Jannes And Jambres

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

These two men are referred to in 2 Timothy 3:8 as having withstood Moses; they are traditionally identified with two leading men among the magicians (Exodus 7:11; Exodus 7:22; cf. Genesis 41:8; Genesis 41:24). They are mentioned in the Gospel of Nicodemus (ch. 5) in the warning given to Pilate by Nicodemus that he should not act towards Jesus as Jannes and Jambres did to Moses. Origen ( c. Cels . iv. 51) says that Numenius (2nd cent, a.d.; probably following Artapanos, an Alexandrian Hellenist of the 2nd cent. b.c.), related the story also; and in his commentary on Matthew 27:9 he says that the reference in 2 Tim. was derived from a ‘secret book’ (perhaps the ‘Liber qui appellatur Paenitentia Jamnae et Mambrae ,’ an apocryphon referred to in the Decretum Gelasianum ), as he suggests was the case with 1 Corinthians 2:9 and Matthew 27:9 itself ( Patr. Graeca , xiii. 1769). Eusebius also quotes Numenius in his Praep. Ev. ix. 8 as relating the story to Jannes and Jambres, two ‘Egyptian scribes’ (cf. חַרְטֻמִים ‘magicians’ above, where the primary meaning is ‘scribes,’ and the secondary ‘magicians’). The Acts of Peter and Paul (Ante-Nicene Christian Library , xvi. [1873] 268) makes the two apostles warn Nero against Simon Magus by the example of Pharaoh, who was drowned in the Red Sea through listening to Jannes and Jambres. The Apost. Const . (viii. 1) compares the action of Jannes and Jambres to that of Annas and Caiaphas. It is possible that the two magicians were identified by hostile Jews with John and Jesus (cf. Levy, Chald. Wörterbuch , p. 337), but the story seems older.

The licentious play of fancy which meets us everywhere in the superstitions about magicians throughout the two centuries before and the two centuries after Christ, is responsible for the variegated and contradictory legends about Jannes and Jambres. They were sons of Balaam, and accompanied him on his journey to Balak; they perished in the Red Sea; they were among the ‘mixed multitude’; they were killed in the matter of the golden calf; they flew up into the air to escape the sword of Phinehas, but were brought down by the power of the Ineffable Name and slain. All these legends are in the style of the Midrash, pious but groundless, and serve only to illustrate the mind of the period in which they rose and took form. Whether the author of 2 Tim. is quoting from oral legend or from an apocryphal work is uncertain. Origen suggests the latter, Theodoret the former. Nor is there any final certainty about the origin and meaning of the names. The first has been identified with Johannes or John, and may have contained an allusive reference to Heb. יָנָה, ‘to oppress’ (cf., further, articles Balaam, Nicolaitans). Jambres occurs in the form Mambres also (the b in both is probably euphonic only), and may have been treated as if from Aram. מַכְרֵא, ‘rebellious’ (cf. the opprobrious מִיו, ‘heretic’). But the polemic use of the two terms as = ‘oppressor’ and ‘rebellious’ does not explain their origin. H. Ewald ( Gesch. des Volkes Israel , 1864-66, i. ii. 128), F. J. Lauth ( Moses der Ebräer , 1869, p. 77), and J. Freudenthal ( Alexander Polyhistor , 1875, p. 173) regard the names as Graeco-Egyptian. In 1 Maccabees 9:36 the ‘children of Jambri’ are mentioned, an Arab tribe, and perhaps not Amorites, but there is no good ground for tracing Jambres to this.

We can only conclude, therefore, that all that is certain about Jannes and Jambres is that they were the names of two men who were believed in the Apostolic Age to have been the leaders of the magicians who withstood Moses, and that they have been made the centre of pious legends and the cause of much critical ingenuity.

W. F. Cobb.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

JANNES AND JAMBRES . In 2 Timothy 3:8 these names are given as those of Moses’ opponents; the Egyptian magicians of Exodus 7:11; Exodus 7:22 are doubtless referred to, though their names are not given in OT. They are traditional, and we find them in the Targumic literature (which, however, is late). Both there and in 2 Timothy 3:8 we find the various reading ‘Mambres’ (or ‘Mamre’). ‘Jannes’ is probably a corruption of ‘Johannes’ (John); ‘Jambres’ is almost certainly derived from a Semitic root meaning ‘to oppose’ (imperfect tense), the participle of which would give ‘Mambres.’ The names were even known to the beathen. Pliny the Elder (a.d. 23 79) mentions ‘Moses, Jamnes (or Jannes), and Jotapes (or Lotapes)’ as Jewish magicians ( Hist. Nat . xxx. 1 ff.); thus ‘Jannes,’ at least, must have been a traditional name before the Christian era. Apuleins ( c [Note: circa, about.] . a.d. 130) in his Apology speaks of Moses and Jannes as magicians; the Pythagorean Numenius (2nd cent. a.d.), according to Origen (c [Note: circa, about.] . Cels . iv. 51), related ‘the account respecting Moses and Jannes and Jambres,’ and Eusebius gives the words of Numenius ( PrÅ“p. Ev . ix. 8). In his Commentary on Matthew 27:8 (known only in a Latin translation), Origen says that St. Paul is quoting from a book called ‘Jannes and Mambres’ ( sic ). But Theodoret ( Com. in loc .) declares that he is merely using the unwritten teaching of the Jews. Jannes and Jambres are also referred to in the Apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus § 5 (4th or 5th cent. in its present form?), and in the Apostolic Constitutions , viii. 1 ( c [Note: circa, about.] . a.d. 375). Later Jewish fancy ran wild on these names; according to some they were Balaam’s sons; according to others they were drowned in the Red Sea; or they were put to death, either for inciting Aaron to make the Golden Calf or at a later stage of the history.

A. J. Maclean.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Two magicians. "Withstood Moses" (2 Timothy 3:8-9). They could "proceed no further," though for a time they simulated Moses' miracles (Exodus 7:11). At last "their folly was manifested unto all," when not only could they no longer rival Moses and send boils but were themselves smitten with boils. So as to the lice, the magicians confessed," this is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:18-19; Exodus 9:11). An or unrra is Egyptian for "scribe." It is the name of a writer in papyri of the reign of Rameses II Jambres may mean "scribe of the S." (Speaker's Commentary, note at end of Exodus 7) The Targum of Jonathan mentions Jannes and Jannes as "chiefs of the magicians." Numenius, a Pythagorean (in Eusebius, Proep. Evang., 9:8) wrote, "Jannes and Jannes were sacred scribes, deemed inferior to none in magic." Paul by inspiration endorses the names given them in secular history, though not mentioned in the inspired Exodus. Pliny (H. N. 30:1) makes Moses, Jamnes, and Jotape, heads of magic factions.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

These are mentioned by Paul as having withstood Moses; to whom he compares those who by imitation were resisting the truth in the church. 2 Timothy 3:8 . Jannes and Jambres were doubtless the leaders of the Egyptian magicians who imitated the first plagues before Pharaoh; but who, when it was a question of the creation of life, had to confess that the finger of God was there. The judgement of God fell upon them also, for they were smitten with the boils and blains. As their folly was manifest in contending with the God of Israel, so shall be the folly of those who oppose the truth.

Holman Bible Dictionary

2 Timothy 3:8Exodus 7:11

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jan´ēz , jam´brēz ( Ἰαννῆς καὶ Ἰαμβρῆς , Iannḗs kaı́ Iambrḗs , 2 Timothy 3:8 ):

1. Egyptian Magicians

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 Exodus 7:11 , Exodus 7:22 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 Genesis 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 ḥarṭummı̄m , 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.

2. Mentioned by Pliny and Others

Jannes and Jambres, one or both, are also mentioned by Pliny (23-79 ad), by Apuleius (circa 130 ad), both of whom speak of Moses and Jannes as famous magicians of antiquity. The Pythagorean philosopher Numenius (2nd century ad) speaks of Jannes and Jambres as Egyptian hierogrammateis , or sacred scribes.

3. Traditions

There are many curious Jewish traditions regarding Jannes and Jambres. These traditions, which are found in the Targum and elsewhere, are full of contradictions and impossibilities and anachronisms. They are to the effect that Jannes and Jambres were sons of Balaam, the soothsayer of Pethor. Notwithstanding this impossibility in the matter of date, they were said to have withstood Moses 40 years previously at the court of Pharaoh, to whom it was also said, they so interpreted a dream of that king, as to foretell the birth of Moses and cause the oppression of the Israelites. They are also said to have become proselytes, and it is added that they left Egypt at the Exodus, among the mixed multitude. They are reported to have instigated Aaron to make the golden calf. The traditions of their death are also given in a varying fashion. They were said to have been drowned in the Red Sea, or to have been put to death after the making of the golden calf, or during the slaughter connected with the name of Phinehas.

4. Origen's Statement

According to Origen ( Comm . on Matthew 27:8 ) there was an apocryphal book - not yet rediscovered - called "The Book of Jannes and Jambres." Origen's statement is that in 2 Timothy 3:8 Paul is quoting from that book.

5. Derivation

In the Targumic literature "Mambres" occurs as a variant reading instead of "Jambres." It is thought that Jambres is derived from an Aramaic root, meaning "to oppose," the participle of which would be Mambres. The meaning of either form is "he who opposes." Jannes is perhaps a corruption of Ioannes or Iohannes (John).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Jan´nes and Jam´bres, two of the Egyptian magicians who attempted by their enchantments to counteract the influence on Pharaoh's mind of the miracles wrought by Moses. Their names occur nowhere in the Hebrew Scriptures, and only once in the New Testament . The Apostle Paul became acquainted with them, most probably, from an ancient Jewish tradition, or, as Theodoret expresses it, 'from the unwritten teaching of the Jews.' They are found frequently in the Talmudical and Rabbinical writings, but with some variations.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

The two Egyptian magicians who thought to outrival Moses in the performance of his miracles; supposed to be referred to in 2Tim. iii. 8 as "withstanding" him.