EARNESTLY CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

Short Studies in Jude

By Philip R. Bryan

[The following article, used by permission, first appeared in a publication of ©Baptist Publishing House, P. O. Box 7270, Texarkana, TX 75505-7270]

In the following paragraphs I will set forth a few comments on the epistle of Jude. They are offered in the hope that you will be encouraged to preach from this brief letter. The message of Jude is very relevant to problems of our present day. As in the brief study of II John (published on this same Web site), the comments are based on the Greek text; and I am including a "rough" translation of my own. Instead of a verse by verse exegesis, the discussion will be topical. Matters of authorship and the like are omitted because they are not pertinent to the present discussion.

Translation

Salutation

(1) Jude, servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to the called ones who are loved [some MSS read: "sanctified"] by [or, in] God [the] Father and are guarded by Jesus Christ. (2) May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.

Judgment on False Teachers

(3) Beloved ones, while making all haste to write to you concerning our [some MSS read: "your"] common salvation, I have had the necessity to write, exhorting you to fight tor the faith which was delivered once for all to the saints [or, holy ones]. (4) For some men have sneaked in, men who long ago were marked out for this judgment, ungodly men who pervert the grace of our God into wantonness and deny our only Master [lit., despot] and Lord, Jesus Christ.
(5) Now I wish to remind you, who know all things, that after Jesus [or, Joshua] had delivered [or, saved] a people out of Egypt, he subsequently [lit., the second time] destroyed the ones who did not believe, (8) and [that] He has kept [or, guarded] with reference to judgment of [the] great day, in eternal bonds under darkness, angels who did not keep their own principality [or, domain] but deserted their proper abode; (7) just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they indulged in immorality and went after strange flesh in like manner as these, are being exposed [to public view] as an example, by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
(8) But In the same manner these [men] also, by dreaming defile flesh and reject authority and blaspheme dignities. (9) Now Michael the archangel, when he was disputing with the devil [and] was arguing about Moses' body, did not dare to pronounce a reviling judgment but said: "May the Lord rebuke you." (10) But these [people] blaspheme indeed things which they do not understand, and they are being destroyed by other things which they do understand instinctively like unreasoning animals. (11) Woe to them, because they have gone in the path of Cain, and for pay they have been completely given up to the error of Balaam and have perished In the rebellion of Korah. (12) These [men] are the stains in your love feasts, feasting together without fear, shepherding [or, feeding] themselves; waterless clouds, being carried along by winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted; (13) wild waves of [the] sea, splashing their own shameful deeds; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of the darkness [or, dark blackness] has been kept forever.
(14) Now Enoch, seventh from Adam, prophesied even about these [people], saying "Behold [the Lord comes [lit., has come] with His holy myriads, (15) to make judgment against all and to convict [or, expose] all the ungodly people concerning all their deeds of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly manner, and concerning all the harsh things which ungodly men have spoken against Him. (16) These are grumblers, complainers, men going after their [own] desires, and their mouth speaks haughty things, paying regard to persons for the sake of advantage.

Warnings and Exhortations

(17) But you [emphatic], beloved ones, you remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; (18) because they used to say to you: "In the last time there will be mockers going according to their own ungodly desires." (19) These are the men who divide, worldly men, not having [the] Spirit. (20) But you [emphatic], beloved ones, continually building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in [the] Holy Spirit, (21) keep yourselves in God's love looking continually for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (22) And indeed have mercy [other MSS read: "convict" or "convince"] on some who dispute [other MSS read: "while you dispute"], (23) and save others. snatching [them] out of fire, and have mercy on others in fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

Benediction

(24) Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to stand [you] in the presence of His glory blameless and full of joy, (25) to the only God, our Savior; through Jesus Christ our Lord [be] glory, majesty, dominion, and power [or, authority] before all time [lit., the age] both now and for all time [lit., unto all the ages]. Amen.

Key Verse

The purpose of Jude's epistle is stated when he says that he is "exhorting you to fight for the faith which was delivered once for all to the saints" (v. 3). At least four things draw our attention: (1) The word "faith." Faith can he used either subjectively or objectively. The subjective use refers to the act of having faith, of believing (for example, "faith in God"). Used objectively, faith describes what is believed (for example, "the Christian faith" as opposed to "the Moslem faith"). Jude apparently uses faith objectively here. "The faith" is something that has been handed over (delivered) to the saints. The noun form of the word "delivered" means "tradition." Jude, therefore, is referring to an objective body or collection of beliefs, of doctrines. (2) The Greek word order (the-once-for-all-delivered-to-the-saints-faith) supports this interpretation. (3) "Once for all" (hapax) describes the finality or ultimacy of the content of what Christians believe. Christian teachings have an enduring quality. They are not to change under the influence of every new philosophical movement which arises. (4) Christians are "to fight for" or "contend for" so KJV) "the faith." This word is "agonize upon." Improper understanding here, however, has led often to many arguments and unchristian deeds. Jude's exhortation will require further study in the context of the whole letter.

In summary, there is such a thing as "the faith," i.e., orthodoxy ("right belief"). This has been handed over to the saints once for all. Christians are to fight for this faith.

False Teachers in the Church

In contrast to the condition John describes in his first letter (I John 2:19) where the heretical teachers had "gone out from us," Jude warns that "some men have sneaked in" the church. The Christians are to be ready to contend with these men. The particular heresy is two-fold: (1) They "pervert the grace of our God into wantonness" and (2) "deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ" (v. 4). It is very much like the false-teaching discussed in II John (see that article at the current Web site); these men have a defective Christology. The problems discussed in Jude, John's letters, and Colossians all appear to be either Gnostic or Gnostic related. Whereas at Colossae, the false teachers were ascetics ("do not handle, do not taste, do not touch," Colossians 2:21), the heretics here are libertines: they "pervert the grace of our God into wantonness." Since the Gnostics emphasized "knowledge" (Gnosis) as opposed to "flesh," they either were ascetic, abusing the flesh, or libertine, saying that what one does in his body is not important at all. Hence, these men are guilty of what Paul asked earlier: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?" (Romans 6:1). These men, like those of Sodom and Gomorrah, "indulged in immorality and went after strange flesh" (v. 7). They "defile flesh and reject authority and blaspheme dignities" (v. 8). They "blaspheme . . .  things which they do not understand; . . . they have gone in the path of Cain, and for pay they have been completely given up to the error of Balaam and . . . the rebellion of Korah" (vv. 10, 11). Very sharply Jude describes these "ungodly men" as "stains," "waterless clouds," "late autumn trees without fruit," "wild waves of the sea," and "wandering stars" (vv. 12, 13). With dramatic repetition, he calls them "ungodly people," having "deeds of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly manner" (v. 15). These "ungodly men have spoken harsh things against Him" (Christ?). They are indeed "grumblers, complainers, men going after their (own) desires," speaking "haughty things . . . to persons for the sake of advantage" (v. 16). When they do say something that is not base, it is for personal gain. In short, "these are the men who divide, worldly men, not having (the) Spirit" (v. 19).

Ultimate Punishment

Jude reminds his readers that such shameful men and events are to be expected. Christians should not despair. These men were "long ago marked out for this judgment" (v. 4). The Old Testament patriarch Enoch "prophesied even about these (people)" (v. 14). The Apostles themselves said continually (imperfect tense) that "in the last time there shall be mockers going according to their own ungodly desires" (vv. 17, 18). Christians, therefore, should not be surprised that such men occasionally "sneak in" the church. From the beginning of his letter, however, Jude asserts that God will take care of their "judgment" (v. 4). He punished unbelievers who took part in the Exodus (v. 5), dealt severely with angels who fell (v. 6), and has exposed the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah "as an example (of men) undergoing a punishment of eternal fire" (v. 7). Indeed, for these people "the blackness of the darkness has been kept (or, reserved) forever" (v. 13). "The Lord comes with His holy myriads to make judgment against all and to convict all the ungodly people" (vv. 14, 15). God Himself will deal with the problem.

Contending for the Faith

What should true Christians do in the light of such infiltration and in view of God's ultimate judgment on the ungodly? Christians should fight for the faith, but not negatively or defensively. To make "reviling accusations" is something that even Michael would not do against the devil (v. 9). He left the punishment up to God. To resort to out and out "dogfights" is precisely what the ungodly men do (vv. 8, 10). Jude says, however, that "you remember" that these things will happen (vv. 17, 18). Instead of being like the ungodly, we should concentrate on our own Christianity, not on fighting every other group or person who disagrees with us: "But you (emphatic) . . . continually building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in (the) Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God's love, looking continually . . . (vv. 20, 21). With reference to dealing with the others, Jude admonishes us to "have mercy ("have compassion" - KJV) on some who dispute" ("making a difference" - KJV -- i.e., while differing with them), to "save others, snatching (them) out of fire, and (to) have mercy on others in fear, (while at the same time) hating even the garment polluted by the flesh" (vv. 22, 23) -- the Greek text of verse 23. Hence, the slight variation here from the text followed by the King James Version. Jude's whole approach seems to be one of love and compassion. Although he does recognize these men for what they are, nowhere does Jude take the harsh approach that leaders in the inquisition or reformers like Martin Luther (in the sixteenth century peasants' revolts) and Jean Calvin (especially in the case of Michael Servetus) followed.

In conclusion, if Jude, in a letter which sharply exposes the grossest of sin in the forms of immoral ethics and heretical Christology, advocates mercy and fear, should not we be more tolerant of others in our churches who may not in all points agree with us? We should realize that not everyone of the brethren will agree with us on our "pet" doctrines and interpretations of scripture. We must be careful to permit a variety of opinion on certain controversial subjects such as divine election, the millennial reign of Christ, and tithing. A line must be drawn somewhere, but this has been drawn in doctrinal statements and articles of agreement of our associations. As in John's epistles, church discipline and contending for the faith must be tempered and applied with love and mercy. For, as it is said: "Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord." Concentration upon our own Christian living, by praying and looking to Jesus for help, should enable us in the struggle against sin and error. We should contend for the faith in discussion and solid Christian living. A good Christian life will have more lasting impact on the sinner than oratory or skill in logical argumentation!