Yahuda 1:5 Yorum

We have here, I. An account of the penman of this epistle, a character of the church, the blessings and privileges of that happy society (Jde 1:1, Jde 1:2). II. The occasion of writing this epistle (Jde 1:3). III. A character of evil and perverse men, who had already sprung up in that infant state of the church, and would be succeeded by others of the like evil spirit and temper in after-times (Jde 1:4). IV. A caution against hearkening to and following after such, from the severity of God towards the unbelieving murmuring Israelites at their coming out of Egypt, the angels that fell, the sin and punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jde 1:5-7). V. To these the apostle likens the seducers against whom he was warning them, and describes them at large, (Jde 1:8-10, inclusive). VI. Then (as specially suitable to his argument) he cites an ancient prophecy of Enoch foretelling and describing the future judgment (Jde 1:14, Jde 1:15). VII. He enlarges on the seducers' character, and guards against the offence which honest minds might be apt to take at the so early permission of such things, by showing that it was foretold long before that so it must be (Jde 1:16-19). VIII. Exhorts them to perseverance in the faith, fervency in prayer, watchfulness against falling from the love of God, and a lively hope of eternal life (Jde 1:20, Jde 1:21). IX. Directs them how to act towards the erroneous and scandalous (Jde 1:22, Jde 1:23). And, X. Closes with an admirable doxology in the last two verses.

The writer of this epistle describes himself by his name, Jude; by his spiritual condition, "a servant of Christ"; and by his natural relation, "a brother of James"; and inscribes it to persons chosen of God, secured in Christ, and called by grace, Jde 1:1, whom he salutes, and wishes a multiplication of mercy, peace, and love unto, Jde 1:2, and then points at the subject matter of his epistle, "the common salvation"; and his view in writing it, which was to exhort them to contend earnestly for, the Gospel; which exhortation was necessary, since some reprobate and wicked men, abusers of the grace of God, and blasphemers of the person of Christ, had got in among them, Jde 1:3, and in order to deter them from following their pernicious ways, he lays before them various instances of divine vengeance on sinners; as the Israelites, whom God delivered out of Egypt, and yet destroyed them for their unbelief; the angels, who not content with their first estate, forsook their habitation, and are reserved in chains of darkness to the day of judgment; and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha, and the adjacent cities, who for their uncleanness suffer the vengeance of eternal fire, as an example to others, Jde 1:5, in like manner, the apostle observes, these false teachers, who were filthy dreamers, defiled themselves with such sins, and also despised and spoke evil of civil magistrates, Jde 1:8, which sin of theirs is aggravated by Michael the archangel not railing at the devil, in a contention with him about the body of Moses, but gently reproving him; by speaking evil of what they were ignorant of, and by their brutish sensuality, in corrupting: themselves in things they had natural knowledge of, Jde 1:9, and both their sin and punishment are exemplified in the cases of Cain, Balaam, and Korah; being guilty of hatred of the brethren, of covetousness, and of contradiction, Jde 1:11, and by various metaphors are set forth their intemperance, hypocrisy, instability, unfruitfulness, pride, wrath, and lust, for whom the blackest darkness is reserved for ever, Jde 1:12, the certainty of which is proved from an ancient prophecy of Enoch, concerning the coming of Christ to judgment, when vengeance will be taken on those men for their ungodly deeds and hard speeches, Jde 1:14, who are further described by their murmurs and complaints; by their pride, respect of persons, and covetousness; by their scoffs, and walking after their own lusts, as had been foretold by the apostles of Christ; by separating themselves from the saints, and by their sensuality, and not having the Spirit of God, Jde 1:17, and the apostle having thus at large described these false teachers, by reason of whom the saints were in danger, directs them to the use of means by which they might be secured from them; such as building themselves up in their most holy faith, praying in the holy Ghost, keeping themselves in the love of God, and looking for the mercy of Christ unto eternal life, Jde 1:20, and he teaches them not only to be concerned for themselves, but for others also, who were in danger from these deceivers; to deal with some in a tender and compassionate way, with others more roughly, expressing an hatred to a filthy conversation, Jde 1:22, and then the epistle is concluded with a doxology, or an ascription of glory to the only wise God our Saviour, who is able to keep his people from falling into such pernicious principles and practices, and to present them faultless before his glorious presence with exceeding joy, Jde 1:24

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once know this,.... The Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version, read, "knew all things"; but rather it is to be restrained by the following instance of, God's vengeance on unbelievers; which with others is produced, to vindicate the divine conduct in the condemnation of the above persons, and to show that that is certain, and may be expected, since God has always dealt thus with such persons; and this they knew by reading of the Scriptures; at least they had known it once, though it might now be forgotten by them; and they had known it once for all; they had been perfectly acquainted with it; which is said, lest the apostle should be thought to write to persons ignorant, and rude in knowledge, and to show that he wrote nothing new and unheard of, and so should have the more weight and influence upon them; and he thought fit to remind them of it, though they had known it: it is one part of the work of the ministers of the word to put people in mind of what they have known; which is necessary, because of the inattentiveness of hearers, their forgetfulness, and loss of knowledge, and the weakness of some capacities to take in, and retain things; and if the judgment is not more informed hereby, yet the affections may be afresh raised, and grace be drawn out into exercise, and the mind be established and confirmed. The instance follows, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt; that is, the people of Israel, who were the chosen people of God, a special people, above all others, and had peculiar privileges; these the Lord brought out of the land of Egypt, with an high hand, and a mighty arm, and saved them out of their bondage, and delivered out of their oppressions and afflictions: the Alexandrian copy, and some others, the Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions, instead of "the Lord", read "Jesus": and yet, though they were a special people, and notwithstanding this wonderful deliverance, and great salvation, he afterward destroyed them that believed not; their carcasses fell in the wilderness by one judgment or another upon them; so that of all that came out of Egypt, but two entered into the land of Canaan: this shows the evil nature of unbelief; and that God will not suffer sin to go unobserved in any; no outward privileges and profession will screen any from divine vengeance; God sometimes makes severe examples of mere nominal professors; nor must false teachers, deniers of Christ, and perverters of his Gospel, expect to go free: moreover, it may be observed, that God may do great things for persons, and yet after all destroy them; great riches and honours may be conferred on some, great natural gifts on others; some may seem as if they had the grace of God, and were brought out of spiritual Egypt, and enjoy great mercies and favours, and have many deliverances wrought for them, and yet at last perish.

"For the Lord God," he says, "who once delivered a people out of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not;" that is, that He might train them through punishment. For they were indeed punished, and they perished on account of those that are saved, until they turn to the Lord.

When Moses delivered the people from Egypt, all those who did not believe perished.

I want to remind you, when we know once that the Lord, after He had saved the people from Egypt, again destroyed those who did not believe: and that He kept the angels who did not keep their own position, but left their own dwelling, in eternal chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring cities, which were similarly defiled with them through sexual immorality and pursued strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. After Jude spoke of the corruption of the impure Nicolaitans, Valentinians, and Marcionites, and as if by a certain branding he marked them out from their own foul filth, he also adds this: "after He had saved the people from Egypt," etc., indeed showing through these things that the same God is the author of both the Old and the New Testament: and not, as these wicked ones say, that there was one God of the Old Testament, vengeful and cruel, and another of the New, gentle and humane: and Jude also states that neither those who now sin will remain unpunished, just as neither did those who were brought out of Egypt. For indeed, by the enormous power of God, and because of the oath made to their ancestors, God had freed them from the slavery and tyranny of Egypt: yet those who acted immorally did not remain unpunished, but they received deserving penalties; and it did them no good that God had been generous towards their ancestors: nor did the enormous evidence of signs presented for them have any effect: just as neither did the angels who had fallen, although they were formed by God and endowed with intellectual nature; nor did the Sodomites, because they dwelt with Lot. But those who first crossed the Red Sea as if it were dry land, later became unbelievers and perished. Those who had indeed received the honor of angelic position, since they did not remain in their origin, but corrupted the gift given to them from the goodness of celestial life, were reserved and kept for judgment or condemnation on the day of great and intolerable punishment. For this also now signifies kept (τετήρηνε). According to what Christ said: "Who is prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41) And certainly, the Sodomites are presented as a sign of the eternal fire that will receive them. "and pursued strange flesh," and committed fornication, that is, turning aside, which means to engage in prostitution (πορνεύειν). But strange flesh refers to male flesh, which does not benefit the union that is for the sake of generation. For the flesh that engages in union is the flesh of a woman, according to what was said by the first parent: "Bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." (Gen. 2:23) The flesh of men, however, is strange, I say, from sexual intercourse. Although in a woman, indeed joined by the laws to one man, her flesh is her own and moral: but that which is poured out and public is foreign and strange, and left almost to the atonement of male wickedness. But when Jude had set forth these examples, he left it to the listener to understand what followed from them. What is that? To bear what follows from it. If, therefore, he has so destroyed these, not satisfied by their previous happiness, does he now allow these to act immorally and lustfully, when the Son of God came into the world for men and suffered injuries and afflictions for them? No one would ever say this. For although he is kind and compassionate, yet he is also truly just: and for the sake of true justice, he did not spare those who have sinned (2 Peter 2:4): but for the sake of kindness, he introduced harlots and tax collectors into the kingdom (Matt. 21:31). Since it was thus necessary that the discourse should promise, he himself omitted it, for the reason we have mentioned. Or also speaking in a similar manner with blessed Peter, when he said: "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned," etc. (2 Peter 2:4) And indeed it has been said of these things.

Jude shows that although God led his people out of Egypt, they turned away from him, and for that reason he gave them over to destruction if they would not repent.

I wish to remind you, although you know these things once and for all. Namely, knowing all the mysteries of the faith and not needing to hear new teachers as if they were holier.

Because Jesus, saving the people from the land of Egypt, etc., he calls Jesus not the son of Nave, but our Lord, showing first that he did not have his beginning from the birth of the holy Virgin, as the heretics affirm, but according to the mystery of his name, he has existed as the eternal God for the salvation of believers; then indicating that in the same way he mercifully saves believers, he also justly condemns the unbelievers. For just as he first saved the humble who cried out to him from the affliction of Egypt, he later cast down the proud who murmured against him in the wilderness. He emphasizes this so that we now remember that he saves believers through the waters of baptism, which the Red Sea signified, so that even after baptism he demands a humble life in us, apart from the filth of vices, such as the conversion of the wilderness in its seclusion rightly indicated. Indeed, if anyone defiles this life, whether by deviating from the faith or by acting wrongly, just as if returned in heart to Egypt, he will merit to perish among the wicked rather than reach the promised homeland of the kingdom. Alternatively: Secondly, he destroyed those who did not believe, because as a just judge, he strikes some now and later due to their faults. He frees solely those from punishment whom he transforms in suffering. For those whom present evils do not correct, they lead to future evils.

Having spoken about the debauchery of the impious Nicolaitans, Valentinians, and Marcionites, he adds also that the Lord delivered the people from the land of Egypt, and so on. By this he shows that the Founder of the Old and New Testaments is one and the same God, and not as those vile ones say, that one God, wrathful and cruel, gave the Old Testament, and another God, without wrath and loving of mankind, gave the New Testament. By this he also shows that those who now act impiously will not remain unpunished, just as those who came out of Egypt did not remain so. For although God by His surpassing power and by the oath to their fathers freed them from Egyptian slavery, nevertheless, when they transgressed the law, He did not leave them without punishment, but rendered to them the due retribution: neither the favor of God toward their ancestors nor the supernatural power of miracles helped them in the least; and those who at that time crossed the Red Sea on dry land later perished for their departures from the faith.

The address and apostolical benediction, Jde 1:1, Jde 1:2. The reasons which induced Jude to write this epistle, to excite the Christians to contend for the true faith, and to beware of false teachers, lest, falling from their steadfastness, they should be destroyed after the example of backsliding Israel, the apostate angels, and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha, Jde 1:3-7. Of the false teachers, Jde 1:8. Of Michael disputing about the body of Moses, Jde 1:9. The false teachers particularly described: they are like brute beasts, going the way of Cain, run after the error of Balaam, and shall perish, as did Korah in his gainsaying, Jde 1:10, Jde 1:11. Are impure, unsteady, fierce, shameless, etc., 12, 13. How Enoch prophesied of such, Jde 1:14, Jde 1:15. They are farther described as murmurers and complainers, Jde 1:16. We should remember the cautions given unto us by the apostles who foretold of these men, Jde 1:17-19. We should build up ourselves on our most holy faith, Jde 1:20, Jde 1:21. How the Church of Christ should treat such, Jde 1:22, Jde 1:23. The apostle's farewell, and his doxology to God, Jde 1:24, Jde 1:25.

I will therefore put you in remembrance - That is, how such persons were proscribed, and condemned to bear the punishment due to such crimes. Though ye once knew this - The word ἁπαξ, here translated once, has greatly puzzled many interpreters. It has two meanings in the sacred writings, and indeed in the Greek writers also. 1. It signifies once, one time, as opposed to twice, or several times. 2. Altogether, entirely, perfectly, interpreted by Suidas αντι τον διολου, ὁλοσχερως· and of this meaning he produces a proof from Josephus; This appears to be the sense of the word in Heb 6:4 : τους ἁπαξ φωτισθεντας· those who were Fully enlightened. Heb 10:2 : ἁπαξ κεκαθαρμενους· Thoroughly cleansed. See also Heb 10:3. Psa 62:11 : ἁπαξ ελαλησεν ὁ Θεος. God spoke Fully, completely, on the subject. St. Jude is to be understood as saying, I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye are Thoroughly instructed in this. Saved the people - Delivered them from the Egyptian bondage. Afterward destroyed them - Because they neither believed his word, nor were obedient to his commands. This is the first example of what was mentioned Jde 1:4.

servant of Jesus Christ--as His minister and apostle. brother of James--who was more widely known as bishop of Jerusalem and "brother of the Lord" (that is, either cousin, or stepbrother, being son of Joseph by a former marriage; for ancient traditions universally agree that Mary, Jesus' mother, continued perpetually a virgin). Jude therefore calls himself modestly "brother of James." See my Introduction. to them . . . sanctified by God the Father--The oldest manuscripts and versions, ORIGEN, LUCIFER, and others read, "beloved" for sanctified. If English Version be read, compare Col 1:12; Pe1 1:2. The Greek is not "by," but "in." God the Father's love is the element IN which they are "beloved." Thus the conclusion, Jde 1:21, corresponds, "Keep yourselves in the love of God." Compare "beloved of the Lord" Th2 2:13. preserved in Jesus Christ--"kept." Translate not "in," but as Greek, "FOR Jesus Christ." "Kept continually (so the Greek perfect participle means) by God the Father for Jesus Christ," against the day of His coming. Jude, beforehand, mentions the source and guarantee for the final accomplishment of believers' salvation; lest they should be disheartened by the dreadful evils which he proceeds to announce [BENGEL]. and called--predicated of "them that are beloved in God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: who are called." God's effectual calling in the exercise of His divine prerogative, guarantees their eternal safety.

(Heb 3:16; Heb 4:13.) therefore--Other oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read, "But"; in contrast to the ungodly Jde 1:4. though ye once--rather, "once for all." Translate, "I wish to remind you, as knowing ALL (namely, that I am referring to; so the oldest manuscripts, versions, and Fathers) once for all." As already they know all the facts once for all, he needs only to "remind" them. the Lord--The oldest manuscripts and versions read, "Jesus." So "Christ" is said to have accompanied the Israelites in the wilderness; so perfectly is Jesus one with the God of the Israelite theocracy. saved--brought safely, and into a state of safety and salvation. afterward--Greek, "secondly"; in the next instance "destroyed them that believed not," as contrasted with His in the first instance having saved them.