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Drug Abuse in Scripture and Other extra-Biblical Writings

The first teaching from the Early Church which condemned drug abuse appeared from St. Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians in about c. 49-52 CE.

The academics of the Cambridge Greek Testament of 1914 translate the φαρμακία pharmakia at Galatians 5:20 as ‘the use of drugs not as medicine but as media in magic; Vulg. venificia’ and note the ‘striking coincidence’ if nothing more that sorcery was condemned by the Council of Ancyra, the capital of North Galatia in about 314 CE. They point out the connection of such sorcery with the φαρμακεία pharmak(e)ia, the ‘drug magic’ or ‘enchantments’ of Exodus 7:11 al. whereby the Egyptian magicians, [in the translation Greek of the LXX, the φαρμακεύς pharmakéus, literally the ‘drug magicians’, an esoteric priest cult of Pharaohs’ Court] performed there wonders. For the connection of such magic with idolatry see Revelation 9:21 21:8, 22:15’ 18:23.

The same Greek is used of the corresponding Nineveh in the LXX (Nahum 3:4 see ‘Septuagint’ column op.) and of Babylon in the New Testament ‘that repented not of [her] thefts, nor sorceries (φαρμακεία pharmakeia, ‘drug enchantments’) nor fornication πορνείας porn-eias ‘harlotry, pornography, adulteries (spiritual) etc. Revelation 9:21. See also Concordance

The corresponding phrase for φαρμακεία pharmak(e)ia ‘drug magic’ in the ancient Ethiopic version of the Book of Enoch 7:1 (confer En.(G) 8:3 in the Greek fragments) is ‘[and] they [the fallen] taught charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made [men] acquainted with plants’. Although lost to the world for over fifteen-hundred years, it is certain from 2 St. Peter 2:4 and St. Jude 1:6 and other extra-Biblical literature that the ancient Book of Enoch, which delineates φαρμακεία pharmak(e)ia in the literal as a ‘teaching of the fallen’, was well known and quoted as Scripture by the Apostles and the Early Church. This must substantiate a literal interpretation for the φαρμακία pharmakia ‘drug magic’ at Galatians 5:20 and the Didaché (ii, v) etc. as below.

See also eBook chapter Babylon the Great where, along with the metaphoric, the academics of the erudite Expositors Greek Testament also do not dismiss a literal interpretation for the φαρμακεία pharmakeia or ’drug enchantments’ at Revelation 18:23.(Babylon) etc.

Again, in view of the above it must be recognized however that there are times in Scripture and other early literature where the word φαρμακεία pharmak(e)ia and its cognates e.g. φαρμακόν pharmakón ‘a drug’ are used purely in the figurative sense, as for example in the Epistle of St. Ignatius to the Ephesians 1:20 and St. Ignatius to the Trallians v. 6. as below from about c. 97-108 CE.

The second great teaching from the Early Church on drug abuse appears in the ancient Didaché which means literally 'A Teaching'. The document, discovered in 1883 is believed to have been compiled possibly as early as c. 70-100 CE (some maintain c. 80-120) and is believed to be oldest example of Christian Literature beyond the New Testament itself. It originally bore the title The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles and is is recognized, along with the Book of Enoch as one of the most important discoveries of all time.

 ‡ For the use of drugs as medicine in Scripture see

Ecclesiasticus (Apoc.) 38:1-4

* ‘Little child‘ Matthew 18:3 (Cp. St. Mark 9:36). In view of the the timeline as we now have it much doubt is cast on this tradition. Most scholars now place St. Ignatius as Syrian born about 35 CE and probably a convert of St. John the Evangelist. Much of the chronology, including the date of the Epistles themselves is however still much disputed.

† St. Ignatius to the Trallians v.6 Trans. Roberts-Donaldson (1851-1915) slightly adapted & abridged.

Public domain

The Greek text and translation of the Didaché and the Apostolic Fathers in English (Saint Ignatius) can be found at:

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com

Compare for example the Didaché translation of Kirsopp Lake (Chapter 2)

For further info. on texts, translations and citations of drug abuse and related in the Early Church from, among others, the Apostolic Constitutions of 400 CE, Basil's Canons (c.330-379 CE) the Ante-Nicene Fathers and full versification of the LXX Concordance either literal or metaphoric.

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The Septuagint (LXX)

The ‘Bible’ of the Early Church

The Septuagint, or ancient Greek version of the Hebrew Old Testament was the ‘Bible’ of the Early Church. Generally called the LXX this ancient text was translated, or at least completed, from an original Hebrew in Alexandria about 250 BCE. Most Old Testament quotes appearing the New Testament and other early writings are taken from the LXX.

As translation Greek the LXX has undoubtedly preserved traces of the original Sopherim or tradition of the ‘old Scribes’ from Hebrew far older than the ‘transmitted’ text of the later Massoretic. A recension which did not fully appear until at least c. 500-1000 CE

Some scholars maintain that the text of the LXX is at times so literal as to be a virtual ‘Hebrew in disguise’. (NBD p.1298). As such the scholars point out that great care must be take if attempts are made to reconstruct any underlying original where variants in spelling and grammar invariably occur. Special Grammars have been written to facilitate translation of this ancient text .†

‘A Witch to Live’ Exodus 22:18

In view of the above we may note that the academics of the invaluable Grammar of Septuagint Greek (Conybeare/Stock) translate Exodus 22:18 from the LXX (in the English version ‘Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live’) as ‘the medicine-man’ (the Gk. φαρμακούς pharmakoùs) [to survive].

Thus, in line with the elucidation of the Septuagint Grammar p.173, Exodus 22:18 may also translate:

 ‘Thou shalt not suffer the demon of drug abuse to survive’

where ‘to survive, live’ is the Greek περιποιήσετε peripoiésete, ‘to have gain or safe acquiring’. The various περιβιώσετε peribiósete ‘be kept alive’ is marginalized in the Vatican printed text of the Septuaginta Seniorum.

Under the same character the denunciation of the Assyrian capital Nineveh, which fell in 879 BCE may also translate:

‘She [Nineveh] is a fair harlot, (Gk. πόρνη porne) and well-favoured, skilled in sorcery (φαρμάκων pharmákon ‘drug enchantments’) that sells the nations by her fornication, (πορνεία porn-eia ‘harlotry, pornography’) and peoples by her pharmacopoeia (Gk. φαρμάκοις pharmákois ‘charms’ ‘philtres’, ‘love potions’ etc.).

Nahum 3:4 LXX

Confer e.g. The Apostolic Bible (Trans. Van der Pool) Greek/English LXX p.1215

The academic Septuagint Grammar makes it clear, that, as peculiar to Biblical Greek, (GSG p.173) the LXX φαρμακία -εία pharmakia, -eia and cognates, where preserved in the the New Testament and other Early Church literature, have remained virtually unchanged through time and transmission as a literal reflection of an original Hebrew.

Septuagint (LXX /NT) Concordance

Cf. e.g. Babylon the Great Rev 18:23

* Confer (i) New Bible Dictionary,.p.1258. Inter-Varsity Fellowship 1962

† (ii) Grammar of Septuagint Greek F.C. Conybeare & St. George Stock. p.173.

Public domain

For further info. on the Septuagint please visit

The LXX Online

Free Interlinear LXX-Septuagint (Greek Old Testament)

The Codex Sinaiticus Project