Contents:—Three examples of the punitive justice of God, typical of the judgment awaiting those deceivers, introduced as a warning, Jud_1:6-8; more particular description of their sins. An exclamation of woe, Jud_1:11, followed by additional details of their character, and an application to them of a prophecy of Enoch.
5I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the 7judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, 8are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 11Woe 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. 12These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, with out fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for 14ever. And Enoch, also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints,15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that ar ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against13him.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Jud_1:5. But I will remind you—believed not.—This connects with 2Pe_1:12, although there the reference is not to historical facts, but to doctrines. In like manner the words,“you who know all things once for all” revert to that passage as well as to
ðñïãéíþóêïíôåò
, 2Pe_3:17.—
ἅðáî ôïῦôï
(cf. Appar. Crit., N. 5). It is inadmissible to connect
ἅðáî
with
ὑðïìíῆóáé
, or to take it in the sense of once, formerly, from the beginning; it rather has here its usual meaning, you have heard it once for all and stamped it on your memory; you need not any new instruction on that head; but it is matter of urgent necessity for you to be reminded of it, earnestly to deliberate upon it, and to apply what has taken place to events as they occur. It is not related to the following
ôὸ äåýôåñïí
. If we adopt the reading
ðÜíôá
, all that is necessary is to connect it with the sequel, to the historical facts, and hence not to take it as at 1Jn_2:20. [
åἰäüôáò ðÜíôá
. Remembering that Jude wrote against the Gnostics (the men of knowledge), who laid claim to superior knowledge, and on that pretence beguiled their hearers into corrupt doctrines and licentious practices (2Pe_1:2-3), the words
åἰäüôáò ðÜíôá
seem to have an implied antithesis, and while affirming of his readers that they had all the knowledge necessary to their salvation (1Jn_2:20), put them on their guard against the pretended superiority of knowledge of the Gnostics. See Wordsworth in loc.—M.].—Huther says on the reading
ὁ
̓
Éçóïῦò
that it unfolds the same view as 1Co_10:4, and that the name of Jesus in this connection may be accounted for by the popular character of a parenetic Epistle.—
ôὸ äåýôåñïí
neither=afterward, nor=on the contrary (Grotius). Forced is also the explanation of Winer, pp. 642, 643: “The Lord, after having delivered them, did, on a second occasion (when they were in need of His helping grace), refuse them His delivering grace and destroy them.” Equally unnatural is that of Huther: “God did reveal Himself to His people in two ways, the first time as a Deliverer, the second time as Judge, that is in the latter instance as Judge of the unbelieving who did not trustfully and obediently rely upon His promise.” Similarly Stier: “After God’s deliverance and pardoning there is also a second time surely following in the case of the unworthy.” No, it is said, He destroyed them the second time, and should be referred to two judgments of destruction, once, when the people, with the exception of a few, perished in the wilderness, and again to the Babylonish captivity, Num_14:23; 2Ch_36:16, etc. The corresponding passage in 2 Peter (2:2) specifies the example of the flood; Jude wished to select a still stronger example, exhibiting a two-fold destruction of the chosen people. Notwithstanding the former wonderful deliverance, the people were twice destroyed. Had this Epistle been written after the destruction of Jerusalem, Jude might have added a
ôὸ ôñßôïí
. [Notwithstanding Fronmüller’s emphatic assertion to the contrary, we feel constrained to advocate the view recommended in Appar. Crit., note 6. It is more telling in point of fact and more congruous in point of doctrine; it is perfectly sound in point of grammar, and the charge of its being forced and unnatural is arbitrary and unsupported by reasons.—M.]
Jud_1:6. And the angels—darkness.—The allusion in 2Pe_2:4 is here more fully explained. If it could be proved that Jude had before him the book of Enoch, which repeatedly adverts to the coming down of the angels in order to contaminate themselves with women, we should not be warranted to think here of the first fall in the world of spirits. But this presumption is not certain. See note on 2Pe_2:4.
Their first estate.—Huther explains
ἀñ÷Þ
of the dominion, originally assigned to them; others (e.g., Calvin, Grotius) of their original condition, estate, cf. Joh_8:44. Both ideas may be combined as Stier [and others] do. [In that case we have primam dignitatem, Carpz. al.—M.]
Their own habitation, not heaven in general, but their own dwelling of light assigned to them by the Creator. Their fall and guilt seem to have been the consequence of their leaving that habitation and arbitrarily going beyond the sphere allotted to them. There is no explicit reference to Satan, but
ìὴ ôçñåῖí
, which points to incitement from without, may allude to him. Delitzsch: “They made themselves at home on earth and exchanged the power belonging to their vocation in heaven with an earthly exhibition of power usurped for the sake of selfish sensual indulgence.”
For the judgment of the great day, i.e., for the last judgment at the end of the world; an amplification of 2Pe_2:4; cf. Act_2:20; Rev_6:17; Rev_16:14.
With everlasting bonds.—Peter has only “chains (bands) of darkness,” cf Jud_1:7. The book of Enoch has this variation: “Bind them for seventy generations under the earth until the day of judgment, then shall they be removed to the lowest depths of fire.”
Under darkness.—De Wette: “In the depth of the under-world, in the abyss.” Rev_20:2-3. At the same time the reference to the inward, spiritual darkness of the love of evil, must not be overlooked. See 2Pe_2:4. [Clement of Alex. says,“that the chains in which the evil angels are now confined, are the air near this earth of ours,(“vicinus terris locus, caliginosus aër), and that they may well be said to be chained, because they are restrained from recovering the glory and happiness they have lost.”
Wordsworth: “This passage is cited by Origen in Mtt. tom., XV., p. 693, and in Rom. lib. 3., vol. IV., p. 510, where he calls this Epistle Scriptura divina,” ibid, lib., V., p. 549.—M.]
Jud_1:7. How Sodom and Gomorrah, etc.—To the two examples taken from the past history of Israel and the invisible world, Jude, again agreeing with Peter, adds a new example, taken from the heathen world, of a punitive judgment the consequences of which still remain.
The cities around them, an addition to 2Pe_2:6. Admah and Zeboim. Deu_29:23; Hos_11:8.
In like manner as these men,
ôïýôïéò
may be connected with Sodom and Gomorrah, that is, the inhabitants of those cities; as the sin of those cities is generally known, it cannot be thought strange that it is indirectly adverted to. It is less known of the other two cities, hence the selection of this word. Bengel refers
ôïýôïéò
to the false teachers, Jud_1:4, but he thereby anticipates the thought of Jud_1:8. The majority of modern expositors believe the reference to be to the fallen angels, who, according to the book of Enoch, sinned in like manner. See on 2Pe_2:6. We cannot believe that Jude or Peter considered fables of apocryphal books, like those contained in the book of Enoch and the Gospel of the Twelve Patriarchs, and which cannot be substantiated by Genesis 4. to be true,(see Evangel. Kirchenzeitung, 1858, p. 35, sq.), although Jude refers to them and confirms some of their statements. [Bengel’s construction, which is also that of Wordsworth and others, seems to be more natural and less artificial than that recommended by Fronmüller. The anticipation of the thought of Jud_1:8, is no valid objection. Jude first points out the analogy in general terms and then develops it. The very sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were those of some of the Gnostic sects. See the description of the Nicolaitans in Iren. 1:20; Theodoret haer. fab., 1. Epiphan. haer. 25.—M.]
ἐêðïñíåýåéí
, although not used elsewhere in the New Testament, is of frequent occurrence in the LXX., where it is generally applied to spiritual whoredom, but also to physical in Gen_38:24 for
æָðָä
.
ἐê
is intensive, and denotes extravagant lust. The idea “transcending the limits of nature” belongs to what follows.
Gone after strange flesh,
ἀðåëèïῦóáé ὀðßóù óáñêὸò ἑôÝñáò
;—
ἀðÝñ÷åóèáé ὀðßóù
, to go after, literally, Mar_1:20; then tropically. Peter uses the term
ôïñåýåóèáé ὀðßóù
, 2Pe_2:10. See note there. It is evident that this term cannot apply to angels, who have no flesh.
Are set forth, etc.;
ðñüêåéíôáé
[literally: lie before the eyes, ante (oculos) jacent.—M.] The parallel passage, 2Pe_2:6, has a different turn,“having made [set, instituted—M.] them an example.” There we have
ὑðüäåéãìá
, here
äåῖãìá
. The Dead Sea is to this day a testimony of that catastrophe; ruins of the sunken cities were perhaps still visible in the days of Jude at low-water; but this is not the case now, although such a myth of travellers is occasionally circulated. See Zeller Bibl. Wörterbuch, p. 510.
Ðõñὸò áἰùíßïõ
should be construed with
äßêçí
,(de Wette), not with
äåῖãìá
. Stier: “They suffer a punishment intended to serve as an example and type of eternal fire.” Cf. Wis_10:7 [On the construction with
äßêçí
, Wordsworth offers the following exposition: “As Sodom and Gomorrah suffer the vengeance of a fire that consumed them finally, so that they will never be restored, as long as the world lasts, so the bodies and souls of the wicked will suffer, as long as they are capable of suffering, which, since they are immortal, will, as Tertullian says: “be forever,” “erimus iidem, qui nunc, nec alii post resurrectionem: Dei quidem cultores, apud Deum semper, profani verò in pœnam aqueè jugis ignis habentes est ipsâ naturâ ejus, divinâ scilicet, subministrationem incorruptibilitatis.” Apol. 48.—M]. De Wette says that “subterraneous fire is presumed to be beneath the sea that covers the cities.” May this not be a false presumption?—
ὑðÝ÷åéí
, 2Ma_4:48; 2Th_1:9. [On the Eternity of future punishment, see Bp. Taylor’s Sermon on Christ’s advent to judgment, part III., §. 6.—M.]
Jud_1:8. Now in like manner, etc.—
ìÝíôïé
has at once illative and adversative force. Now, in like manner, however—i.e., without taking warning from those Divine judgments.
These dreamers also, refers back to Jud_1:4. ̓
Åíõðíéáæüìåíïé
, on account of
ìὲí
and
äὲ
should be construed both with
ìéáßíïõóé
and
ἀèåôïῦóé
. This sets aside various false interpretations, which make reference to voluptuous dreams, nocturnal pollutions, etc. As
ἐíýðíéïí
differs from
ὅíåéñïò
in that the former denotes a confused state of soul, an abnormal influence of the imagination on the bodily organs, whereas the latter designates a clear and sometimes most significant dream, so
ἐíõôíéáæüìåíïé
is designed to portray that state of the soul in which the Ego is controlled and held captive by the power of ungodly, sensual impulses. Stier: “Their inner man is benumbed, blinded, absorbed by gloomy visions, dreamy and holden with sleep. Cf. Isa_29:10.
[Bengel: “Uno verbo ἐíõðíéáæüìåíïé hominum mere naturalium indoles graphice admodum descripta est. Somnians multa videre, audire, etc., sibi videtur; concupiscentia agitatur, gaudio, angore, timore, rel. At nescit imperare sibi in isto statu: sed qualis est imago in somnio ex imagine orta, talis hominum illorum conditio. Hinc, omnibus licet rationis nervis adhibitis, concipere nequeunt, filios lucis vera libertate, in luci expergefactos, perfrui.”
Hornejus: “Tam insipientes sunt, ut quasi lethargo quodam sopiti non tantum impure vivant, sed etiam quæ non norunt tam audaciter vituperent.”
Arnaud: “Cependant ceux-ci, comme des gens qui agissent sans savoir ce qu’ils font, comme s’ils rêvaient, pour ainsi dire.….”—M.]
Defile the flesh, i.e., their own and strange flesh. The idea has a turn somewhat different from 2Pe_2:10, to which Jude here alludes. Peter speaks of the lust, Jude of its gratification. In the sequel also Jude goes farther than Peter, a circumstance noteworthy with regard to their relation to each other.
Ἀèåôåῖí
stronger than
êáôáöñïíåῖí
; see on 2Pe_2:10. Jud_1:11. In like manner 9 contains an expansion of and deviation from 2Pe_2:11. The attempt of interpreting that passage by the verse under notice leads to confusion and forced meanings.
Jud_1:9. But Michael, the archangel, etc.—A comparison showing the daring and criminality of their blaspheming. They dare to do something against the lordship and the glories (see on them note on 2Pe_2:11), which even Michael, the archangel, did not venture to do against Satan. The Hebrew Michael signifies,“Who is like God,” and denotes the humility and greatness of this Prince of angels, as well as the standard of all his actions, cf. Exo_15:11; Psa_89:7-8. He is called one of the chief Princes, Dan_10:13; the great Prince standing up and fighting for the children of the people of God, Dan_12:1; cf. Rev_12:7; 1Th_4:16. In the book of Enoch, where however the incident mentioned is not recorded, we read of him (as cited by Huther): “Who (set) over human virtue, governs the nations.” Jude supposes his readers familiar with this incident. The Jews had from ancient times various traditions of the burial of Moses, of a contest about his soul. According to Oecumenius, the tradition ran that God had charged Michael the archangel with the burial of Moses; that Satan opposed him, bringing an accusation against him relating to the murder of the Egyptian; in consequence of which he was unworthy of such honourable burial. Jude, like Paul, 2Ti_3:8, probably drew from this tradition, the Spirit of God directing him to extract the truth from those traditions. It is therefore not necessary to assume here a special revelation vouchsafed to Jude. Origen, Epiphanius and others refer to a book called “The Ascension or Removal of Moses”, but that book is doubtless of a later origin, and it is more probable that Jude made use of oral tradition rather than of that book.
Contending with the devil.—
Äéáêñéíüìåíïò äéåëÝãåôï
;
äéáêñßíåóèáé
, to get into dispute, to separate and disagree, particularly to carry on a dispute in law. The words
äéáëÝãåôï ὅôå ôῷ äéáâüëῳ
show that it was a verbal altercation. Stier: “The powers of heaven and hell contended consequently for the, body of the man of God after his death.”
Dared not, etc.—Huther: “From fear of the original glory of the devil.” Better,“from profound dread of the majesty of God.”
Êñßóéí ἐðéöÝñåéí
, cf. Act_25:18, to give a sentence of condemnation against one.
Âëáóöçìßáò
=
âëÜóöçìïí
, 2Pe_2:11, words of insult, anger, or words of satire and mockery. Stier remarks, that even Father Luther did occasionally transgress in this respect and speak far too defiantly against the enemy.
The Lord rebuke thee.—The Angel of the Covenant addresses these words to Satan in Zec_3:2; cf. Act_23:3.; 2Ti_4:14. The enemy himself has betrayed the secret that he may be overcome by the words,“The Most Merciful rebuke thee.” Bengel: “Modesty is an angelic virtue.”
Jud_1:10. These, however, etc.—Jude now passes from the particular expression of that daring disposition to the general. They speak evil, in general, of all things which they know not. For
ὅóá
is not=â, but=quæcunque. The reference is to the whole sphere of things invisible and heavenly, including the
äüîáé
. They are held by the delusion of materialism, that only that is real which may be seen with the eyes and touched by the hands, cf. Col_2:18.
But those things which they understand.—̔
Åðßóôáíôáé
, apparently stronger than
ïἴäáóé
, is an ironical expression. The things they thoroughly understand, viz., the objects and means of sensual enjoyment, they use for their destruction, and really understand nothing of their nature and effects.
Naturally, as the brute beasts;
öõóéêῶò ὡò ôὰ ἄëïãá æῶá
, go together. Their understanding does not go beyond that which the instincts of nature, the instinctive desire of food and procreation, teach brute beasts. But they sink even beneath them because of their own free will and deliberation, they prostitute in carnal indulgence those powers of the soul which ought to introduce them to God and heavenly things. The parallel passage, 2Pe_2:12, reads: “They speak evil of the things that they understand not,” with this difference, however, that Peter not only states the additional particular of the destiny of the brute creation, but connects also
öõóéêὰ
with
æῶá
, whereas here it goes with
ἐðßóôáóèáé
. It is evident that Jude made free use of the passage in Peter.
Therein do they ruin themselves, cf. 2Pe_2:12; Ps. 49:13, 21.
Jud_1:11. Woe unto them, etc.—An utterance of woe, of frequent occurrence in the speeches of our Lord, expressive of pain and indignation, and conveying the threat of punishment, cf. Mat_11:21; Mat_18:7; Mat_23:13; Mat_24:19; Mat_26:24; Mar_14:21; Mar_13:17; Luk_6:24-25; Luk_11:42; Luk_17:1. Bengel: “The only passage where this Apostle alone utters a woe for three reasons.” Paul says, 1Co_9:16 : “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.” The expression occurs repeatedly in the book of Revelation, Rev_8:13; Rev_9:12; Rev_11:14; Rev_12:12; Rev_18:10; Rev_18:16; Rev_18:19. 2Pe_2:14, has “cursed children,” lit. “children of malediction.” Jude paraphrases it by,“woe unto them,” which threatens them with the curse. Jude, in addition to the example of Balaam, which we have in 2 Peter, produces the examples of Cain and the company of Core as types of the mind and judgment of those persons. He adverts rather to the order of the matter than to the order of time.
They walked.—De Wette: “Their career is regarded as already completed, the author prophetically foreseeing their end.” This contains a hint in favour of the genuineness of the Epistle.
The way of Cain;
ôῇ ὁäῷ
, cf. Act_14:16; Act_9:31; the Dative of the direction in which [see above App. Crit., note 20.—M.], cf. 1Sa_15:20; LXX., Tob_4:5. It is not difficult to find the point of comparison. It is acting upon mere natural instincts, on the selfish impulses of nature (cf.
öõóéêῶò
, Jud_1:10), in contempt of the warnings of God in the conscience and in His word. De Wette stops at the idea that Cain is here mentioned as the archetype of all bad men. Too general. Calov and others understand it of spiritual murder by deceiving the brethren, or of fiery persecution, so Lyra. Arbitrary. Schnecken, burger refers to the moral skepticism of the deceivers, since in the later writings of the Jews, Cain is represented to have said: “There is no Judge, no other world, no reward for the righteous, no punishment for the wicked.” Farfetched. Stier: “Selfish, hateful envy of the pious brother, because his piety was pleasing to God, consequently to God and man at one and the same time, the resistance of an evil conscience which is defiant instead of humbling itself, the root of the Cainite sin from which full hatred develops with fearful velocity into the act of murder.” Huther: “In comparing these false teachers with Cain, Jude intends to describe them as resisting God from envy of the grace shown to believers.” But this is not the description of those deceivers.—[Wordsworth: “Specially applicable to some classes of the Gnostics, who dared impiously to affirm that ‘Cain was made by a power superior to that of the Creator; and who acknowledged Esau, Korah and the Sodomites, and all such, as their own kindred.’ See Iren. 1, 31. (Stieren), 1, 35, p. 113 (Grabe). Cf. Tertull., Præscr. c. 47; Clem. Alexandr., Strom. 7, p. 549; Hippolyt., Phil. p. 133; Epiph., Hær. 38; Theodoret, Hæret. fab. c. 15; Philostr. c. 2; Tillemont, II., p. 21. These false teachers destroy like Cain; they love lucre and allure to sin like Balaam; they make divisions in the Church of Christ like Korah. Catena, p. 164, and cf. Bede on 1Jn_1:6.”—M.]
And in the error of Balaam, etc.—Peter has,“They went astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” Jude gives this in a contracted form. See 2Pe_2:15-16.
ðëÜíῃ
, cf. 2Pe_2:18; Jam_5:20; Eze_33:16, LXX. Huther: “Vicious life averted from the truth.” Not=
åἰò ðëÜíçí
, but the Dative of direction in which, like
ôῇ ὁäῷ
and with
ἐîáêïëïõèåῖí
, 2Pe_2:15; in the direction of erring.
Has drawn them along [they rushed headlong, see Appar. Crit., note 20.—M.];
ἐê÷åῖóèáé
, Middle, to stream forth like a torrent without a dam (Bengel), to suffer oneself to be carried away like the Latin effundi in venerem, in libidines. At the same time we may think of the meaning of
ùָׁôַêְ
, to slip and fall, Psa_63:2. [The force of the Greek verb is rather “to pour oneself out in a torrent.” See Loesner, p. 583.—M.].
Ἐîå÷ýèçóáí ìéóèïῦ
.The explanation,“They threw themselves into the error of Balaam for hire (=
ἀíôὶ
or
ἔíåêá
),” is false; so is that of Schnecken burger: “They threw themselves into the error of Balaam in expectation of reward.” De Wette’s rendering also is very forced: “Through the seduction of Balaam’s reward they poured themselves out in vice.” In that case we ought to have
ôïῦ ìéóèïῦ ÂáëáÜì
.—
Ìéóèïῦ
should rather be taken in apposition with
ÂáëáÜì
, a brief allusion, which is easily explained on the supposition that Jude had before him 2Pe_2:15. The point of comparison lies first in selfishness and avarice, then in seduction to unchastity.
In the gainsaying of Core they perished.—
ἀíôéëÝãåéí
, to contradict, to quarrel, to offer resistance, used in LXX. for
îְøִéáָä
, cf. Joh_19:12; Heb_6:16; Heb_7:7; Heb_12:3.
ÊïñÝ
, cf. Num_16:32; Num_26:10. It was an insurrection against the Lord and His representatives under the cover of right and religion. Huther: “They lost themselves in the gainsaying of Core.” He thinks that both the parallelism of the three clauses and the Preterite of the verb favour such a construction. The last reason proves nothing (see above), and the first is counterbalanced by the circumstance that
ἀðïëÝóèáé
is not used in the sense of losing oneself into a thing, of entangling oneself. Mat_10:6 is not a parallel passage. Grammatical usage permits no other explanation than this: “they perished in the gainsaying of Core, by offering like resistance to God and His holy ordinances.” Stier sees a gradation in the words way, error and gainsaying. “The end and the beginning of the whole way is illustrated at the very commencement of history in the case of Cain, the rushing progress in the way of error is especially exhibited in the case of Balaam, the final insurrection and provocation of judgment is typified in Korah.” Huther calls to mind that opposition to God sprung, in the case of Cain, from envy, in that of Balaam, from covetousness, in that of Korah from pride; Jud_1:12 gives a further delineation of these deceivers, similar to 2Pe_2:13; 2Pe_2:17. [Irenæus, IV., 43, ed. Grabe: “The doom of those who rise against the true faith, and excite others against the Church of God, is to be swallowed up by the earth, and to remain in the gulf below, with Korah, Dathan and Abiram.”—M]
Jud_1:12. These are spots in your love-feasts, etc.—
ἐí ôáῖò ἀãÜðáéò ὑìῶí
, in your love-feasts, not, as Luther renders, in your alms, the exhibitions of love. The early degeneracy of the love-feasts connected with the Lord’s Supper is evident from 1Co_11:20, etc. [Hippolytus, Ref. Hæres., p. 172, states that the Simonians said that their promiscuous
ìßîåéò
were
ôåëåßáí ἀãÜðçí
and
ìáêáñßæïíôáò ἑáõôïῦò ἐðὶ ôῇ ìßîåé
.—M.].—
ÓðßëÜäåò
;
óðßëáî
or really denotes a rock or a cliff, from
óðÝïò
, while
óðßëïò
, the word used by Peter, means both a cliff and a spot. De Wette and Huther favour the literal sense: “It is these who are cliffs in your love-feasts, i.e., on which these feasts split, or good morals suffer shipwreck (cf. 1Ti_1:19).” It is more simple to understand it of the seductive, dangerous power of these men. But we agree with Stier in preferring the sense of stain, spot, because, as he remarks, grammatical usage might easily change in words of such near affinity; these words having a common root might be used more or less loosely, and the parallel in 2 Peter favouring it. Possibly both (Peter and Jude) alluded to Deu_32:5. [Aretius:—“
óðßëáò
non solum est glarea, hoc est, ferræ species quæ maculas facile relinquit, sed est etiam concavum saxum in littore maris, seu lacuum ac fluminum, in quam concavitatem tanquam in commune receptaculum sordes aquarum confluunt.” Mack. (Scott, Bloomf.): “The word
óðéëÜäåò
properly signifies rocks in the sea, which, when they the above its surface, appear like spots.” Oecumen., Theophyl. (
ὕöáëïé ðÝôñáé
), Lightoot, Wetstein, Whitby, Meyer, de Wette, Schleusner, Huther, Peile, Lillie, Alford, Wordsworth, al., all agree in rendering “rocks.” It is the only sense in which it occurs in ancient authors; it is, moreover, in better unison with the other metaphors by which Jude describes the false teachers (clouds, trees, waves, wandering stars) than spots. On these grounds we prefer “rocks” to “spots.”—Wordsworth:—“These
óðéëÜäåò
may be well said to be
ἐí ôáῖò ἀãÜðáéò
, where the Church looks only for peace and safety, as in a deep and placid harbor. The words scopulus,
öÜñáíî
, Charybdis, Euripus barathrum, etc., are thus applied frequently to persons. See Floruas, 4, 9, where Antony is called a scopulus; and Aristoph. Equites, 248,
öÜñáããá
,
êáὶ ×Üñõâäéí ἁñðáãῆò
, and Anthol., 2, 15. 1,
åἰò äïëßïõò
, where treacherous persons are compared to
ὕöáëïé ðÝôñáé
. Horat., Ep. I., 15. 31,—
Pernicies et tempestas barathrumque macelli,
Quicquid quæsierat ventri donabat avaro.—M.]
óõíåõù÷ïýìåíïé
. De Wette objects to supplying
ὑìῖí
, and translates “carousing together without fear;” so Stier. But since 2Pe_2:13 has
ὑìῖí
, and
ἀöüâùò
thus gets a better sense, moreover since otherwise
óýí
would be superfluous, it is perhaps better to render: “They carouse with you, push themselves to your love-feasts.” It is singular, however, that they not only would do so with impunity, but that Jude does not insist upon separation. The same objection, however, arises at 2Pe_2:13, and is not so very difficult to be met. [It is to be regretted that Fronmüller has withheld the solution of the difficulty. The only one we are able to supply is that these false teachers abused the well-known liberal hospitality of the early Christians by clandestinely appearing at their love-feasts. The insertion of
ὑìῖí
is against the weight of MSS. evidence, and discountenanced by the majority of versions and reliable exegetes.—M.]
Without fear.—The most natural construction is to take
ἀöüâùò
with
óõíåõù÷ïýìåíïé
, not with
ðïéìáßíïíôåò
(Stier), which would isolate the former too much. They are so insolent as to dread neither correction nor expulsion, and still less the monitions of their own conscience. Bengel misses the sense by rendering,“To feast together is not wrong per se, therefore,
ἀöüâùò
ought to be connected with this verb (
ðïéìáßí
.).”
Feeding themselves.—Jude refers to Eze_34:2; Eze_34:8,“Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves,” cf. Isa_56:11. We learn from this circumstance that those deceivers set up as guides and leaders of the flock, and that they sought the wool of the sheep, not the sheep themselves, cf. 1Pe_5:2. [Alford:—“Using the
ἀãÜðáé
not for their legitimate purpose, the realization of the unity of Christians by social union, but for their own purposes, the enjoyment of their lusts and the furtherance of their schemes.”—M.]. The remark of Huther, that there is no other hint of said adversaries having filled the ecclesiastical office, is perfectly true, but that does not exclude their setting up as teachers and leaders. The true point of view is displaced if
ðïéìáßíïíôåò
is restricted to the agapæ and expounded (as de Wette does),“They take their fill while they suffer the poor (the majority, the flock) to want,” 1Co_11:21.
ðïéìáßíåéí
, in that sense, would be an inappropriate term. The sequel also does not relate to the agapæ.
Clouds without water, driven fast by winds.—[Alford:—“Driven out of course by winds;” he reads
ðáñáöåñüìåíïé
(with A. B. C. K., al.), borne out of their course, hither and thither.—M.]. In 2Pe_2:17 another figure, viz.: “wells without water,” precedes the parallel to this, while here one is added which is wanting there, viz.: “dead trees.” De Wette, who applies the figure to the agapæ, is certainly wrong in saying that these men added largely to the agapæ, without sharing their contributions with the poor. No, the reference is rather to the promise and boasting of great and profound knowledge, but it is idle show and vapour, cf. Pro_25:14. They are carried about by every wind of doctrine, and cannot satisfy the wants of those who thirst for the truth. Huther:—“The figure delineates the inward spiritual emptiness of those men, who on that account are unable to do good, but it seems also to intimate their deceptive ostentation, which has been pointed out by Calvin.” The reference to doing good, however, belongs not to this, but to the next figure.
ðïéìáßíïíôåò
and
íåöÝëáé
point unmistakably to their arrogated teaching and leading.—
Ðåñéöåñüìåíáé
, driven about, fitfully driven to and fro. [See above Appar. Crit., note 22.—M.] Peter has
ἐëáõíüìåíáé
.
Late autumnal trees, etc.—
ÖèéíïðùñéíÜ
, from
öèßíù
and
ὀðþñá
;
ὀðþñá
signifies the hottest season of the year; when that is over (
öèßíåé
), the
öèéíüðùñïí
, late autumn, the beginning of winter, sets in; the adjective denotes, therefore,“late-autumnal,” not “fruit spoiling,” as Stier renders, contrary to grammatical usage. [The best account of this word is that given by Lillie in loco, which is here transcribed: “According to Passow (as translated by Liddell and Scott),
ὀðþñá
Isaiah , 1,‘the part of the year between the rising of Sirius and of Arcturus. … not so much …. autumn as our dog days, or at most the end of summer;, and then, because this was the season of fruit, it stands, 2, for ‘the fruit itself, esp. tree-fruit;—and hence also the verb
ὀðùñßæù
is to gather fruits.
öèßíù
, again is used, 1, intransitively, to decay, wither, and, 2, transitively, to corrupt, destroy. Joining the two words, each in its first signification, we have
öèéíüðùñïí
, autumn, or more commonly, senescens auctumnus et in hyemem vergens (Steph. Scap.), late autumn, the fall of the year (L. and S.); and
öèéíïðùñéíüò
, belonging to that season—which are the only meanings of those compounds which the lexicons recognize as classical. In that sense, accordingly, is the Adjective taken here, in connection with
ἄêáñðá
, by Wicl. (harvest-trees without fruit), Tynd., Cranm.,(without fr. at gathering time), Castal.,(autumnales infructuosæ), Thom.,(auctumnal trees without fruit), Dav.,(aut. trees stripped of their fruit); and apart from that connection, by Rhemish; Vulg., and its followers generally, Dutch, French, Swiss, margin; Engl., Ann., Hamm.; Cocc.; Beausobre and L’Enfant, margin; Bengel, Moldenh; Hænlein (erroneously cited by Huther), Meyer, Gerlach, Barn.; de W.; Peile,(trees on the wane—“fallen into the sere and yellow leaf”), Huther;—Wahl, Robinson, Green,(autumnal, sere, bare), Schirl. The same interpretation is allowed also by Zeg., Wits., Gill, Laurm., Rosenm., Trol.,(‘without leaves,’ [which is also Wesley’s version],‘as trees are in autumn’), Bloomf.;—Schleusn. The second significations of
öèßíù
and
ὀðþñá
, however, appear combined in the use, according to Phavor., of
öèéíüðùñïí
to denote
íüóïò öèßíïõóá ὀðþñáò
(hence Clarke: galled or diseased trees; an etymology and sense allowed also by Wits., Laurm., Trol., cankered;—Schleus.), and in Pindar’s use of
öèéíïðùñßò
. Liddell and Scott do, indeed, mark this last word as a ‘pecul. fem.’ of
öèéíïðùñéíüò
, which they explain to mean autumnal. But in the passage referred to—Pyth., 5, 161, 162,
öèéíïðùñὶò ἀíÝìùí ÷åéìåñßá êáôáðíïÜ
—
öèéíïðùñὶò
evidently does not mean that, but rather the blighting influence of these wintry blasts, and so it is explained by the best commentators of Pindar. Heyne translates thus: ‘fructibus exitialis ventorum hibernus flatus;’ and the most recent editor, Prof. Schneidewin, has the following note: ‘
ὀðþñá
,
ὥñá
auctumus, annus dicuntur pro iis quæ giguntur iis temporibus. Jam sensus: Valeas viribus et consilio etiam in posterum, ne ventus brumalis tibi perdat temporis fructus.’ If it be said that the common version requires the noun to be taken in its second signification and the verb in its first, it may be replied, 1, that this acknowledged secondary meaning of the noun is its meaning in the only place where it is found in the New Testament, viz.: Rev_18:14;—2, that the intransitive use of the verb is by far the more frequent;—and, 3, that the verb retains this intransitive sense in other analogous cases of composition; e.g.,
öèéíüêáñðïò
, applied by Pindar, Pyth., 4, 471, to an oak from which the limbs had been lopped; and
öèéíüêùëïò
, with wasting limbs (L. and S.). While, therefore, our present form
öèéíïðùñéíüò
may not, in the one or two instances where it is found elsewhere, bear the meaning here ascribed to it, I concur nevertheless in the remark of Grotius: ‘Si usum vocis respicias, dicit arbores auctumnales. Sed magis respicitur ἐôõìïëïãßá vocis, ut dicat eos similes esse arboribus, quarum fructus perit illico.’ This sense, moreover, is more in harmony with the design of the writer, which is to describe the characteristic and inward spiritual desolation of these wicked men …., and it lays a firmer basis for the dreadful climax whereby he effects that object, cf. Mat_13:22; Luk_8:14, etc.”—M.] They stand there, like late-autumnal trees, which have no fruit but only dry leaves. They deceive our expectations, as the baren fig-tree, Mat_21:19; Luk_13:6, and are therefore ripe for the curse and woodman’s axe. As we expect the clouds to yield water, so we expect the trees to yield fruit. The former relates to their teaching, the latter to their life. Bengel:—“Trees, as they appear at the end of autumn, without fruit and leaves,” cf. Isa_1:30. Jude thinks of persons, who year after year are like late-autumnal trees. This is not a weak, but a very striking description, whereas, if we follow the etymology, the addition of
ἄêáñðïò
would be superfluous.
Unfruitful.—Not “whose fruit has been taken off,” as de Wette, but without fruit [or better, incapable of yielding fruit.—M.]
Twice dead, not=wholly dead, which is arbitrary, for the figure is taken from trees which have at different times suffered fatal injury by frost or from insects. Stier: “By nature we are through the fall altogether dead trees; now these persons, having received the grace of regeneration, have died a second time (2Pe_2:20). This is the second death in guilt and punishment.” Others (like Grotius) erroneously interpret these words of the first (earthly) and the second (post-terrene) death, seeing death had not yet affected them in either respect. [Wordsworth: “So these men are trees, which died twice, because these men having been once dead in trespasses and sins, arid raised to life in baptism, have relapsed and apostatized into the death of sin, and so have died twice; and because by their sins they have incurred the second death. See Rev_2:11; Rev_20:6; Rev_20:14; Rev_21:8, where it is said that the second death is the penalty of the unbelieving, abominable, and fornicators.” Oecumenius: “
ôὰ öèéíïðþñéíá äÝíäñá äὶò ἀðïèíÞóêïíôá
,
ἔí ôå ôῇ ôïῦ êáñðïῦ áὐôῶí ἀðïâïëῇ
,
êáὶ ἐí ôῇ ôῶí öýëëùí ἀðïῤῥïῇ
.” De Wette illustrates by “bis dat qui cito dat,” and Horace’s “pro quo bis patior mori.” Alford refers to the double death in a tree, which is not only as it seems to the eye in common with other trees, in the apparent death of winter, but really dead: dead to appearance and dead in reality.—M.]
Uprooted, not trees dug out and thus eradicated, but such as still remain in the earth, shaken loose by their roots, and thus incapable of shedding leaves and bearing fruit. Figurative description of men torn loose from this vital foundation and the communion of the Church, no longer moved by the Holy Spirit, having ceased to do good works, and doomed to the penalty of the obdurate, cf. Joh_15:6; Mat_3:10. [Arnaud: “Tous ces mots sont des métaphores energiques pour montrer le néant de ces impures, la légèreté de leur conduite, la sterilité de leur foi et l’absence de leurs bonnes mœurs.”—M.]
Jud_1:13. Raging waves of the sea [German,“wild waves,” better than raging, so Alford.—M.]. The Apostle probably thought of Isa_57:20 : “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt,” cf. Wis_14:1.
ἄãñéïò
is elsewhere used of wild beasts. The figure describes their passionate conduct, their rushing against divinely-ordered barriers, their inward impurity and hurtfulness, cf. Psa_46:4. The figurative expression of Isaiah has a literal application in the Epistle.
̓
Åðáöñßæåéí
, properly to foam over, cover with foam, foam out.
áἰó÷ýíáò
, an emphatic Plural, as 1Pe_4:3, all kinds of shame proceeding from the evil treasure of the heart. Huther: “Shameful lusts, which they exhibit in their wild, immoral life.”
Wandering stars, etc.—
ἀóôÝñåò ðëáíῆôáé
, wandering stars, from
ðëáíᾷí
,
ðëáíᾶóèáé
, cf. 5:11; 2Ti_3:13. [Alford: “Comets, which astonish the world for awhile and then pass away into darkness.—Those professing Christians, by their profession of being lights in the world, instead of letting that light shine on more and more into the perfect day, are drifting about in strange errors of doctrine and practice, until it will be utterly extinguished in eternal darkness.”—M.]. It is difficult to see why the reference to comets, which were known to the people in ancient times, should be pronounced arbitrary (Huther). “That have no regular course, and depart from the sun (of righteousness).” Meyer. So also de Wette and Stier; the latter says: “If a star loses or deviates from its place or course, it either falls forthwith down dark, or, and, that is the sense here, it roves awhile with deceitful light until it reaches the point and catastrophe, which God has appointed.” The word
ἀóôÝñåò
again contains a reference to men, that set up for lights of the Church, cf. Rev_1:20; Dan_12:3; Php_2:15. So Oecumenius. We must not think of authorized teachers, but remember that men, in order to gain distinction in those Churches, had to render themselves prominent by the light of knowledge; de Wette interprets the metaphor of the outward splendour of the luxury and perhaps also of the authority of those men; Huther applies the metaphor to unstable men, driven hither and thither by their carnal appetites, whose life presents the strongest contrast to the calm, well-ordered life of Christians. But this does not explain the term
ἀóôÝñåò
.—Bengel observes: “It has recently been discovered that planets are opaque bodies that shine with borrowed light. Jude was enabled to intimate this in virtue of Divine illumination.” But the reference is neither to planets nor their opacity.
To whom [better, for whom.—M.] the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.—Cf. the parallel passage, 2Pe_2:17, and the commentary on it. Stier: “The comets, as unstable, disrupted ruins, may be hastening forward to a final darkness among the slags of the last process of reconstruction.”
Jud_1:14. But of [for.—M.] these also prophesied Enoch, the seventh from Adam..—Now follows a prophecy of Enoch of these people.
ôïýôïéò
, with reference to them; see Winer, p. 244, cf. Luk_18:31.—
êáὶ
should be connected with
ðñïöÞôåõóå
, not with
ôïýôïéò
. As other prophets, so Enoch also, the most ancient of prophets.
The seventh from Adam, cf. Gen_5:18. There are really only five patriarchs between Enoch and Adam, viz., Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel and Jared, but Adam is included as the first. This designation, although omitted by commentators, occurs repeatedly in the book of Enoch; e.g., we read, Enoch 93:3: “I, as the seventh, am born in the first week, while judgment and justice were delayed;” cf. Enoch 60:8: “In the seventh week there shall arise an apostate generation;” Enoch 37:1, trac
