in the Gospels the reverse of this seems to be the case, if one regards the demoniac described in  Luke 8:26-39 as a madman [see Demon].

There are very few references to madness in the Gospels; in  Luke 6:11 the word ἄνοια is used (the (Revised Version margin) renders it ‘foolishness’), its meaning is certainly nearer to ‘foolishness’ than to the modern notion of madness; perhaps its meaning is best expressed by the German ausser sieh , lit. ‘outside of oneself,’ resulting in a temporary loss of mental balance; in  2 Timothy 3:9 the same word is translated ‘folly,’ which, taken with the words ‘corrupted in mind’ in the preceding verse, brings out the sense more fully. Another expression, used in  Matthew 4:24;  Matthew 17:15, is σεληνιάζεσθαι ‘to be lunatic,’ or ‘moonstruck,’* [Note: Macalister (in Hastings’ DB iii. 328a) quotes Vicary, who says of the brain that ‘it moueth and followeth the mouing of the Moone: for in the waxing of the Moone, the Brayne followeth upwardes: and in the wane of the Moone the Brayne discendeth downwardes, and vanishes in substance of vertue …’; according to the Jewish conception, which connects epilepsy with demoniacal possession ( Matthew 17:18), the light of the moon drove demons away. [See Demon].] but from the context in the second passage there can be no doubt that this was epilepsy. Neither of these expressions answers to modern ideas of madness. There is, however, one other word (μαἰνεσθαι,  John 10:20) which seems to correspond with what would be understood by madness nowadays, viz. to be bereft of reason; in the passage in question it is certainly used in this sense; at the same time it must be remembered that μαίνεσθαι is connected with μαντεὐεσθαι, which implies possession by some supernatural being.† [Note: See Trench, Synonyms of the NT11, pp. 21, 22, cf.  Acts 16:16-18.] The same word, as well as μανία, is used in  Acts 26:24-25, where ἀλήθεια and σωφροσύνη are placed in opposition to it, which confirms the meaning implied in  John 10:20.‡ [Note: A somewhat similar meaning belongs to παραφρονῶν in  2 Corinthians 11:23 and ταραφρονια in  2 Peter 2:16.] [See, further, Demon, Lunatic].

On two occasions in the Gospels we find madness or insanity definitely attributed to our Lord Himself. Once by His own friends, among whom, apparently, His mother and brethren were included ( Mark 3:21, cf.  Mark 3:31). We read that ‘they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself’ (ἐξέστη). Commentators are for the most part agreed that in this passage ἐξέστη denotes insanity, or at least a mental excitement bordering upon it (cf. a similar use of the word by St. Paul,  2 Corinthians 5:13). The other occasion is that already referred to, when, according to St. John, certain of ‘the Jews’ said of Jesus, ‘He hath a devil, and is mad’ (δαιμόνιον ἔχει καὶ μαίνεται,  John 10:20). In this case the madness is evidently ascribed to Satanic possession, and is not regarded merely as a derangement due to overwork and excitement. It is worth noting, however, that μαίνομαι is applied to St. Paul in a less offensive way (μαίνῃ,  Acts 26:24) by Festus. Authorized Version renders, ‘Thou art beside thyself,’ which Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 consistently changes into, ‘Thou art mad,’ to correspond with ‘I am not mad (οὐ μαίνομαι), most excellent Festus,’ in the next verse. The charge of madness brought against Jesus is characteristic and significant, and has many parallels in the history of Christ’s followers in the early (cf.  Acts 2:13 as well as  Acts 26:24-25,  2 Corinthians 5:13) and in the later Church. It is an illustration of the inability of the natural man to receive the things of the Spirit of God ( 2 Corinthians 2:14; cf.  John 15:18;  John 17:16).

W. O. E. Oesterley and J. C. Lambert.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Deuteronomy 28:34 1 Corinthians 14:23 Ecclesiastes 1:17 2:12 Luke 6:11 Ecclesiastes 7:25 9:3 2 Peter 2:16 1 Samuel 21:13

Smith's Bible Dictionary

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,  John 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.

King James Dictionary

MAD'NESS, n. from mad. Distraction a state of disordered reason or intellect, in which the patient raves or is furious.

There are degrees of madness as of folly.

1. Extreme folly headstrong passion and rashness that act in opposition to reason as the madness of a mob. 2. Wildness of passion fury rage as the madness of despair.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( a.) The condition of being mad; insanity; lunacy.

(2): ( a.) Frenzy; ungovernable rage; extreme folly.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

The words rendered by "mad," "madman," "madness," etc., in the A. Vers., vary considerably in the Hebrew of the O.T. In  Deuteronomy 28:28;  Deuteronomy 28:34;  1 Samuel 21:13-15, etc. ( Μανία , etc., in the Sept.), they are derivatives of the root שָׁגִע , shaga', "to be stirred or excited;" in  Jeremiah 25:16; Jeremiah 1, 38;  Jeremiah 51:7;  Ecclesiastes 1:17, etc. (Sept. Περιφορά ), from the root הָלִל , Hal', "to flash out," applied (like the Greek Φλέγειν ) either to light or sound; in  Isaiah 44:25, from סִכּל , Sakkel', "to make void or foolish" (Sept. Μωραίνειν ) ; in  Zechariah 12:4, from תָּמִתּ , Tamah', "to wander" (Sept. Ἔκστασις ) . In the N.T. they are generally used to render Μαίνεσθαι or Μανία (as in  John 10:20;  Acts 26:24;  1 Corinthians 14:23); but in  2 Peter 2:16 the word is Παραφρονία , and in  Luke 6:11, Ἄνοια The term is used in Scripture in its proper and old sense of a raving maniac or demented person ( Deuteronomy 28:34;  1 Samuel 21:13;  John 10:20;  1 Corinthians 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,  John 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,  Acts 26:24-25; from startling intelligence,  Acts 12:15; from preternatural excitement,  Hosea 9:7;  Isaiah 44:25; from resistance of oppression,  Ecclesiastes 7:7; from inebriety,  Jeremiah 25:16;  Jeremiah 51:7; or simple fatuity,  2 Kings 9:11;  Jeremiah 29:26), or from irregular and furious passion (e.g. as a persecutor,  Acts 26:11;  Psalms 102:8; from idolatrous hallucination, Jeremiah 1, 38; or wicked and extravagant jollity,  Ecclesiastes 2:2). In like manner, "madness" expresses not only proper insanity ( Deuteronomy 28:28, and so "madman,"  1 Samuel 21:15;  Proverbs 26:18). but also a reckless state of mind ( Ecclesiastes 10:13), bordering on delirium ( Zechariah 12:4), whether induced by overstrained intellectual efforts ( Ecclesiastes 1:17;  Ecclesiastes 2:12), from blind rage ( Luke 6:12), or the effect of depraved tempers ( Ecclesiastes 7:25;  Ecclesiastes 9:3;  2 Peter 2:6). David's madness ( 1 Samuel 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  1 Kings 18:26;  1 Kings 18:28), and (occasionally) of real inspiration (see  1 Samuel 19:21-24; comp. the application of ‘ mad fellow' in  2 Kings 9:11, and see  Jeremiah 29:26;  Acts 2:13)."