I. Greeting 1 2 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. Like the other New Testament writers who have composed epistles, Jude first mentions his name. This was a customary procedure, as is evident from recorded letters in Acts (see 15:23; 23:26). Paul, Peter, and James also adhere to this practice. John, however, is the exception; he modestly refrains from calling attention to himself in his three epistles. Jude's greeting differs from that of the apostles because Jude cannot claim apostleship. He introduces himself as a servant of Jesus Christ. As a further self-designation he says that he is a brother of James, who also identifies himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1). 1. Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ. a. Name Jude was a common name. It was first borne by Judah, the son of Jacob and head of the tribe of Judah. The tribal head Judah is listed in Jesus genealogy (Matt. 1:2–3; Luke 3:33); references to the name and the land of his tribe occur frequently (Matt. 2:6; Luke 2:4; Heb. 7:14; Rev. 5:5; 7:5). The designation Jude is the English variant of Judas, In English we distinguish Jude, the writer of the epistle, from Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. However, other persons mentioned in the New Testament have the name Judas: 1. Judas, the son of James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13). He was one of the twelve disciples. He is also known as Thaddeus (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; also see John 14:22). 2. Judas the Galilean (Acts 5:37). He was a revolutionary who was killed because of his subversive activities. 3. Judas Barsabbas, who was present at the Jerusalem Council and served as letter carrier to the Gentile churches (Acts 15:22, 27, 32). 4. Judas, an ancestor of JesusLuke 3:33; see also v. 30 . 5. Judas, the brother of James and the (half) brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3). From the self-identification of Judas as the brother of James we conclude that Jude, the (half) brother of Jesus, is the author who wrote the epistle. Notice that he does not call himself an apostle. Were that the case, we would know that the writer was Judas, the son of James. Instead, in his epistle the author separates himself from the apostles when he writes, Remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold (v. 17). Next, the author identifies himself as the brother of James. Usually a person would mention the name of his father, not his brother. But James had gained preeminence as the leader of the church in Jerusalem and was recognized as the author of an epistle. Both James and Jude introduce themselves not as apostles but as servants of Jesus Christ. Although apostles used the term servant to describe their relationship to Jesus and the church, the term itself is not the equivalent of apostle (Rom. 1:1; II Peter 1:1). Furthermore, James and Jude refrain from calling themselves Jesus brothersJames 1:1; v. 1 . We assume that they do not wish to use their familial relationship to Jesus as a means to gain recognition. For that reason, both James and Jude place themselves on the same level as all other believers. They refer to themselves as servants of Jesus Christ. By their use of this term they indicate that their physical kinship to Jesus does not provide them special privileges (Matt. 12:46–50). With all believers, they recognize Jesus as their Lord and Master. But who is James? Jude mentions that James is his brother, but he fails to identify him. In the New Testament, five persons are known as James: 1. James the son of Zebedee (Matt. 10:2); 2. James the son of Alphaeus (Matt. 10:3);^[1] 3. James the younger (Mark 15:40); 4. James the father of Judas (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13); 5. James the (half) brother of the Lord (Matt. 13:55). Of these five, the last one mentioned is the most likely person to be the brother of Jude. The Gospels tell us that among the sons of Joseph and Mary were James and Jude, the brothers of the Lord (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3). The other persons in the list cannot claim this distinction. Further corroboration comes from a second-century Jewish-Christian historian named Hegesippus. He relates that grandsons of Jude were summoned before Emperor Domitian.^[2] This summons presumably took place in a.d. 96. When the emperor saw their calloused hands and learned of their meager income, he despised them as inferior people and dismissed them. b. Address Jude writes his epistle to people who have been called and who are loved and kept. Already at the outset of his letter, the writer shows a fondness for expressing his thoughts in three parts. Throughout his work he develops this threefold scheme (e.g., see v. 2, mercy, peace, love). To those who have been called. Jude fails to mention the epistle's place of destination. In his letter Jude provides no evidence that he functions as a spiritual father to a specific group of people. Nevertheless, he writes to Christians who need counsel and encouragement to oppose the doctrines of false teachers. Jude first describes the spiritual gifts the believers have received. They have been called by God to be his people. That is, those who have been called are Christians. They have left the world of sin and have entered the light of life.^[3] Who are loved by God the Father. ^[4] Jude uses language that is similar to Paul's letter to the Romans: You &who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God (1:6–7). When God calls sinners to himself through Jesus Christ, he as their Father expresses his love to them. He welcomes sinners into the family of believers and the household of God. Through Christ, then, believers experience the continual love of God the Father. Many translators prefer the reading beloved in God the Father in place of loved by God the Father. ^[5] The difference in these two translations is not irreconcilable. Believers are living in the sphere of God's love, and consequently are loved by God. The clause loved by God relates to the environment in which God is actively loving his people. God, then, grants his love to his people and at the same time provides for them the sphere in which he expresses his love.^[6] And kept by Jesus Christ. These words echo the prayer of Jesus concerning his disciples: While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me (John 17:12). Jesus protects his followers from the evil one. Although the previously mentioned clause is a faithful translation, another version has the reading kept for Jesus Christ. This version places the emphasis not on Jesus constant watchfulness over the believers, but on the believers being kept by God for the day of Jesus Christ. The Father protects the followers of Jesus from the attacks of Satan (John 17:15) and keeps them whole and complete at the coming of Jesus Christ (I Thess. 5:23). We conclude that scriptural support for both translations is strong, for these two strands of teaching were current in the early church. Furthermore, the writers of the New Testament epistles often do not carefully differentiate between the work of the Father and the work of the Son. 2. Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. Note the following observations: a. Translation Many translators give the reader a paraphrase of the text. They do so because the literal translation is difficult to comprehend and explain. The exact translation is, May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you (NASB). Since the idea of multiplying abstract qualities is difficult to grasp, translators express Jude's wish in terms of increasing the attributes of mercy, love, and peace. b. Parallels In his two epistles Peter has an apostolic greeting that features the same ending: Grace and peace be yours in abundance (I Peter 1:2; II Peter 1:2). Peter, however, follows the conventional norm of greeting someone with the words grace and peace.^[7] The greeting grace, mercy and peace was customary, too (I Tim. 1:2; II Tim. 1:2; II John 3). What is mercy? Here is one of many definitions: From a theological perspective the characteristic of mercy is rooted in God and experienced in relation to God, from whom it may be acquired as a Christian virtue and exercised in relation to fellow human beings. ^[8] c. Results God reaches out to sinners in their misery and grants them his blessings. He extends his mercy to evildoers by demonstrating tolerance even when justice demands punishment. In response the offender who receives mercy expresses gratitude to God for his kindness and compassion. When God grants mercy or when man shows mercy to his neighbor, peace results. Peace is the restoration of broken relationships. And the blessing of peace culminates in spiritual and material prosperity. Peace means an absence of tensions prevalent in periods of conflict. Peace, in turn, results in love. That is, God expresses his love to man and man seeks to love God and his neighbor, according to the law. Practical Considerations in 2 I remember my elementary-school days when my classmates and I had to learn the times tables. By constant repetition, the teacher taught us to multiply numbers until we mastered these tables. Later in life, I saw the same concept applied in Jude 2: May mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you. I noticed that the writer did not say we must multiply mercy, but that it may be multiplied. Jude expresses a wish and implies that God is the one who multiplies mercy, peace, and love for us. I began to see that mercy is given to us and multiplied as we approach the throne of God and plead for remission of our sins. The more we come to God with our sins, the more God grants us the gifts of mercy, peace, and love. Jude could have written, May mercy, peace, and love be added to you. But by using the word multiplied, he indicates that God's gifts are doubled, tripled, and even quadrupled. The one gift flows into the other, because mercy leads to peace and peace results in love. I understood that when God grants us the gifts of mercy, peace, and love, we become multiplication signs. In fact, we are God's multiplication signs when we receive these gifts from God and extend them to our fellow man. My thoughts drifted back to my school days in math class. I remember that it was easy for me to learn the rules for addition: 2 + 2 = 4 4 + 4 = 8 8 + 8 = 16 16 + 16 = 32 However, multiplying numbers was a different story: 2 x 2 = 4 4 x 4 = 16 16 x 16 = 256 256 [Greek] 256 = 65,536 These multiplied numbers are actually mind-boggling. In the same way, when God applies the principle of multiplication to his gifts of mercy, peace, and love, we are unable to comprehend the results. God does not expect us to understand this truth in mathematical terms. He wants us to pray, May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1 2 Verse 1 [Greek] the preposition with the noun in the dative case is a dative of sphere.^[9] The position of [Greek], if it is intended to go with [Greek] as well as with [Greek], is extraordinary. ^[10] [Greek] this is the perfect passive participle from the verb [Greek] (I love). The perfect tense describes continuous activity. A number of manuscripts have a variant reading, [Greek], from the verb [Greek] (I make holy). The latter reading, which is modeled upon 1 Cor. 1.2, was introduced by copyists in order to avoid the difficult and unusual combination [Greek]. ^[11] Verse 2 [Greek] here is one of the few New Testament verbs in the optative mood. The form is the aorist passive optative of the verb [Greek] (I multiply). The passive implies that God is the agent, the aorist is constative, and the optative expresses a wish. II. Purpose for Writing 3 4 3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4 For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. In a few words Jude reveals the reason for the composition of his letter: first, he wants to encourage the readers to affirm their faith; next, he alerts them to the danger of immoral people who have slipped in among them; and last, he opens the eyes of the believers to the life and doctrine of their opponents. 3. Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. Observe these points: a. Love Jude addresses his readers with a common greeting of that day: dear friends (also see vv. 17, 20). Literally translated the term means beloved. He puts this greeting in the context of the address ( to those &who are loved by God, v. 1) and the blessing ( mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance, v. 2). As a pastor, Jude clearly distinguishes between the recipients of his letter and the false teachers. He expresses his love to the readers, but also tells them to be aware of the pernicious teachings of these heretics. The term beloved demonstrates his affection for the members of the Christian church, who through Jesus Christ experience the love of God the Father. b. Salvation Because of his pastoral love, Jude composes his letter and writes, Although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith. Jude indicates that circumstances caused him to change the content of the letter he was planning to write. We have only a few words about the content of this intended epistle: the salvation we share. We do well not to speculate what Jude would have written. But what does he mean by the phrase we share? The letter itself is too brief to provide any evidence that Jude is addressing both Jewish and Gentile Christians. If we lack support for making a distinction between Christians of Jewish and Gentile backgrounds, we have to look at the purpose of Jude's epistle for an answer to this question. Writing his letter to strengthen the believers in their faith, Jude refers to the common bond of salvation they possess (Titus 1:4; also see Acts 2:44). Moreover, he intimates that this bond helps them withstand the false teachers in their community who do not possess salvation. In verses 3 and 4 a contrast is evident between the salvation the believers share and the condemnation God reserves for the godless men.^[12] c. Faith Jude reveals his personal interest in the spiritual life of the readers. He says, I felt I had to write. He notes the necessity of exhorting the believers to contend for the faith. Notice that at the beginning and the end of his letter, Jude mentions the same subject. In the opening of his epistle he urges the readers to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. He concludes his epistle with this exhortation: But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit (v. 20). What is this faith Jude mentions? In view of the context, we understand the word faith to mean the body of Christian beliefs. It is the gospel the apostles proclaimed and therefore is equivalent to the apostles teaching (Acts 2:42). Thus, it is not the trust and confidence that the individual believer has in God, for that is subjective faith. In this passage Jude speaks of Christian doctrine, that is, objective faith. The context in which Jude discusses faith relates to its deposit in the community of the saints. Jude writes about the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. The saints, of course, are the members of the church.^[13] They have received God's revelation, just as the Jews, as Paul says, have been entrusted with the very words of God (Rom. 3:2). God delivered his truth to Jesus Christ (John 3:34), and Jesus committed God's truth to the apostles, who in turn entrusted it to the believers. What is the deposit of faith? The apostles transmitted the gospel to the church, which in turn proclaimed it throughout the world (I Thess. 1:6–8). The idea of tradition, of the gospel as an authoritative message committed to and handed down in the Church, was integral to Christianity from the start. ^[14] The apostolic teaching as a body was transmitted once for all to the church (Luke 1:2; Rom. 6:17; I Cor. 11:2). Jude urges his readers to contend for the faith. He encourages the believers not only to fight for the faith, but also to depend on that faith for spiritual help.^[15] The New Testament concept to contend is familiar to his readers. In brief, it means to exert oneself without distraction to attain a goal. It means self-denial to overcome obstacles, to avoid perils, and if need be to accept martyrdom.^[16] Jude implies that the members of the church must exert themselves in spreading the gospel and defeating heresy (II Tim. 4:7). Jesus, with Thy Church abide; Be her Savior, Lord and Guide, While on earth her faith is tried: We beseech Thee, hear us. May she holy triumphs win, Overthrow the hosts of sin, Gather all the nations in: We beseech Thee, hear us. Thomas Benson Pollock Practical Considerations in 3 The task of the pastor is first and foremost to feed the people the living Word of God. On the Lord's Day and on other occasions he must faithfully preach and teach the Scriptures (II Tim. 4:2). He must proclaim the gospel to strengthen the believer in his faith and to lead the sinner to conversion. He must call the people to repentance, plead on their behalf for remission of sins, and urge them to be reconciled to God (II Cor. 5:20). His task is to administer the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper and to be a leader in prayer (Acts 6:4). He must give leadership in the work of evangelism and mission to extend the church of Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:19). The pastor's role is to counsel, exhort, and encourage the people to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. The pastor seeks to maintain order and discipline in the church; he opposes any person who through doctrine and life wants to lead the believers astray. With appointed leaders, the pastor is a watchman on the walls of Zion (Ps. 122:7–8). He is to promote the well-being of God's people. 4. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. Why does Jude urge the recipients to contend for the faith? Jude says, a. For certain men &have secretly slipped in among you. As pastor-teacher, Jude observes a dangerous development within the church. He feels the need to alert the members to be on guard and oppose the men who have slipped into the Christian community. Jude places the term certain men over against the greeting dear friends (v. 3) and indicates that the believers are facing adversaries to the faith. As Paul warns the Galatians to watch out for false brothers (Gal. 2:4, so Jude instructs his readers to oppose godless men. And Peter tells the readers of his second epistle to beware of false teachers who have entered their community and who secretly teach pernicious doctrinesII Peter 2:1). We make two observations: Jude does not indicate whether these godless men at one time belonged to the Christian community; and these infiltrators are dishonest in their relations with the believers, for they furtively slip into the church. By their secrecy they reveal their motives. Probably they were itinerant teachers who were bent on destroying the church of Jesus Christ. The New Testament presents numerous warnings to the believers to avoid strange teachings from false teachers (Phil. 3:2; Col. 2:8; II Tim. 3:6; I John 3:7; 4:1; II John 7). b. [Their] condemnation was written about long ago. There are four different interpretations for this clause, of which at least the first two encounter some difficulties. 1. The translation was written about can even be given as Scriptures, for example, Long ago the Scriptures predicted the condemnation they have received (GNB; also see NEB). This reading, however, faces the problem that Jude refers to the Old Testament Scriptures in general and not to a specific passage. Consequently, the expression Scriptures is too vague. 2. Some commentators accept the priority of II Peter and assert that Jude borrows his material from the apostle. For them, the translation Scriptures in Jude 4relates to the second and third chapters of II Peter. These scholars cannot use the expression long ago in the clause [their] condemnation was written about long ago, and hence substitute the word already. They point out that this rendering is possible, for it appears in the New TestamentMark 15:44; also see the variant reading of the Greek text in Mark 6:47[NEB] . This is a plausible interpretation that clarifies verse 4 in Jude's epistle; yet a twofold objection remains. First, not all commentators are persuaded that II Peter predates the Epistle of Jude; next, the usual translation of the Greek word palai is not already but long ago. 3. Another possibility is to link the expression written about to the prophecy of Enoch (I En. 1:9) recorded in verses 14 15. Enoch predicts the coming of the Lord and the condemnation of the ungodly. Also, the words long ago support a reference to Enoch's prophecy.^[17] We should not place too much emphasis on the written text of I Enoch. We ought to know that in the early Christian church Jude's quotation from this apocryphal book, instead of a canonical book, caused the believers to hesitate before they received his epistle into the canon. 4. Other scholars have understood the term written about metaphorically to refer to a list that is kept in heaven.^[18] The term appears in secular Greek writing for keeping a list of either influential people or outlaws. God is keeping a list of the godless who deserve condemnation. These sinners, whose names are on the list, are men who were marked out for condemnation (NIV, text note). In the parallel verse (II Peter 2:3) Peter gives credence to this reading. He writes about the false teachers and says, Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. In brief, this last interpretation of a difficult clause has merit. c. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality. What are these intruders doing that they deserve divine condemnation? To put it in the words of Paul, They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good (Titus 1:16). Jude does not say that these men are atheists. He indicates that they slyly enter the Christian church by acknowledging the existence of God; otherwise they would be denied entrance. But their personal conduct betrays godlessness (compare vv. 15, 18), for these men think that God's grace allows them to indulge in unbridled sexual freedom. The word grace signifies God's forgiving love whereby the sinner receives freedom to serve God and to express his gratitude. These false instructors, however, teach the Christians to use that freedom not to honor God but to satisfy their sexual lusts (Gal. 5:13; I Peter 2:16; II Peter 2:19). These people pervert the teachings of God's Word by engaging in a life of sexual filth. The term license for immorality is an expression Peter employs to describe the shameful homosexual conduct of the Sodomites (II Peter 2:7).^[19] d. They are godless men, who &deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. This is the second characteristic of the heretics. Except for describing their conduct, Jude provides no information about how they deny Jesus. The Greek indicates that these godless persons are constantly renouncing the divine authority of Jesus Christ, who has absolute sovereignty in every area of life. The nineteenth-century Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper pointedly stated, There is not so much as the breadth of a thumb in every area of life of which Christ has not said: It is mine. The expression Sovereign usually describes God in the New Testament. But in this verse Jesus is designated Sovereign and Lord. Some Greek manuscripts and at least two translations have the reading and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. ^[20] This reading maintains unanimity by ascribing sovereignty to both God the Father and Jesus. However, the better manuscripts delete the word God, and translators favor the shorter text. We must apply a grammatical rule, because in the Greek only one definite article precedes the nouns Sovereign and Lord. The rule states that when one article controls two nouns the writer refers to one person.^[21] This means that Jude points to one person, not two (II Peter 2:1). He designates Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord, and intimates that we cannot have any other master besides Jesus. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3 4 Verse 3 [Greek] the present middle (reflexive) participle from the verb [Greek] (I do, make) has a concessive connotation. [Greek] Jude writes the present active infinitive for his intended letter and the aorist infinitive [Greek] for his epistle. [Greek] the preposition [Greek] intensifies the meaning of this compound. The present tense of the infinitive shows continued action. Verse 4 [Greek] note that these words stand in opposition to [Greek] (dear friends) and convey a measure of derision. [Greek] this compound participle from the verb [Greek] (I write beforehand) emphasizes the concept time. The perfect passive tense denotes an action that occurred in the past but that has bearing on the present. The adverb [Greek] (long ago) stresses time past. III. Examples from History 5 7 5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 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. A. Unbelieving Israel 5 Before Jude continues with his description of the false teachers and his announcement of their forthcoming condemnation, he turns to history and provides three examples of divine judgment. Notice that Peter also relies on history for three examples (II Peter 2:4–8), but Jude has a different sequence and even cites another event. Peter presents a chronological order: angels, flood, Sodom and Gomorrah. But Jude has a topical arrangement in which he mentions the unbelieving Israelites in the desert, the fallen angels, and the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. In these three instances, Jude stresses the theme of disobedience and rebellion against God that points inevitably to condemnation. 5. Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. a. Preface Jude introduces the three examples with a compliment and a wish to give the readers a reminder. Tactfully he praises the believers for their knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures. With the use of the verb know, he indicates that the readers are acquainted with the historical facts pertaining to the examples Jude plans to give. The New International Version has the reading already, which in numerous translations is once or once for all. The Greek manuscripts for this verse present some changes in word order, so that the term once appears in a subsequent clause: How the Lord once rescued the people of Israel (GNB; also see NEB). Because translators must convey accurately the meaning and place of the term, the translation already is plausible (JB, NAB, NIV). We assume that Jude has instructed the readers on earlier occasions. He writes, I want to remind you and seems to refer to apostolic teaching in the form of Christian doctrine that was once for all entrusted to the saints (v. 3). In his second epistle, Peter also expresses his desire to remind the believers (see 2:12–15; 3:1). Perhaps both writers have in mind the content of catechetical instruction that new converts received when they became members of the church. b. Divine deliverance The first example comes from Israel's history, when the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt. God considered Israel his special people. With many miracles he brought this nation out of Egypt and set his people free from slavery. Once again the Greek text has some variant readings. Translators favor the reading Lord, which they have chosen from the variants Jesus, God, and even God Christ. The question remains, however, whether the expression Lord refers to God or to the preexistent Christ.^[22] Scripture presents support for both readings. For instance, Paul says that the spiritual rock that accompanied the Israelites in the desert was Christ (I Cor. 10:4).^[23] Yet the Old Testament narrative reveals that God destroyed the unbelievers in the desert (Num. 14:29–37; Heb. 3:17–19). If the subject of verse 5 in Jude's epistle is uncertain, verse 6 definitely points to God. Not Jesus but God consigned fallen angels to dark prisons (II Peter 2:4). Accordingly, I interpret the term Lord in verse 5 to refer to God. c. Impressive illustration [The Lord] later destroyed those who did not believe. Jude reminds his readers that all the people who were twenty years of age and older, but did not believe, died in the desert. According to (Numbers 1:45 46, all the men who were twenty years old or more numbered 603,550. If we add an equal number of women, then those who died in the desert on the way to Canaan totaled 1,207,100 people. And if we divide that total by the number of days of the thirty-eight-year journey to Canaan after God pronounced the death penalty, we arrive at a staggering total of nearly ninety deaths per dayDeut. 2:14–15). A highly privileged nation witnessed many astounding miracles that effected their deliverance from slavery. Yet these people refused to trust God's visible leadership. By rejecting the guidance that God offered, they experienced God's wrath. That anger was expressed through severe punishments: Many Israelites perished in the desert and were forsaken by God. What a stern warning not to think lightly of God's judgment! Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5 [Greek] the perfect active participle with a present meaning (from the verb [Greek], I know) is concessive in translation.^[24] The verb indicates inherent knowledge. A [Greek] although this reading is not as well attested as the words A [Greek], the editors and translators prefer the reading A [Greek] and explained the origins in terms of transcriptional oversight (KC being taken for *C). ^[25] B. Evil Angels 6 6. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. Jude's second example of rebellion against God concerns angels. God did not spare even the mighty creatures whom he had given powerful positions, principalities, and authorities (Eph. 1:21; 3:10; Col. 2:10, 15). God also gave them tasks that included serving him as messengers (Ps. 104:4; Heb. 1:7). However, when these angels rebelled against him, he punished them with imprisonment. a. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority. In the parallel passage Peter merely states that the angels sinned (II Peter 2:4). Many commentators are of the opinion that angels left their positions of authority and went to earth to marry women (Gen. 6:2). That is, when angels married the daughters of men, they fathered giants and corrupted the earth (Gen. 6:4). These commentators state that Jude received his material from Jewish and Gentile traditions and especially from the apocryphal book I Enoch.^[26] Other expositors observe that we know little about the positions of authority held by angels (Dan. 10:12–21). Scripture does not reveal how these angels lost their status. We assume that they refused to obey God's command because they wanted to be like him (Gen. 3:5; Luke 4:6). Nevertheless, we should avoid giving prominence to traditions that link the fall of the angels to the intermarrying of the sons of God and the daughters of men (Gen. 6:2). As spiritual beings, angels have no physical bodies and therefore are incapable of procreation. In answer to a question from the Sadducees about marriage at the resurrection, Jesus explains that people, like angels in heaven, will neither marry nor be given in marriage (Matt. 22:30).^[27] b. [The angels] abandoned their own home. Note the parallelism in this first part of verse 6. And the angels who did not keep but abandoned their positions their own of authority home Jude strengthens the negative phrase did not keep with the verb abandoned. He balances the possessive pronouns, and with the two nouns authority and home he expresses synonymous concepts. These angels resided in heavenly splendor, but after their rebellion God consigned them to live in darkness. Because of their sin, they were no longer able to keep their domain or sphere of influence and left their own dwelling.^[28] At one time they held authority, but now they are prisoners in chains and wait for the day of judgment. Jude provides no details about the location of the domain or dwelling of these angels. He is interested only in the theme that God punishes those who refuse to obey him. c. These he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. Here is one of Jude's descriptive contrasts: the angels &did not keep their positions of authority, but God has kept [these angels] in darkness. We should not interpret this text to mean that all the fallen angels are locked up in a certain place. If this were the case, the earth would not be plagued by demons. The picture Jude conveys is that the rebellious angels are living in spiritual darkness and are chained to their sentence of divine judgment from which they can never escape.^[29] Additional Comments on 6 Because Jude quotes directly from the apocryphal book I Enoch in verses 14 and 15, we are not surprised that he alludes to this work in verse 6. Jude and his contemporaries were familiar with the Book of Enoch. And even though the book is not canonical, it presents an account of the fall of the angels. In chapters 6 19 of I Enoch, the writer relates the origin of evil on the earth. He describes how fallen angels lust after the beautiful daughters of men, descend upon Mount Hermon, and commit adultery with them. These fallen angels are responsible for producing offspring, the Nephilim, who are the giants in the earth (Gen. 6:4), and for the multiplication of evil in the world. The result is that God destroys the world with a flood in the days of Noah. Verbal parallels between I Enoch and the Epistle of Jude demonstrate that Jude was acquainted with the content of this apocryphal book. Here are some of the sentences that show similarity: I Enoch Jude [The angels] have abandoned And the angels who did not the high heaven, keep their positions of authority the holy eternal but abandoned their own place. (12:4) home (v. 6a) Bind Azaz el hand and foot these he has kept in darkness, (and) throw him into the bound with darkness! (10:4) everlasting chains (v. 6b) that he may be sent into for judgment the fire on the great day on the great Day. (v. 6c) of judgment. (10:6)^[30] The writer of I Enoch presents a commentary on Genesis 6:1 4and explains that the angels fell into sin by committing adultery with women. He writes that these angels corrupted the human race and received God's condemnation. They were put in prison and were bound forever. God destroyed the corrupt human race of Noah's day with the waters of the flood.^[31] Although the language in Jude's epistle resembles the word choice of selected passages in I Enoch, Jude provides no evidence that he wants to equate fallen angels with the sons of God who married the daughters of men (Gen. 6:2). Jude is acquainted with this interpretation, but we note that he does not endorse this idea in his epistle. Many scholars, however, see a definite connection between verses 6 and 7 in respect to sexual immorality. They read the intent of verse 7 into verse 6 because of the introductory phrase in a similar way.^[32] They understand this phrase to signify that as the men of Sodom and Gomorrah were driven by lust so the fallen angels were prone to lust. But verse 7 must be seen as the third example of those whom God has condemned for their rebellion. The three illustrations that describe the concept condemnation (v. 4) are the Israelites who died in the desert, the fallen angels, and the immoral citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. These are the three examples of divine condemnation. And Jude uses them as a contrast to the concept salvation (v. 3). For additional comments on this subject, see the section Doctrinal Considerations in 6 and 9. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 6 [Greek] this adjunction instead of the conjunction [Greek] (and) binds verses 5 and 6 closely together. Conversely, verse 7 stands next to these two verses and begins with the adverb [Greek] (as). [Greek] the use of the definite article in this phrase and the parallel [Greek] (their own home) signifies the place given by God to the angels. The pronoun [Greek] is balanced by [Greek] and stresses personal possession. The noun [Greek] (authority) points to the exalted position the angels occupied. [Greek] the perfect active from [Greek] (I keep) conveys lasting significance. Striking is the contrast with [Greek] (aorist active); that is, the angels did not keep but left their place once for all, yet God keeps them in chains forever. C. Sodom and Gomorrah 7 7. 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. Notice these points: a. Comparison The third example of rebellion is the most vivid, for throughout the Old and New Testaments the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah stand out as symbols of immorality and are known because of their lasting destruction by fire and brimstone.^[33] The surrounding towns are Admah, Zeboiim (Gen. 14:2; Deut. 29:23; Hos. 11:8), and Zoar (Gen. 19:22–23), which God spared. In a similar way, &[these] towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. The New International Version avoids a literal translation and transmits the meaning of the text instead. However, a verbatim translation of the Greek has this reading: How Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them in a similar way to these were indulging in sexual immorality and went after other flesh. b. Interpretation What is Jude saying? This is the usual explanation: As the angels fell because of their lust for women, so the Sodomites desired sexual relations with angels. ^[34] Scholars indicate that Jude's reference is to the Sodomites homosexual lust for those angels who came to visit Lot (Gen. 19:4–11). The phrase in a similar way to these points to the angels who expressed their lust for the daughters of men (Gen. 6:2). And by contrast, the men of Sodom desired to have sexual relations with angels. The objection to this view is that angels are spiritual beings and do not have bodies. Angels assumed physical bodies when they went to Sodom. In fact, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom both young and old call out to Lot and ask: Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with themGen. 19:4, 5; italics added . The men of Sodom were setting the example of homosexual practices for all the surrounding towns. If we look again at the literal translation of verse 7a, we are able to read the text as follows: How Sodom and Gomorrah (and the cities surrounding them in a similar way to these) were indulging in sexual immorality and went after other flesh. In the context of the verse, the position of the pronoun these indicates that Jude refers to the men of Sodom.^[35] But what is the meaning of the term other flesh? The Greek reveals that in the case of duality (for example, male and female) the word other can mean a second of two and in the context denote a difference of kind.^[36] Therefore, when the men of Sodom were interested in sexual relations with men, they perverted the created order of natural intercourse. That is, the men of Sodom did not desire females (Gen. 19:8–9); instead, these men demanded homosexual relations with the men who visited Lot. The activity of the Sodomites is perversion. This is precisely how translators of the New International Version render the phrase went after other flesh. c. Punishment In verse 7, Jude remarks that the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. The literal translation of the verb serve is exposed to public view. The evidence of God's judgment on the cities of the plain has been open to view since the day fire and sulfur destroyed the area. Sodom never occurs again in the Bible as a living city, but the memory of its sin and consequent destruction was kept alive by Moses, the prophets, Jesus, and the authors of the N[ew] T[estament]. Sodom and Gomorrah have become bywords and tokens of God's wrath on sin. ^[37] Jude links the lasting destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and surrounding towns to the punishment of eternal fire that is waiting for the people who refuse to obey God and choose to disobey him. The term example signifies not something that we should follow or copy but rather something that we must avoid. In short, the term is a synonym of warning. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 7 [Greek] translated how, this adverb is equivalent to [Greek] (v. 5) and [Greek] (v. 6). It introduces the third example that Jude lists. [Greek] the nearest antecedents of this pronoun are the nouns Sodom and Gomorrah. Although Jude uses the names of the cities, the reference actually is to the inhabitants. Note that the word order is unique for the phrase [Greek]. This phrase stands between the noun [Greek] (cities) and the aorist participle feminine plural [Greek]. The accusative case in this phrase is the so-called adverbial accusative or the loose use of this case.^[38] IV. Application and Examples 8 11 8 In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, The Lord rebuke you! 10 Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals these are the very things that destroy them. 11 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. A. Godless Men 8 After giving three examples of rebellion against the will of God and subsequent descriptions of divine judgment, Jude continues to portray the godless men of his day. He already has characterized them as men who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality (v. 4). Now he offers more detail: he describes the acts of these men with the three verbs pollute, reject, and slander. Jude writes, 8. In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. a. Pollute Jude now depicts the false teachers and compares them to the unbelieving Israelites, the rebellious angels, and the perverted Sodomites. He begins the sentence with the phrase in the very same way. Notice that the three evils which Jude lists correspond (in reverse order) with the sins named in the preceding three verses. The sin of polluting matches the homosexual acts mentioned in verse 7; the sin of rebelling echoes the rebellion of angels (v. 6). And the sin of slandering celestial beings is equivalent to the unbelief of the Israelites in the desert (v. 5). The unbelieving Israelites slandered God who had redeemed them from slavery and had cared for them in numerous ways (Num. 14:1–4, 10 11). Their utter rejection of God brought about a display of divine glory by which God expressed his anger to the rebellious people.^[39] Accordingly we conclude that Jude's purpose is to show that God's judgment falls on those who rebel. He demonstrates that in spite of the evidence of divine judgment, Jude's contemporaries are unwilling to listen to reason and thus invite eternal punishment. Jude calls these godless men dreamers. This term means either that they were mystics who claimed to have access to supernatural revelation or that as a result of their sexual immorality these men spent their time dreaming erotic fantasies. Although scholars are divided on this issue, evidence for either interpretation is strong. In support of the first view, commentators note that the noun dreamers is the subject of the three verbs pollute, reject, and slander. They also refer to Peter's Pentecost sermon in which he quotes the prophecy of Joel: Your old men will dream dreams (Acts 2:17; Joel 2:28).^[40] By contrast, other expositors point out that Jude portrays these godless men not as false prophets who derive their teachings from dreams and ecstasies, but as men who live immorally and who follow their own evil desires (v. 16; also see vv. 4, 18 19). These dreamers pollute their own bodies. They indulge in sexual excess that is comparable to the sins committed by the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah. They engage in homosexual acts that defile the land (Lev. 18:24–28; Rom. 1:27). b. Reject Jude observes that these godless men reject authority. In the parallel passage Peter expresses the same sentiment when he describes the wicked who are kept for the day of judgment. He says, This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authorityII Peter 2:10a . The expression authority, which in the Greek is kuriots (lordship), occurs in Paul's epistles as dominion and powers. Paul writes that Christ sits at God's right hand, far above all rule and authority, power and dominionEph. 1:21; italics added for clarification . And he says that Christ created all things, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authoritiesCol. 1:16; italics added . Jude, however, is not focusing attention on angelic authority as such but on the divine authority (lordship) of Jesus Christ.^[41] In all his brevity, Jude refers to the godless men who deliberately reject divine authority. The words reject authority mean that these men scorn God's authority over them. The verb reject in the Greek specifies that they have set aside divine law; consequently they show their contempt for Christ and his gospel. They want to rule their own lives and want to be free from the lordship of Jesus Christ (see v. 4). c. Slander The last vice Jude mentions is slander[ing] celestial beings. Peter says virtually the same thing when he relates that these men are not afraid to slander celestial beingsII Peter 2:10b . In the context of his epistle, Jude mentions a dispute that the archangel Michael had with the devil. The writer discloses that even though Michael hesitated to bring a slanderous accusation against Satan (v. 9), these godless men utter slander (v. 10). Are these celestial beings good or evil angels? The answer lies in the Greek word doxas (glories) that is translated celestial beings. This term accurately describes the angels that surround God's throne but does not apply to evil angels. Only God's faithful angels reflect his glory. The New Testament also teaches that the law of God was put into effect through angels (Acts 7:53; also see v. 38; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2). That is, at the time God gave the law to the Israelites, angels were his messengers. Why are these godless men slandering angels? In their desire for complete freedom, the infidels slandered angels and refused to accept the authority of anyone connected with the law. In other words, their slandering of the angels was a way of detaching the Law from God and interpreting it simply as an evil. ^[42] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 8 [Greek] in the same way, too. ^[43] The conjunction [Greek] has the adversative meaning but in this context.^[44] [Greek] &[Greek] &[Greek] &observe Jude's literary skill in employing these particles to create structural balance in verses 8 and 9. [Greek] the middle participle from [Greek] (I dream) is in the present tense to describe the usual conduct of these godless men. The three main verbs in verse 8 are in the present tense; they indicate a continual course of action. B. Michael and Satan 9 10 In these two verses Jude relies on information that is recorded in the apocryphal book the Testament of Moses or the related work known as the Assumption of Moses.^[45] Unfortunately, the ending of this testament is no longer extant, but scholars have been able to reconstruct it from early Christian sources. Because of this allusion to a noncanonical book and the direct quote from the apocryphal book I Enoch, the church in the first few centuries hesitated to accept the Epistle of Jude as canonical. The fact remains, however, that although Jude uses material from other sources, he does not recognize these books as inspired. He borrows examples from apocryphal literature or from the oral tradition of his day to illustrate and clarify his own teachings. 9. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil over the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, The Lord rebuke you! a. Michael The name given to the archangel means who is like God? and is common in the Old Testament. The name also belongs to ten different persons, all of whom are virtually unknown.^[46] In the prophecy of Daniel, the name Michael belongs to the angel who is one of the chief princes (10:13) and the great prince who protects the people Israel (12:1). He opposes and overcomes demons whom Satan has sent to influence the rulers of Persia and Greece (10:13, 20). The term prince is equivalent to the word archangel (I Thess. 4:16). Apocryphal literature teaches that there are seven archangels. This information corresponds with John's description of the seven angels who stand before God (Rev. 8:2).^[47] Four of these have names; they are Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel. Michael is the leader of the heavenly armies that fight Satan and his fallen angels and drive them out of heaven (Rev. 12:7–9). b. Moses But even the archangel Michael &was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses. The Old Testament is silent about this dispute between Michael and Satan and only records that God buried [Moses] in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave Isaiah (Deut. 34:6). A reconstructed outline of the lost ending of the Testament of Moses gives this account of Moses burial: Joshua accompanied Moses up Mount Nebo, where God showed Moses the land of promise. Moses then sent Joshua back to the people to inform them of Moses death, and Moses died. God sent the archangel Michael to remove the body of Moses to another place and bury it there, but Samma el, the devil, opposed him, disputing Moses right to honorable burial.& The devil brought against Moses a charge of murder, because he smote the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. But this accusation was not better than slander against Moses and Michael, not tolerating the slander, said to the devil, May the Lord rebuke you, devil! At that the devil took flight, and Michael removed the body to the place commanded by God, where he buried it with his own hands. Thus no one saw the burial of Moses.^[48] Jude uses this illustration about the dispute between Michael and Satan to demonstrate that even this mighty archangel did not dare to rebuke the devil. Even though Michael ranked high above Satan and from our point of view had every right to reprimand this devil, the archangel avoided uttering a rebuke. God is the judge. c. Satan The Lord rebuke you! This sentence is reminiscent of the account that describes Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him (Zech. 3:1). Then the Lord said, The Lord rebuke you, Satan! (v. 2). Likewise Michael turned Satan over to God when Satan forced him to argue about the body of Moses. Jude uses the literary device of comparison: the greater versus the lesser. That is, if the mightiest archangel Michael refuses to rebuke Satan, how much more should sinful man refrain from reviling (II Peter 2:11–12). 10. Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals these are the very things that destroy them. In passing we note that Peter provides a parallel that is even clearer than the wording in Jude's epistle. He writes, But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish (II Peter 2:12). After illustrating his teaching with an incident that involves Michael and Satan, Jude returns to the subject of his discussion, namely, the godless men, whom he calls dreamers (v. 8). He depicts them as people who lack spiritual discernment and yet speak abusively against anyone and everything. As Jude says elsewhere, [They] follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit (v. 19). Indeed, they are devoid of divine wisdom, unable to comprehend spiritual truth and unwilling to admit their foolishness (I Cor. 2:14). David also reflected on the thoughts and deeds of evil men when he composed Psalms 14. This is David's view, presented here in verse: The God who sits enthroned on high The foolish in their heart deny; Not one does good; corrupt in thought, Unrighteous works their hands have wrought. Psalter Hymnal What things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals these are the very things that destroy them. What is Jude trying to say? He means that persons without spiritual discernment are abysmally ignorant of reality and depend on instinct. That is, they have lowered themselves to the level of animals and in their sexual pursuits (see v. 8) are guided by instinct. Yet, unlike the animals which abide by the laws of nature, these godless men are destroyed by the very things they fail to understand. When men live by instinct, they abandon even natural law and consequently perish. They place themselves on a par with the animals, but because of their refusal to obey even the laws God has placed in nature, they are destroyed (Rom. 1:24). Doctrinal Considerations in 6 and 9 Do you know how many angels there are? The Bible says that there are myriads (Deut. 33:2), which means that their number is countless. Angels have been created to serve God in classes, orders, and ranks; for example, Michael is one of the chief princes (Dan. 10:13; 12:1); others are cherubim (Gen. 3:24) and seraphs (Isa. 6:2). Together the angels form powerful armies that oppose Satan's forces (Ps. 103:20; Matt. 26:53; Rev. 12:7). Do you know that angels have individual personalities? They have names (Luke 1:19), they rejoice over the salvation of a sinner (Luke 15:10), and they desire to learn about man's salvation (I Peter 1:12). Conversely, evil angels lie (John 8:44), have faithJames 2:19, believe that there is one God , and sin (I John 3:8). Do you know that men and angels differ in numerous ways? Here are some of the differences: 1. Man has a body and a soul, which together form a unit. The soul without the body is incomplete. On the other hand, an angel is a spirit without a body, yet is complete. He has no physical body, and therefore is an individual being who is unrelated to the other angels. 2. Whereas man is related to fellow human beings by family ties, angels exist without families. Angels, then, do not marry (Matt. 22:30), are immortal (Luke 20:35 36), and are invisible (Col. 1:16). Man belongs to a human family and with his fellow men forms humanity. But angels have no families and therefore are unable to form angelity, so to speak.^[49] 3. Man was formed from the dust of the earth (Gen. 2:7), crowned with glory and honor, and appointed to rule God's creation (Gen. 1:28; Ps. 8:5–8; Heb. 2:7–8). Angels are created spirits and are appointed to minister and serve (Heb. 1:7, 14). 4. Adam fell into sin, but the second Adam has come to redeem him (Rom. 5:12, 19; I Cor. 15:45). Angels fell into sin but are not redeemed by Jesus Christ (Heb. 2:16). 5. And do you know that men, but not the angels, are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:27)? Angels are God's messengers and his servants (Ps. 104:4; Heb. 1:7). Conclusively, Scripture teaches that the difference between men and angels is profound. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 9 10 Verse 9 A [Greek] this combination indicates a change of subject in the discourse. [Greek] the use of this middle participle in the present tense denotes duration of time. The tense of the participle relates to the tense of the main verb. [Greek] from the verb [Greek] (I discuss), this form is in the imperfect middle indicative to show duration in the past tense. The imperfect is descriptive. Verse 10 [Greek] Jude returns to the subject of verse 8. The combination of these two Greek words reveals a change of subject in the discourse. [Greek] this verb in the perfect tense with a present meaning (from [Greek], I know) expresses innate knowledge C. Cain, Balaam, and Korah 11 Jude mentions three examples of wickedness that are recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures. Notice that once again Jude's penchant for grouping items in triads is evident (compare vv. 1, 2). Moreover, in the triad of Cain, Balaam, and Korah, Jude achieves a gradual crescendo by mentioning the nouns way, error, and rebellion.^[50] 11. 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. The lamentation Woe to them! (with variations) is a typical phrase that the Old Testament prophets uttered repeatedly to condemn persons or nations. Jesus uses the word woe to place a curse on Korazin and Bethsaida (Matt. 11:21), and he rebukes the Pharisees with a series of seven woes (Matt. 23). And Paul calls a woe upon himself should he fail to preach the gospel (I Cor. 9:16). Likewise, Jude pronounces woes upon his godless contemporaries and tells them that they are heading for destruction. At the same time his words are a warning to his readers not to permit these godless men to lead them astray. a. Cain They have taken the way of Cain. The Scriptures mention Cain in four different books: (Genesis 4:2, 5, 15, 25; Hebrews 11:4; Jude 11; and I John 3:12. In these passages Cain is depicted as the first murderer and the first willful unbeliever. God spoke to him when he rejected Cain's offering and instructed Cain to overcome sinGen. 4:7). After Cain killed Abel, God protected Cain by placing a mark on him (v. 15). But in spite of God's grace, Cain went out from the Lord's presence (v. 1). Hence, Cain not only murdered his brother, but also rejected God. Hardened by unbelief, he deliberately cast his lot with the devil (Heb. 11:4; I John 3:12). An early Jewish commentary on Genesis 4:8puts these words on the lips of Cain: There is no judgment, no judge, no world to come; no reward will be given to the righteous, and no destruction for the wicked. ^[51] What is the way of Cain which the godless men have taken? Not only Cain lacked the virtues of faith and love; the godless men of Jude's day also are devoid of these qualities.^[52] They lack selflessness and generosity (see v. 16). They nurture the vices of envy and greed; they have hearts filled with hatred toward God and man. And hatred leads to murder, as John points out in his epistle (I John 3:15). b. Balaam This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/hendriksen/