OVERVIEW: It was not enough merely to identify and condemn the heretics. Christians had to provide a credible alternative, and Jude devotes the closing section of his letter to outlining what that was. Christians were not to be surprised by the presence of error in the church or to regard it as anything unusual, because the apostles had predicted this situation. The only way to deal with it was to maintain an orthodox faith, live a purelife and evangelize others as thoroughly as possible. The faithful are called to remember the predictions of the prophets (HILARY OF ARLES) and to avoid divisions caused by scoffers and those devoid of the Spirit (AUGUSTINE, CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA, ANDREAS, OECUMENIUS), ever reforming themselves according to the Spirit’s guidance (OECU-MENIUS). He alludes to the Christian life as a cloak that may be soiled (CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR). The cleansing of this garment cannot be done in our own strength but only by the power of God (BEDE).
WHICH APOSTLES? HILARY OF ARLES: Jude does not specify which apostles he is referring to, but many people assume he means Peter, James and John. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON JUDE.1
A LATE WRITING. OECUMENIUS: The predictions of the apostles can be found in 2 Peter and in most of Paul’s letters. From this statement it is clear that Jude was writing toward the end of his life, when his and the other apostles’ ministry was coming to an end. COMMENTARY ON JUDE.2
FOLLOWING UNGODLY PASSIONS. ANDREAS: Jude got this from Peter’s second letter, where he talks about Paul’s writings,3 for Paul has a lot to say about this. CATENA.4
DIVISIONS AMONG BELIEVERS. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: These are people who separate believers from one another, under the influence of their own unbelief. They cannot distinguish between holy things on the one hand and dogs on the other. ADUMBRATIONS.5
DEVOID OF THE SPIRIT. AUGUSTINE: The enemy of unity has no share in God’s love. Those who are outside the church do not have the Holy Spirit, and this verse is written of them. LETTERS 185.50.6
DIVIDING EVEN CHRIST HIMSELF. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Nestorians are sensual men, not having the Spirit, because they divide the one Christ and Son and Lord into two sons. . . . For they pretend to confess one Christ and Son and say that his person is one, but by dividing him into two separate hypostases they completely sweep away the doctrine of the mystery. LETTERS 50.20.7
THIEVERY. OECUMENIUS: Here we see yet another crime which these awful heretics have committed. Not only are they perishing themselves; they have raided the church and taken people away from it, which means that they have taken them outside the faith into their own assemblies, which are dens of thieves. Such people behave as if they were animals, living according to the pattern of the world and the demands of their instincts. COMMENTARY ON JUDE.8
PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. BEDE: We pray in the Holy Spirit when we are moved by divine inspiration to ask for heavenly help, so that we may receive the good things which we cannot obtain on our own. ON JUDE.9
BUILD YOURSELVES UP. OECUMENIUS: Jude says that his beloved people must continue to build themselves up in their most holy faith, forever reforming themselves according to the Holy Spirit’s guidance; in other words, by building congregations up, by their preaching, in the teaching of the Holy Spirit. COMMENTARY ON JUDE.10
WAIT FOR MERCY. OECUMENIUS: Jude tells his people to look after themselves in the mercy which they have received from God in preparation for the last judgment. COMMENTARY ON JUDE.11
DOUBTING. ANDREAS: Jude is recommending mercy for those who doubt the truth of the words of false teaching. As for other kinds of doubters, James condemns them in his letter.12 CATENA.13
THE SPOTTED TUNIC. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: The spotted tunic of the soul is a spirit which has been corrupted by worldly lusts. ADUMBRATIONS.14
THE GARMENT STAINED AND CLEANED. MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR: What is meant by “a cloak stained by corrupted flesh”? This is said of those who have a life stained by the lusts of the flesh. We all have clothes which bear the marks of our life, whether we are righteous or not. The person who has a clean cloak is one who leads a pure life, whereas the one who has a soiled one has got mixed up with evil deeds. Or a cloak may be soiled by the flesh if the latter is formed in its conscience by the memory of those evil deeds which spring from the flesh and which still work on the soul. Just as the Spirit can make a cloak for the soul out of the virtues which come from the principle of incorruptibility, so by analogy the flesh can produce an unclean and soiled cloak from the lusts which belong to it. CATENA.15
SAVE SOME. ANDREAS: If someone can use the word of God to rescue those who have already fallen into the all-embracing fire set alight by the flaming arrows of the devil, he will snatch the most promising ones from the fire. For this person is not called to snatch back those who have been condemned by God. CATENA.16
THE STAINED CLOAK. BEDE: The stained cloak is our flesh. However, we are not called to hate our own flesh as such but only the fact that it has been stained by sin, and we are called to work for its cleansing, so that what is carnal may become spiritual. However, this cannot be done in our own strength but only by the power of God, as Jude goes on to say in his closing blessing. ON JUDE.17