Commentary

Text: Jude:1-11

Context of the book / letter / Gospel: Jude encourages his readers to contend for the faith against false ​ teachers. The letter contains striking parallels to that of 2 Peter (Schreiner, 415).

Main Idea of The Text: Jude wanted to write about salvation in Christ, but felt the need to write about ​ the danger of false teachers. He spends the rest of the letter pointing out the danger of false teachers.

Exegetical Outline of The Text

I. Jude Introduces Himself -- vv. 1-2. II. Jude Gives the Purpose for Writing the Letter. -- vv. 3-4. III. Jude Describes the False Teachers using Examples -- vv. 5-7. A. Israel’s rebellion -- v. 5. B. The fate of fallen angels -- v. 6. C. Sodom and Gomorrah -- v. 7. IV. Jude Describes False Teachers -- vv. 8-11.

Verse by verse commentary:

1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James:To those who are the called, loved by God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.62 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. -- vv. 1-2.

Jude is a shortened form of “Judas” and is believed to be the half-brother of Jesus. He and his brother James, the author of the book which bears his name, did not believe their half-brother was the Jewish Messiah until after the Resurrection (Walls and Anders, 260-1).

Jude’s greeting to his readers was a common one in the first century church. Commentators believe the audience was Jewish Christians living in Paradise. Jude’s word choice spoke of their past (“called”), present (“loved”) and future (“kept”). His desire for mercy, peace and love meant he was expressing a deep care and concern for his audience (Walls and Anders, 261). With these words, he also affirmed the spiritual condition of his audience. They were indeed genuine believers (MacArthur, 150).

1 3 Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share, I found it ​ necessary to write, appealing to you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all. 4 For some people, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in ​ ​ ​ ​ by stealth;they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into sensuality and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

Jude had intended to write an encouraging letter about the wonderful salvation given to the believers through Jesus Christ, but the Holy Spirit directed him to write about false teachers because they had slipped into the church (Walls and Anders, 261).

He refers to faith here as the true religion which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel had been delivered to the Apostles, and was now passed on to these believers (Walls and Anders, 261).

The false teachers are unbelievers. They were the Gnostics, who believed that if the Christian life was lived in the spiritual realm, Christians could indulge in any sexual immorality, and it was acceptable. The flesh was the bad part of human existence. Therefore, Jesus Christ could never have come in the flesh, because flesh is ungodly. Therefore, these false teachers were denying the humanity of Christ. They taught that the Holy Spirit came upon Him at His baptism and left Him before His crucifixion (Walls and Anders, 261-2).

5 Now I want to remind you, although you came to know all these things once and for all, that ​

Jesus saved a people out of Egypt and later destroyed those who did not believe; 6 and the ​ ​ ​ ​ angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deep darkness for the judgment on the great day. 7 Likewise, Sodom and ​ ​ Gomorrah and the surrounding towns committed sexual immorality and perversions, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. -- vv. 5-7.

Peter gives three examples of those who disobeyed God and have been punished in the same way the false teachers will be punished. He begins by using the nation of Israel as an example of disobedience. Those who did not believe God’s promises were either killed in the

2 wilderness or died of natural causes there because they did not have the faith to know God was going to lead them into the Promised Land.

Next, Peter talks about the sins of the angels. Before the creation of the world, all of the angels served God willingly. However, Satan caused some of them to rebel against God. When they rebelled against God, and followed Satan, becoming demons (cf. Matt. 12:24). He confined some of the demons to darkness to await judgment. Some commentators believe some angels left heaven and had sexual relations with human women (cf. Gen. 6:1-4). In this instance, God punished them immediately. Others who just followed Satan await further punishment later. Some are confined, but not all (Walls and Anders, 262).

The final example is the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. They were destroyed by fire, just like the false teachers will be punished by the fires of hell (Walls and Anders, 262).

8 In the same way these people—relying on their dreams—defile their flesh, reject authority, ​ and slander glorious ones. 9 Yet when Michael the archangel was disputing with the devil in ​ ​ an argument about Moses’s body, he did not dare utter a slanderous condemnation against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these people blaspheme anything they do not ​ ​ understand. And what they do understand by instinct—like irrational animals—by these things they are destroyed. -- vv. 8-10.

Jude discusses the ways that false teachers rejected the authority of the Bible. Evidently, they claimed to have dreams which they used to excuse their acts of immorality. They also dismissed the word of angels as messengers of God. Jude gives us some facts not revealed in the Old Testament here. Evidently, God sent Michael the archangel to bury the body of Moses, and Satan wanted to take it. While we no nothing else about the actual circumstances, we do know that Michael was not going to argue with Satan. He was going to let the Lord rebuke him (Walls and Anders, 263).

Jude’s example pointed out that the false teachers did the opposite of Michael. They did not have any tact whatsoever. They perhaps taught that the angels didn’t have any authority over

3 humans, even though God may have granted it. They did whatever they pleased, and did not allow the Word of God or His messengers to stand in their way.

Michael the archangel wouldn’t even rebuke Satan, but left that to the Lord. He obeyed the higher divine authority. Jude noted the false teachers were animals. They had no order to what they did, but were bent to do nothing but satisfy their desires, no matter what law they broke or authority they disobeyed (Walls and Anders, 263).

11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, have plunged into Balaam’s error for ​ profit, and have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

The false teachers committed certain sin, and were destined for judgment. The reference to “the way of Cain” is uncertain, but it could mean they were worshipping God in their own way, not in the way He commanded, as Cain gave fruits and vegetables to God, instead of the sacrifice of a lamb (cf. Gen. 4:3-5).

The reference to Balaam means they were seeking profit for their false teachings, much like many television preachers who proclaim “prosperity gospel” do today. Balaam cursed Israel for money, and false teachers were in it for the money as well (Walls and Anders, 263-4).

Finally, the false teachers were destined to suffer the judgment of the sons of Korah. Peter has already pronounced judgment on them. This is what will happen, unless they repent (Walls and Anders, 264).

4 Theological Application:

In the first eleven verses of the book of Jude, we are introduced to the purpose of the book--to help recognize false teachers and contend for the faith against them. The following objectives help us to apply the text to our lives:

1. Believers must be made aware of the existence of false teachers. 2. Believers must recognize the methods of false teachers. 3. Believers must realize the judgment of false teachers.

Walking Points

1. Believers must be made aware of the existence of false teachers.

Read vv. 1-7.

The false teachers of Jude’s day were very cunning and clever. They were somewhat hard to spot because they were 95% accurate and 5% false. The false teachers commonly found in New Testament times were the Gnostics. They believed that the spirit (created by God) was good and the flesh (not created by God) was bad. Immorality was permissible because the spirit and the flesh never came in contact with one another, according to a Gnostic. This is the terrible heresy the early church faced in that day.

Think About It: What false teaching have you come in contact in your experience? Would you ​ be able to identify it and be able to challenge it based on your knowledge of God’s Word? Pray for discernment from the Holy Spirit to help you recognize and refute false teachers.

2. Believers must recognize the methods of false teachers.

Read vv. 8-10.

Jude pointed out that the false teachers rejected authority, slandered angels, and claimed divine revelation through dreams that allowed them to commit sexual immorality. Believers should study the Word of God and know what the Bible teaches regarding proper theology and be able to spot false teachers.

Think About It: What has been your personal experience with false teachers, such as Mormons ​ and Jehovah’s Witnesses? Have you been able to engage with them and share the truths of the

5 Gospel with them. Pray together for those who are trapped in false teaching and cults, that the light of the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit would illuminate them.

3. Believers must realize the judgment of false teachers.

Read v. 11. Refer to Numbers 16.

Jude pronounces the judgment of false teachers as that of the judgment of the sons of Korah, and his use of language suggests judgment has already occurred. Therefore, judgment is imminent, unless there is repentance. The sons of Korah had rebelled against the Lord, and He judged them with the fires of hell, as the earth opened up and swallowed them.

Think About It: Jude pronounced judgment on false teachers. Are you willing to take a stand ​ against those who deny the truth of God’s Word and remind them of their fate unless they repent? How have you defended your faith lately?

Resources / Articles / Sources: ​

Anders, Max and David Walls. The Holman Bible Commentary: I and II Peter, I, II, and III John ​ and Jude. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1999. ​

MacArthur, John. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 2 Peter and Jude. Chicago: ​ ​ Moody Press, 2005.

Schriener, Thomas. The New American Commentary: 2 Peter and Jude. Nashville: Broadman ​ ​ and Holman, 2003.

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