Notes on Jude 1:4-16

Certain men . . . slipped in among you - Jude 1:4

slipped in secretly The false teachers are the reason Jude's readers must "struggle earnestly" for purity of life and teaching. Again, Jude sharply distinguished his readers from the false teachers. These false teachers were outsiders, possibly travelling from one city to another, and were common in the early church (cf. 2 Cor. 11:1-5; 2 John 7, 9-11). marked out for condemnation The false teachers did not take God by surprise. The inevitable judgment of the wicked was predicted (see verses 5-23), and God's justice is sure. God knows and decrees his judgment against the ungodly before it occurs (see esp. Prov. 16:4). ungodly Jude's preferred description of the false teachers. It encompasses not only their false doctrine but also their immoral lives. changed the grace . . . into sensuality The false teachers thought that God's favor on believing sinners meant that obedience was unnecessary. Some may even have taught that immoral or sensual behavior by believers glorified God by offering more opportunities for grace (Rom. 6:1; 1 Cor. 5:1–2; 6:12–20). deny . . . Master and Lord The false teachers probably did not deny major theological truths about Jesus. Rather, the disobedient behavior of the false teachers is a rejection of Christ's lordship and mastery over their lives. Both Master and Lord are applied to God in the Septuagint/Greek translation of the OT (e.g., Gen. 15:8; Job 5:8; Jonah 4:3; Isa. 1:24; Dan. 9:15) as well as to Christ. They imply the necessity of obedience.

Condemnation of False Teachers - Jude 1:5-16

Jude condemned the false teachers. He explained how God's judgment will surely fall on their lifestyle. He applied both examples and prophecy to the false teachers to demonstrate their condemnation and dissuade believers from following them.

God's Judgment on False Teachers. - Jude 1:5-10

Jude provided examples of God's judgment against the ungodly (vv. 5-7). Then, he applied those examples to the false teachers (vv. 8-10).

Examples of God's Judgment. - Jude 1:5-7

Three examples show that God's judgment on the ungodly is inevitable.

Destroyed those who did not believe - Jude 1:5

who did not believe In this first example, God judged a generation of Israelites for their unbelief by causing them to wander in the desert for 40 years (Num. 13:25–14:38). Even members of God's chosen people are judged for unbelief.

Angels - Jude 1:6

6 angels The second example of God's judgment that Jude gives is the fallen angels. These angels abandoned the boundaries of authority God had given them. Jude is likely alluding here to Gen. 6:1-4, a text that is elaborated frequently in non-canonical Jewish tradition, in which the "Sons of God" leave heaven to have illicit relations and produce offspring with human women (1 Enoch 6–19, 21; Jub. 4:15; T. Reu. 5:6–7; T. Naph. 3:5). WCL 13; 113. Day The examples of God's judgment that took place in history are only small pictures of the ultimate judgment that will take place at the second coming of Christ. God has appointed a day to judge the world in righteousness through Christ (Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:16; 2 Pet. 2:9) Indeed, the Father has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22, 27; Acts 10:42). WCF 8.4; 32.1; 33.1; WLC 19, 86, 88.

Sodom and Gomorrah - Jude 1:7

just like This is the third example of God's judgment whereby Jude continued with the theme of sexual immorality. The prideful rejection of God's order by the people of Sodom and Gomorrah is similar to the angels' rebellion in the previous verse. sexual immorality This sin includes homosexuality (Gen. 19:4-9) as well as other perversions of God's order for the world. examples Sodom and Gomorrah are commonly used in Scripture as examples of God's judgment against sin (Deut. 29:23, Isa. 1:9; Jer. 49:17-18; Luke 17:29-30; Rom. 9:29). WCF 3.7; WLC 27.

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