Jude 1

JUDE Called also Labbeus, and Thaddeus, Matth. 10.3. a servant Not only in the genera Notion, as a Believer, but in a more special, as an Apostle. Priests and Prophets in the Old-Testament are peculiarly called God's Servants, Psal. 134. Amos 3.7. and so are Ministers in the New, 2 Tim. 1.24. of Jesus Christ, and brother of James That Iames who was the Son of Alpheus, Matth. 10. He mentions his Brother to distinguish himself from Iudas Iscariot, and his Brother rather than his Father, because Iames was most famous in the Church, Acts 15. Gal. 2.9. and 1 Cor. 9.5. as likewise to show his Consent with his Brother in his Doctrine, and to make his Epistle the more acceptable., to them that are sanctified by God the Father Viz. As the prime efficient Cause of Sanctification, which he works in Believers by the Son, through the Spirit., and preserved Their Salvation, and Perseverance, and Deliverance from Dangers, not being in their own Power; he intimates, that Christ was appointed to be their King, and Head, and Keeper, the Author and Finisher of their Fait, Heb. 12.2. and furnished with Power for their Protection, and Security, and that by him they were kept unto the Salvation purchased for them, viz. by his powerful Operation, and gracious Influence ma ntaining their Faith, and Union with himself. in Jesus Christ, and called With an effectual Calling, the beginning of their Sanctification, before-mentioned. The Copulative, and, is not in the Greek; and the words may be ead, sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Iesus Christ, as being called; and so called may be understood as going before the other two; and then the sense is, to the called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Iesus Christ; or to them who being called, are sanctified, &c..

Mercy Which is the Fountain of Reconciliation, and all the Grace vouchsafed you. See Tim. 1.2. and 2 Tim. 1.2. and Tit 1.4. unto you, and peace, and love Either he means God's Love to them, or their Love to God, and each other, be multiplied Mercy in the Effects of it, Peace in the Sense of it; and either the Love of God in the Manifestation of it, or their Love to God and their Neighbours in the Degrees, and Exercise of it..

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you The Apostle here declares the first Cause of his writing to them, viz. his own Inclination and Readiness, according to the Duty of his Place (as an Apostle; so o do; q. d. being of my self willing, and earnestly desirous to promote your Welfare, when absent from you, by writing unto you. of the common salvation: it was needful The second Reason of his writing, viz. the necessity of it, in respect of the Danger they were in, as follows, v. 4. for me to write unto you, and exhort you, that ye should earnestly contend By Constancy in the Faith, Zeal for the Truth, Holiness of Life, mutual Exhortation, Prayer, Suffering for the Gospel, &c. against those that would pervert the Gospel. for the faith The Doctrine of the Gospel; Faith is taken for the Object of Faith. which was once Either, once for all, because it was delivered by all the Apostles as the only unchangeable Rule of governing their lives, and obtaining Salvation, to which nothing is to be added, and from which nothing is to be taken away: Or, it implies, that it was therefore delivered to them that they might never forsake it, and that if they do, they miss of their Salvation, as being never like to have another way made known to them. delivered unto the Saints. I. e. Those things which concern the Salvation of us all in common, or that Salvation which is common to us all; there being but one Salvation for all Believers, and one way to it. Viz by God, not invented by Men.

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained Gr. Fore-written, i. e. of whom it was formerly written, or fore-told, viz. by Christ and his Apostles: or rather, it is to be understood according to our Translation, before-ordained, viz. in the eternal Counsel of God; God's Decree being compared to a Book, in which things to be done, are written down. This the Apostle adds to prevent any Offence that might be taken at the Wickedness of these Seducers; and therefore lets these Saints know, that tho such Men crept in unawares to them, yet it was not without the Providence of God so ordering it. to this condemnation Or, Iudgment, and it may be understood, either of a reprobate sense, to which they who thus perverted the Gospel, were given up by God, according to his Pre-ordination; or of that Damnation he decreed should follow upon their Wickedness, in making Shipwrack of the Faith themselves, and subverting others. This seems best to agree with 2 Pet. 2.3., ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness Abusing the Doctrine of the Grace of God, and Benefits of Christ revealed in the Gospel, especially the Doctrine of Christian Liberty, to the encouraging themselves and others in the vilest Lusts, 2 Pet. 2.1., and denying s the only Lord God Either this may be understood of the Father distinctly from Christ, expressed in the following clause; and only is put in not to exclude either of the order Persons of the Trinity from being God, but to exclude Idols and false Gods: Or, it may be understood of Christ, as well as the words following; not only because there is but one Article in the Greek relating to the whole Sentence, but because it seems best to agree with the parallel place, 2 Pet. 2.1. which is most generally understood of Christ; and because the Heresies of those times, which Iude cautions these Saints against, struck especially at the Godhead of Christ, which he therefore the more expressly asserts., and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this how that the Lord having saved the people The People of Israel. out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed Viz. In the Wilderness by Plague, fiery Serpents, &c. them that believed not He sets forth the Israelites Unbelief, as the original of all their Disobedience, and Rebellions, and the great Cause of their Destruction. See Heb. 3.17, 18, 19. and 4. 2.. This may b joyned either with the Verb following, ye knew; according to our Translation, and the Sense is, tho ye knew this certainly, as the word once is taken, Psal. 89.35. or perfectly and throughly, or once for all: Or rather, with what goes before, and the words may be read, I will yet once, (viz. while I am in this Tabernacle) put you in remembra ce of this, tho gh you know it; as 2 Pet. 1.12.

And the angels which kept not their first estate In which they were created, their original Excellency, Truth, Holiness, Purity, Ioh. 8.44. as well as Dignity., but left their own habitation Viz. An heavenly one, from whence, tho they were righteously thrust out by God, 2 Pet· 2.4. yet they may be truly said to have left it themselves, in that they voluntarily rebelled against the Law of their Creation, and committed that Sin which they knew would certainly be punished with such a Dejection., he has reserved in everlasting chains Into which, Peter saies, they were delivered. under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them Admah and Zeboim, Jer. 49.18. Hos. 11.8. in like-manner As Sodom and Gomoraah did, likeness of Sin inferring likeness of Punishment. giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh Margin, other Flesh, he means Male-flesh, which is other than what God appointed for that use they made of it; or, as we render it, strange Flesh, i. e. that which is strange, improper, and unfit for such an end. It is the Description of the unnatural Filthiness of the Sodomites, Gen. 19.5. See Rom. 1.26, 27., are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Eternal Fire may be joined either, 1. with Example, and the words thus placed, are set forth for an Example of eternal Fire, suffering Vengeance; and the meaning is, That the Vengeance they suffered in being destroyed by Fire, is an Example, or Type of eternal Fire, that of Hell: Or, 2. with Vengeance, according to our Reading, and then the sense is, They are set forth for an Example, (viz. to those that after should live ungodly, 1 Pet. 2.6.) suffering the Vengeance of eternal Fire: The Vengeance they suffer, is an Example to deter others from the like Wickedness. This Fire is called eternal, either because of the still continuing Effects of it, or rather, because it was a Type or Representation of the Fire of Hell, and to those miserable Sodomites the very beginning of it, they being brought by these temporal Flames into everlasting Burnings.

Likewise also Notwithstanding so many Judgments of God upon others, which should have kept them from the like Sins. these filthy dreamers Either this may be taken properly, and joined to the next clause, defile the Flesh, and then it may note the Impurity of these Wretches who dreamed of what they loved, and acted over that Filthiness in their Sleep, to which they were so much addicted when awake: Or metaphorically, and so they are called Dreamers, as having the Sense of their Minds overcome, and laid asleep by their sensual Pleasures; or being like Men in a Dream, deluded by their absurd, tho pleasing Imaginations. defile the flesh This notes all those lascivious Practices, to which, like the Sodomites, they had given themselves over, and whereby they defile themselves and others; the Lust of Vncleanness, as it is in Peter., despise dominion Not only Governours, but Government itself., and In their Minds, Judgments, Desires, they reject, make voide, and abrogate Civil Government, as a thing not fit to be. speak evil of dignities Either spiritual Governour, or rather Civil, called Dignities, because of the honourable Titles given them, and Gifts bestowed on them. See 2 Pet. 2.10..

Yet Michael the Archangel Either this is understood of Christ the Prince of Angels, who is often in Scripture called an Angel, or of a created Angel; and that either, 1. one of the Archangels, Dan. 10.13. Michael is called one of the chief Princes, which, tho the word Archangel be not found in the Plural Number in Scripture, may well imply a Plurality of them; for what is one of the chief Princes among the Angels, but an Archangel? Or, aly, a principal Angel, or one that is chief among others., when contending It may be meant either of Christ contending with the Devil, as Matth. 4. in his Temptation, and Zech. 3.1, 2. and Rev. 12.7. or rather, of Michael a created Angel. with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses If Michael the Archangel be meant o Christ, then the Body of Moses may be taken figuratively or that Body whereof the Mosaical Ceremonies were Shadows, Col. 2.17. i. e. the Truth and Accomplishment of the Law given by Moses, that Accomplishment was to be in Christ, who is represented by Ioshua, Zech. 3. him Satan resists in the Execution of his Office, and by him strikes at Christ, whose Type he was, and whom he afterward opposeth in the Execution of his Office, when he was come in the Flesh: Or, 2ly, If we take Michael for a created Angel, which agrees best with the parallel place in Peter, then the Body of Moses must be taken properly (as most take it) and the Dispute seems to be, Whether Moses his Body should be so buried as to be concealed from the Israelites, Deut. 34.6? It is said God buried him, (which might be by the Ministry of Michael the Archangel) and that no Man knew of his Sepulchr. The Devil opposeth the Angel, desiring to have the place of his Burial known, that in aftertimes it might be a Snare to that People, and a means to bring them to Idolatry. And this seems very probable, if we consider what Works the Devil has made in the World with the Bodies of Saints and Martyrs, and how much Idolatry he has brought in thereby. This Passage Iude, most probably, had (as was observed in the Argument) from some known Tradition among the Iews, the Truth of which we are now sure of, because certified here concerning it., durst not Or, could not endure (as the Greek word is often taken among profane Writers) or find in his Heart, not from fear of Punishment, but by reason of the Holiness of his own Nature, and to give an Example to us. And this Sense agrees to the Scope of the place, whether we understand it of Christ, or of a created Angel, Heb. 12.3. and 1 Pet. 2.23. bring against him a railing accusation Vid. 2 Pet. 2.11., but said, The Lord rebuke thee I. e. Put thee to silence, restrain thy Insolence, hinder thy Design, &c. hereby the Angel refers the Cause of God..

But these speak evil of those things which they know not The same as 2 Pet. 2.12. unless this be more generally to be understood of all those Spiritual things, whereof they were Ignorant.: but what they know naturally Without Reason or Judgment., as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves Debauch and degrade their Natures by extream Sensualities, whereby they bring Destruction upon themselves. See 2 Pet. 2.12..

Wo unto them This is either a lamenting the misery that was to come upon them, or a foretelling it come, not a wishing that it might, Matth. 11.21. and 1 Cor. 9.16., for they have gone in the way Followed his manners, and fallen under his Punishment. Their likeness to Cain, both as to their actions and the event of them, seems to be implied in this and the following clause, as well as it is plainly in the last. of Cain Cain hated his Brother and slew him; they hate their Brethren, and by their pernitious Doctrines and Deceits, murder their Souls, and probably stir up Persecution against their Persons., and ran greedily after the error Covetousness, to which being excessively addicted, or, (as the Gr. implies) poured out, they did for the sake of filthy lucre corrupt the Doctrine of Christ, see 2 Pet. 2.15. of Balaam, and perished in the gainsaying of Core Corah (whom he here names alone, as being the Ringleader of the Rebellion, in which others joined with him, Numb. 1.1.) affecting the Priesthood, rose up Seditiously against Moses and Aaron, and perished in the attempt. These imitate him in their Rebellion against Christ himself, the state and order of whose Church they seditiously disturb, as well as that of the Civil State, in despising Dominion, and speaking evil of Dignities, and that to their own Destruction..

These are spots See 2 Pet. 2.13. in your feasts of charity Feasts used among the Primitive Christians, to show their unity among themselves, and promote and maintain mutual Charity, and for relief of the Poor among them. when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear Unreasonably cramming themselves, without respect to God or the Church.: clouds they are without water carried about of winds Empty, making a show of what they have not, Prov. 25.14. and inconstant, see 2 Pet. 2.17., trees whose fruit withereth He compares them to Trees, which having Leaves and Blossoms, make a show of Fruit, but cast it, or never bring it to maturity, or it rots instead of ripening; so these here make a show of Truth and Holiness, but all comes to nothing., without fruit Without any good fruit, (which only deserves to be called good fruit) brought forth by them, either in themselves or followers, who never get any real benefit by them., twice dead Wholly Dead; Dead over and over; Dead by Nature, and Dead by that hardness of Heart they have contracted; or, that reprobate sense to which God has given them up., plucked up by the roots And so never like to bear Fruit, and fit only for the Fire; it notes the incurableness of their Apostacy, and their nearness to Destruction..

Raging waves of the sea Not only inconstant as Water, but unquiet, t lent, restless, that cannot cease from Sin. foaming out their own shame That wickedness whereof they should be ashamed: like a troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whose Waves cast out Mire and Dirt, Isa. 57.20.: wandring stars Either Planets properly called, or rather Meteors called running Stars, inconstant in their motion, uncertain in their shining, making a little show, but presently vanishing; such was the Doctrine of these, which had a show of Light, but a deceitful and unconstant one., to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness The thickest Darkness, viz. that of Hell; they would be counted Lights, but are themselves cast into utter Darkness, 2 Pet. 2.17. As blackness of Darkness shows the horror of their Punishment, so its being reserved for them shows the certainty of it. for ever.

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam prophecied He does not say writ, and therefore from hence i cannot be proved that there was any such Book as Enoch's Prophecies, received by the Iews as Canonical Scripture, but rather, some Prophecy of his delivered to them by Tradition, to which here the Apostle refers, as a thing known among them; and so argues against these Hereticks from their own Concession, as v. 9. So here, q. d. these Men own the Prophecy of En ch, that the Lord comes to Iudgment, &c. and they themselves are in the number of those ungodly ones, and they to whom the Prophecy is to be applied. of those Not that he did directly and expressly prophesy of them in particular; but that his Prophecy of the Destruction of the World for the same kind of Crimes whereof they were guilty, did reach them, and so he foretold what should befall them as well as others., saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands Innumerable multitudes, a definite for an indefinite. of his Saints Ho y Angels, Matth. 16.27. Dan. 7.10. Zach. 14.5. and 2 Thess. 1.7. and Rev. 5.11. Believers likewise may be here included, as attendants upon Christ when he comes to Judgment.. Either to distinguish him from Enoch the Son of Cain, or, to show the antiquity of the Prophecy.

To execute judgment upon all Either upon all the wicked in general, who afterwards may seem to be distinguished into different sorts, or else the Greek Preposition Kata is put for Peri, and the word all is to be understood of all university, good and bad; and the words may be read to execute Iudgment over all, i. e. to judg all., and to convince all that are ungodly among them If we take the words in the latter ense mentioned, then he distinguisheth those that are to be judged into good and bad, and the Lord comes to execute Judgment over all, having convinced the wicked among them; but if in the former, the ungodly here may be taken for those that are more notoriously so, those that have obstinately rejected the Gospel, or wickedly perverted it, or persecuted the Saints, &c., of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly i. e. with an ungodly Mind, willingly, delightfully, perseveringly. committed, and of all their hard speeches i. e. Blasphemous, Irreverent, against God, his Truth and Ways. which ungodly He executes Judgment, though upon all the Wicked, yet especially upon these ungodly Sinners, i. e, that are such both in their Words and Deeds against him, in his Truth Ways, Ordinances, People, &c. and therefore are the worst of Sinners. sinners have spoken against him.

These are murmurers, complainers Either these two words signify the same thing; or murmurers may be meant with relation to Gods Decrees, Laws, Providences, and his ordinations in the Church or State, 1 Cor. 10.10. and complainers with respect to their own condition with which they were discontented., walking after their own lusts Minding neither the Law of God nor Man, but making their Lusts their Law, and being wholly subject to them, led by them, 2 Pet. 2.10.; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words Though they were mere Slaves to their own Lusts, yet they would speak big, and use high and exotick strains in their Language, that they might be applauded and admired, see 2 Pet. 2.18. of vanity, having mens persons in admiration Flattering and magnifying the greater and richer sort of Men, not considering what they were, so they could gain them to their party, or get Gain by them. because of advantage.

But beloved, remember ye the words that were spoken before of the Apostles Especially Paul and Peter, see Act. 20.29. beside the places in the Margin. From this passage it appears that this Epistle was writ late, and, likely after the other Apostles, except Iohn, were dead. of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How that they told Whether in the Preaching or Wr i g. you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their ungodly Gr. Lusts of ungodliness. An Hebraism, the viles. lusts.

These be they who separate themselves Viz. From the true Doctrine and Church of Christ, as being in Love with their carnal Liberties, and loth to come under the Yoke of Christ's Discipline,, sensual Or carnal, or animal, 1 Cor. 2.14. Such as are mere Men, and have no higher Principle in them than Human Nature, which left to it self, and being destitute of the sanctifying Spirit, is generally overpowred by sense, and inclines to Fleshly Lusts., having not the Spirit The Spirit of God, by which they should be led, and to which they so much pretend; having neither the Light, nor Grace, nor Comfort of the Spirit..

But ye beloved, building up your selves He compares them to an House, which is to be built up, whereof Faith is the Foundation; the same Metaphor is used, 1 Cor. 4.9. Eph. 2.20.21, 22, and 1 Pet. 2.5. on your most holy So he calls Faith, as being the means of purifying their hearts, and working holiness in them; and in opposition to the false Faith of the Hereticks he warns them against, which did consist with so much impurity. faith This may be understood either, 1. Of the Grace of Faith, and then that is compared to the Foundation, as being the first and principal Grace in a Christian, and of greatest necessity and use; and then they are here bid to build themselves up in other Graces which follow upon Faith, as 2 Pet. 1.5. Or, 2. Of the Doctrine of Faith, that on which their Faith it self is sounded; and then the meaning is, that they should not rest satisfied in what measure of Faith they had already attained, but still be improving it, and making further progress in it, not only hold fast the Truth of the Gospel, the right foundation on which they had begun to be built, but get themselves, by the due study and meditation of the Word, more and more confirmed in the Belief of it., praying in the holy Ghost i. e. By the assistance of the Spirit, who teacheth what to pray for, and how; from whom Faith, Fervency, and all Praying Graces do proceed, Rom. 8.26, 27. the Spirit makes intercession (prays) in us, to note the excitations of his Grace; here we are said to pray in the Holy Ghost, to note the concurrence of our faculties.,

Keep your selves in the love of God i.. In Love to God, or that Love whereby ye love God; this implies love to each other, as the cause does the effect., looking for Viz. By Hope; and so in these two Verses we have the three Cardinal Graces, Faith, Hope and Charity. the mercy The merciful or gracious sentence of Christ the Judg, whereby he puts Believers in possession of Eternal Life, Matth. 25.34. This reward of Eternal Life is promised, but being promised freely, and out of Mercy, it is called Mercy, 2 Tim. 1.18. the effect being put for the cause. of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

And of some have compassion Use them gently, mildly reproving and admonishing them, that thereby ye may gain them. making a difference He makes two sorts of Offenders, or missed Brethren, who might be restored; and that they might, they should be dealt with in different ways, and sutably to their respective conditions and circumstances; the former, who might be discouraged with roughness, should be handled with more tenderness and compassion.:

And others Those that are further gone, not so easily reducible, and in greater danger. save i. e. Labour to save them, as instruments under God, with fear By more severe courses, sharper reprehensions, setting before them God's Judgments against obstinate Sinners, 1 Cor. 5.5., pulling them out of the fire It is a Proverbial Speech, Zech. 3.2. the sense is, that as they that are in the Fire, and like to be destroyed by it, must not be gently exhorted to come out of it of themselves, but speedily and forcibly pull'd out in consideration of their eminent danger; so they that are more stubborn Sinners, being in apparent danger of being destroyed by the Fire of their Lusts, and being, as it were in the mouth of Hell, must be more harshly and severely dealt with, by setting the Lord's Terrors before them (2 Cor. 5.11.) and inflicting Church-Censures on them., having even the garment spotted by the flesh It is an allusion to that Ceremonial Law, Levit. 15.4, 17. where he that touched a defiled Garment, was himself defiled. The sense is, either, 1. That where there is danger of infection from Hereticks, and obstinate Sinners, all converse with them, and any thing whereby the Contagion of their Doctrine or Manners may reach us, is to be avoided: Or, 2. That when we reprehend others, we should do it with sutable affections, and though we would save themselves, we should have their Vices, and any thing that promotes them, or savours of them..

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling From stumbling in your Spiritual course, and so able to make you persevere to the end., and to present you faultless Or, His Glorious Presence, i. e. Before himself, Eph. 5.27. Having exhorted these Saints to perseverance in the Faith, he now tells them in whose strength they must stand, and to whom they are to give the Glory of it. before the presence of his glory Or, His Glorious Presence, i. e. Before himself, Eph. 5.27. Having exhorted these Saints to perseverance in the Faith, he now tells them in whose strength they must stand, and to whom they are to give the Glory of it. with exceeding joy.

To the only wise Only wise infinitely, and of himself. God our Saviour Either God who is sometimes called by this Title, Tit. 1.3. and 3.3. and 1 Tim. 2.3. Or rather Christ., be glory See 1 Pet. 4.11. and 5.11. and majesty Or, Magnificence, Heb. 1.3. and 8.1. it seems to signify the height and excellency of God's Glory., dominion and power Authority, and Right to govern, which here is ascribed to God, as well as strength or sufficiency for it., both now and for ever, Amen.