Bible Commentaries
Jude 1

Verses 1-2

Jud 1:1-2

SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION (Judges 1:1-4)

SALUTATION (Judges 1:1-2)

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 Judges 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.

Commentary on Judges 1:1-2 by E.M. Zerr

Judges 1:1. The writer of this epistle calls himself brother of James, no doubt because of the prominence of James in the Jerusalem church, the man who wrote the epistle of that name. Neither of these men was one of the twelve apostles as is shown in remarks at James 1:1. This epistle is addressed to them that are sanctified which means Christians. (See the comments at 1 Peter 1:1.)

Judges 1:2. To be multiplied means the blessings are to be very abundant.

Commentary on Judges 1:1-2 by N.T. Caton

Judges 1:1.—Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ.

The author first gives his name, and then proceeds to give the means by which he may be identified. He first says, a servant of Jesus Christ. This expression can mean no more nor no less than the same means when used by Paul or John, viz.: an apostle of Jesus Christ. His omission to add the word "apostle" can not militate against this view, otherwise we must conclude that some of the epistles attrib­uted to Paul were written by others, particularly the letters to the Philippians, Thessalonians, Philemon and Hebrews, and those of John, viz.: the first, second and third epistles. The writer, however, proceeds to place his identity beyond cavil by adding, "the brother of James." On this point for further remarks, see introduction.

Sanctified.

Set apart—that is, by obedience to the gospel they are sanctified, or set apart to the service of God.

Preserved in Jesus Christ.

Remain free from vices, unspotted from worldly sins, by the observance of those precepts which are through or in Christ given to the world. Thus preserved and—

Called.

The gospel was preached; they heard, accepted and obeyed, and were thus called.

Judges 1:2.—Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

By God’s mercy they were pardoned; the apostle desires a continuance of this pardoning mercy, and the other things relate to their lives here, and may be summed up by saying he wishes them an increase of happiness here, temporal and spiritual.

Commentary on Judges 1:1-2 by Donald Fream

Jude identifies himself as a brother of the well-known James and as a servant of Jesus. He then addresses the Christians with a wish for mercy, peace and love. There is some question as to which Jude actually wrote the book. The five Judes of the New Testament include (1) The Judas of Damascus (Acts 9:11). Lack of further mention of this Jude eliminates him as a likely author of the epistle. (2) Judas Barsabas was mentioned in Acts 15 (Acts 15:22; Acts 15:27; Acts 15:32). This Judas accompanies Silas on a trip to Antioch from Jerusalem, and he was also called a prophet (Acts 15:32), but he has never been seriously considered as a likely author of the book of Jude. (3) Then there was Judas Iscariot who was not alive at the time the book was written. This leaves two men by the name of Jude who might have possibly been the author: (4) The Apostle Judas “not Iscariot” (John 14:22). This apostle is called the “brother of James” in the Authorised Version, and as such would look like a likely author of the book. However, in this passage the word “brother” has been added, for it was not contained in the original Greek. (All words printed in italics in the Authorised Version are not in the original Greek). Judas of James in the Greek more likely means “Judas, son of James.” The later translations so read. Thus the apostle Judas is probably not the author of the book. Had he been, he probably would have mentioned his apostleship in the first verse rather than identifying himself as being the brother of James. (5) The most likely author is the fifth Judas, the brother of Jesus mentioned in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3. James the author of the epistle James, is identified as the brother of Jesus. It is quite probable that another brother of Jesus, Jude, wrote the Jude epistle. Had he been an apostle, his apostleship would have been a sure mark of identification, but this he does not mention.

You might ask, “If Jude, the brother of Jesus, wrote the epistle, why didn’t he mention that he was Jesus’ brother as a mark of identifying himself?” Jude no doubt felt his relationship to Jesus as a Lord and servant relationship to be far more important. In humility and for the sake of proper testimony it seems natural he would prefer to call himself a servant of his Lord (which he was). James was so well known that this identification seemed to be sufficient. For this reason the James who was his brother must have been the well-known James who was the Lord’s brother and who wrote the epistle of James.

Most commentators agree that the epistle was written at a late date, some even giving a date far after the destruction of Jerusalem. The beginning of Gnosticism was evident when the epistle was written. It also appears Jude was familiar with the passages in 2 Peter 1:5; 2 Peter 2:1-18, for he finds their expression so well suited to his purpose that he uses them with slight modification. (Judges 1:3-18.) Some argue that perhaps Peter was familiar with Jude when he wrote his epistle. This is, of course, another possibility. No exact date can be given, but if Jude was familiar with Peter’s writing and he wrote before the siege of Jerusalem, then the date would probably be between A.D. 65 and 70. Nothing is known concerning the place of writing.

Jude identifies his readers three ways; the called, beloved, and kept. Although many Christians often argue as to the way in which God calls, the scripture is quite clear that the call of God is given for every man and is given through the gospel. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). This gives added meaning to the urgency of carrying the “good news” to every man; and seeing that the gospel is preached in every season and in every nation. The word for “called” is used for summoning a man to a responsibility or to a feast or festival, or to a court and judgment. All three senses have some significance here, but it seems the responsibility as being a member of God’s army and the feast at the Word of God has added significance to the Christian. The call to a court judgment would have significance to everyone, but especially to the non-Christian.

“Beloved” is a term that grips the very soul of man. This is not only the nature of the call, but the nature of the caller and the nature of the one who responds to the call. In love is the real motive for response as well as the real motive for offering the way of escape (the scheme of redemption) for man. Man responds (becomes beloved in his own nature through regeneration) because he is beloved of God.

The power of God to “keep” the Christian from all adversaries and guard him from all his enemies is emphasized at the beginning and the end of the epistle. The apostasy described and warned against will certainly make life miserable for the saint, but this misery is nothing when compared to the glory that shall follow. God’s ability to keep his saints in their chosen state of redemption is without contest. As long as the individual saint chooses to remain in that group which God has pre-planned and predestined to be saved, he will be kept (Judges 1:1) and guarded (Judges 1:24) by God. Of course, the individual is free to leave this guarded group if he should choose, for God has not taken his will from him. The book of Jude becomes more than a strong statement of woe against the apostate, it becomes a warning to the saint not to choose the road of apostasy.

The determination and power of God to keep those who continue to choose to remain with Him is nowhere more clearly set forth than in the book of Romans. “If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-39.

Jude’s starting point for his discussion on apostasy is beautiful indeed, although briefly stated. The majestic grandeur of being kept for Jesus Christ culminates in Jude’s prayer for multiplied mercy, peace and love for his readers. Mercy is the sympathetic good performed on our behalf, then tranquility of soul is ours because this good (salvation) has been performed. His love is multiplied as we become like He is . . . altogether lovely.

In this section we already see a pattern of expression that Jude uses in a beautiful way: the triad. Three triads are used in these two verses: (1) Jude, servant, brother; (2) sanctified, preserved, called; (3) mercy, love, peace. More than a dozen such triplets are used in the epistle.

Commentary on Judges 1:1-2 by Burton Coffman

THE GENERAL LETTER OF JUDE

Judges 1:1 --Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

For the significance of this verse in understanding the authorship and date of the epistle, see in the introduction.

James ... One of the brothers of Jesus Christ (Matthew 13:55), and therefore, at first, not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ whom he here acknowledges as his Lord (John 7:2-5).

Servant ... The word for "servant" here is (Greek: [@doulos]),^[1] meaning one "born into slavery," thus witnessing to the fact of Jude’s being "twice born," having experienced the new birth. Although the meaning of this word in the Greek is "slave," the translators have wisely rendered it "servant," because of the degrading associations connected with the other word.

And brother of James ... This is added by way of identification, and also as a basis of his expecting to be heard. "It is almost impossible that an apostle should have urged such a claim, and yet not have stated the much higher claim of his own office."^[2] The powerful inference, of course, is that the writer of Jude was not an apostle.

Called ... in the New Testament always has the sense of a call accepted and obeyed.

Beloved in God ... Here we have "a parallel to the Pauline in Christ."^[3] One’s being either "in God" or "in Christ" being automatically equivalent to his being in the other, it is clear that here is another New Testament witness to the conception reaching back to the Lord himself of the "corporate body" of God’s people.

And kept for Jesus Christ ... Wallace noted that, "The verb here translated kept points toward Christ’s return."^[4]

^[1] Delbert R. Rose, Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 10 (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1967), p. 428.

^[2] Alfred Plummer, Ellicott’s Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 508.

^[3] David H. Wheaton, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 1275.

^[4] David H. Wallace, Wycliffe Bible Commentary, New Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 1040.

Judges 1:2 --Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied.

Jude’s fondness for triads is evident throughout the letter. In these first two verses we have: (1) three names: Jude, Jesus Christ, and James, then (2) three forms of relation: servant, Lord (Master), and brother, then (3) mercy, peace, and love. In Judges 1:5-10, we have three examples of apostasy: (4) Israel of the Exodus, the rebel angels, and the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. There follows: (5) a three-fold characterization of the evil men as walking in the ways of Cain, Balaam, and Korah.

Grace, mercy, and peace ... This follows closely the sentiment of Paul’s "grace, mercy, and peace" (2 Timothy 1:2).

Commentary on Judges 1:1-2 by Gary Hampton

Assurance for the Christian

The author calls himself Jude, or Judas, which literally means "renowned." He also says he is the brother of James, who is thought to be the one so outstanding in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 15:13; Galatians 2:9). If so, he would also have been the brother of our Lord (Galatians 1:19). That would likewise make Jude Jesus’ brother (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). Like his brothers, Jude did not believe Jesus was the Son of God during Christ’s personal ministry on earth (John 7:1-9). However, Christ’s resurrection seems to have convinced him since he is numbered as one of those in the upper room in Acts 1:12-14. It also appears Jude was married. His wife traveled with him on his journeys (1 Corinthians 9:5).

He calls himself "a servant of Jesus Christ." The word rendered "servant" literally means "slave," not as one forced to work, but one who willingly chooses to serve another. He is writing to the "called," which includes all the followers of Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15). The called are said to be "sanctified by God the Father." That is, Christians were set apart by the gift of God’s own Son on the cross of Calvary (John 3:16-17; Romans 5:8; Romans 8:37-39). They are also said to be "preserved" in Jesus Christ (Judges 1:1). In order to be so preserved, Jude urged them to keep themselves in the love of God (verse 21). Jude’s desire for them was that God’s love would be multiplied to them along with His mercy and peace. Woods said that mercy, peace and love are the three blessings needed most by readers of Jude from his day to the present (Judges 1:2).

Commentary on Judges 1:1-2 by David Hersey

Judges 1:1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Jude here identifies himself by name and gives two additional pieces of information which serve to identify him to his immediate readership. Jude affirms that he is first a servant of Jesus Christ, and then secondly a brother to James. The apostle James was long dead at the writing of this epistle and the only other person in scripture who was identified as a brother to Jude or Judas was James the son of Joseph, half-brother to Jesus Christ. Obviously the writer felt this was all the identification necessary in order to convey the authenticity of the epistle.

"a bondservant of Jesus Christ"--Before identifying himself as the brother of James, Jude chose to first proclaim that he was a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Obviously this distinction carries the greater weight of the two forms of identification. The application we should take from this is that even though this man was a brother to Jesus Christ Himself, the most important distinction any disciple could have would be that of a bondservant of Jesus Christ.

The word "bondservant" comes from the Greek word "doulos" which literally means either a slave or a bondservant. A bondservant is a person bound in servitude to another human being as an instrument of labor. Sometimes someone who owed a debt they could not pay would offer themselves as bondservants until such time as the debt was satisfied. This is the relationship which Jude claimed to be in towards Jesus Christ. Jude was not the only inspired writer to assume such a position in regards to Jesus Christ. Paul claimed this relationship with Jesus Christ in Romans 1:1 and with God in Titus 1:1. Paul declared "Epaphras" to be a "bondservant" of Christ in Colossians 4:12. In James 1:1 he claimed to be a bondservant to both God and Jesus Christ. And Peter declared himself to be a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ in 2 Peter 1:1. In every case mentioned, the same Greek word, "doulos" was used.

It is no accident these inspired writers used this designation. Scripture teaches us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and as a consequence of that are dead in their trespasses (Colossians 2:12). Paul taught in Ephesians 2:5 that those who are dead are made alive together with Christ. This was accomplished through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross when He shed His blood for the sins of mankind. With His death, Jesus Christ satisfied the death penalty each and ever accountable individual owes for their transgressions. There is a penalty associated with sin. This penalty is death (Romans 6:23). Jesus paid that penalty at great personal cost and thereby placed us in the position of owing Him our very lives. While Jesus paid this sin debt for all, Christians are not free to live their lives as they see fit.

Because of what Jesus did on the cross for all mankind, a debt which we can never repay has been paid for us. We owe our lives to Jesus Christ. This is a debt we can never repay. Christians are called to offer their bodies a living sacrifice to God in Romans 12:1. Sacrifices are required to be of the free will nature. Therefore Christians are called to offer their lives as bondservants to Christ. Being made free from the sin which enslaves us and kills us, we willingly offer ourselves as bondservants to Jesus Christ. This relationship of a bondservant to Christ is described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:22-23, "For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord’s freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ’s bondservant. Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men."

The immediate context of 1 Corinthians 7:22-23 is for Christians not to strive for social or economic betterment to the point they would fail to seek first the kingdom of God. The social status of an individual has no bearing on their standing with God. The application we can make from this in addition to the immediate context is that there was a price paid for us and that we should seek more to be a bondservant of Christ than any other position on earth.

A bondservant remains in voluntary service until one of two things occurs. Either the debt is paid or the bondservant dies during the period of time required to satisfy the debt owed. Since it is the Christians very life which is to be offered as a living sacrifice it is understood that the cost of salvation can never be fully repaid to Jesus by mankind. There is simply nothing mankind can do, either collectively or individually that can repay what it cost Jesus to offer us salvation. There is no way we can take Jesus off the cross or make it unnecessary for Him to have been there. We cannot repay what Jesus gave up for us. The only thing we have to offer in return for Jesus’ amazing gift is a lifetime of grateful and obedient servitude. Such is the bondservant aspect of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

We are literally to be in voluntary bondage to Christ Jesus and as such, we are obligated to conduct ourselves as true bondservants. True bondservants serve their master obediently and faithfully for the duration of their bondage. In the case of a Christian, this term of service is for life.

There are many aspects of the Christians relationship with Jesus Christ. Each one has a bearing on the attitude with which we should conduct and portray ourselves both in the sight of God and in the sight of mankind. Another aspect of a Christian’s relationship is one of friendship. In speaking to His disciples, Christ had this to say about friendship in John 15:14-15, "Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you. No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known unto you." Friendship, like bond service is another aspect of our relationship with Christ. This aspect of ones relationship is dependant upon our obedience to Christ. The faithful Christian must be aware that apart from obedience, there is no relationship with Christ at all. John wrote that those who do not obey Christ do not even know Him in 1 John 2:3-4.

A third aspect of our relationship with God is one of fellowship. John confirms this in 1 John 1:3, where by inspiration he writes, "...and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ". A fourth aspect of our relationship with God is one of family, Matthew 12:50, "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother." While bond service is certainly not the only the aspect of our relationship with God, it is indeed the foundational one upon which all other forms of our relationship with God depend.

"to them that are called"--Speaking here of Christians. Christians are:

1) called to be saints (1 Corinthians 1:2)
2) called into the fellowship Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9)
3) called by His grace (Galatians 1:15)
4) called for freedom (Galatians 5:13)
5) called in one hope (Ephesians 4:4-5)
6) called in one body (Colossians 3:15)
7) called into the kingdom of Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:12)
8) called through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14-15)
9) called to life (1 Timothy 6:12)
10) called to glory and virtue (2 Peter 1:3)
11) called with a holy calling (2 Timothy 1:9)
12) called out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9)
13) called to His glory (1 Peter 5:10)
14) and called to be the sons of God (1 John 3:1)

The Greek word for "called" in the context of Jude’s salutation is ’kletos’ (klay-tos’), which carries the meaning of having been invited or appointed. It comes from the primary word ’kello’ which means to ’hail’ or to ’urge’ or to persuade by words. Another word we recognize in the Greek language is the word ’Ekklesia’ which is a compound word made up of ’Ek’ which is a primary preposition denoting origin or in other words the point from where action or motion proceeds. An illustration would be, ’the boy came out from, or out of his hiding place’. The second Greek word which makes up the word ’Ekklesia’ is the word ’kaleo’ which means to ’call forth’. This word has the same primary root as ’kletos’ which was used here in Judges 1:1. The word ’Ekklesia’ therefore carries the idea of being called or hailed out from something or somewhere. The Greek word, ’Ekklesia" is the word which today is translated as church. The church is then those who have been called out from the darkness, into the light. Called to be Christians. When Jude address his letter to "them that are called", he addressed it to Christians.

Jude wrote his epistle to Christians in the first century with an immediate application to their circumstances. But the letter was addressed to Christians in general. While Jude’s epistle may have addressed the urgent need at the time it was written, the message contained therein most definitely has an application to all who have been ’called’. When Jude addressed his epistle to the "called" he addressed it to the body of Christ, also known as the church (Colossians 1:18; Colossians 1:24 ).

"sanctified by God the Father"

Those who are called are characterized as being sanctified in God the Father. The Greek word for "sanctified" in this case is "Agapao" which means to be loved. The ASV renders this phrase as "Beloved in God the Father" which is probably a more correct translation. This of course extends only to those who answer God’s call. The call of God goes out to the whole world. Whosoever is the range of God’s calling (John 3:16, Revelation 22:17). While many are called, scripture plainly teaches that relatively speaking, only few will be be chosen (Matthew 22:14). Those who are chosen are here said to be "beloved" in God. This echoes the teaching of Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, "But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, for that God chose you from the beginning unto salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you through our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"and kept for Jesus Christ"--Kept continually, (so the perfect tense means) for Jesus Christ until the day of His coming. This speaks to the eternal security of the Christian. Peter wrote concerning this in 1 Peter 1:5, "Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:18, "The Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will save me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom (be) the glory forever and ever. Amen". John wrote about this security in John 10:28-29, "and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who hath given (them) unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch (them) out of the Father’s hand". Paul had some more very comforting and emphatic words with regard to the security of the Christian in Romans 8:38-39, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord".

These are all comforting words for the Christian. However, out of these and other such passages has risen the doctrine of ’Once Saved, Always Saved’. This doctrine has its roots in Calvinism whose teaching is summed up in five major points called "TULIP". Each word standing for a particular element of this doctrine. The five are as follows:

1) Total Depravity which teaches that at birth everyone is born into slavery to sin and is utterly unable to choose on their own to follow God and be saved. In other words, none of us, without direct intervention from God can make the conscious choice to avail ourselves of God’s universal offer of salvation made available to all. See John 3:16 and Revelation 22:17.

2) Unconditional Election which asserts that God chose before creation those whom he will bring to Himself. See 1 Timothy 2:4.

3) Limited Atonement which asserts that only the sins of those elected before creation are atoned for by the blood of Jesus. See Hebrews 10:10.

4) Irresistible Grace which teaches that for those whom God has preselected to eternal life, grace cannot be resisted. The elected sinner is compelled by God to come to Christ. See Hebrews 12:15.

5) Perseverance of the Saints which teaches that because of God’s sovereignty, his divine purpose cannot be frustrated by humans or anything else. Therefore, those whom God has called into communion with himself will continue in faith until the end. In other words, once one is saved, they are always saved and God will not allow them to fall.

This is what happens when men take selected scriptures and form a manmade doctrine around them without regard to what the whole of God’s word teaches. It is vital when considering the will of God that we act in accordance with the whole will of God and not selected portions of it. Calvinism with its core teachings represents God as a respecter of persons, teaching that God chose who will be saved and who will not and nothing man can do will ever change that. In other words, those inheriting eternal life do so because they were chosen by God from among the rest of humanity to do so. There is no free will, and there is no personal volition in regards to one’s salvation. Those in heaven are there because God chose them to be there and those who are chosen have no choice in the matter, being saved without regard to whether or not they even desire it.

As for the Perseverance of the Saints, or ’Once Saved, Always Saved’, there are literally hundreds of scriptures which speak against this doctrine. All it takes is for one of these passages to be in contradiction with the doctrine of ’Once Saved, Always Saved’ in order to invalidate it. A contradiction occurs when one of the available choices cannot be true. The doctrine of ’OSAS’ teaches that the Christian is preserved by the power of God to salvation in opposition to the will of the individual. In other words, it teaches that a Christian is incapable of so sinning that the result would be the loss of salvation. If this is true then James 5:19-20 cannot be true. "My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins." The doctrine of OSAS teaches one cannot fall from grace, yet in Galatians 5:4, we see NT Christians being told they did. The doctrine of OSAS teaches that a Christian cannot fail of God’s grace yet the NT Christians were exhorted to be diligent lest they would in Hebrews 12:15. If the possibility of failing from God’s grace did not exist, there would be no reason to warn Christians about it.

Yes, Christians are kept by the power of God. Preserved and upheld till the day of judgment. This preserving and keeping is accomplished through the word of God when it is taken to heart and obeyed. It is through the word of God that we learn how to respond to the call of God and how to live our lives in such a way that we will be preserved. We are kept by God, but not unconditionally. We as Christians have a responsibility in God’s redemptive process. It is our responsibility to respond to the call of the Lord and to do those things in accordance with His will. Only through our obedience to His will as revealed in His word are we kept by God unto salvation. Without that obedience, there is no preservation of the saints.

Judges 1:2 --Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

As this study progresses, it becomes apparent that Jude uses groups of three several times to make his illustrations. In these first two verses we see three forms of relationship between Christians and God: servant, Lord (Master), and brother. Then here we see mercy, peace, and love. In Judges 1:5-10, we have three examples of apostasy: Israel of the Exodus, the rebel angels, and the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. There follows a three-fold portrayal of evil men as walking in the ways of Cain, Balaam, and Korah.

Grace, mercy, and peace ... This follows closely the sentiment of Paul’s "grace, mercy, and peace" (2 Timothy 1:2).

Jude mentions love and mercy again in Judges 1:21 where he refers to the mercy of Jesus which we are to seek. God has many attributes to His immutable nature. He is Just, merciful, graceful and loving. With God, all of these attributes are absolute. Meaning God is absolutely just (Isaiah 45:21 ), meaning fair and without partiality. God is love, grace and mercy in totality. God’s love is what compels Him to show mercy and grace. God would have been well within his rights to just let man die when he sins, but His love for mankind compelled Him to offer mankind a way of redemption despite the personal cost to Himself. Mankind did nothing to deserve God’s grace and mercy and can do nothing to merit or pay for it in any way. Those who are dead have nothing to offer in return for their lives.

Consider the love it took for a Just God to send His beloved son down to die at the hands of man, and to allow the death of His murdered son to be a substitutionary death penalty for man. To break that down into terms easy to understand, suppose a man perpetrates a crime against you so serious that he faces the death penalty. You know that justice demands he pay the death penalty but you don’t want this individual to have to suffer that. You want to give him a second chance. That is mercy.

So faced with the demands of justice, you send your only son, who is completely innocent, to death row where this man murders your only son and you allow that death at his hands to be a substitute for the death penalty he owed in the first place. Forget about the fact that he murdered your son. You aren’t going to hold the murder of your son against him. The reason you can do this is because your son volunteered to go do this for him knowing fully well that he was going to die at his hands. Now, not only is this man who justly owed a death penalty for his crime against you going to be forgiven by you, he is now extended an invitation by you to come live with you in your house for all eternity. Because of your love and mercy, this individual has been given an opportunity to be in eternal fellowship with you and your son which he murdered. That is grace.

That is the mercy, peace and love that Jude wished to be multiplied to his readership. Let us consider Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 9:15, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

Verses 3-4

Jud 1:3-4

OCCASION FOR WRITING THE EPISTLE

(Judges 1:3-4)

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.)

Commentary on Judges 1:3-4 by E.M. Zerr

Judges 1:3. The definition "thoughtful activity" has been offered the readers for the word diligence. Jude says he used it in writing this epistle which indicates its importance, also the trustworthiness of him as an author. Common salvation means a plan of salvation that is offered to all people alike, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. Earnestly contend. Both words are from EPAGONIZOMAI, which Thayer defines with the single word "contend"; it means that Christians should "face the foe" wherever he is met. The faith means the New Testament in which the common salvation is revealed. Once delivered to the saints. This denotes that the plan was put into the hands of men (who are saints; Christians) and that once is as often as it had to be revealed.

Judges 1:4. Crept in unawares means they came in some underhanded manner to get advantage over the disciples. Ordained is from a Greek word that means they were predicted in old times, that they would do the things that would bring this condemnation. They misused the grace (favor) of God by making it seem to support their lasciviousness (filthy desires). It would be expected that such characters would deny Jesus Christ because he would condemn their wicked deeds.

Commentary on Judges 1:3-4 by N.T. Caton

Judges 1:3.—Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you.

Just what the apostle meant by giving all diligence may be gathered from some things subsequently mentioned. I take it that he desires them to understand that it had been his intention to write them, possibly taking more leisure and bestowing more pains, but from some circumstances that then surrounded them, he was induced to write in haste.

Of the common salvation.

Not common as being of little importance, but common in the sense that it was for all—Jew and Gentile—for all people. Salvation is a deliverance from evil. In this instance it relates to a deliverance from the state of guilt and dominion of wrong-doing in this life, and includes the eter­nal deliverance in the world to come. All this is included in the gospel plan of salvation, and is offered to every son and daughter of the human race.

It was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you

The necessity for so writing and exhorting at this time is given in the succeeding verse.

That ye should earnestly contend.

Not to violence. This is not included in the exhortation. Earnestly contending may only include properly urging and maintaining in the face of opposition. The thought is, that when opposition arises you are not to observe silence, and say and do nothing for the gospel, but in earnestness and in all sincerity you are to contend as God requires at your hands, to show strenuously by your speech and by your godly walk that there is truth in the profession you make. What they were earnestly or strenuously to contend for is told us in the next clause.

For the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

A figure of speech is here used—faith in the place of the whole scheme of human redemption. Paul so uses the term in his letter to the churches of Galatia. (Galatians 3:23-25.) So here the doctrine and precepts of the gospel exhibiting God’s love to the children of men, and the pro­visions made therein by him whereby we can become his children, all are included in the word of faith. For this they were to strenuously contend, and for this only, without additions, adulterations, or changes of any kind or character whatever. And they are not exhorted to contend for any­thing else—this, simply this, no more, no less.

Once delivered.

The scenes of Pentecost being kept before the mind, none need to be led astray. There the full blaze of gospel light burst upon an astonished world. The faith was deliv­ered to the saints there and then. No full delivery was made until then; none other need be expected. What was then delivered will never have any additions. God has spoken, the sacrifice was once made. Many, after long and prayerful study of the Bible containing God’s revelation to his crea­tures, have tried to formulate a brief exposition of the scheme of human redemption. To the careful and God-loving and God-fearing student of the blessed volume, it appears certain that God designed, by his revelation, to communicate to the children of men his existence, his authorship of the world, and all things therein contained—his object in the creation of man to be for his glory and man’s good; the fall of man and the necessity for the adoption of a plan by which he might be reclaimed, and again come into a blessed union with his Creator; and after years of development the coming of the promised one, his sojourn on earth, his crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension to heaven—after having made special provisions for the furtherance of God’s will concerning man, and the establishment of his kingdom or church on earth, and the final proclamation of the terms upon which man can be brought again into the favor of his God, and how to live in this life, that in the world to come the enjoyment of a blessed immortality shall be his—if this be the object of God in giving us the blessed book, it is but reasonable to suppose that from it we can gather in epitome a view of the whole scheme or plan. This, as suggested, many have done. Generally, it is said that the scheme is divided by infinite wisdom into two parts—the part which the divine mind designed that God was to and has performed, and a part which the same divine mind requires man to perform, and upon man’s compliance with what is exacted of him, what further God will do in that event. The conception is all from the divine mind, and superinduced by divine love and mercy, and, coming from that source, is perfect and not the subject of modification on the part of man, however exalted he may be in wisdom and intelligence. The sermon of Peter on Pentecost, when the kingdom of Christ on earth was set up, contains in outline the whole scheme. That the eye may aid the mind in grasping that outline, we say that a careful study of that sermon will show that the scheme of redemp­tion presents-

1. Facts.

2. Commandments.

3. Promises.

The facts contain in minute form what God has done to make our salvation possible; things, of course, which we could not do for ourselves. These embrace a Savior, one that was with the Father and became incarnate—his life, death, burial, resurrection, and therein the atonement for sin. The commandments embrace what man on his part must do to be good. These are

1. Faith in God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Repentance for past sins, and therein a determination to do what is right carried out in a reformation of life.

3. A confession by the mouth of the faith of the heart.

4. Immersion into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in obedience to Christ’s command.

The promises embrace what God will do for those who obey, as follows:

1. Remission of past sins.

2. Gift of the Holy Spirit.

3. Heirship in God’s family resulting, in case of con­tinued fidelity, to a home in blessedness after death.

Thus it is easily to be seen that these facts that are given to be believed, and the commandments which are given to be obeyed, and the promises which God has given to be enjoyed by the obedient, Present in miniature the whole scheme of human redemption. They present both the divine and the human side of the plan for man’s recovery from sin. In short, this epitome tersely brings before our vision the faith once delivered to the saints, and for which we are exhorted by Jesus to earnestly contend. This is the revela­tion as it is made, and will not be again repeated. No adding to or taking from can for a moment be thought of or toler­ated. Just as delivered, so it is to be embraced and stren­uously contended for, if the Lord’s approbation is sought.

Judges 1:4.—For there are certain men crept in unawares.

The reason for the haste in writing and the urgency of the exhortation are here given. Unawares, or slyly, certain men, false teachers, had crept into the church. The word "unawares" implies that the character of these certain men that crept in was not known, otherwise they might have been rejected, kept out, or failed to obtain recognition as members of the body of Christ. The writer, in his description of these men—while he denominates them as ungodly, which is a general description—proceeds to lay two specific charges against them, and this is necessary that thereby the breth­ren may the more easily identify them and detect their ungodly approaches:

1. Turning the grace of God into lasciviousness.

2. Denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now these which slyly crept into the church use the favor which God designed to bestow through this agency to its perversion. They insist that all manner of lewd practices are allowable to the sanctified in spirit; such practices are only of the flesh, and do not disturb their spiritual relations with the Master. These practices may be, and are, forbidden to those not of the one body, but to the sanctified it is different. These that slyly crept into the church further insist that Christ had not come in the flesh, because, say they, the flesh is sinful, necessarily, naturally, and without the possibility of change. Macknight seems to think that the denying relates to a denial in the face of persecution, and the denial being made to avoid the punish­ment under persecution inflicted. This view can not account reasonably for the apostle’s haste in writing, and his anxiety to warn against this class of false teachers. That this can not be the correct view is further evident from some addi­tional characteristics given elsewhere in the epistle, some of which ^,we now proceed to enumerate:

1. They were of old ordained.

2. Their condemnation was fixed.

The coming of this class was foretold; at the time of such foretelling, their condemnation was also asserted. As an inspired writer, Jude, further along, asserts that Enoch, before the flood, made known this class and the certainty of their punishment.

Commentary on Judges 1:3-4 by Donald Fream

Jude changes his mind about the subject-matter of his letter. Instead of a general letter about salvation, apostasy within the church causes him to urge them to be faithful to the revelation they have received from God. He explains that these ungodly men secretly came in to deceive by changing God’s grace to vile action and faith in Jesus to denial of Him. These are men who were condemned to eternal punishment.

Jude dearly loves the saints to whom he writes. The term “beloved” could refer to Jude’s love. However there is something complete in the expression that implies beloved by God. It would be difficult to say the term refers either to the love of God or the love of Jude exclusive to the other. They were beloved by both. Jude was either ready to write to them, or else he had already begun his writing. He was in earnest in the process of planning, or of execution. Perhaps he was just on the point of writing about the need of salvation that all Christians share in common. Such a subject would have been worthy of a letter. One of the most profound books of the New Testament (Romans) is on this subject. But something happened to change Jude’s mind before the letter could be written.

It may be that fresh news had reached Jude about the apostates within the church, or that recent developments became such that Jude became suddenly alarmed. However he heard the news, he found it necessary (needful) to change his mind and exhort them about the impending danger. Their faith was in danger of being altered or spoiled. Their convictions about the person and divinity of Jesus was to be attacked. Perhaps the attack had already begun!

Note the method of defense used by Jude. Knowledge was the only defense. They were to know first of all what they believed, and why. Their best defense was to contend earnestly for what they believed. In order to firmly implant themselves in this positive stand, they must restudy the revelation already given. They already had the “good news” concerning Christ. The Gospel revelation had been completed and was delivered for all time to come. There would be no contrary revelation. This had been “once for all delivered.”

So brethren, know all about your convictions. Know not only what you believe, but why. Give diligence to rightly divide the word of revelation that has been finally and completely delivered.

Not only did Jude urge them to know their own convictions and stand firm on them, but in the following verses Jude assails the apostates directly. Before the enemy of Christ can be properly assailed, however, one must make sure of his own defenses. When an enemy is attacked, he will fight back.

To attack an enemy when one has no position of his own is pointless. If one succeeds in such an attack, then nothing will be left. All positive conviction will have been destroyed and only hopeless chaos and meaningless void will result. This has been the result in too many modern churches of the twentieth century. Men with no positive convictions about the gospel have attacked the faith of the believers in the church. They have won their battle, and the faith of the brethren is destroyed. The church is left void. It is left completely useless, and has no reason for further existence. There is no growth, because there is no positive conviction that appeals to men outside the organization. There is hardly even a spark of life left.

If one loses such an attack, then the enemy, who does have positive convictions, will have won over his attacker. This would be tragic if the attacker were the Christian, and this is Jude’s point. Establish yourself in the faith so that your position is unassailable. “Give diligence to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” So Jude says, “contend earnestly for the faith . . .”

The believer who does this is insuring himself against attacks of the apostate. The believer who knows the Word of God knows all things (that were revealed) once for all. He is thus fortified by true knowledge from God. He is in a position to be “kept for Jesus Christ” because he “contends earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.”

Note the two-fold action: God keeps us (Judges 1:1), and we “contend” that we might be kept (Judges 1:3). The two actions must go together. God wishes that we be kept, and He provides the way. We put ourselves in the way and see to it that we meet the conditions that will insure God’s keeping us. God does not keep anyone against his will. Man not only makes such a choice at the moment of his conversion, but he continues to make a choice daily as for what he will contend and to whom he will be kept.

There is something about the manner of expression that indicates the apostates have slipped in with stealth and deliberate intention to deceive. This is not a brother who has made a mistake, but a crafty deceiver who intends to lead the brother to make a mistake. These are like the false brethren in the Galatian church who “unawares brought in, came privily to spy out our liberty.” (Galatians 2:4) By the practice of cunning craftiness and sly deception of men they lie in wait to deceive (Ephesians 4:14).

Such a clever enemy demands our utmost care and defense. His craftiness makes his camouflage hard to spot. He may have “come out from among us,” or he may have come in from outside. Like a mole he remains underground where he undermines the very faith of the brethren. His doctrine makes a life of loose-living seem proper: “Who can say the Christian is not supposed to enjoy the ‘good’ things of life? If God did not intend for us to sin a little, drink a little, lust a little, then He would not have allowed these things on earth! Besides that, we all sin a little . . . even the best of us. God certainly will not blame us for a little sin, for did He not give us all the same kind of a body with its appetites? Surely God will not expect us to become psychotic by restricting and inhibiting the desires which He gave us and which we all have in common.”

On and on the argument goes. Such cleverness and subtle cunning tempts the elect of God to be ensnared in the tangled web of sinful disobedience, until finally he is defending that which once he preached against.

Their condemnation was “before of old” declared. The same expression is used in Hebrews 1:1 and translated “times past”. When was this declaration of their condemnation made? The first and most likely answer seems to be found in 2 Peter chapter two. Yet both this passage and the one in Jude refer to Old Testament scriptures that reveal, by their examples, a condemnation. Immediate references are made to such Old Testament historical examples. The indication is that the same judgment received by the devil and his angels, by Sodom and Gomorrah, and by the Egyptians that laid spoil on the Israelites is the judgment (“condemnation”) that shall be given to these apostates.

It is also proper to note the judgment (“condemnation”) pronounced upon the “ungodly men” who are deceiving apostates, and not upon the saints of the church who are contending earnestly for the faith. The church certainly suffers because of the intruders, but it is the intruders who are under condemnation. Of course, one may argue that the church members who aid and agree with the intruders in their apostasy will also share with them in their judgment; but the judgment rightly belongs to the intruders. How careful God’s people must be not to share the sin of apostasy and thus share the judgment of apostasy!

Just as dangerous as leading the Christian in a life of loose-living, is the teaching that robs the saint of his faith in the person of Jesus. They deny “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” This particular phase of the apostasy may not appear to immediately harm the brethren, but in the long run it is the most venomous of all. The seed of doubt strikes at the very roots of the church, the foundation of the gospel, There is no teaching in the Christian system that has more importance than the teaching concerning who is this man Jesus.

The fact that Jesus is our only Master makes our relationship to Him and our understanding of who He is all the more important.

Lasciviousness describes conduct that is shameless and shocking to public decency. It is descriptive of petulant wantonness, or even licentious lechery. The apostasy is of such a nature that the good, acceptable, and complete will of God (Romans 12:2) is changed into something vile and repulsive to the general public. This is the most repugnant of all apostasy in that wholesomeness is changed to corruption. It is no wonder that the warning appears so strong.

Jesus here is identified as “Lord,” the very fact denied by the apostates. God’s ruling power is indicated by the word. The Christian’s respect and submission to the rule of God makes the transformation of his life and the salvation of his soul the proper result of God’s grace. Truly blessed is the man who regards God as his absolute Lord.

That we are the servant of him whom we obey is an established fact of scripture. This is the Lord relationship. He is our Lord when we submit to Him as such. Otherwise, He is the Lord but not our Lord. The confession that Jesus is our Lord is an indirect objection to owning any other party as Lord. The man who submits to the appetites of the flesh and the deceptions of the devil by such also submits to his flesh and to the devil as his “lord.” As such, he has submitted himself to the very ones who will destroy his soul and bring him misery in even this life.

Apostasy of life is a result of apostasy of doctrine. The life we see, but the doctrine we believe. The most apparent problem in the church is the problem of life; but the most subtle is the problem of doctrine. Recognition and submission to the right Lord is the only foundation upon which the right life can be built.

True, the right doctrine does not guarantee the right life. One can recognize the fact of Jesus’ lordship and still not submit himself to the Lord. Many people will recognize the fact of the gospel but refuse to lay hold upon salvation. This in no way invalidates the importance of right doctrine. Jesus is the only absolute Lord and the only universal Lord, and this fact must be admitted and proclaimed before the problem of the right life can be adequately dealt with. Complete recognition of Christ as Lord is made with the life as well as with the lips.

A second fact denied by the ungodly men was that the man Jesus was the Christ promised in the Old Testament. The divinity of the Christ promised in the Old Testament was admitted, but the Gnostics claimed that no man could possess any more than a spark of the Divine; not even God Himself could put on sinful flesh. Thus, they said, Jesus was not the Christ, for such was an impossibility.

Denying the divinity of Jesus was not limited to the Gnostics. Just who was this man Jesus is the prime consideration of all Christianity and the quarrel of the modernist in religious circles today, To denounce unbelief is to denounce a large segment of religious leaders as well as many “professing” Christians. The fact that Jesus is the Christ is the confession of faith admitted by all true Christians and is the real mark of division.

The Messiahship of Jesus demands our recognition of Him as Lord and King. He is greater than Abraham, Moses and Solomon. He was more than a man in whom God dwelt, for He was God in the flesh. Jesus said concerning His own Person: “This generation is an evil generation; it seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of Jonah. For even as Jonah became a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Ninevah shall stand up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, a greater than Jonah is here.” (Luke 11:29-32).

Commentary on Judges 1:3-4 by Burton Coffman

Judges 1:3 --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 which was once for all delivered unto the saints.

While I was giving all diligence ... means that Jude was actually engaged in writing a treatise on "our common salvation." For possible reasons why this might have been overruled by God, see in the introduction.

Common salvation ... This has the meaning of the salvation which is offered to all people alike, upon the same conditions, from the same source, and entailing the same obligations. This salvation is not common in the sense of being ordinary, being on the other hand the most precious treasure ever made available to the sons of earth.

I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you ... Not further instructions, but exhortation to heed the truth already received was the great requirement of the day; and Jude accepted the challenge. As to the incident that might have led to this change in his plans, we are not told; but it may be surmised that news from churches in which he was vitally interested might have been the decisive factor.

Beloved ... The only other example of a New Testament book beginning with this particular word is 3 John 1:1:2. "As Jude’s subject was a very unpleasant one, he hastens to assure his readers of his affection for them, to prevent his strong language from offending them."^[5]

Exhorting you to contend earnestly ... There are very important deductions which are mandatory in such a declaration, the first being the possibility of apostasy. As Mayor put it, "It is possible (as shown by the following examples) for spiritual blessings once given to be lost unless we use every effort to maintain them."^[6] Another deduction is that hostility to the truth exists and will continue to exist throughout history. What is meant is that Christians shall vigorously fight for and defend the truth. Barclay pointed out that the Greek word used here "contains the root of our English word agony. The defense of the faith may well be a costly thing; but that defense is a duty which falls on every generation of the church."^[7]

For the faith ... What is this? We reject the notion of some, like that of Dummelow, to the effect that the faith as used here applies merely to the fact "that our common salvation is the work of Christ."^[8] While true enough as far as it goes, much more than that is meant here. "It means that alone which is contained in the Bible."^[9] "It means the sum of that which Christians believe."^[10] "The faith here implies a recognized body of teaching such as we know emerged from Peter’s early sermons."^[11] Therefore, Caton is correct in including in the meaning all of the basic New Testament requirements of faith, repentance, confession, and baptism into Christ of all who would be saved initially, and the ethical, moral and religious obligations of Christians, including their faithful observance of the Lord’s Supper, along with the reception and cherishing of the earnest of the Holy Spirit, as necessarily manifested in their subsequent lives.^[12]

Here again, in the New Testament usage of faith, it means, as so frequently in other New Testament passages, as Alford put it: "Faith means the faith which is believed, not the faith by which we believe."^[13]

Once for all delivered ... The use of the Greek word [hapax] carries the meaning of "once only and forever." The gospel delivered to mankind was not a piecemeal revelation, "here a little and there a little" as in the Old Testament, but the full message in its entirety and completeness as delivered through Christ to the apostles. The word ([Greek: hapax]) is the same as in such New Testament expressions as "appointed to man once to die," "Christ offered himself once," etc. See fuller comment on this word in my Commentary on Hebrews, p. 164. Russell’s comment on this phrase was: "The gospel was delivered not in part, but as a complete whole."^[14]

There is hardly any other message of the New Testament that has greater relevance for our own times than this. The revelation of Christ through the apostles is complete, inviolate, sufficient, eternal, immutable, and not subject to any change whatever. Jesus made his sayings to be the dogmatic foundation of Christianity as evident in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 7:24-25) and in the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). People who desire to know God, walk in the light, have eternal life, etc., should heed such passages as 2 John 1:1:9, always remembering that the truth was "first spoken by the Lord" (Hebrews 2:3), and that all of those religious doings which cannot pass the test of having been "first" spoken by Jesus Christ should be rejected.

^[5] Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 508.

^[6] J. B. Mayor, Expositor’s Greek New Testament, Vol. V (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 255.

^[7] William Barclay, The Letters of John and Jude (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 179.

^[8] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 1063.

^[9] James MacKnight, MacKnight on the Epistles, Vol. VI. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, reprint, 1969), p. 191.

^[10] Delbert R. Rose, op. cit., p. 428.

^[11] David H. Wheaton, op. cit., p. 1275.

^[12] N. T. Caton, Commentary on the Epistles of James, Peter, John and Jude (Delight, Arkansas: Gospel Light Publishing Company, 1897), p. 202.

^[13] Delbert R. Rose, a quotation from Alford, op. cit., p. 432.

^[14] James William Russell, Compact Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1964), p. 612.

Judges 1:4 --For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God unto lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

There are certain men crept in privily ... These evil persons were the reasons for Jude’s writing this letter. Just how he came to have this information is not specified; but presumably, he had received either some letter regarding it, or had been visited by one who knew the facts. It would appear that such people were apostate Christians, rather than rank outsiders. "In New Testament times, many of the enemies of the church were an emergence from within, rather than an intrusion from without."^[15]

Whatever had been their beginnings, the evil men were at that time "ungodly," a favorite word with Jude. The Greek word [@asebeia] (ungodly) "is found 4 times in Romans 3 times in Timothy and Titus 1 time in 1 Peter 2 times in 2Peter, and 6 times in Jude."^[16] "They had corrupted the concept of the grace of God so as to make it a cover for blatant immorality."^[17] These heretics are here indicted in four charges: (1) they entered secretly; (2) they were prophetically consigned to doom; (3) they are ungodly; and (4) they deny Christ. As Wallace said, "To deny is positively to disbelieve what Christ testified about himself."^[18]

Lasciviousness ... "This implies Gnostic antinomianism, which connotes sexual debauchery."^[19] Such errors were clearly connected with the abuse of Paul’s teachings regarding the grace of God; and the urgency with which Jude here undertook the refutation of it indicates that no great time had lapsed since Paul’s letters of Romans, Galatians and Ephesians had appeared, thus corroborating the approximate date we have assigned to this letter.

Who were of old written of ... Macknight explained the meaning of this thus:

Jude means that the Scriptures relating the doom of Sodom, the punishment of angels, etc., whose sins were the same as those of these wicked men, were to be understood as examples of the punishment God would inflict upon them.^[20]

^[15] Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 509.

^[16] Delbert R. Rose, op. cit., p. 432.

^[17] Ibid.

^[18] David H. Wallace, op. cit., p. 18.

^[19] Ibid.

^[20] James MacKnight, op. cit., p. 192.

Commentary on Judges 1:3-4 by Gary Hampton

The Believer and the Faith (Judges 1:3)

Jude showed the feeling of warmth he had in connection with those to whom the epistle was addressed when he called them "beloved." Apparently, he had already been planning to write an epistle on the "common salvation," but turned to the more urgent problem, that is dealt with in the writing, called to his attention. He had heard of false teachers and the spreading of their doctrines. He then wrote to prevent the addressees from being lead astray and to urge them to the defense of the gospel.

The word translated "contend earnestly" literally means "to wrestle" and indicates the type of strong defense that should be made for the gospel in the face of any foe. The word here translated "faith" is said by Vine to be "by metonymy, what is believed, the contents of belief, faith" (W. E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of the New Testament Words). That faith was delivered "once for all," which Vine says means, "of what is perpetual validity, not requiring repetition." All of that which Christians believe has been delivered for all time (Judges 1:3).

Apostates Described (Judges 1:4)

Jude explained that false teachers were the cause of his writing. Woods says the idea of "crept in unnoticed" is that of entering in by the side door, without revealing their motive of leading the saints astray. This description might be compared with Galatians 2:4; 2 Timothy 3:6 and 2 Peter 2:1-2. These false teachers were the ones who were written of before, probably in the Old Testament. What was written concerning them is described as being "marked out for this condemnation" (Judges 1:4).

The false teachers were likewise described as "ungodly men," which seems to indicate they were not pious or reverent. These were the same type of men that reaped their reward at the time of the flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Peter 2:5-6). Being of such a nature, they turned the grace of God, which is salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), into a support of gross fleshly indulgence. Thayer says "licentiousness" is unbridled lust, excess and shamelessness. As Woods points out, there is similarity between these men and those in 2 Peter 2:18-19.

There is some question as to the meaning of the words "only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." The A. S. V. puts "the only Master, and our Lord Jesus Christ" in a footnote as a possible rendering. Some think it refers to the Father and the Son. The title "Master" is applied to Christ in 2 Peter 2:1, and the characterizing word "only" is used more properly of God, as it is in verse 25 of this book. (See The Pulpit Commentary for a fuller discussion.)

Commentary on Judges 1:3-4 by David Hersey

Judges 1:3 --Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

When Jude was planning this epistle, his first intention was to write to them about their "common salvation" meaning uniform and pertaining to all mankind generally. The salvation pertaining to them is therefore the same one which is available to us today as well. There have been no changes, no alterations or deviations from that since it was made available in the first century. As Christians today, we know that we can be saved today in the same way Christians were 2000 years ago.

Judges 1:3 --"I was very diligent to write to you"

Because of circumstances which had arisen, Jude was compelled to change the content of his letter from what he intended at first to address something of much greater importance. This letter was written as a matter of urgency and as we will see in the next verse, its purpose was altered to combat the doctrines of false teachers. This was such a dire matter that the entire theme of Jude’s epistle centered around false teachers. It was so urgent, that when Jude finished what he had to say about them, he chose not to take the time to include anything of his original intended content, choosing to end the epistle right there.

The application we need to make from this today is that spreaders of false doctrine are dangerous to the body of Christ and that there is an urgency necessary in a right response to it.

Judges 1:3 --"exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints"

Jude jumps immediately to the theme of his epistle following his short and succinct introduction. Let us call to remembrance that Jude is a man from the working class of Jews. He is not going to engage in long winded rhetoric, rather he is going to get right to the point. And he’s going to phrase his words in simple and direct terms, easily understood and to the point, which is precisely what he did. We’re barely past his greeting when we see his readership being urged to contend earnestly for the faith.

The words "earnestly contend" is translated from the Greek word "epagonizomai" which contains the root of our English word agony. Agonize earnestly and urgently for the faith. This means the system of faith under which we live and labor. It is the sum of that which Christians believe." "The faith" here implies a recognized body of teaching which is inclusive of what we believe and how we should respond to that belief. "The Faith" means much more than the faith by which we believe, rather, it means the system of faith which is believed and responded to.

The system of faith under which all Christians live is to be contended for as in a conflict. It means much more than confronting error. It covers the entire range of the believers response to the calling. Contending for the faith first means seeking it diligently as we read in Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him". One cannot contend for something one knows nothing about. An effective contender is prepared beforehand for the confrontations ahead. It would be ineffective contender indeed who would contend for something he knew little about.

The prepared Christian is then to be ready and willing to earnestly contend for the faith. To strive for, to wrestle for, to agonize for, to compete for and to defend the faith of Jesus Christ. Christians cannot just set on the fence of righteousness, rather they have to make a stand. It is easy to abstain from evil. Most Christians have no problem at all with abstaining from drunkeness, murder, robbery and other obvious forms of sin, but it is more difficult when we are commanded to make a stand for and defend our faith against those who would slip in stealthily and try to pervert it.

There are Biblical guidelines associated with how one contends. Contending does not mean being outwardly contentious or quarrelsome. Paul wrote in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control". Paul wrote concerning the conduct of Christians in Titus 3:2, "...to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men." 2 Timothy 2:24-25, "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth". Contending for the faith does not mean being contentious. Many well meaning brethren carry this idea to a level which is not supported by the whole body of teaching in scripture regarding this matter. While it is important that we contend for the faith, it is equally important that we contend according to the guidelines established for Christian conduct. As with anything, there is a proper way and an improper way of accomplishing this biblical directive.

This verse of scripture is not to be understood as the authority to go beyond what is written. There are guidelines for Christian behavior and it is important that we observe these guidelines at all times, even when contending for the faith. This concept of proper Christian behavior is brought up later in the epistle of Jude. It is clear through consideration of what the whole letter of Jude teaches that he did not mean for this to be taken as authority to step outside the bounds of proper Christian behavior. This is further expounded on in our study of Judges 1:9 concerning railing accusations.

Judges 1:3 --"the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints"

"once for all" is translated from the single Greek word "hapax" which is used twice in Jude’s epistle. This word carries the meaning of "once only and forever." Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:3, "as His [Jesus], divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness". The gospel was not delivered to mankind in bits and pieces but as the full message in its entirety and completeness, delivered through Christ to the apostles. The gospel was delivered not in part, but as a complete whole. There is hardly any other message of the New Testament that has greater relevance for our own times than this. The revelation of Christ through the apostles is complete, inviolate, sufficient, eternal, immutable, and not subject to any change whatsoever. People who desire to know God, walk in the light and inherit eternal life, should heed such passages as 2 John 1:9, always remembering that the truth was "first spoken by the Lord" (Hebrews 2:3), and that all religious doings which cannot pass the test of having been "first" spoken by Jesus Christ should be rejected.

Judges 1:4 --For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The word "For" used in this manner introduces an explanation of the previous statement and such is the case here. Men had crept in unnoticed, meaning to align themselves alongside in a stealthy manner. The ASV translates this as crept in privily.

Judges 1:4 --" who long ago were marked out for this condemnation"

Their actions had been prophesied prior to this fulfillment. What is noteworthy here is that Jude is speaking in the past tense which explains the urgency of his letter. That which had been prophesied had come to pass and he was pointing it out to his readership. Jude did not refer back to the specific prophecy in this case which leads one to the possible conclusion that his readership already knew of it and that the urgency of the situation precluded unnecessary explanations.

Peter prophesied concerning those who would be teachers of false doctrine among them in 2 Peter 2 which starts out with some similar wording to how Jude presented their actions, "But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction". Peter goes on in chapter 2 to deliver some of the harshest words of condemnation to be found in regard to false teachers as can be found in scripture with the exception of what Jude was about to say about them. Peter prophesied of it and Jude revealed that it had happened. Peter, a fisherman by trade, like Jude was from the working class of Jews. Having no formal education, his manner of expression is going to be direct, simple and to the point and it certainly was. A reading of 2 Peter 2 concerning false teachers leaves no doubt the Apostles’ disdain for, and the condemnation awaiting those who would pervert the doctrine of Christ. We will see that Jude’s attitude and condemnation for false teachers is in no way diminished from that of Peter’s.

It should be noted here that Peter was certainly not the only apostle who forewarned others about the coming of false teachers. Paul gave instructions to Timothy concerning this in 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1 as well. And Paul’s utter disdain and condemnation for them is no less direct and pointed than either Jude or Peter’s. False teachers and their doctrines are thoroughly and adamantly condemned in scripture by all who dealt with it by inspiration.

The situation at hand was occurring in the latter half of the first century but the practical application for us today is timeless in the kingdom of Christ. The first century Christians indeed had their false teachers but they were not alone in this. There have been 2000 years worth of false teachers since then and when we look out among those today who claim Jesus Christ as their savior we see an entire host of denominational divisions of the body of Christ each believing and practicing a variant form of the gospel.

Those of us today who seek to serve God acceptably need to take the warnings in Jude seriously and take a hard look at themselves to make sure they don’t fall into the same condemnation. False teachers as a whole do not realize they are false teachers. They don’t set out purposing in their hearts to destroy Christians. For the most part they believe they are right and that they are doing God’s will. They are often sincere, pleasant to be around and genuine in their presentation. They have no idea that they are on the road to destruction and that those they take with them are likewise doomed. This makes it necessary for us to be knowledgeable in the truth, competent in its defense and effective in its preservation. We must first be grounded and rooted in the faith before we can identify and reject false teaching. It is our responsibility to see to it that our house is in order concerning the faith (1 Thessalonians 5:18, 1 John 4:1). Hopefully we will be able to instruct those in error out of darkness and into the light of truth and certainly we should seek to do this whenever the occasion permits.

Judges 1:4 --"ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ"

Ungodly men is translated from the Greek word "asebes" which means irreverent, impious or wicked. Jesus taught as recorded in Luke 11:23, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth". The range of the wicked covers a broad spectrum from those who are unconverted sinners in the world to those who professing piety and claiming Christ as their savior go about perverting the truth. It is easy to spot a murderer or a thief. It is harder to spot someone who is disguised as a man of God who teaches another gospel. The fact that Jude indicated that they had "crept in privily" strongly suggests that these individuals showed up as representatives of Christ in some fashion but were perverting the truth instead of teaching correctly. These Christians would have had no trouble spotting alien sinners and they would not have been able to creep in stealthily as Jude indicated. This infiltration of false teachers was much more insidious in nature meaning they appeared harmless at first but in actually were with grave and serious effect.

Judges 1:4 --"ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness"

Here we have a clue that might help us connect these false teachers with a known group in history who did this very thing. The doctrine in view came to be known later as Antinomianism. The word ’antinomian’ means against law being a compound word, ’anti - against’ and ’nomos - law’. Basically it held the view that Christians are exempt from the demands of the law of Christ by reason of their reliance upon divine grace alone for salvation. Although this doctrine is not found in Scripture, it is evident that Paul’s teachings were perverted to support this doctrine. Paul was aware of this and he pointedly corrected this misconception in his letter to the Romans. In Romans 3:8 we see Paul writing, "and why not (as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil, that good may come? whose condemnation is just." Not only had Paul’s teaching on grace been corrupted, but his teaching on the subject brought about some slanderous accusations and this is what He was dealing with and denying here. He was not finished with this correction to those who misapplied his teachings for in Romans 6:1 he reinforced it by writing, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. We who died to sin, how shall we any longer live therein?” and then again in Romans 6:15, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God forbid." There was an erroneous doctrine built around Paul’s teachings on grace, law and justification in the first century which led many to the false conclusion that Christians are saved by Grace alone apart from any workings of man whatsoever. This teaching opened the doors for any kind of behavior one may want to engage in and still feel secure in God’s grace.

This false teaching was so prevalent and gained such a following that two other inspired writers addressed it. Peter warned his readership of those who would pervert the teachings of Paul in 2 Peter 3:15-16, "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you; as also in all (his) epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as (they do) also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

James, the brother of Jesus Christ in his epistle chose to devote an entire section to the rebuttal of this false doctrine which had arisen. Starting in chapter 2 and verse 14, James launched an entire treatise on justification by faith and works instead of by faith only. In this we see such phrases as James 2:17, "Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself". And in James 2:20-22, James goes on to write, "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect;" And then in James 2:24, James deals what should be the death blow to the doctrine of salvation by grace or faith alone, "Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith" or as translated in KJV and the NKJV as "faith only".

There were at least two groups who arose directly from the perversion of Paul’s teaching in the first century. The Gnostics and the Nicolaitans both arose in part from Antinomianism which advocated a return to sub-Christian morality, hence the words from Jude regarding the turning of the grace of God into lewdness or lasciviousness as translated in the KJV and ASV. They were using and corrupting Paul’s teachings on grace and law to justify sexual depravity.

The Gnostics and the Nicolaitans believed that matter was irredeemably corrupt therefore fleshly passions could be indulged without inhibition. Not only did they accept sexual depravity, they actually encouraged it because they felt the spiritual side of man shined brighter because of it. They felt that their engaging in sexual sin made God’s grace shine ever more brightly, which prompted the words from Paul in Romans 6:1, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid." The creed of Gnostic antinomianism was: "Give to the flesh the things of the flesh and to the spirit the things of the spirit." They erroneously taught and practiced that the darker their behavior, the brighter God’s grace shows forth.

By the time the book of Romans was written, Paul already knew his teachings had been mishandled. He went out of his way in the book of Romans to make sure he was not misunderstood. As shown earlier, Paul directly mentioned the fact that he had been accused of teaching that Christians should do evil so that good could come in Romans 3:8. This is what the Antinomian Gnostics were teaching and they had crept into the church with this unholy doctrine and were propagating it. Other statements of Paul such as Romans 6:1; Romans 6:15 demonstrate further that Paul was indeed aware of the perversion of his teachings. So with that in mind, we’ll take a look at Paul’s teachings on law and grace right in the book of Romans itself.

Romans 3:20-26, "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

Paul gives a parallel teaching in Galatians 2:15-16--"We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified."

In the first century, one of the biggest problems facing the Christians was that of Judaizers creeping into the church. These were Jewish Christians so hung up in the traditions and ordinances of the Mosaic law that they tried to bind certain deeds of the old law to Christians living under the new law. The entire book of Galatians was written in response to Judaizing Christians who were doing just this thing. This was a problem within the church which had to be dealt with. In Galatians 5:4 Paul gives us the consequences for appealing to the law of Moses for justification, "You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace."

Where the Antinomian Gnostics were going wrong was to interpret Paul’s references to the abrogated and abolished law of Moses as applying to all of God’s laws under the Christian dispensation. What they were doing was to claim that Paul’s teaching on law and grace abrogated not only the law of Moses but all of God’s law in general. This is accomplished by pulling Paul’s teachings on law and grace out of the entire body of his teachings and building a doctrine around a fragment of what he taught. Now the Antinomians took this one step further than many do today in that they actually taught that the more debased a Christian acted, the more it caused God’s grace to abound.

Even with all the scriptural evidence at hand, when we look out into the denominational world today, we still see the doctrine of salvation by faith alone on the merits of God’s grace. This doctrine is almost as old as Christianity itself realizing its origins in the first century and continuing on until today. People still take Paul’s teachings on grace and faith and twist them to mean something they do not. The overwhelming majority of those today claiming Jesus Christ as their savior adhere to this belief. They believe that Christians are justified by faith alone and that works of righteousness are simply evidence of their faith or a result of their faith. They believe Paul taught that one is justified by grace alone through faith alone. If this were true, then what on earth did Paul mean in Romans 2:5-11, "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will render to each one according to his deeds": 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness — indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek". And also in light of this perverted doctrine, what could Paul have possibly meant when he wrote "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12-13).

When considering the teaching of any inspired writer it is vital to consider all of what they taught regarding any topic. Picking verses out of the overall teaching and building a doctrine around it is a good way to end up on the wrong side of God’s truth.

Verses 5-7

Jud 1:5-7

SECTION TWO

EXAMPLES OF CONDEMNATION

(Judges 1:5-7)

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 Judges 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.

Commentary on Judges 1:5-7 by E.M. Zerr

Judges 1:5. The importance of reminders is again indicated, for these brethren had known of the history of the Israelites. The point is that it is not enough to start serving the Lord, but it must be continued or He will judge his people.

Judges 1:6. This has the same point as the preceding verse. These angels had a favorable estate at first, but left their own habitation (their proper domain). These are the angels that sinned in 2 Peter 2:4, and they are kept in everlasting chains under darkness which means Hades; they will be judged at the last day.

Judges 1:7. Even as denotes that the people of Sodom and Gomorrha will also be punished at the last day. Suffering the vengeance refers to the future judgment day. The last word means a sentence unto punishment the same as 2 Thessalonians 1:9. The destruction of those cities was for this world only and did not constitute the eternal fire, for that is to come at the day of judgment. But their destruction in Genesis was intended as an example for the warning of others, and when that calamity came upon them they were given this sentence to be carried out at the last day. Strange flesh refers to their filthy immorality as described in Romans 1:27.

Commentary on Judges 1:5-7 by N.T. Caton

Judges 1:5.—I will therefore put you in remembrance.

I call your attention to the fact, which you all know, while the Lord saved the Hebrews—that is, brought them out of bondage, a great exhibition of his loving-kindness­yet even after this he destroyed them because of their unbelief. If this be God’s dealings with men who refuse to obey, what think you will be the reward of those who per­vert the truth of God? Of the certainty of the punishment that awaits these false teachers, listen while I give you further illustrations of God’s dealings with the wicked and disobedient.

Judges 1:6.—And the angels which kept not their first estate.

Here, it is asserted as a fact, that heavenly messengers at some time in the past had sinned, deliberately left the habitation assigned them; and, although higher in many respects than man, God visited punishment upon them. They were cast out, and by him are reserved, bound as strongly as chains can bind, and kept under darkness until that great day which God has fixed, when their final doom will overwhelm them.

Judges 1:7.—Even as Sodom and Gomorrah.

Cited by a former writer, it is now urged again by Jude to show the certainty of the punishment that awaits the ungodly. But one single righteous man was found in these cities. Their wickedness was so exceedingly great and so utterly disgusting, naught but the swift destruction by fire could, in the wise judgment of God, adequately punish.

Commentary on Judges 1:5-7 by Donald Fream

Like those examples in the Old Testament, these men have done things to reserve for them a place in hell.

The purpose of the scripture is not only to instruct us concerning the will of God, but to stir up in our memory lest we forget. Peter says the purpose of both his epistles was to stir up their minds through their “remembrance,” (2 Peter 3:1). Paul instructs Timothy to “put them in remembrance,” (2 Timothy 2:14). So it is not strange that Jude would have us draw lessons from the scriptures imbedded in our own memories.

Here Jude makes use of the vast storehouse of evidence that every man should have: his memory. Without memory there can be no growth, neither spiritual nor scholastic. Without memory the conscience would be dead and man’s will would have no purpose. A good memory we should strive for, build up, and treasure.

Memories of trite and unimportant data are of little use, except for the possibility of memory training itself. But memory that builds our treasury of evidence concerning things spiritual brings us many benefits. Jude here asks his readers to remember important events and lessons from the Old Testament. These events will furnish evidence as to the natural result of these apostate teachings, and as to the end of the apostates themselves. If we know the scriptures, we know all things once for all delivered by God for us. By this knowledge we are enabled to “discern the spirits, whether they be good or bad.” This is Jude’s purpose in these verses.

Manuscripts are divided as to whether it was “Jesus” or the “Lord” that delivered the people from Egypt. The evidence is about equally divided with the advantage being to the reading of “Jesus.” Many commentators object to reading “Jesus” here. They claim that Jesus could have had nothing to do with Old Testament events or that Jesus is not mentioned in connection with Jewish history; or, as Plummer states, Jesus is “nowhere else in the scripture stated to be the author of anything which took place before the Incarnation.”

It is not difficult to conceive that Jesus had to do with the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. Jesus had to do even with the creation of the universe. “All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.” (John 1:3) Jesus has to do with keeping all things in existence, “upholding all things by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:3) So it seems that “he that descended out of heaven” (John 3:13) was busy about the Father’s business before His putting on flesh.

The purpose of the illustration concerning deliverance from Egypt and the eventual destruction of those delivered is to call the lessons to our remembrance. God will not forever tolerate a continual murmuring against His dominion. The Israelites “believed not” the words of the Lord, and because of their unbelief that which they should have known became the unknown to them. They trembled in the face of the giants and wept when water was not in sight—even before they were thirsty! With evidence of God’s care manifest continually, they still chose to disbelieve He would continue, and insulted Him by doubting His word. They were destroyed.

Another Old Testament apostasy used for an example is the fallen angels’. They “kept not their first estate” (More correctly; kept not their own dignity). The results of their apostasy show the seriousness. Such a terrible apostasy with such serious results would certainly be referred to in other scriptures, and that it is. The parallel with the passage in 2 Peter is not to be discounted. “For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;—“ leaves no doubt as to the reference. The original fall of the devil and his angels is a prime example of apostasy. “What then is the everlasting bonds under darkness?” one may ask. These everlasting bonds must be the prohibition of these fallen angels from the presence of God. Like Satan himself, they roam this earth seeking to devour God’s elect; but they are shut off from the light of God’s presence forever. In this fashion they await the final judgment and condemnation where they shall be “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where are also the beast and the false prophet; and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10)

There are some who prefer to interpret this passage to mean another period of angels being tested and falling. Although a second testing and falling is not a scriptural doctrine, such an interpretation is given to the account of giants in Genesis 6:1 ff. The expression “sons of God” in Genesis 6:2 is a reference to angels, it is claimed. Thus the angels saw that women on earth they were pretty, and decided to cohabitate with them. The resultant children of these unholy alliances were “giants.”

There are a number of problems that make such an interpretation unlikely. For one, the expression “sons of God” does not have to mean angels. The expression is used of angels in the Old Testament. The expression used in Genesis 6, however, most obviously refers to that which is being described in the context of Genesis 5. Here we find the descendants of Seth described as a righteous people. Of these people were such as Enoch, who “walked with God.” (Genesis 5:22) The most natural and proper interpretation would be that the sons of God in Genesis 6:2 refer to the righteous descendants of Seth described in chapter five.

Again it is not necessary to invent some physical abnormality nor some unholy alliance with the demon world in order to explain “giants.” There are many mysteries in this world that the Bible does not explain. The scripture does not attempt to make any explanation of the source of colored pigmentations in the skins of different peoples. Why one people would be brown, another yellow, another white, and another black was not considered by the Spirit a subject worthy of explanation. Likewise, why there should be a nation of pigmies and another of giants differing from the sizes of most peoples is not considered to be knowledge essential to our spiritual welfare.

“But why is the word giants used in Genesis 6:2 as a result of these marriages?” one may ask. The word in Genesis 6:4 is more properly “Nephilim” or “mighty men.” Although the word can mean “giants,” it also can mean “bullies, rough-necks or robbers.” These are not the giants that the spies saw in Canaan, for the flood destroyed these men in Genesis 6. Genesis 6:4 calls these “Nephilim,” “mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.” From Genesis 6:5 forward we see that these men were renown because of their wickedness, so it seems proper that they were men mighty in wickedness and evil also.

The most natural interpretation of Genesis 6:1-4 is that the descendants of Seth (sons of God) married the daughters of men (beautiful women from the line of Cain) with the result that their children became wicked and evil like their mothers; until finally there was only one righteous family left; Noah and his sons. The passage in chapter 6 is evidently given to explain why only one righteous family remained from Seth’s line.

The most likely source for the doctrine of angels marrying women is the book of Enoch. The book of Enoch is an obviously uninspired book, containing contradictions within itself and clear contradictions with the scriptures. This apocryphal book dates back to the second century, and some would claim the book actually pre-dates Jude. There is one passage similar in both books, and much similarity of content. It is not clear, however, that Jude quoted Enoch, or that Enoch quoted Jude. Jude in his reference to “Enoch” is referring to the Old Testament descendant of Adam, for he so states. It is possible that the book of Enoch was not in existence or was not known by Jude at the time he wrote. If so, then it might be claimed that the book of Enoch was a partial quote of the inspired writing of Jude. Many modern scholars today, however, tend to give a late date to Jude and claim that Jude quoted from Enoch.

The book of Enoch has this to say regarding Genesis 6 :

“And it came to pass when the children of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto them beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: Come, let us choose wives from among the children of men and beget us children . . . And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon . . . and all the others together with them took unto themselves wives, and each for himself one, and they began to go in unto them and to defile themselves with them, and they taught them charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants. And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: Who consumed all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants, turned against them and devoured mankind . . . they have gone to the daughters of men upon the earth, and have slept with the women, and have defiled themselves, and revealed to them all kinds of sins. And the women have borne giants . . . Bind Azazel (the leader of those angels) hand and foot and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may not see light. And on the day of the great judgment he shall be cast into the fire (Book of Enoch 6 and 7:1, 9:9 and chap. 10. Extract from commentary on Jude by Wolff, pp 70)

Sodom and Gomorrah is a third Old Testament example of apostasy. This apostasy is probably chosen to point out the sensual nature of the false teaching of the Gnostics as well as the certain destruction to follow. Sodom and Gomorrah in rejecting God became the famous Old Testament example of the devolution of sin described in Romans 1:28-32. The sinfulness and vileness of giving over to sensuous desires is nowhere more obvious.

The ultimate end (of the Gnostic teaching that it doesn’t make any difference what one does since the flesh is sinful anyway) is the same as the end of Sodom and Gomorrah. “In like manner” says Jude, these philosophers will “defile the flesh.” Rotten doctrine in public school will make rotten lives in public school children. So the Gnostic doctrine was rotten, and it could make the lives of the Christians who followed it also rotten.

The Gnostic doctrine would also cause Christians to scoff at the authority and dominion of Jehovah, even as the fallen angels had done. And who today would deny that any modern teaching that tends to make Christ less than Lord and to make Jehovah less than the ever existent Creator would not likewise lead Christians to “set at nought dominion and rail at glories?” Every Christian should be horrified because of this possible result of false teaching.

Commentary on Judges 1:5-7 by Burton Coffman

Judges 1:5 --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.

Though ye know all things once for all ... Here again is (Greek: [@hapax]), indicating that the Christian knows the whole message once and for all, finally, before he is even converted. In the sense of its basics, the Christian faith is not an exploration, but an acceptance, but not so much after that acceptance a learning, as it is a doing. Barnett defended the RSV as superior in their rendition of this as, "Learn one lesson, and you know all."^[21] This applies to the "common salvation" and the "faith once for all delivered" rather than to the Old Testament examples Jude was about to cite.

Saved a people out of... Egypt ... By bringing up the example of the Israel of the Exodus, Jude taught that, "The goodness of God will not hinder him from punishing the wicked under the new dispensation, any more than it hindered him from punishing them under the old."^[22]

The information which Jude states in this verse as being known "once for all," according to Wheaton, is "catechetical instruction given prior to baptism,"^[23] which corresponds with the meaning suggested in discussion of it above.

Afterward destroyed them that believed not ... Here the New Testament habit of using "belief" to cover a whole family of related things is clear enough. The Israelites were destroyed for idolatry in worshipping the golden calf, their fornication with the Midianites, their murmuring and complaining, etc.; but all of this is summed up as "they believed not."

^[21] Albert E. Barnett, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. XII (New York and Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1956), p. 326.

^[22] James MacKnight, op. cit., p. 194.

^[23] David H. Wheaton, op. cit., p. 1275.

Judges 1:6 --And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

It is disgusting that some so-called Christian commentaries read like an exegesis on the apocryphal book of Enoch, rather than a discussion of the sacred New Testament. There is not any reference whatever in this place to Genesis 6:1 ff and the wild and speculative tales about angels having intercourse with women, producing a nation of giants, and a lot of other fembu which is not even hinted at in this verse. For the moment, we shall leave it at that, but a fuller discussion will be given under Jude 1:1:14.

Angels that kept not their own principality ... These were the angels of Satan mentioned by the Saviour in Matthew 25:41. There is nothing in this verse that might not be inferred from what Jesus said there, especially by a person who had been reared in the same home with Jesus! That those angels of the devil had indeed rebelled is clear from the fact of their belonging to the devil; and these words are a legitimate statement of such an inference.

He hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness ... All that we said under the preceding paragraph applies here. An apostle of Jesus Christ had already given Jude all of the authority he needed for making such a statement as this. Peter said, "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment" (2 Peter 2:4).

Rose stressed the willingness of some to see this as a reference to the superstition that "the angels came down to earth, cohabited with women, producing a half-human, half-demonic race of beings called giants in Genesis 6:4." He firmly rejected such a view, saying that, "For this writer, Jesus sufficiently refutes the idea that angels could possibly commit fornication with humans (Matthew 22:30)."^[24] Full agreement is felt with Rose; and, besides that, "angels" are not even mentioned in the Genesis passage. The commentators have simply dragged the Book of Enoch into their misunderstanding of this passage.

The judgment of the great day ... "This expression occurs in Revelation 6:17, and nowhere else in the New Testament."^[25] This is to be identified with John’s "last day" (John 6:39-40; John 6:44; John 6:54; John 11:24; and John 12:48). Other New Testament expressions for that great final occasion are "that day," "the day of judgment," and "the day of the Lord."

^[24] Delbert R. Rose, op. cit., p. 436.

^[25] Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 510.

Judges 1:7 --Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these having given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

Sodom and Gomorrah ... These were the wicked cities whose shameful sin is embalmed in the very name of one of them, a full account of which may be found in Genesis 18 and Genesis 19. These are a second illustration drawn from the Old Testament of once privileged people who were destroyed for their wickedness. The plain of Sodom was well-watered, evidently being one of great fertility, as indicated by Lot’s choice of it.

And the cities about them ... These words are scarcely noted by some, but without this notice the next clause is unintelligible. Which were these cities "round about" Sodom and Gomorrah? They were "Admah and Zeboim, the two being mentioned along with Sodom and Gomorrah in Deuteronomy 29:23."^[26]

Having in like manner with these ... has the meaning that all four of those wicked cities including Zeboim and Admah were guilty of "fornication" and the deviations associated more generally with Sodom and Gomorrah. Jude reveals here that Zeboim and Admah were similarly guilty with Sodom and Gomorrah. Failure to note this has led some commentators to interpret this as meaning that they committed fornication and went after strange flesh (Sodomy) like the angels!^[27] Of course, Jesus said that, "In heaven the sons of God shall be as the angels of heaven who neither marry, nor are given in marriage," (Matthew 22:30), indicating that angelic life is utterly different from life on earth.

Suffering the punishment of eternal fire ... That this verse is not a reference to the angels is clear in the distinction of the two punishments. That of the angels was their reservation "under darkness" until the judgment; that in this verse, being the punishment of the wicked cities, is "suffering ... eternal fire," a plain reference to the divine visitation against Sodom and Gomorrah. Such a punishment suggested to Jude the "eternal fire" mentioned by Jesus as the punishment of the wicked, of which the physical destruction of the cities was but a preliminary type of the ultimate overthrow of the wicked in hell.

^[26] James MacKnight, op. cit., p. 196.

^[27] Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 510.

Commentary on Judges 1:5-7 by Gary Hampton

Apostasy in Old Testament History

In Judges 1:5, Jude submitted his first bit of evidence to prove evildoers will be condemned. He said he wanted to remind them, though, as the American Standard Version has it, they knew all things "once for all." When Jude says they "knew this," it seems he was telling them they knew all things pertinent to this problem and simply needed to have it called to their attention. Paul discussed the same events in 1 Corinthians 10:1-11. The Hebrew writer, possibly also Paul, dealt with this in Hebrews 3:16-18. Israel had been brought out of Egypt by the hand of God. They were a mighty nation. Yet, only two of those above the age of twenty were allowed to enter the promised land. The basic category of the sins that the people committed was that of unbelief. If God would punish all of the members of that chosen nation, save two, it is easily seen that the false teachers would reap their reward.

Angels who sinned were presented by Jude as the second bit of evidence that God will punish evildoers. Again, there is a similar reference in 2 Peter 2:4. These angels left their "offices" or "positions," which is the literal meaning of the word translated "proper domain." They were put in bonds from which they will never escape. They are being held in bondage until the day of judgment when they will be judged along with all evil men (Judges 1:6; Matthew 25:41).

The third piece of evidence comes from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Admah and Zeboim were cities near there which would have likewise been considered cities of the plain. The city of Zoar, which was in the area, was spared when Lot interceded for it so he might have a place of refuge. The whole story is told in Genesis 19:1-38 (Deuteronomy 29:23; Jeremiah 20:16; Isaiah 13:19; Romans 9:29). Woods says the words "set forth" mean "to lie exposed" like a corpse laying out for burial. Further, the word "example" means to "exhibit" or "show." These cities, then, illustrate the vengeance the Lord takes on people of this kind. Their sins are similar to those listed in Romans 1:24-32. It was truly a terrible sin and the punishment was equally terrible. Their punishment was so permanent that it is likened unto eternal fire. These examples leave little hope for false teachers (Judges 1:7).

Commentary on Judges 1:5-7 by David Hersey

Judges 1:5 --But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

Here we see another usage of the Greek word "hapax" which means once for all time and never requiring anything in addition. The ASV provides a better translation of this phrase, "Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all". These Christians knew everything they needed to live their lives in accordance with God’s will. The faith, as Jude referred to it was not for them in any way fragmentary or incomplete. Those who had crept in stealthily had worked to assimilate themselves and their beliefs into the system of faith that Jude’s readers were completely aware of beforehand. Jude was telling them here that they should go back to the basics and remember the things they had been taught. There’s no new revelation, these people coming in did not have anything new to add to what was already delivered. Nothing has changed, everything concerning the faith of Jesus Christ had been delivered and sealed up for all of time.

The application for us today is the same. There has been no new revelation since "the faith" was delivered. It was delivered in its entirety, once for all time, leaving nothing whatsoever out that is needful for the Christian life. Christians today can take comfort from the fact that they can follow the doctrine of the NT exactly and have full confidence that they are living in accordance with the whole will of God. Jude communicated this to them in this letter and the message to them applies to "the faith" as it pertains to every generation of Christians that lived since that time.

Judges 1:5 --"the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. "

This is in reference to the well-known accounts of the Israelites delivery from Egyptian bondage amid the plagues and the institution of the Passover feast. The Israelites were destroyed for idolatry in worshipping the golden calf, their fornication with the Midianites, their murmuring and complaining and their lack of faith when it came time to enter Canaan. Their destruction had nothing whatsoever to do with whether or not they had a mental acknowledgement of the facts.

In scripture it is often the case that the word "believe" in various forms is used to represent the sum or the whole of the thoughts being conveyed. This is a form of speech known as a synecdoche where a part of something is used to represent the whole. Jude used the word "believe" as a synecdoche to cover a whole family of related things, in this case the rebellion and disobedience of the Israelites.

This was the first of three examples Jude would use to put his readership into remembrance of what fate befell those of their predecessors who rebelled against the will of God. The warning is clear enough. The punishment inflicted upon them for rebellion should serve as a grim example of what would happen to any in that time who would similarly turn the grace of God into something it was not.

Judges 1:6 --And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;

These angels mentioned here are the same angels of Satan mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 25:41. These angels of the devil rebelled against the directions of God and were cast out of heaven. It is a well-known fact that there are spiritual forces that operated in opposition to God. If there had not been such forces, there would have never been temptation the garden and man would have never fallen. Satan most definitely set himself up in opposition to God and he was not alone in his rebellion.

The angels bound in everlasting chains of darkness has a parallel mention in 2 Peter 2:4-5 where we read, "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment". In this verse, we see Peter use the Greek word "tartaroo" which is transliterated into the English word "Tartarus" which is a reference to the deepest abyss of Hades, the realm of the dead where all who die await the final day of Judgment. From the teaching of the rich man and Lazarus, we learn that this Hadean realm has two areas separated by an impassable gulf or void of some sort. On the one side we see the rich man in Jesus’ illustration being in a place of extreme torment and being able to see across to those on the other side but unable to pass. Those to whom the rich man appealed were in another area altogether which is described in scripture as "Abraham’s bosom" (Luke 16:22).

We know this a place of rest and paradise because in Acts 2:27, we find these words in regard to an ancient prophecy of David concerning the Messiah, "For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption". From this passage we learn that after Jesus died, he his spirit was sent to the Hades. We know that He was not sent to Tartarus because of what He said to the thief while dying on the cross as recorded in Luke 23:43, "And Jesus said to him, Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise". From these handful scriptures we draw the conclusion that there is a place, called Hades in scripture, where those who die go to await judgment. This place has two areas, one for the righteous dead who "have fallen asleep in Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:18-19), and abide in a place of comfort and rest while the unrighteous dead share the fate of the angels who sinned and are kept in chains of darkness and torment until the judgment of the great day of the Lord.

In this context of Jude, we see the second of three groups of those who align themselves in opposition of God’s righteousness. None of these groups of people fared well as a result of their rebellion. And in the following verse we see yet another group of the unrighteous and in this example we learn of the eternal fate awaiting all of them at the coming of the great day of the Lord and the final judgment.

Judges 1:6 --"the great day"

Jesus spoke of that day in His teachings as recorded for us in John 5:28-30, "for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth — those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation". It should be here noted that in the words of our savior, the determining factor as to the final destiny of man is over whether they did good or did evil. There is nothing here mentioned from the teachings of our Lord concerning one’s faith or belief. The decision over one’s destiny is based on how they lived their life and not in just what they believed. The Hebrew writer made it clear that faith and belief are an inseparable element from the acceptable Christian walk. Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him". While faith and belief are essential components, so also is doing good in the kingdom of Christ. None of these things in and of themselves will ever result in eternal life, rather all of them coupled with the mercy and grace of God will.

Judges 1:7 --"as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."

The third and final example of those who rebelled against God’s righteousness are presented here in the example of Sodom and Gomorrah. These two cities and the surrounding ones had given themselves over to homosexuality. A study of these cities reveals that they were so corrupted and carried over by this abomination that the men of the Sodom surrounded the house of Lot where two angels sent from God lodged for the night with the intent of forcing homosexual rape on them. These were the very angels sent by God to destroy Sodom if at least ten righteous souls could not be found. Only four were found and only three escaped, Lot and his two daughters (Genesis 19). In chapter 19, verses 24-25, we read of the fate that befell these corrupt cities, "Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground."

It is interesting that the scriptures mentioned that what grew on the ground was likewise burned up. It is believed that the ancient site of Sodom and Gomorrah has been found. The evidence of the destruction is consistent with the Biblical account. Of great interest is that scripture describes this place as a fertile location in Genesis 13:10-10, "And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar". The plains on which Sodom and Gomorrah were built were like a garden paradise. It’s not like that now. The plains of Jordan are a sun baked wasteland. The destruction of these cities was such that the region never recovered from the desolation. Looking at the present appearance of the area, it is hard to imagine it was ever a well watered area that was described as being like the garden of the Lord.

Judges 1:7 --" are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."

All three of the examples given here by Jude served as a warning to those who would pervert the doctrine of Christ. The effect was to illustrate in the minds of the readers an association between rebellion to God and the fate of real life examples of those who did. The earthly suffering they endured was but the beginning of their woes. The vengeance they suffered on earth was temporary. The vengeance they are to suffer beyond this world is eternal and without end. These people are doubtless counted among those who are incarcerated in Tartarus, suffering in chains of darkness, awaiting the final judgment of God, to be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. Their fate, like that of the angels that sinned is set and certain. They are without hope and doomed to spend an eternity in hell fire from which there is no escape. Their situation now is dire indeed, but all they have to look forward to is worse.

These unfortunate and unwise souls though dead, speak to us today as examples of the seriousness about which God views apostasy and false teaching. Having it compared to the illustrations Jude chose, could not speak more clearly. In all of scripture it is hard to find a more graphic example of God’s wrath being poured out on people and to have this imagery associated with the activities of false teachers is intended to send a clear message to the readership. One’s approach to the truth of God’s word needs to be sure and serious. Failure to correctly believe and teach God’s will is going to have disastrous results. The application for us today is the same. Nothing has changed. God’s grace is wonderful and His mercy is incomparable, but none of these qualities in the nature of God will help those who pervert the teachings of Christ which being recorded by inspiration, collectively make up what is referred to by Jude as "the faith".

Verses 8-10

Jud 1:8-10

WICKED AND GOOD CONTRASTED

(Judges 1:8-10)

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.

Commentary on Judges 1:8-10 by E.M. Zerr

Judges 1:8. Filthy dreamers means they had visions of depraved indulgencies which defiled the flesh. Speak evil of dignities is explained at 2 Peter 2:10.

Judges 1:9. The reference to Michael is for a contrast on the same principle as 2 Peter 2:11. Devil disputed about the body of Moses. All we know about this dispute is what is said here, but we learn from Deuteronomy 34:6 that no man knew his burying place; that does not say the devil and the angels did not know. We are not told what was the point in their discussion; the important thing is the mildness of Michael in contrast with the false teachers.

Judges 1:10. This means they act more like beasts than men. (See 2 Peter 2:12).

Commentary on Judges 1:8-10 by N.T. Caton

Judges 1:8.—Likewise also these filthy dreamers...

Well may the apostle call these false teachers "filthy dreamers." Their thoughts, awake or asleep, are impure. Their punishment shall be as sure as that of the Sodomites whom they imitate.

Despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities...

These false teachers go further in their ungodly course. They set at naught and totally disregard all authority, and in their recklessness and temerity rail at and revile those placed in official positions, however closely such may observe the law they are called upon to administer.

Judges 1:9.—Yet Michael the archangel...

That it may plainly appear why you should ignore the false teachers in their attempts to seduce you from the path marked out for your career as Christians, I call to your attention the conduct imposed by the Father of Lights upon one even as mighty as an archangel—even Michael. He dare not bring a railing accusation against the arch-enemy of man, the devil. He was required to leave even a rebuke of this most vile of all beings to the Lord. In the archangel’s contention with the devil over the body of Moses, he simply said, "The Lord rebuke thee." So you Christians can easily perceive that the course pursued by these false teachers is not from on high. Should you follow such guides, you would be led away from Christ and from his glorious reward surely in store for the faithful.

Judges 1:10.—But these speak evil of those things.

While Michael would not bring a railing accusation even against the devil, these false teachers, pretending to have superior knowledge, speak ill of things concerning which they absolutely know nothing. And as to things pertaining to the flesh—as the appetites and all animal desires, known naturally not only by men, but by brutes—in these respects these false teachers act as though they possessed no more reason than the brute, for herein they debase themselves by their indulgence.

Commentary on Judges 1:8-10 by Donald Fream

Even Michael would not presume to accuse the devil, who was obviously wrong; but these man make accusation in their ignorance while being consumed by their own lusts.

Michael is pictured in the scriptures as an angel having authority and leading the angelic army of God. (See Revelation 12:7 and Daniel 12:1) In Daniel 10:13 he is called “one of the chief princes.” His fame as an angelic being really excells in the Rabbinical traditions. Here he is given such titles as “great high-priest in heaven” and “great prince and conqueror.” The book of Enoch also has many mentions of Michael. There is no cause to even hint that Jude received his ideas about Michael from the book of Enoch or from the Rabbinical traditions. His identity is established in the word of God. Jude no doubt was acquainted with the teachings in Daniel regarding Michael.

Moreover, had there been no teachings in the scripture regarding Michael, let us remember that Jude is an inspired writer who writes as he is moved by the Spirit of God.

God certainly had a message for Jude to deliver, and it comes as no surprise should we discover that Jude contains some information regarding Biblical history or regarding God’s will for us that is not duplicated elsewhere in the Scriptures. A constant search of secular writings to try to determine where Jude received his ideas is unnecessary and possibly even futile when one considers the inspiration of the spirit under which he wrote.

The dispute about the body of Moses is a case in point. No such debate is recorded elsewhere in the Scriptures. Yet we know it happened because it is recorded here. Scholars have searched far and wide in an effort to determine the source of Jude’s information. Some have concluded that Jude had access to scripture texts that have been lost. Some indicate that there was no such dispute, but that the reference has a figurative explanation wherein the body of Moses represents the Jewish community after captivity. Some say that the apocryphal book The Ascension of Moses at the time contained reference to this dispute, and that Jude received his information from this book. The case is hypothetical, for we do not know that Jude had such a text available to him, and the Ascension of Moses as it is today has no reference to such a dispute.

That the Jews had an enormous amount of traditions regarding the death of Moses is not denied. These traditions do refer to such a controversy, with Michael being the chief contender. Can it be that Jude “copied” from these traditions?

Because traditions in themselves do not prove truth and certainly are not infallible as authority, we may erroneously assume that no truth could possibly be contained in tradition. Certainly traditions are often a mixture of truth and fable. An inspired writer such as Jude by the inspiration of the Spirit, would be able to distinguish truth from falsehood. The source back of Jude is the Holy Spirit. Whether or not the fact is contained in the Jewish traditions has nothing to do with the establishment of that fact.

What is Jude’s intention in recording the fact? It is to point out that these unholy apostate teachers bring railing accusations of a nature that even the high angel of God dared not bring against the devil himself! The entire doctrine of the Gnostics was implied accusation against angelic beings and even against Jehovah. They (the Gnostics) had access to knowledge that God had not revealed in the scriptures. Through their ritualism they knew truth that the inspired writers of both the Old and the New Testaments did not have. These false teachers presumed to add to or alter the Word of God.

Unlike these false teachers, Michael (who well knew the judgment the devil deserved) glorified God as the great Judge. He dared not presume to take this judgment from God, or even to share in it as Moses himself did in the wilderness. God alone knows how to punish the wicked without partiality and with complete justice.

What a lesson for us in this! How often are we tempted to both determine the inner thoughts of our fellow man and then to pronounce the judgment? Like Jonah we sit under a bush and pout because judgment does not come in a manner we choose, or at the time we choose, or to the person we choose. We presume to assume that every man who does not have the same understanding of the Word of God that we have is destined to hell, when really we are often at a distance and in the dark as to what the man’s understanding and obedient nature really is. And if we really did understand, should we presume to be the author of another man’s judgment? Should we presume to be the author of the rebuke (assuming one was due) or should we, like Michael, leave the rebuking to the Lord?

The word used for “rebuke” here is not the word for reproving another man that he might see his sin. Rather it is a word that means to chide, or censure severely. In love and Christian concern we might bring another man to see his wrong-doing so that he might repent and his soul be saved. (See James 5:19-20) But it is not ours to chide or “rub it in.”

Michael, in his manner of response to the devil, expressed a real confidence in God. He knew that God would bring a just judgment, and he was entirely willing to be submissive to God’s will and content in God’s judgment. Oh, that we would likewise be content and submissive to God; showing great confidence in the work of God, both in the spiritual realm of judgment and in the material realm of God’s care in this life. God is on His throne, and He knows every tear, every heartache and every need of his servants. This is a part of our faith.

Jude, like his brother James, condemns the misuse of the tongue. (Judges 1:8; Judges 1:10-11; Judges 1:15-16) He clearly states they speak evil, and this in a manner feared even by the angels. Yet their evil speaking is in ignorance. They know not what evil they speak, nor of whom they speak it. They do know they rail and that it is sinful. Out of an evil inclination they proceed arrogantly through the darkness. They have turned out the lights lest they see. Their very ignorance is guilt and needs to be forgiven. (Luke 23:34) They hate the light because their intentions are evil. (John 3:20)

Their practice is sensual; and like a cow or a horse, they thoroughly know the practices and objects that bring them sensual enjoyment. They follow their natural appetite and live to feed their senses. What they don’t know they blaspheme, and what they do know destroys them.

Commentary on Judges 1:8-10 by Burton Coffman

Judges 1:8 --Yet in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at naught dominion, and rail at dignities.

In their dreamings ... Any, or all, of a number of things could have been meant by this. "Idle speculations,"^[28] impractical and unrealistic thoughts, "certain visions they had received,"^[29] divine revelations they claimed to have had, or simply that, "their thoughts, whether awake or asleep, were impure, sensual, evil."^[30] Whatever the exact meaning, all of their activity was directed to a single objective, that of defilement, whether self-pollution, or the corruption of others, or both.

Set at naught dominion ... All dominion belongs to God, as stated in the benediction; and the evil teachers rejected God’s authority. Their sins were threefold: they defile, reject, and revile.

Rail at dignities ... The New Catholic Bible states that this word dignities "is understood as referring to angels."^[31] There could be a clue in this reference to their speaking evil of angels as to the type of heresy current when Jude wrote. On the surface, it seems incredible, almost, that any person, no matter how evil, would indulge in blasphemous remarks against the holy angels; and yet evil men today speak evil of the Son of God who is higher in glory and power than any angel. The style of evil speaking has changed a bit, but the sin is the same as always. The word Jude used here is also translated "majesties" or "glories"; and the sin is covered by the prohibition, no matter which "glory" is reviled. The theory behind their reviling angels could have been Docetism. "Docetists held all angels in contempt because they supposed angels helped God in creating the material universe, and that they (the angels) were thereby spiritually defiled."^[32]

^[28] Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 511.

^[29] David F. Payne, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 627.

^[30] N. T. Caton, op. cit., p. 206.

^[31] New Catholic Bible (New York: Catholic Book Publishing Company, 1949), New Testament, p. 322.

^[32] Albert E. Barnett, op. cit., p. 328.

Judges 1:9 --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.

Barclay’s summary of the meaning of this whole verse is excellent: "If the greatest of good angels refused to speak evil of the greatest of evil angels, even in circumstances like that, then surely no human being may speak evil of any angel."^[33]

It is absolutely unnecessary to suppose that Jude was here quoting from Philo, or the apocryphal book of Enoch, or Josephus, or "The Assumption of Moses," nor any one of half dozen alleged "sources." The last clause of this verse is a quotation from the Old Testament book of Zechariah 3:2; and we may be certain that the rest of this verse is just as authentic as the last clause. It is helpful to remember that the writer of this epistle had been reared in the same family with Jesus Christ our Lord, having had more than a quarter of a century of the most intimate association with the Lord, and that such a statement as is found in this verse undoubtedly reflects the Saviour’s own supernatural wisdom. It should not disturb anyone that the kernel of truth mentioned here was endlessly vulgarized and extended in an apocryphal book. See under Jude 1:1:14.

Michael the archangel ... If Jude had been thinking of the book of Enoch here, he would certainly have written, "Michael, one of the archangels," for that book names seven: "Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Saragaej, Gabriel, and Remiel."^[34] The word "archangel" occurs only in this verse and in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 in the New Testament; and it is quite likely that there is only one archangel, namely, Michael. "There can be properly only one archangel, one chief, or head of all the angelic host."^[35] Other glimpses we have of Michael in the Bible always show him as the head singular of the holy angels, as in Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21, and Daniel 12:1, and also in Revelation 12:7. Jude’s usage of the term "archangel" is fully in keeping with this view, being certainly opposed to the apocryphal notions of a whole order of archangels. All of the diligence of scholars to find the source of Jude’s letter in the shameful book of Enoch (not even in the Apocryphal section of the Catholic Bible) border very closely upon a denial of his inspiration.

What is indicated in Jude’s words here is that there was conflict between Michael and Satan over the body of Moses; we may surmise (and it is only that) that perhaps Satan wanted to use the body for purposes like the worship of relics in succeeding ages. At any rate, the lesson is, THE archangel did not bring a railing accusation against the devil himself, saying, "The Lord rebuke thee" (Zechariah 3:2). How strange it is that mortal, weak, ignorant, vile and sinful men would rail against heavenly beings, a thing which the archangel would not do, even though apparently having the right to have done so.

^[33] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 221.

^[34] Albert E. Barnett, op. cit., p. 329.

^[35] Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible, Vol. VI (London: Carlton and Porter, 1829), p. 952.

Judges 1:10 --But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things they are destroyed.

But these rail ... Fools rush in where the archangel did not dare to go, human stupidity in such conduct reaching some kind of a summit.

And what they understand naturally ... Far from having any superior wisdom, these licentious Gnostics were totally blind to all of the highest knowledge; and the things which they could not help knowing, such as their passions, they used only for the purpose of sinning.

They are destroyed ... This may be understood both in the present and the prophetic tenses. People engrossed in sensuality are already destroyed; and that present destruction is likewise the prophecy of eternal ruin as well.

Commentary on Judges 1:8-10 by Gary Hampton

The Apostates in Jude’s Day

In Judges 1:8, Jude showed the false teachers had committed sins similar to those committed by those in the Old Testament examples he had previously given. They had committed sins of the flesh that were of the lowest nature. They showed no respect for authority and it did not bother them to say bad things against people in high positions.

"Michael the archangel," or "chief," or "captain" of the angels, is mentioned only in Judges 1:9 and Revelation 12:7-9 in the New Testament. He is pictured as the protector of Israel against the world’s pagan powers in Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1. Jude said he was in a discussion over the body of Moses. While we know nothing more of this discussion, it can easily be seen Jude was making a point about this high angelic being and the fact that he would not even say an evil word against the devil. There is quite a contrast between this action and those of the false teachers.

Not only did the false teachers speak evil, they even spoke against things about which they did not know or understand. The only things they understood concerned the fulfillment of physical appetites. They did that to the point of their own destruction. They could only look forward to woe because they were like Cain. He followed his own desires instead of walking the path of obedient service (Genesis 4:7). Balaam simply did his works to gain monetary profit (Numbers 22:5-7). Korah rebelled against Moses’ and God’s authority in the wilderness in his lusty hunger for power (Numbers 16:1-35). These men are examples of the type of attitude the false teachers must have portrayed (Judges 1:10-11).

Commentary on Judges 1:8-10 by David Hersey

Judges 1:8 --Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.

The ASV renders the first of this verse as "In like manner". We are here told that the depravity of the false teachers who had privily come into their midst were guilty of the same sorts of sin that the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah were. Their sin was rooted in sexual misconduct. This aligns perfectly with teachings of the Gnostics and later the Nicolaitans. There can be little doubt that Jude’s urgency in writing this epistle was for the purpose of refuting their influence in the church. In like manner to those of Sodom and Gomorrah, these dreamers defile the flesh.

Jude referred to them as dreamers. This means they were either living in a dreamy world of impurity or they were claiming to have access to divine revelation through their dreams. The latter seems to make the most sense in view that Jude twice used a word that carries the meaning that the faith had been once for all time delivered and that the Christians knew God’s revealed truth once for all time. Jude seemed to be making it a point to demonstrate that there was no more divine revelation in regards to the doctrine of Christ and that they had already received all they needed and there was not going to be any more. They had all they were going to get, they knew what they needed to know and anything additional to the body of knowledge they had regarding Christianity was to be rejected utterly.

Judges 1:8 --"reject authority"

Similar to the angels who sinned, these false teachers had no respect for authority of God. And this is amply demonstrated in their mistreatment of the word of God in favor of their own lusts. They were perverting the word of God, the writing of Paul in particular, to set forth the doctrine of salvation on the merits of God’s grace alone, thus opening the door to all kinds of sexual misconduct which brought about their comparison with Sodom and Gomorrah.

Judges 1:8 --"speak evil of dignitaries"

This is their comparison with the Israelites who had been freed from Egyptian bondage. We see examples of their unbelief, grumbling and complaining in Exodus 14:12; Exodus 16:3; Exodus 17:2-3, Numbers 20:2-5. In Exodus 32:1, Moses having been gone for a period of time on Mt. Sinai, we read of the Israelites rebellion against Moses and God and their worship of the golden calf.

Jude compared these apostates to the Israelites who rebelled against Moses’ authority. This is another way of identifying them and is in direct conflict with clear and concise apostolic teaching on the regard with which the Christian is to have for authorities. Romans 13:1-3, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves". The only time a Christian ever to resist the commands of the authorities in power over him is when to do so results in a transgression of God’s will as evidenced in Acts 5:29 when the Jewish high council ordered the apostles to stop preaching Jesus and they refused.

Judges 1:9 --Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

Michael is mentioned in scriptures in a number of places. Here we learn that He is an archangel which means he is chief among other angels. From this we can deduce that there is a hierarchy of some fashion among the heavenly beings. Biblical references to Michael begin in the book of Daniel in Daniel 10:21 and Daniel 12:1 where we learn that he was a prince or guardian angel seeing over the affairs of the Jewish people. He is again mentioned by name in Revelation 12:7-9 where we learn that he personally led a war on the side of God between the unfallen angels and those who unwisely chose to follow after Satan. The outcome of this heavenly revolt ended with Satan and his angels being cast permanently out of heaven to earth where after a brief period of time were sent on to their incarceration in chains of darkness in Tartarus where they await the final judgment as we saw in Judges 1:6.

Many are the varied deductions drawn from this verse. These are all at best speculation. There is nothing in scripture anywhere else which expounds on what we see here from this immediate context. What is immediately evident is that Michael and Satan had a confrontation over the body of Moses. Evidently Satan had some kind of diabolical use for his dead body. All we really can deduce in regards to why Satan would desire the body of Moses stems from our knowledge of his continual efforts at the deception and destruction of mankind. It is a safe assumption indeed that Satan was up to no good and had grand designs of using Moses’ body as an instrument of harm.

Michael stood opposed to Satan and whatever designs he had for the body of Moses. Instead of railing on Satan over the issue, Michael calmly confronted Satan with the words, "The Lord Rebuke You". From this we learn that speaking in opposition to those in authority is not the same as speaking evil of them. There is a proper way to do anything and those who would oppose the authorities dare not bring against them railing accusation, rather a calm presentation of the facts with a cool head and a quiet spirited demeanor. This speaks to the conduct expected of one who would represent God even in times of emotionally charged circumstances.

Evidently the apostates to whom Jude was referring were in the habit of significantly harsh demonstrations of verbal abuse directed at those in authority. such behavior is not only unchristian like behavior it also served as a signature mannerism by which these false teachers could be identified. So we now have licentiousness, immorality, lack of respect for authority and railers which were the identifying characteristics of those who had crept in privily.

Railing is described as violent or slanderous denunciation or condemnation. And this behavior is soundly condemned in scripture (1 Peter 3:9, 2 Timothy 3:2). Interestingly, we have a similar passage of scripture written by Peter in 2 Peter 2:10-11 where he specifically mentions a class of people who’s characteristics match the apostates in Jude perfectly, "and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord." Here Peter was prophesying of these heretics to come in the future. By the time Jude wrote his epistle this class of heretic had come and had manifested themselves in the Lord’s church and were spreading their heresy. And it should be noted that even though these heretics are going to suffer the condemnation of Hell, it is still entirely improper to rail against them, even if one is an angel and it is before the Lord Himself.

The proper conduct of the faithful Christian is given in scripture as we read in 1 Peter 3:4-5 "...let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God". 2 Timothy 2:24-26, "a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth." Verses such as these makes one wonder what the leaders of the religious wars of the crusades were thinking when they sent their armies out to convert the masses to Christianity by force.

Judges 1:10 --But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.

Judges 1:10 --"But these" Jude is still referring to the false teachers which are the primary subject of his epistle.

Judges 1:10 --"speak evil of whatever they do not know" The ASV renders this, "But these rail at whatsoever things they know not". The Greek word used for "speak evil" or "rail" is "blasphemo" which is where we get the English word ’Blaspheme’. It means to defame, revile, vilify or speak impiously. These false teachers have no idea what the facts are of who they are defaming. They are simply engaging in this behavior for whatever reasons, none of them good and making things up to substantiate their claims.

Judges 1:10 --"and whatever they know naturally" What genuine information they do possess about the facts is likewise spoken evil of. These false teachers have nothing good to say about those who fall under their scrutiny whether based in fact or simply made up for the purpose of adding reinforcement to their accusations.

Judges 1:10 --"like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves"These individuals were set as a contrast to Michael, not hesitating to speak evil of matters they know nothing about. Their only knowledge being their passions, the instincts and impulses that mankind shares with the animal creation. In this behavior, they are only corrupting themselves. Paul wrote of a similar behavior in Colossians 2:18, where he condemned those who would intrude "into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind". Those who surrender themselves to their fleshly appetites descend to the level of brutes and forfeit their spiritual standing and any hope of an eternal destiny associated with God.

These people had already demonstrated their inability or unwillingness to suppress their fleshly appetites. Their entire theology was twisted around what they wanted in so far as that was concerned. Their unsuppressed railing on others is merely another facet of their evil persona. Speaking evil and reviling others was merely another outlet for their already unrestrained behavior patterns. They are wholly governed by their passions, exercising no restraint or inhibition whatsoever.

Verses 11-13

Jud 1:11-13

CONDEMNATION OF EVIL-DOERS

(Judges 1:11-13)

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.

Commentary on Judges 1:11-13 by E.M. Zerr

Judges 1:11. Way of Cain refers to his life of wicked selfishness, and they are compared to Balaam because of his willingness to be bribed. Gainsaying means contention for one’s personal desires. Such a person is like Core (Korah in Numbers 16).

Judges 1:12. Spots is a figure of speech drawn from a hidden rock in the sea that wrecks the vessels. Jude says they will come to the feasts of charity (love feasts, 2 Peter 2:13) for the purpose of feeding themselves. Clouds without water is explained at 2 Peter 2:17. Trees . . . twice dead is another figure, indicating something utterly useless; the same is meant by being plucked up by the roots.

Judges 1:13. Raging waves is used because such things make great disturbances but accomplish nothing but threatening appearances. Wandering stars refers to the planets that seem to have no fixed position and these men are like that. Blackness of darkness refers to the "outer darkness" awaiting the wicked.

Commentary on Judges 1:11-13 by N.T. Caton

Judges 1:11.—Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain.

Woe only is their portion; in destroying the souls of their brethren, their course is that of the murderer, as it is the same in effect as was the act of Cain, who killed his brother Abel. They that run in the course of error and sin as did Balaam, who sought the wages of wrong-doing, and pretending a superior knowledge and a spiritual illumination in opposition to the inspired teachings of the apostles of the Lamb, it is simple rebellion, and will meet with the same punishment meted out to Korah, who opposed the authority of God through Moses and Aaron. (Numbers 16:3-13.) Jude’s comparison of these false teachers with Cain, Balaam, and Korah indicates clearly that he regards them as guilty of the three heinous crimes of murder, covetousness and rebellion.

Judges 1:12.—These are spots in your feasts of charity.

The gathering of the saints together at stated times, the duty of Christians. When wicked men meet with you, their excesses are so great they are like black spots upon a clean white surface. They regard not the holy character of the feast, and the love for the Master in obedience to whose commandment it is observed, but as gluttons feed without reverence. They make pretensions to a holy life, yet by their acts and speech they demonstrate the contrary; in this respect they are like a cloud containing no water, and easily dispelled and driven away. They are like trees exhibiting an apparent prospect of much fruit, yet a fruit that never comes to maturity, but always withers and drops from the boughs; withered autumnal fruit; they are twice dead; once they died in the Jewish faith, now they have died since the faith of the gospel has been proclaimed, and there is nothing left to them but to be plucked up by the roots. What a climax! How striking in its description of false teachers. The final end of all such is to be rooted up as trees utterly barren, utterly worthless.

Judges 1:13.—Raging waves of the sea.

Another view of these creatures is presented. When the sea is lashed into fury by the winds, her waves dash and boil into mountains of white foam. These false teachers are likened thereunto. They were turbulent and furious, attempted to place no restriction whatever upon their evil temper or tongue, or upon their lewd and dissolute actions, even when among disciples at their sacred feasts, and even here showed the filthiness of their own habits, and thus exhibited their own shame and disgrace. The evangelical prophet speaks of just such characters in the following lan­guage: "The wicked are like the troubled sea when it can not rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt" (Isaiah 57:20).

Wandering stars.

Not fixed, unstable, unsettled, irregular. Blackness of darkness forever.

A fearful doom.

Lived where the light was shining in all its God-given splendor, and suddenly all shut out and midnight’s dark pall settled over them for all eternity. What a fearful ending to contemplate.

Commentary on Judges 1:11-13 by Donald Fream

What a tragedy! They have thrown themselves to destruction like Cain, Balaam, and Korah.

Woe upon them! The exclamation expresses grief and/or denunciation. Jude neither gives the woe nor wishes it; but he sees it clearly in the three examples from the Old Testament. His heart is filled with grief over their plight. With saddened eyes he sees them sinning the sins condemned so long ago. Their wickedness has been proclaimed, and now he predicts their misery.

Cain’s way was one of envy, hatted, and murder. These apostates disdain the welfare of the saints and use them to their own selfish purposes. Like Cain, they do not believe that God means what He says. They are walking the same road as this “archtype” of all bad men. Hateful and envious of their brethren, they are guilty of Cain’s type of murder. “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15)

One wonders how many Christians within the church today are beginning the same walk as Cain. Not willing to repent, they begin to dislike and even rebel at the example of godliness in their brethren. Soon their dislike will turn to complete disregard and hatred, and they will find the Christian examples about them unbearable. This is the road of hatred and murder. This is the road of Cain.

Balaam was looking for a reward from the king, and sold his life in a futile chase for money. He was drowned in destruction and perdition in attempting to curse the people of God. For money he would do what Cain did for hate. So it is that money figures largely in the motivation for these apostates. Doctrine is a matter of pay, not a matter of truth, and in reaching for the pay they depart from the truth. They ignore the warning of 1 Timothy 6:9-10 : “But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Korah rebelled against God’s authority. He was envious and jealous of the authority God gave to Moses and Aaron; so he presumed to share in that authority. This was contrary to God’s expressed instruction. With a terrifying finality and suddenness, punishment followed. The earth opened up and swallowed the wicked men and their followers. Fire from God consumed all the goods that pertained to these men. In a moment Israel learned a lesson that caused them to flee in terror.

How serious is rebellion against divine authority! How certain will be the result! With what fear and respect we should follow after the authority of God. These apostates did not do so. They ignored the authority of Jehovah, and worked out their own rules by which they conducted their lives. The doctrine in God’s revelation they ignored, and were ignorantly content to create teachings that satisfied their own ears and pleased their own lusts.

Can it be that people today, even within the church of the living God, also ignore divine instruction? Will people today follow after the ways of Korah and invent offices, positions, and authority for themselves; contrary to the revelation of God? Korah was not the first, but his destruction should have been a lesson for all mankind. These apostates are not the last, for this seems to be one way for an evil heart. May God help us to find His authority sufficient, and like Michael submit ourselves to His will.

There also seems to be a progress in the action expressed in these three examples. The apostates “went in the way” of Cain, “ran in the error” of Balaam, and “perished in the gainsaying” of Korah. Such is a way of sin, First one walks, then one runs; and finally one is consumed. The lusts of the flesh have the same process. First there is a sinful play with the fire. Then there comes a frantic chase after the sin; and finally one is completely consumed in his lusts. Sin is a snare that draws tighter with indulgence. Sin is not a single trap, but a series of traps, each one stronger and more vicious than the last. It begins with playful rebellion and ends with total destruction. “Woe unto them!”

The manuscripts seem to differ as to whether the reading is “rocks” or “hidden rocks”. In either case, the reading should be “rocks” rather than the “spots” of King James.

Shepherds they are called. The word means “those who tend the flock.” A secondary meaning of “feed themselves” (shepherds) is to furnish pasture, or nourishment, to one’s body; thus to serve the body. This last meaning seems to be in keeping with the textual context, for they feed themselves without fear. They do not look for nor dread any possible correction, expulsion from the brotherhood, nor punishment from God. Absorbed in the satisfaction of their own sensuous desires they have no thought for feeding their souls.

The waterless clouds, that raise men’s hopes but are always a disappointment, are also referred to in 2 Peter 2:14; 2 Peter 2:17. They are clouds that blot out the light of God and bring no moisture for growth. Ever visible they are, as well as ever fruitless. Unstable, at the mercy of every wind of false doctrine, they are “carried with the tempest.” They are strangers to the faithful word, and have no fixed direction in their own course.

While the stars in heaven keep a fixed course in relation to the rotation of the earth, there are planets that appear as stars, but wander off the fixed course. They are not in the same orbit as the other stars, and their relative wanderings appear aimless and unrelated. So are these libertines as they hold not to the faith that had been delivered to the saints once for all. Their lives are a departure from the Christ-like witness that is normal for the Christian. Their witness appears aimless and unrelated to Jesus Christ.

Their sensuous passions are beaten constantly into a filthy, roaring foam. Their shameful deeds (“shames”) are the only fruits of their agitations. The “hidden things of shame” (2 Corinthians 4:2) are not renounced by them, but rather from the depths of their rotten lives are the seaweeds and dirt, mire and unclean scum, that are laid bare as the foam of their agitation bursts forth upon the sands of time.

Their destiny is also shown forth by the aimless stars of heaven. With no fixed course but wandering aimlessly about the blackness of space, they have both all expanse and all eternity without any hope of a resting place with God.

Such sensuality among the brethren within the living church of God is not an impossibility. The libertines of that day had their places for feeding the desires of the flesh and promoting sensuality. Today, however, the very home itself has become a spawning area for all kinds of filth. Magazines that contain all kinds and all amounts of sex are often carried, even through the mails, into the home. The television set has become a “living” fixture in the home that carries death through sensuality as many as twenty or more hours in every day. Spirituality is lost in the sensual desire for the sensuous programs. Wednesday night prayer services, and even the Sunday evening church services have been overwhelmed by the avalanche of fleshly carnality via the TV. Entire churches have dismissed these services, admitting defeat. Time for prayer and devotions within the home is no more. There are too many “programs” that might be missed. There are too many games to be played and too many parties to be attended. Besides all this, if there were regular devotions within the home, where would one find time to cook, eat, sleep, and cook again? The appetites of the flesh are many, and they cry out as demanding in this day as the day in which the epistle of Jude was written. May God help us to heed the warning.

Commentary on Judges 1:11-13 by Burton Coffman

Judges 1:11 --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.

Glancing above at the preceding verses, it will be noted that Jude gave three examples of apostasy: the ancient Israelites, the rebel angels, and the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 1:1:5-7). Next, he indicted the licentious Gnostic heretics as just as guilty as the ancient apostates, emphasizing their sinful and ignorant behaviour by contrasting it with the restraint of the archangel Michael (Jude 1:1:8-9), these two verses being somewhat of a parenthetical note. He returned to the indictment of the wicked men in Jude 1:1:10; but in this (Jude 1:1:11), he equates and compares their conduct with the wickedness of three of the worst Old Testament apostates: Cain, Balaam, and Korah.

Cain ... Balaam ... Korah ... Jude assumed that his readers were thoroughly familiar with the Old Testament events associated with these three names of infamy; and we shall do our readers the courtesy of making the same assumption with regard to them. For those who would like to "brush up a bit," the narratives of Cain (Genesis 4), Balaam (Numbers 22-24), and Korah (Numbers 16) are among the most interesting records in Scripture. Jude’s reason for the choice of these three examples might have been lodged in the spectacular punishments they received. Cain was cursed of God; Balaam was found dead with God’s enemies fighting against Israel, and Korah was swallowed up by an earthquake that split open the earth, taking Korah and all of his company to their death. The lesson is that a grievous punishment will be meted out to wicked men. Another reason for the selection of these three was also probably that of their sins being similar to the sins of the wicked Gnostics. Like Cain, they were innovators with a fierce hatred of any who rejected their ideas. Like Balaam, they were greedy, covetous, and willing to do any dishonorable thing whatever for the sake of money. Like Korah, they rebelled against God’s appointed authorities, the sacred apostles, prophets and teachers of the new covenant, just as Korah had rebelled against Moses. Still another possible purpose in using the example of Cain derived from the need to refute the Ophites, called also Cainites. Bruce has this on that evil system:

In the early days of Christianity there was one heretical (Gnostic) group which actually venerated Cain and his successors as champions of right, and claimed to be akin to him "and to the men of Sodom and Esau and Korah" (as Epiphanius informs us)^[36]

There is further discussion of this above, under 1 John 3:12, where Cain was cited as an example of wickedness. Also see above, under 2 Peter 2:15, where Balaam was similarly cited. Apparently, all three of these, Cain, Balaam, and Korah were considered to be especially notorious sinners, and frequently referred to as examples and warnings.

ENDNOTE:

^[36] F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1972), p. 134.

Judges 1:12 --These are they who are hidden rocks in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Hidden rocks in your love-feasts ... The metaphor appears to be a sunken shoal, or reef, upon which the unwary mariner might suffer shipwreck.

Love-feasts ... The love-feast mentioned here "still appears to be one with the eucharistic assembly,"^[37] and therefore not the type which was mentioned by Tertullian as continuing into the fourth century. This, according to Robinson, suggests something near a mid-century date (61-62 A.D.) for Jude. Essential to the success of these evil poachers in the Lords’ vineyard was the secret and stealthy modus operandi which attended their operations.

Shepherds that without fear feed themselves ... Like everything else in his letter, Jude here drew this from the Old Testament example of "shepherds that feed themselves" (Ezekiel 34). Ezekiel called them "fat cattle" who abuse the flock of God, fouling their food with refuse, etc.; as some would say today, "They were fat cats, living in luxury while impoverishing others."

Clouds without water ... Note that this is a metaphor drawn from the arid area of Judaea, perfectly ordinary, and universally known. Clouds without water were a terrible disappointment to people who needed rain most of the time.

Carried along by winds ... A similar cloud metaphor having the meaning of instability. Now one may see such a cloud; then he doesn’t. That was the way it was with the false teachers.

Autumn trees without fruit ... The autumn trees here were those which normally bore their fruit in the autumn. Fruit time was disappointment time for those who looked to barren trees.

Twice dead, plucked up by the roots ... In a sense, an unfruitful, or barren tree, was "dead"; but, when it had already been grubbed up from the earth, it was "doubly dead." "Spiritually, these men were twice dead in having returned after baptism to the death of sin."^[38] Many have likewise identified this as parallel with such passages as Hebrews 6:4-7.

^[37] John A. T. Robinson, Redating the New Testament (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 172.

^[38] Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 513.

Judges 1:13 --wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved for ever.

Wild waves of the sea ... Jude, like countless others, had visited a sea shore following a storm, finding the beach littered and polluted by every kind of filth and trash. In addition to such experience which it may be assumed he had, the words of the Prophet Isaiah pronounced the metaphor for him: "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt" (Isaiah 57:20). A polluted beach was the perfect figure of the evil Gnostics.

Wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved for ever ... The "wandering stars" here is a clear reference to meteorites which blaze a moment in the night sky and then fall into darkness forever. Yes, Jude used a word which is supposed to have meant, literally, "stars which follow no orbit" (J. B. Phillips), or "stars which have wandered off course" (New English Bible); but Jude was undeniably writing metaphorically. Trees cannot be "twice dead"; oceans do not foam up "shame"; and stars do not "wander." There is hardly anyone alive who has not used exactly the same metaphor Jude used here, in such a remark as "I saw a shooting star!" Stars do not "shoot"; in fact, neither the people who mention such observations, nor Jude in this letter, had any reference whatever to "stars" in the technical sense (although using technical terms), but to drifting fragments in space which, being trapped by the earth’s atmosphere, blaze gloriously for a moment and then perish forever. Stars? No. Meteorites is the technical word. It would be just as honest to accuse one who mentioned a "shooting star" of actually believing a star had fallen upon earth, as it is to load Jude’s humble and simple meaning here with a lot of Greek astronomy. One fears that the translators have been translating Enoch here, instead of the letter of Jude. We appreciate the words of J. B. Mayor who admitted that "shooting star" would "fit better" in this passage.^[39] Indeed it would; for that is exactly what the passage means. Those evil men who troubled the church were just like "shooting stars" that shine a moment and then plunge to doom and darkness. Like his knowing of clouds, winds, sea shore, and fruitless trees, the knowledge of this nocturnal phenomenon was Jude’s by his own personal observation and experience. It is absolutely gratuitous to drag Enoch into this verse.

ENDNOTE:

^[39] J. B. Mayor, Expositor’s Greek New Testament, Vol. V (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 270.

Commentary on Judges 1:11-13 by Gary Hampton

Not only did the false teachers speak evil, they even spoke against things about which they did not know or understand. The only things they understood concerned the fulfillment of physical appetites. They did that to the point of their own destruction. They could only look forward to woe because they were like Cain. He followed his own desires instead of walking the path of obedient service (Genesis 4:7). Balaam simply did his works to gain monetary profit (Numbers 22:5-7). Korah rebelled against Moses’ and God’s authority in the wilderness in his lusty hunger for power (Numbers 16:1-35). These men are examples of the type of attitude the false teachers must have portrayed (Judges 1:10-11).

Apostasy Illustrated from the Natural Realm

Like rocks hidden in the water, false teachers were unrecognized trouble ready to sink the unprepared Christian. They acted as if they were shepherds of the flock so they could feed themselves. In the dry climate of Palestine, their personalities were best represented as clouds that would seem to promise a much wanted rain but only leave the land dry and disappointed. They were like barren fruit trees in autumn. They should have had fruit but it was as if they had been plucked up by the roots. They were dead in the realm of fruit bearing and devoid of any life (Judges 1:12).

The wave illustration was used in Isaiah 57:20. It simply says the false teachers are like the foamy waves which promised much but carried nothing of real value. The star idea may refer to shooting comets or falling meteors leaving only darkness in their trail. Thus, the ultimate end of the false teachers was set forth (Judges 1:13).

Commentary on Judges 1:11-13 by David Hersey

Judges 1:11 --Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. Apostates Depraved and Doomed.

A simple statement of the misery that will descend upon them, both in this life and the one to come. Jude drew on three old testament characters whose examples served to illustrate his point.

Judges 1:11 --"For they have gone in the way of Cain" Cain followed his own instincts and passion in determining the nature of his offering to the Lord. He thought an offering of the fruit of the ground would be more appropriate so he offered it to the Lord. Cain’s offering was rejected and he allowed his passion to govern him to the extent that he slew his own brother. Cain was a slave to his own passions.

Judges 1:11 --"have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit"

Balaam was a gentile prophet who lived at the time when Balak the king of Moab was facing his overthrow by the children of Israel as they conquered

Balaam, a gentile and the son of Bosor, was a man of stature among the Midianites (Numbers 31:8). He lived at Pethor (Deuteronomy 23:4), in Mesopotamia (Numbers 23:7). It is evident that though dwelling among idolaters he had knowledge of the true God, and was held in such reputation that it was believed that those whom he blessed were blessed, and those whom he cursed were cursed (Numbers 22:6). When the Israelites were encamped on the plains of Moab, on the east of Jordan, by Jericho, Balak, concerned that he would be overthrown by Israel (Numbers 22:4), sent for Balaam "from Aram, out of the mountains of the east," to curse them (Numbers 22:6), but because of God’s intervention he was unable to fulfill Balak’s wish. The apostle Peter refers to Balaam in 2 Peter 2:15-16 as he who loved the wages of unrighteousness.

Though Balaam could not curse Israel, he did counsel Balak during the time he was with him on Peor to entice the children of Israel to "commit trespass against the Lord" (Numbers 31:16). Revelation 2:14 gives us more detail concerning this, "Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication". Balaam couldn’t curse the children of Israel directly but he did reveal to Balak a way to cause the Israelites to fall from favor and incur the wrath of God as a consequence. If the Israelites could be tempted to commit fornication with the women of Moab, God would withdraw His support from them. In Numbers 24:25 to Numbers 25:1, we learn that when Balaam and Balak concluded their discussions over Israel, "Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way. And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab". Balaam’s counsel to Balak concerning the Israelites was successful. This resulted in the wrath of God being poured out on Israel which ended with the deaths of twenty four thousand (Numbers 25:4). After this, God sent Israel to destroy Moab during which the kings of Midian and Balaam were killed.

Balaam was mentioned by Jude because he counseled Balak to have the Moabitish women seduce the men of Israel into illicit sexual relations. This lasciviousness was what the Antinomian Gnostics were promoting in the Lord’s church. Jude’s intent here was to illustrate the similarities and to associate these depraved activities with the fate that befell Balaam and Balak.

Judges 1:11 --"and perished in the rebellion of Korah"

Kohath was the son of Levi (Genesis 46:11). Kohath had four sons, two of which are of interest here; Izhar and Amram (Exodus 6:18). Izhar was father of Korah (Exodus 6:21) and Amram, his brother was the father of Moses (Exodus 6:20). Korah and Moses were first cousins which is interesting in that Korah was the ringleader in a rebellion against Moses and Aaron (Numbers 16:1-3), "Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men; 2 and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. 3 They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?"

This did not work out well for them at all. In the end Dathan and Abiram, along with their families were swallowed up by the earth and Korah along with the two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation perished by fire from the Lord. Korah himself perished while standing before the door of the tabernacle of meeting where he had gathered the opposing leaders of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron.

Korah’s sin by rebelling against Moses and inciting the Israelites to rise up against him was "Despising dominion and speaking evil of dignities" as mentioned in Judges 1:8. The application for us today is of a warning against those who would rise up in opposition to the civil or spiritual authorities under which a Christian lives and serves. Our instructions concerning the civil authorities is found in 1 Peter 2:13-14 and Romans 13:1-3. Our instructions concerning our conduct in respect to spiritual authorities is found in Hebrews 13:17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.

In all we have:

1) Cain who insisted on his own righteousness instead of God’s and failed to govern his own passions.

2) Balaam who taught Balak to lead God’s children astay with the pleasures of the flesh.

3) and Korah who did not respect the authorities above him and rose up against them.

These three examples cover very well the characteristics of the false teachers that Jude was opposing. It is well known fact that the Gnostics approached God with their own righteousness, allowing their lusts and passions to govern their behavior. They promoted sexual promiscuity and had no respect whatsoever for authority, whether it be physical or spiritual. The Gnostics had all three, but it is apparent that to possess any one of these characteristics would bear the same consequences.

The application for us today is that we, like the Christians to whom Jude wrote, need to seek after God’s righteousness (Romans 10:3), refrain from the pleasures of the flesh and respect the authorities under which we live (2 Peter 2:10), and do not engage in the acceptance or the practice of false teaching.

Judges 1:12 --These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;

The Greek word for "spots" here means a reef under the sea, which carries the meaning of a hidden menace. The ASV renders this phrase as, "These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts". The NASB simply renders the word for its literal meaning, a "hidden reef". The idea here is of a threat that is hard to see but carries an imminent threat of disaster. Like sunken reefs which could not be seen from the surface of the water, but would destroy any ship that hit them, so the apostates in Jude’s consideration had hidden themselves among them, giving no evidence of the threat they posed. Peter used this word when prophesying about these very people in 2 Peter 2:13, "They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you".

The "love-feasts" is a reference to the well known feasts of charity which was a customary practice of the New Testament church associated with their assemblies. These love feasts were not intended to be a part of their worship but the Corinthian Christians combined them with the Lord’s supper and brought about the condemnation of Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:17-22. The Corinthian Christians were not the only group of Christians who associated the Lord’s supper with a common meal, but it was the Corinthians who abused it and received Paul’s inspired teachings on the matter. Several congregations of the Lord’s church still observe the feasts of charity today as a custom, not as a part of the biblical pattern. These feasts are more modernly referred to as ’potlucks’ or ’fellowship meals’.

One of the purposes, aside from building and maintaining a bond of fellowship among brethren, was to make sure all the Christians received a good meal. At this time in history, Christian persecution had arisen to the point that it was difficult for many Christians to find work to support their families. There were times when the love-feast was the only decent meal a Christian could count on receiving. That the saints were accustomed to meeting together for common meals is evident from this verse and also from 2 Peter 2:13. There are also numerous extra-biblical references to these love feasts by the early ecclesiastical writers of the church. By the 4th century they were suspended because men of the type prophesied by Peter and described by Jude had turned the feasts into banquetings and drinking parties as condemned in 1 Peter 4:3. Anything can be abused to the point that something innocent can be corrupted into something ungodly.

There were other public feasts which were available at the time but Christians were forbidden to partake in them because they involved eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Paganism was at its height in Roman society in the first century. Their religion was replete with all kinds of mythological pagan gods such as Zeus, Hercules, Athena, Diana and literally hundreds of others. These gods were actively worshipped in temples constructed in their honor. Animal sacrifices were sometimes a regular part of their worship and the meat which had been sacrificed to these pagan gods would be used to feed the citizens of the Roman Empire in the cities where this took place. These public feasts, well intentioned at the first, turned into wild orgiastic festivals in the streets where drunkeness and gluttony ran wild along with every depraved form of sexual depravity imaginable. These gluttonous feasts were alluded to in Revelation 2:20 where John quoted Jesus words concerning the church at Thyatira, "I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols." Paul likewise had this to say concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 10:18-22, "Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons".

Judges 1:12 --"while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves."

The ASV renders more correctly renders this passage as, "shepherds that without fear feed themselves". Jude drew this imagery from Ezekiel 34:2 and following, "Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" The apostates in Jude’s consideration care nothing about the sheep, instead all they care about is serving their own interests. They care not one whit for the damage they are inflicting on others. All they care about is serving themselves.

Apostates never seem to be content with just being apostates. They almost always yield to some inner drive to win others over to their way of thinking. It’s as if they feel their point of view is somehow validated through acceptance of others. The apostates in view of Jude were no different. They were not content to just partake of their fleshly desires themselves, they wanted others to as well. That they were in some way associated with Christianity is apparent in that they had "crept in" to the church. These people were obviously coming into the fellowship in the guise of Christians, or else it would not have been possible. And, true to the nature of apostates, they were trying to influence others to their perverted understandings of scripture, thereby dragging the souls of the innocent with them to destruction. They wanted Jesus and the hope He represented, but they also wanted to be free to satiate their fleshly desires without the fear of losing the hope they had in Christ. So instead of just surrendering to their lusts and leaving the faithful Christians to worship God correctly, they chose to come in stealthily and try to win then over to their way of thinking. They were shepherds that without fear, feeding their own desires and trying to lead the sheep down their path.

Judges 1:12 --"They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds"

This is the first of four comparisons Jude makes from nature regarding the apostates. Compare the clouds without water to Peter’s prophesy regarding apostates in 2 Peter 2:17, "These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest". Clouds promise rain and relief from the dry and the heat. The expectation of those who depend entirely on their environment for survival is expectant that the thirsty earth is to be refreshed with needful showers. Instead of this, however, the clouds follow the wind’s direction, and no rain is received. The clouds which promise water are only carried about by the whim of whatever drives it, with no consistent direction, no defined purpose. So this is of false religious teachers. Instruction in regards to the way of salvation was expected from them; but, instead, they disappointed the anticipations of those who were desirous of knowing the way of life, but were disappointed.

Judges 1:12 --"late autumn trees without fruit"

Similar to a cloud with no water, the tree without fruit cannot bring the sustenance required for life. The imagery here is of expected spiritual nourishment with none available. The tree is there, but there is nothing produced from it of any value.

Judges 1:12 --"twice dead"

These apostates, here described as being like clouds without water and trees without fruit are now declared "twice dead". Christians are characterized in scripture as those who were formerly dead but live again, (Ephesians 2:1-2, Ephesians 2:5, 1 John 3:14). Scripture also refers to this second life and being born again, (John 3:3-5, 1 Peter 1:23). Those who are twice dead, would be in the same condition they were before they became alive in Christ, dead twice. In writing to Timothy concerning widows in the church who live after the flesh, Paul said in 1 Timothy 5:6-7, "But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives". Like the living dead widows who seek the pleasures of the flesh, so also are the apostates who fell under the scrutiny of Judas, and so will be the spiritual state of any who follow after their evil teachings.

Judges 1:12 --pulled up by the roots;

Ezekiel wrote by the commandment of god concerning the rebellious house of Israel in, Ezekiel 17:9, "It was planted in good soil by many waters, To bring forth branches, bear fruit, And become a majestic vine. 9 Say, ’Thus says the Lord God: Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots, Cut off its fruit, And leave it to wither? All of its spring leaves will wither, And no great power or many people Will be needed to pluck it up by its roots" And such is the fate of these apostates in the end. They are dead while they live, and will be plucked up and disposed of.

Judges 1:13 --raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame;

Isaiah 57:20-21, "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. "There is no peace," Says my God, "for the wicked." These apostates are compared to the raging waves of troubled seas who appear powerful but produce only mire, dirt and refuse on the shores in their wake. All that is produced by them is a lot of show, leaving behind only trash, mire and filth.

Judges 1:13 --"wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever."

Jude is most likely referring to what we today refer to as ’falling or shooting stars’. They appear for a moment in the night sky and then fall into the darkness. Jude’s use of the Greek here means a "stars which follow no orbit", or "stars which have wandered off course". Jude is using familiar imagery to characterize these apostates. Trees cannot be literally "twice dead"; oceans do not foam up "shame"; and real stars do not ’wander off course.’ Jude was not referring to stars in a technical sense, rather he was using the imagery to illustrate a likeness which his readers could identify with.

The application of the imagery here, both for Jude’s immediate readership and for us today as well, is that the blackness of darkness forever is what is in store for the apostates. Here is their pronouncement of eternal doom and damnation. They will share the same fate as the angels who sinned as mentioned by Jude in Judges 1:6.

There is an apparent resembles between this entire section of Jude and the words of 2 Peter 2 concerning future apostates. 2 Peter 2 prophecies their coming and Jude describes them in fulfillment of Peter’s prediction. The imagery used to illustrate and characterize them is both similar and striking. The harsh terms used by both writers are indicative of the seriousness of their spiritual situation and that of those who would follow after their ways. Neither writer leaves any doubt as to the fate that lays in store for them.

Verses 14-16

Jud 1:14-16

THE PROPHECY OF ENOCH

(Judges 1:14-16)

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 Judges 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.

Commentary on Judges 1:14-16 by E.M. Zerr

Judges 1:14. The Bible does not record this prophecy of Enoch, but Jude was an inspired man and knew what he was talking about. Seventh from Adam means he was in that numerical place in the genealogy of Christ. The ten thousand saints include those mentioned in Matthew 27:52-53. For complete comments on this subject see those at Romans 8:29-30 in the first volume of the New Testament Commentary.

Judges 1:15. This verse describes some of the work Jesus will do when he comes at the last day. Convince means to convict and punish these ungodly persons. All their ungodly deeds and hard speeches are considered as being against Him.

Judges 1:16. Murmurers and complainers are usually those who wish to walk after their own lusts. They speak great swelling words for their effect upon those whom they think they can deceive. Having men’s persons (de-sirable appearances) in admiration. That is, they become "respecter of persons" for their own personal advantage. The whole passage describes people extremely selfish.

Commentary on Judges 1:14-16 by N.T. Caton

Judges 1:14.—Enoch also, the seventh from Adam.

We have here the announcement of Enoch as a prophet, not to be found elsewhere in the Bible. To make it plain, the party so named as a prophet is the Enoch seventh in line of descent from the first man, Adam. Why this particu­larity is observed will be seen by a simple inspection of the history of the race, as given in Genesis. "And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch" (Genesis 4:17). Now it is evident that this is not the Enoch to whom Jude refers, because he is only the third in descent from Adam. In the fifth chapter of Genesis we have the genealogy traced, from which we read and gather the following information: Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch. Of this last, we have this further historic declaration: "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 sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (Genesis 5:21-24). The recital is short, but contains much. God seems to have used Enoch as he did Noah in the proclamation of his word, his promises, and his threatenings; and among the rest of his utterances, an inspired writer, the apostle Jude, tells us of a prophecy which he uttered.

Behold, the Lord cometh.

Here is one of the statements Enoch, inspired of God, told the people of his day. He warned them of a general judgment, when the Lord would come. He assured them that the Lord would come, accompanied by ten thousands of his saints; or, as the Syriac has it, "with myriads of his saints."

Judges 1:15.—To execute judgment upon all.

The object of the coming of the Lord is here given. To execute judgment is to pass sentence. This was to be upon all. I take it, the "all" here means the "all" upon whom a judgment of condemnation shall be rendered. While it is true all, in its full sense, will appear before God and be judged, all will not receive the same sentence, for all will not be condemned; only the guilty will suffer punishment. See the succeeding clauses.

To convince all that are ungodly.

That is, convict. This, of course, follows a righteous investigation. No guilty will escape; no innocent will suffer. The ungodly will be convicted of all their ungodly deeds. The ungodly will be convicted of all their false, profane, impious and blasphemous speeches made by them as ungodly sinners against Christ; sentence follows this conviction. The sentence is the righteous judgment of God and includes the punishment. It brings before our vision once more the Savior’s declaration concerning the sheep and the goats at the last day. All these things Enoch, the seventh from Adam, brought to the attention of the people in his day. So affirms the apostle Jude.

Judges 1:16.—These are murmurers, complainers.

To make the idea intended to be communicated in this verse stand out more prominently, I have given the Syriac translation. "These are they who murmur and complain of everything, while they walk according to their lusts, and their mouth speaketh shocking things, and they flatter people for the sake of gain." Now, it is plain that after Jude dismisses the prophecy of Enoch, he returns to the consid­eration of the false teachers, against whom he was warning the brethren, and this verse contains a further portraiture of the character of such. They were murmurers and com­plainers. They murmur at God, and they complain that their lot is not different. They walk in their own filthy and besotted way while so complainng, and at the same time are uttering pompous and self-laudatory speeches, claiming super-excellence of knowledge, and all the time are hypocritically praising and flattering people, with the hope of extorting from them worldly gain.

Commentary on Judges 1:14-16 by Donald Fream

The patriarch Enoch told how God would bring judgment upon all evil deeds, including these apostates within the church.

Judges 1:14-15 are considered to be difficult because there is no recorded prophecy of Enoch saying these things in the scripture. The apocryphal book of Enoch does ascribe similar passages as being prophesied by Enoch. Again, the comments on Judges 1:9 also applies here. There is no need to insist that Jude copied from Enoch, The fact that Jude does include the reference as fact, so establishes it. By the Holy Spirit Jude knew this to be fact, whether or not he was familiar with a similar statement in the book of Enoch.

The information that Jude here gives establishes one additional fact we would not otherwise have from the scriptures: That Enoch himself made these prophesies. The prophesies are contained elsewhere in the scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments. Daniel says “a thousand thousand served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.” (Daniel 7:10) Zechariah says “Then the Lord your God will come, and all the holy ones with him.” (Zechariah 14:5) Such references also may be located in the book of Revelation.

The Jewish method of counting included the first and last figure. Thus Jesus was said to have been in the grave three days, counting the day He was buried and the day He arose. By the time a child reached the age of one year and one day (as we would say it), the Jews would call the child age two. Likewise, in counting generations the first and last generations were counted. So it was that Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam, counting both Adam and Enoch.

The prophesy is given to verify the fact of the judgment to come. The language of prophecy is often from the viewpoint of God: as good as accomplished! Such is the case here. The Lord came with ten thousand of his holy ones. Holy ones is correct rather than the saints of the King James. Angels are included among God’s holy ones, and the reference here could well be to angels. The figure ten thousand is a common figure to denote a very great number. Sometimes the expression “a thousand thousands” or “ten thousand times ten thousand” is used.

The purpose “to do judgment” is the same expression used in John 5:27.

The spiritual gift of discerning of spirits gave the Corinthian church the ability to make manifest the secrets of the heart of the unbelieving prophet. He stood reproved by all and judged by all. (1 Corinthians 14:24-25). In that last day when the Lord shall come the second time, the ungodly shall be manifest and his wicked deeds laid bare in their true colors. The ungodly life in which they wallowed is not a mistake, nor a stumbling sin. It is a chosen way of vileness and deceit. Their wickedness is well-pleasing to them; and if it were not for the wages there would be no regret.

Their hard speeches, like Lamech (Genesis 4:15), are uttered in defiance against God. This is comparable to the ungodly men of 1 Peter 4:4, who speak irreverently of God or against believers.

Verse sixteen does not let these present ungodly men escape the judgment predicted. These are the ones who murmur and complain because they think only of pleasing themselves. These are the ones who speak great swelling words against God and against God’s people. These are the ones who show partiality because of personal profit expected. They refuse to submit where it is rightful they should, and they do submit where personal gain may be obtained. Their flattery (admiration of faces, literally) is soon found out, for when there is no personal profit to them the admiration is suddenly gone. Their lives are strewn with great havoc and hatred for they make merchandise of many. (Romans 16:18 and 2 Peter 2:3). They will even feign repentance for the sake of personal gain.

The sincere Christian who knows such a one hates himself for the knowing. He knows the smile for its insincerity, and when he sees the smile he can only expect to be immediately used. A hatred for the evil and a distrust of the person is the only end of knowing such a one. A sincere saint does not relish this ever-present evil and necessary distrust. So it is that misery dogs those who cross the path of these insincere flatterers who are partial for the sake of advantage.

Commentary on Judges 1:14-16 by Burton Coffman

Judges 1:14 --And to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,

And to these ... "These" are the false teachers, the evil men about whom God has already given a number of prophetic messages, in such events as his punishing the Israelites, destroying the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and in the punishments like those which befell Cain, Balaam and Korah; and, in addition to all that, "also" Enoch made a prophecy.

Enoch, the seventh from Adam ... Well, here at last we have "Enoch." This is the first and only reference to him in this letter, and this verse is the only thing in Jude that may fairly be connected with him. Jude’s use of Enoch’s prophecy stamps that prophecy as the gospel truth, but it does absolutely nothing for the apocryphal "Book of Enoch," rightfully rejected as having no canonical value, and being quite ridiculous, fanciful, and false. As the footnote in the Catholic Bible says, "The Book of Enoch is apocryphal. St. Jude does not here approve the entire book, but only this prophecy."^[40] The false book of Enoch was widely known in apostolic times, and it was quite natural that Jude would have referred to the famous prophecy allegedly made by Enoch. It could be that Jude, by singling out this prophecy as true, meant that the Biblical character Enoch indeed uttered it, which for all anyone knows may be the truth; but that meaning is not at all mandatory. It was likely merely the manner of identifying the prophecy, which Jude attributed to its alleged source, instead of reference to a book of so many errors. Another New Testament parallel of exactly this procedure by Paul himself is that of his quoting the prophet Epimenides the pagan writer, calling him "one of your own prophets," and recalling his line that, "Cretans are always liars" (Titus 1:12). Should it be inferred, then, that Paul "borrowed" the book of Titus from the pagan prophet? It is exactly that kind of logic that ascribes two thirds of Jude to the apocryphal book of Enoch. Paul also quoted heathen poets and an inscription from a heathen monument in his famed address in the city of Athens (Acts 17), approving of neither by so doing.

Before leaving the question of Enoch’s having been a true prophet of God (we are not referring to the book of Enoch), it might be well to recall that Enoch "walked with God" in a very intimate fashion, that he was translated, not even tasting of death, and that he named his son Methuselah, bearing the prophetic meaning of "he dieth, and the flood cometh."^[41] Therefore, we may surely believe Jude’s account of God’s using Enoch to utter a prophecy of the destruction of evil men. Indeed, the name of his son is exactly such a prophecy. Beyond all these considerations, there is also the possibility that Jude’s information concerning Enoch’s prophecy did not depend in any manner upon the book of Enoch; either some other prior source, or his own divine inspiration, or both, may have been behind this quotation.

Behold the Lord came with ten thousand of his holy ones ... This clause, along with all of Jude 1:1:15, is the prophecy of Enoch. Caton summarized it thus:

"Here is what Enoch, inspired of God, told the people of his day. He warned them of a general judgment, when the Lord would come. He assured them that the Lord would come, accompanied by ten thousands of his saints; or, as the Syriac has it, `with myriads of his saints.’"^[42]

Behold the Lord came ... The past tense in such passages is actually the prophetic tense, a frequently observed phenomenon in the Bible. God’s prophecies are so certain of fulfillment that the prophet speaks of them in the past tense. The first word of this prophecy (Behold the Lord came) is Maran atha (not Marana tha), a reference in the past tense (used prophetically for the future).^[43] As Macknight observed, the first word of this prophecy was widely known and used by the apostles and the early church, Paul doing so in 1 Corinthians 16:22. This is very significant with regard to apostolic use of this expression, indicating that "Maran atha" probably has the meaning of "The Lord has come" in his incarnation, instead of being an invocation looking to the Second Advent. See further notes on this in my Commentary on 1Corinthians, pp. 284,285.

^[40] New Catholic Bible, op. cit., New Testament, p. 323.

^[41] James MacKnight, op. cit., p. 206.

^[42] N. T. Caton, op. cit., p. 209.

^[43] James MacKnight, op. cit., p. 208.

Judges 1:15 --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.

This prophecy came quite early in human history; and there is no sacred writer, no apostle, no prophet, and not even the Lord himself, who exercised his ministry, except in the shadow of this promise of a day of judgment when God will settle his accounts with the wicked men who have despised him. The fact of this prophecy colors every page of the Bible; and he is a vain and willful sinner indeed who dares to order his life as if this were not the truth.

Execute judgment ... This phrase occurs "only here and in John 5:27";^[44] but significantly, in John it occurs upon the lips of Jesus Christ himself.

Of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him ... There is no possibly summary of these that could be given. They are as extensive and voluminous as all the libraries of earth combined. Train loads of books pour out of great publishing houses every month, being directed in a large part, against God, against the Bible, against Christianity, against all truth and righteousness. This characteristic engagement of wicked men in speaking against God manifested itself in a particularly venomous and unreasonable degree during the personal ministry of God in the flesh, Jesus our Lord; and, in this series, we have compiled a list of some 23 vicious lies and slanders that were launched against Christ by evil men. See my Commentary on Luke, pp. 193,194.

ENDNOTE:

^[44] Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 513.

Judges 1:16 --These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling words), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage.

Bennett’s comment on this verse is:

"When it was safe to do so, they blustered and bullied, and played the superior person, but they cringed to rich men, and flattered them for the sake of dinners and presents."^[45]

Another analysis of this verse was given by Wallace which pointed out the numerous charges against the evil men enumerated in this single verse: (1) they are grumblers; (2) they are complainers; (3) they are malcontents; (4) their sole guide is their lusts; (5) they are noisy boasters; and (6) all that they do is directed to procuring some personal benefit for themselves. How many on earth today are described by this same analysis?

ENDNOTE:

^[45] W. H. Bennett, The General Epistles (New Century Bible) (Edinburgh: T. C. and E. C. Jack, 1901), p. 340.

Commentary on Judges 1:14-16 by Gary Hampton

Apostasy in Old Testament Prophecy (Judges 1:14-16)

Enoch was listed as one of the great men of faith (Hebrews 11:5). Genesis says "God took him" (Genesis 5:21-24). It would appear he was translated to heaven much like Elijah (2 Kings 2:1-12). Enoch did not have to experience death as other men do, but was taken up from the earth not to be found any longer. God testified that Enoch pleased Him. It is not surprising that this seventh person in man’s genealogy was a prophet. By inspiration, Jude recorded one of his prophecies. It concerned the coming of the Lord with his angels (Judges 1:14; Matthew 25:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7).

The prophecy also spoke of the promised judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The point being, the Lord will punish the ungodly for their sins, which were of an ungodly character. Woods suggests Jude adds detail to Enoch’s prophecy. He described the ungodly people as those who rebelled against their lot in life and thought God was unfair. Their lives were lived only to fill their fleshly desires. They used words puffed up with sound but lacking meaning. They used favoritism so they might gain a few of this world’s advantages (Judges 1:15-16).

Commentary on Judges 1:14-16 by David Hersey

Judges 1:14 --Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,

Enoch was the son of Jared and the father of Methuselah (Genesis 5:21; Luke 3:37). His father was one hundred and sixty-two years old when he was born. After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch "walked with God three hundred years" (Genesis 5:22-24), when he was translated without experiencing death. His life on earth was for three hundred and sixty-five years. He was the "seventh from Adam" as distinguished from Enoch, the son of Cain who was the third from Adam. He is spoken of in the record of biblical heroes in Hebrews 11:5. Mention is made of Enoch’s prophesying only in this verse of scripture in Jude.

"These men" are the false teachers about whom Jude is writing. In addition to the examples of the Israelites, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and in the punishments which befell Cain, Balaam and Korah, Jude now draws on a prophecy of judgment on their heads.

This is the only reference to him in this letter. Jude’s mention of Enoch’s prophecy authenticates it as inspired truth. However, it does not authenticate the book of Enoch itself. This book was widely known in apostolic times and a reading of it reveals that it is at best ridiculous and often bizarre. It is rightfully rejected as an authentic work of this ancient old testament figure. When considering the possibility of the book of Enoch as an authentic, inspired wholly complete work of scripture, one needs to keep in mind that if Enoch had indeed written the book, it would have been centuries before the great flood. The earliest book in scripture was written by Moses many centuries removed from the flood. Moses wrote wholly by inspiration of the events which occurred before the flood. Moses never met Abraham but he wrote extensively of his life and the lives of all the Biblical figures by inspiration.

Enoch lived on earth from about 3468 BC to about 3102 BC. This was roughly six and half centuries before the flood which occurred about 2434 BC given a hundred year margin either way. Anything written by Enoch would have had to either survive the flood to be unearthed some time afterwards, or would have had to have been in Noah’s possession on the Ark and then passed down from generation to generation until it could be buried to be found at a later date. In all, any such manuscript would have had to survive, unchanged for roughly forty four centuries.

No doubt Jude identified the prophecy of Enoch and forever sealed the fact that Enoch did indeed utter this prophecy. The fact that this prophecy is recorded in a book with Enoch’s name on it does not mean that Jude authenticated the entire work. It took much more than that to qualify a book for inclusion in the Bible as an inspired text. While such a thing was taken into account, it was certainly not the only test a document had to pass in order to be counted as scripture.

Paul quoted a pagan prophet in Titus 1:12-13, "One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." "This testimony is true..." Biblical scholars hold that this prophet’s name was a man named Epimenides. Paul quoted something out of the word of this pagan writer that was indeed true, but it does not follow that everything Epimenides or whoever may have written what Paul quoted was infallible, inspired scripture. Paul also quoted heathen poets and an inscription from a pagan monument to the unknown god in the city of Athens (Acts 17), approving of neither by so doing.

We know from inspiration that Enoch "walked with God" (Genesis 5:22), in a very special way, that he was translated (Hebrews 11:5), being one of only two people in history to pass from earth in this manner, the other being that great prophet, Elijah, who rode to heaven in a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2:9-11). Therefore, we may surely believe Jude’s account of God’s using Enoch to utter a prophecy of the destruction of evil men. It is quite possible and entirely likely that Jude’s knowledge of Enoch’s prophecy came to him in the same fashion that Moses knowledge of all the historical facts he wrote about was delivered to him, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Judges 1:15 -- to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."

Enoch lived in the post flood era when the moral fiber of humanity was degrading to what would soon be cause for the God’s utter destruction of the earth by water. We know that Enoch was a righteous man amid a world of corruption and we know that God thought enough of him that He translated Him instead of allowing him to die a natural death. There can be no doubt that Enoch was an extraordinary man of God. And as such, he would be an outspoken proponent of good and a staunch and powerful opponent of evil. There can be no doubt that Enoch spoke of God’s coming judgment on the ungodly. Enoch was an eyewitness to plenty of this and no doubt condemned it, preaching to those of the earth at that time of God’s impending wrath for their evil ways. Jude’s use of Enoch’s prophecy does not mean that Enoch was prophesying specifically about the apostates which were the subject of Jude’s letter. Rather, it means that Enoch’s prophecy of God’s coming judgment on ungodly and evil men in his time applied equally to the apostates in Jude’s consideration. The condemnation of the ungodly, prophesied by Enoch applied to not only the ungodly activities of the apostates written about in Jude but upon all who would do the same.

The application of Enoch’s prophecy by Jude to the ungodly of his time has an application for us today. We serve the same God that destroyed the earth by water in fulfillment of Enoch’s prophecy. We serve the same God that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their fleshly perversions. We serve the same God that rejected Cain’s sacrifice and withstood Balaam and destroyed Korah. The same God that executed judgment on all these ungodly people will do the same against those living today. We can expect God, who has never been tolerant of this sort of activity to be just as severe and harsh on the ungodly today as he was in past ages. The warning words of Paul concerning those who would apostatize are especially relevant here in Romans 11:20-23, "...Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. "

God’s judgment prophesied by Enoch and here referred to by Jude is going to be executed on all, meaning everybody. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad".

Those who will be convicted are:

1) All who are ungodly

2) Those who commit ungodly deeds

3) Those who commit deeds in an ungodly way

4) The harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against God.

God is going to execute judgment on the ungodly, what they do, how they do it and how they speak. This completely covers the actions of the apostates in Jude’s view. They were guilty of all these things and Jude invoked the condemnation prophesied by a man of God living roughly thirty four centuries prior to that. The intent of Jude by invoking such an ancient prophecy is to demonstrate God’s unchanging behavior concerning this. In effect, Jude was telling them that God has been doing this for a very long time and He’s certainly not going to change now. Jude first called to mind the actions of Sodom and Gomorrah, the rebellious Israelites, then Cain, Balaam, Korah and the consequences for ungodliness were consistently the same for all of them. Now he goes all the way back to a prophecy that at that time was made thirty four hundred years prior. Could a better case for the consistency of God’s judgment on the ungodly be made? Those who would similarly pervert the truth today need to consider the warnings given here by Jude and be warned. Let us all take a hard look at the myriad array of denominations so prevalent in the world today. Let us consider all the religious division with its diverse teachings on God’s truth and reflect seriously on the warnings given by Jude. And then, let us take those steps necessary to assure ourselves that we are of the faith lest we fall into the same condemnation. The words of Paul in 2 Timothy 2:15 are especially relevant here, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth".

Judges 1:16 --These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

In addition to the characteristics of ungodliness that Enoch pronounced, Jude is supplying more descriptions of their behavior, both to help identify them and then to associate them with those who would receive the judgment of God, prophesied by Enoch.

Judges 1:16 --"These are grumblers, complainers"

These apostates were unhappy with their station in life and argued that they deserved better. God’s providence wasn’t good enough for them so they complained about it. Paul addressed this in Philippians 4:11-12, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content". God never promised Christians their lives would be easy and trouble free. Keep in mind that Jude’s immediate readership was living in a time of extreme persecution towards Christianity. It’s easy to be content when one is living a life of ease, but add a little persecution to the mix and many people start thinking God is mad at them or isn’t doing His job. The grumblers and complainers think that God should take care of them better than He does.

Judges 1:16 --"walking according to their own lusts"

They had given themselves over to fleshly immorality. Their desires were the basis for their actions.

Judges 1:16 --"and they mouth great swelling words"

These great swelling words and licentious behavior was directly mentioned in 2 Peter 2:18-19, "For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage."

This behavior is again arising out of Antinomianism which held the view that Christians are exempt from the demands of the moral law by reason of their reliance upon divine grace alone for salvation.

Verses 17-23

Jud 1:17-23

SECTION THREE

EXHORTATIONS TO FAITHFULNESS

(Judges 1:17-23)

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.

Commentary on Judges 1:17-23 by E.M. Zerr

Judges 1:17. Another reminder, but this time it is of things spoken before by the apostle. In referring to those who spoke before and mentioning apostles with them, it strengthens the conclusion that Jude was not one of them.

Judges 1:18. A mocker is one who makes fun of that which he cannot meet otherwise. The motive they have is their desire to walk after their own ungodly lusts.

Judges 1:19. Separate themselves. They put themselves in a different class from the faithful disciples by their wicked deeds. Sensual denotes being interested only in things that gratify the senses whether good or• bad. Having not the Spirit because its teaching is against the kind of life they are following.

Judges 1:20. Building up means to edify themselves by the word which is the source of the most holy faith (Romans 10:17). Praying in the Holy Ghost (or Spirit) means to pray according to its teachings in the scriptures.

Judges 1:21. All who keep the commandments will have the love of God, and such persons may expect the mercy of the Lord when he comes to judge tyre world.

Judges 1:22. People should be dealt with according to their ability, and also their opportunity for knowing right from wrong. (See Galatians 6:1.)

Judges 1:23. Save with fear denotes a feeling of terror over the wilful doing of wrong by others. Those deserve no mercy especially and should be dealt with sternly in the hopes they may possibly be rescued, just as we would snatch a person from drowning even if we had to grasp him by the hair of his head. Hating even the garment denotes that we should abhor anything that has been near fleshly sin. James 1:27 says that pure religion consists in one’s keeping himself unspotted from the world.

Commentary on Judges 1:17-23 by N.T. Caton

Judges 1:17.—But, beloved, remember.

The utterances of these false teachers ignore, and this you will do, if you but remember, as I exhort you to do, the words spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is our Lord. He and he only has a right to rule and have dominion over us. He bought us with his own blood, and that we might receive the benefits of his offering, he chose his own witnesses. Now these, his chosen, have spoken, and they spoke as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. They spoke the words of the Father, given by him to his Son, our Savior, and by the Son intrusted to his chosen witnesses. They made no mistake; they spoke with infallible accuracy. Remember ye the words they spoke.

Judges 1:18.—How they told you there should be mockers in the last time.

This is now what the inspired apostles had declared would occur. In the last time—that is, about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem—mockers should appear—men professing superior light and knowledge, disregarding the teaching of the chosen witnesses of Christ, setting it at naught, ridiculing and scoffing at it as of human invention and not God-given; and these mockers, although professing superior excellence, would conduct themselves after the low and beastly patterns set by the pagan idolaters.

Judges 1:19.—These by they who separate themselves.

The class mentioned in preceding verse separate them­selves from those who walk as Christ’s apostles instruct, because they claimed superior virtue. Claiming superior virtue, they opposed apostolic teaching, saying that the disciples were not walking according to the Spirit. While they thus talked, and thus separated themselves for that pretended reason, they were observing their own selfish and sensual appetites and passions, contrary to the teaching of the Spirit.

Judges 1:20.—But ye, beloved, building up.

The apostle now turns to the brethren in earnest exhor­tation: You are built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ; you are a part of his spiritual edifice, the temple he erected in the world. The faith you have is a most holy faith; you believe Jesus Christ to be God’s Son; you take him for your Prophet, Priest and King; you acknowledge him to be your Savior, your guide. Now, you can build yourselves anew, day by day, by keeping up your connections and relations with your living head, by your prayers in the Spirit. This is not only your duty, but the blessed privilege of disciples of Christ who are God’s children.

Judges 1:21.—Keep yourselves in the love of God.

Constantly keeping before our minds what we owe as a duty to God for his wondrous mercy and love to us, we will do cheerfully, willingly and gladly what he requires of us, and thus we show our love to him and keep ourselves in his love by this course. While so doing, we are constantly keep­ing in mind that mercy which will eventuate in the greatest of all rewards—eternal life, which was made possible of attainment by our blessed Master.

Judges 1:22.—And on some have compassion.

While it is our duty to do all in our power to save sin­ners, the common version says that in our efforts a dif­ference is to be made. Here, I confess, for a time I was greatly puzzled, and am not certain that I have reached the correct solution, yet I believe that I now grasp the idea the Holy Spirit, by the pen of the apostle, would have me enter­tain. Before, however, presenting my views as to the mean­ing intended, I shall lay before the reader some of the versions at hand, after introducing the succeeding verse, so that the whole subject may be before the mind.

Judges 1:23.—And others by fear.

The Syriac for the foregoing verses 22 and 23 reads as follows: "Verse 22. And some of them snatch ye from the fire. Verse 23. And when they repent, have compassion on them, with fear, hating even the tunic that is defiled by the flesh."

Macknight has the following translation: "Verse 22. And making a difference, have compassion indeed on some. Verse 23. But others save by fear, snatching them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

Rotherham reads thus: "Verse 22. And some, indeed, be convicting, such as dispute. Verse 23. But others, be saving out of fire, snatching [them], and on others have mercy in fear, hating even the garment spotted from the flesh."

The Latin Vulgate reads thus: "Verse 22. And some, indeed, reprove being judged. Verse 23. But others save, pulling them out of the fire. And on others have mercy in fear, hating also the spotted garment, which is carnal."

Tischendorf reads thus: "Verses 22-23. And of some, who waver, have compassion, and others save, pulling them out of the fire, and of others have compassion with fear."

Now, the similarity of all these versions is apparent. The word "difference" in the common version, in the days of King James, may have conveyed a different thought to that which it does at the present day. It is certain, I think, that the apostle simply presents a method of approach in attempting the conversion of sinners. He has in his mind different characters, all of which can not be successfully approached in the same way. These different classes may be arranged thus:

1. Some that waver, that are in doubt.

2. Some that are willfully corrupt.

3. Some that are ignorant and controlled by others.

The first class are entitled to compassion, and are to be treated gently. Instruction proper to an honest doubter, or one will­ing to know the truth, is the method of approach the apostle suggests in this case.

The second class are like the false teachers; to save such, if possible, is a ’Christian duty, and yet how to do so may be hard to determine. Stern rebuke and God’s threatenings to the ungodly might possibly reach such, and if thereby they are saved, it would be snatching from the fire.

The third class are to be approached in the fear of God, with all mercy for their frailty, exhibiting the light of the gospel to dispel the gloom, so that the only pathway to happiness and to God may appear to their benighted vision. Tenderness for the one class, vigor for the second, and mercy for the third, mercifully showing them their danger.

This, I think, conveys the idea intended to be inculcated in these verses, and whether there be yet an idea that we have not discovered, so much as we now see is of great importance to the believer, exhibiting the duty we are under to our fellowmen in their downward course to ruin.

Commentary on Judges 1:17-23 by Donald Fream

Once again a strong denunciation of the libertines is preceded by an appeal to prophecy. This time, the prophets are the New Testament apostles. “Remember the words,” says Jude. If the readers remembered hearing the apostles speak the words (and more than one apostle is included), then the epistle could not have been written far into the second century, nor could Jude be quoting from a book that was not completed until the second century. The fact that the readers could remember the apostles’ words harmonizes with the evidence that Jude, the Lord’s brother, wrote the epistle.

Some seem to see a repetition of 2 Peter 3:2-3 in this passage. The two passages are not parallel, however. Peter does not indicate that the apostles’ words were spoken, but Jude does so indicate. What they mock in each case is entirely different. With Peter, they are scoffing at the second coming of Christ. These apostates in Jude are mocking God’s dealing with themselves and the surrendered life and conditionalities of the gospel. Note also the different verbs used.

Paul also warned against apostasy in 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; and Acts 20:29-30. Jesus also prophesied of the seducers in Mark 13:22-23, as Peter reminds us in the 2 Peter passage. These all prophesied of apostasy to come whereas Jude writes that it has come. Although this seems to date Jude after 2 Peter, it is probably not very long after. The warnings are too similar in content and expression.

The content of the apostles’ prophecy again pinpoints the men whom he describes. These men make a mock of sin, and without shame follow their own ungodly lusts. In mocking the reality of sin, they also mock God and His righteousness.

The phrase “in the last time” may give some difficulty, but it need not. The last days were ushered in with the coming of Christ, and that “great and notable day of the Lord” the day of salvation, actually begun on the day of Pentecost. Paul writes to believers upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Corinthians 10:11). God has spoken to us “at the end of these days.” (Hebrews 1:2)

In this connection we might also note Hebrews 9:26; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 Peter 1:20; and 1 John 2:18.

All history looked forward to the coming of Christ. All redemptive prophecy looked forward to that great and notable day when salvation would be offered, and the writer of Acts says, “This is it!” The two thousand years since Christ have been an unfolding of that great and notable day, wherein the Spirit and the bride say, “come.”

These are the men prophesied against. These are the sensual, who have not the Spirit. Who have not what spirit? Some think the spirit of man is intended. Thus, these are the men who walk after their bodies but who have no spirit of a man. Although this is a possible meaning, the point seems somewhat strained.

More proper, it would seem, these are the men who walk after their physical desires, but who have not the Spirit of Christ. They do certainly have some spirit, as does every man (1 John 4:6); but the Spirit of Christ is not to have sensuousness as a goal. The meaning could also be that these men walk after sensuality but have not the Holy Spirit. The implied fact is the same: they are not Christians!

Added information about them is here given. They “separate themselves.” It is not as though they walked away from the brethren. They are still in the presence of the church, preying upon them. They are separated by their choice of desire. They want the ungodly lusts, and strive for sensuality. Thus the Holy Spirit is quenched and cannot remain with them. Their spirit is far removed from the Spirit of Christ, and so they are separated from those who do have the Spirit of Christ. True unity and fellowship is based directly upon loyalty to Christ. It is a unity of spirit; His Spirit. Without the loyal life and submission to Christ there can be no real unity, and fellowship is not much more than a convenience for opportunists.

Apostasy is a growing canker. One of its immediate results is division among the brethren. This division will jel, if the apostasy continues, into a schism. A fault will then exist across the brotherhood of saints, and will deepen and widen until finally no bridge is possible. Then heresy follows, and a new body loyal to an apostate doctrine is the result. Thus apostasy has again and again split the church of the living God until the final result has been a tangled web of feuding denominations. The only way out is to go back to the author and finisher of our salvation, Jesus Christ. With a new heart surrendered to Him each man can search the holy word of God afresh; and allow his brother the same privilege. Allowing that God is the judge, man could through submission to Him find unity in Him, if he would.

With a final appeal, Jude turns to the sincere brethren. Out of a deep love he has written to them, and now with a burning heart he urges them to build up their faith. Some may read this, as other scriptures they so read, that there is virtue in faith itself. Not so. Most all men believe something, yet most men are on the broad road that leads to destruction. The most holy faith certainly places the faith in the proper scriptural object: Jesus Christ. The heart of the gospel and the object of our faith is many places set forth as Christ. There is no need that a reminder be made of this at every mention of the word faith. We do not build our lives on confidence; but on Christ, in whom we have confidence.

“Praying in the Holy Spirit” is an unusual expression. To determine the meaning we should let other scriptures do the interpreting. Nowhere are we instructed, or do we have the example, to pray to the Holy Spirit. This, then, is not the meaning. Nor do we have any teaching nor example that would indicate that the Holy Spirit completely submerges us and overwhelms our will to enable us to pray. Likewise the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not linked with our ability to pray.

What can the expression mean? Romans 8:26-27 says “And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” And so we do have specific instruction as to the part the Holy Spirit has in our prayers. Because we are saved, and have the first-fruits of the Spirit, and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, then the Spirit intercedes on our behalf, interpreting our very will, before God. This is especially beneficial when we are unable to frame our heart’s desires with the proper words.

It may be said that we are to pray to God as Spirit filled Christians; and not as these libertines who follow sensuousness and have not the Spirit. “Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which He gave us.” (1 John 3:24) We know the Spirit of God because of the confession made with the lips and with the life. (1 John 4:2-6). John also adds that “this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15).

We might also note a linking of the God, the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit in this section. We pray in the “Holy Spirit,” we keep ourselves in the love of “God,” and we look for mercy of our Lord “Jesus Christ.” All have a part in our being kept for heaven, and all fulfill their parts with unexcelled flawlessness.

There is a fourth party to our being kept, however. This party is ourselves. Our decision to stay with Him and to remain in His fold is not so flawless. And so we have the careful admonition to “build up yourselves,” to “keep yourselves,” and to “look for the mercy.” These are all admonitions that demand our active participation. We can by default or by choice neglect the object of our faith and so drift away from Him, (Hebrews 2:1). We can choose to go out from among the brethren. We can choose the way of apostasy, as Jude has so carefully warned. Even here he urges, with a burning heart, that we work with these apostates with fear; for a danger is involved!

Finally, we are admonished to hate. Sin is the mortal enemy. The wages of sin is death. Sin caused the death of Christ, and of every man. Sin made these apostates what they are, and can overthrow the Christian if he will not keep himself in Christ.

The particular sin of these apostates is the love of the flesh. Their danger is in the spread of lust to the saint. So it is the saint should hate the fleshly lusts, and even more, hate even the garment spotted by the flesh. The lust of the flesh is a possibility within every man and woman who is yet alive on this earth. The Christian is no exception, for he still resides in a body of flesh. Therefore “have mercy with fear,” says Jude.

If only the saints of God could realize the terrible result of sin, they would then hate every aspect of sin. The world is not just spotted with sin, it is engulfed in the crimson tide. In the most protected situation, such as the Christian home, or the church of Jesus Christ, there are still spots of sin. These spots must be seen in their true light, and hated, and resisted.

Commentary on Judges 1:17-23 by Burton Coffman

Judges 1:17 --But ye, beloved, remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Jude in this may have had reference to 2 Peter 3:2, where almost the same sentiments are similarly expressed. Some have tried to make the language here mean that the age of the apostles was past when this was written; but Robinson pointed out that, "This need not imply the end of the apostolic age," going on to add that the phrase "our apostles" was used by Clement. Also, "The phrase itself is compatible with the apostolic age."^[46]

The words which have been spoken ... There is no need to inquire whether this means "written words" or "spoken words"; for apostles were still living when this was written, and it could have been, and probably was, both. What is truly significant here, as it regards dating the letter, is that the apostles of Christ at the time were not contrasted with any such officials as later rose in the church; but they stand here as the only authority appealed to, a condition that points squarely at the early 60’s or earlier.

ENDNOTE:

^[46] John A. T. Robinson, op. cit., p. 179.

Judges 1:18 --that they said to you, In the last time there shall be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.

As we noted, the apostle Peter likewise prophesied of the scoffers who would make light of the truth; and, from what Jude wrote here, it may be inferred that all of the apostles gave the same teaching.

In the last time ... Carl Henry, writing in Christianity Today, understood the New Testament to teach that in the years immediately before the Second Advent, the true faith, "once for all delivered" will be "boycotted as if it were heresy, and the sole surviving heresy at that."^[47] Rose stressed that for people committed to godlessness in their personal lives, who made light of all authority, who foamed out their own shame, and spoke blasphemously and contemptuously of heavenly persons" - Such as they, would naturally laugh at the idea of a judgment to come."^[48]

^[47] Carl F. H. Henry, The Decline of Theology (Christianity Today) (Washington, D.C., 1966), Vol. X, p. 428.

^[48] Delbert R. Rose, op. cit., p. 445.

Judges 1:19 --These are they who make separations, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Who make separations ... They make separations, by separating themselves from the true church, and by inducing others to do so likewise. The rest of the verse means that, "They live as brute beasts, guided simply by their lusts and passions, their Bible being the manifold devices and covetousness of their own hearts."^[49]

Having not the Spirit ... The blessed Spirit, long having been grieved, insulted, resisted, lusted against, and at last "quenched" by themselves, such men were no longer capable of any goodness whatever. This capacity for evil men to become, in some vital sense, actually sub-human was discussed in my Commentary on Romans, pp. 39-45; and we cannot but be impressed with this further evidence of such a phenomenon. Mayor observed it in these comments:

"The false teachers were so absorbed in the lower sensuous nature that they no longer possessed, in any real sense of the word, that element in man’s compound being, which is itself spiritual, and capable therefore of communion with the Divine Spirit."^[50]

^[49] Adam Clarke, op. cit., p. 955.

^[50] J. B. Mayor, op. cit., p. 273.

Verse 20--But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

Building up yourselves ... If we followed the pattern in works of this kind, three or four pages should be inserted here explaining how "there is not anything you can do to be saved," "it is all of grace, and none of works," "no man can be his own Saviour," etc., etc. While such views certainly have a kernel of truth in them, provided it is properly understood, this is certainly the wrong place to rally a corpus of teaching designed to undercut and nullify what the sacred writer said here. And what did he say? That Christians are to build themselves up on their most holy faith! No New Testament author was afraid to stress what people must themselves do if they hope to receive salvation. On Pentecost, Peter said, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." Paul wrote that people should "work out their own salvation." All such teachings, including this before us, have the effect of stressing the things people are commanded to do, with the sacred implication, that if they refuse to comply with the instructions upon which God’s grace is to be appropriated, their failure to comply is a forfeiture of the grace. The need on the part of humans to obey God’s teaching is in no manner incompatible with the conception that no man can earn salvation. Of course he cannot; but neither can the willfully disobedient enter heaven. When one thinks of it, what possible use could God have for any soul that refuses to do the things God commanded?

On your most holy faith ... Either way this is understood, whether subjectively as Christian’s trust/faith, or objectively as the Christian religion, there is a human response factor in salvation.

Praying in the Holy Spirit ... Prayer as a vital means of Christian growth and security is in sight here, including the blessed promise of the holy earnest that aids prayer. Neglect of this vital duty may prove fatal to the neglector.

Judges 1:21 --keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Keep yourselves in the love of God ... Again the human response factor is stressed, the meaning here being exactly what it was in Jude 1:1:20, "keeping oneself in the love of God" being one and the same thing with obeying God’s commandments, as extensively taught in the Johannine literature, above. Summarizing the admonitions of these verses, what Jude commanded, or rather pleaded that the faithful should do, we have this: (1) work at your faith; (2) give constant attention to prayer; (3) receive, cultivate and cherish the indwelling Spirit; (4) keep yourselves in God’s love through strict obedience to his will; and (5) wherein one is frustrated or discouraged by failures (and there will be failures); (6) look unto the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ who will save the last unworthy one of us if we give him half a chance to do so!

Eternal life ... Notice that this is preceded by "unto," indicating that in some vital aspects of it, we do not now have eternal life; but this is not to deny John’s great promises regarding this; because they may be fully understood as our actual possession of eternal life, in the sense of having the blessed promise of it, the assurance of it, the earnest of it, and the vital, living hope of it.

Judges 1:23 --And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

The difficult Greek of this passage has challenged scholars for ages; and, even today, there is no unanimity on how it should be rendered. The problem is the exact arrangement of the clauses so as to convey the right meaning, and the difficulty of understanding exactly how the word [Greek: diakrinomai] should be translated, whether "make a difference" (KJV), or "be in doubt" (the English Revised Version (1885), New English Bible (1961)). Our own version (ASV) chooses one of three other possible renditions. The importance of all this lies in the number of classes of people in view. In KJV, and ASV, it seems that there are three; but only two are visible in English Revised Version and New English Bible.

In such cases as this, there is no certain manner of being absolutely right about it; but Bruce’s opinion would appear to be sound:

"I think that most probably two classes are envisaged. Those who are responsible for maintaining due order in the churches must use different methods toward those who persist in inculcating subversive and immoral doctrine and those who have been misled by false teachers."^[51]

The following rendition from New English Bible (1961) is based upon the same view:

"There are some doubting souls who need your pity; snatch them from the flames and save them. There are others for whom your pity must be mixed with fear; hate the very clothing that is contaminated with sensuality.

Snatch them from the flames of fire ... is metaphorical, meaning "rescue them, as you would someone from a burning building."

Pity mixed with fear ... The subversives are indicated in this. No fellow-being lost in sin is otherwise than an object of pity in the hearts of Christians; but the danger to Christians themselves who might attempt to rescue some in this group is real and threatening. Regardless of Christian pity for some of the lost, there must be fear in attempting their rescue, a fear commanded in this verse; and the omission of the words "save them" in the second clause, as well as the hatred of their very "clothing" which is enjoined, falls short of any apostolic edict that any rescue at all should be attempted in the case of some. The great words of Jesus concerning the blind guides was "Let them alone!" And there are overtones of those words in this where pity is commanded, but rescue is not. We can only pray that we have not been misled in following the New English Bible (1961) in this verse.

ENDNOTE:

^[51] F. F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 135.

Commentary on Judges 1:17-23 by Gary Hampton

Apostasy Described (Judges 1:17-19)

Jude pleaded with the faithful Christians to remember the teachings of the apostles. Jesus had said those men would relate all of His teachings and commandments (Judges 1:17; Matthew 28:18-20; John 16:12-15). The apostles had foretold the coming of men who would mock the truth. Jude saw them as men who would not be pious. Instead, Jude said they were only seeking to fulfill their own fleshly desires. They, according to Jude, made a joke out of Christ’s teachings, especially concerning His second coming (Judges 1:18; 2 Peter 3:1-3).

The false teachers of whom Jude told were men who drew lines of separation. They caused Christians to be pitted against one another. Woods says the word here translated "sensual" is translated "natural" in 1 Corinthians 2:14. Man is composed of three things -- body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). To pursue the natural would be to fulfill the soul’s desires while rejecting the spirit. Thereby, one would be disallowing closeness to God. This is true because true worshippers of God must worship in spirit and in truth (Judges 1:19; John 4:24).

The Believer and the Faith (Judges 1:20-23)

In contrast to the ungodly, the faithful were to build upon their faith and pray in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26; Ephesians 6:18). The idea of building on the faith that already exists is used in other places and in other ways, such as Hebrews 6:1-20. Jude’s desire was that Christians might stay in contact with the rewards found in God’s love for them. These rewards were theirs through obedience (John 14:9-10; John 14:15; John 14:21; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 1:6). The mercy of Jesus for which Jude prayed is found in salvation (Judges 1:20-21).

Clearly, the lost can be divided into two categories. There are those lost through being honestly mistaken and those intentionally lost. Jude urged Christians to be patient and loving with those honestly doubting the truth so they could be led to Christ. However, he warned them to exercise care with those in deeper trouble than the honest doubters. They would have to be snatched away from the very fires of hell. Of course, anyone trying to save them would have to beware lest, in pulling them out of trouble, they too should be spotted with the sins of the flesh (Judges 1:22-23).

Commentary on Judges 1:17-23 by David Hersey

Judges 1:17 --But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: This verse gives us strong evidence leading to the conclusion that Jude was written much later than most of the other books of the New Testament. It encourages the readership to look back on teachings of an earlier time. This verse also excludes the apostle Judas from consideration as the possible author of this work. The language here is that of someone who is referring his readers to a group of individuals which he is not a member of.

Jude is telling them to disregard what the apostates were teaching and go back to the source. Remember the words of the apostles which came before the words of the apostates. Jude told them to remember the words of all the apostles, not just one. As we learned from our study of Antinomianism from Judges 1:4, the teaching these apostates were advocating came from a perversion of Paul’s teachings regarding grace. Jude’s readership was encouraged to go back to the source and consider all of what had been spoken not by one apostle, but by all of them.

The application for us today is that when confronted with a false doctrine we too can do the same thing. We can go back and examine and study what the apostles spoke through the inspired record. We, like the readership of Jude can bypass all the conjecture and teaching of men and go all the way back to the source. That is what is authoritative, that is where we all must look to find the truth and that is where we must go to find the information we need to contend for the faith that was once for all time delivered to the saints (Judges 1:3).

Judges 1:18 --how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. Jude’s readership was reminded that what they were experiencing with the apostates is what the Apostles warned them about. Some of these warnings can be found in 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 4:3-4, 1 John 4:1, 2 Peter chapter 2. Everything these enemies of god were doing had been foretold. Now that it had become a reality, Jude was exhorting them to go back to their predictions of these people and heed their warnings.

Judges 1:19 --These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. The usage of the word sensual here is associated with those who have not the Spirit. Thus the meaning here is of those who have a manner of life which is inferior to that which is described as spiritual. There are two types of people in the world, those who live after the Spirit, guided by the word of God with the correct attitude and those who live after the flesh being guided by their worldly desires and wishes.

Judges 1:19 --"who cause divisions"--The Greek word for "cause divisions" is "apodiorizo" which is a compound word in this case meaning one who draws a line through the church and sets one part over against another. It is a vivid description of those who would cause division among the people of the church. This is what the apostates were engaged in. They were drawing a line through the Lord’s church and setting the two sides against one another.

Jesus taught in Matthew 12:25-26, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand". Satan knows that if he can divide the church, he has a better chance of destroying it. This division is exactly the means by which Satan is at work today. And when we look out at the religious diversity among those claiming Christ as savior it is easy to see that Satan has not been lax in his efforts. The scriptures teach one faith, one body (Ephesians 4:4). The world presents many bodies and many faiths and this division is destructive to the efforts of the Lord’s church. Through the division we have today, Satan has managed to successfully set out an impressive array of decoys. Well meaning people seeking God’s righteousness may and doubtless are deceived into condemnation by following after one of Satan’s decoys. Division is one of Satan’s most powerful attacks and deception is how he works. Everyone who is lost is in some way a victim of Satan’s deceptions.

Judges 1:19 --"not having the Spirit"--There is no shortage of disagreement over what these four words mean among the religious writers and commentators used for aid in the preparation of this study. Many contend that this means the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is promised to all Christians and many are the various beliefs associated with that. Some hold to a literal personal indwelling of God within us. Some hold to a strictly representative indwelling through the word of God. Personally, this Bible student sees compelling evidence to support either position and it has been my belief for some time now that the indwelling is a measure of both rather than either/or. I do not believe the use of Jude here is in any way connected to the indwelling of the Spirit in the believer today so we are not even going to look into that aspect of our faith with this study.

Jude wrote by inspiration, which means he was writing to Christians during the period of time when the Holy Spirit was working directly to reveal and to confirm God’s word. The apostates coming into the church were trying to pervert the word of God from what was once delivered. These apostates had to be claiming divine direction in some fashion in order to be taken seriously. By telling his readership these apostates did not have the Spirit, he was telling them they were not operating under any direct guidance of the Holy Sprit, therefore what they were trying to teach did not have the authentication or approval of the Holy Spirit and should therefore be utterly rejected.

Judges 1:20 --But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Jude had used a lot of stern language in identification, characterizing and condemnation of the apostates in his epistle. Yet here he displays his evident love for the brethren. Jude was every bit as loving for the brethren as he was stern with the apostates. He referred to his readership as "beloved" no less than three times in his letter, (Judges 1:3; Judges 1:17 and Judges 1:20). There can be no doubt concerning the love and concern Jude had for his brethren.

Judges 1:20 --"building yourselves up"--Christians are here commanded to build themselves up on their most holy faith! Jude like all the other inspired writers failed to stress what believers must themselves do if they hope to receive salvation. On Pentecost, Peter said, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." Paul wrote that people should "work out their own salvation." All such teachings, including Judges 1:20 stress the importance of things people are commanded to do, with the undeniable implication, that if they refuse or fail to comply with the conditions upon which God’s grace is to be appropriated, they will either fall from or fail of God’s grace.

The need on the part of mankind to obey God’s teaching is not incompatible with the conception that no man can earn salvation. Mankind cannot repay God what it cost to offer salvation therefore all the works of righteousness in the world will still leave one short of earning salvation. But the fact that we can never earn our salvation does not excuse mankind from the obligation to obey God. The necessity of obedience to God is interwoven throughout Biblical history starting with Adam and continuing unbroken until the great day of the Lord some time in the future.

Judges 1:20 --on your most holy faith"--Whether one understands this to be the personal faith of the individual or the system of faith to which Christians are bound, there is a necessary human response associated with building oneself up.

Judges 1:20 --"Praying in the Holy Spirit"--Prayer is a vital means of spiritual growth and security for the Christian. It cannot be stressed enough how important prayer is. Through Christ, we have a direct line of communication and fellowship with God the Father (1 John 1:3). As for praying in the Holy Spirit, this was something very much different then, than what it is today. As mentioned earlier, this epistle was written during the age when the Holy Spirit was working directly with believers in revealing and confirming the word of God. There was without a doubt some in Jude’s readership who had the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit and could do this. Today when we pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ, our prayers are in line with biblical teaching relevant to the age we live in now. Being in accordance with the will of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit, we are in effect praying in the Holy Spirit. But the ability to do that like they could during the miraculous age in the infancy of the church is not possible for us today.

There is an apostolic example of just such a thing in Revelation 1:10, written by John, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet". John’s being "in the Spirit" that day is not possible for us to accomplish today.

Judges 1:21 --keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Here we have Jude exhorting his Christian readers to keep themselves in the love of God. This is significant in that Calvinism teaches that the elect are incapable of leaving the love of God. Jude here puts the responsibility of remaining in the love of God squarely on the Christians to whom he was writing. John tells us exactly how to abide in God’s love in John 15:10, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love." The use of the word "if" makes this an optional thing. Those who wish to remain in the love of God must be obedient to God’s will in order to accomplish this. Faithful followers of God have always had a role to fulfill in God’s plans and that role has always been obedience.

Not only can one not keep themselves in the love of God if they are not obedient, they cannot even claim to know God. John provided us with the test for whether or not we are in the love of God in 1 John 2:3-5, "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him."

Obedience to God is the key to our salvation (Hebrews 5:9), and under no circumstances does the necessity for obedience militate against our being saved by God’s grace. It was God’s grace which provided man a way of reconciliation with God in the first place. God didn’t owe mankind a second chance under any circumstances and would have been well within His rights to have allowed mankind to perish in His sin, suffering eternal condemnation. Jude was making sure his readers knew that they had a role to fulfill in God’s plan.

Judges 1:21 --"looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life"--The Christian does indeed have a role to play in God’s plan, but it is also a fact that without God’s mercy, it is all for nothing. Jesus gave His life for mankind and in so doing paid a debt we couldn’t pay and be in fellowship with God. By paying that debt for us, He put us in the position of owing Him our lives. Scripture says that we were bought for a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). We cannot repay that fully so what we do is offer our lives back to Jesus in service. In the end, it won’t be our works that save us, because our works can never fully repay what it cost God to save us. In the end it will be God’s grace and mercy that bridges the gap between the insufficiency of our works and the debt paid by Jesus Christ on our behalf.

Judges 1:22 --And on some have compassion, making a distinction--Here we have some of the most extraordinary words in all of scripture in regards of how to deal with erring brethren. As uncompromising and stern as Jude was in his condemnation of the apostates, he allows that there is some diversity in the class of those in error and here gives instruction to make a distinction between them. On the one hand, you have those who are honestly in error and will take the steps to correct their actions. A compassionate approach may in some cases be the most appropriate method. And on the other hand, the approach Jude mentions in verse 23 may be the more effective method.

Judges 1:23 --but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. It may be the case where the erring brother may require a somewhat stronger approach. Perhaps the warning of condemnation which Jude certainly excelled in. One can hardly read this epistle and considering it honestly not lend themselves to a healthy measure of self examination.

The application for us today is that there are diverse ways of dealing with those in error. There is room for judgment regarding this. The important thing to keep in mind is that we must always show compassion when dealing with such things. A haughty and judgmental attitude is not going to be an effective means under any circumstances. 2 Timothy 2:24-26, "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."

Judges 1:23 --"hating even the garment defiled by the flesh"--Garments are used symbolically to represent one’s spiritual state. In Isaiah 61:10, we read, "My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness". Garments which are white represent purity and righteousness (Revelation 7:9) while unrighteousness is characterized by filthy garments (Zechariah 3:3-4), "Now Joshua [speaking here of the nation of Israel] was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes." And finally, Christians are represented in scripture as those who have washed their garments white in the blood of Jesus (Revelation 7:14-15), "...These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb".

All sin defiles the garments of righteousness but the particular sin in view here is that of sins of the flesh. The temptation of the flesh is a powerful force and one that is responsible for the downfall of many. Christians are to hate the garments of all sin meaning they are to remove themselves from it as far as possible. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:3-7, "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them".

Christians are to be careful at all times, avoiding sin, not putting themselves in situations where they would be tempted (Romans 13:14). It is a fact that we must live and serve in a sinful world. We’ll never know what it is like to live without sin this side of eternity, but we must never allow ourselves to look favorably upon it. We are exhorted to hate the filthy garments of unrighteousness, choosing to look with disfavor upon them, shunning them and avoiding what they represent. 1 Timothy 5:14, "give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully", (1 Thessalonians 5:22), "Abstain from every form of evil".

Verses 24-25

Jud 1:24-25

SECTION FOUR

BENEDICTION

(Judges 1:24-25)

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!

Commentary on Judges 1:24-25 by E.M. Zerr

Judges 1:24. This and the next verse are a form of praise to the Lord that is most impressive. Keep you from falling will be done according to 2 Peter 1:10. Christ will present us faultless if we serve him in this life (Luke 12:8), and He will do this with exceeding joy to Him and us.

Judges 1:25. Transferring the praise to God directly Jude says He is only wise. That means that God is the First Cause of wisdom as He is of all things. Glory means grandeur and majesty means greatness. Dominion means domain and power means authority. Jude ascribes these dignities to God to last now and ever.

Commentary on Judges 1:24-25 by N.T. Caton

Judges 1:24.—Now unto him that is able.

That is, unto God. To him is this doxology addressed. God only is capable of so guarding our footsteps that we neither stumble nor fall. The Christian life is, metaphor­ically, called walking, so that falling into sin would be to a Christian, metaphorically, stumbling, and stumbling is the word here used. God guards and preserves us in our Chris­tian walk, and so conducting ourselves here, we are pre­sented faultless in the presence of his glory—glorious presence—with joy to ourselves and the redeemed hosts.

Judges 1:25.—To the only wise God our Savior.

He that guarded and guided us, even God, to him who is only wise—that is, wise without deriving his wisdom from any other source than himself—who conceived in his own infinite love the plan by which we are saved, and therefore our Savior—be ascribed the glory of infinite perfection and majesty—that is, honor throughout the entire universe, dominion and power, the right and authority to rule, both now and throughout eternity. Amen. Thus closes Jude’s epistle, and while many grand and striking doxologies appear from the pen of the heroic Paul, it strikes me that nothing in the English language can be found that is equal to this one of Jude’s in point of beauty, grandeur and sub­limity.

We have now done.

The effort is unpretentious, the production humble. We have written with only one view before us, and that was to learn the mind of the Spirit. This, with prayerful patience, we pursued for many weary days. And now, with the earnest prayer to the Father of all mercies, that it may be in his hands an instrument for good, we commend it to all honest and thoughtful readers.

Commentary on Judges 1:23-25 by Donald Fream

In conclusion let us look to our only God who saves us through Jesus, and give Him His proper place in our life and praise. Amen.

How fitting that the conclusion would take the reader back to facts concerning God and His salvation through Christ, for these are the very facts attacked by the loose-living libertines. These libertines are evidently the forerunners of the Gnostic element within the church, for by their loose example the Gnostics were enabled to infilter the church with their particular brand of apostasy during the second century.

There is only one God, contrary to the brand of apostasy developed by the Gnostics. Jesus is the Christ, again contrary to the Gnostic heresy. All perfection, rule, power, and majesty belong to Him, and not to any so-called “superior” god, nor to any sect or privileged group.

This God has ordained to redeem us through Jesus Christ, and no other. He will present us faultless, without any spot or wrinkle of sin, because we are washed in the blood of Jesus and only for this reason. The saints will be put in the full view of His glory and will rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. (1 Peter 1:8).

He not only legally absolves us from blame, but He presents us faultless. We are made internally pure and eternally unblemished. To such a one we can only marvel in His wisdom, and glorify His majesty, and submit to His dominion, and be eternally thankful for His keeping power.

What a conclusion to an exhortation to contend earnestly for the faith! In an age as today, when atheism is the byword in public education, where the fear and worship of God are prohibited, when philosophers and men of “science” openly ridicule the idea of God, when sensuousness has become a way of life so common it is seldom noticed; here and now, our God is able and willing to keep us spotless and pure in Him through Jesus Christ our Lord. God help us also to be willing!

Commentary on Judges 1:24-25 by Burton Coffman

THE BENEDICTION

Judges 1:24 --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, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and forevermore. Amen.

Rose remarked that, "If Jude is known or noticed at all by churchgoers, it is because of the frequent use of Jude 1:1:24,25," ^[52] in such things as the benediction. To this writer, this benediction instantly brings to mind Ike Thorne (a faithful deacon from the Central Church of Christ, Houston, Texas, a retired member of Plasterers’ Labor Union, and truly a wonderful person.) who frequently dismissed the congregation with his immense, stentorian voice, booming out the awesome words of this magnificent passage, using no other words except these. One feels sure that many others have similar recollections.

Unto him that is able to guard you from stumbling ... If Christians heed the instructions of their Lord and walk in the light as he is in the light, they will not stumble; and, for those who thus walk, the Lord indeed can and does guard them from stumbling.

And to set you before the presence of his glory ... This refers to the "great day" of Jude 1:1:6, the judgment day, when all nations shall be assembled before the White Throne.

Without blemish ... Payne, with others, identifies this as a metaphor "from the Old Testament sacrificial system (Leviticus 1:3, etc.)";^[53] but there may also be in it another glimpse of the perfection commanded in Matthew 5:48, and promised to Christians as an actual achievement upon their behalf, not by themselves, but through Christ, according to Paul’s promise that every man should be presented "perfect in Christ" (Colossians 1:28). For more on perfection see in my Commentary on Colossians, pp. 130-133.

In exceeding joy ... "This denotes a proud, exulting joy,"^[54] having something of the meaning "to be proud of" in it, affording a glimpse of the triumph of God himself in his exultation because of the redemption of his people.

To the only God our Saviour ... This stress of the unity of God could have found such a prominent place in primitive doxologies and benedictions as an effective rejection of antinomian Gnostics who were infected with polytheism. Paul also referred to God as Saviour.

Through Jesus Christ ... God is not man’s Saviour apart from his acceptance and obedience of his Son Jesus Christ.

Be glory, majesty, dominion and power ... All of the ultimates belong to God. "In him we live and move and have our being." All of the praise, all of the glory, all of the worship and adoration that human hearts are capable of are rightfully given only to God through Christ.

Before all time, and now, and for evermore ... "This is as complete a statement of eternity as can be made in human language."^[55] Our blessed Saviour was, and is, and shall be forevermore. He is one with the Father, the eternal God who is ever and perpetually the "I AM" of all time and eternity.

Amen ... For a comment on this expression, see in my Commentary on Hebrews, pp. 360,361. It means "So be it." It calls God to witness the words which are sealed by it. It is the signal that any hymn or prayer concluded by it is held to be sacred in the eyes of God, and is a pledge of the sincerity and integrity of the petitioner.

In this series of commentaries, our studies have now brought us to the threshold of the Apocalypse; and, in this last short epistle, an immeasurable blessing has been received through the study of it. Although, in a sense, known for many years, the full impact of a certain truth was heightened and increased by this little book. Is it not a most remarkable providence that of those four little boys, all of them younger than Jesus, who grew up at Nazareth in the same room with Jesus in the home of Joseph and Mary, is it not astonishing that two of them, James and Jude, have left the legacy of two precious epistles?

Just think. Two of the sacred New Testament writers lived with Jesus practically all of his life on earth, except for the four years, during which, for the most part, they did not belong to the immediate circle of the Lord’s followers, an exclusion that was doubtless also providential. These two did not at first believe in Jesus; but even their unbelief at first must be considered a testimony to the holiness of the Master. Why? Like all other Jews, they believed that Messiah would be a conquering hero who would rally the troops and chase the Romans out of Judea. They knew that Jesus was not that kind of person. But, when they came to know his real purpose of redeeming people from sin, all that they knew of him had its weight in constraining them to fall down in his presence and hail him as Lord and Saviour, leading them both also, ever afterwards, to write themselves "not as his brothers" but as "Servants of the Lord Jesus Christ!"

^[52] Delbert R. Rose, op. cit., p. 448.

^[53] David F. Payne, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 628.

^[54] J. B. Mayor, op. cit., p. 277.

^[55] Delbert R. Rose, op. cit., p. 628.

Commentary on Judges 1:24-25 by Gary Hampton

Assurance for the Christian(Judges 1:24-25)

Jude closed his book with a prayer. It was directed to Jesus, our protector. He can keep one from stumbling, which will, in turn, keep him from falling. One who avoids falling would receive many blessings that would produce joy in his life. Jude called Jesus God, just as He is depicted in John 1:1. Jesus’ greatness and the attributes of it are said to have lasted from the time before the beginning and will stretch into eternity. So, Jude closed with a tremendous statement of his trust in Jesus and His wondrous powers (Judges 1:24-25).

Commentary on Judges 1:24-25 by David Hersey

Judges 1:24 --Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,--If Christians heed the instructions of their Lord and walk in the light as he is in the light, they will not stumble; and, for those who thus walk, the Lord indeed can and does guard them from stumbling. Romans 14:4 "... Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

There is a role to play for man in this regard as well. God will not uphold the unrepentant, impenitent sinner. Paul makes this perfectly clear in Ephesians 6:13-18 where he gives instructions on how to stand, "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints".

Standing without stumbling and falling requires a diligent effort on the part of the child of God. God helps to keep us from stumbling by giving us what we need in order to do it. According to Paul, we need truth, righteousness, preparation in the gospel, faith, the word of God, prayer, watchfulness, perseverance and supplication. And it should not go unnoticed or unmentioned that the adornment of oneself with those things which keep us from stumbling is given by Paul as something we are to do ourselves.

• · God provided truth, we have to gird our waists with it.

• · God provided righteousness, we have to put it on like a breastplate.

• · God gave us the gospel of peace, it is our responsibility to have our feet shod with it.

• · God gave us the system of faith we live under, it is our duty to shield ourselves with it.

• · God gave us the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, it is our job to wield it.

• · God provides us with all that we need to keep from stumbling.

God does His part and upholds His role in our salvation, but we as His children have a role to fulfill as well. Our faith has never been passive, rather it is proactive. God reaches down to us in love with His grace, we reach back up to Him in love by faith.

Judges 1:24 --And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. While giving instruction to husbands concerning their wives, Paul compared the relationship they should have to the relationship Jesus has with His church in Ephesians 5:25-28, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish".

It has ever been God’s goal to provide a way of redemption for mankind. Man sinned and forfeited fellowship with God. God went to great lengths and personal sacrifice in order to achieve this. God displayed an enormous amount of intent and desire in His efforts to provide man with a way back into fellowship with Him. Those who have such intent and purpose and go to such lengths have a goal in site. God’s goal is to present to Himself a people who having sinned and lost that fellowship, chose of their own free will to seek to regain that fellowship and do what it takes to avail themselves of His mercy and grace. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.

Judges 1:25 --To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

Judges 1:25 --"To God our Savior." The KJV and the ASV render this verse more properly as, "to the only God our Saviour...". This reference here to the singleness and unity of God speaks directly against the beliefs of the antinomian Gnostics who, having crept into the church, were infected with polytheism, especially later on as they moved ever further from the truth of God’s word. Jude here reaffirmed what Paul taught in Ephesians 4:4-6, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all". Even in the closing of His epistle, Jude made sure his readership was fully informed with all the facts they needed, closing with a direct statement affirming the fact that there is only one God.

Judges 1:25 --"Who alone is wise"--The apostates who had crept into the church came under the guise of possessing knowledge they alone had access to. They were like those to whom Paul referred in Romans 1:22-23, "Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man". The apostates about whom Jude wrote were doing this very thing. They came in professing to be the bearers of wisdom but Jude here affirms that is it God alone who is wise. Christians should not be persuaded by the wisdom of men, but should seek the wisdom which comes from he alone who is wise. Paul had this to say regarding the rejection of human wisdom in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, "And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God".

Jude is closing His epistle with words which strike at the heart of the issue at hand. He has declared, identified, characterized and condemned the apostates. Now in the final words of His letter he has reminded his readership of that which they already knew and should not forget. Our God is the only God. Do not be led away by the persuasive wisdom of man because it’s a deception for God alone is wise.

Judges 1:25 --Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen. Jude ends his letter finally with putting the glory where it belongs. There is nothing in this letter speaking to the wisdom of men, rather it has all been about God from the beginning to the end. Jude never credited anything to himself, rather pointing his readership consistently towards God and God alone.

Judges 1:25 --"glory"--1 Corinthians 10:31-32, "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Jude is attributing the glory of God to where it rightfully belongs.

Judges 1:25 --"majesty"--Pertaining to God’s supreme greatness or authority or sovereignty as the ruler of the universe, (Micah 5:4), "And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God".

Judges 1:25 --"Dominion"--Meaning sovereign authority over that which one rules.

Daniel 7:14, "Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion".

Judges 1:25 --"power"--Consider what Paul says in Ephesians 1:19-23, "and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

God has all power, all authority, all dominion and all Glory. Man has nothing substantive to offer in this regard, therefore the duty of man is to recognize and affirm these attributes in God. It is ever the duty of man to point the way to the light.

Judges 1:25 --"Both now and forever"--Jude speaks here to the present reality of God’s "glory and majesty, Dominion and power" and then to the everlasting aspect of it. There is never going to be a time when God will not be sovereign and all powerful. There is never going to be a time when the truth of God can be set aside in favor of man. There is never going to be a time when man’s wisdom can supersede God’s. There’s never going to be a time when man should seek the light of God’s truth and the way of salvation from any source other than God. God’s nature, attributes and character are immutable, meaning never ever changing.

Malachi wrote in Malachi 3:6 concerning God, "For I am the Lord, I change not"

The Hebrew writer wrote a fitting commentary on the closing words of Jude which apply directly to the entire theme of his letter:

Hebrews 13:5-9 --For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And then the Hebrew writer continued with words which ring loud and clear in view of the warnings of Jude, the bondservant of Christ and brother to James.

"Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines."

Let us heed the warnings here of Jude and so many other inspired writers. Let us do those things which we know are of the faith. Let us conduct ourselves in a manner befitting bondservants of Jesus Christ. Let us seek after God’s righteousness alone. Let us shun and reject the teachings of men. Let us contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. Let us consider the biblical examples of those who rebelled against God’s authority and let us learn from the consequences of their errors. Let us beware of the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. Let us learn from the mistakes of Cain and of Balaam and of Korah. Let us heed the warnings of the prophets. Let us seek the wisdom of God alone.

And let us always point the way to God’s glory and majesty. Let us always hold God up to the world as the light of truth and let us always follow after His ways, His truth, His righteousness. And by so doing, let us all share in the blessed hope we have in Christ and never ever forget to be thankful for Him and to Him, always giving Him the glory in all things.

Amen.

CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

Judges 1:1-25

Cecil B. Douthitt

1. How does the author of this letter introduce himself? Ans. Judges 1:1.

2. To whom is the letter addressed? Ans. Judges 1:1.

3. What is said of mercy, peace and love? Ans. Judges 1:2.

4. What are the saints exhorted to do? Ans. Judges 1:3.

5. Describe certain men who had crept in unawares among the brethren. Ans. Judges 1:4.

6. What important fact of Israel’s history is called to rememberance? Ans. Judges 1:5.

7. What is said of fallen angels? Ans. Judges 1:6.

8. How and why were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah punished? Ans. Judges 1:7.

9. Describe the conduct of men agitated by impure dreams. Ans. Judges 1:8.

10. What lesson is taught by the example of Michael, the archangel? Ans. Judges 1:9.

11. Those who rail at dignities, speak evil of what, and in what do they corrupt themselves? Ans. Judges 1:10.

12. A woe is pronounced on them for imitating what three characters, and in what way do they imitate them? Ans. Judges 1:11.

13. To what are they compared? Ans. Judges 1:12-13.

14. Who prophesied concerning them? Ans. Judges 1:14.

15. What did he say in his prophecy of them? Ans. Judges 1:14-15.

16. Name five sins of which they are charged. Ans. Judges 1:16.

17. Whose words should be remembered? Ans. Judges 1:17.

18. What did the apostles of Christ say there would be in the last dispensation? Ans. Judges 1:18.

19. Of whom were they speaking? Ans. Judges 1:19.

20. Give four things that God’s people must do, and give the meaning of each. Ans. Judges 1:20-21.

21. In what ways must different characters be strengthened or restored? Ans. Judges 1:22-23.

22. What should be hated all the while? Arts. Judges 1:23.

23. Who is able to keep and to save? Ans. Judges 1:24-25.

E.M. Zerr

Questions on Jude

Jude Chapter One

1. Does Jude call himself an elder?

2. Whose brother is he?

3. To whom does he write?

4. How is it to be preserved in Christ Jesus?

5. By what are they called?

6. For what did he give diligence?

7. Explain "common" salvation?

8. Was Jude indifferent about writing?

9. How should they contend?

10. Does this violate 1 Corinthians 1:10-11?

11. By what means was this faith delivered?

12. Why delivered unto the saints?

13. How had certain crept in?

14. In what sense had they been ordained of old?

15. What kind of men?

16. Made what perversion of grace of God?

17. What were they denying?

18. Why would such men want to deny Him?

19. What historic fact does Jude recall?

20. Does this agree with "once in grace always in grace" ?

21. Do angels have their own proper sphere?

22. If they break over what is done?

23. Unto what day are they reserved?

24. What can they do to be redeemed?

25. To what did Sodom and others give themselves?

26. What is meant by "strange flesh"?

27. Explain last of Judges 1:7 by 2 Thessalonians 1:3-9.

28. What do they do as to flesh?

29. State their attitude toward dignitaries.

30. Whose example should shame them in this?

31. On what subject did they have this dispute?

32. What had been done with the body of Moses?

33. Did Michael know about the body of Moses?

34. Did the others know whereof they spoke?

35. How did they act as to what they did know?

36. From what basis did they know some things?

37. What is pronounced upon them here?

38. In what way had they gone?

39. Whom else did they imitate?

40. What was the motive?

41. Who is meant by Core?

42. Explain "feasts of charity."

43. Were they ever commanded?

44. What is significance of "clouds without water"?

45. Why "carried about of winds"?

46. Explain the figure of the trees here.

47. What kind of stars?

48. Into what will they wander?

49. What darkness does this astronomy represent?

50. What prophet is here mentioned?

51. Is his prophecy elsewhere recorded?

52. Compare these many saints with Matthew 27:52-53.

53. For what will the Lord come as to evil ones?

54. Had such characters been predicted before?

55. After what principles will they walk?

56. They have not what?

57. On what should the saints be built up?

58. Keep themselves in what?

59. Looking for what?

60. What "difference" is here corrunanded?

61. What should be hated?

62. How can a garment be thus spatted?

63. Compare Judges 1:22-23 with 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15.

64. Who is able to keep us from falling?

65. By what power does he do this?

E.M. Zerr

TRUE. FALSE TEST

James to Jude

1. Temptations should be a matter of joy.

2. Every good gift is from God.

3. Christians should not show respect to persons.

4. We are justified by faith only.

5. The tongue can no man tame.

6. Divine wisdom is first peaceable then pure.

7. The devil will flee when resisted.

8. It is sin to know good and not do it.

9. We are forbidden to make oaths.

10. The apostles knew more than the prophets.

11. The angels understood these things.

12. Christ was a stumbling stone.

13. Disciples are kings and priests.

14. We must submit to the ordinances of man.

15. Obedient wives may convert their husbands.

16. The spirits preached to Noah while in prison.

17. Baptism saves people now.

18. We cannot be saved with ant a good conscience.

19. If accused of murder we must suffer it.

20. The righteous will scarcely be saved.

21. Peter was an Elder.

22. The devil always is an as an angel of light.

23. All things pertaining to godliness are given.

24. Faith needs nothing added to it.

25. It is possible to fall.

26. It is possible to keep from falling.

27. Peter expected to die.

28. Prophecies were the suggestions of the prophets.

29. God did not spare the angels that sinned.

30. Noah was a preacher of righteousness.

31. Lot was condemned for being in Sodom.

32. Unjust are reserved to day of judgment.

33. God will deliver righteous out of trials.

34. Adulterous eyes are not quieted by gratification.

35. An animal rebuked a man.

36. Some men were willingly ignorant.

37. The Lord will come in guise of a thief.

38. This earth is to be destroyed by fire.

39. The Word is from the beginning.

40. All men have committed sin.

41. Jesus died for all.

42. We are now like our Saviour.

43. We shall be like him in next life.

44. Sons of God are those whom God loves most.

45. A Christian is unable to do wrong.

46. We may pass from death unto life.

47. We ought to lay down our lives for brethren.

48. We should not believe every spirit.

49. Our love for God caused him to love us.

50. It is possible for us to overcome the world.

5!. Belief in Christ begets us for God.

52. False teachers are to be rejected.

53. Endorsing him makes us partakers.

54. John was an Elder.

55. He placed Diotrephes in place of prominence.

56. Jude commanded us to contend.

57. Angels cannot sin.

58. Sodomites are sentenced to eternal fire.

59. Michael gave the body of Moses to the devil.

60. God is the only wise Saviour.

Jude Chapter One

Ralph Starling

Jude is concerned about false teaching

For the truth of God’s word is the

Basis for sound preaching.

False teachers care have great appeal.

For faith’s sake their mouths should be sealed.

For with every man’s ability,

He must face accountability.

Remember even angels were cast out of heaven,

Because they were not obedient or behavin’.

And then there was Sodom and Gomorrah

Lessons for us today and tomorrow.

And the arch-angel and the Devil contending for the body of Moses

Moses, of all people, on of God’s chosen.

True, Moses made mistakes and sinned.

But he was faithful to make amends.

Jude talks about Cain, Balaam, Enoch and Core

Without lives continue the story.

So insist on sound preaching,

And be wary of false teaching.

For to join with them in ther behavior

Will nullify the death of our Lord and Savior.