Bible Encyclopedia: Bar-jesus

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

BAR-JESUS

bar-je'-zus (Bariesous): "A certain sorcerer (Greek magos), a false prophet, a Jew" whom Paul and Silas found at Paphos in Cyprus in the train of Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul (Acts 13:6). The proconsul was "a man of understanding" (literally, a prudent or sagacious man), of an inquiring mind, interested in the thought and magic of his times. This characteristic explains the presence of a magos among his staff and his desire to hear Barnabas and Saul. Bar-Jesus was the magician's Jewish name. Elymas is said to be the interpretation of his name (Acts 13:8). It is the Greek transliteration of an Aramaic or Arabic word equivalent to Greek magos. From Arabic `alama, "to know" is derived `alim, "a wise" or "learned man." In Koran, Sur note 106, Moses is called Sachir `alim, "wise magician." Elymas therefore means "sorcerer" (compare Simon "Magus").

The East was flooding the Roman Empire with its new and wonderful religious systems, which, culminating in neo-Platonism, were the great rivals of Christianity both in their cruder and in their more strictly religious forms. Superstition was extremely prevalent, and wonder-workers of all kinds, whether imposters or honest exponents of some new faith, found their task easy through the credulity of the public. Babylonia was the home of magic, for charms are found on the oldest tablets. "Magos" was originally applied to the priests of the Persians who overran Babylonia, but the title degenerated when it was assumed by baser persons for baser articles Juvenal (vi.562, etc.), Horace (Sat. i0.2.1) and other Latin authors mention Chaldean astrologers and impostors, probably Babylonian Jews. Many of the Magians, however, were the scientists of their day, the heirs of the science of Babylon and the lore of Persia, and not merely pretenders or conjurers (see MAGIC). It may have been as the representative of some oriental system, a compound of "science" and religion, that Bar-Jesus was attached to the train of Sergius Paulus.

Both Sergius and Elymas had heard about the teaching of the apostles, and this aroused the curiosity of Sergius and the fear of Elymas. When the apostles came, obedient to the command of the proconsul, their doctrine visibly produced on him a considerable impression. Fearing lest his position of influence and gain would be taken by the new teachers, Elymas "withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith" (Acts 13:8). Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, worked a wonder on the wonder-worker by striking him blind with his word, thus revealing to the proconsul that behind him was Divine power. Sergius Paulus believed, "being astonished at the teaching of the Lord" (Acts 13:12).

S. F. Hunter

Greek

919. Bariesous -- "son of Joshua," Bar-Jesus, a false prophet
... Bar-jesus. Of Chaldee origin (bar and Yhowshuwa'); son of Jesus (or Joshua);
Bar-jesus, an Israelite -- Barjesus. see HEBREW bar. see HEBREW Yhowshuwa'. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/919.htm - 6k

Library

Acts XIII
... (6) "And having passed through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain
magician, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, (7) who was ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xiii.htm

I am Told that He Also Carps at Me for the Translation I have ...
... meanings. It means Son, as in the words Barjona (son of a dove) Bartholomew
(son of Tholomæus), Bartimæus, Barjesus, Barabbas. ...
/.../19 i am told that.htm

The Acts of Barnabus.
... And we met a certain Jew, by name Barjesus, coming from Paphos, who also
recognised Barnabas, as having been formerly with Paul. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/unknown/the acts of barnabus/the acts of barnabus.htm

Acts xiii. 4, 5
... found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: which
was ... It is not clear whether this relates to the two names, Barjesus and Elymas ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxviii acts xiii 4.htm

Heralds of the Gospel
... And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer,
a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Jesus: which was with the deputy ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 17 heralds of the.htm

To the Regions Beyond
... minister.6. And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain
sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: 7. Which was ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/to the regions beyond.htm

March the Twenty-Sixth the King of Kings
... Even at Pilate's judgment bar Jesus is the King. But His kingdom is "not of this
world." And therefore this King is unlike every other King. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/march the twenty-sixth the king.htm

For if the Baptism which Prætextatus and Felicianus Administered ...
... he could say, that "Christ is the centre of the Trinity." In the next place, he
has taken occasion of the names of the sorcerers Simon and Barjesus to vent ...
/.../writings in connection with the donatist controversy /chapter 40 46 for.htm

Index of Subjects.
... 616. requires both the rite and the gospel, [1299]626. man not the justifier,
but God [1300]646. Barjesus, [1301]616. Basilica, [1302 ...
/.../writings in connection with the donatist controversy /index of subjects 2.htm

The Crucifixion.
... Jesus being already dead, this was considered unnecessary; but as possibly He might
only have swooned, and as the bodies were immediately taken down, one of ...
/.../dods/the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol ii/xxi the crucifixion.htm

ATS Bible Dictionary

Bar-Jesus

See ELYMAS.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Son of Joshua, the patronymic of Elymas the sorcerer (Acts 13:6), who met Paul and Barnabas at Paphos. Elymas is a word of Arabic origin meaning "wise."

Thesaurus

Barjesus (1 Occurrence)
... It may have been as the representative of some oriental system, a compound of "science"
and religion, that Bar-Jesus was attached to the ...Barjesus (1 Occurrence ...
/b/barjesus.htm - 9k

Bar-jesus (1 Occurrence)
Bar-jesus. Barjesus, Bar-jesus. Barjona . Easton's Bible Dictionary Son of ...
RSV NIV). Barjesus, Bar-jesus. Barjona . Reference Bible.
/b/bar-jesus.htm - 9k

Bar (27 Occurrences)
... of persons. Compare Barabbas; Bar-Jesus; Bar-Jonah; Barnabas; Barsabbas;
Bartholomew; Bartimeus. See BEN. BAR (2). bar (substantive ...
/b/bar.htm - 21k

Paphos (2 Occurrences)
... A Jew named Bar-Jesus or Elymas, who, as a Magian or soothsayer, "was with the
proconsul," presumably as a member of his suite, used all his powers of ...
/p/paphos.htm - 14k

Elymas (2 Occurrences)
... Magician or sorcerer, the Arabic name of the Jew Bar-jesus, who withstood Paul and
Barnabas in Cyprus. ... el'-i-mas (Elumas, "wise"; Acts 13:8). See BAR-JESUS. ...
/e/elymas.htm - 7k

Magician (5 Occurrences)
... first of all to drugs used in exercising the magical article Note the name Simon
Magus, which = Simon the magician (Acts 8:9 f), and Bar-Jesus, whom Luke calls ...
/m/magician.htm - 24k

Length (135 Occurrences)
... Acts 13:6 When they had gone through the whole length of the island as far as Paphos,
they there met with a Jewish magician and false prophet, Bar-Jesus by name ...
/l/length.htm - 37k

Wonder-worker (9 Occurrences)
... 13:6 And when they had gone through all the island to Paphos, they came across a
certain wonder-worker and false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus; (BBE). ...
/w/wonder-worker.htm - 9k

Isle (15 Occurrences)
... Acts 13:6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain
sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: (KJV WBS). ...
/i/isle.htm - 15k

Bible Concordance

Bar-jesus (1 Occurrence)

Acts 13:6 When they had gone through the whole length of the island as far as Paphos, they there met with a Jewish magician and false prophet, Bar-Jesus by name,
(WEY ASV BBE DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Bar-Jesus

Bar-Jesus: A False Prophet

Related Terms

Bar-jesus (1 Occurrence)

Bar (27 Occurrences)

Paphos (2 Occurrences)

Elymas (2 Occurrences)

Magician (5 Occurrences)

Length (135 Occurrences)

Wonder-worker (9 Occurrences)

Isle (15 Occurrences)