Dublin, OH
Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
17-25 Concluding Exhortations. The conclusion of Jude's letter continues to highlight the false teachers, only now with a view toward the proper response of believers to them. It also contains one of the most elegant doxologies in the entire Bible.
17-19 On the Apostolic Warnings. Jude redirects the readers' attention to their own knowledge of apostolic predictions concerning the last days.
17-18 Beloved emphasizes Jude's personal concern for the readers and God's love for them (see notes on vv. 1-2 and 3). Jude reminds them of the predictions of the apostles concerning the emergence of ungodly scoffers within the church during the last days. These apostolic warnings were probably oral, but such warnings were part of the common stock of early Christian preaching (e.g., Acts 20:29-30; 1 Tim. 4:1-5; 2 Tim. 3:1-5). These critics come from within, having become part of the church by clandestine means and acting as if they were true Christians (see Jude 3-4, 19). But they are led astray by following their subjective feelings and ungodly passions that are contrary to the Word of God (cf. v. 8).
19 It is these indicates that the "scoffers" described in v. 18 are the very false teachers that Jude is warning against (see chart). These worldly people (Gk. psychikos, "natural, unspiritual, worldly, of this world") cause divisions within the church over many things, but especially over issues of morality and doctrine (cf. notes on vv. 10, 17-18). They are unbelievers like the "natural" (also Gk. psychikos) person of 1 Cor. 2:14. Devoid of (Gk. mē echontes, "not having") the Spirit is another indication that these opponents are unbelievers (cf. Rom. 8:9). This fits with the repeated statements affirming their designated condemnation "from long ago" (see note on Jude 4).
