While Jude wanted to write the readers about their common faith in the Lord, he felt it more necessary to write the readers concerning false teachers. Exhortation to remain steadfast to the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints. False teachers were present in Jude’s day. False teachers are present today. Therefore, Jude’s warning merits our attention.
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While Jude wanted to write the readers about their common faith in the Lord, he felt it more necessary to write the readers concerning false teachers. Exhortation to remain steadfast to the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints. False teachers were present in Jude’s day. False teachers are present today. Therefore, Jude’s warning merits our attention.
Stay engaged with new and up-to-date content, including newsletters, articles, podcasts, etc. Download the Teach Me the Bible App from any app store or Apple TV/Roku device.
You're listening to Teach Me the Bible podcast, where we unpack the meaning of books, passages and themes from Scripture. Join us each week as Dr David Klingler walks us through God's Word and teaches the Bible. Each episode has a study guide available in the show notes. This is Teach Me the Bible podcast.
Alex Wolfe:Hey everybody, welcome back to Teach Me the Bible podcast, where our mission is helping the people of God understand the Word of God. We are so glad that you've joined us in, that, that you have tuned in and that you're seeking to know God's Word. We love talking with people about God's Word and having the opportunity to walk through this. We're just really glad you've joined in. This week we are walking through the book of Jude, the letter of Jude. Before we jump in, just remind you, if this is your first time with us, that we have all kinds of other resources.
Alex Wolfe:We're not just a podcast. We have other things on our website, different videos and series going on that you can engage in. We're going to have a start from the beginning introductory series on our website that we'd point you back to, as well as a whole year going through the overview of the story of the Bible, book by book. Go check that out. There's opportunities on the website as well to ask questions all the way through. Whatever we can do to help you understand this story and understand God's Word, we want to do it. Go check that out. Today we are in Jude. We're going to just dive right on in.
Dr. David Klingler:Yeah, jude, whenever you're thinking of Jude, this is another one chapter book. It's pretty quick, it's not a whole lot here, another 25 verses. We'll be able to work through this in one session. When we think Jude, probably the other book that you think of is Second Peter. They go hand in hand.
Alex Wolfe:A lot of similar content.
Dr. David Klingler:Yeah, a lot of saying the same thing there's a whole discussion about does one depend upon the other? People say, well, what do you think? I don't know, we can speculate, but there's a pretty broad range of how Jude is dated. It's best just to stick with. What does the book say? The other issue that comes up always in Jude is the question of Enoch. The Enoch quote there, citation or reference in verse 14. So we'll just talk about that briefly in passing as we go through the book. It's not a major issue, it's not a major point. The point is pretty clear what Jude is saying. So we'll just jump right in. But Jude, who is Jude? Probably there's different views out there Probably a brother of Jesus is probably the. I think that where most folks go is that how you've understood it as well.
Alex Wolfe:That's how I've always understood it.
Dr. David Klingler:And whoever this is, he's a monster of Jesus Christ how about that? And brother of James. And so if this is James, the brother of Christ, this is how we get there. To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ, may mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. One thing, just by way of reminder maybe, and we're reminded back in Galatians, chapter two, in this discussion with Paul and Peter and James and John, that Paul would go to the party of the uncircumcised, to the Gentiles, and Peter and James and John would go to the party of the circumcision, that is, to the Jews. And so, if you keep those things in mind, I would say it's very clear in James to the 12 tribes dispersed greetings that's absolutely what's going on In 1 Peter to those scattered throughout Pontius, galatia, capitose, asia.
Dr. David Klingler:I think the scattered language. Anytime you're running that scattered language, you better be thinking in terms of the diaspora to the dispersed Jews. I think that that makes sense of 1 Peter. Can we come to 1 John and we've talked about these things in our other podcast that in John chapter 15 and 16, the gospel of John, chapter 15 and then into 16, they will make you outcasts in the synagogue. I think that's what's playing out, that the Jews think that they control access which brings us to Jude. I would guess that Jude is probably writing to a at least a Jewish audience. It could be a mixed audience, but certainly a Jewish audience. Beloved, it says grace, some mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you, beloved.
Dr. David Klingler:While I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt it necessary to write, appealing to you to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. I think that's a pretty important statement and we probably ought to comment on it a little bit. What Peter's going to say in second Peter, chapter three this is in verses one and two that Peter's about to die. He says anytime after my death, after I'm gone, that y'all may be able to call to your remembrance the words of the prophets and the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, spoken by your apostles. It's the words of the apostles and prophets. It's the faith once for all delivered. It's the once for all delivered to the saints faith. Why does he writing so? He said I wanted to write to you about our common salvation, but I thought it necessary to warn you, to appeal to you to contend earnestly.
Dr. David Klingler:Well, how were they to contend earnestly? And why? What's that going to look like? Because certain persons have crept in unnoticed of 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. Now this would make sense, if this is really in keeping with what Paul says, that does the potter not have right over the clay to make from one lump vessel for honorable use and dishonorable use?
Dr. David Klingler:Talking about the two responses in Israel some rejected and some didn't, and so it would seem to make sense. All this language is pretty consistently used, I would think, and the Jew is denying the only hope that he has. Second, peter is going to say it a little bit differently. He says just as there were false prophets among the people, so there will be false teachers among you who secretly introduced destructive heresies, even denying the master who bought them. This goes back to the Old Testament, that Christ died for the sins of Israel to redeem them. Now they've got to believe right, so they can deny and reject, and that's what Israel did, but Christ's death was certainly sufficient to pay for Israel's death, and they rejected that. So I think that's what's going on in Second Peter, and my suspicion is it's the same thing that Jude is talking about here Now.
Dr. David Klingler:I desire to remind you though you know all things once for all that the Lord, after saving the people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. Why is he bringing this up? Well, I think that one thing is obvious he's going to go back to a bunch of Old Testament examples. He uses that the destruction of the people and the wilderness. These were believers who came out under the faith in the Passover lamb, but they were destroyed in the wilderness because of their lack of not their lack of delivering faith they were delivered out from under Pharaoh but their unbelief that they didn't walk according to that faith.
Dr. David Klingler:He continues an angel who did not keep their own domain but abandoned the proper abode. He is kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the day of judgment and the great day. And Sodom and Gomorrah, the cities around them Since they, in the same way as they indulged in gross immorality, went after strange flesh are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. Yet in the same manner, these men. So he's talking about these false teachers who are going to come in and lead you astray, and that's his concern. And so how they're going to contend earnestly is to recognize the false teachers and don't let them lead people astray.
Dr. David Klingler:Because yet, in the same manner, these men also, by dreaming, defile the flesh, reject authority and revile angelic majesties. They revile messengers, right, but Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare to pronounce against him a railing judgment but said the Lord rebuke you. Now there are things in this letter, this being one the angels in verse six, the arguing over the body of Moses, the reference, the use of first Enoch, apparently that you know that, don't they make the point? The point that he's making is God's always judged. He judges those who oppose him and the reviling of authority is not a good thing.
Dr. David Klingler:Yeah, they're rejecting it yeah, so, but these men revile the things which they do not understand and the things which they know by instinct, like un-reasoning animals. By these things, they are destroyed. Woe to them If they've gone the way of Cain and for the for pay, they've rushed headlong into the air of Balaam and perished in the rebellion of Korah. He's using every example that this Jew would know about, about rejecting authority yeah, about rejecting authority and leading people astray in doing so, or opposing the Lord. These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts, and they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves. Clouds without water, carried along by the winds, autumn trees without fruit doubly dead, they're dead, and then they're gonna be raised. They're gonna be dead again, uprooted, you know, in other words, not saved. Uprooted waves, wild waves of the sea casting upon their own shame, like the foam, wandering stars for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. Now, if that's not strong enough language for you, I don't know what else is.
Dr. David Klingler:Yeah, and he continues verse 14, about these also. Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied saying behold, the Lord came with many thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment upon all and to convict the ungodly and all of their ungodly deeds, which they've done in an ungodly way, and of all of the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. They're grumblers, finding fault, following their own lusts. They speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage. There's a lot of heads up. Look out for these characteristics. Reject authority that's a red flag. Flattering people for their own advantage that's a red flag. Grumblers, finding fault, following their own lust, finding fault, finding fault with things that are being done correctly in the church. In other words, it's not like somebody's over there doing something wrong and they find fault with someone doing wrong. These are finding fault with things that are being done right and godly.
Alex Wolfe:Just to clarify the authority they're rejecting right is the word passed down through the prophets and apostles, not only yeah.
Dr. David Klingler:So it's God's authority, and God's authority passed down through angels, through the messengers, and so they can be angelic messengers or human messengers, prophets and apostles.
Alex Wolfe:Could you elaborate a little bit? I know we kind of passed through it in verse 11, but the rebellion of Korah, I think that kind of helps make that point a little bit. What was it that? What was?
Dr. David Klingler:Yeah, back you have the sons of Korah and they rebel against Moses. You know, I love this story where you know, basically, let's summarize it they come out and they say hey, moses, we don't think you're such a big deal. You know what gives you the right to run the joint. I think that we ought to be able to have a vote in this. And you know, we're just like you, moses, right, you get the same thing with Miriam and Aaron. You know, hey, lord has spoken to us too.
Dr. David Klingler:And Moses lines up the three of them, you know, lines up Miriam and Aaron, and says let me explain something to you. You're nothing like Moses. Right, moses, I speak to face to face, as a man speaks to his companion. Not so with you and prophets that are going to come after. I'll speak to them in dreams and visions, but not so with Moses, my servant. And so back to the sons of Korah. So the sons of Korah say well, we don't think that you're such a big deal, moses. And Moses says all right, let's paint a little circle out here. We'll call it the complaint circle, and if you have a complaint, yeah, you stand in.
Dr. David Klingler:The circle and this is the story where the ground opens up and swallows them all up and covers back over and I can just see the camera. You know if you're the director. The camera turns to Moses and Moses says anybody else care to put a complaint in the complaint box?
Alex Wolfe:No, we're good Moses. Yeah, and so the point there is that they question and reject the authority of Moses that was given to Moses from the Lord, and so these guys are doing the same thing. They're doing the same thing.
Dr. David Klingler:And they claim to have special revelation. I think that's what that dreaming stuff is, and so they're doing the same thing. But also, by dreaming, they defile the flesh and reject authority. Every prophet that comes onto the scene, his words have to match the words of the previous prophets. Yeah, they match the words of Moses. Really, moses tells the story in the song of Moses and every part of the story is going to go according to what Moses said was going to happen.
Dr. David Klingler:And so if you're coming along and saying the apostles and prophets and remember, remember the apostles are claiming this is how Paul says, peter says it in 2 Peter that we, the apostles, have the prophetic word made more sure, that we saw Christ. We were with him on the holy mountain when the word of the Lord came and said this is my son, listen to him and this is my beloved son. And John's going to say we saw him, our hands handled him, we heard his words. And so if you don't agree with the apostles who have the prophetic word made more sure, what does that mean? The Old Testament saints, the Old Testament prophets concerning Christ, all came to pass in the person of Christ, and the eyewitnesses, the apostles, saw it. And so the apostles and prophets, words match concerning Christ. And so if you're coming on the scene and you are denying Christ Verse four and you're coming up with your own revelation, got dreams and visions or whatever it is you're doing, those were offenses that would have got you stoned to death in the Old Testament. That's blasphemy.
Alex Wolfe:We're small enough.
Dr. David Klingler:Yeah, that's right. And so they're gonna grumble, they're gonna have issues with everything that's going on in the church. They're carried away by all their own lust. They're gonna flatter you for their own advantage. Look out for these things. But you this is in verse 17, but you beloved to remember the words which were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord, jesus Christ, that they were saying to you in the last days there will be mockers following their own ungodly lusts, and these are the ones who cause divisions. Boy, we have a problem with divisions in the church, don't we? Why do we have problems with the division in the church? Well, unfortunately, today, I think that we have pastors and shepherds who don't follow the word of the Lord.
Dr. David Klingler:I was listening to a different podcast yesterday where they were basically making excuses for sin and saying that, well, this is a cultural thing. I'm going. Well, if it's cultural, it's in every culture, because all of these different cities and all these different authors all throughout the Old Testament are all saying the same thing. So, man, it must be a pretty widespread culture, maybe like Satanic, but anyway. Divisions causing divisions in the church and people who are causing strife in the church. They're worldly minded, cali, example upon example. I can you know, as a seminary professor, you're all the time listening to pastor search committees. Who are? They're choosing pastors based on what would make them a good leader in the world.
Alex Wolfe:Good CEO.
Dr. David Klingler:Yeah, we were teaching first. Second Corinthians is it was the first Corinthians is last week at the seminary and I love what Paul says. You know that the ways of the world are moronic to God, and the ways of God are moronic to the world. They're foolishness.
Alex Wolfe:Yeah, by the way, that's the actual word. Yeah, moron, yeah, moron fool. Yeah, you're moron.
Dr. David Klingler:And so if you want to become wise in the eyes of God, you must become a moron in the eyes of the world, right and so causing divisions, worldly minded, devoid of the spirit. And you had to know they're devoid of the spirit because they reject Christ. But you, beloved, build yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the spirit, keep yourself in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to eternal life, and have mercy on some who are they translate it here doubting. I don't think that's probably the. I think it's judging. It's through judging. Have mercy on some who are judging. This is, I think, why James writes his letter. So if this is Jude, brother of James, and James writes James, then he's fully aware of people who are believers, who are judging. They're double soul. They, on the one hand, they believe in Christ, on the other hand they've returned to kind of a Pharisee-ical. If you are, if you're faithful, then you'll do well, you'll do well finally, so they're judging with an unrighteous judgment.
Alex Wolfe:That's right.
Dr. David Klingler:Yeah, that's exactly right. So have mercy on some who are doubting, save others, snatching them out of the fire, and on some. Have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Now to him. Who is able to keep you from stumbling? Now, this is another reason why I think that we probably should look at this as being written, written to the Jews.
Dr. David Klingler:This whole stumbling language is filled, and there's a couple words here that are used for this stumbling imagery. But who is able to keep you from stumbling and make you stand in the presence of his glory, blameless, with great joy To our only God and Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority before all time and now and forever is how they change it. And to all the ages, from this age to the next, he will deliver you into the kingdom this age and deliver you into the kingdom the next. And so, amen, right, and so this is a stern warning from Jude, much in the same way as second Peter, to look out for false teachers who will lead you astray. Here's how you recognize them. And so remain steadfast in the words of the apostles. Right, he focuses here on specifically the words of the apostles. That's a difference. Where Peter says the words of the prophets and the words of the Lord spoken by your apostles, here it's in verse 17, that you ought to remember the words which were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord, jesus Christ, that they were saying to you and the last days mockers will come with their mocking, and here they are Right.
Dr. David Klingler:So I think that this letter, even though the only time you ever hear about Jude again, it's just another book where I don't know of anyone who has a Bible verse memorized out of Jude. If Jude is ever mentioned in any biblical church setting, it's usually mentioned by people who are wanting to, you know, say something about backgrounds and first enoc and these different references. I think that Jude's point, though in kind of returning back to that first enoc and background discussion Jude's point is that that God has always been faithful to his people and there's always been people who've rejected his authority, who've rejected his messengers, and they're always judged. So don't go that way, don't listen to him, don't be led astray, contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. And so how do you do it? Stick to the words of the apostles and you'll be fine, mm-hmm.
Alex Wolfe:That's good yeah.
Dr. David Klingler:So just a real short brief letter.
Alex Wolfe:Yeah, so I mean you know his whole deal with. I wanted to write to you about our common salvation, you know, but it seems to me like they are being led astray by, or they're possibly being led astray by, these guys so they're not remembering the words of the apostles that they're saying these guys will come because they didn't appear to be ready for.
Dr. David Klingler:Yeah, yeah, it could be. You said I wanted to write and say, hey, isn't this all great? But I thought it better to say look out Right, look out, yeah, that's good. And be on guard.
Alex Wolfe:That's helpful, okay, well, thanks for helping us walk through this and helping us continue to just understand the word of God, and we're going to continue to press forward with the next book next week. So we will see you then.
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