JUDE 4: THE CREEPING IN OF "CERTAIN PERSONS"

Verse 4: For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

What Jude informs his readers has been a continual problem throughout the formation of the early Church and continues on into the 21^st Century. There are subversive activists, just like the certain persons Jude mentions, who continue to undermine the doctrinal truth of God’s Word and deceive believers today with false teachings.

Jude declares that these deceivers have crept in unnoticed—right under their noses. They slipped in disguised like a thief in the night. Unlike today, they come in brazenly, emboldened by public opinion and believers who are negative to doctrinal truth—this is the wedge they use to disrupt the Church. The Apostle Paul described them:

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3–4)

Even though these false teachers are here we must realize that they were not unnoticed by God. For they have been marked out for condemnation. Sometime in eternity past, long beforehand, God ascertained who they were and put them on His register of seditious malcontents. Those on His list are “doomed to punishment as enemies of God.”1 This condemnation is merely the divine verdict declaring that they are guilty but not the sentence that they will be given. Jude will give the details of the penalty phase later in the epistle. What they are guilty of is described in the following three counts determined against them.

First, they are ungodly persons. This is one word in the Greek literally meaning “not to worship.” It pertains to one who disregards the belief and reverence of God.2 They are similar to those who are agnostic and cynical of the existence of God and doubting His revelation to mankind. If these are posing as ministers of God, then they are wolves in sheep clothing. Jesus mentioned that this is how they will come:

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15)

Compare this with Paul’s prediction in Acts 20:20-30 of what to expect after his departure that “savage wolves will come”. Though he says nothing about their coming in sheep’s clothing, instead they will be in the open and we should be able to recognize them if we possess sound doctrine. Paul had taught them (20:20) and expected them to be “on guard” (20:28) and to recall his doctrinal teachings that was designed to prepare them for all assaults on the truth. It is the responsibility of every believer to have a firm comprehension of God’s Word so that they will be alert to these ungodly infiltrators to the Church (Romans 12:2).

Secondly, they turn the grace of God into licentiousness. What these certain persons do is to transpose the description of God’s provision of grace with that which is vile, lewd and morally depraved. This is a blatant perversion of God’s righteous character, proclaiming that “behavior completely lacking in moral restraint”3 is sanctioned by the grace of God. Dr. Charles Ryrie’s succinct analysis states that “They taught that the more believers sinned the more they magnified grace.”4

The correct understanding of God’s grace should be well established in the believer’s mind. It is God’s policy in dealing with believers. Dr. L.S. Chafer explains how God’s grace “undertakes to direct the saved one in the new manner of his daily life after he has been saved.”5 The Apostle Paul wrote identifying this manner of life:

So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10)

Paul describes that the fruit we are to bear is empowered by the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). These qualities are in distinct contrast to fleshly licentious desires: immorality, impurity, sensuality, etc. (Galatians 5:19–21).  

  Therefore it is impossible to confuse, pervert or transpose the grace of God into that which defiles and debases the wonderful grace of God.

 Thirdly, they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Their denial is not some High Schooler being snubbed by his peers or the actor being rejected at the Oscars. These malcontents’ denial is directed against Jesus on two counts: Master and Lord.

1.     They do not regard Him as their Master.6 The Greek word means one who exerts supreme authority over his house. This tells us that they had a problem with authority figures and believed that no one is above them.

2.     They reject Him as Lord, a term used to “designate the exalted Jesus,”7 affirmed by the Apostle Paul:

For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9–11)

Jesus Christ is worthy of exaltation having died for the remission of sin, was raised from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) and now sits at the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12).

How aware are we of the subtle infiltration of these certain persons slinking in amongst us and infiltrating their subversive teachings into Christianity today?

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[1] Mayor, J.B. (1990) The Expositor’s Greek Testament (Nicoll, W. Robertson, Ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 5.256.

[2] Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek New Testament (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., #815.

[3] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.). New York: United Bible Societies, 1.770.

[4] Ryrie, C.C. (1995). Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 update (Expanded ed.). Chicago, IL: Moody Press, p. 2006.

[5] Chafer, L.S. (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 7.179.

[6] Even though Peter states that He bought them, i.e. paid for their sins on the cross (2 Peter 2:1).

[7] Beetham, Christopher A. (Ed.) (2021). Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, p. 493.

 

© 2023 David M. Rossi

 

JUDE 3: A DIVINE SIDETRACK

Verse 3: Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

At the outset, Jude states his original intention for writing this epistle was to discuss “our common salvation.” The word common means something that is shared mutually “between two or more persons.”1 The main focus of our common salvation is the person and work of Jesus Christ. Believers today share in this common salvation by faith alone in Christ alone—the free gift of salvation apart from works, for Christ did all the work by bearing our sins on the cross and His resurrection from the dead to complete His work of salvation. Paul fully explains:

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1–4)

What aspect of our common salvation that he was intending to write about we will never know, since there arose a more important matter which he was constrained2  to discuss beginning in verse 4. One could envision Jude upon hearing of the infiltration of the false teachers (v.4), immediately clearing his desk top, reaching for parchment and pen and ink to begin writing this letter to his fellow believers. And since all Scripture is inspired by God the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16), Jude was compelled to reconsider the subject matter of his epistle. 

Presently he appeals to them to contend for the faith. Jude wants his readers “to exert intense effort on behalf of”3 the faith in order to be victorious. Just like two boxers who enter the boxing ring, they are called contenders—they are contending in order to win the competition. R.C.H. Lenski emphasizes that the object of our contending is the faith and not “against the heresies or heretics. The negative is implied, for one contends for something when there are antagonists.”4 The Apostle Paul states that we should be “striving together for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27)” and to “fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).” The words striving together and fight are from the same Greek root word as contend.

What is this faith which Jude implores us to contend for? The word faith has various inferences in Scripture. It can imply the faith one expresses in Christ for salvation (Ephesians 2:8). But it can also refer objectively to the content of that which is believed, body of faith or belief, doctrine.5 This is how it is used elsewhere in Scripture6 and what Jude is precisely referring to: the embodiment of absolute truth which encompasses the teachings of Christianity based upon a correct interpretation of Scripture.

Jude is careful to imply that this faith which we contend for is not something he or someone else cleverly devised. Instead the essential aspects of our faith have been handed down, passed on, transmitted,7 delivered to us. The question might be asked: “Who handed down this body of faith—the doctrines of the Christian faith?” The short answer is God, the Holy Spirit. He “guided in the choice of the words used”8 by the men who authored the original manuscripts of Scripture. Since Jude wrote near the close of the canon of the New Testament (John being the last), the corpus of the doctrinal writings of Paul, James, Peter and Hebrews were already in existence. And this is the faith, the body of doctrine to which Jude is referring.

Jude makes a special note of who this faith has been handed down to: the saints. The word saint is derived from the same root in the Greek meaning holy, set apart, sanctified, consecrated.9 W.E. Vine states that it

Fundamentally signifies “separated”, and hence, in Scripture in its moral and spiritual significance, separated from sin and therefore consecrated to God.10

 Mind you that saints is not an allusion to dead people who have been officially declared a “saint” by a religious organization. The New Testament writers recognized that all who believe in Christ are now saints, set apart from evil unto God in Christ (cf. Acts 9:13, 32, 41; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1; Hebrews 13:24). Dr. Chafer points out:

The term never indicates personal character or worthiness. Being already set apart unto God in Christ, all Christians by so much are now saints from the moment they are saved. Sainthood, then, is not a future prospect. All believers are saints, positionally considered.11

Pay particular attention to the phrase “once for all.” It does not mean that our faith was given once for all the saints. However that it may be true that the Christian faith has been given to all the saints, this phrase denotes something very significant. It is the English translation of a single Greek word hápax (ἅπαξ) meaning once or once only. Vine states that once for all means that the content of our faith “is of perpetual validity, not requiring repetition.”12 MacArthur concisely explains the full intent of Jude’s choice of this word:

God’s revelation was delivered once as a unit, at the completion of the Scripture, and is not to be edited by either deletion or addition (cf. Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Revelation 22:18, 19). Scripture is complete, sufficient, and finished; therefore it is fixed for all time. Nothing is to be added to the body of the inspired Word because nothing else is needed.13

Now that Jude has explained exactly what we are to contend for, he will next divulge the reason we need to be victorious in contending for the faith.

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[1] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition). New York: United Bible Societies, 1.791.

[2] Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, Jude 3.

[3] Louw, 1.495.

[4] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 11.610.

[5] Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1957). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, p. 669.

[6] cf. Galatians 1:23; 3:23; Philippians 1:27; Ephesians 4:5; 1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Peter 1:1; 1 John 5:4; Jude 1:3, 20

[7] Arndt, p. 620.

[8] Chafer, Lewis Sperry (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 1.71

[9] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G40.

[10] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.307.

[11] Chafer, 7.273.

[12] Vine, 2.445.

[13] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Jude 3.

  

© 2023 David M. Rossi

JUDE 2: (MERCY + PEACE + LOVE) MULTIPLIED

Verse 2: May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.

Jude continues his introductory comments by expressing his desire for them to be fortified by three divine operating assets: mercy, peace and love. The verb be multiplied implies that they already possess these assets. R.C.H. Lenski asserts that “now, in the trying situation that has developed, they more than ever need these three gifts from God.”1 Jude aspires that these assets are for their personal advantage—for spiritual growth, and there is a need that they employ them now for the defense of their faith (v.3). As to the scope of these assets, Jude’s expectation is that believers would saturate their homes, their churches and their communities with evidence of these Godly characteristics.

The first asset is mercy. By definition, the Greek word means compassion, pity,2 clemency, kindness. W.E. Vine notes that mercy “is the outward manifestation of pity.” He goes on to state that “it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it.”3 Lenski adds that mercy “denotes the love that pities the wretched, distressed, and suffering and comes to their help.”4

God has demonstrated His mercy towards fallen mankind in the most marvelous manner—for without His mercy we would be condemned for all eternity (Romans 5:17; 8:1):

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). (Ephesians 2:4–5; cf. Titus 3:5)

As a Biblical principle, it can be stated that mercy is God’s grace in action on our behalf. Therefore, believers are encouraged to demonstrate mercy to one another cheerfully (Romans 12:8). It is important to note James’ warning if we fail to be merciful:

For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13)

James explains that showing compassion for those in need is evidence of a vibrant faith (James 2:14ff). Our Lord in the parable of the Good Samaritan equates the demonstration of compassion with loving our neighbor. It is the scribe, to whom He was addressing, that described the true neighbor as “the one who showed mercy toward” the victim of robbery.

“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” (Luke 10:36–37)

The second asset is peace. The basic meaning of this word is harmony, order.5 It is the opposite of hostility—being openly aggressive or even passive antagonism. Theologically there are two aspects of peace: positional and experiential. Positionally, “the believer is now and forever on a peace footing in his relation to God, because he was justified.”6 There has been a cessation of hostility between the Creator and His creature. Paul states that the believer was once an enemy of God (Romans 5:10) but now has peace with his Creator by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on their behalf (Romans 5:1).

Experientially, the believer is given the opportunity of possessing a peace that provides tranquility in life, which can free him from the anxieties and the pressures of this world. It is the peace that comes from ones’ ability to claim the associated promises of God’s sustaining power for their lives. However, for believers to fully experience God’s peace provision, they must adhere to Isaiah’s directive:

“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3; cf. Psalm 55:22; 1 Peter 5:7)

 Dr. Beetham observes that:

In this way, Christ’s peace rules in their heart and so reigns in the Christian community (Colossians 3:15), manifesting itself as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).7

For this is Jude’s intended objective for his readers, that being steadfast of mind will result in their total trust and reliance upon the Lord. 

The third divine operating asset is love. There is some misunderstanding of the Greek word  that is used here (agape). It has been characterized exclusively as “Godly love” or “divine love”, which is only partly true. The word occurs very rarely outside of the Bible and only 18 times in the Greek translation of the Old Testament.8 This type of love is mainly a mental attitude love expressing concern, interest, "affectionate regard, goodwill, benevolence,”9 as opposed to physical or emotional affection. It is unselfish, not seeking reciprocation from the object of the one loved. Certainly humans can demonstrate this type of love—it is normally prompted by something attractive or desirable in the object of the one loved. However, God’s love for mankind was not motivated by something desirable in us, for we were in a fallen sinful state, separated from the righteousness of God. Scripture emphasizes that God loved us when we were the least desirable: we were enemies (Romans 5:10); hostile (Colossians 1:21); children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3).

The believer experiences God’s unselfish love by His grace provisions in time and eternity, namely, our “great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3) attained by faith without works (Ephesians 2:8-9); and the supply of all our needs (Philippians 4:19).  

Summary

God looked upon us and took pity by extending His mercy towards us. His plan of grace provided a means by which we might be able to obtain reconciliation with our Creator through the vicarious atonement for our sin by Christ on the cross. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we immediately are at peace with our Creator. Now rightly related to His righteous nature, God is then able to further express His love towards us in providing these divine operating assets.     

Albert Barnes elaborates on the results of these assets in the believers’ life:

These things are mentioned as the choicest blessings which could be conferred on them: mercy—in the pardon of all their sins and acceptance with God; peace—with God, with their fellow-men, in their own consciences, and in the prospect of death; and love—to God, to the brethren, to all the world.10

It is important to note that mercy, peace and love which God gives the believer do not increase—they are complete and eternal.  These assets are perfect and enduring because they come from a perfect God and need no increase, amending or modification. Hence, this verse could legitimately be translated that mercy, peace and love be multiplied by you—operating within us as a witness to others of God’s great provision available to all mankind. 

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[1] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 11.608.

[2] Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1957). A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, p.249

[3] Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2.403-404.

[4] Lenski, 11.608.

[5] Newman, B.M., Jr. (1993). A Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament. Stuttgart, Germany: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft; United Bible Societies, p. 53.

[6] Chafer, L.S. (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 7.249.

[7] Beetham, Christopher A. (Ed.) (2021). The Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, p.263.

[8] Beetham, p. 10.

[9] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G26.

[10] Barnes, A. (2005). Notes on the New Testament: James to Jude (R. Frew, Ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 13.2.387.

 

© 2023 David M. Rossi