Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Hnrrihle Punishnmts are Prepared JUDE. for the Teachers of Damnable Doctrine* flict between Michael and Satan is again alluded to. durst not—from reverence for Satan's former dignity kind is analogous to tliat of tlie linmnn Sodomites after tlieir kind. Cf. the soinewliat similar spiritual connection of whoremoyiciers and covelouA-ness. The apocryplial book of Enoch interprets Genesis 6. 2 as Alfokd. But though Jade accords with it in some particulars, it does not follow that he accords with it in all. Tlii' Hebrews name the fallen angels Aza and Azael. l«-ff— ol' tlieir own accord. tUeir own Greek, " their proper." liabit.->tioi» —Heaven, all bright and glorious, as opposed to tlie "darkness" to which they now are doomed. Their ambitious designs seem to have had a peculiar connection with this earth, of which Satan before his fall may have
(v. 8). railing acciisatiou Greek, "judgment of blasphemy," or evil-speaking. Peter said. Angels do not, in order to avenge themselves, rail at dignities, though ungodly, when they have to contend with them : Jude says, that the archangel Michael himself did not rail even at the time when he fought with the Devil, the prince of evil spirits—not from fear of him, but from reverence of God, whose delegated power in this world .Satan once had, and even in some degree still has. From the word "disputed," or debated in controversy, it is plain it was a judicial contest, aliout the body of Moses—his literal body. Satan, as liaving the power of death, opposed the raising of it again, on the ground of Moses' sin at Meribah, and his murder of the Egyptian. That Moses' body was raised, appears from his presence with Elijah and Jesus (who were in tlie body) at the Transfiguration : the sample and earnest of the coming resurrection-kingdom, to be ushered in by Michael's standing up for God's people. Thus in each dispensation a sample and pledge of the future resurrection was given: Enoch in the patriarchal dispensation, Moses in the Levitical, Elijali in the prophetical. It is noteworthy that the same rebuke is recorded here, as was used liy the Angel of the Lord, or Jeliovah the Second Person, in pleading for Joshua, the representative of the Jewish Church, against Satan, in Zechariah 3. 2; whence some lia?e thought that also here "the body of Moses" means the Jewish Church accused by Satan, before God, for its fllthiness, on which giound he demands that Divine justice should take its course against Israel, but is rebuked by the Lord who has " chosen Jerusalem :" thus, as " the body of Christ" is the Christian Church, so " the body of Moses" is the»Jewisli Church. But the literal body is evidently here meant (though, secondarily, the Jewish Church is t.vpified by Moses' body, as it was there represented by Joshua the high priest); and Michael, whose connection seems to be so close with Jehovah-Messiah on the one hand, and with Israel on the other, naturally uses the same language as liis Lord. As Satan (adversary \n court) or the Devil (rt<;o!fs«-) iiccuses alike the Church collectivelj' and "Ihe brethren" Individually, so Christ pleads for us aa our Advocate. Israel's, and all believers' full justification, and the accuser's being rebuked flnall.v, Is yet future. JOSBPHUS, Antiquities, 4. 8, states that God hid Moses' body, lest. If it had been exposed to view, It would have been made an idol of. Jude, in this account, either adopts it from the apocryphal "assumption of Moses" (as OuiGHN, concerning f'rincipalities, ;>. 2, thinks), or else from I he ancient tradition <m which tliat work was founded. Jude, as inspired, could distinguish how much of the tradition was true; how much false. We have no such means of distinguishing, and therefore can b" sure been God's vicegerent, whence arises his subsequent connection with it as first the Tempter, then " the prince of this world." reserved — As the Greek is the same, and tliere is an evident reference to Iheir having "kept not their first estate," Iranslare, "He hath kept." Probably what is meant is. He hath kept them in His purpi>se ; that is their sure doom ; moreover, a.s yet, Satan and his demons roam at large on the eartli. An earnest of their doom is their having been cast out of lieaven, being already restricted to " the darkness of this present world," the "air" that surrounds the earth, their peculiar element now. They lurk in places of gloom and death, looking forward with agonizing fear to their final torment in tlio bottomless pit. He means not literal chains and darkness, but figurative in this present worl<l where, with restricted powers and liberties, shut out from heaven, they, like condemned prisoners, await their doom. 7. Etch as Alford translates, " (I wish to remind yon, v.
5) that," &c. Sodom, &c. — 12 Peter 2. e.) giving tlirmselves over to fornication — following fornication extraordiniirily, i.e., out o/ the order of nature. On "in lilte manner to them" (Greek), cf. Kote, v. C. Cf. on spiritual fornication, "go a rrhorhtg from thee," Psalm
'Jn. going after strange Hesh— departing from the course of nature, and going after that which is unnatural. In later times the most enlightened lieathen nations indulged in tlie sin of Sodom without compunction or shame, are set fortli — before our eyes. Kuflfering — undergoing to this present time; alluding to the marks of volcanic fire about the Dead Sea. the vengeance Greek, " righteous retribution." etemal Are —The lasting marks of the fire that consumed the cities irreparably, is a type of the eternal fire to which the in-
' haoitanis have been consigned. lii'.:^<:iKlj translates as the Greek will admit, "Suffering {t/ie) pnnislitnent (which they endure) as an example or sample of eternal fire (viz., that which shall consume the wicked)." ]'>.eliiel 10. 53-55 shows that Sodom's punishment, as a nation, is not eternal. Cf. aUso 2 I'eter 2. (i. W. also—rather, " In like manner nevertheless'' (notwithstanding tliese warning examples). [ALFORD.] these . . . dreamers—The Greek has not "filthy" of English I'ersion. Tlie clause, " these men dreaming" (i. e., in their dreams), belongs to all the verbs, "defile," &c. ; "despise," Ac; "speak evil," &c. All sinners are spirltuall.y asleej), and their carnal activity is as It were a dream (I Tliessaloniaiis 5.0,7). Their speaking evil of dignities is because tliey are dreain-
no tradition, savt! that which Is in the writter, ivord. 10. (2 Peter 2. 12.) those things wMcU— Greek, "all tilings H'hatsoever they nnderstand not," viz., the things of the siilritual world, hut iv lint . . . naturally-Connect thus, " )r/Ki<6"i'ec (so the Greek) things naturally (by natural, blind instinct), as the unreasoning (so the Greek) animals, they know," &c. The Greek for the former " know" Implies d(>eper knowledgtv, the latter " know," the mere percepi Ion of the "animal sensesand faculties." 11. Woe—Note, 2 Peter 2. 14, "cursed children." Cain—the murderer: the root of whoso sin was hatred and env.v of the godly, as It is the sin of these seducers, ran greedily— /iV., " have bi'i ii poured forl h" like a t<n rent that has liurst Us banks. Ui'ckless of what It costs, the loss of God's favour and heaven, on they rush alter gain like Italaam. perished in tite gaiii Haying of I'ore— (Cf. l\'ole, ing, and know not what tlieij are speaking evil of (v. 10). "As a man dreaming seems to hlmselt to be seeing and near Ing many things, so llie natural man's lusts are iigilaled
j"y. distress, fear, and the other passions. l!ut he is a ulranger to self-command. Hence, though he In ing into play all the powers of reason, he cannot conceive the true liberty which the sons of light, wlio are awake and lu the dayliglil, enjoy." (Hkn(;i:i,.J dellle <l>e flesh— ( I'. 7.) «loinlnion—" lordship." dignilleH— "glories." I'larlhly niid heav<'nly dignities. 9. Michael, tlie areliangel— Nowlujre In Scripture Is the pluial used, " archangels;" but only ONE, "archangel." The only other passage In the New Testament where It oc<!urs. Is 1 Thessiiloiilans 1.
V. 12.) When we read of Korah perlsliing by gainsaying, we read virtually also of these perishing in like manner through liiesame: for the same seed bears the same harvest. I'i. spotM—So 2 Pi'ter '2. I'!, Greek, spiloi ; but hero the Greek Is spilades, which elsi'wiiere, in secular wrileisi, means j-ocA:jr, vii., on which the Christian love-fr'nsla \vey« In danger of being shipwrecked. The oldest MS. prefixes the nrtldo emphatically, " riiK rocks." The rofor*
](f, wliere Christ ^^ distlngnislieil from the aicliangel, with whose voice' He shall descend to raise I he ilcad ; they ther(;fore err who confound Chi'liit wUli Michael.
Tlie nanit'S means. Who is like Godf In Daniel 10. l;i ho Is ciilleri • One (Margin, the first) of ihe chief princes." He Is lliij champion angel of Israel. In Hovelatlon 12.7 Ihocon-