Galatians – Chapter Five XXVIII

by Ed Urzi

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are… idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies” (Galatians 5:19-20).

Idolatry is the next item that appears on the list of behaviors associated with the works of the flesh here in Galatians 5:19-20. Although we often identify idolatry with the worship of false gods, an idol can be anything that takes the place of God in someone’s life. For instance, an idol can take the form of a person, a cause, a material object, or anything we love, fear, or depend on more than God. Once something becomes more important than God, that thing (whatever it is) effectively becomes our “god.”

Next comes sorcery. While sorcery is typically associated with witchcraft or the magical arts, this word can also refer to the use or administering of drugs. You see, the word “sorcery” is derived from the word pharmakeia in the original language of this passage. If this word seems familiar, it may be due to the fact that pharmakeia serves as the basis of modern-day words like “pharmacy” or “pharmaceutical.”

Unlike a modern-day pharmacy where medicinal compounds are prescribed by doctors and dispensed to heal the sick and injured, the context of this passage involves the use of drugs to serve an occultic purpose or achieve an altered state of consciousness. If we drill further into the meaning of this word, we come upon the following definition…

“In ‘sorcery,’ the use of drugs, whether simple or potent, was generally accompanied by incantations and appeals to occult powers, with the provision of various charms, amulets, etc., professedly designed to keep the applicant or patient from the attention and power of demons, but actually to impress the applicant with the mysterious resources and powers of the sorcerer” (1)

Its also significant to note that there are only two other New Testament appearances of this word; both are found within the book of book of Revelation…

“And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Revelation 9:21).

“The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived” (Revelation 18:23).

So this passage tells us that any religion, philosophy, or spiritual teaching that features occultic practices or the use of drugs to achieve an altered state of consciousness has its origin in the flesh and therefore cannot be of God.

(1) pharmakia (or —eia) (G5331) Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for ‘Sorcery’. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/ved/s/sorcery.html. 1940.