THEOTHURSDAYS: JUDE 4-25
Rather than writing a fresh post for this Theothursday, I decided to post my notes from a study I did a while back on Jude. The article is old, but seems fitting to be released now. At the risk of being too technical, I’ve included some of the minor exegetical notes while eliminating the tedious. The following was written prior to any personal controversy, thus I cannot be charged with “reading in” any particular events to the text. My aim in this study was to understand why Jude felt that it was necessary to write to the saint and appeal to them to earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
As I was trying to get into Jude’s head and feel his urgency and passion in exhorting his readers to contend for the faith, I had to ask why? The Greek is so clear here. The word ga,r (gar), which is a coordinating conjunction, connects the content of verse 4 to the reason why Jude had his change of heart. His intention was to do one thing, namely, to write about our common salvation, but “something else” entered in to the picture and changed the course of his letter.
This “something else,” was that Jude had learned of a situation that required exhortation of the saints. He exhorted them to contend for the faith. Now we get to verse 4, connected by gar, and then the word: pareise,dusan pareisduno {par-ice-doo’-no} - which has been translated as the following:
pareise,dusan pareisduno {par-ice-doo’-no} - verb indicative aorist active 3rd person plural
NIV: “have secretly slipped in among you.”
NASB: “For there have been some intruders“
ESV: “For certain people have crept in unnoticed“
Geneva Bible: “For there are certaine men crept in,”
KJV: “For there are certain men crept in unawares“
RV95: “porque algunos hombres han entrado encubiertamente“
Vulgate: “subintroierunt enim quidam homines”
NA27: “pareise,dusan ga,r tinej a;nqrwpoi”
As I have learned from Dr. Morey, whenever the author wanted to emphasize a particular word when read out loud, he would remove the word from its normal word-order and place it at the beginning of the sentence, indicating to the reader that this was the word to emphasize. Look at the Nestle-Aland 27th Edition of the Greek (NA27) above. The first word pareise,dusan means to creep in unnoticed (BNT lexicon). The UBS lexicon says it means “sneak in under false pretenses or slip in unnoticed.” The word is pronounced pareisduno {par-ice-doo’-no}, and according to Strong’s means “to enter secretly; slip in stealthily 2) to steal in.“ When read out loud, say, in English, we should read it with emphasis that these men have SNUCK IN UNDER OUR NOSES (Macasil translation)!
The reason that these translations have “certain men” crept in, is because of tinej a;nqrwpoi after gar which literally translates: “Have crept in unnoticed! - for - certain - men.” Since the normal word order is altered intentionally to emphasize pareise,dusan when read aloud, the tis anthropos are those whom have stealthily snuck in unnoticed.
tinej a;nqrwpoi - tis anthropos - certain men
tinej tis - adjective indefinite nominative masculine plural no degree
Lexical meaning [UBS]: someone, something; any, some, a certain, several; be someone (something) of importance
a;nqrwpoi anthropos - noun nominative masculine plural common
Lexical meaning [UBS]: man, human being, person, one (friend, sir, man in address); pl. people; mankind, humanity
When put together, tis anthropos can be translated: a particular group of persons. This implies that Jude is able to distinguish “them” from the rest. This particular group of persons, connected by the coordinating conjunction gar, to the situation alluded to in verse 3, is said to have snuck in under false pretenses in a secret way that is not merely unethical but evil. The verses that follow mention by way of reminder (vs. 5-7), three examples from history that were notoriously remembered for being punished by the furious wrath of God.
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1. Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
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2. The angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.
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3. Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
After these three notorious examples from history of God’s wrath, Jude uses ~Omoi,wj homoios, which means “Likewise” or “in the same way” to refer back to that particular group of persons that snuck in unnoticed. From the Greek text it is difficult to interpret with precision what Jude actually said after “likewise.” I have wrestled with the Greek of this passage for numerous hours at a time. I’m not certain, but I think I may understand it. Here are 2 English translations of Jude 7-8.
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.” - KJV
“just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.” - ESV
Here is the Greek:
w`j So,doma kai. Go,morra kai. ai` peri. auvta.j po,leij to.n o[moion tro,pon tou,toij evkporneu,sasai kai. avpelqou/sai ovpi,sw sarko.j e`te,raj( pro,keintai dei/gma puro.j aivwni,ou di,khn u`pe,cousaiÅ ~Omoi,wj me,ntoi kai. ou-toi evnupniazo,menoi sa,rka me.n miai,nousin kurio,thta de. avqetou/sin do,xaj de. blasfhmou/sinÅ - NA27
Speaking of this particular group of persons, Jude may be saying that they, like those in the three examples, are so damned and ungodly, although they have fooled you based on external observance, that instead of sharing with you the hope of eternal life that you are awaiting by the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (v.21), these persons dream about the flesh. Just like you live out your faith, they live out their dreams which are like those in the three examples, fleshly, worldly, ungodly, and lead to destruction. All the while they were manipulating you and secretly carrying out their evil desires in your midst. He says that they pose a threat at the agape feasts.
In verse 12, regarding the agape feasts, Jude says that this particular group of persons poses a threat. He uses the word spila,dej spilas - this is an interesting word and I don't think that "blemishes" or "spots" is adequate (NASB, ESV, KJV, NIV). The word is used to describe hidden danger. If a ship was at sea on a beautiful day, and everything seemed to be going along just fine, one thing that would drastically change the circumstances would be if the ship ran into a hidden reef or a ledge of rocks. The bottom of the ship would get torn up as the rocks ripped away the wooden hull. Disaster would set in and quickly the ship would begin its way to the bottom of the ocean. In that scenario, spilas would find its normal usage in describing the hidden danger that lies beneath the normal scope of vision. Would such a tragic event be considered blemishes? Maybe, if one survived and was later in life recollecting all of their life's vacations, they could say there were some blemishes or spots. I think the word connotes much more imminent danger than that.
Strong's: 4694 spila,j spilas {spee-las'}
Meaning: 1) a rock in the sea, ledge, reef 2) metaph. of men who by their conduct damage others morally, wreck them as it were
LBNM Morph + Barclay Newman
spila,dej noun nominative feminine plural common
[UBS] spila,j, a,doj f a (hidden) reef, spot, blemish, stain; or perhaps danger, threat (Jd 12)
This seems correct, and if it is, then Jude is saying that these persons are like the iceberg was to the Titanic. Had the famous iceberg been in plain sight and noticeable from several miles away, then the Titanic could have veered left or right to avoid the collision with it. I suppose it is fitting at this point to say that from the perspective of the Titanic’s crew, the iceberg crept in unnoticed! We can not know exactly the situation that was going on among the saints to whom Jude wrote the letter to, but that doesn’t mean we can’t know anything at all about it either.
From the entire context, the internal evidence suggests several things.
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1. The church was asleep at the wheel.
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2. While the church was taking a siesta, certain persons snuck in.
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3. The individual persons, as well as the persons as a whole group, were predestined for their condemnation long ago.
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4. The persons are ungodly.
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5. The persons pervert our religion.
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6. The persons use our religion for their fleshly gratification and debauchery.
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7. The persons do not submit to Christ.
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8. The persons deny Jesus because they submit to flesh.
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9. The persons are categorized with those in Jude’s first three examples.
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10. The persons dream about satisfying fleshly desires.
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11. The persons have no conviction and blaspheme without fear.
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12. The persons’ blasphemy can be contrasted to Michael.
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13. The persons’ blasphemy can be detected by noticing that Michael did not pronounce a blasphemous judgment on the devil, rather said “The Lord rebuke you.”
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14. The persons blaspheme all that they do not understand.
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15. The persons are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning wild animals, understand instinctively.
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16. The persons are given a “woe to them!”
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17. The persons walked in the way of Cain.
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18. The persons abandoned themselves for the sake of gain like Balaam’s error and Korah’s rebellion.
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19. The persons are hidden dangers like underwater rocks to a ship.
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20. The persons take communion to their destruction without fear.
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21. The persons selfishly shepherd themselves.
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22. The persons are like clouds without water.
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23. The persons do not have the truth (swept along by winds).
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24. The persons are faithless and hopeless (fruitless tress).
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25. The persons are storing up wrath for themselves (wild foaming waves).
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26. The persons are without God (wandering stars).
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27. The persons have been predestined for hell and are hopeless.
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28. The persons were prophesied of by Enoch.
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29. The persons are grumblers.
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30. The persons are complainers.
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31. The persons follow their own sinful desires.
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32. The persons are loud-mouthed boasters.
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33. The persons use false-flattery to gain advantage.
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34. The persons were predicted by the Apostles and Jesus.
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35. The persons are the scoffers that follow their own ungodly passions that were predicted in #34.
In closing, let’s allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through the rest of Jude’s letter. 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
19 Comments, Comment or Ping
Stephen Macasil
P.S. Jude accomplished his original goal in verses 20-25 after all!
Apr 10th, 2008
Glenn Hendrickson
What Greek font does biblicalthought.com use? the Greek words are in English letters and symbols on my computer
Apr 10th, 2008
Stephen Macasil
It’s an old article 1) using the old version of Word (03), and 2) using BW6 (before I got the phenomenal BW7!). So, unless BW fonts automatically upgrade with BW, I suspect it has something to do with doc. vs. docx. and BW6 vs. BW7, all fighting each other on the WP (WordPress) battlefield. Can’t they all just get along? Certain conflicting fonts have crept in unawares!
Apr 10th, 2008
Fusion!
Wow Stephen, good job, yet again. And that goes for last night as well. I hope to see that study (with it’s extra details) up soon.
Apr 10th, 2008
Mario
Great stuff! We must keep on watching and remain in prayer! I saw the notes on last night! Very profitable! We are planning on going over the material at Larry’s tonight!
Apr 10th, 2008
Johnny B
# 27, when I read vs. 13, I see where it says, “for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” I don’t read that as, them being reserved for the darkness, but the darkness being reserved for them. That would be their destination for sure. Unless they repent. I read the bible as a whole. We see that Nineveh repented and the Lord held back His judgment on them. We know that later on He did judge them, because they went back to doing what they were doing before repenting. Did God change? NO! The peoples posture toward God changed.
God’s purpose never changes, but we see through Scripture that peoples posture toward God changes. Which will not chance His judgment, it’s for sure. The judgment isn’t on the repentant people. Has God changed? NO! The repentant has changed toward God. God’s judgment is reserved forever and the standard of that judgment does not change, weather a person repents or not. Once a person repents they will not be judged, the person has changed, not the standard of God’s judgment.
How do you come to the conclusion, that they are predestined to Hell? Maybe I’m not understanding the use of the word, predestined, here. When I hear predestined, I hear, no way of anything will change that, it’s a done deal.
Thanks
Apr 10th, 2008
Stephen Macasil
JohnnyB, it is an apocalyptic reference. Are you familiar with the inter-testamental literature? See the books of Enoch.
“Did God change? NO! The peoples posture toward God changed.
God’s purpose never changes, but we see through Scripture that peoples posture toward God changes.”
Are you confusing God’s purpose and peoples posture? Are you also asserting that God’s posture never changes because His purpose never does?
“How do you come to the conclusion, that they are predestined to Hell?”
From verse 4: “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation…”
But remember, I intentionally left out alot of exegetical detail and study notes. But since you’ve asked, let’s briefly look at the word in question.
The word rendered “designated” is prographo. Grapho means “to write” and appears twice in Jude 3: “Beloved, although I was very eager *to write* to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary *to write* appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. This is a good illustration of the differences in Greek and English.
gra,fein (verb infinitive present active) first appearance
gra,yai (verb infinitive aorist active) second appearance
The difference between the two is visually noticeable when taken out of the sentence and compared like this. Notice the fourth character and on. The differences, as we can see from the parentheses, are in the tenses. The first is “perfect” and the second is “aorist.” The perfect tense describes an event that was completed in the past, but has results in the present time. The aorist tense is often used to stress the beginning of an action or the entrance into a state. The translators picked up on this and translated Jude 3 as such. As we read in Jude 3, he wrote that he was going “to write” (present tense – completed in past, having results in the present) about our common salvation, but something else demanded immediate attention. Therefore, he decided “to write” (aorist tense - stresses the beginning of an action or the entrance into a state) an exhortation to earnestly contend for the faith that was entrusted to the saints.
When the prefix of a verb is “pro,” it simply means before, or prior, or a host of ways to say it in English. So, “prographo” literally means “to write beforehand” or “written before” or many other ways depending on the tenses, moods, etc. (as illustrated with grapho above)
KJV: ordained
NASB: long beforehand marked out
ESV: designated
Then the following “for this condemnation” or “judgment” (krima). Jude is saying that “these certain persons were designated to be condemned, in the writings of old, and it is coming to pass right here, right now.” As a Calvinist having come to the reality of predestination as a biblical truth, I have no resistance to what the text clearly says. Thus, my conclusion. Jude isn’t the only author to have done this. See 2 Peter 2 for more.
Apr 10th, 2008
Stephen Macasil
Mario, that sounds like fun! I saw your wife at the class last night (didn’t get to say hi though)!
Frank, thanks for last night! I hope it was beneficial. And, yes, I might post something about it.
Thanks for everyone’s support!
Apr 10th, 2008
Jon Powell
Steve, definitely a relevant post as we deal with the many (hidden) apostates. I loved the technical analysis of the grammar, which is very helpful for Greek newbies, such as myself.
Also liked the overall formatting, which is very effective (different fonts, colors, etc.). It makes it come alive.
Please keep it up!!! If only more pastors (besides ours) did this type of work, the world would be a better place!
Apr 10th, 2008
Johnny B
Let me see if I’m understanding you right, because of how vs 3 is structured, it effect the way, you read vs 4? Yes, I have heard of the books of Enoch, but have never read them.
I guess I need to go through the Greek DVDs I have, to learn how to read Greek, the DVDs guide you through, Machen’s Greek for beginners. I’ve dealt with apostate people before and can see how they’re destine for Hell. I’m going to admit that, I don’t think I have a go enough grasp on the concept (Biblical) of predestination, to say they are predestine to Hell.
God’s posture, you’re making me think:D, God’s purpose never changes, to bring forth the promise or His standard of judgment. People change toward Him, but God doesn’t change. Because He doesn’t judge a nation or someone, hasn’t changed Him. His attitude is the same, but the people have changed toward Him, obedient or disobedient, repentant or unrepentant. I almost missed that, I can hardly tell, where you are quoting my or asking me.
Apr 11th, 2008
Stephen Macasil
JohnnyB,
You are correct in affirming that God’s purpose never changes. His posture, or his attitude (using them interchangeably), however, according to Scripture, changes toward the elect. The Bible teaches that Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice reconciles sinners to God (Rom. 5:8,10), removing His alienation from sinners. God was alienated from man at the fall because of man’s sin and rebellion, thus God views man after the Fall as His enemies. As Dr. Morey notes, “Thus reconciliation does not primarily refer to a change in man’s attitude toward God but, rather, in God’s attitude toward man.” (Studies in the Atonement p. 57)
“Let me see if I’m understanding you right, because of how vs 3 is structured, it effect the way, you read vs 4?”
Sort of, but actually, it is the first word in verse 4 (although Jude didn’t use verse numbers) which is a coordinating conjunction (gar). My point there was that Jude exhorts the earnest contending of the faith (3) “because” certain men have crept in unnoticed (4).
“I almost missed that, I can hardly tell, where you are quoting my or asking me.”
Maybe you can restate this.
Apr 11th, 2008
John Romann
Please get rid of the 45 deg cross hatching. It makes every other post very difficult to read.
Apr 12th, 2008
Mario
What do you mean by that John?
As I look at the posts, I can read them fine…….
Apr 12th, 2008
John
Stephen:
I hear Jude saying.
God has permitted the ungodly creepers to enter the church. They speak like Balaam but their plans are to lure you in as he did.
They will sacrifice with you like Cain but when they are rejected they will kill you like he did as well.
They will leave their Egypt with you like Korah but its all a show, they want to cast down our Moses’s with complaint and accusation.
In a like manner, these false teachers will seem to exodus the things of the world with you but its all a lie. They want to drag you back to Egypt=the world and exploit you.
In the end they will suffer the same vengence as Sodom and Gomorrah because they are mindful of loving that same kind of world they live in. They are judged like Sodom because they love the world of Sodom.
What is incredible is that these look-alikes to real Christians will suffer such judgments. But another incredible thing is that behind the scenes this is what these false teachers truly are in their hearts.
They are murmers and complainers, dead spiritually, fruitless branches, empty waterless clouds. They are big talkers but only to gain admiration and monies for their causes.
They will feast with you, but God sees them as dangerous rocks upon which the unsuspecting Christian can shipwreck his life.
Step back for a moment, dont be afraid, God has prophecied through Enoch, way way back that such men would appear and have appeared. God will permit them entry to the Church, but will also judge them powerfully as He did the wicked pagans of the past. Dont be afraid of them, but instead simply keep on building yourselves up in the Spirit, pray often, keep yourselves unspotted from the world, God himself will keep you and preserve you blameless so that at Jesus return you will have joy and the false teacher will have judgment.
Contend earnestly for the faith, not because our faith exists by the ability and power of men, but because they that will be saved will obtain that salvation by the truth of the gospel. Contend for the faith not because our sanctification earns us a place in the kingdom, but because our brethren need to see what truth lived out looks like.
Its a life of truth spoken and truth lived. Its devoid of falsehood and hypocrisy that false teachers are known by.
In the end we dont live out our lives sacrificing, preaching and living the faith because we are a part of some famous ‘inspired teacher’. We live our faith because Jesus Christ deserves to be preached about ‘in truth’ and he deserves to be lived for ‘in truth’.
John
Apr 13th, 2008
Stephen Macasil
John,
That is quite the dynamic equivalency!
Apr 13th, 2008
Johnny B
Stephen, “Maybe you can restate this.” I was referring to the question you asked me, which, I answered, then you answered mine.
I believe my understand of predestination has been illuminated. Because of Paul saying “before time began” I was still in time, in my thinking. God being infinite, is outside of time, but my finite mind can’t really get a full grasp on that. It all begains with the knowledge of God, His attributes and His nature, at least for me.
At what point does it change, toward the elect. Was it at the time of His death, when we were raised with Christ from the died, at regeneration? With vs 6 says that His death was for the “ungodly”. Is the thought to be interpreted with a view toward God’s love or on the bases of our election?
Apr 13th, 2008
Jean Cauvin
Perhaps a post tells me this, but what is TheoThursdays? Does this replace TheoSundays?
I will be at Morey’s church this Sunday so perhaps I can find out then.
Jean Cauvin
Apr 21st, 2008
Reformed Mama
Jean~
Theothursdays is a Bible study Stephen usually does on Thursdays…topic is his choice…it is a change of pace from the heresy alerts, reviews etc.
Come by the bookstore at FCC on Sunday…my family would love to meet you!
You did an excellent job with MCUMC (aka Chad) on the other thread. If you go to Reviews and look at the Gregory Boyd thread you will see where Chad first comes on the blog…he does have some misunderstandings regarding Reformed faith and I hope he will answer your questions…I’ve had many of the same ones.
God’s grace…
Apr 21st, 2008
Stephen Macasil
Jean, Reformed Mama is correct. See you Sunday, God willing. Did you get my email Jean?
Apr 22nd, 2008
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