ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with the cognitive mechanisms that underlie the theory and practice of magic cross-culturally, arguing for the usefulness of the concept of magic in studying biblical materials and testing the theory on passages from the New Testament. Magic is based on the elementary learning mechanism of superstitious conditioning, gains support from implicit and explicit cognitive processes, and interacts with miracle traditions. The last component was especially strong in earliest Christianity, where stories about the miracles of Jesus and the apostles were accompanied by evidence of and encouragement for performing miracles by both experts and ordinary members of the movement. In the New Testament, an important point in case is the power of God as communicated by the Holy Spirit, the name of Jesus, and other means. In the ancient theory of magic, the mediation of divine assistance was formalized in the concept of the parhedros. The parhedros was a figure of supernatural assistant who collaborated with the magician.
