“Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men” (2Tim 3:8-9).
Man, we love us some magic. Allow me to conjure up a few examples. Harry Potter has made millions appear in J.K. Rowling’s bank account. David Blaine dazzles crowds with his patented Street Magic. There’s America’s favorite Mind Freak, Criss Angel. Penn and Teller remain one of the biggest acts in the history of Vegas. David Copperfield has not only made the Statue of Liberty disappear but, in one of the greatest illusions ever performed, dates Claudia Schiffer.
No matter the magician, we watch them closely. This time they won’t fool us. This time we’re gonna figure it out. Then…ABRACADABRA ALAKAZAM! They pull off yet one more spectacular piece of hocus locus and leave us scratching our heads. How in the world did they do THAT?!?!
But here’s the deal. These magicians are really just illusionists. They only appear to pull off the impossible. You do realize they really aren’t sawing a woman in half, don’t you? Remember the show “Breaking the Magician’s Code”? The star was some dude named the Masked Magician who spent an hour each week revealing the ugly truth behind some of the greatest tricks.
What in the world does this have to do with following Jesus? There are plenty of phonies out there conning believers with their spiritual sleight of hand. And it’s nothing new. Two thousand years ago, Paul wrote a letter to a young pastor warning him about folks who were the latest in a long line of religious hucksters.
The apostle compares them to a pair of ancient Egyptian wizards back in the day. “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men” (v8-9). He reassures Tim that these posers won’t get away with their con in the end. God will expose them for the phonies they really are.
Paul is writing the last letter of his life. He’s on Death Row in a Roman prison (2Tim 1:8, 17; 2:9; 4:6-7). He fires off this final note with two important purposes. One, he begs Tim to drop everything and hurry to Rome for one final visit before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21). Two, he scribbles down critical info for ministry after he’s gone (2Tim 2:1-5).
A critical part of his instructions are dealing a growing number of false teachers. Earlier we read how they have begun to weasel their way into the church like an aggressive cancer, even driving some folks to doubt their trust in Jesus (2Tim 2:1718). Their M.O. is to suck you into endless arguments and ridiculous controversies in order to distract people from the following Jesus (2Tim 2:12-16, 22-23).
These spiritual snake oil salesmen are nothing more than self-centered, self-obsessed, self-lovers to be avoided at all costs (2Tim 3:1-5). Paul pulls no punches when he describes them as pseudo-Christian creeps. They’re sexual predators on the prowl, looking for women who are desperate for male companionship (2Tim 3:6-7).
For those who are familiar with Moses and the amazing Israelite escape from Egypt, the apostle compares them to a pair pharaoh’s personal wizards. “Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses” (v8). You won’t find this demonic duo named anywhere in the original story in the Old Testament. They’re only described as the top “magicians” of Egypt skilled in the “secret arts” (Ex 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18-19; 9:11). This is yet another example where the Holy Spirit inspires to writers of the NT to pull back the curtain on what we read in the OT.
But the writer of Exodus uses a Hebrew term translated as “magicians (Heb. chartom)” that paints these men as much more than as master illusionists who dazzle their friends at dinner parties. These are sorcerers deep into the dark corners of the occult. In case you didn’t know, the people of God are supposed to steer clear of stuff like witchcraft, soothsayers, sorcery, and seances (Dt 18:9-12). In other words, toss that Ouija board in the trash and flip open your Bible ASAP.
Flipping back to 2 Timothy, Paul says the phonies he and Tim are facing are the direct diabolical descendants of Jannes and Jambres. Just as Pharaoh’s sorcerers tried to stand up to Moses, “these men also oppose the truth” (v8). A couple of things to remember. First of all, it didn’t end well for the Egyptian wizards. Sure, they had a couple of cool things in the black magic bag of tricks. But after Aaron’s snake eats theirs (Ex 7:12) and they end up covered in boils (Ex 9:11), Jannes and Jambres tap out and are never heard from again.
Second, John MacArthur believes Paul’s comparison to pharaoh’s sorcerers indicates the first century false teachers were also dabbling in the occult. This is an important reminder that not everything supernatural is from God. Our enemy has the ability to mimic the miraculous. Jesus’ best buddy John encourages us to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God” (1Jn 4:1). We can know a spirit is legit when it makes Jesus famous (1Jn 4:2-3). Anything else is from the dark side, young Padawan.
Jannes and Jambres’ opposition to the Big Mo was incredibly similar to these dudes who “also oppose the truth” (v8). By using a Greek verb we translate as “opposed” (Gr. ανθιστημι/anthistemi) not once but twice here, Paul goes out of his way to point out the open and obvious rebellion. This is NOT simply agreeing to disagree. The original language paint a picture of of active and hostile resistance.
A little later in this letter, the apostle warns Tim about a coppersmith named Alexander who “strongly opposed (Gr. ανθιστημι/anthistemi) our message” (2Tim 4:15). Paul writes to the Galatians about the time his buddy Peter stopped hanging out with non-Jewish believers. He has to get up in Pete’s grill and says “I opposed (Gr. ανθιστημι/anthistemi) him to his face” (Gal 2:11).
But probably the best example of supernatural opposition to the Gospel comes in Acts, Luke’s description of the incredible tsunami of grace across the Mediterranean rim. When Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark brought the message of Jesus to the island of Cyprus, that “Elymas the magician…opposed (Gr. ανθιστημι/anthistemi) them” and used every trick in the book to keep folks from hearing the Gospel (Acts 13:8). Just so you know, God blinded Cypriot sorcerer and people placed their trust in Jesus (Acts 13:11-12). Oh, you can resist. But when you make the mistake of resisting Almighty God, resistance, as they say, is ultimately futile.
Opposing the truth standing in the way of someone’s relationship with Jesus. Throughout his two letters to Timothy, that’s exactly how Paul talks about it. He describes how God “desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Tim 2:4). In his sequel, he says we must treat our enemies gently so that “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2Tim 2:25). And some of these very same sleazy false teachers search for fragile female victims so that they will “never be able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2Tim 3:7).
The truth Paul’s describing is much more than a list of facts. He’s talking about Jesus, the One who is Truth with capital T. That’s how He describes Himself to His closest followers. “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn 14:6). The resurrected Rabbi from Galilee isn’t inviting to memorize a long list of religious FAQs. You see, Truth is a Person inviting into a relationship.
So why do those ancient Egyptian sorcerers and these first century phonies use any means necessary to keep folks from know Jesus? Because they are “corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith” (v8). Paul uses a verb the ESV translates as “corrupted” (Gr. καταφθειρω/katathpheiro) that describes what’s going on between their ears as totally perverted. That certainly lines up with how he calls them creeps just up the page, doesn’t it?
If that’s not enough, they’re “disqualified (Gr. αδοκιμος/adokimos) from the faith” (v8). In doing so, the apostle tells Tim these spiritual con artists have failed the test and proven to be frauds. In NASCAR, drivers and teams that cheat are DQ’d and kicked out. In a note to another protege, the former Pharisee tells Titus to watch out for people who talk a good game about their relationship with Jesus but have absolutely zero evidence for it in their lives. “They are detestable, disobedient, unfit (Gr. αδοκιμος/adokimos) for any good work” (Titus 1:16).
There’s no magic spell or incantation necessary to be a qualified and bonafide follower of Jesus. It’s simply trusting in who He is and what He’s done that we could never do for ourselves. The sinless Son of God lived the perfect life that we’ve failed to live. He died the death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to new life that we in no way deserve. He trades His perfection for our rebellion (2Cor 5:21). As a result, we willingly submit ourselves to His loving leadership in order to enjoy the overflowing life of abundance He came to bring (Jn 10:10).
Just God exposed Jannes and Jambres for the phonies they were, Paul reassures us that these false teachers “will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was the of those two men” (v9). It’s like the scene in “The Wizard of Oz.” Dorothy and friends catch a glimpse of what’s really going on. When he’s exposed as a fraud, the not-so-great-and-powerful Oz desperately tries to divert their eyes, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” Too late. The jig is up. The con exposed. The folly plain.
God guarantees that con artists, counterfeits, and frauds won’t get away with it. He’ll reveal them for who they really are. They’ll get what’s coming to them. But don’t miss the big idea. He knows EVERYBODY for who they really are. You. Me. Them. Everybody. That’s the big idea behind one of King David’s hit songs (Ps 139). Jesus makes it plain that there will come a day when nothing is left secret and everything brought into the bright light of God’s truth (Lk 6:17).
Maybe you’re a fan of the Masked Magician and love finding out how illusionists pull off their tricks. But that’s nothing to what’s going to happen when God exposes religious phonies for who they really are. No magic wands. No secret potions. No incantations. Just the Light of the World revealing every single spiritual hoax while at the same time showing Himself to be Truth Incarnate.
Man, we love us some magic. Allow me to conjure up a few examples. Harry Potter has made millions appear in J.K. Rowling’s bank account. David Blaine dazzles crowds with his patented Street Magic. There’s America’s favorite Mind Freak, Criss Angel. Penn and Teller remain one of the biggest acts in the history of Vegas. David Copperfield has not only made the Statue of Liberty disappear but, in one of the greatest illusions ever performed, dates Claudia Schiffer.
No matter the magician, we watch them closely. This time they won’t fool us. This time we’re gonna figure it out. Then…ABRACADABRA ALAKAZAM! They pull off yet one more spectacular piece of hocus locus and leave us scratching our heads. How in the world did they do THAT?!?!
But here’s the deal. These magicians are really just illusionists. They only appear to pull off the impossible. You do realize they really aren’t sawing a woman in half, don’t you? Remember the show “Breaking the Magician’s Code”? The star was some dude named the Masked Magician who spent an hour each week revealing the ugly truth behind some of the greatest tricks.
What in the world does this have to do with following Jesus? There are plenty of phonies out there conning believers with their spiritual sleight of hand. And it’s nothing new. Two thousand years ago, Paul wrote a letter to a young pastor warning him about folks who were the latest in a long line of religious hucksters.
The apostle compares them to a pair of ancient Egyptian wizards back in the day. “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men” (v8-9). He reassures Tim that these posers won’t get away with their con in the end. God will expose them for the phonies they really are.
Paul is writing the last letter of his life. He’s on Death Row in a Roman prison (2Tim 1:8, 17; 2:9; 4:6-7). He fires off this final note with two important purposes. One, he begs Tim to drop everything and hurry to Rome for one final visit before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21). Two, he scribbles down critical info for ministry after he’s gone (2Tim 2:1-5).
A critical part of his instructions are dealing a growing number of false teachers. Earlier we read how they have begun to weasel their way into the church like an aggressive cancer, even driving some folks to doubt their trust in Jesus (2Tim 2:1718). Their M.O. is to suck you into endless arguments and ridiculous controversies in order to distract people from the following Jesus (2Tim 2:12-16, 22-23).
These spiritual snake oil salesmen are nothing more than self-centered, self-obsessed, self-lovers to be avoided at all costs (2Tim 3:1-5). Paul pulls no punches when he describes them as pseudo-Christian creeps. They’re sexual predators on the prowl, looking for women who are desperate for male companionship (2Tim 3:6-7).
For those who are familiar with Moses and the amazing Israelite escape from Egypt, the apostle compares them to a pair pharaoh’s personal wizards. “Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses” (v8). You won’t find this demonic duo named anywhere in the original story in the Old Testament. They’re only described as the top “magicians” of Egypt skilled in the “secret arts” (Ex 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18-19; 9:11). This is yet another example where the Holy Spirit inspires to writers of the NT to pull back the curtain on what we read in the OT.
But the writer of Exodus uses a Hebrew term translated as “magicians (Heb. chartom)” that paints these men as much more than as master illusionists who dazzle their friends at dinner parties. These are sorcerers deep into the dark corners of the occult. In case you didn’t know, the people of God are supposed to steer clear of stuff like witchcraft, soothsayers, sorcery, and seances (Dt 18:9-12). In other words, toss that Ouija board in the trash and flip open your Bible ASAP.
Flipping back to 2 Timothy, Paul says the phonies he and Tim are facing are the direct diabolical descendants of Jannes and Jambres. Just as Pharaoh’s sorcerers tried to stand up to Moses, “these men also oppose the truth” (v8). A couple of things to remember. First of all, it didn’t end well for the Egyptian wizards. Sure, they had a couple of cool things in the black magic bag of tricks. But after Aaron’s snake eats theirs (Ex 7:12) and they end up covered in boils (Ex 9:11), Jannes and Jambres tap out and are never heard from again.
Second, John MacArthur believes Paul’s comparison to pharaoh’s sorcerers indicates the first century false teachers were also dabbling in the occult. This is an important reminder that not everything supernatural is from God. Our enemy has the ability to mimic the miraculous. Jesus’ best buddy John encourages us to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God” (1Jn 4:1). We can know a spirit is legit when it makes Jesus famous (1Jn 4:2-3). Anything else is from the dark side, young Padawan.
Jannes and Jambres’ opposition to the Big Mo was incredibly similar to these dudes who “also oppose the truth” (v8). By using a Greek verb we translate as “opposed” (Gr. ανθιστημι/anthistemi) not once but twice here, Paul goes out of his way to point out the open and obvious rebellion. This is NOT simply agreeing to disagree. The original language paint a picture of of active and hostile resistance.
A little later in this letter, the apostle warns Tim about a coppersmith named Alexander who “strongly opposed (Gr. ανθιστημι/anthistemi) our message” (2Tim 4:15). Paul writes to the Galatians about the time his buddy Peter stopped hanging out with non-Jewish believers. He has to get up in Pete’s grill and says “I opposed (Gr. ανθιστημι/anthistemi) him to his face” (Gal 2:11).
But probably the best example of supernatural opposition to the Gospel comes in Acts, Luke’s description of the incredible tsunami of grace across the Mediterranean rim. When Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark brought the message of Jesus to the island of Cyprus, that “Elymas the magician…opposed (Gr. ανθιστημι/anthistemi) them” and used every trick in the book to keep folks from hearing the Gospel (Acts 13:8). Just so you know, God blinded Cypriot sorcerer and people placed their trust in Jesus (Acts 13:11-12). Oh, you can resist. But when you make the mistake of resisting Almighty God, resistance, as they say, is ultimately futile.
Opposing the truth standing in the way of someone’s relationship with Jesus. Throughout his two letters to Timothy, that’s exactly how Paul talks about it. He describes how God “desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth” (1Tim 2:4). In his sequel, he says we must treat our enemies gently so that “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” (2Tim 2:25). And some of these very same sleazy false teachers search for fragile female victims so that they will “never be able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2Tim 3:7).
The truth Paul’s describing is much more than a list of facts. He’s talking about Jesus, the One who is Truth with capital T. That’s how He describes Himself to His closest followers. “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn 14:6). The resurrected Rabbi from Galilee isn’t inviting to memorize a long list of religious FAQs. You see, Truth is a Person inviting into a relationship.
So why do those ancient Egyptian sorcerers and these first century phonies use any means necessary to keep folks from know Jesus? Because they are “corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith” (v8). Paul uses a verb the ESV translates as “corrupted” (Gr. καταφθειρω/katathpheiro) that describes what’s going on between their ears as totally perverted. That certainly lines up with how he calls them creeps just up the page, doesn’t it?
If that’s not enough, they’re “disqualified (Gr. αδοκιμος/adokimos) from the faith” (v8). In doing so, the apostle tells Tim these spiritual con artists have failed the test and proven to be frauds. In NASCAR, drivers and teams that cheat are DQ’d and kicked out. In a note to another protege, the former Pharisee tells Titus to watch out for people who talk a good game about their relationship with Jesus but have absolutely zero evidence for it in their lives. “They are detestable, disobedient, unfit (Gr. αδοκιμος/adokimos) for any good work” (Titus 1:16).
There’s no magic spell or incantation necessary to be a qualified and bonafide follower of Jesus. It’s simply trusting in who He is and what He’s done that we could never do for ourselves. The sinless Son of God lived the perfect life that we’ve failed to live. He died the death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to new life that we in no way deserve. He trades His perfection for our rebellion (2Cor 5:21). As a result, we willingly submit ourselves to His loving leadership in order to enjoy the overflowing life of abundance He came to bring (Jn 10:10).
Just God exposed Jannes and Jambres for the phonies they were, Paul reassures us that these false teachers “will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was the of those two men” (v9). It’s like the scene in “The Wizard of Oz.” Dorothy and friends catch a glimpse of what’s really going on. When he’s exposed as a fraud, the not-so-great-and-powerful Oz desperately tries to divert their eyes, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” Too late. The jig is up. The con exposed. The folly plain.
God guarantees that con artists, counterfeits, and frauds won’t get away with it. He’ll reveal them for who they really are. They’ll get what’s coming to them. But don’t miss the big idea. He knows EVERYBODY for who they really are. You. Me. Them. Everybody. That’s the big idea behind one of King David’s hit songs (Ps 139). Jesus makes it plain that there will come a day when nothing is left secret and everything brought into the bright light of God’s truth (Lk 6:17).
Maybe you’re a fan of the Masked Magician and love finding out how illusionists pull off their tricks. But that’s nothing to what’s going to happen when God exposes religious phonies for who they really are. No magic wands. No secret potions. No incantations. Just the Light of the World revealing every single spiritual hoax while at the same time showing Himself to be Truth Incarnate.
Well said Jay! Thanks.
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