Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, April 18th, 2024
the Third Week after Easter
the Third Week after Easter
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Bible Commentaries
The Bible Study New Testament Bible Study NT
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These files are public domain.
These files are public domain.
Bibliographical Information
Ice, Rhoderick D. "Commentary on Jude 1". "The Bible Study New Testament". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/ice/jude-1.html. College Press, Joplin, MO. 1974.
Ice, Rhoderick D. "Commentary on Jude 1". "The Bible Study New Testament". https://www.studylight.org/
Whole Bible (53)New Testament (18)Individual Books (11)
Verse 1
1.
From Jude. If he had been one of the Twelve, he would probably have mentioned it. Brother of James. This identifies him. James was well known (Galatians 2:9; Acts 21:18). The brothers are mentioned in Matthew 13:55. Who have been called. “To those who have been called by God through their faith.” Compare Revelation 18:4. Who live. Not only have Jude’s readers been called by God, they also live in the love of God! Compare Ephesians 6:23-24. The protection. Compared 1 John 5:4-5 and notes.
Verse 2
2.
In full measure. Jude wants them to have these blessings in full measure, which comes through their faith and love. Compare 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2 and notes.
Verse 3
3.
My dear friends. Jude stresses the common love which molds them into one fellowship in Christ! I was. Jude’s first intention was to write to them (as an “apostle of circumcision”) about the salvation which both Jew and Gentile shares in common. The early Christians did a lot of writing at a time when writing was not so widely used (See Luke 1:1-4). But of the things Jude may have written, the Holy Spirit included only this short letter in the New Testament. When I felt the need. “The problem about the false teachers made me change my plans.” To fight on. “In a gentle and loving spirit, you must use the Jewish scriptures (Old Testament) and the writing of the evangelists and apostles (which would be complete now, except for this Letter and the writings of John) to oppose and destroy the false teaching that some are doing, and to teach the truth!!!” The faith. The faith is the teaching of the Good News which God spoke through Christ (Hebrews 1:2), and which Christ passed on to his disciples (1 Peter 1:12; 2 Peter 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17.) Once and for all. The Good News did not come in “bits and pieces” like the Old Testament revelation. It was given once and for all through Christ, even before the New Testament was written down. In the childhood age of the church, the Holy Spirit was the direct source of the faith. The Holy Spirit saw to it that the complete message was written down, and we have it as the New Testament. Compare John 14:26; Galatians 1:6-9.
Verse 4
4.
For some godless men. “I felt a need to write because some spiritual saboteurs have slipped in unnoticed.” Who distort. “They claim to be inspired. They say God is too good to punish sinners. They teach an easy grace, which they say allows the believer unlimited sin with no fear of punishment.” And reject Jesus Christ. “They say our human bodies are totally evil, and deny that Jesus is The Christ. They say the Logos who is infinitely holy could not have come in evil flesh and blood. By doing this, they reject Christ-on-the-cross, who is the means of our salvation!” Long ago. “The Scriptures predicted the fact that such people would come, and also the doom of such as these!” See Jude 1:14; Jude 1:17.
Verse 5
5.
For even though. “I am using things which you already know to prove to you that God will punish those who purposely continue to sin as a habit.” But afterward destroyed. “Even after God has saved his people Israel and had led them out of Egypt, he did not hesitate to destroy all who sinned by refusing to believe what he said.” See Numbers 14:29; Hebrews 3:18-19.
Verse 6
6.
Remember the angels. “Even such beings as angels, who do not have a body of flesh and blood and whom even the false teachers admit were created holy, were punished by God when they sinned!” 2 Peter 2:4 also mentions this. Some try to connect this with Genesis 6:2; Isaiah 14:4-23; Isaiah 24:21-22.
Verse 7
7.
Remember Sodom and Gomorrah. “Remember the wrath of God against the sin of these people!” Acted as those angels did. Jude does not mean that they all sinned by committing the same acts of sin, but in each case, sin was a rebellion against God! Sexual immorality and perversion. This was the sin of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Homosexuality, especially, brought God’s wrath down on them! Eternal fire. “Totally destroyed by fire, they are an example of God’s eternal fire which will punish the wicked! This is a plain warning to all, that God does not permit sin!”
Verse 8
8.
In the same way also. “These men show the same spirit of rebellion that these examples show. It is the spirit of the Enemy of Christ which motivates them!” Have visions. Since such people claimed to be inspired (see 1 John 4:1), they would boast about having visions from God, in which He was supposed to have told them the (false) things they were teaching. [MacKnight takes it as sleep, which comes through the intoxication of sin.] Sin against their own bodies. Our bodies are holy (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). We defile them by sin. Compare 2 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 2:10; 2 Peter 2:18. They despise. “The Israelites despised God’s authority when they would not believe him. The angels despised God’s authority when they sinned. These people despise God by rejecting Jesus Christ! In fact, they reject all authority. And in their pride, they even insult the angels, and God himself!” Compare Jude 1:15; 2 Peter 2:10.
Verse 9
9.
Not even. “Look at the example of the chief angel Michael. Even he did not use insulting words to condemn the Devil who is a fallen angel! This ought to teach you that no human being should do such a thing as these false teachers are doing!” Jude refers to a Jewish tradition found in the apocryphal book, The Assumption of Moses. He only uses the fact he understands to be true, and does not imply that the apocryphal book is inspired. Compare 2 Peter 2:10-11.
Verse 10
10.
But these men. “They claim to have special knowledge, but they show they are liars by insulting things they do not understand! They are not able to judge spiritual matters, because they are not spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:14; Colossians 2:18)!” They know by Instinct. “They live on the level of animals! They destroy themselves by their own evil desires.” The false teachers were saying that God had made them as they were, and that they were only following God by living on the level of wild animals. Jude destroys their excuses by the things he says!
Verse 11
11.
How terrible for them. This is the kind of language Jesus uses in Matthew 23:13-15. That Cain took. Cain was selfish, jealous, and showed his hate by murdering his brother. That Balaam committed. See 2 Peter 2:15-16. As Korah rebelled. Numbers 16:1-35. He opposed the appointment of the family of Aaron to the priesthood. Jude sees the actions of the false teachers described in these three examples. They are motivated by hate and selfishness, by greed and love of money, and they reject God’s authority and the ones He has chosen to be teachers.
Verse 12
12.
Like dirty spots. “They are things of shame, like a dirty spot on a tablecloth.” In your fellowship meals. Paul condemned the abuse of the fellowship meals (1 Corinthians 11:17-22), but not the meals themselves. See notes on Acts 2:46; Acts 20:7, The false teachers took part in the fellowship meals out of selfish motives, without any love for the brothers. Of themselves only. 1 Corinthians 11:21. Like clouds. 2 Peter 2:17. Like trees. Compare Matthew 21:19 and note. They died in both a Jewish and a Christian vineyard!
Verse 13
13.
Like wild waves. Isaiah 57:20. Like wandering star·. “Since they have rejected Jesus Christ and the truth, they are like shooting stars who flash across the sky and are gone forever!” 2 Peter 2:17.
Verse 14
14.
It was Enoch. Jewish tradition preserved some of the things which Enoch said. A Book of Enoch existed, but it was probably written in the first century B.C. Since Jude writes by inspiration, he quotes only facts, and does not authenticate the Book of Enoch. Sixth direct descendant. 1) Adam; 2) Seth; 3) Enos; 4) Cainan; 5) Mahalaleel; 6) Jared; 7) Enoch. The Lord will come. Enoch looks forward to a Day of Judgment! Compare Matthew 25:31.
Verse 15
15.
To bring Judgment. “Do not be fooled by what the false teachers say! Sinners will not escape the results of their godless deeds nor the terrible words they have spoken against God by saying that Jesus Christ was a phony (impostor) who deserved the death which he died!”
Verse 16
16.
These men. This is Jude’s description of them. “These ungodly teachers grumble against God for their hardships, and blame others for their problems (which they bring on themselves)! They are loud-mouthed boasters about themselves, who are insolent to the Roman authorities, and who will not listen to the true teachers. They flatter others to get their own way in the things that are done, and also to get people’s money for themselves!”
Verse 17
17.
But remember! “To prevent them from fooling even you, I ask you to remember what the true apostles of our Lord Jesus told you in the past!”
Verse 18
18.
When the last days come. See 1 John 2:18 and note. The last days began at Pentecost (Acts 2:16-17 and notes). Men will appear. “The apostles told you many times that these things would happen. People will make fun of the self-control and holy living that they see in you!” Compare 2 Peter 3:3; 1 Peter 4:2-5; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-9. The Book of Revelation also deals with this.
Verse 19
19.
Who cause divisions. “In order to do as they please, they cause divisions and separate themselves and their followers from the fellowship of the messianic community (church).” Compare 1 Corinthians 11:19. Who do not have the Spirit. “These may claim to have the Spirit, but their claim is false!” Compare Romans 8:9. [It is also possible that he means: “They are so fascinated with their sensuous desires, that they no longer have any real sense of the spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:14). Did they ever really have the Spirit??? Compare Hebrews 6:4-6.]
Verse 20
20.
But you, my friends. “You, who do have the Spirit (Acts 5:32), by your conduct and by encouraging one another, must continue to build yourselves up on the foundation of your most sacred faith (the Good News)!” The false teachers proclaimed an un-sacred or unholy faith. Pray in the power. Mac-Knight views this as inspired prayer. Compare 1 Corinthians 14:15; James 5:14-15. But it is also true that every Christian has the Holy Spirit as his prayer-partner (Romans 8:26 and notes). The false teachers could have no such prayer-partner! Prayer and immorality are incompatible!!!
Verse 21
21.
And keep yourselves. “God does not cease to love any man, since God himself is love. However, you as a person must keep yourself within the circle of His fatherly love, which is only available to the one who can truthfully say, ‘Father! my Father!’ (Romans 8:15). As you wait. See Philippians 3:20-21. The false teachers did not wait (2 Peter 3:4)!
Verse 22
22.
Show mercy. “Some Christians have honest doubts brought on by the things the false teachers have said. Be gentle and kind as you try to bring them back to the truth of Christ!” Compare Galatians 6:1.
Verse 23
23.
Out of the fire. “I want to impress on you just how serious the matter of sin really is! When you rescue Christians from the false teachers, you are snatching them out of the fire!” But hate their very clothes. The symbolism is that of Leviticus 13:47-52. “Even some of the false teachers themselves can be saved! But you must be afraid, even while you are trying to influence them, because you could be infected with the disease of sin and unbelief! However, it is our PURPOSE to save as many as possible!” Compare 1 Corinthians 9:19-22.
Verse 24
24.
To him. To God our Father. Who is able. “To give you courage to run the full distance in the faith, and to show you God’s promise, I tell you He is able to keep you from falling into error or sin!” See 1 Corinthians 10:13. And bring you. “God has acted in Christ to set us free! By means of Christ, He is able to bring you faultless and joyful before His glorious presence at the Judgment!” Compare Paul’s prayer in 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
Verse 25
25.
To the only God. See note on Romans 16:27. Through Jesus Christ. God saves us through Jesus Christ our Lord! [Both the TEV and NIV follow the corrected Greek text.] And forever and ever! Compare Revelation 5:0 and notes. These last two verses are Jude’s doxology of praise to the God of Israel and to His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord!!!