Annotations for Jude

1 Jude . . . a brother of James. Jude’s lack of elaboration on his office suggests that he is the well-known Jude, brother not only of James, current leader of the Jerusalem church, but half-brother of Jesus as well (cf. Mk 6:3; Ac 1:14; 1Co 9:5). Although a son of Joseph and Mary, he now describes his half-brother Jesus as “Lord” (v. 4) rather than as brother. servant. See note on Ro 1:1.

4 whose condemnation was written about long ago. Earlier false prophets had insisted that because of God’s special favor for his people, judgment would not come on them—a teaching that led to sin (Jer 6:14; 8:11; 23:17; Eze 13:10, 16; Mic 3:5). the grace of our God. Biblical grace means forgiveness and power to overcome sin, not permission to act immorally.

5 later destroyed those who did not believe. God redeemed Israel, but many rebelled in the wilderness and were destroyed (e.g., Ex 32:35; Nu 11:33; 14:29; 16:32, 35, 49; 21:6; 25:9; 26:10).

6 angels who did not keep their positions of authority. In most ancient Jewish traditions, the “sons of God” in Ge 6:1–4 were fallen angels who left their assigned positions to have intercourse with women (see note on 2Pe 2:4). in darkness, bound with everlasting chains. In the earliest surviving source for these traditions (1 Enoch), the fallen angels were imprisoned and bound; Azazel was thrown into “darkness,” which was applied to the realm of the dead in much ancient tradition. judgment on the great Day. First Enoch also uses “great Day” for the day of judgment (1 Enoch 22:11; 54:6; 84:4).

7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah. May allude to their pursuit of angels (Ge 19:5), in light of Jude 6; Jude 8 probably mentions disrespect for angels. Yet because Jewish tradition would not call angels “flesh” and the Sodomites did not realize that their prospective victims were angels, many suggest that Jude’s point here is their attempt at homosexual rape. Some ancient interpreters emphasized Sodomites’ homosexual sin, but more often they focused on their lack of hospitality, an “arrogant” sin (Eze 16:49) or sexual immorality in general, in which Jewish interpreters included homosexual but also nonmarital heterosexual acts. gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. In Scripture (e.g., Isa 3:9; Jer 23:14) and still more often in later Jewish tradition, Sodom epitomized sinfulness. perversion. Here is lit. “strange” or “other flesh,” perhaps meaning “other [than what was natural].” example of . . . the punishment of eternal fire. Sodom and Gomorrah were examples of destruction (e.g., Dt 29:23; Isa 1:9–10).

8 their dreams. May imply the activity of false prophets, who prophesy lies based on their dreams (Jer 23:25). pollute. In view of v. 7 and mention of “their own bodies,” the term could apply to homosexual acts (Lev 18:22, 24) or to rape (Ge 34:5, 13, 27); though by itself it could also apply to a wide range of other activities, including desecration of sacred sites or incurring impurity from touching corpses. authority. The Greek term could apply to earthly rulers but could also apply to the angelic rulers behind them (see notes on Eph 1:21; Col 1:16); in any case, earthly authorities could see it as subversive (just as Rome appreciated subject nations honoring Roma, the goddess personifying Rome).

9 the archangel Michael. Only two angels are named in the OT: Michael (Da 10:13, 21; 12:1) and Gabriel (Da 8:16; 9:21), though the Apocrypha and other sources add others. Michael and Gabriel thus became the two most popular angels in Jewish tradition, with Michael as Israel’s guardian and generally the most prominent archangel. the devil. Following Scripture (Job 1:9–11; 2:4–5; Zec 3:1), Jewish tradition viewed the devil as an accuser. the body of Moses. Jewish traditions about Moses’ death (or lack of it, despite Dt 34:5–7) varied widely, and Jude’s allusion appears to fit one of these versions, in the Testament of Moses. did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” Here the great archangel Michael did not challenge the devil’s slander against Moses but deferred the issue to God, the supreme judge. This incident follows a principle in Scripture; in Zec 3:2, God’s angelic messenger defends the high priest against Satan’s accusation by crying, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan!”

10 these people slander whatever they do not understand. The false teachers were insulting angelic powers, probably including Satan. Perhaps because Jewish tradition depicted Enoch as announcing judgment on fallen angels, these teachers seek to emulate Enoch. The Dead Sea Scrolls show that some people cursed Satan (see note on 2Pe 2:10); Jude would reject that practice. Instead, he seems to agree with the moral embodied in a story told by later rabbis: a man named Pelimo went around making fun of the devil until one day the devil showed up and chased him into a bathhouse, whereupon he learned his lesson. Christians also should not speak authoritatively on secret or esoteric matters God has not chosen to reveal (cf. Dt 29:29). as irrational animals do. For the comparison with animals, see note on 2Pe 2:12.

11 the way of Cain . . . Balaam’s error. Jewish traditions developed the wickedness of Cain and Balaam (see notes on 2Pe 2:15; 1Jn 3:12), using them as symbols of evil. destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. Jude alludes to Nu 16, where God destroyed Korah and his followers for rejecting Moses’ authority. Jewish tradition used Korah as an example of rebellion against God’s law.

12 blemishes. Scholars debate how to translate this Greek term; “blemishes” fits v. 23 and the interpretation in 2Pe 2:13, yet the following context of problems in nature (Jude 12–13) could suggest the other possible translation of the Greek term—unseen rocks that could tear open the hulls of unsuspecting ships (cf. Ac 27:41). love feasts. Just as Jesus’ final meal with his disciples was a Passover meal (see notes on Mk 14:12–26), early Christians consumed more during the Lord’s Supper than just bread and wine (though these were the particular elements interpreted; cf. 1Co 11:21–34). In ancient Mediterranean values, shared meals created a bond of friendship obligation; love was meant to be a paramount feature of the Christian meal (1Co 11:26). shepherds who feed only themselves. Shepherds of God’s people who care only for themselves invite judgment on themselves (as in, and perhaps alluding to, Eze 34:8, 10). clouds without rain. Such clouds offered farmers vain hopes (cf. Pr 25:14). autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. Trees that offered no fruit during summer or even as late as autumn were normally dead (on the future second death, see note on Rev 2:11).

13 wild waves of the sea. Some Jewish texts used waves to symbolize wickedness (as in Isa 57:20). foaming up. The Greek term was sometimes applied figuratively to babbling or exposing secrets. wandering stars. In ancient sources they referred to the planets because of their supposedly erratic orbits around the earth. The widely circulated 1 Enoch declared that God imprisoned hostile star-angels. blackest darkness . . . forever. 1 Enoch speaks of judgment as “darkness . . . forever.”

14–15 Jude quotes from 1 Enoch 1:9. The work, normally dated to the second century BC, is not genuinely by Enoch but was widely circulated. The false teachers, who may have believed themselves inspired (cf. v. 8), may have used 1 Enoch while ignoring its message of moral judgment (here and in v. 6). Its message regarding the point quoted may be prophetic; certainly it is consistent with earlier prophets (cf., e.g., Zec 14:1–5).

16 grumblers. Might relate to “defiant words” in the citation in v. 15. flatter others for their own advantage. Many thinkers denounced greedy sages and flattering speakers who simply told people what they wanted to hear to gain their favor.

17–18 the apostles . . . said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” Not all early apostolic teaching has survived, but this warning is certainly consistent with Jesus’ warnings about future opposition (e.g., Mk 13:9, 12–13). desires. Cf. 2Ti 4:3; 1Jn 2:16–17; see the note on 2Pe 3:3.

19 natural instincts . . . do not have the Spirit. See note on 1Co 15:44–46. Those causing division may have claimed inspiration (cf. v. 8), but they lacked the Spirit of true inspiration. (Although the Spirit also performed other activities, Scripture sometimes, and ancient Judaism usually, associated the Spirit with prophetic inspiration.)

20 praying in the Holy Spirit. Presumably Spirit-inspired prayer (see note on v. 19); cf., e.g., 1Ch 25:3; see note on Eph 5:19.

23 snatching them from the fire . . . clothing stained by corrupted flesh. In Zec 3:2, 4 the high priest is snatched from the fire and delivered from his filthy clothes. (In Zec 3:2 the Lord also rebukes Satan; cf. Jude 9.)

24–25 Jewish people often closed with a doxology of praise.

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling. After warning throughout the letter about falling away, Jude praises God’s ability to keep Jude’s hearers steadfast in the faith.