Bar-jesus
Bar-Jesus, also known as Elymas, was a Jewish sorcerer who tried to hinder Paul and Barnabas' ministry.
Biography
Bar-Jesus, whose Aramaic name means 'son of Jesus (Joshua)' and who was also called Elymas (possibly from an Arabic or Semitic root meaning 'sorcerer' or 'wise man'), was a Jewish false prophet and sorcerer attached to the court of Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul of Cyprus (Acts 13:6–12). When Paul and Barnabas arrived on Cyprus during Paul's first missionary journey, Sergius Paulus summoned them, evidently drawn to hear the Word of God. Bar-Jesus actively opposed them and attempted to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, pronounced a curse of temporary blindness upon him. The immediate fulfillment of the judgment, Bar-Jesus groping for someone to lead him, so astonished Sergius Paulus that he believed.
Significance
Bar-Jesus stands as one of the New Testament's clearest examples of spiritual opposition to the gospel being directly confronted and overcome by apostolic authority. His Jewish identity combined with his role as a sorcerer and false prophet in a pagan court illustrates the corrupting alliances that could form between religious pretension and political power. Paul's rebuke: 'You son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness' (Acts 13:10), echoes Old Testament prophetic confrontations with false prophets. His temporary blindness, a judgment from God, ironically mirrors Paul's own temporary blindness at his conversion (Acts 9:8), suggesting that even this opponent was not beyond the reach of grace. His story warns against using religious status to obstruct God's purposes.
Verse Appearances (2)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]