Jude 1

He calls the writer "Jude the apostle," in the Latin remains of

his works (compare DAVIDSON, Introduction to

the New Testament, vol. 3, p. 498). JEROME

[On Illustrious Men, 4] reckons it among the Scriptures. Though

the oldest manuscripts of the Peschito omit it, EPHREM

THE SYRIAN recognizes it. WORDSWORTH reasons for its genuineness thus: Jude, we

know, died before John, that is, before the beginning of the second

century. Now EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical

History, 3.32] tells us that James was succeeded in the bishopric

of Jerusalem by Symeon his brother; and also that Symeon sat in that

see till A.D. 107, when as a martyr he was

crucified in his hundred twentieth year. We find that the Epistle to

Jude was known in the East and West in the second century; it was

therefore circulated in Symeon's lifetime. It never would have received

currency such as it had, nor would Symeon have permitted a letter

bearing the name of an apostle, his own brother Jude, brother of his

own apostolical predecessor, James, to have been circulated, if it were

not really Jude's.

TO WHOM ADDRESSED.--The references to Old

Testament history,

Jude 5, 7,

and to Jewish tradition,

Jude 14,

&c., make it likely that Jewish Christians are the readers to

whom Jude mainly (though including also all Christians,

Jude 1)

writes, just as the kindred Epistle, Second Peter, is addressed

primarily to the same class; compare

Introduction

to First Peter and

Introduction

to Second Peter.

The persons stigmatized in it were not merely libertines (as

ALFORD thinks), though no doubt that was one of

their prominent characteristics, but heretics in doctrine,

"denying the only Lord God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ." Hence he

urges believers "earnestly to contend for the faith once

delivered unto the saints"

(Jude 3).

Insubordination, self-seeking, and licentiousness, the fruit of

Antinomian teachings, were the evils against which Jude warns his

readers; reminding them that, to build themselves in their most holy

faith, and to pray in the Holy Ghost, are the only effectual

safeguards. The same evils, along with mocking skepticism, shall

characterize the last days before the final judgment, even as in the

days when Enoch warned the ungodly of the coming flood. As Peter was in

Babylon in writing

1Pe 5:13,

and probably also in writing Second Peter (compare

Introduction

to First Peter and

Introduction

to Second Peter), Jude addressed his Epistle primarily to the Jewish

Christians in and about Mesopotamian Babylon (a place of great

resort to the Jews in that day), or else to the Christian Jews

dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia

(1Pe 1:1),

the persons addressed by Peter. For Jude is expressly said to have

preached in Mesopotamia [JEROME,

Commentary on Matthew], and his Epistle, consisting of only

twenty-five verses, contains in them no less than eleven passages from

Second Peter (see my

Introduction

to Second Peter for the list). Probably in

Jude 4

he witnesses to the fulfilment of Peter's prophecy, "There are

certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained

(rather as Greek, "forewritten," that is, announced

beforehand by the apostle Peter's written prophecy) to

this condemnation, ungodly men denying the only Lord God,

and our Lord Jesus Christ." Compare

2Pe 2:1,

"There shall be false teachers among you who privily

shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord

that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

Also

Jude 17, 18

plainly refers to the very words of

2Pe 3:3,

"Remember the words which were spoken before of the apostles of

our Lord Jesus; how they told you there should be mockers in the

last time who should walk after their own ungodly

lusts." This proves, in opposition to ALFORD, that Jude's Epistle is later than Peter's (whose

inspiration he thus confirms, just as Peter confirms Paul's,

2Pe 3:15, 16),

not vice versa.

TIME AND PLACE OF

WRITING.--ALFORD thinks, that, considering

Jude was writing to Jews and citing signal instances of divine

vengeance, it is very unlikely he would have omitted to allude to the

destruction of Jerusalem if he had written after that event which

uprooted the Jewish polity and people. He conjectures from the tone

and references that the writer lived in Palestine. But as to the

former, negative evidence is doubtful; for neither does John allude in

his Epistles, written after the destruction of Jerusalem, to that

event. MILL fixes on A.D. 90,

after the death of all the apostles save John. I incline to think from

Jude 17, 18

that some time had elapsed since the Second Epistle of Peter (written

probably about A.D. 68 or 69) when Jude wrote,

and, therefore, that the Epistle of Jude was written after the

destruction of Jerusalem.

Jude 1-25.

ADDRESS:

GREETING:

HIS

OBJECT IN

WRITING:

WARNING AGAINST

SEDUCERS IN

DOCTRINE AND

PRACTICE FROM

GOD'S

VENGENANCE ON

APOSTATES,

ISRAEL, THE

FALLEN

ANGELS,

SODOM AND

GOMORRAH.

DESCRIPTION OF

THESE

BAD

MEN, IN

CONTRAST TO

MICHAEL:

LIKE

CAIN,

BALAAM, AND

CORE:

ENOCH'S

PROPHECY AS TO

THEM:

THE

APOSTLES'

FOREWARNING:

CONCLUDING

EXHORTATION AS TO

PRESERVING

THEIR

OWN

FAITH, AND

TRYING TO

SAVE

OTHERS:

DOXOLOGY.

1. servant of Jesus Christ--as His minister and apostle.

brother of James--who was more widely known as bishop of

Jerusalem and "brother of the Lord" (that is, either cousin, or

stepbrother, being son of Joseph by a former marriage; for ancient

traditions universally agree that Mary, Jesus' mother, continued

perpetually a virgin). Jude therefore calls himself modestly "brother

of James." See my

Introduction.

to them . . . sanctified by God the Father--The oldest

manuscripts and versions, ORIGEN,

LUCIFER, and others read, "beloved" for

sanctified. If English Version be read, compare

Col 1:12;

1Pe 1:2.

The Greek is not "by," but "in." God the Father's love is

the element IN which they are "beloved." Thus the

conclusion,

Jude 21,

corresponds, "Keep yourselves in the love of God." Compare

"beloved of the Lord"

2Th 2:13.

preserved in Jesus Christ--"kept." Translate not "in," but as

Greek, "FOR Jesus Christ." "Kept

continually (so the Greek perfect participle means) by

God the Father for Jesus Christ," against the day of His coming. Jude,

beforehand, mentions the source and guarantee for the final

accomplishment of believers' salvation; lest they should be

disheartened by the dreadful evils which he proceeds to announce

[BENGEL].

and called--predicated of "them that are beloved in God

the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: who are called." God's

effectual calling in the exercise of His divine prerogative,

guarantees their eternal safety.

2. Mercy--in a time of wretchedness. Therefore mercy

stands first; the mercy of Christ

(Jude 21).

peace--in the Holy Ghost

(Jude 20).

love--of God

(Jude 21).

The three answer to the divine Trinity.

be multiplied--in you and towards you.

3. Design of the Epistle (compare

Jude 20, 21).

all diligence--

(2Pe 1:5).

As the minister is to give all diligence to admonish, so the

people should, in accordance with his admonition, give all

diligence to have all Christian graces, and to make their calling

sure.

the common salvation--wrought by Christ. Compare Note,

see on

2Pe 1:1,

"obtained LIKE precious faith," This community

of faith, and of the object of faith, salvation, forms the

ground of mutual exhortation by appeals to common hopes and fears.

it was needful for me--rather, "I felt it necessary to write

(now at once; so the Greek aorist means; the

present infinitive 'to write,' which precedes, expresses merely

the general fact of writing) exhorting you." The reason why he felt it

necessary "to write with exhortation," he states,

Jude 4,

"For there are certain men crept in," &c. Having intended to write

generally of "the common salvation," he found it necessary from

the existing evils in the Church, to write specially that they should

contend for the faith against those evils.

earnestly contend--Compare

Php 1:27,

"striving together for the faith of the Gospel."

once, &c.--Greek, "once for all delivered." No

other faith or revelation is to supersede it. A strong argument for

resisting heretical innovators

(Jude 4).

Believers, like Nehemiah's workmen

(Ne 4:17),

with one hand "build themselves up in their most holy faith"; with the

other they" contend earnestly for the faith" against its foes.

the saints--all Christians, holy (that is, consecrated to

God) by their calling, and in God's design.

4. certain men--implying disparagement.

crept in unawares--stealthily and unlawfully. See on

2Pe 2:1,

"privily shall bring in damnable heresies."

before . . . ordained--Greek, "forewritten,"

namely, in Peter's prophecy

Jude 17, 18;

and in Paul's before that,

1Ti 4:1;

2Ti 3:1;

and by implication in the judgments which overtook the apostate angels.

The disobedient Israelites, Sodom and Gomorrah, Balaam and Core, and

which are written "for an example"

(Jude 7,

and Jude 5, 6, 11).

God's eternal character as the Punisher of sin, as set forth in

Scripture "of old," is the ground on which such apostate characters are

ordained to condemnation. Scripture is the reflection of God's book of

life in which believers are "written among the living." "Forewritten"

is applied also in

Ro 15:4

to the things written in Scripture. Scripture itself reflects God's

character from everlasting, which is the ground of His decrees from

everlasting. BENGEL explains it as an abbreviated

phrase for, "They were of old foretold by Enoch

(Jude 14,

who did not write his prophecies), and afterwards marked out by

the written word."

to this condemnation--Jude graphically puts their judgment as it

were present before the eyes, "THIS." Enoch's

prophecy comprises the "ungodly men" of the last days before Christ's

coming to judgment, as well as their forerunners, the "ungodly men"

before the flood, the type of the last judgment

(Mt 24:37-39;

2Pe 3:3-7).

The disposition and the doom of both correspond.

the grace of our God--A phrase for the Gospel especially sweet

to believers who appropriate God in Christ as "our God," and so

rendering the more odious the vile perversity of those who turn the

Gospel state of grace and liberty into a ground of licentiousness, as

if their exemption from the law gave them a license to sin.

denying the only Lord--The oldest manuscripts, versions, and

Fathers omit "God," which follows in English Version. Translate

as the Greek, "the only Master"; here used of Jesus

Christ, who is at once Master and "Lord" (a different

Greek word). See on

2Pe 2:1.

the Father, is termed "the ONLY" God and "MASTER." Greek, "Master," implies God's

absolute ownership to dispose of His creatures as He likes.

5.

(Heb 3:16; 4:13.)

therefore--Other oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read,

"But"; in contrast to the ungodly

Jude 4.

though ye once--rather, "once for all." Translate, "I wish to

remind you, as knowing ALL (namely, that

I am referring to; so the oldest manuscripts, versions, and

Fathers) once for all." As already they know all the

facts once for all, he needs only to "remind" them.

the Lord--The oldest manuscripts and versions read, "Jesus." So

"Christ" is said to have accompanied the Israelites in the wilderness;

so perfectly is Jesus one with the God of the Israelite theocracy.

saved--brought safely, and into a state of safety and salvation.

afterward--Greek, "secondly"; in the next instance

"destroyed them that believed not," as contrasted with His in the

first instance having saved them.

6.

(2Pe 2:4.)

kept not their first estate--Vulgate translates, "their

own principality," which the fact of angels being elsewhere

called "principalities," favors: "their own" implies that, instead of

being content with the dignity once for all assigned to them

under the Son of God, they aspired higher. ALFORD

thinks the narrative in

Ge 6:2

is alluded to, not the fall of the devil and his angels, as he thinks

"giving themselves over to fornication"

(Jude 7)

proves; compare Greek, "in like manner to these," namely,

to the angels

(Jude 6).

It seems to me more natural to take "sons of God"

(Ge 6:2)

of the Sethites, than of angels, who, as "spirits," do not seem capable

of carnal connection. The parallel,

2Pe 2:4,

plainly refers to the fall of the apostate angels. And "in like manner

to these,"

Jude 7,

refers to the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, "the cities

about them" sinning "in like manner" as "they" did

[ESTIUS and CALVIN]. Even if

Greek "these,"

Jude 7,

refer to the angels, the sense of "in like manner as these" will

be, not that the angels carnally fornicated with the daughters

of men, but that their ambition, whereby their affections went away

from God and they fell, is in God's view a sin of like kind

spiritually as Sodom's going away from God's order of nature

after strange flesh; the sin of the apostate angels after their kind is

analogous to that of the human Sodomites after their kind. Compare the

somewhat similar spiritual connection of whoremongers and

covetousness. The apocryphal book of Enoch interprets

Ge 6:2

as ALFORD. But though Jude accords with it in some

particulars, it does not follow that he accords with it in all. The

Hebrews name the fallen angels Aza and Azael.

left--on their own accord.

their own--Greek, "their proper."

habitation--heaven, all bright and glorious, as opposed to the

"darkness" to which they now are doomed. Their ambitious designs

seem to have had a peculiar connection with this earth, of which Satan

before his fall may have been God's vicegerent, whence arises his

subsequent connection with it as first the Tempter, then "the prince of

this world."

reserved--As the Greek is the same, and there is an

evident reference to their having "kept not their first

estate," translate, "He hath kept." Probably what is meant is, He hath

kept them in His purpose; that is their sure doom; moreover, as

yet, Satan and his demons roam at large on the earth. An earnest of

their doom is their having been cast out of heaven, being already

restricted to "the darkness of this present world," the "air" that

surrounds the earth, their peculiar element now. They lurk in places of

gloom and death, looking forward with agonizing fear to their final

torment in the bottomless pit. He means not literal chains and

darkness, but figurative in this present world where, with restricted

powers and liberties, shut out from heaven, they, like condemned

prisoners, await their doom.

7. Even as--ALFORD translates, "I wish to

remind you

(Jude 5)

that."

Sodom, &c.--

(2Pe 2:6).

giving themselves over to fornication--following fornication

extraordinarily, that is, out of the order of nature. On

"in like manner to them" (Greek), compare Note,

see on

Jude 6.

Compare on spiritual fornication, "go a whoring from thee,"

Ps 73:27.

going after strange flesh--departing from the course of nature,

and going after that which is unnatural. In later times the most

enlightened heathen nations indulged in the sin of Sodom without

compunction or shame.

are set forth--before our eyes.

suffering--undergoing to this present time; alluding to

the marks of volcanic fire about the Dead Sea.

the vengeance--Greek, "righteous retribution."

eternal fire--The lasting marks of the fire that consumed the

cities irreparably, is a type of the eternal fire to which the

inhabitants have been consigned. BENGEL translates

as the Greek will admit, "Suffering (the)

punishment (which they endure) as an example or sample of

eternal fire (namely, that which shall consume the wicked)."

Eze 16:53-55

shows that Sodom's punishment, as a nation, is not eternal.

Compare also

2Pe 2:6.

8. also--rather, "In like manner nevertheless" (notwithstanding

these warning examples) [ALFORD].

these . . . dreamers--The Greek has not

"filthy" of English Version. The clause, "these men

dreaming" (that is, in their dreams), belongs to all the verbs,

"defile," "despise," and "speak evil." All sinners are spiritually

asleep, and their carnal activity is as it were a dream

(1Th 5:6, 7).

Their speaking evil of dignities is because they are

dreaming, and know not what they are speaking evil of

(Jude 10).

"As a man dreaming seems to himself to be seeing and nearing many

things, so the natural man's lusts are agitated by joy, distress, fear,

and the other passions. But he is a stranger to self-command. Hence,

though he bring into play all the powers of reason, he cannot conceive

the true liberty which the sons of light, who are awake and in the

daylight; enjoy" [BENGEL].

defile the flesh--

(Jude 7).

dominion--"lordship."

dignities--literally, "glories." Earthly and heavenly

dignities.

9. Michael, the archangel--Nowhere in Scripture is the plural

used, "archangels"; but only ONE, "archangel." The

only other passage in the New Testament where it occurs, is

1Th 4:16,

where Christ is distinguished from the archangel, with whose voice He

shall descend to raise the dead; they therefore err who confound Christ

with Michael. The name means, Who is like God? In

Da 10:13

he is called "One ('the first,' Margin) of the chief

princes." He is the champion angel of Israel. In

Re 12:7

the conflict between Michael and Satan is again alluded to.

about the body of Moses--his literal body. Satan, as having the

power of death, opposed the raising of it again, on the ground of

Moses' sin at Meribah, and his murder of the Egyptian. That Moses' body

was raised, appears from his presence with Elijah and Jesus (who were

in the body) at the Transfiguration: the sample and earnest of the

coming resurrection kingdom, to be ushered in by Michael's standing up

for God's people. Thus in each dispensation a sample and pledge of the

future resurrection was given: Enoch in the patriarchal dispensation,

Moses in the Levitical, Elijah in the prophetical. It is noteworthy

that the same rebuke is recorded here as was used by the Angel of the

Lord, or Jehovah the Second Person, in pleading for Joshua, the

representative of the Jewish Church, against Satan, in

Zec 3:2;

whence some have thought that also here "the body of Moses" means the

Jewish Church accused by Satan, before God, for its filthiness, on

which ground he demands that divine justice should take its course

against Israel, but is rebuked by the Lord who has "chosen Jerusalem":

thus, as "the body of Christ" is the Christian Church, so "the

body of Moses" is the Jewish Church. But the literal body is evidently

here meant (though, secondarily, the Jewish Church is typified by

Moses' body, as it was there represented by Joshua the high priest);

and Michael, whose connection seems to be so close with Jehovah-Messiah

on the one hand, and with Israel on the other, naturally uses the same

language as his Lord. As Satan (adversary in court) or the devil

(accuser) accuses alike the Church collectively and "the

brethren" individually, so Christ pleads for us as our Advocate.

Israel's, and all believers' full justification, and the accuser's

being rebuked finally, is yet future. JOSEPHUS

[Antiquities,4.8], states that God hid Moses' body, lest, if it

had been exposed to view, it would have been made an idol of. Jude, in

this account, either adopts it from the apocryphal "assumption of

Moses" (as ORIGEN [Concerning

Principalities, 3.2] thinks), or else from the ancient tradition on

which that work was founded. Jude, as inspired, could

distinguish how much of the tradition was true, how much false.

We have no such means of distinguishing, and therefore can be

sure of no tradition, save that which is in the written word.

durst not--from reverence for Satan's former dignity

(Jude 8).

railing accusation--Greek, "judgment of blasphemy," or

evil-speaking. Peter said, Angels do not, in order to avenge

themselves, rail at dignities, though ungodly, when they have to

contend with them: Jude says that the archangel Michael himself did not

rail even at the time when he fought with the devil, the prince of evil

spirits--not from fear of him, but from reverence of God, whose

delegated power in this world Satan once had, and even in some degree

still has. From the word "disputed," or debated in controversy,

it is plain it was a judicial contest.

10.

(2Pe 2:12.)

those things which--Greek, "all things whatsoever

they understand not," namely, the things of the spiritual world.

but what . . . naturally--Connect thus,

"Whatever (so the Greek) things naturally (by natural,

blind instinct), as the unreasoning (so the Greek) animals, they

know," &c. The Greek for the former "know" implies deeper

knowledge; the latter "know," the mere perception of the "animal senses

and faculties."

11. Woe--See on

2Pe 2:14,

"cursed children."

Cain--the murderer: the root of whose sin was hatred and envy of

the godly, as it is the sin of these seducers.

ran greedily--literally, "have been poured forth" like a torrent

that has burst its banks. Reckless of what it costs, the loss of God's

favor and heaven, on they rush after gain like Balaam.

perished in the gainsaying of Core--(compare Note, see on

Jude 12).

When we read of Korah perishing by gainsaying, we read virtually also

of these perishing in like manner through the same: for the same seed

bears the same harvest.

12. spots--So

2Pe 2:13,

Greek, "spiloi"; but here the Greek is

spilades, which elsewhere, in secular writers, means

rocks, namely, on which the Christian love-feasts were in

danger of being shipwrecked. The oldest manuscript prefixes the article

emphatically, "THE rocks." The reference to

"clouds . . . winds . . . waves of the sea,"

accords with this image of rocks. Vulgate seems to have been

misled by the similar sounding word to translate, as English

Version, "spots"; compare however,

Jude 23,

which favors English Version, if the Greek will bear it.

Two oldest manuscripts, by the transcriber's effort to make Jude say

the same as Peter, read here "deceivings" for "love-feasts," but the

weightiest manuscript and authorities support English Version

reading. The love-feast accompanied the Lord's Supper

(1Co 11:17-34,

end). Korah the Levite, not satisfied with his ministry, aspired

to the sacrificing priesthood also: so ministers in the Lord's

Supper have sought to make it a sacrifice, and themselves the

sacrificing priests, usurping the function of our only Christian

sacerdotal Priest, Christ Jesus. Let them beware of Korah's

doom!

feeding themselves--Greek, "pasturing (tending)

themselves." What they look to is the pampering of themselves,

not the feeding of the flock.

without fear--Join these words not as English Version,

but with "feast." Sacred feasts especially ought to be celebrated

with fear. Feasting is not faulty in itself [BENGEL], but it needs to be accompanied with fear

of forgetting God, as Job in the case of his sons' feasts.

clouds--from which one would expect refreshing rains.

2Pe 2:17,

"wells without water." Professors without practice.

carried about--The oldest manuscripts have "carried aside," that

is, out of the right course (compare

Eph 4:14).

trees whose fruit withereth--rather, "trees of the late (or

waning) autumn," namely, when there are no longer leaves or

fruits on the trees [BENGEL].

without fruit--having no good fruit of knowledge and practice;

sometimes used of what is positively bad.

twice dead--First when they cast their leaves in autumn, and

seem during winter dead, but revive again in spring; secondly,

when they are "plucked up by the roots." So these apostates, once dead

in unbelief, and then by profession and baptism raised from the death

of sin to the life of righteousness, but now having become dead

again by apostasy, and so hopelessly dead. There is a

climax. Not only without leaves, like trees in late

autumn, but without fruit: not only so, but dead twice; and

to crown all, "plucked up by the roots."

13. Raging--wild. Jude has in mind

Isa 57:20.

shame--plural in Greek, "shames" (compare

Php 3:19).

wandering stars--instead of moving on in a regular orbit, as

lights to the world, bursting forth on the world like erratic comets,

or rather, meteors of fire, with a strange glare, and then doomed to

fall back again into the blackness of gloom.

14. See

Introduction

on the source whence Jude derived this prophecy of Enoch. The Holy

Spirit, by Jude, has sealed the truth of this much of the matter

contained in the book of Enoch, though probably that book, as well as

Jude, derived it from tradition (compare Note, see on

Jude 9).

There are reasons given by some for thinking the book of Enoch copied

from Jude rather than vice versa. It is striking how, from the first,

prophecy hastened towards its consummation. The earliest prophecies of

the Redeemer dwell on His second coming in glory, rather than His first

coming in lowliness (compare

Ge 3:15

with Ro 16:20).

Enoch, in his translation without death, illustrated that truth which

he all his life preached to the unbelieving world, the certainty of the

Lord's coming, and the resurrection of the dead, as the only effectual

antidote to their skepticism and self-wise confidence in nature's

permanence.

And Enoch--Greek, "Moreover, also Enoch," &c.

seventh from Adam--Seven is the sacred number. In Enoch,

freedom from death and the sacred number are combined: for every

seventh object is most highly valued. Jude thus shows the antiquity of

the prophecies. Compare Note, see on

Jude 4,

"of old." There were only five fathers between Enoch and Adam.

The seventh from Adam prophesied the things which shall close

the seventh age of the world [BENGEL].

of these--in relation to these. The reference of his prophecies

was not to the antediluvians alone, but to all the ungodly

(Jude 15).

His prophecy applied primarily indeed to the flood, but ultimately to

the final judgment.

cometh--literally, "came." Prophecy regards the future as

certain as if it were past.

saints--Holy angels (compare

De 33:2;

Da 7:10;

Zec 14:5;

Mt 25:31;

Heb 12:22).

15. This verse and the beginning of Enoch's prophecy is composed

in Hebrew poetic parallelism, the oldest specimen extant. Some

think Lamech's speech, which is also in poetic parallelism, was

composed in mockery of Enoch's prophecy: as Enoch foretold Jehovah's

coming to judgment, so Lamech presumes on impunity in polygamy and

murder (just as Cain the murderer seemed to escape with impunity).

convince--convict.

hard speeches--such as are noticed in

Jude 8, 10, 16;

Mal 3:13, 14;

contrast

Ro 16:17.

ungodly sinners--not merely sinners, but proud

despisers of God: impious.

against him--They who speak against God's children are regarded

16. murmurers--in secret: muttering murmurs against God's

ordinances and ministers in Church and state. Compare

Jude 8,

"speak evil of dignities";

Jude 15,

"hard speeches"; against the Lord.

complainers--never satisfied with their lot

(Nu 11:1;

compare the penalty,

De 28:47, 48).

walking after their own lusts--

(Jude 18).

The secret of their murmuring and complaining is the restless

insatiability of their desires.

great swelling words--

(2Pe 2:18).

men's persons--their mere outward appearance and rank.

because of advantage--for the sake of what they may gain from

them. While they talk great swelling words, they are really

mean and fawning towards those of wealth and rank.

17. But; beloved . . . ye--in contrast to those

reprobates,

Jude 20,

again.

remember--implying that his readers had been contemporaries of

the apostles. For Peter uses the very same formula in reminding the

contemporaries of himself and the other apostles.

spoken before--spoken already before now.

the apostles--Peter (see on

2Pe 3:2, 3),

and Paul before Peter

(Ac 20:29;

1Ti 4:1;

2Ti 3:1).

Jude does not exclude himself from the number of the apostles

here, for in

Jude 18,

immediately after, he says, "they told You," not us (rather as

Greek, "used to tell you" implying that Jude's readers were

contemporaries of the apostles, who used to tell them).

18. mockers--In the parallel,

2Pe 3:3,

the same Greek is translated, "scoffers." The word is found

nowhere else in the New Testament. How ALFORD can

deny that

2Pe 3:2, 3

is referred to (at least in part), I cannot imagine, seeing that Jude

quotes the very words of Peter as the words which the

apostles used to speak to his (Jude's) readers.

walk after their own ungodly lusts--literally, "after (according

to) their own lusts of ungodliness."

19. These be they--showing that their characters are such as

Peter and Paul had foretold.

separate themselves--from Church communion in its vital,

spiritual reality: for outwardly they took part in Church ordinances

(Jude 12).

Some oldest manuscripts omit "themselves": then understand it,

"separate," cast out members of the Church by excommunication

(Isa 65:5; 66:5;

Lu 6:22;

Joh 9:34;

compare "casteth them out of the Church;"

3Jo 10).

Many, however, understand "themselves," which indeed is read in some of

the oldest manuscripts as English Version has it. Arrogant

setting up of themselves, as having greater sanctity and a wisdom and

peculiar doctrine, distinct from others, is implied.

sensual--literally, "animal-souled": as opposed to the

spiritual, or "having the Spirit." It is translated, "the

natural man,"

1Co 2:14.

In the threefold division of man's being, body, soul, and

spirit, the due state in God's design is, that "the spirit," which

is the recipient of the Holy Spirit uniting man to God, should be

first, and should rule the soul, which stands intermediate between

the body and spirit: but in the animal, or

natural man, the spirit is sunk into subserviency to the animal

soul, which is earthly in its motives and aims. The "carnal" sink

somewhat lower, for in these the flesh, the lowest element and

corrupt side of man's bodily nature, reigns paramount.

having not the Spirit--In the animal and natural man the

spirit, his higher part, which ought to be the receiver of the Holy

Spirit, is not so; and therefore, his spirit not being in its normal

state, he is said not to have the spirit (compare

Joh 3:5, 6).

In the completion of redemption the parts of redeemed man shall be

placed in their due relation: whereas in the ungodly, the soul

severed from the spirit shall have for ever animal life without

union to God and heaven--a living death.

20. Resuming

Jude 17.

building up yourselves--the opposite to the "separate

themselves"

(Jude 19):

as "in the Holy Ghost" is opposed to "having not the Spirit."

on--as on a foundation. Building on

THE FAITH is equivalent to building on

Christ, the object of faith.

praying in the Holy Ghost--

(Ro 8:26;

Eph 6:18).

The Holy Spirit teaches what we are to pray for, and how.

None can pray aright save by being in the Spirit, that is, in

the element of His influence. CHRYSOSTOM states

that, among the charisms bestowed at the beginning of the New Testament

dispensation, was the gift of prayer, bestowed on someone who

prayed in the name of the rest, and taught others to pray. Moreover,

their prayers so conceived and often used, were received and preserved

among Christians, and out of them forms of prayer were framed. Such is

the origin of liturgies [HAMMOND].

21. In

Jude 20, 21,

Jude combines the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: and faith,

hope, and love.

Keep yourselves--not in your own strength, but "in the love of

God," that is, God's love to you and all His believing children,

the only guarantee for their being kept safe. Man's need of

watching is implied; at the same time he cannot keep himself,

unless God in His love keep him.

looking for--in hope.

the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ--to be fully manifested at

His coming. Mercy is usually attributed to the Father: here to

the Son; so entirely one are they.

22, 23. None but those who "keep themselves" are likely to

"save" others.

have compassion--So one oldest manuscript reads. But two oldest

manuscripts, Vulgate, &c., read, "convict"; "reprove to their

conviction"; "confute, so as to convince."

making a difference--The oldest manuscripts and versions read

the accusative for the nominative, "when separating themselves"

[WAHL], referring to

Jude 19;

or "when contending with you," as the Greek is translated,

Jude 9.

23. save with fear--The oldest manuscripts do not read "with

fear" in this position: but after "snatching them out of the fire"

(with which, compare

Am 4:11;

1Co 3:15;

Zec 3:2,

said of a most narrow escape), they add the following words, forming a

THIRD class, "and others compassionate with

(IN) fear." Three kinds of patients require three

kinds of medical treatment. Ministers and Christians are said to "save"

those whom they are made the instruments of saving; the Greek

for "save" is present, therefore meaning "try to save." Jude already

(Jude 9)

had reference to the same passage

(Zec 3:1-3).

The three classes are: (1) those who contend with you

(accusative case in oldest manuscripts), whom you should

convict; (2) those who are as brands already in the fire,

of which hell-fire is the consummation: these you should try to save

compassion, whom accordingly you should compassionate

(and help if occasion should offer), but at the same time not let pity

degenerate into connivance at their error. Your compassion is to be

accompanied "with fear" of being at all defiled by them.

hating--Even hatred has its legitimate field of exercise.

Sin is the only thing which God hates: so ought we.

even the garment--a proverbial phrase: avoiding the most remote

contact with sin, and hating that which borders on it. As

garments of the apostles wrought miracles of good in healing, so

the very garment of sinners metaphorically, that is, anything

brought into contact with their pollution, is to be avoided. Compare as

to lepers and other persons defiled,

Le 13:52-57; 15:4-17:

the garments were held polluted; and anyone touching them was excluded,

until purified, from religious and civil communion with the sanctified

people of Israel. Christians who received at baptism the white garment

in token of purity, are not to defile it by any approach to what is

defiled.

24, 25. Concluding doxology.

Now--Greek, "But."

you--ALFORD, on inferior authority, reads,

"them." You is in contradistinction to those ungodly men

mentioned above.

keep . . . from falling--rather, "guard

. . . (so as to be) without falling," or

stumbling.

faultless--Greek, "blameless."

before the presence of his glory--that is, before

Himself, when He shall be revealed in glory.

with exceeding joy--literally, "with exultation" as of those who

leap for joy.

25. To the only . . . God our Saviour--The oldest

manuscripts add, "through Jesus Christ our Lord." The transcribers,

fancying that "Saviour" applied to Christ alone, omitted the words. The

sense is, To the only God (the Father) who is our Saviour through (that

is, by the mediation of) Jesus Christ our Lord.

dominion--Greek, "might."

power--authority: legitimate power. The oldest

manuscripts and Vulgate, after "power," have "before all the

age," that is, before all time as to the past: "and now,"

as to the present; "and to all the ages," that is, for ever, as

to the time to come.

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