Not 'Teachings BY Demons', but 'Teachings OF (i.e. ABOUT) Demons'

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Not 'Teachings BY Demons', but 'Teachings OF (i.e. ABOUT) Demons'

Forum: Theological Expressions
Re:

New Testament Teaching VS. The Traditions of Men (CH)
Re:

Even clearer scripture teachings about "traditions of RC church" (edmund)
Date: 2001, Apr 24
From: Protestant

Edmund,
1 Timothy 4:1 speaks of 'doctrines OF devils' (KJV, emphasis added). No doubt 'devils' is translated in many English versions 'demons' (as it is indeed 'daimonion' = 'demon' rather than 'diabolos' = 'devil' in the Greek). However the conjunction cannot but be 'OF' i.e. 'ABOUT' or 'CONCERNING'.
What are these 'doctrines OF devils (or 'demons,' to be precise)'? Demons were messengers and intermediaries between the Immortal Supreme Being or Beings (they could not quite figure out whether the Deity was One or Many) and mortal man in pagan belief in Paul's time. Demons were generally men who were promoted by their fellow-men to semi-godhood upon death, having lived a reputedly virtuous life. For example, the Greek patheon of gods were technically demons, as are our ancestors in Chinese ancestral worship. Most pertinently, the saints who interpose between sinful man and holy God according to Roman Catholic doctrine i.e. the Virgin Mary and all the saints canonised by the Pope, are demons.
Paul talks about demons in 1 Corinthians chapter 8. He speaks of 'gods many, and lords many' as follows (emphasis added):

8:5 For though THERE BE THAT ARE CALLED GODS, whether in heaven or in earth, (as THERE BE GODS MANY, AND LORDS MANY,) 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

The 'lords' here spoken of are the demons of paganism and the demons of 1 Timothy 4:1. The 'gods' are the immortal supreme beings, to whom mortal man had access only via the 'lords'.
Moreover, in chapter 17 of the Book of The Acts, it is written (emphasis added):

17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw THE CITY WHOLLY GIVEN TO IDOLATRY. 17:17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 17:18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, HE SEEMETH TO BE A SETTER FORTH OF STRANGE GODS: BECAUSE HE PREACHED UNTO THEM JESUS, AND THE RESURRECTION. 17:19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? 17:20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. 17:21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.) 17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I PERCEIVE THAT IN ALL THINGS YE ARE TOO SUPERSTITIOUS.

Paul seemed to the Athenians to be a 'setter forth of strange gods' because 'he preached to them Jesus, and the resurrection.' Bear in mind that demons were well-respected men elevated by their admirers when they died to a position somewhere between sinful man and sinless God, and who consequently possessed powers somewhere between man and God, and by whom only sinful man could approach sinless God.
Verse 22 of Acts 17 is especially instructive. In the Greek, Paul said, "I perceive that in all things ye are too demonolatrous i.e. too full of demons or too full of the idolatrous worship of demons." Paul went on to explain that Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between God and man, and not demons.
The falling away or apostasy spoken of in 1 Timothy 4:1 is Roman Catholicism. The 'doctrines of demons' in that verse are the Romish teachings about saints and how they supposedly interpose between God and man.
I hope the above is useful.