11 [1] Jude , a bond-servant of Jesus Christ , and brother of [2]James , To those who are the called , beloved in God the Father , and kept for Jesus Christ : 2 May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.
3 Beloved , while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation , I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the [3]saints . 4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed , those who were long beforehand [4] marked out for this condemnation , ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord , Jesus Christ . 5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all , that [5]the Lord , after saving a people out of the land of Egypt , [6]subsequently destroyed those who did not believe . 6 And angels who did not keep their own domain , but abandoned their proper abode , He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day , 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after [7]strange flesh , are exhibited as an [8] example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire .
8 Yet in the same way these men , also by dreaming , defile the flesh , and reject authority , and revile [9]angelic majesties . 9 But Michael the archangel , when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses , did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment , but said , " The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand ; and the things which they know by instinct , like unreasoning animals , by these things they are [10]destroyed . 11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain , and for pay [11]they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam , and perished in the rebellion of Korah . 12 These are the men who are [12]hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear , caring for themselves ; clouds without water , carried along by winds ; autumn trees without fruit , [13]doubly dead , uprooted ; 13 wild waves of the sea , casting up their own [14]shame like foam ; wandering stars , for whom the [15]black darkness has been reserved forever . 14 It was also about these men that Enoch , in the seventh generation from Adam , prophesied , saying , " Behold , the Lord came with [16]many thousands of His holy ones ,
15 to execute judgment upon all , and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way , and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." 16 These are grumblers , finding fault , following after their own lusts ; [17]they speak arrogantly , flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage .
17 But you, beloved , ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ , 18 that they were saying to you, " In the last time there will be mockers , following after their own ungodly lusts ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jude 1:1-18
Commentary on Jude 1:1-4
(Read Jude 1:1-4)
Christians are called out of the world, from the evil spirit and temper of it; called above the world, to higher and better things, to heaven, things unseen and eternal; called from sin to Christ, from vanity to seriousness, from uncleanness to holiness; and this according to the Divine purpose and grace. If sanctified and glorified, all the honour and glory must be ascribed to God, and to him alone. As it is God who begins the work of grace in the souls of men, so it is he who carries it on, and perfects it. Let us not trust in ourselves, nor in our stock of grace already received, but in him, and in him alone. The mercy of God is the spring and fountain of all the good we have or hope for; mercy, not only to the miserable, but to the guilty. Next to mercy is peace, which we have from the sense of having obtained mercy. From peace springs love; Christ's love to us, our love to him, and our brotherly love to one another. The apostle prays, not that Christians may be content with a little; but that their souls and societies may be full of these things. None are shut out from gospel offers and invitations, but those who obstinately and wickedly shut themselves out. But the application is to all believers, and only to such. It is to the weak as well as to the strong. Those who have received the doctrine of this common salvation, must contend for it, earnestly, not furiously. Lying for the truth is bad; scolding for it is not better. Those who have received the truth must contend for it, as the apostles did; by suffering with patience and courage for it, not by making others suffer if they will not embrace every notion we call faith, or important. We ought to contend earnestly for the faith, in opposition to those who would corrupt or deprave it; who creep in unawares; who glide in like serpents. And those are the worst of the ungodly, who take encouragement to sin boldly, because the grace of God has abounded, and still abounds so wonderfully, and who are hardened by the extent and fulness of gospel grace, the design of which is to deliver men from sin, and bring them unto God.
Commentary on Jude 1:5-7
(Read Jude 1:5-7)
Outward privileges, profession, and apparent conversion, could not secure those from the vengeance of God, who turned aside in unbelief and disobedience. The destruction of the unbelieving Israelites in the wilderness, shows that none ought to presume on their privileges. They had miracles as their daily bread; yet even they perished in unbelief. A great number of the angels were not pleased with the stations God allotted to them; pride was the main and direct cause or occasion of their fall. The fallen angels are kept to the judgment of the great day; and shall fallen men escape it? Surely not. Consider this in due time. The destruction of Sodom is a loud warning to all, to take heed of, and flee from fleshly lusts that war against the soul, Job 15:16.
Commentary on Jude 1:8-16
(Read Jude 1:8-16)
False teachers are dreamers; they greatly defile and grievously wound the soul. These teachers are of a disturbed mind and a seditious spirit; forgetting that the powers that be, are ordained of God, Romans 13:1. As to the contest about the body of Moses, it appears that Satan wished to make the place of his burial known to the Israelites, in order to tempt them to worship him, but he was prevented, and vented his rage in desperate blasphemy. This should remind all who dispute never to bring railing charges. Also learn hence, that we ought to defend those whom God owns. It is hard, if not impossible, to find any enemies to the Christian religion, who did not, and do not, live in open or secret contradiction to the principles of natural religion. Such are here compared to brute beasts, though they often boast of themselves as the wisest of mankind. They corrupt themselves in the things most open and plain. The fault lies, not in their understandings, but in their depraved wills, and their disordered appetites and affections. It is a great reproach, though unjust to religion, when those who profess it are opposed to it in heart and life. The Lord will remedy this in his time and way; not in men's blind way of plucking up the wheat with the tares. It is sad when men begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh. Twice dead; they had been once dead in their natural, fallen state; but now they are dead again by the evident proofs of their hypocrisy. Dead trees, why cumber they the ground! Away with them to the fire. Raging waves are a terror to sailing passengers; but when they get into port, the noise and terror are ended. False teachers are to expect the worst punishments in this world and in that to come. They glare like meteors, or falling stars, and then sink into the blackness of darkness for ever. We have no mention of the prophecy of Enoch in any other part or place of Scripture; yet one plain text of Scripture, proves any point we are to believe. We find from this, that Christ's coming to judge was prophesied of, as early as the times before the flood. The Lord cometh: what a glorious time will that be! Notice how often the word "ungodly" is repeated. Many now do not at all refer to the terms godly, or ungodly, unless it be to mock at even the words; but it is not so in the language taught us by the Holy Ghost. Hard speeches of one another, especially if ill-grounded, will certainly come into account at the day of judgment. These evil men and seducers are angry at every thing that happens, and never pleased with their own state and condition. Their will and their fancy, are their only rule and law. Those who please their sinful appetites, are most prone to yield to ungovernable passions. The men of God, from the beginning of the world, have declared the doom denounced on them. Such let us avoid. We are to follow men only as they follow Christ.
Commentary on Jude 1:17-23
(Read Jude 1:17-23)
Sensual men separate from Christ, and his church, and join themselves to the devil, the world, and the flesh, by ungodly and sinful practices. That is infinitely worse than to separate from any branch of the visible church on account of opinions, or modes and circumstances of outward government or worship. Sensual men have not the spirit of holiness, which whoever has not, does not belong to Christ. The grace of faith is most holy, as it works by love, purifies the heart, and overcomes the world, by which it is distinguished from a false and dead faith. Our prayers are most likely to prevail, when we pray in the Holy Ghost, under his guidance and influence, according to the rule of his word, with faith, fervency, and earnestness; this is praying in the Holy Ghost. And a believing expectation of eternal life will arm us against the snares of sin: lively faith in this blessed hope will help us to mortify our lusts. We must watch over one another; faithfully, yet prudently reprove each other, and set a good example to all about us. This must be done with compassion, making a difference between the weak and the wilful. Some we must treat with tenderness. Others save with fear; urging the terrors of the Lord. All endeavours must be joined with decided abhorrence of crimes, and care be taken to avoid whatever led to, or was connected with fellowship with them, in works of darkness, keeping far from what is, or appears to be evil.