Who was Elimas and what did he do to oppose Paul and Barnabas?
Elimas, also called Elimus, was a Jewish sorcerer and false teacher, the right-hand man of a Gentile political leader. He withstood Paul and Barnabas, trying to keep the Roman deputy from the faith and doing everything he could to keep the Gentile from salvation.
Les explains that a Gentile officer or political leader called for Barnabas and Saul because he desired to hear the word of God. But his right-hand man was a Jew, a sorcerer, and a false teacher—Elimus—who withstood them. He tried to keep Saul and Barnabas from this Roman deputy and to turn the deputy away from the faith; he was doing everything he could to keep this Gentile from his salvation. When Saul, also called Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him and spoke to this Jew, the duration was only for a season, not for the rest of his days but for a time. Les ties this to the nation of Israel: everywhere Paul and Barnabas, and later Paul and Silas, went on their missionary journey, their chief opposition was the Jews. He connects Elimas to Israel being blinded, citing Romans 11:10, “Let their eyes be darkened.”
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
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Who was Elymas the sorcerer and what did he do to oppose Paul?
Elymas the sorcerer was a Jew (that is what his name means by interpretation), and he withstood Paul and Barnabas, doing everything he could to keep the Roman deputy from hearing the Word of God from Paul's lips and trying to turn the deputy away from the faith.