In this last installment of the book of Jude (vv. 17-25), we take a look at several points of Jude’s theology, namely his Christology and fear of apostasy on the part of his audience. Jude continues to hammer away at the fact that the false teachers about which he has warned his audience were predicted—and are predictable in their ungodly conduct and desire to sow discord among believers.
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In Jude 14-16, the author continues the theme of the judgment of his opponents, the false teachers. In this instance, Jude cites the book of Enoch (1 Enoch 1:9) specifically to make his case. In this episode, we discuss the implications of Jude’s citation of 1 Enoch and the Old Testament sources from which the verse in 1 Enoch derive.
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In Jude 11-13, the author continues his portrayal of, and warning against, false teachers using three archetypal Old Testament episodes of rebellion and sin. In these verses, Jude compares the false teachers and their content to the rebellion of Cain (Gen 4), the betrayal of Balaam (Num 22-25), and the rebellion of Korah (Num 16). What is it about these three Old Testament episodes that led Jude to use them to describe the false teachers he opposed? Was Jude tapping into Intertestamental Jewish tradition to do so? Find out in this episode.
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One of the oddest verses in the short epistle of Jude is Jude 9, which describes some sort of struggle between Michael the archangel and the Devil (Satan). Many commentators see an allusion to Zechariah 3, but in this episode we take a different perspective about the meaning of this verse. Rather than Zechariah 3, certain features of Old Testament cosmic geography are a better backdrop to this odd passage.
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In the book that bears his name Jude has compared the false teachers he opposes to the heavenly villains of Genesis 6:1-4 (see Part 3). In this episode, Jude continues this literary and theological strategy by comparing the false teachers to the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah. While we associate those two Old Testament cities with a particular sin of the flesh, Jude has something more dramatic in mind.
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