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2 Timothy 3:8

by Don Costello  
10/14/2013 / Bible Studies

2 Timothy 3:8

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

1."Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses"

a. withstood [436 * anthistemi; anti-against; histemi-to stand] [Zodhiates: to stand against, resist, whether in word or deed.]

1). D.C. This is where we get the word 'antihistamine' used in cold remedies.

b. Jannes and Jambres are the magicians of Egypt who used satanic power to resist Moses. Though these two are not named in Exodus, they are mentioned in Jewish tradition. There are only a few instances of Jewish tradition being placed by God's direction within the Scripture. Their being named here is one of them. There are also a bunch of other traditions about these men that cannot be accepted

c. JANNES AND JAMBRES [ISBE]JANNES AND JAMBRES - jan'-ez, jam'-brez (Iannes kai Iambres, 2 Tim 3:8): These are the names of two magicians in ancient Egypt, who withstood Moses before Pharaoh. This is the only place where the names occur in the New Testament, and they are not mentioned in the Old Testament at all. In Ex 7:11,22 Egyptian magicians are spoken of, who were called upon by Pharaoh to oppose Moses and Aaron: "Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers: and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments." Jannes and Jambres were evidently two of the persons referred to in this passage. It should be observed that the word translated here "magicians" occurs also in Gen 41:8 in connection with Pharaoh's dreams: Pharaoh "sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof." the Revised Version margin reads for "magicians" "or sacred scribes." The Hebrew word is charTummim, and means sacred scribes who were skilled in the sacred writing, that is in the hieroglyphics; they were a variety of Egyptian priests. Jannes and Jambres were doubtless members of one or other of the various classes spoken of in the passages in Exodus and Genesis, the wise men, the sorcerers, and the magicians or sacred scribes. http://topicalbible.org/j/jannes.htm

1). Exodus 7:8-13 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

2). Exodus 7:19-22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.
And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

3). Exodus 8:5-7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.
And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

4). Exodus 8:16-18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.

d. The giving of the names of these two magicians is an example where a Jewish tradition was included into the inspired cannon of Scripture.

1). Names of two legendary wizards of Pharaoh "who withstood Moses" (II Tim. iii. 8) by imitating "with their enchantments" the works of Moses and Aaron, though they were defeated (Ex. vii. 11, viii. 7). According to rabbinical tradition they were the two chiefs of the magicians at the court of Pharaoh who foretold the birth of Moses, "the destroyer of the land of Egypt," thereby causing the cruel edicts of Pharaoh (Soṭah 11a; Sanh. 106a). They said to Moses when he performed his miracles with the water and the rod: "Dost thou wish to introduce magic into Egypt, the native land of the magic art?" (Men. 85a). http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8513-jannes-and-jambres

a). Most of the Jewish and other cultural literature concerning these two individuals is completely farfetched and would be rightly classified not worthy of believing, but nevertheless, the basic tradition of their names were included by Paul into the Scripture.

2. "so do these also resist the truth"

b. resist [436 * anthistemi; anti-against; histemi-to stand] [D.C. This is where we get the word 'antihistemine' used in cold remedies for sneezing and runny nose]. [Zodhiates: to stand against, resist, whether in word or deed.] [The Greek word for "withstood" in this verse is the same Greek word. See above.

c. truth[225 * aletheia] [Zodhiates: Truth, reality; the unveiled reality lying at the basis of and agreeing with an appearance; the manifested, the veritable essence of matter.]

d. Jannes and Jambres used satanic miracles to withstand Moses in Exodus, and Paul writes to Timothy and to us that it will be the same with these false teachers. My personal opinion is the complete fulfillment of this will be during the Tribulation period, but also that a partial fulfillment has and is being fulfilled during the whole period of the "last days", the church age. I say that in light of the fact there are many examples in the church world today, of so called believers who are resisting the truth of God's word. The resisting is being done by pretending Christians, those men (and probably women), in the church who have a form of godliness but deny the power of God or godliness. They teach demonic doctrines causing people to be led astray, doctrines that attack the integrity of God's word and attack the profitability of living a life of godliness, doctrines that attack the truth and reliability of the Gospel. Note for example the use of the Greek word for "withstood" in the Book of Acts.

1). Acts 13:8 "But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith."

2). The word used for the phrase "to turn away" is 'diastrepho' (1294), and it means to turn or twist throughout, to distort, pervert." I am inclined to believe that though the false prophet was a sorcerer, his means of turning away the deputy from the faith was to pervert and twist the gospel message.

2. "men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith."

a. This is another implication that these individuals will be within the church world (and I use that term loosely); their minds are corrupt, but they are to be rejected concerning the faith.

b. corrupt [2704 * kataphtheiro; kata-intensive; phtheiro-to corrupt, destroy] [Zodhiates: to spoil utterly, lay waste. Referring to the mind in a moral sense, to deprave.]

c. reprobate [96 * adokimos; a-without; dokimos-acceptable] [Zodhiates: unapproved, unworthy, spurious]. [D.C. Unacceptable, to be rejected.]

d. An applicable verse regarding demonic doctrine is found in first letter to Timothy.

1). 1 Timothy 4:1-3 "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter days, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

a). Though only two of those doctrines are mentioned in particular, forbidding to marry (celebate priesthood: Catholic), and commanding to abstain from meats (can't eat meat on Fridays: Catholic), there will be others implied in the preceding verses.

b). There are at this time more than a few doctrines of devils in the church and I believe that these will be some of the means these individuals will use to attempt to destroy the church, but they will only be able to persuade those who are willingly ignorant of the Word to the point they are neglecting their own responsibility to seek a deeper relationship with God, blindly following and being obedient to these pretenders to the faith.

e. faith [4102 * pistis] [Vines: The main elements in faith in its relation to the invisible Godare brought out in the use of this noun and corresponding verb, pisteuo, (1) a firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgement of God's revelation or truth;(2) a personal surrender to Him; (3) a conduct inspired by such surrender.]

f. Perhaps in these elements they are to be rejected. I am fully persuaded that in all of these elements of faith, examples can be found in Scripture where failure to believe them leads to gross error.

My name is Don Costello. Ever since I received Christ in November of 1976 I have had a passion to study and know God's word.My wife Melissa and I have 5 children.

My e-mail address is [email protected]

I have a blog located at:
www.theophilus-loverofgodsword.blogspot.com/

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