Jude 1
WoodsJude 1:1-2
SECTION ONE
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James.–The author of the Epistle affirms three things of himself in the first sentence of the opening paragraph of the Epistle, (1) his name was “Jude;” (2) he was a servant of Jesus Christ, and (3) a brother of “James.” For a detailed discussion of the reasons which prompt to the view that this individual so designated was a son of Mary and Joseph, and therefore, a brother in the flesh of our Lord, see under “Author of the Epistle,” in the introduc-tion.
The name Jude, the literal meaning of which is renowned, was a common one among the Jews of the first century. There are at least nine persons so designated in the New Testament. (Luke 3:33; Luke 3:26; Luke 3:30; Matthew 10:3; Matthew 13:55; Matthew 10:4; Acts 15:22; Acts 9:11; Acts 5:37.) Two of the apostles bore the name Jude or Judas (the English Revised Version has the spelling Judas in this verse), these being the apostle designated in John 14:22; and Iscariot who betrayed the Lord.
Notwithstanding the fact that this writer was a brother of the Lord, he makes no mention thereof in the Epistle, being content merely to style himself “a servant” of “Jesus Christ.” Numerous reasons may be assigned why he chose to do this. (1) That which he wrote was true and should be accepted on its own merits, and not because of the relationship which the author sustained to the Lord. (2) Considerations of humility prompted him to omit any reference to such relationship. (3) Such a reference might have supplied an occasion for envy or jealousy on the part of others. (3) The Lord had taught that those who did his will were possessed of greater distinction than any fleshly relation-ship might have afforded. (Matthew 12:46-50.)
The word “servant” is translated from a word (doulos), which literally signifies a slave, (cf. the margin of the ASV), though with this difference: doulos designates one who gladly surrenders his will to another, a disposition not always characteristic of literal slaves, but eminently true of all who resign their wills to that of the Lord. The service is absolute and unrestrained, but willing, and rendered from motives of love, and gratitude and joy. The word appears in the introductions to the Epistles of Romans, Philippians, Titus, James and 2 Peter.
James, identified as “a brother” of the author, was himself author of the New Testament book which bears his name, and who, too, omitted any reference to the relation which he likewise bore to the Lord. Neither of these faithful disciples suffered the in-clinations of the flesh to lead them to a boastful announcement of their position, and both with becoming humility laid stress on the fact that they were simply servants. (Cf. James 1:1.) To be a bond-servant of the Lord is truly to occupy the most enviable position possible to man today. See, at length on the identity of Jude and James, the introduction to the Epistle.
To them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:–The address is ’to them that are called, and the “called” are identified as (a) beloved in God the Father; and (b) kept for Jesus Christ. All saints are called in to the work which is theirs to do (2 Thessalonians 2:14); the call is ex-tended through the gospel, and is world-wide and all-inclusive in its nature, (Mark 16:15-16.) Many are called, but few chosen, because all who are called do not heed and hearken and obey.
The “called” are “beloved of God the Father,” this indeed being the occasion of their calling. “But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we are yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, see, also, John 3:16.) Those thus called (through the gospel), are “kept” (preserved) for Jesus Christ, i.e., for his honor and glory. That this keeping is not uncon-ditional in its nature, and hence does not suggest the impossibility of falling away from the grace of God and the divine favor, see Jude 1:21, where the admonition is to “keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Compare also the remarks on 1 Peter 1:4. Though the divine guardianship is here marvelously set forth, there is the corresponding thought of faithfulness and fidelity. Though we are “kept” for Jesus Christ, we must “keep” ourselves (the same Greek verb is employed) in his love. It is paradoxical but emi-nently true that while we must depend wholly on God for our salvation, we cannot be saved without doing our part. Paul em-braced both ideas when he said, “Work out your own salvation. . . for it is God who worketh in you. . . .” (Philippians 2:12.)
2 Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied.–With the substitution of “mercy” for “grace” this salutation cor-responds with that which occurs in the outset of both of the Epistles of Peter. Mercy, peace and love are associated here, because these graces sum up the blessings most needful for Jude’s readers, and for all of us today. All of these proceeded from God, and these Jude desired to be multipled (abound) in the lives of those to whom he wrote. Compare the salutations occurring in the Epistles of Peter, (1 Peter 1:2 and 2 Peter 1:2), and see the notes there.
Jude 1:3-4
FOR WRITING THE EPISTLE
3 Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered unto the saints.–The word “beloved,” with which the verse begins, is an indication of the warmth of feeling which characterized the writer toward those primarily addressed. It occurs often in the apostolic writings (Romans 1:7 :2 Corinthians 7:1; Philippians 2:12, etc.), being used by Paul, Peter, John and Jude. The author had, for some time, been contemplating a treatise, perhaps had already begun composition thereof. The theme on which he proposed to write was “the common salvation.” While medi-tating thereon, information suddenly came to him that those to whom he proposed to write were being threatened by special dan-gers occasioning his immediate attention. He accordingly sus-pended his proposed treatise and wrote without delay to exhort his brethren “to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.”
That which prompted a change in the writer’s plans was news that false teachers had appeared among the saints, seeking to lead them astray. These teachers are particularly described later in the Epistle, and their doctrines revealed. His object was, there-fore, to stir his readers to immediate resistance; to impel them to reject these teachers and repudiate their teaching, and to defend with all their might the faith which had been delivered them. A number of vitally important considerations appear in this passage, and some especially relevant to our time.
(1) Jude was not indifferent to the interests of these who were his beloved brethren. (2) He gave “diligence” (exercised him-self) immediately in their behalf. (3) As important as the original theme was–the common salvation–the appearance of false teach-ers made it obligatory that it should for the time be suspended, and warnings and exhortations issued. (4) The saints were admon-ished to contend earnestly for the faith which had been delivered. (5) We must never be indifferent to, or unmindful of those who would lead the faithful away from the truth. False teachers ever-more constitute a threat to the peace and security of the saints, and must be resisted and refuted. The scriptures, a complete and infallible deposit of truth are available and constitute an effective means for such confutation.
The “common salvation” about which the author had in-tended to write is so styled because it is available to all and denied to none who comply with the conditions thereof. Jew and Gentile, bond and free, male and female are entitled to its blessed provisions, and share in its manifold benefits. In Titus 1:4, reference is made to the common faith where, as here emphasis is given to the fact that all Christians are participants as distinct from the alleged knowledge claimed by false teachers as belonging to only a few.
To “contend earnestly” (epagonizesthai) is, literally, to wrestle, and as here figuratively used, denotes the extreme efforts which are to characterize the faithful in their defense of the truth, how-ever formidable and numerous its enemies may be. These efforts are, it is surely unnecessary to add, of a moral and persuasive na-ture only; all forte of a physical nature being expressly forbidden the faithful. When Peter sought to defend the Lord with a sword he was rebuked for his pains; and in bidding him sheathe it, he forevermore made it clear that his followerers are not to fight with carnal weapons in his behalf. But, if men are forbidden to fight in his defense, in whose defense may they properly fight? “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18:36.)
The “faith” for which Jude’s readers were thus earnestly to contend, put objectively here for the gospel, is the sum of all that which Christians are to believe and obey. Cf. Acts 6:7, where it is said that “a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith,” and Galatians 1:23, where Paul is affirmed to have preached “the faith of which he once made havoc.” Faith, a part is thus put for the whole, because belief is basic to the system of Christianity, the proper exercise of which determines the salvation of those who embrace it.
This faith has once for all (hapax) not simply formerly as the King James’ Version implies, but for all time been delivered to the saints. The meaning is that the truth is delivered for all time ; it is a permanent deposit, it will never be superseded, emended or modified. As it now stands it is a perfect, adequate, complete and inviolable deposit of truth, providing the means with which to confute the gainsayer, and resist the advocate of false doctrine. This deposit of truth was infallibly delivered, through the inspira-tion of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 1:11; 2 Peter 1:21), and no part of it is superfluous or unnecessary. “Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17.)
4 For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of before hand unto this condemnation, The occasion for the concern which Jude felt, and the immediate reason why he wrote the Epistle is here revealed: false teachers had appeared among the saints; they had slipped in unawares, and were thus all the more dangerous because they were unrecognized. These teachers are described as “certain men,” but not otherwise identified; they had “crept in privily,” i.e., they had entered, as it were, by a side door (pareisedusan) and without revealing their true motive of seducing the saints. Peter, in describing these same teachers, predicted that they would “bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon them-selves swift destruction. ,And many shall follow their lascivious doings, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” (2 Peter 2:1-2.)
The appearance of these men was not unanticipated; it had been predicted–written beforehand–that they would appear to plague the church, and their condemnation had already been announced. These words, often cited by Calvinists in their efforts to defend the doctrine of reprobation by arbitrary decree, fall far short of the effort because in them there is nothing to justify the conclusion that this condemnation was unconditional, or, that it was announced in eternity, or, that it was determined without regard to the moral character of those thus condemned. The word “ordained,” appearing in the King James’ Version, has properly given way to the more accurate rendering, “written of before hand,” literally, placarded or set forth (progegrammenoi), compare the word programmed; and this was from of “old” (palai), a word never used of an eternal decree, but always of something occurring in time. All that may properly be deduced from this statement is that from ancient times condemnation had been declared upon all who did as these men were doing, i.e., leading the saints astray.
The divine law, existing from the beginning, condemned these men and all others who violated it, and no more than this was intended by the inspired writer. Who the writer, or writers, were who made this prediction is not stated. Obviously, the period must be projected into the Old Testament when this condemnation was placarded; but to what period of Old Testament prophecy, or to what prophetic writer of that period does not appear. The fact that Enoch is mentioned and his prophecy cited, lends support to the view that it was the writer’s intention to attribute to him this announcement. (Cf. verse 14.) The kind of men these were the writer next describes.
Ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lascivi-ousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. –They were, in character, ungodly (asebeis); they were utterly without piety or reverence, boldly blasphemous of anything reli-gious. Possessed of this character, they did not hesitate to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, and to deny the only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. The “grace” of God is salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), vouchsafed to man through the gospel; this gospel, these men perverted by interpreting it as actually allowing or supporting the practice of lasciviousness, gross fleshly indulgence. The words of the writer here are similar to those in 2 Peter 2:18-19, where the apostle there described these teachers as pretending to magnify the grace of God on the basis of Christian liberty but in reality were living base and licentious lives in positive disobedience to the teaching of all the inspired writers. See then comments there, and cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-18; 1 John 3:7-10. Such teaching and practice were a denial of Jesus Christ the Lord, both in doctrine and life.
The doctrine, of making Christian liberty an excuse for ungodly living, is a pernicious and persistent one, and has been advocated often since the apostolic age. To all who affect such John solemnly declares, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4.) And Paul inquired, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? a query which he immediately answered, “God forbid.” (Romans 6:1.)
Jude 1:5-7
SECTION TWO
OF
5 Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.–Three examples, of the divine vengeance upon evil-doers are offered by the sacred writer to support his premise that those who disobey shall receive the just recompense of reward. The first of these involved matters perfectly familiar to those to whom he wrote, events looming large on the historical horizon of the Israelite people. In proof of the fact that punishment of the wicked is certain and sure, Jude directed attention to the condem-nation visited on the people of Israel after they had been provi-dently delivered from the hand of Pharaoh in Egypt. The refer-ence here parallels Paul’s description of the judgment executed upon those people in 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. Israel was delivered and pre-served in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:1-4), yet, despite their many evidences of God’s goodness and graciousness to them, rebelled, and in their grievous sin against him were severely punished. See the same theme alluded to in more detail in Psalms 68.
The sins of the people of Israel during this period were exceedingly nu-merous and grave. Their constant and determined murmuring their faithlessness in the promises of Jehovah; their unwillingness to go into the land of Canaan; the idolatry of the golden calf; their gross fleshly corruption, are matters duly recorded in great detail by the sacred historian.
All of this is summed up under the basic sin of unbelief. The application intended by Jude is that regard-less of how secretly men may work, God will eventually ferret them out and deliver them over to the condemnation they deserve. Israel, a mighty nation, perhaps two millions strong, was saved out of Egypt and then the majority of its people, because of unfaithful-ness, were destroyed. Though they engaged in the formalities of religion and complied in outward fashion with the ritualism required, they were unwilling to adopt the principles of righteousness into their hearts and lives. They were opposed to the idea of God ruling the heart, the life, and the nation and they died under the divine and irresistible judgment of God. The implication is that if half a million men were executed for violation of God’s law through their disobedience, then these false teachers who were teaching, in principle, that for which these multitudes -suffered death, would not escape!
6 And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds un-der darkness unto the judgment of the great day.–The second instance which the author offers to prove his thesis that the pun-ishment of the wicked is inevitable, is that of the angels who sinned. See at length on this a similar reference in 2 Peter 2:4, and the notes there. Angels are created beings. These to whom Jude alludes “kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation.” “Principality” (arche) is a term descriptive of office or position this, these angels abandoned. though for what reason or reasons, the writer does not say. There is much speculation on this theme, and Isaiah 14:12-15 is often cited in this connection, a passage obviously primarily applicable to Babylon, but by many believed to have a secondary application to the fall of Satan. As a result of their abandonment of their proper position, these wicked angels are “kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” The great day alluded to here is the judgment day described in Matthew 25:41.
These wicked angels will suffer punishment, along with evil men, and in everlasting bonds under darkness they await the judgment clay. The writer’s meaning is, If the angels which sinned do not escape the ven-geance of God, so neither will the false teachers referred to in verse 4.
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.–The third instance of evil-doers being summarily punished which Jude cites is that of Sodom and Gomorrah “and the cities about them.” The nature of the horrible and unspeakable sin of which these cities were guilty and the terrible punishment visited upon them because of it is set out in detail in Genesis 19. The “cities about them,” i.e., about Sodom and Gomorrah, were Admah and Zeboim. Zoar, a fifth city in the same general vicinity, was spared from the judg-ment visited upon the others through the intercession of Lot in order that he might have a place to which to flee. (Genesis 19:22.) Sodom and Gomorrah,Admah and Zeboim, and the desolation which came upon them for their sin, is alluded to by Moses in Deuteronomy 29:23.
A fanciful theory, and with many adherents today, is that the antecedent of “these” in this verse is the “angels” of verse 6, and that Jude here describes the sin of the angels as fornication and the lust for “strange flesh.” In support of this view, reference is made to Genesis 6:4, where the phrase “sons of God” is interpreted to mean “angels of God,” and the conclusion is thus drawn that the Nephilim, there described as “mighty men that were of old, men of renown,” resulted from co-habitation between angels and earthly women! In some manuscripts of the Septuagint Version, a translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek, begun about the third century before the Christian era, instead of the reading, “sons of God,” “angels of God” appears. Moreover, it is alleged that the pronoun toutois (these) is masculine gender, whereas Sodom and Gomorrah are neuter, and thus do not agree ; and since a pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number,
In refutation of this interpretation, the following considera-tions should be noted: (1) The word “angels” in the Septaugint manuscripts alluded to is not a translation of the original Hebrew text, but an unwarranted interpretation injected from Alexandrian influences. (2) Toutois, dative plural of houtos, has the same form in both masculine and neuter gender; hence, the objection based on the gender of the pronoun fails. (3) In determining the antecedent of a pronoun, where two or more are grammatically possi-ble, the nearer one is to be selected. (4) Toutois (these) refers to that which is nearer in the context. The translators, had they intended to refer to a more distant antecedent, would have sup-plied those instead. (5) The sin which the angels committed was in leaving their proper habitation and in not keeping their princi-pality. There is nothing said in the reference to their sin of any sexual deviation or co-habitation of women by them. (6) The word “Nephilim” occurs in Numbers 13:33, where the reference is obviously to the offspring of men, and not angels. (7) The “Neph-ilim” were not angelic beings of monstrous prodigies resulting from a crossing of species, but gigantic human beings, men of great renown physically. (8) It is an immutable and inviolable law of reproduction that everything brings forth after its own kind. This law is announced and affirmed repeatedly in the book of Genesis. (Genesis 1:11-12; Genesis 1:21; Genesis 1:24, etc.) The Lord himself affirmed that an-gels are sexless beings and never marry. (Luke 20:35.) It fol-lows, therefore, that any interpretation of Jud 1:6, which makes the sin of the angels the same as that which characterized the cities of the plain–fornication and unnatural sexual indulgence–is fanci-ful, erroneous, and absurd. See 2 Peter 2:4, and the comments there.
These cities, in the condemnation which befell them, serve as examples of what happens to those who disobey God. The verb “set forth” (prokeintai) means to lie exposed, as a corpse laid out for burial. The word example (deigma), from a word occurring only here in the New Testament, means to exhibit or show, and as used here to indicate the demonstration which the cities of the plain afford to the vengeance inevitable to those in disobedience. They suffered the punishment of “eternal fire,” not that the fire which consumed them is eternal, but that their punishment was so utter and so permanent that the nearest approach to it will be seen in the destruction which shall be characteristic of those who suffer the eternal fire. Their destruction thus stands as a symbol of that which shall eventually be the lot of all ungodly men.
Jude 1:8-10
WICKED AND GOOD
8 Yet in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at naught dominion, and rail at dignities.–Three striking illustrations of the certainty of divine punishment to be inflicted upon those who indulge in gross sin, including Jews, Gentiles, and angels, were presented in the foregoing section. Here, the writer proceeds to apply these examples to the ungodly of his own day; to demonstrate that the conduct of these men as comparable to that of those alluded to in the illustrations presented; and to call attention to the fact that they were, by their conduct, provoking Jehovah to deal with them in similar fashion.
“Yet in like manner” identifies the conduct of these to whom the writer alludes with those of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain. “In their dreamings” they (1) defile the flesh, (2) set at naught dominion, and (3) rail at dignities. They lived in a dreamy world of impurity; they defiled the flesh by sins unspeakably vile (cf. Romans 1:18-32); they exhibited contempt for all authority, whether civil or divine; and they did not hesitate to speak evil of men though they occupied high places. (See the comments on 2 Peter 2:10.)
9 But Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.–Cf. 2 Peter 2:2. Michael is first mentioned, in the scrip-tures, in Daniel 10:13, and other references to him are in Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1; and Revelation 12:7. He appears to have been a prince or guardian angel of the Jewish people. He was an “archangel,” a term meaning chief or captain of the angels. In Revelation 12:7-9, he is described as the leader of unfallen angels who war with and conquer Satan and his angels. It is affirmed of Michael in this passage that (1) he contended with the devil; (2) the occasion of this contention was with reference to the body of Moses; (3) in the disputation which arose between Michael and the devil on this matter, he refrained from a railing judgment against Satan, (4) being content merely to say, “The Lord rebuke thee.”
When this occurred, the events prompting it, and the effects which followed do not appear either here or elsewhere in the sacred writings. It is, admittedly, the most difficult statement in the entire Epistle, and has given rise to much speculation. Merely to state the views which have been expressed regarding it would require a treatment of the subject far beyond the limits of this commentary. Jewish tradition and Rabinnic literature abound with allusions to such an advent, but such sources are wholly un-reliable in reconstructing the facts in the case.
Jude, an inspired writer, affirmed that the event occurred. It is sufficient for us simply to believe it; it is surely unnecessary for us to vindicate Jude’s veracity by proving that the facts related occurred and are testified to by other writers. The lesson which the author desired to be drawn from his remarks is obvious. The ungodly characters, about whom he was warning his readers, spoke of angelic dignities in a fashion which even an archangel did not dare adopt in speaking to the devil. The argument is an a fortiori one. The meaning is, If one of the highest beings in the angelic world restrained himself from the use of railing judgment against the devil, how much more unjustified was it for these false teachers to disregard the dignity of those against whom they spoke.
10 But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed.–“But these,” i.e., the false teachers under consideration, in contrast with the conduct of Michael, do not hesitate to “rail” (speak evil) of matters about which they know nothing, matters wholly outside their sphere of spiritual vision, their only knowledge being their passions, the instinct and impulses which men share with the animal creation. Paul alluded to a similar type of individual whom he described as “dwelling in the things which he bath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.” (Colossians 2:18.) Those who scorn the higher things of the Spirit and surrender themselves to the appetites of the flesh descend to the level of beasts and forfeit their spiritual standing and their eternal destiny. “In these things,” i.e., in the things of the flesh, “are they destroyed.” That in which they find the greatest pleasure will, at length, become the occasion of their destruction. Cf. 2 Peter 2:12, and the comments there. Though these men boasted of their superior knowledge, and alleged it as the ground on which they defended their licentious and lascivious practices, they were actually, and in reality, on the level of brute beasts in their conduct. Their desires became the rule of their lives, and the flesh the source of their gratification. They were wicked, ungodly men, and their destiny determined and sure. Like Cain, Balaam, and Korah, examples offered in the next sec-tion, their error was coupled with disaster and would not long delay its effects.
Jude 1:11-13
OF EVIL-DOERS
11 Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.–The substantive is wanting in the clause “woe unto them,” and it is possible to understand it as either in the indicative or optative mood. If the latter, it is a curse, i.e., “Woe be unto them”; if the former, a simple statement of the misery that will inevitably descend . .“Woe unto them.” It is in this sense that the word “woe” (ouai) occurs in Matthew 24:19, and which sense we assign it here.
Three well-known illustrations from Old Testament history are adduced by the writer to prove his thesis that disobedience leads to disaster, Cain, Balaam, and Korah. Cain is cited because he was regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of Old Testament characters who became wicked, one who defied the simplest and most obvious law of God; and who, in addition, fol-lowed his own natural instinct rather than the will of the Lord in determining the nature of his offering; Balaam is included because he degraded the prophetic gift for sordid gain; and Korah, because he rebelled against divine authority. (See Genesis 4:7; Num. 22 5-7; Revelation 2:14; 2 Peter 2:15; Numbers 16:1-35.) By identifying these false teachers with these Old Testament characters, Jude demonstrated that they were guilty, in principle at least, of mur-der, covetousness, rebellion, and pride. See the comments of 2 Peter 2:15.
The “way of Cain” was the way of disobedience, hate, murder, and ruin; the “error of Balaam” was in seeking to seduce Israel for personal gain; and the “gainsaying of Korah” was rebellion against divinely constituted authority. The evil inherent in these men exhibited itself in the lives of the false teachers threatening the peace and harmony of the church and exists, alas, in some measure today.
12 These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you,–With a wealth of imagery and in vivid detail here and in the verse to follow Jude describes those who threatened the peace and purity of the church and against whom he wrote. They are described as “hidden rocks” in the love feasts in which the saints participated. Like sunken reefs which could not be seen on the surface of the water, but which would inevitably wreck any ship which struck them, so these men gave no warning of the threat which they posed. The “love-feasts” were meals common to the apostolic age at which the saints met from social, charitable, and humanitarian reasons. They appear to have had their origin in the practice of wealthier members of the con-gregation providing food for the poorer ones, and eating with them, in token of their brotherliness. These feasts are not to be identified in any way with the Lord’s supper; indeed, when this supper was corrupted into such a meal, it occasioned a sharp re-buke from Paul. (1 Corinthians 11:17-34.) But that saints were ac-customed to meet together for common meals follows from this reference to such by Jude, from a similar reference in 2 Pet. 2 13, and from numerous statements from ecclesiastical writers in the early centuries of the Christian era. They were suspended by the fourth century because men of the type of whom Jude wrote turned them into ungodly revels.
Shepherds that without fear feed themselves; –Instead of submitting themselves to the true shepherds of the flock–the elders–they affected to be shepherds themselves, their true motive being to feed themselves! This statement is similar in content to that occurring in Ezekiel 34:2 : “Woe unto the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the sheep?” “Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand:they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.” (Isaiah 56:11.)
Clouds without water, carried along by winds; –Note a similar statement in 2 Peter 2:17, “springs without water, and mists driven by a storm.” These false teachers were like clouds which offer promises of refreshing showers, but are carried along (borne past, parapheromenai) and leave no rain. In a land of little rainfall such as Palestine, indeed, in much of the East, the appearance of clouds offering refreshing rain are eagerly watched by the farmer, but when the cloud is borne along by the wind leav-ing no moisture hope yields to despair. These false teachers, like clouds devoid of water, were pretentious, boastful, promising. Yet, in their wake they left only disappointment. To an Oriental, it would not be possible to suggest a more expressive and vivid figure than that which here appears. Cf. Proverbs 25:14 : “As clouds and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of his gifts falsely.”
Autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; –“Autumn” here is from phthinoporon, a word meaning, literally, late autumn, hence, trees on which there is no fruit at the season when it is most expected. Jude may have recalled here the parable of the barren fig tree, which teaches the same lesson of legitimate expectation unfulfilled. The lesson, however, is car-ried further here. The tree was not only barren; it was twice dead, and in addition, plucked up by the roots. There was, there-fore, no possible chance for fruit from such a source! Such was the character of the false teachers about whom Jude wrote.
13 Wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved for ever.–The first two figures which Jude used, hid-den rocks and clouds, referred to the false pretentions of the men about whom he warned and their disaster to which their teaching and conduct led. The third, that of the fruit tree twice dead, described their wretched condition of complete barrenness. The two which this verse contains, foaming waves of the sea, and wan-dering stars, suggest their lawlessness and shamelessness and their ultimate fate. The figure of the foaming sea waves as illustrative of the wicked is used by the prophet Isaiah: “But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.” (Isaiah 57:20.) The reference is obviously to the flotsam and jetsam borne on the crest of the waves and cast up from time to time on the beach. These men with their “great swelling words of vanity” (2 Peter 2:18) were like the great waves that break in foam and leave the beach littered with tangled and worthless refuse. Or, like wandering stars without direction or orbit, they shine for a while and then pass into utter darkness.
For them the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever and ever. Religious teachers are often likened to stars in the sacred writings. (Revelation 1:16; Revelation 2:1.)
There is striking resemblance between this entire section and that which occurs in 2 Peter 2:1-22. The notes should be con-sulted there in connection with the comments which are made here.
Jude 1:14-16
THE OF ENOCH
14 And to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying,–The patriarch Enoch was one of the most illustrious of the Old Testament saints, a man about which little is said in the sacred writings, but that of the most complimentary nature. Of him Moses wrote: “And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:and all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty and five years:and Enoch walked with God: and he was not for God took him.” The implication here is that Enoch began to walk with God on the occasion of the birth of his son, Methuselah, an indication of the fact that he recognized especially his responsibility to Jehovah after that a son was given him. In recounting the exploits of the faithful, the Hebrew writer wrote: “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he bath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God.” (Genesis 5:21-24 Hebrews 11:5.)
Though Moses does not mention the fact that Enoch was a prophet, his faithfulness and fidelity, his devotion to truth, and his sense of responsibility to Jehovah to which the lawgiver testifies suggest that he was such a character as would be used by the Lord for such purposes. He was the “seventh from Adam,” being sev-enth in the line of descent from the first man, the details of which appear in Genesis 5:3-32. The line, as there given, runs: Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah.
To such men as these false teachers against whom Jude was writing, Enoch uttered the prophecy embraced in Jude 1:14-15. It was not Jude’s intention to convey the idea, that Enoch wrote spe-cially or primarily to these; the meaning is that the prophecy which that patriarch delivered was such as might properly be applied to such characters as these about whom Jude was writing.
From what source did Jude obtain the prophecy of Enoch to which he refers? It is sufficient for our purpose merely to answer, from inspiration, whether directly or from traditional sources, is of little consequence. Authenticated by the approval of the Holy Spirit under whose inspiration Jude wrote, it matters little what the method was by which it was brought to his attention. It is alleged by many scholars that this prophecy which Jude cites was taken from an apocryphal book entitled “Book of Enoch,” copies of which are in existence to this day, and containing the following prophecy: “Behold he comes with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon them, and to destroy the wicked, and to strive (at law) with all the carnal for everything which the sinful and ungodly have done and committed against him.” This “book of Enoch” was discovered shortly before the Revolutionary War–about 1773–in a copy of the Ethiopic Bible, and translated into English in 1821. The book cannot be certainly traced back of the third century, and there is no reliable evidence when it was writ-ten. An examination of it reveals that it was written by a Jew ; that its author subscribed to the idea of a judgment such as that taught in the New Testament; and that it was influenced by New Testament conceptions.
Numerous matters in it suggest a post-apostolic origin. There are sharp variations between the statement allegedly cited by Jude and the actual statement as it appears in Jude. There is more reason for supposing that the book of Jude is older than this so-called “Book of Enoch,” and that the author quoted from Jude rather than Jude from. him! In the same fashion that Peter knew that Noah was a preacher, that Lot was vexed in Sodom, and that Paul knew the names of the Egyptian magicians ; Jude learned of Enoch’s prophecy–by inspiration.
Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, –The prophecy of Enoch was one of about judgment, a judgment in which the Lord would come with “ten thousands” (literally, his holy myriads, marginal reading) of his holy ones. The reference here is to the angels who are to accompany the Lord on his mis-sion of judgment, and who are mentioned in connection with that event in Matthew 25 : “But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory . . .” (Verse 31.) Compare Deuteronomy 33:2-3; Zechariah 14:5.
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.–In the judgment to come Enoch prophesied that the ungodly would be convicted of their evil works and of the hard things which they had spoken. In the Greek text, the words “ungodly sinners,” appear at the end of the text and give emphasis to that which the writer sought to convey. The Lord is coming to execute judgment upon all, to convict the un-godly of their evil works, to expose them for the harsh and ugly things which they have spoken against him–these ungodly sin-ners!
From this prophecy of Enoch we learn that the doctrine of a judgment day, with its corresponding rewards and punishments, was known near the beginning of the race. The disposition to feel that those ancient worthies groped blindly in the mists of supersti-tion and ignorance and were without a knowledge of the true God and his way with man, is thus shown to be wrong. The patriarchs were doubtless possessed of a much more profound grasp of truth than is customary to assign them in our day. That the world was later engulfed in ignorance and superstition and lost the knowl-edge of Jehovah does not argue that they were never in possession of such. The blindness which later characterized them was due to apostasy and to a repudiation of the truth which they once pos-sessed.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling words), show-ing respect of persons for the sake of advantage.–To Enoch’s prophecy and description of the ungodly, Jude supplied additional details of the characteristics of these men of the disposition of which that patriarch wrote. They were murmurers (goggustai) individuals who rebelled at their lot in life, and argued that providence was unkind. Being complainers, they were evermore ex-pressing dissatisfaction with all that which was about them, and perhaps, with even God himself. In “walking after their own lusts,” they had given themselves over to a life of dissoluteness, licentiousness, and lasciviousness. They had deliberately chosen the lower life for the higher; they live only for fleshly gratification. In their efforts to deceive, they resorted to “great swelling words,” words bombastic and empty, the design of which was to delude those who were influenced by sound and not sense.
See the notes on 2 Peter 2:18-19. Moreover, they “showed respect of persons” and this “for the sake of advantage,” the rich, the influential, the prominent, they courted; and this, for their own welfare.
It is not unusual to find those similarly influenced today. Many complain at their lot, murmur against providence, and maintain that God is not good because they fall heir to the ills and difficul-ties of humanity. Others, through specious reasoning and by means of empty phrases, seek to justify their conduct though it is opposed to the simplest and plainest teaching of the New Testa-ment. Such, God will eventually judge, a judgment impending at least as long ago as Enoch, seventh from Adam.
Jude 1:17-23
SECTION THREE
TO
17 But ye, beloved, remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; –Here, as also in verse 20, the writer directs an appeal to the saints themselves, in which he recalls for them words which they had heard the apostles speak regarding trials certain to come upon them. See Acts 20:29; 1 Timothy 4:1 ff; 2 Timothy 4:1 ff; 1 John 4 1ff. By his reference to the apostles in the third person we have corroborative evidence of the view advanced in the Introduction that the writer was not himself an apostle. Had Jude been an apostle, as some affirm, it is reasonable to suppose that he would have adduced his apostolic authority; he would have said here, “Remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The statement is such as would have been made by one not an apostle. The teaching of the apostles, on the theme referred to, is not introduced as something new Jude’s readers were, in fact, familiar with it; and are here reminded of what they already knew. They were, therefore, ac-quainted with some of the apostles; they had heard them speak and read their writings, and thus would recognize this warning as one originally delivered by them. Thre phrase, hoti elegon humin, “that they said to you,” with which the next verse begins, suggests that the warning to which Jude refers was a spoken one, rather than written.
18 That they said unto you, In the last time there shall be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.–Cf. 2 Peter 3:2-3, where the words are very much the same. Those who are disposed to hold that Second Peter was written earlier than Jude, and that the writer of our Epistle was dependent on that produc-tion for many of its sentences, cite this reference as evidence of the claim. It should be noted, however, that Peter, in the words which immediately precede the statement, refers the prophecy to an ear-lier announcement than his own: “This now beloved, the second epistle that I write unto you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by putting you in remembrance; that ye should re-member the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles; knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the begin-ning of the creation.” (2 Peter 3:1-4.) The word translated “mockery” here is the same as that which occurs in 2 Peter 3:3, and the reference is much the same, though Jude does not detail, as did Peter, the specific form of mockery referred to–sneers at the delay alleged in the coming of the Lord. For an explanation of the terms used, and the meaning of the writer, see the comments on 2 Peter 3:1-4.
19 These are they who make separations, sensual, having not the Spirit.–The word translated “make separations” is a rare one in the sacred writings, and means to cause divisions, par-ties, factions in the church. It is a compound word, made up of the prepositions apo, from; dia, through; and the noun oros, a section line. As here figuratively used, it designates one who draws a line through the church and sets one part over against another. It is a vivid and impressive picture of the actions of church dividers, factionists, troublers of the people of God. Some ancient versions render the phrase, “they who make separations,” as “these are makers of sects”; and Luther translated it, “makers of factions.” Such men are described as being “sensual,” and as “not having the Spirit.” The word “sensual,” here, is translated from the same word, as “natural,” in 1 Corinthians 2:14 : “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The root for the word sensual is the same as that translated “soul” in the scriptures–psyche. These men are soulish characters.
The word soul is a generic term; and it is not possible to assign a simple meaning to it which will apply in each instance where it occurs. Here, in contrast with the higher nature of man, it signifies the individual life, and denotes that which pertains to a man as a man; and is, hence, the basis of a manner of life inferior to that which is described as spiritual.
The word sometimes denotes the animal life which man possesses in common with beasts (Psalms 78:50); occasionally it refers to and is used synonymously with the spirit (Revelation 6:6-9. The soul stands midway between the body and the spirit of man. He who yields himself to the desires and the demands of the flesh becomes a fleshy person he who, through communion of his spirit with God’s Spirit, allows himself to be employed in the duties which he owes to God is properly styled spiritual. The natural man is thus an individual who lives on the plane of the soul–a lower nature than that of the spirit, though higher than that of the body and who refuses to rise to the high order of his being and to enjoy the communion which is possible between his spirit and God. Man is thus a triune being–he is composed of body, soul, and spirit.(1 Thessalonians 5:23.) He is capable of living on either of these planes; and the manner orders of life his he lives is an index to that which life and controls his being. Those who are sensual possess a wisdom which is from below rather than that which is from above, and they “have not the Spirit.” Being without the guidance and direction of the Spirit of God, their lives are sensual, earthly, devilish. (James 3:15.)
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,–But ye, in contrast with these wicked and ungodly men, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Spirit, “keep yourselves in the love of God.” Such was the design of their building up and praying. The metaphor of building, as a figure to represent growth in Christianity, is a common one in the sacred writings. (Ephesians 2:20 ff.) With faith as the foundation, they were to build a sacred edifice–a holy temple unto the Lord. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17.) For “praying in the Holy Spirit,” see 1 Corinthians 14:15. For evidence of the fact that the Spirit aids us in prayer, see Romans 8:26.
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.–The phrase “love of God” can be understood as signifying either God’s love for us, or our love for God, though it is the former–God’s love for us–which appears to be its significance here. We keep ourselves in his love by conforming our lives to his will: “Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” (John 14:9-10.) In admonishing his readers to keep themselves in the love of God, humany agency in salvation is thus clearly indicated by the inspired writer. While God provides the sphere of salvation–his love–it is man’s function to keep him-self, through faithfulness, in that sphere and a failure to so do is to exclude one from the provisions of salvation. The “mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” sums up all that redemption provides; and all of this looks “unto eternal life,” i.e., to its ultimate possession in the next world.
23 And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; –There are various classes of humanity, and vastly different attitudes toward religion manifested by those of the same class, thus our approach to them must be influenced by the attitude characteristic of them. Some, in error, will be honest doubters, and with these we are to deal with infinite tenderness and patience; those who are perplexed, bewildered, confused, are to be tenderly escorted to the truth.
23 And some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.–These are those more advanced in error than those contemplated in verse 22; men who are far along the way to the fiery destruction which inevitably awaits them; and they are, therefore, to be snatched, as it were, from the fire to which they are so dangerously close. In so doing, we are to be careful that we do not partake of their uncleanness, “hating even the garment spotted (defiled) by the flesh” (the ways of the flesh). See Zechariah 3:1-4.
Jude 1:24-25
SECTION FOUR
24 Now unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy,–The doxology is to Jesus Christ, our Saviour, whom the writer affirmed was, (a) able to guard his readers from stumbling; and (b) to set them before the presence of his glory without blemish in exceeding joy. The word “guard” indi-cates the protection which the Lord extends to his saints who “keep themselves” in his love (verse 21), a protection which ex-tends even to stumbling, an act to be distinguished from falling, since it is possible for one to stumble, and not necessarily to fall, To stumble is a step short of falling, and a condition precedent to it. It follows, therefore, that if one never stumbles, he will never fall. This passage does not teach the impossibility of apostasy; it is not affirmed that God guards all whether they keep themselves in his love or not; on the contrary, only those who avail themselves of the means of escape provided (1 Corinthians 10:12-13) are thus protected. The verb “to set” means, literally, “to cause to stand,” and this the Lord will do for those who are faithful to him to the end. Such shall stand before him “without blemish” (i.e., blame-less, faultless, pure), because they have kept themselves from de-filement, and have lived in such fashion as to merit his approval. These shall experience “exceeding joy” because of the marvelous blessings there to be vouchsafed them.
25 To the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore. Amen.–Jesus is called God be-cause he possesses the divine nature, was in the beginning with God, and is God. (John 1:1.) The glory, majesty, dominion and power here ascribed to him is past, present, and future, embracing all time, and the whole of eternity. And thus the Epistle closes on a note of genuine faith and trust in the Lord, having begun with a prayer and a petition that mercy, peace, and love might abound. Fearlessly Jude had rebuked the deceitful workers threatening the peace and security of the church; with scathing denunciation he had condemned those who corrupted the faith and sought to lead the saints astray and now, with tenderness and faith he commits his readers to the Source of all good–“to the only God our Saviour”–their Protector, Defender, and Lord. May we, through equal fidelity to his will and way, make him ours as well!