Jannes and Jambres

Jannes and Jambres (also Mambres ) are people from the Bible. Non-biblical tradition after they are Egyptian magicians who played off their magic arts against Moses and Aaron.

Name form and meaning

In our traditional writings about Jannes ( Ἰάννης ) and Jambres ( Ἰαμβρῆς ) the name spellings vary greatly. To find the forms for Jannes Johanai and Iannes for Jambres also Mamre or Mambres is used. In 2 Tim 3.8 LUT read some textual witnesses for Jambres the name Mambres ( Μαμβρῆς ). Jannes is a Hellenized form of Aramaic. Johanna ( = John) to interpret; Jambres means "The Unruly ".

Swell

In the Qumran writings in pseudepigraphic writings in the New Testament and Rabbinic texts Jannes and Jambres are assumed to be the addressee known people. However, the scriptures mention any sources for their stories about Jannes and Jambres. It may be assumed that these sources to pre-Christian tradition substance which perhaps comes from a pseudepigraphic font. Further sources outside the early Judeo-Christian tradition mention Pliny the Elder, Numenius of Apamea, and Lucius Apuleius Jannes and Jambres (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ). The latter are an important testimony to the popularity of the tradition material.

Stories about Jannes and Jambres

Jannes and Jambres are brothers and are identified in tradition with the Egyptian magic masters who led a magic contest to Ex 7.11 EU with Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh. Their names are not mentioned in the Book of Exodus. Paul calls Jannes and Jambres in 2 Tm 3:8 LUT as those who " opposed Moses ." Both Jambres and Jannes are mentioned in the Bible only at this point in particular.

The rabbinic tradition, it brings the pagan prophet Balaam in conjunction. Some fonts also report further actions of the two brothers against Moses and Israel on the conflict before Pharaoh: They prevented Israel at the crossing of the sea, tried in the desert of Israel from Moses to make rebelled and were the real authors of the ungodly worship of the golden calf.

Writings about Jannes and Jambres

Origen mentions a treatise On Moses and Jannes and Jambres and Jannes and Jambres About a book. The Decretum Gelasianum mentions an apocryphal book called Paenitentia Iamne et Mamre ( " Jannes and Jambres repentance ").