Jude 1:4

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. CERTAIN MEN - disparagement. CREPT IN UNAWARES - stealthily, (note, 2 Peter 2:1, "privily," etc.) BEFORE ... ORDAINED - `fore-written;' namely, in Peter's prophecy (Jude 1:17), and in Paul's (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1), and by implication in the judgments upon apostate angels, the disobedient Israelites, Sodom and Gomorrha, Balaam...

4._For there are certain men crept in unawares_. Though Satan is ever an enemy to the godly, and never ceases to harass them, yet Jude reminds those to whom he was writing of the state of things at that time. Satan now, he says, attacks and harasses you in a peculiar manner; it is therefore necessary to take up arms to resist him. We hence learn that a good and faithful pastor ought wisely to consider what the present state of the Church requires, so as to accommodate his doctrine to its wants. The word παρεισέδυσαν, which he uses, denotes an indirect and stealthy insinuation, by which the ministers of Satan deceive the unwary; for Satan sows his tares in the night, and while husbandmen are asleep, in order that he may corrupt the seed of God. And at the same time he teaches us that it is an intestine evil; for Satan in this respect also is crafty, as he raises up those who are of the fl...

1-4 Christians are called out of the world, from the evil spirit and temper of it; called above the world, to higher and better things, to heaven, things unseen and eternal; called from sin to Christ, from vanity to seriousness, from uncleanness to holiness; and this according to the Divine purpose and grace. If sanctified and glorified, all the honour and glory must be ascribed to God, and to him alone. As it is God who begins the work of grace in the souls of men, so it is he who carries it on, and perfects it. Let us not trust in ourselves, nor in our stock of grace already received, but in him, and in him alone. The mercy of God is the spring and fountain of all the good we have or hope for; mercy, not only to the miserable, but to the guilty. Next to mercy is peace, which we have from the sense of having obtained mercy. From peace springs love; Christ's love to us, our love to him,...

Verse Jude 1:4. _FOR THERE ARE CERTAIN MEN CREPT IN UNAWARES_] παρεισεδυσαν. They had got into the Church under _specious_ _pretences_; and, when in, began to sow their bad seed. _BEFORE OF OLD ORDAINED_] Οἱ παλαι προγεγραμμενοι Such as were _long ago proscribed, and condemned in the most public manner_; this is the import of the word προγραφειν in this place, and there are many examples of this use of it in the Greek writers. See _Kypke_. _TO THIS CONDEMNATION_] To a similar punishment to that immediately about to be mentioned. In the sacred writings all such persons, false doctrines, and impure practices, have been _most openly proscribed_ and _condemned_; and the apostle immediately produces several examples, viz., the disobedient _Israelites_, the unfaithful _angels_, and

FOR THERE ARE CERTAIN MEN CREPT IN UNAWARES - The apostle now gives “reason” for thus defending the truth, to wit, that there were artful and wicked men who had crept into the church, pretending to be religious teachers, but whose doctrines tended to sap the very foundations of truth. The apostle Peter, describing these same persons, says, “who privily shall bring in damnable heresies.” See the notes, 2 Peter 2:1. Substantially the same idea is expressed here by saying that they “had crept in unawares;” that is, they had come in “by stealth;” they had not come by a bold and open avowal of their real sentiments. They professed to teach the Christian religion, when in fact they denied some of its fundamental doctrines; they professed to be holy, when in fact they were living most scandalous lives. In all ages there have been men who were willing to do this for base pu

FOR THERE ARE CERTAIN MEN CREPT IN UNAWARES,.... These words contain a reason why the doctrine of faith should be contended for, because of false teachers, who are described as being then upon the spot; the Apostles Peter and Paul had foretold that they would come, but Jude here speaks of them as in being; wherefore present rigour and vigilance were necessary to be used: their names are not mentioned, nor their number, only that there were "certain", or "some men"; which is done to stir up the saints to self-examination, whether they were in the faith; to diligence, in finding out these men; to vigour, in opposing them; and to care, to nip error and heresy in the bud: and they are said to have "crept in unawares": either into private houses, as was the custom of those men; or into the churches, and become members of them being the tares the enemy sows among the wheat; or into the ministr...

VER. JUDE 1:4 despo,thn {A} Since despo,thj was sometimes used by Greek writers to refer to God (in the New Testament at Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; Revelation 6:10), the Textus Receptus, following K L P Y and many minuscules, added qeo,n in order more clearly to distinguish despo,thn from the following ku,rion h`mw/n VIhsou/n Cristo,n. In later manuscripts many other variant readin

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 author had intended to write them a pastoral letter, but circumstances have made it necessary for him to write in a different strain and to exhort them to contend earnestly for the faith. These circumstances were the presence in their midst of false brethren whose doom was appointed long ago men denying Jesus Christ, their Master and Lord, by their vicious lives. JUDE 1:3. THE FAITH. UNTO THE SAINTS: this reference to the faith as a fixed and final deposit is said to prove the late date of the epistle: but the same conception of the faith is found in the Pastoral Epistles; _cf._ also Galatians 1:23; Romans 10:8; Ephesians 4:5. th

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