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Jud_1:9 places in a strong light the wickedness of this blasphemy (comp. 2Pe_2:11). They do something against the δόξαι , which even Michael the archangel did not venture to do against the devil.
ὁ δὲ Μιχαὴλ ὁ ἀρχάγγελος ] Michael, in the doctrine of the angels, as it was developed during and after the captivity by the Jews, belonged to the seven highest angels, and was regarded as the guardian of the nation of Israel: Dan_12:1, äÇùÒÌÇø äÇâÌÈãåÉì äÈòÉîÅã òÇìÎáÌÀðÅé òÇîÌÆêÈ ; comp. Dan_10:13; Dan_10:21; in the N. T. he is only mentioned in Rev_12:7. In the Book of Enoch, chap. 20:5, he is described as “one of the holy angels set over the best part of the human race, over the people.”
ἀρχάγγελος only here and in 1Th_4:16 (Dan_12:1, LXX., ὁ ἄρχων ὁ μέγας ); see Winer’s bibl. Reallex.: Angel, Michael.
ὅτε τῷ διαβόλῳ κ . τ . λ .] This legend is found neither in the O. T. nor in the Rabbinical writings, nor in the Book of Enoch; Jude, however, supposes it well known. Oecumenius thus explains the circumstance: λέγεται τὸν Μιχαὴλ … τῇ τοῦ Μωσέως ταφῇ δεδιηκονηκέναι · τοῦ γὰρ διαβόλου τοῦτο μὴ καταδεχομένου , ἀλλʼ ἐπιφέροντος ἔγκλημα διὰ τὸν τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου φονον , ὡς αὐτοῦ ὄντος τοῦ Μωσέως , καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μὴ συγχωρεῖσθαι αὐτῷ τυχεῖν τῆς ἐντίμου ταφῆς . According to Jonathan on Deu_34:6, the grave of Moses was given to the special custody of Michael. This legend, with reference to the manslaughter committed by Moses, might easily have been formed, as Oecumenius states it, “out of Jewish tradition, extant in writing alongside of the Scriptures” (Stier).[28] According to Origen ( περὶ ἀρχῶν , iii. 2), Jude derived his account from a writing known in his age: ἈΝΆΒΑΣΙς ΤΟῦ ΜΩΣΈΩς .[29] Calvin and others regard oral tradition as the source; Nicolas de Lyra and others, a special revelation of the Holy Ghost; and F. Philippi, a direct instruction of the disciples by Christ, occasioned by the appearance of Moses on the mount of transfiguration. De Wette has correctly observed that the explanation is neither to be derived from the Zendavesta (Herder), nor is the contest to be interpreted allegorically ( σῶμα Μωσέως = the people of Israel, or the Mosaic law).
ΔΙΑΚΡΙΝΌΜΕΝΟς ΔΙΕΛΈΓΕΤΟ ] The juxtaposition of these synonymous words serves for the strengthening of the idea; by ΔΙΕΛΈΓΕΤΟ the conflict is indicated as a verbal altercation.
ΟὐΚ ἘΤΌΛΜΗΣΕ ] he ventured not.
κρίσιν ἐπενεγκεῖν βλασφημίας ] Calovius incorrectly explains it by: ultionem de blasphemia sumere; the words refer not to a blasphemy uttered by the devil, but to a blasphemy against the devil, from which Michael restrained himself.
ΚΡΊΣΙΝ ἘΠΙΦΈΡΕΙΝ ] denotes a judgment pronounced against any one (comp. Act_25:18 : ΑἸΤΊΑΝ ἘΠΙΦΈΡΕΙΝ ).
ΚΡΊΣΙΝ ΒΛΑΣΦΗΜΊΑς ] is a judgment containing in itself a blasphemy. By ΒΛΑΣΦ . that saying—namely, an invective—is to be understood by which the dignity belonging to another is injured. Michael restrained himself from such an invective against the devil, because he feared to injure his original dignity; instead of pronouncing a judgment himself, he left this to God. Herder: “And Michael dared not to pronounce an abusive sentence.”
ἈΛΛʼ ΕἾΠΕΝ · ἘΠΙΤΙΜΉΣΑΙ ΣΟΙ ΚΎΡΙΟς ] the Lord rebuke thee: comp. Mat_17:18; Mat_19:13, etc. According to Zec_3:1-3, the angel of the Lord spoke the same words to the devil, who in the vision of Zechariah stood at his right hand as an adversary of the high priest Joshua (LXX.: ἐπιτιμήσαι κύριος ἐν σοὶ διάβολε ).
[28] Schmid (bibl. Theol. II. p. 149), Luthardt, Hofmann (Schriftbeweis, I. p. 340), Schott, Wiesinger (less definitely) think that the conflict consisted in Michael not permitting the devil to exercise his power over the dead body of Moses, but withdrawing it from corruption; for which an appeal is made to the fact that “God had honoured Moses to see in the body a vision of His entire nature” (Hofmann), and also that “Moses was to be a type of the Mediator conquering death” (Schott), and that Moses appeared with Christ on the mount of transfiguration. In his explanation of this Epistle, Hofmann expresses himself to this effect, that Satan wished to prevent “Moses, who shared in the impurity of death, and who had been a sinful man, from being miraculously buried by the holy hand of God (through Michael).”
[29] See on this apocryphal writing, F. Philippi (das Buch Henoch, p. 166–191), who ascribes the composition of it to a Christian in the second century, and assumes that he was induced to it by this 9th verse in the Epistle of Jude; this at all events is highly improbable.