And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold the Lord cometh.
Enoch, the herald of judgment
The first thing to be considered is, where or whence St. Jude obtained this prediction of Enoch--whether from immediate revelation, or from tradition, or from some book then extant in the Church. There is indeed an apocryphal book, “The Book of Enoch,” which appears to have been often used by the early Fathers, and to have acquired a great celebrity in the first days of Christianity. For centuries this book was supposed to have been lost, and our only knowledge of it was derived from quotations in other writings. An Ethiopic version was at length discovered in Ethiopia, and brought to England by the well-known traveller, Bruce. In this book there are passages which answer very nearly to the prophecy recorded by St. Jude. It has therefore been a common supposition that the apostle derived from this book the prediction which he ascribes to the patriarch. But the likelihood is that the Book of Enoch was written after the Epistle of St. Jude, so that Jude could not have drawn the prophecy from the book; but, rather, the writer of the book inserted in it the prophecy that he might give to his forgery the appearance of truth. We may believe, therefore, that in all probability Jude was informed of the prediction by immediate revelation. But whatever the source whence the apostle derived it, we may be certain that the prophecy was actually delivered by Enoch. The prophecy may indeed have had a primary reference to the Flood; but it is evident, from the application of the prediction by St. Jude, that Enoch pointed at events, of which the Deluge and its accompaniments were but feeble types. We are expressly informed that Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years; so that whatever pre-eminence in piety was denoted by “walking with God,” it is evident that Enoch possessed it from early days, and retained it to the last. He is thus an instance alike of youthful conversion and uniform consistency. Neither was he content, whilst having his conversation in heaven, to allow the wickedness of others to pass unrebuked. Here it is that his prophetic character comes in, and when you couple his preaching with his own translation, you may perceive that, by and through him, was information given to an antediluvian world on points which many have supposed left in impenetrable obscurity. These points are those of a future life, and a retributive economy, which shall decide men’s portions in another state of being. Thus was Enoch to the antediluvian world what Elijah was to those who lived beneath the law--a mighty demonstration of another state of being. Who had a right to question that the soul perished not with the body--nay, that even the body was not to lie for ever in the dust, when a patriarch had departed from the world, yielding not to death, and asking not a sepulchre? Already must Christ have virtually accomplished the prophecy, though it had not yet been delivered--“Oh! death, I will be thy plague; oh, grave, I will be thy destruction.” Already must He have “opened the kingdom of heaven to believers,” though He had not yet suffered their penalty, nor paid the price of their admission. It seems as though the whole scheme of redemption had been disclosed to mankind; yea, presented as already accomplished in what befel Enoch. The original curse was on body and soul; but when body and soul went up to glory there was given the most convincing demonstration that the curse would be counteracted, or, rather, that it was already removed. And now, if I would know how the gospel was preached to man, in its fulness, before the Flood, and would assure myself that those who perished in the Deluge, perished not without sufficient notice of redemption, and sufficient motive to the practice of piety, I turn my gaze on the ascending patriarch, and I feel that, as he stood upon the cloud and mounted heavenward, he proclaimed to the whole human family the reward of obedience in the restoration to immortality. And I need nothing further to convince me that, in the earliest days, as well as in later, men were instructed to expect eternal life through conformity to the known will of God. (H. Melvill, B. D.)
The judgment
1.Christ’s second coming is to judgment. When we frustrate the end of His coming as a Redeemer, we make way for the end of His coming as a Judge.
2. When Christ cometh to judgment, one great part of His work will be to convince sinners, and that openly, publicly.
3. Again observe, when Christ hath convinced, He will condemn, and when He hath condemned, He will execute.
4. From that “of all their ungodly deeds,” etc., observe that the process of the last day chiefly lieth against the ungodly. Ungodliness doth chiefly provoke; for the chiefest part of the law provideth for our duty to God. The dignity of every command is known by the order of it. Now, in the first place, godliness is required, and then righteousness, or a care of moral duties.
5. Once more observe, these ungodly men are the rather judged because they commit sin with an ungodly mind; for so it is in the text, “ungodly deeds ungodly committed.” A child of God may fall into wickedness, but he doth not commit it wickedly, with a full consent; men are not condemned for infirmities, but iniquities. A godly man doth not so much act sin as he suffereth by it. He doth not pour out his whole heart this way; there are constant dislikes in the soul, which are a restraint to him.
6. From the next clause, “and their hard speeches,” observe, not only the deeds of ungodly men, but their speeches are brought into judgment. Words do not perish with the breath with which they are uttered; no, they remain upon record, and we are to give an account of them at the last day (Mat_12:36; Jam_2:12).
7. Once more from thence observe, that of all speeches men’s “hard speeches” shall be produced at the day of judgment. Now, what are these hard speeches? I answer--Either such as have anger in them (Pro_4:24); or such as have pride in them, or contempt of others, as when we lessen their abilities, insult over their miseries (Psa_69:26); or triumph over their failings. Again, such as have bitterness and malice in them, as calumnies and reproaches (Psa_64:3-4).
8. The next note is, that of all hard speeches those are the worst which do most directly reflect upon the honour and glory of Christ; for so it is in the text, “hard speeches spoken against Him.” Now, hard speeches against Christ are either blasphemies against either of His natures, or murmurings against His providence: “Your words have been stout against Me” (Mal_3:13). When we tax Providence, as if the Lord were blind, careless, unjust, or injurious in His dealings. So also when we speak against His ways, calling zeal fury, strictness a foolish preciseness, and godliness puritanism. O Christians! these hard speeches will cost dear, here or hereafter. (T. Manton.)
