(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a simple comment of what is
happening)
FRAMEWORKS:
Jude
v.1-3
Greetings
v.3,4
Beware Ungodly People
v.5-7
Old Testament Warnings
v.8-10
The Folly of these People
v.11-16
The Nature of these people
v.17-23
A Call to Persevere
v.24,25
Doxology
[Letter
Notes: Jude's letter is a plea to the church to
be alert and wise in respect of certain men who had wormed their
way into positions of leadership but who revealed all sorts of
ungodliness. These false leaders did this by making spiritual
claims of wild authority while at the same time exhibiting lives
that were given over to human licentiousness. He reminds his readers
that the Old Testament is full of warnings about how God will
deal with unbelievers (even if they appear to be His people) and
those who relish unrighteousness and promote themselves for profit.
These people will be judged by God but in the meantime the church
needs to stand apart from these sorts of people and remain true
to the faith that has been conveyed by the apostles, who also
warned that such people would come. It shows the dangers of not
checking those who get into leadership against godly and holy
standards, and emphasizes, even as some of the other epistles
do, the spiritual warfare that went on in the first century church,
a battle for the faith, for belief and for holy living.]
v.1-3
Greetings
v.1
(Jude, brother
of James to the believers) Jude,
a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who
have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for
Jesus Christ:
v.2
(be blessed
with God's mercy, peace and love) Mercy,
peace and love be yours in abundance.
v.3,4
Beware Ungodly People
v.3
(instead of
writing the basics of our salvation I've felt led to write urging
you to fight for the faith given to God's people…) Dear
friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation
we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for
the faith that was once for all entrusted to God's holy people.
v.4
(…
because deceivers have slipped into the church, who God warned
about long ago, and who now in their ungodliness twist grace into
license and immorality, denying our Lord) For
certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long
ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people,
who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality
and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
v.5-7
Old Testament Warnings
v.5
(remember God
destroyed the unbelieving Israelites even though they had been
delivered out of Egypt) Though
you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord
at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed
those who did not believe.
v.6
(and the angels
who fell [see Rev 12] have likewise been judged and imprisoned)
And the angels who did not keep their
positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these
he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment
on the great Day.
v.7
(I mean, remember
Sodom & Gomorrah who gave themselves over to sexual immorality
& perversion who burned to destruction ) In
a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave
themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve
as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
v.8-10
The Folly of these People
v.8
(these people
today speak of dubious dreams, abuse their bodies, reject authority
and abuse the angelic world) In
the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly
people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse
on celestial beings.
v.9
(it's been written
and said that Michael disputed with Satan over Moses body after
he fell in the mountains from disobedience, but limited his challenge
to Satan being rebuked by the Lord) But
even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil
about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for
slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” [Jude is alluding
to the Jewish Testament of Moses (approximately the first century
a.d.)]
v.10
(but these foolish
people spew out words against the spirit world without a clue
of what they are doing [leave it to God!]) Yet
these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the
very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals
do—will destroy them.
v.11-16
The Nature of these people
v.11
(these people
have Cain's anger and lack of control, Balaam's desire to make
money through spiritual abuse and deception, and Korah's rebellious
spirit) Woe to them! They have
taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's
error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.
v.12
(the presence
of these leaders spoil your meeting around the Lord's table, greedy
for themselves, not caring for the flock, men without substance,
blown around by desires, producing no fruit in the kingdom)
These people are blemishes at your
love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds
who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown
along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice
dead.
v.13
(like wild waves
on the seashore they leave nothing other than empty foam, signs
of their shame, purporting to be like stars bringing light they
are doomed for utter darkness) They
are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars,
for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
v.14,15
(Enoch prophesied
about such people that God would judge them for their ungodly
uncontrolled rantings) Enoch,
the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is
coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge
everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they
have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words
ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” [From the
Jewish First Book of Enoch (approximately the first century b.c.)]
v.16
(they grumble,
complain and use flattery in promoting themselves) These
people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil
desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their
own advantage.
v.17-23
A Call to Persevere
v.17
(remember what
the apostles prophesied…) But,
dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ
foretold.
v.18
(…
they warned in the last days such people would come)
They said to you, “In the last
times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly
desires.”
v.19
(.. and so they
do, causing division, living licentious lives, in the absence
of the Spirit) These are the
people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do
not have the Spirit.
v.20
(but you are
different as you build up your faith, being led by the Spirit…)
But you, dear friends, by building
yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy
Spirit,
v.21
(… keep yourselves
by God's love as you await your promotion to heaven ) keep
yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
v.22
(be gracious
to those not strong in their faith) Be
merciful to those who doubt;
v.23
(reach out to
save who you can, fleeing from evil) save
others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy,
mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted
flesh.
v.24,25
Doxology
v.24,25
(so may God
who holds and keeps you be honoured and glorified for ever)
To him who is able to keep you from
stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without
fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory,
majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before
all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.