Excision as Exorcism

What is it about?

In the Gospel of Mark 9:43–48 Jesus famously suggests that if your eye, hand or foot leads you to sin, you should remove it. This is a rather extreme saying that is often interpreted as a hyperbole or metaphor. I argue that Jesus's words should be taken more literally. There are several texts from this era that imagine that a body part can be taken over by a demon. This leads to sinfulness. In this context, removing such a demon-infested organ might be the best (and only) course of action to avoid further sinning and ultimate damnation.

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