8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.
- This verse, and the following serve largely as a commentary on verse 6
- “relying on their dreams” – These people were appealing to their dreams as a basis for their morality and decision making.
- APP: As believers, that is precisely what we are not to do. God’s Word serves as our moral compass, not our personal thoughts because we can justify almost anything we want.
- “defile the flesh” – Their false teaching has fleshed itself out in sexual immorality.
- “reject authority” – Just as is mentioned in verse 6, See also: Genesis 3 (Adam and Eve), Genesis 6 (angels)
- “blaspheme the glorious ones” – Who are these “glorious ones”?Some say this refers to human dignataries…this seems unlikely due to the context of Jude. Perhaps this is a reference to Sodom and Gomorrah and the angels desire to take the angels for themselves. This is most likely a reference to supernatural beings/angels.
2 Peter 2.10-11. – 10 and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.
- See also Exodus 15.11. for use of the term “glorious ones”.
- These angels in their willful disobedience, blasphemed God and his holy counsel (the rest of the good angels). This is in direct contrast to Michael, the angels, behavior mentioned below.
9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
- This verse is both simple and confusing. It is simple in its meaning, but confusing in its origin.
- The main thrust of Jude’s argument is to contrast the humility of the angel Michael with the pride of those who did not remain in their allotted position of authority.
- “Even though the Old Testament says the Lord buried Moses (Deut 34:6), speculation arose over his burial since no human being observed the burial place. The puzzling element in Jude is the reference to the argument over the body of Moses between Michael and the devil. The terms used suggest a legal dispute over Moses’ body. By establishing Moses’ guilt, the devil would deprive him of the right of an honorable burial and presumably claim ownership over his body. Michael had every right, it would seem, to criticize the devil since the devil was wicked and his motives were evil, but Michael did not presume to criticize the devil and utter a “reviling judgment” (krisin blasphēmias) against him.” Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 458.
- “The Lord rebuke you.” Also used in Zechariah 3.2 when Satan accused Joshua the high priest.
- Zech. 3.2-5 – 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. 4 And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” 5 And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord was standing by. 6 And the angel of the Lord solemnly assured Joshua, 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my charge, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here.
- THEO: Satan is an accuser.
- THEO: Christ provides us with ‘clean garments’.
- THEO: He holds us secure. See comments on verse 1.
- THEO: Christ is judge. Not Satan.
- “Where did Jude derive this story? Unfortunately, the account is not extant in any writing that has been preserved. Traditions of the account have come down to us, and these traditions are carefully sifted by Bauckham in an excursus. The story is reputed to come from a book titled Assumption of Moses…What we do learn from the traditions compiled by Bauckham is that the devil contested Moses’ “right to an honorable burial,” charging him with the murder of the Egyptian. Michael asked the Lord to rebuke the devil, and the devil fled so that Michael could complete the burial.” – Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 459.
10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
- “all that they do not understand” – most likely referring to the ‘glorious ones’ mentioned above. They thought they understood heavenly things, but Jude is reminding them that they don’t.
- “unreasoning animals, understand instinctively” – They are being controlled by their physical appetite for pleasure.
- APP: As believers, we are to be controlled by the Spirit if God, not our flesh.
11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
- “walked” – conducted themselves according to…
- “of Cain” – Cain chose wickedness and self over goodness and God. Cain was a man enslaved to self-love.
- “Balaam” – their motivation is greed.
- “Korah” – from Numbers 16. Korah led a rebellion against Moses.
12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
- “hidden reefs” – their are linguistic discrepancies concerning this particular word. The NIV translates it as “blemishes” or stains or spots (spilos). And this may well be the correct interpretation. 2 Pet 2.13 is translated as such. Jude uses the term (spilas) or hidden reefs, literally “rocks or ledge of rocks”.
- “love feasts” – the early church ate meals together, culminating in the Lord’s Supper. Jude warns that all may seem well, but these individuals were a hidden danger among the church.
- “feeding themselves” – probably from Ezekiel 34.2, which warns of shepherds who only feed themselves.
- “waterless clouds…fruitless trees” – they promised much, but delivered little.
13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,
- taken from 1 Enoch.
15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
- note the repetition of “ungodly” in this verse. Jude’s point is clear. Jesus is just and will execute judgment upon sinful man who do not recognize the authority of the Lord or remain in their allotted place of authority.
- 2 deeds that bring judgment: 1) deeds 2) words
16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.
- “following sinful desires” – results in all manner of sinful living.
17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“remember” – Remembering in the Scriptures does not involve mere mental recollection, as when we remember a person’s name that we had temporarily forgotten. Remembering means that one takes to heart the words spoken, so that they are imprinted upon one’s life (cf. v. 5).
18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”
- “scoffers” – What causes an individual to scoff at the things of God, to follow ungodly passions, to live worldly? A) Blinded by Satan and remain in unbelief (See: 2 Cor. 4:3-6; John 6:63-65) B) Have a gospel awareness, but are rebellious to it (See: Rom. 1:18-32)
- Think of the choices above as you would one who pulls out in front of you while driving down the road. A) Some simply do not see you and are unaware of your presence and the danger your car brings as it nears a collision. B) Some see you, but for various reasons, rebel against reason and procede anyway. Perhaps they believe themselves to be faster or that you will slow for them.
- “last time” – New Testament Christians believed that the last days had dawned with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and with his death and resurrection.
- “scoffers” – Mocker, deceiver. The word is also used in 2Peter 3:3. Remember, the scoffers mentioned in Jude are often not overly rebellious in an obvious, in your face, manner. They are sneaky, often belittling the things of God in subtitle ways.
- “own ungodly passions” – Scoffers passions are: 1) internal. James 1,2) ungodly. Romans 3.
19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
- “worldly people” – Scoffers cause division in the church because they are “natural” and do not possess the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1-2) Jude’s words here remind us of Paul, who said that the “natural person” (psychikos) does not welcome the things of the Spirit, precisely because he lacks the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 2:14).
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
- These verses teach us how to fight for faith in the midst of scoffers.
- “build yourselves up” –1. Continue to focus on and grow in your understanding of the gospel. Jude used the metaphor of building something on a foundation. The foundation in this instance is “your most holy faith.” Believers are to build on the faith’s foundation in order to preserve themselves in God’s love.The metaphor of building on the foundation is used elsewhere in the New Testament. Paul said that the only foundation for the church is Jesus Christ, and people must build on that foundation rightly to receive a reward (1 Cor 3:10–15). The foundation upon which the church is built in Eph 2:20 is the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus being the cornerstone. 1 Peter 2:5 describes believers as being built into a spiritual house. the first way believers remain in God’s love is by continuing to grow in their understanding of the gospel, the teachings that were handed down to them at their conversion. believers experience God’s love as their understanding of the faith increases. Affection for God increases not through bypassing the mind but by means of it.
- “faith” – body of teachings, doctrine.
- “praying in the Holy Spirit” – 2. Commune With The Sovereign Saving GodRequests for the furtherance of God’s will and resistance to the devil’s attack are the focus here. Some suggest it refers to speaking in tongues, but context doesn’t support this view. Believers cannot keep themselves in God’s love without depending on him by petitioning him in prayer. Love for God cannot be sustained without a relationship with him, and such a relationship is nurtured by prayer.
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
- “keep yourselves in the love of God” – ‘building’, ‘praying’, and ‘waiting’ are all participles that point us to how we keep ourselves in the love of God.
- Yet what does Jude mean? Was he encouraging believers to maintain their love for God? Or was he exhorting them to remain in a place where they could experience the love of God? I would argue that the first questions enables the second question to be true.
- “waiting” – Do not be short-sighted in your faith.
22 And have mercy on those who doubt;
- “have mercy” – we show mercy because we have received and will receive mercy. (v. 21).
23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
- Believers are to beware lest their mercy is transposed into acceptance, and they themselves become defiled by the sin of those they are trying to help. Jude may have been thinking of Jewish purity laws where one would become unclean by coming into contact with something that was unclean.
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
- The doxology in Jude follows a form that is common in other New Testament doxologies. (1) God, the person who deserves the praise, is addressed in the dative case (Rom 16:25; Eph 3:20; 2 Pet 3:18); (2) glory and honor are ascribed to God (Rom 16:27; Eph 3:21; 2 Pet 3:18); (3) the endless duration of God’s praise is featured (Rom 16:27; Eph 3:21; 2 Pet 3:18); and (4) a concluding “amen” is incorporated (Rom 16:27; Eph 3:21; 2 Pet 3:18). Jude shared all four of these elements, indicating that we have a common liturgical form here. – Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003), 490.
- “keep you from stumbling” – It’s not that believers might be kept, but that they will be kept from stumbling. God initiates, keeps, and completes the process of salvation.
25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.