JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:1 Initial Greeting. Although he is Jesus’ brother, Jude calls himself Jesus’ SERVANT. Jesus is his Lord. He is also the BROTHER OF JAMES, who plays a major role in the NT (Acts 12:17; Acts 15:13; Acts 21:18; Galatians 1:19; Galatians 2:9,... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:3 Jude’s Appeal: Contend for the Faith. Jude urges his readers to stand for the faith against the false teachers. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:4 CREPT IN UNNOTICED. The false teachers seem to be Christians. DESIGNATED translates a Greek word meaning “to write about or identify beforehand.” The false teachers did not take God by surprise. He predicted their coming and their CONDEMNATION long before they existed. They PER... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:5 The Immoral Character and Resulting Judgment of the False Teachers. Jude uses analogies from the OT and Jewish tradition to declare judgment for the false teachers (see v. Jude 1:13). He also describes the immorality that characterizes this group. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.g... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:6 ANGELS WHO DID NOT STAY WITHIN THEIR OWN POSITION OF AUTHORITY. God has KEPT these beings IN ETERNAL CHAINS ever since. Some scholars think this refers to the fall of angels from heaven. Others think Jude refers to the sin of angels in Genesis 6:1 (see note on 1 Pet. 3:19; see... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:7 The people of SODOM AND GOMORRAH (Genesis 19:1) received the judgment of ETERNAL FIRE. Smoke rose from the site of Sodom and Gomorrah into the first century A.D. This was taken as a physical symbol of eternal divine judgment. PURSUED UNNATURAL DESIRE refers to the homosexual ac... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:8 THESE PEOPLE ALSO refers to the false teachers (see chart). They are led astray by RELYING ON THEIR DREAMS. They follow experiences they claim are from God. Yet these experiences lead them to disobey God’s written Word (see v. Jude 1:18). THE GLORIOUS ONES. Probably evil angels... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:10 ALL THAT THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND includes true biblical doctrine about God, angels, and demons, and human sin and forgiveness through Christ. What they UNDERSTAND INSTINCTIVELY, like ANIMALS, is how to follow their desires, by which they will ultimately be DESTROYED. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:11 CAIN (Genesis 4:5), BALAAM (Numbers 22:5; 2 Peter 2:15), and KORAH (Numbers 16:1, Numbers 16:31) were all dissatisfied with what they had in life. They rebelled against God, greedily seeking selfish GAIN at any cost. [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:12 Jude compares the false teachers to HIDDEN REEFS that destroy ships without warning. These opponents of the gospel hide in the church. They share in the LOVE FEASTS (including the Lord’s Supper). They act as if they are Christians. Instead, they are like WATERLESS CLOUDS, prom... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:14 ENOCH, THE SEVENTH FROM ADAM (Genesis 5:18; compare 1 Chronicles 1:3). Jude describes the coming of the Lord as Enoch PROPHESIED, and he quotes from _1 Enoch_ 1.9 (see note on Jude 8–10). The quote from Enoch focuses on blasphemy against God (e.g., in vv. Jude 1:3, the opponen... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:16 Jude applies the citation from__ Enoch__ to the false teachers, probably using this list of sins to focus on some of their more pronounced and obvious misbehaviors. GRUMBLERS calls to mind the wilderness generation (Exodus 16:7; Numbers 14:27; Numbers 16:41; Numbers 17:5). TO... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:17 Concluding Exhortations. Jude stresses the proper response of believers to false teachers. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:19 IT IS THESE indicates that the “scoffers” described in v. Jude 1:18 are the false teachers Jude warns about (see chart). These WORLDLY PEOPLE... CAUSE DIVISIONS within the church over many things. They especially cause trouble over morality and doctrine. DEVOID OF THE SPIRIT i... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:20 PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. That is, praying in harmony with the leading of the Holy Spirit, rather than according to one’s own agenda (see Romans 8:26; Ephesians 6:18). The context here is different from the speaking in tongues described in 1 Corinthians 14:14. ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:21 KEEP (or guard) YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD. Christians do this by growing strong doctrinally (v. Jude 1:20), persevering in prayer (v. Jude 1:20), and WAITING for the Lord’s coming. Verses Jude 1:1 and vv. Jude 1:24 teach that God keeps them as well. No true believer will e... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:23 To SAVE some people (that is, to lead them to faith in Christ) involves SNATCHING THEM OUT OF THE FIRE. They were close to God’s judgment. OTHERS who are caught up in immorality should also be shown MERCY. This should be done WITH FEAR, so that the faithful Christian is not in... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:24 God has the power TO KEEP from STUMBLING those who have put their faith in him. By “stumbling” Jude means falling into sin or error. If such behavior continues it will eventually lead to falling away from the faith. God will PRESENT the Christian BLAMELESS (with no stain or si... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDE—NOTE ON JUDE 1:25 THE ONLY GOD. There is only one God. He has acted redemptively (OUR SAVIOR; see note on 2 Tim. 1:8–10) THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. Jesus is the mediator between people and God. The church praises God through Christ, saying, to God BE GLORY (great honor), MAJESTY (he is grea... [ Continue Reading ]