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Jud_1:16. A further description of the false teachers attached to the concluding words of the prophetic saying: τῶν σκληρῶν ὧν ἐλάλησαν κατʼ αὐτοῦ ; comp. 2Pe_2:18-19.
οὗτοί εἰσι ] as in Jud_1:10; Jud_1:19 with special emphasis.
γογγυσταί ] ἅπ . λεγ . in N. T.; the verb is of frequent occurrence; Oecumenius interprets it: οἱ ὑπʼ ὀδόντα καὶ ἀπαῤῥησιάστως τῷ δυσαρεστουμένῳ ἐπιμεμφόμενοι . Jude does not say against whom they murmur; it is therefore arbitrary to think on it as united to a definite special object as rulers (de Wette), or, still more definitely, ecclesiastical rulers (Estius, Jachmann). Brückner correctly observes that “the idea is not to be precisely limited.” Everything which was not according to their mind excited them to murmuring. The epithet μεμψίμοιροι ( ἅπ . λεγ .), dissatisfied with their lot, gives a more precise statement; denoting that they in their pretensions considered themselves entitled to a better lot than that which was accorded to them. The participial clause, κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας αὐτῶν πορευόμενοι , is added to the substantive, which, whilst it unfolds the reason of their dissatisfaction and murmuring, at the same time expresses a kind of contrast: they were dissatisfied with everything but themselves. Calvin: qui sibi in pravis cupiditatibus indulgent, simul difficiles sunt ac morosi, ut illis nunquam satisfiat. The view of Grotius is entirely mistaken, that Jude has here in view the dissatisfaction of the Jews of that period with their political condition.
καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν λαλεῖ ὑπέρογκα ] ὑπέρογκα only here and in the parallel passage, 2Pe_2:18. Luther: “proud words” (verba tumentia, in Jerom. contra Jovian, Jud_1:24); comp. Dan_11:36, LXX.: καὶ λαλήσει ὑπέρογκα ; such words are meant which proceed from pride, in which man exalts himself, in contrast to the humility of the Christians submitting themselves to God. To this the parallel passage (2Pe_2:18) also points, where the expression ὑπέρογκα refers to boasting of ἐλευθερία . A participial clause is again added to this assertion, as in the former clause, likewise expressing a kind of contrast: θαυμάζοντες πρόσωπα ὠφελείας χάριν . The expression θαυμάζειν πρόσωπα is in the N. T. ἅπ . λεγ .; in the O. T. comp. Gen_19:21, LXX.: ἐθαύμασά σου τὸ πρόσωπον ; Heb. ðÈùÒÈà ôÀðÅé ; in other passages the LXX. have λαμβάνειν τὸ πρ . In Lev_19:15 the LXX. translate ðÈùÒÈà ôÀðÅé by λαμβ . τὸ πρ .; on the other hand, äÈãÇø ôÌÀðÅé by θαυμάζειν τὸ πρόσωπον . Whilst in the first passage the friendly attitude of God toward Abraham is expressed, in the second passage it has the bad meaning of partiality. It has also this meaning here: it is to be translated to render admiration to persons (Herder: to esteem; Arnaud: “admirer, honorer”). In this sense θαυμάζειν occurs in Sir_7:29 (comp. Lysias, Orat. 31, where it is said of death: οὔτε γὰρ τοὺς πονηροὺς ὑπερορᾷ , οὔτε τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς θαυμάζει , ἀλλʼ ἶσον ἑαυτὸν παρέχει πᾶσιν ). This partial treatment of persons consisted in the flattering homage of those who hoped for some advantage from them, as ὠφελείας χάριν shows. It is unwarranted, with Hofmann, to interpret θαυμάζειν πρόσωπα : “to gratify and to please a person.” Proud boasting and cringing flattery form indeed a contrast, but yet are united together. Calvin: magniloquentiam taxat, quod se ipsos fastuose jactent: sed interea ostendit liberali esse ingenio, quia serviliter se dimittant.
θαυμάζοντες is not parallel with πορευόμενοι , but refers in a loose construction to αὐτῶν ; by this construction the thought gains more independence than if θαυμαζόντων were written.
ὠφελείας χάριν ] belongs not to the finite verb, but to the participle.