Jude 1:11

Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. WOE. Note, 2 Peter 2:14, "cursed children." CAIN - the murderer: the root of whose sin was hatred and envy of the godly; the sin of these seducers. RAN GREEDILY, [ exechutheesan (G1632)] - 'have been poured forth' like a torrent bursting its banks. Reckless of the cost, the loss of God's favour and heaven, on they rush after gain like Balaam. PERISHED IN THE GAINSAYING OF CORE - (note, Jude 1:12.) In reading of Korah perishing by gainsaying, we read also of these perishing thr...

11._Woe unto them. _It is a wonder that he inveighs against them so severely, when he had just said that it was not permitted to an angel to bring a railing accusation against Satan. But it was not his purpose to lay down a general rule. He only shewed briefly, by the example of Michael, how intolerable was their madness when they insolently reproached what God honored. It was certainly lawful for Michael to fulminate against Satan his final curse; and we see how vehemently the prophets threatened the ungodly; but when Michael forbore extreme severity (otherwise lawful), what madness was it to observe no moderation towards those excelling in glory? But when he pronounced woe on them, he did not so much imprecate evil on them, but rather reminded them what sort of end awaited them; and he did so, lest they should carry others with them to perdition. He says that they were the _imitators o...

8-16 False teachers are dreamers; they greatly defile and grievously wound the soul. These teachers are of a disturbed mind and a seditious spirit; forgetting that the powers that be, are ordained of God, Romans 13:1. As to the contest about the body of Moses, it appears that Satan wished to make the place of his burial known to the Israelites, in order to tempt them to worship him, but he was prevented, and vented his rage in desperate blasphemy. This should remind all who dispute never to bring railing charges. Also learn hence, that we ought to defend those whom God owns. It is hard, if not impossible, to find any enemies to the Christian religion, who did not, and do not, live in open or secret contradiction to the principles of natural religion. Such are here compared to brute beasts, though they often boast of themselves as the wisest of mankind. They corrupt themselves in the thi...

Verse Jude 1:11. _THEY HAVE GONE IN THE WAY OF CAIN_] They are _haters_ _of their brethren_, and they that are such are _murderers_; and by their false doctrine they corrupt and destroy the souls of the people. _THE ERROR OF BALAAM_] For the sake of gain they corrupt the word of God and refine away its meaning, and let it down so as to suit the _passions_ of the profligate. This was literally true of the _Nicolaitans_, who taught most impure doctrines, and followed the most lascivious practices. _GAINSAYING OF CORE._] See the account of the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and their company, in Numbers 22. It appears that these persons _opposed the authority of the apostles_ of our Lord, as Korah and his associates did

WOE UNTO THEM! - See Matthew 11:21. FOR THEY HAVE GONE IN THE WAY OF CAIN - Genesis 4:5. That is, they have evinced disobedience and rebellion as he did; they have shown that they are proud, corrupt, and wicked. The apostle does not specify the points in which they had imitated the example of Cain, but it was probably in such things as these - pride, haughtiness, the hatred of religion, restlessness under the restraints of virtue, envy that others were more favored, and a spirit of hatred of the brethren (compare 1 John 3:15) which would lead to murder. AND RAN GREEDILY AFTER THE ERROR OF BALAAM FOR REWARD - T

WOE UNTO THEM,.... This may be considered as a commiseration of their case, or as a denunciation of deserved punishment, or as a prediction of what would befall them. The Arabic version prefaces these words with an address to the saints, "O my beloved": that what was about to be said might be attended to, as a caution and instruction to them. FOR THEY HAVE GONE IN THE WAY OF CAIN; which was a way of envy, for Cain envied the acceptance of his brother's gift, and that notice which the Lord took of him; so these men envied the gifts bestowed on Christ's faithful ministers, and the success that attended their labours, and the honour that was put upon them by Christ, and that was given them by the churches; which shows, that they were destitute of grace, and particularly of the grace of charity, or love, which envies not, and that they were in an unregenerate estate, and upon the brink of r...

CAIN Cain (compare (Genesis 4:1) a type of the religious natural man, who believes in a God, and in "religion," but after his own will, and who rejects redemption by blood. Compelled as a teacher of religion to explain atonement, the apostate teacher explains it away. ERROR OF BALAAM Balaam, the "error" of Balaam must be distinguished from his "way" (_ See Scofield) - (2 Peter 2:15) _ and his "doctrine" (_ See Scofield) - (Revelation 2:14). _ The "error" of Balaam was that, reasoning from natural morality and seeing the evil in Israel, he supposed a righteous God must curse them. He was blind to the higher morality of the Cross, th

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE INTRODUCTION Jude 1:1 Jude in his brief introduction speaks of the Christian believers, whom he addresses, as called ones, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ. The latter statement may also be translated “kept for Jesus Christ.” What was true of the believers in Jude's day is true of all believers. Especially comforting is the fact, that, no matter how dark the days may be, however strong the current of evil, those who are “the beloved of God called saints” will be preserved in Jesus Christ and kept for Him as the members of His body, till He comes. He keeps His own. It is the blessed assurance that the believer's keeping rests in His own hands. In the Revelation we see in the glory vision that Christ holds seven stars in His right hand, which is the symbol of the hand of His power with which He keeps His own. Then there is th

The false brethren sin in like manner. In their dreamings, _i.e._ vain conceits (yielding to their own wayward fancies, Chase), they are licentious and rebellious. They despise the Lordship (Jude 1:8 *) and rail at the glorious ones (_cf. mg.)._ Unlike Michael, who in his controversy with the devil did not abuse him, they do not fear to utter abuse upon things which are beyond their knowledge (_i.e._ the Lordship and the glorious ones); and in the carnal things which, like mere animals, they do understand, they are destroyed. They are compared to Cain, to Balaam, and to Korah. They are as dangerous as hidden rocks, selfish as shepherds who only feed themselves, useless as floating, waterless clouds or barren trees, disobedient as wandering stars (which keep not their own principality their sin is like that of the fallen angels and they are doomed to the same fate see on...

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN (Jude 1:1-2)...