JUDE CHAPTER 1 JUDGES 1:1 After a general address, Jude exhorteth Christians to constancy in the received faith. JUDGES 1:4 He foretelleth the punishment of certain false teachers crept into the church, and describeth their evil doctrine and manners. JUDGES 1:20,21 He exhorteth true Christians... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mercy unto you; _ which is the fountain of reconciliation, and all the grace vouchsafed you: see 1 TIMOTHY 1:2 2 TIMOTHY 1:2 TITUS 1:4. _Love; _ either he means God's love to them, or their love to God and each other. _Be multiplied; _ mercy in the effects of it, peace in the sense of it, and eithe... [ Continue Reading ]
_When I gave all diligence to write unto you:_ the apostle here declares the first cause of his writing to them, viz. his own inclination and readiness, according to the duty of his place, (as an apostle), so to do: q. d. Being of myself willing, and earnestly desirous to promote your welfare, when... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who were before of old ordained; _ Greek, forewritten, i.e. of whom it was formerly written, or foretold, viz. by Christ and his apostles; or rather, it is to be understood according to our translation, _before ordained, _ viz. in the eternal counsel of God; God's decree being compared to a book, i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Though ye once:_ this may be joined either with the verb following, _knew, _ according to our translation, and the sense is, though ye knew this certainly, as the word _once_ is taken, PSALMS 89:35, or perfectly and thoroughly, or once for all; or rather, with what goes before, and the words may be... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kept not their first estate; _ in which they were created, their original excellency, truth, holiness, purity, 1 THESSALONIANS 8:44, as well as dignity. _But left their own habitation; _ viz. a heavenly one, from whence, though they were righteously thrust out by God, 2 PETER 2:4, yet they may be t... [ Continue Reading ]
_The cities about them; _ Admah and Zeboim, JEREMIAH 49:18 HOSEA 11:8. _In like manner, _ as Sodom, and Gomorrah did, likeness of sin inferring likeness of punishment. _Strange flesh; _ margin, other flesh; he means male flesh, which is other than what God appointed for that use they made of it; or,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Likewise also; _ notwithstanding so many judgments of God upon others, which should have kept them from the like sins. _These filthy dreamers:_ either this may be taken properly, and joined to the next clause, _defile the flesh; _ and then it may note the impurity of these wretches, who dreamed of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Michael the archangel:_ either this is understood of Christ the Prince of angels, who is often in Scripture called an Angel, or of a created angel; and that either: 1. One of the archangels: DANIEL 10:13, _Michael_ is called _one of the chief princes, _ which though the word archangel be not found... [ Continue Reading ]
_But these speak evil of those things which they know not; _ the same as 2 PETER 2:12; unless this be more generally to be understood of all those spiritual things whereof they were ignorant. _But what they know naturally; _ without reason or judgment. _In those things they corrupt themselves; _ deb... [ Continue Reading ]
_Woe unto them!_ This is either a lamenting the misery that was to come upon them, or a foretelling it come, not a wishing that it might: see MATTHEW 11:21 1 CORINTHIANS 9:16. _For they have gone in the way of Cain; _ followed his manners, and fallen under his punishment. Their likeness to Cain, bot... [ Continue Reading ]
_These are spots:_ see 2 PETER 2:13. _In your feasts of charity; _ feasts used among the primitive Christians, to show their unity among themselves, and promote and maintain mutual charity, and for relief of the poor among them. _Feeding themselves without fear; _ unreasonably cramming themselves, w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Raging waves of the sea; _ not only inconstant as water, but unquiet, turbulent, restless, that cannot cease from sin. _Foaming out their own shame; _ that wickedness whereof they should be ashamed; _like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt,_ ISAIAH 57:20. _Wan... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam; _ either to distinguish him from Enoch the son of Cain, or to show the antiquity of the prophecy. _Prophesied; _ he doth not say wrote, and therefore from hence it cannot be proved that there was any such book as Enoch's prophecies, received by the Jews as can... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; _To execute judgment upon all; _ either upon all the wicked in general, who afterwards may seem to be distinguished into different sorts, or else the Greek preposition kata is put for peri, and the word _all_ is to be understood of all universally, good and bad; and the words may be read,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Murmurers, complainers; _ either these two words signify the same thing; or _murmurers_ may be meant with relation to God's decrees, laws, providences, and his ordinations in the church or state, 1 CORINTHIANS 10:10; and _complainers, _ with respect to their own condition, with which they were disc... [ Continue Reading ]
Especially Paul and Peter: see ACTS 20:29 and 2 PETER 3:2, besides the places in the margin. From this passage it appears that this Epistle was written late, and, likely, after the other apostles, except John, were dead.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Told you; _ whether in their preaching or writing. _Ungodly lusts; _ Greek, lusts of ungodliness; a Hebraism; the vilest lusts.... [ Continue Reading ]
_These be they who separate themselves; _ viz. from the true doctrine and church of Christ, as being in love with their carnal liberties, and loth to come under the yoke of Christ's discipline. _Sensual; _ or carnal, or animal, 1 CORINTHIANS 2:14; such as are mere men, and have no higher principle i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Building up yourselves; _ he compares them to a house, which is to be built up, whereof faith is the foundation: the same metaphor is used, 1 CORINTHIANS 4:9 EPHESIANS 2:20 1 PETER 2:5. _Most holy; _ so he calls faith, as being the means of purifying their hearts, and working holiness in them; and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Keep yourselves in the love of God; _ i.e. in love to God, or that love whereby ye love God; this implies love to each other, as the cause doth the effect. _Looking for; _ viz. by hope: and so in these two verses we have the three cardinal graces, faith, hope, and charity. _The mercy of our Lord Je... [ Continue Reading ]
_And of some have compassion; _ use them gently, mildly reproving and admonishing them, that thereby ye may gain them. _Making a difference:_ he makes two sorts of offenders, or misled brethren, who might be restored; and that they might, they should be dealt with in different ways, and suitably to... [ Continue Reading ]
_And others; _ those that are further gone, not so easily reducible, and in great danger. _Save; _ i.e. labour to save them, as instruments under God. _With fear; _ by more severe courses, sharper reprehensions, setting before them God's judgments against obstinate sinners, 1 CORINTHIANS 5:5. _Pulli... [ Continue Reading ]
_Able to keep you from falling; _ from stumbling in your spiritual course, and so able to make you persevere to the end. _Before the presence of his glory; _ or, his glorious presence, i.e. before himself, EPHESIANS 5:27. Having exhorted these saints to perseverance in the faith, he now tells them i... [ Continue Reading ]
_To the only wise; _ only wise infinitely, and of himself. _God our Saviour; _ either God, who is sometimes called by this title, 1 TIMOTHY 2:3 TITUS 1:3, TITUS 3:4; or rather Christ. _Be glory:_ see 1 PETER 4:11, 1 PETER 5:11. _And majesty; _ or, magnificence, HEBREWS 1:3, HEBREWS 8:1: it seems to... [ Continue Reading ]