Opposing Moses
It may surprise you to see Jannes and Jambres in our discussion of Old Testament sinners and saints. This is because they don’t appear in the Old Testament.
They show up in the New Testament and then only once. Yet the reference ties them to Moses, so this places them in the Old Testament timeline.
Paul, in writing to his protégé Timothy, talks about how people will act in the last days. (It’s a description that seems most apt to our world today.)
Paul warns Timothy to have nothing to do with such people. The teacher goes on to explain why. These people oppose truth, just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses.
We can surmise that the story of Jannes and Jambres is part of the Hebrew oral tradition passed down from one generation to the next, which Timothy would have heard from his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice.
But we’re left to speculate what this opposition might have been. With Moses facing much resistance as the leader of God’s chosen people, we have many scenarios to choose from.
Though we don’t know the specifics, we can be sure that Timothy does. Paul equates the opposition that Timothy will face with the opposition that Moses faced.
We are safe to assume that Moses prevailed against his foes.
In this way, Timothy receives encouragement to prevail in his situation against those who will oppose him. Surely this heartens the young leader.
Who can we encourage on their faith journey?
What from our family’s oral tradition should we teach to encourage future generations?
[Read about Jannes and Jambres in 2 Timothy 3:8. Discover more about opposition in Exodus 23:20–22.]
Learn about 100 more biblical characters in More Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.
More Old Testament Sinners and Saints is part of the Bible Character Sketches series.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo Christianity and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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