{"id":36,"date":"2017-09-13T12:54:22","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T10:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/?p=36"},"modified":"2017-10-13T19:49:16","modified_gmt":"2017-10-13T17:49:16","slug":"the-book-of-jude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/2017\/09\/13\/the-book-of-jude\/","title":{"rendered":"The Book of Jude"},"content":{"rendered":"
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ONE<\/p>\n

Introduction\u2014<\/em>1\u20132<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

1\u00a0Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: 2\u00a0Mercy unto you and peace and love be mult<\/span>iplied.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A. The Author\u20141a<\/a><\/p>\n

In the English text, the author is said to be Jude<\/em>. The Greek reads Judas<\/em>, exactly the same as the name Judas Iscariot, and it would normally be translated as such. In order to avoid the negative connotation of the name Judas, translators have chosen to translate the name as \u201cJude.\u201d The name Judas<\/em> is the Hellenized form for \u201cJudah\u201d and, when Jude<\/em> is mentioned in the Gospels (Matthew 13:55<\/a>; Mark 6:3<\/a>), he is referred to not as \u201cJude\u201d but as \u201cJudas.\u201d This is an inconsistency found in English translations. This Jude identifies himself as a servant of Jesus Christ<\/em>; he emphasizes the spiritual relationship he has with Jesus as one of being His servant<\/em>. Jude<\/em> also had another relationship with Jesus in that he was the half-brother of Jesus as was Jacob\/James. Jude<\/em> was the son of Mary as was Jesus and, therefore, Jude<\/em> and Jesus had the same mother. However, Jude<\/em> was the biological son of Joseph and, therefore, had a different father. He also identifies himself as the brother of<\/em> James<\/em>. While Jude<\/em> was the half-brother of Jesus, he was the full brother of Jacob\/James, the author of the Epistle of James. Although Jacob\/James was an Apostle, Jude does not classify himself as an Apostle and excludes himself from apostleship in verse 17<\/a> of his book. He was a servant of Jesus Christ<\/em> at the time he wrote the book, but he was an unbeliever before the resurrection (Jn. 7:3\u20135<\/a>). He became a believer as a result of the resurrection as did Jacob\/James; this fact is apparent from Acts 1:14<\/a> where Jesus\u2019 half-brothers are part of the group praying in the upper room.<\/p>\n

A few other facts about Jude can be noted. He was a traveling evangelist and his wife traveled with him (1 Cor. 9:5<\/a>). In his epistle, Jude does what others did not do\u2014he quoted from apocryphal literature. This does not mean he authenticated these apocryphal books as being Scripture; he simply made reference to those elements in the apocryphal books that contain truths. This is similar to Paul\u2019s quotations of Greek pagan poets and philosophers of Crete (Titus 1:12\u201313<\/a>) and Athens (Acts 17:28<\/a>). Verse 9<\/a> of Jude refers to The Assumption of Moses; verses 14\u201315<\/a> refer to The Book of Enoch. Nevertheless, Jude neither verifies that everything in The Assumption of Moses is true nor verifies that everything in The Book of Enoch is true. Yet, there were true elements contained in these books, and he authenticates only those true elements. Jude makes heavy use of triads because he thinks in terms of threes. There are a total of fourteen triads in his book. According to Heggisippus, as quoted by Eusebius, Jude had sons and grandsons. Because these grandsons were members of the House of David, the Emperor Domitian viewed them as potential leaders of a revolt against Rome and had them brought before his judgment seat. They showed their callused hands to the Emperor, proving themselves to be farmers who were not seeking an earthly kingdom but a heavenly one. They were released and lived into the second century.<\/p>\n

As mentioned in the introduction to II Peter, anyone reading II Peter and Jude will notice a great deal of similarity, which makes it obvious that one is quoting from the other. Peter wrote in the future tense whereas Jude writes in the past tense. Peter predicted events that would happen in the future whereas Jude writes about the same events after they have already occurred. It is apparent that Jude is quoting II Peter, and there are thirteen quotations from II Peter contained in the Book of Jude:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Jude 3<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 1:5<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 4<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:1<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 6<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:4<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 7<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:6<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 8<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:10<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 9<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:11<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 10<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:12<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 11<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:15<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 12<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:13<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 12\u201313<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:17<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 16<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 2:18<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 17<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 3:2<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jude 18<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

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2 Peter 3:3<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The date of Jude\u2019s book is probably somewhere between the years A.D. 67 and 68.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

B. The Recipients\u20141b<\/a><\/p>\n

Jude is clearly writing to believers because he is addressing those who are: called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ<\/em>. It might be true that he is writing to b<\/span>elievers in general. However, due to the strong similarity to II Peter and the fact Jude tells his audience that the events of which the Apostles warned them have now come to pass, it would indicate the Book of Jude was written to the same bo<\/span>dy of Jewish believers\u2014the very same Messianic Jewish audience\u2014to whom I and II Peter were written. The purpose of this epistle is to warn the recipients that the prophecy of II Peter has now been fulfilled. In verse <\/span>1<\/a>, Jude presents the first of his triads, which spells out what it means to be saved: called<\/em>, beloved<\/em>, and kept<\/em>. The believers were called<\/em> by<\/span> the Holy Spirit. Theologically, this \u201ceffectual calling\u201d is a work of the Holy Spirit; it is the calling that brings one to salvation. They are beloved in God the Father<\/em>, which is a result of their b<\/span>eing elected by God the Father. They are kept for Jesus Christ<\/em> and this guarantees their eternal security. The meaning of salvation, which is found in the first triad, is to be called<\/em> by the Holy Spir<\/span>it, to be positionally beloved in God the Father<\/em>, and to be kept<\/em> for Jesus the Messiah.<\/p>\n

C. The Salutation\u20142<\/p>\n

The salutation in verse 2<\/a> contains the second triad: mercy<\/em>, peace<\/em>, and love<\/em>. James and Peter simply had a twofold salutation\u2014grace and peace\u2014but Jude likes to think in terms of tri<\/span>ads and includes three elements: mercy<\/em>, peace<\/em>, and love<\/em>. Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied<\/em>. Indeed, when God grants mercy, the result is the multiplication of peace and love.<\/p>\n

Other comme<\/span>ntaries have realized that this is uniquely a Messianic Jewish epistle. Barkley comments:<\/p>\n

When we read Jude it is obviously Jewish; its references are such that only a Jew could understand them, and i<\/span>ts allusions are such that only a Jew could catch them. It is simple and rugged; it is vivid and pictorial. It is clearly the work of a simple thinker rather than a theologian. It fits Jude the brother of the Lord. It is attached to his name, and there could be no reason for so attaching it unless he did in f<\/span>act write it.1<\/a><\/p>\n

Green, denying that this epistle supports Catholicism states:<\/p>\n

No, this let<\/span>ter comes from the heart of Jewish Christianity. It is nourished by the beliefs and assumptions of apocalyptic Judaism. All the evidence points in this way\u2014the rugged Jewishness of the Epistle, the use of those a<\/span>pocalyptic books Enoch<\/em> and the Testament of Moses<\/em>, the midrash pesher exegesis (i.e<\/em>. homiletic exposition with, particularly in the Qumran Community, an application of the biblical prophec<\/span>ies to the \u2018end times\u2019) of verses 5\u201319<\/a>, the stress on ethics rather than doctrinal formulation, and the Jewish affinities of the language Jude uses.<\/p>\n

Jude is no defensive Catholic tract from the second<\/span> century, but a passionate defence of Jewish Christian faith and life to believers living in the midst of a pluralistic and permissive pagan society. And therein lies one of its great values for Chris<\/span>tians the world over in our own day.2<\/a><\/p>\n

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TWO<\/p>\n

The Warning Against False Teachers\u2014<\/em>3\u201316<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A. The Occasion for the Letter\u20143\u20134<\/a><\/p>\n

3\u00a0Beloved, 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. 4\u00a0For there are certain men crept in privately, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Jude begins, in verse 3a<\/a>, by explaining his original intent. The use of the word beloved<\/em> is how he, like others, begins a new section. By calling them beloved<\/em>, he not only signals the beginning of a new section but also identifies the recipients as believers. Jude\u2019s original intent was to write<\/em> concerning their common salvation<\/em>. He had been planning to write to them but, originally, his intent was to write concerning Soteriology, the doctrine of salvation. However, as he explains, he found it necessary to change the purpose of his writing and, in verses 3b\u20134<\/a>, he declares his present intent.<\/p>\n

He points out, in verse 3b<\/a>, that he was constrained to write<\/em> a letter of exhortation, and the point of this exhortation is to contend earnestly for the faith<\/em>. The word faith<\/em> in Greek has a definite article; it is the<\/em> faith, emphasizing the body of apostolic teaching. This body of apostolic teaching was once f<\/em>or all delivered unto the saints<\/em>. Initially, Jude intended to write to them regarding salvation but, now, he wants to write to them regarding apologetics in order to encourage them to contend earnestl<\/em>y for the faith<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In verse 4<\/a>, he provides the reason as to why he changed the purpose of his letter. The reason he gives is that certain men crept in privately<\/em>. The Greek word for crept in privately<\/em> means \u201cto get in by the back door;\u201d \u201cto creep in subtly;\u201d \u201cto steal in.\u201d In other words, false teachers have snuck in. In his third triad, Jude notes three things about the false teachers. First, these false teachers were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation<\/em>. Here, Jude references a divine decree issued by God against all unbelievers that condemns the unbelievers to eternal damnation if they never come to saving faith; there is a condemnation against these people that was written of beforehand<\/em>. Second, these false teachers are ungodly men<\/em>, showing them to be unbelievers. Their sin is that they turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness<\/em>; they use the grace<\/em> of God as an excuse to practice immorality. Third, these false teachers are denying our only Master and Lord<\/em>; they are denying both the person and the work of Jesus the Messiah. That which Peter said about the coming false teachers in 2 Peter 2:1<\/a> is the same as Jude now says about the false teachers who have already arrived.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1. The Lesson of History\u20145\u20137<\/a><\/p>\n

5\u00a0Now 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. 6\u00a0And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7\u00a0Even 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.<\/p>\n

Simply stated, the lesson from history is that God will judge sin. In verse 5a<\/a>, Jude wants to bring the believers to remembrance as did Peter. He writes that they already know all thing<\/em>s<\/em> and they know these things once for all;<\/em> yet, it will do no harm to remind them of certain facts. His intent is to bring them to remembrance. By means of the fourth triad, he next brings to the believers\u2019 remembrance three lessons from history.<\/p>\n

For the first lesson, in verse 5b<\/a>, Jude brings to remembrance the example of the Wilderness Wanderings: God did save a people out of Egypt<\/em> but, because of their unbelief, He destroyed<\/em> many of those very same people He had saved out of Egypt. In other words, God saved a people out of the land of Egypt<\/em>, but then God destroyed<\/em> the unbelievers. This is one important lesson concerning unbelievers.<\/p>\n

For the second lesson, in verse 6<\/a>, Jude brings to remembrance the example of the angels of Genesis 6<\/a>. He makes four points about these angels. (1) They were angels that kept not their own principality<\/em>. Their own principality<\/em> was the angelic sphere, and Jude is making the point that they did not remain in their own angelic sphere but chose to leave it. The Greek word for kept not<\/em> means they did not \u201cattend to their own business.\u201d They did not keep proper vigilance and guard; they did not stay within the angelic sphere but chose to enter the human sphere. (2) These angels left their proper habitation<\/em>; they left<\/em> the abode of fallen angels, which is the atmospheric heavens (Eph. 2:2<\/a>; 6:12<\/a>). They left that heavenly abode of the atmospheric heavens, their proper habitation, and they entered the earthly abode. When angels (whether good or bad) appear, they appear as young men. These fallen angels appeared as young men and intermarried with human women. In this way, they left their proper habitation<\/em>. As pointed out in the II Peter discussion, the angels intermarried with human women in an attempt to thwart and corrupt the Seed of the Woman prophesied in Genesis 3:15<\/a>. Genesis 6<\/a> was Satan\u2019s response to Genesis 3:15<\/a>. (3) These angels are now kept in everlasting bonds under darkness<\/em> as a result of that sin. When God used the Noahic flood to destroy the product of the intermarriage between fallen angels and human women, these fallen angels were placed in permanent confinement. As II Peter stated, they were confined in a place known as Tartarus<\/span>. This is not the same as the Abyss where some fallen angels or demons are temporarily confined. Tartarus<\/span> is a permanent place of confinement, and these fallen angels of Genesis 6<\/a> are kept there in eve<\/em>rlasting bonds<\/em>. Furthermore, they are under darkness<\/em> for Tartarus<\/span> is not a place of light but a place of utter blackness. (4) These fallen angels are confined unto the judgment of the great day<\/em>; they are confined until the time of the Great White Throne Judgment. These fallen angels will never be free again. However, when this earth is destroyed after the Millennium, they will be summoned from Tar<\/span>tarus<\/span> in order to appear before the Great White Throne Judgment after which they will be cast into the Lake of Fire. This lesson from Genesis 6<\/a> is an example from history used to remind the believers that God knows how to punish sinners.<\/p>\n

For the third lesson, in verse 7<\/a>, Jude brings to remembrance the example of Sodom and Gomorrah: Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them<\/em>. In addition to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the two cities of Admah and Zeboiim were also destroyed (Deut. 29:23<\/a>; Hos. 11:8<\/a>). Jude next states: in like manner<\/em>. To what do the words in like manner<\/em> refer? Jude is referring to the like manner<\/em> of the angels of Genesis 6<\/a>. There is a similarity between the sin of the angels of Genesis 6<\/a> and the sin of the men of Sodom and Gomorrah<\/em>. The point of similarity is: given themselves over to fornication<\/em>. The word fornication<\/em> refers to sexual sins. Just as the men of Sodom and Gomorrah<\/em> were guilty of sexual sins, the angels of Genesis 6<\/a> were also guilty of sexual sins. However, the point of similarity goes further: gone after strange flesh<\/em>, which means flesh of a different nature. These men and angels had sexual intercourse that was unnatural; they had sexual relations that went contrary to nature. For the men of Sodom<\/em>, Gomorrah<\/em>, Admah, and Zeboiim the strange flesh<\/em> was homosexuality. In the case of the angels of Genesis 6<\/a>, the strange flesh was intermarrying and having sexual intercourse with human women. This was flesh<\/em> of another kind. Of the two different Greek words for another, the one used here means \u201canother of a different kind\u201d rather than \u201canother of a same kind.\u201d These men and angels had gone after flesh of a different kind rather than after flesh of the same kind. In order to fully understand the issue, it is important to note that the angels of verse 6<\/a> and the men of verse 7<\/a> are guilty not only of fornication<\/em>, guilty of sexual sins, but they are also guilty of unnatural sexual sins. The strange flesh<\/em> for the angels was intermarrying with human women while the strange flesh<\/em> for the men of the cities was homosexuality. But now, the men of Sodom<\/em>, Gomorrah<\/em>, and the other cities serve as an example<\/em> of a judgment of sin. They, too, are now suffering eternal fire<\/em>. Jude used this example, as well as the other two examples, to remind the believers that God knows how to judge sin. The lesson from history is that God will judge sin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

2. The Deeds of False Teachers\u20148\u201310<\/a><\/p>\n

8\u00a0Yet in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at nought dominion, and rail at dignities. 9\u00a0But Michael the archangel, when contending<\/span> with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke you. 10\u00a0But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they <\/span>understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed.<\/p>\n

In verses 8\u201310<\/a>, Jude lists five specific deeds and verse 8<\/a> contains the fifth triad: defile the flesh; and <\/em><\/span>set at nought dominion; and rail at dignities<\/em>. The first deed Jude lists is: the false teachers defile the flesh<\/em> (v. 8a<\/a>). Jude states in like manner, which again indicates a problem involving sexual s<\/span>ins. These false teachers, as Jude previously noted, have come into the Body to spread lasciviousness. They use Jesus as a cloak to hide their deeds rather than openly stating their actual beliefs. Jude also states: <\/span>in their dreamings<\/em>, which speaks of prophetic dreams. The Greek word for dreaming<\/em> is used only here and in Acts 2:17<\/a>. He indicates these false teachers claim divine, special revelation<\/span> in their promotion of immorality.<\/p>\n

The second deed Jude lists is: they are guilty of lawlessness in that they set at nought dominion<\/em> (v. 8b<\/a>); the false teachers refuse to subject themselves to human a<\/span>uthority in general and to the elders of the church in particular.<\/p>\n

The third deed Jude lists is: railing against beings greater than they are: they rail at dignities<\/em> (vv. 8c\u20139<\/a>). The Greek word for dig<\/em><\/span>nities<\/em> means \u201cglories,\u201d which points to non-human dignitaries; in this case, the dignities<\/em> would be angelic beings. The false teachers rail against angelic beings (\u201cglories\u201d) who are greater than them<\/span>selves. In verse 9<\/a>, Jude refers to Michael<\/em> who, as the archangel<\/em>, has a great amount of authority but never fell into this same type of sin. Here, he refers to an event recorded in The Assumption of M<\/span>oses. (Jude\u2019s inclusion of this event verifies only that this one event found in The Assumption is a true statement. He is not verifying the truth of the work as a whole.) The event referred to is the dispute between <\/span>Michael the Archangel<\/em> and Satan over the body of Moses<\/em> at the time of Moses\u2019 death. Satan\u2019s argument for claiming the body of Moses<\/em> was that Moses<\/em> became a murderer when he killed the<\/span> Egyptian overseer. Michael<\/em>, although he is the Archangel<\/em>, did not rail against Satan because, positionally, Satan is greater than Michael<\/em>. Satan is a Cherub (Ezek. 28:11\u201319<\/a>) and Michael<\/em> is an angel; <\/span>Cherubs are positionally greater than angels. Michael<\/em>, although he is the archangel<\/em>\u2014the one who has authority over all other angels, knew his place in the angelic hierarchy; therefore, Michael<\/em> did not<\/span> rail against someone greater than himself even though Satan was a fallen creature. Since Satan, even though fallen, was the anointed cherub, he still had positional dignity that Michael<\/em> respected. In<\/span>stead of railing against Satan, Michael<\/em> simply committed the situation to the Lord and said: The Lord rebuke you<\/em>. This demonstrates it is possible to contend for the faith without being contentious.<\/p>\n

T<\/span>he fourth deed Jude lists is: they rail<\/em> against things they know nothing about (v. 10a<\/a>). They are self-declared experts pontificating about things of which they are ignorant.<\/p>\n

The fifth deed Jude lists<\/span> is: what they do understand naturally<\/em> will eventually end up destroying them (v. 10b<\/a>). The Greek word for understand<\/em> here means \u201canimal perception.\u201d They may possess a degree of animal perception, bu<\/span>t even that perception will end up destroying them. The word naturally<\/em> means \u201cworldly.\u201d The false teachers lack spiritual life, which again points out the fact these are not believers who went astray.<\/span> Jude is writing about people who were never believers. They simply began associating with the Church and pretended to be believers for the purpose of spreading their own false teachings.<\/p>\n

3. The Status of False Teachers\u201411\u201313<\/a><\/p>\n

11\u00a0Woe 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. 12\u00a0These are they <\/span>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<\/span> roots; 13\u00a0wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved for ever.<\/p>\n

In verse 11<\/a>, in his sixth triad, Jude poi<\/span>nts out that the present false teachers are just like these sinners of the Old Testament. He provides three examples. In the first example, the false teachers are guilty of going in the way of Cain. C<\/em><\/span>ain<\/em> is a man from the Old Testament who chose the incorrect path. To go in the way of Cain<\/em> is to seek one\u2019s own way to God rather than to choose the way God has ordained. Cain<\/em> is characterized as some<\/span>one who had no love for the brethren. These false teachers are guilty of a sin similar to the one of Cain<\/em> because they have chosen their own immoral way to God. In the second example, the false teache<\/span>rs are guilty of the error of Balaam. Balaam<\/em> was a man who ran riotously<\/em> headlong down the same path as did Cain<\/em>. Characterized by greed, Balaam\u2019s intent was not to minister by serving God but to gain<\/span> reward\u2014to minister on behalf of money. These false teachers, like Balaam<\/em>, are looking for ways to gain money. They are using the ministry as a means of gaining wealth rather than viewing the ministry<\/span> simply as a means of serving God while making a living from the ministry in a decent way. Balaam<\/em> was also guilty of giving advice that led to immorality, and the false teachers are guilty of this sam<\/span>e sin. In the third example, the false teachers are guilty of the gainsaying of Korah<\/em>, who was one who finally perished at the end of the gainsaying path. Korah<\/em> spoke contrary to the ordinance of God;<\/span> he spoke against the Word. God chose Aaron to be priest, but Korah<\/em> desired that office for himself and began speaking against Moses and Aaron. God intervened by causing the earth to swallow Korah<\/em> and<\/span> his family. Like Cain<\/em>, the false teachers lack the love of the brethren; like Balaam<\/em>, they are motivated to greed and lust; like Korah<\/em>, they are guilty of rebellion.<\/p>\n

In verses 12\u201313<\/a>, in the seventh a<\/span>nd eighth triads, Jude describes the false teachers by noting six similitudes or similarities. First, they are like hidden rocks<\/em> lying just below the surface of the water and, since they cannot be see<\/span>n, they cause shipwrecks; these false teachers are guilty of shipwrecking the faith of many. More to the point, they are like stones in your love-feast<\/em>, the agape<\/span> feast. The love-feast refers to the e<\/span>arly believers\u2019 practice of eating a full meal in connection with the celebration of the Lord\u2019s Supper (1 Cor. 11:17\u201321<\/a>). The comparison here is that the false teachers are like little stones hidden i<\/span>n the food one eats and, when a person bites down on these stones, the result is a cracked tooth. Second, they are like shepherds<\/em> who, without fear<\/em> of God or man, feed only themselves. They have no co<\/span>ncern for the flock, and only view it as being a source of their own food. The same point is made in John 10:1<\/a>. Third, the false teachers are like clouds<\/em> that promise much rain but contain no water<\/em> an<\/span>d blow away with the wind similar to those mentioned in Proverbs 25:14<\/a>. Their only accomplishment is to hide the sun. The clouds<\/em>, as the false teachers, lack content. Fourth, the false teachers are li<\/span>ke autumn trees without fruit, twice dead<\/em>. The trees<\/em> did not produce fruit<\/em> in either the spring or the fall; therefore, they are proven to be twice dead<\/em> and are now to be plucked up by the roots<\/em> never<\/span> to be restored. The false teachers are characterized by fruitlessness. Fifth, they are like wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame<\/em>; constantly foaming<\/em>, never at peace, and always characte<\/span>rized by restlessness. Sixth, they are like wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness<\/em> [is] reserved forever<\/em>. The blackness of darkness<\/em> is a term describing the Lake of Fire. These stars<\/em> are <\/span>not literal stars because literal stars do not end up in the Lake of Fire. The word star<\/em>, when used symbolically, usually represents an angel. These false teachers are like wandering stars<\/em>; they are l<\/span>ike fallen angels destined for the Lake of Fire. Indeed, for both the false teachers and the fallen angels, the blackness of darkness is now reserved forever<\/em>.<\/p>\n

4. The Judgment of False Teachers\u201414\u201316<\/a><\/p>\n

14\u00a0And to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15\u00a0to execute judgment upon al<\/span>l, 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. 16\u00a0These are murmurers, c<\/span>omplainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaks great swelling words), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage.<\/p>\n

Jude begins to conclude his first main division, in verses 14<\/span>\u201315<\/a>, by dealing with the judgment of false teachers as prophesied by Enoch<\/em>. He refers to Enoch<\/em> as the seventh from Adam<\/em> because he is the seventh generation following Adam: Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, M<\/span>ahalalel, Jared, and Enoch<\/em>. This is Jude\u2019s second excursion into an apocryphal book. Again, he is not authenticating the whole book but only verifying that this one statement in The Book of Enoch is t<\/span>rue. The prophecy of Enoch<\/em>, to which he refers in verse 14<\/a>, is that the Lord is coming with<\/em> His saints. When Jesus returns at the Second Coming, He will come with<\/em> His saints who were taken up into Hea<\/span>ven in the Rapture. When He comes, He will come with ten thousands of his holy ones<\/em>. The word in Greek is \u201cmyriads.\u201d He will come with myriads of His saints. When Jude deals with the purpose of this c<\/span>oming in verse 15<\/a>, he presents the ninth triad. First, He is coming to execute judgment upon all<\/em>. Second, He is coming to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungo<\/em><\/span>dly wrought;<\/em> He will convict them for their ungodly<\/em> works. Third, He is coming to convict the ungodly of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him;<\/em> they will also be convicted <\/span>for their ungodly<\/em> words. They will be convicted by both what they say and what they do.<\/p>\n

In verse 16<\/a>, Jude tailors the application to the false teachers: for them, too, there is going to be a judgment <\/span>of both words and works. He describes the false teachers in his tenth triad. First, they are murmurers<\/em>, a Greek word used only here, referring to a low rumbling of resentful discontent (1 Cor. 10:10<\/a>; <\/span>Jn. 6:41<\/a>; 8:45<\/a>). The Corinthians passage uses the same word for the murmurers<\/em> of Israel in the Wilderness as a sign of their unbelief. Second, the false teachers are complainers<\/em>; a Greek word that mea<\/span>ns \u201cto find fault\u201d (Mk. 7:2\u20135<\/a>). They are always dissatisfied and are characterized by fault finding. Third, they are always walking after their lusts<\/em>. The false teachers are characterized as being con<\/span>trolled by their sin nature. What they are is evidenced by what they do. They have mouths speaking great swelling words<\/em> that allure others with false promises. They use their mouths to murmur and comp<\/span>lain. They are guilty of showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage<\/em>. For these two things, they will be condemned. Thus, the false teachers will be judged by their words and by their works.<\/p>\n

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<\/span><\/span>THREE<\/p>\n

The Warning Against Scoffers\u2014<\/em>17\u201319<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

17\u00a0But ye, beloved, remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18\u00a0that they said to you, In the last time th<\/span>ere shall be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts. 19\u00a0These are they who make separations, sensual, having not the Spirit.<\/p>\n

Jude follows the same structure as that found in 2 Peter 2\u20133<\/a>. In ch<\/span>apter 2<\/a>, Peter dealt with the issue of false teachers who would appear in the immediate future, and in chapter 3<\/a>, he dealt with the issue of scoffers who would appear in the distant future. In the pre<\/span>ceding verses, verses 4\u201316<\/a>, Jude wrote about the false teachers who have now arrived. Now, in verses 17\u201319<\/a>, he writes about the distant future when scoffers will appear, and he issues a warning agains<\/span>t these scoffers.<\/p>\n

The exhortation for remembrance is found in verse 17<\/a>. Jude begins a new section with the word beloved<\/em>. With the word remember<\/em>, Jude uses the first of several imperatives. In this new<\/span> section, he reminds believers of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles<\/em> such as Peter. The Apostle Paul also gave similar warnings (Acts 20:29\u201330<\/a>; 1 Tim. 4:1<\/a>; 2 Tim. 3:1\u20135<\/a>, 3:12\u20134:4<\/a>)<\/span>. In this verse, Jude excludes himself from being an apostle. (Peter did include himself as an apostle, but Jude does not claim to be one.) Furthermore, these are apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ<\/em> in <\/span>contrast to the false teachers both present and future. By using the plural apostles<\/em>, Jude points out to the believers that they have received more than one warning. A warning was found in 2 Peter 3<\/a>, <\/span>where Peter, as an apostle, had already warned the believers about the coming of these future scoffers. Another warning could have come from Paul. Jude merely reminds these believers of warnings they ha<\/span>ve already received through apostolic authority.<\/p>\n

In verse 18<\/a>, Jude describes the content of the mockery. The timing is in the last time<\/em>, which places it in the prophetic future. While the false teac<\/span>hers are an immediate problem, the scoffers will be a distant problem. The warning is that in the last days there shall be mockers<\/em>, walking after their own ungodly lusts<\/em>. Therefore, false teachers, th<\/span>e mockers, are also characterized by being controlled by their own sin nature. They, too, will be judged by their words (mocking) and works (walking). The Greek word for mockers<\/em> is used only here and <\/span>in 2 Peter 3:3<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Verse 19<\/a> contains the eleventh triad, and it describes the future mockers. First, Jude addresses one of their deeds: These are they who make separations<\/em>; they will cause schisms; they <\/span>will cause divisions; they will divide various churches within the Body of the Messiah. Second, they are sensual<\/em>. The Greek word used here is the same word Paul used in 1 Corinthians 2:14<\/a> in describin<\/span>g \u201cnatural\u201d men, which means unsaved men. This points out that the future mockers will not be believers who go astray. Rather, they will be unbelievers. Third, as if to drive that point home, not only are these mo<\/span>ckers sensual, natural men, but Jude also adds they will not have the Spirit<\/em> of God. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of God is an unsaved man; he is an unbeliever (Rom. 8:9<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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FOUR<\/p>\n

The Obligations of the Believers\u2014<\/em>20\u201323<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A. To Themselves\u201420\u201321<\/a><\/p>\n

20\u00a0But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21\u00a0keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.<\/p>\n

The basic obligation is to grow in God. With the word beloved<\/em>, Jude again begins a new division. The admonition is: building up yourselves<\/em> spiritually. This is to be done on yo<\/em>ur most holy faith<\/em>. This most holy faith<\/em> involves the body of apostolic teaching now contained in the Scripture. The means of building up is by the use of Scripture. By studying Scripture and incorporating its demands into their daily lives, believers will build themselves up.<\/p>\n

Jude then presents the twelfth triad, which is based upon the Trinity. The first part of the triad is: praying in the Holy<\/em> Spirit<\/em>. The role of the Holy Spirit<\/em> is to illuminate the mind to understand Scripture. The second part of the triad is: keep yourselves in the love of God<\/em>. This emphasizes the work of God the Father. The Greek word for keep<\/em> means \u201cwatchful care.\u201d Believers must exercise watchful care in order to remain in the love of God. The third part of the triad is: looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Chr<\/em>ist unto eternal life<\/em>. This is the role of God the Son. The focus is on the return of the Lord, which is the blessed hope for believers. This event is called the Rapture, through which Jesus Christ, in His mercy, will remove the believers from the coming days of the Great Tribulation and through which they will begin to experience eternal life<\/em> in Heaven. Therefore, the believer\u2019s obligation to himself is to grow in God by faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, by keeping himself in the love of God, and by living on the basis of the blessed hope.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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B. To Others\u201422\u201323<\/a><\/p>\n

22\u00a0And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; 23\u00a0and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The ba<\/span>sic obligation of believers is to minister to fellow believers. Jude uses the thirteenth triad to categorize ministry to fellow believers. There are three categories of believers specified and he introduces<\/span> each one of them with the word some.<\/p>\n

First, on some have mercy, who are in doubt<\/em> (v. 22<\/a>). The word mercy<\/em> means \u201cto have compassion;\u201d to have tenderness.\u201d This should be the attitude toward thos<\/span>e who are in doubt<\/em>: those who have honest, legitimate questions. This category of believers is not made up of people who are attempting to destroy the faith as do the false teachers. Rather, it is mad<\/span>e up of believers who have legitimate questions in their minds, which cause their faith to waver. These people are weak in the faith. When they raise questions of doubt<\/em>, they are seeking answers to ho<\/span>nest questions. The recipients have an obligation to extend mercy<\/em> to those who, due to their weakness in the faith, may have leanings toward the teachings of false teachers and apostates. The goal is <\/span>to answer all of the weaker believers\u2019 questions in order to help them in their growth toward spiritual maturity.<\/p>\n

Second, and some save, snatching them out of the fire<\/em> (v. 23a<\/a>). This is a second categ<\/span>ory of believers who must be approached with boldness as if snatching them from the fire<\/em>. The Greek word used here implies strenuous effort on the part of Jude\u2019s recipients. Those in this second categ<\/span>ory have progressed beyond merely doubting and raising questions. They have actually become involved with false doctrines. The goal is to save<\/em>, not in a salvation sense (they are already saved), but i<\/span>n an attempt to save them from the false doctrines in which they have become involved. The recipients must become instruments to be used in saving men from apostasy.<\/p>\n

Third, on some have mercy with fea<\/em><\/span>r<\/em> (v. 23b<\/a>). This is a third category of believers who have gone beyond the first two stages: they have gone beyond mere doubt and beyond mere involvement in false teachings. They have now become activ<\/span>e in spreading these false teachings. The recipients must use caution when dealing with this third category of straying believers: have mercy<\/em> upon them, but do so with fear<\/em>, with caution, hating even <\/em><\/span>the garments spotted by the flesh<\/em>. The recipients must be careful because the believers who are spreading the false teachings might, by their sin, contaminate the recipients. The spiritual believer\u2019s <\/span>robe of righteousness must not be polluted by the sin nature. Contamination can come by even entertaining these false teachings.<\/p>\n

There are three levels of straying: (1) There are those who are merely <\/span>expressing questions of doubt; (2) There are those who are involved with false teachings but go no further; (3) There are those who are spreading false teachings. The spiritual believer must respond differently to all three categories of believers.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
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FIVE<\/p>\n

Benediction\u2014<\/em>24\u201325<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

24\u00a0Now 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, 25\u00a0to 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.<\/p>\n

In verse 24<\/a>, Jude states two actions that God can perform. First, God is able to guar<\/em>d you from stumbling<\/em>. The Greek word used here for guard<\/em> means \u201cto be kept under a military guard for safe conduct;\u201d \u201cfor safe custody.\u201d God is able to keep the believers in safe custody. While the believers may indeed stumble in their spiritual lives, they will never stumble to the point of loosing their salvation, not because the keeping of salvation depends on them but because it is dependent upon God\u2019s power to keep them. Second, God is able to set you in the presence of his glory without blemish<\/em>. The Greek word for without blemish<\/em> is a sacrificial term; as the Passover lamb was to be with<\/em>out blemish<\/em>. God is able to set believers in the presence of His glory<\/em>, which will be true at the Rapture when they are taken up into Heaven. Therefore, when the believer is in the presence of His glo<\/em>ry<\/em>, it will be in exceeding joy<\/em>. In noting what God is able to do, Jude makes two statements; one statement pertains to the present and the other statement pertains to the future. At the present time, God is able to keep believers from stumbling. Because He is able to do this at the present time, in the future, God will be able to set believers in the presence of His glory.<\/p>\n

Then in verse 25<\/a>, he states eight things that describe what God is. (1) He is the only God<\/em>. This is a statement against the polytheism of that day; there are not many gods; there is only one God\u2014the God of the Bible. (2) He is the Saviour<\/em>. This statement opposes those who reject substitutionary atonement. He is also the only Saviour<\/em>, and there is no salvation apart from Him. From the perspective of the Old Testament, God is the only Saviour<\/em> (Isaiah 45:15<\/a>). In the New Testament, the word is used eight times of God the Father and sixteen times of the Son indicating that Jesus is God since only God could be Saviour. (3) This salvation is through Jesus Christ<\/em>. He is the content and means of salvation faith. Salvation comes through Jesus Christ<\/em>. This statement emphasizes that Jesus<\/em> the Messiah is the only means of salvation and speaks out against those who deny His Saviourship and His Messiahship. The false teachers were denying the Master who bought them; they were denying both the person and the work of Jesus<\/em> the Messiah, and this statement speaks out against that denial. (4) God is glory<\/em>, which is a reference to the Shechinah<\/span> Glory, the unique glory that belongs to God alone. It emphasizes God in all the fullness of His brightness. (5) God is majesty<\/em>. This emphasizes the greatness of God and states that He is regal. He is the royal God; He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (6) God is dominion<\/em>. This emphasizes rule. The term majesty<\/em> emphasizes God as the King of Kings, but the word dominion<\/em> emphasizes God as the Lord of Lords. He rules over His entire creation and everything is under His control. Nothing happens outside of His control. Many things that occur do so because of His directive will. Many other things happen merely because of His permissive will. However, whatever does occur, whether it is by directive will or permissive will, is part of His control. He is never out of control. (7) God is power<\/em>, a word that means \u201cauthority.\u201d He has the authority to carry out His decreetive will; God has the power and authority to carry out whatever He directively wills. (8) God is eternity<\/em>, and eternity<\/em> has three facets: past, present, and future. Jude concludes his epistle with the fourteenth and last triad, which describes the eternality of God. Concerning the past, God is before all time<\/em>. He has always existed before all time<\/em>. Concerning the present, and now<\/em> He still does exist. God still exercises control. He still is. Concerning the future, and for evermore<\/em>. He always will exist for all eternity future.<\/p>\n

The letter concludes with the word Amen<\/em>, which is a Hebrew word meaning \u201cso be it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ONE Introduction\u20141\u20132 1\u00a0Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ: 2\u00a0Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. A. The Author\u20141a In the English text, the author is said to be Jude. The Greek reads Judas, exactly … <\/p>\n

\u201eThe Book of Jude\u201c <\/span>weiterlesen<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36\/revisions\/37"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}