5 Now I desire to put you in remembrance, though ye know all things once for all, that the Lord, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6 And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in like manner these also in their dreamings defile the flesh, and set at nought dominion, and rail at dignities. 9 But Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing judgment, but said. The Lord rebuke thee. 10 But these rail at whatsoever things they know not: and what they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, in these things are they destroyed. 11 Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. 12 These are they who are hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved for ever. 14 And to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying. Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have ungodly wrought, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaketh great swelling words), showing respect of persons for the sake of advantage.

The main portion of this epistle is thus concerned with the character and the punishment of these men whose presence and influence are such a serious menace to the truth. A comparison of this section with II Peter, ch. 2, shows that the two passages are practically identical. Many modern students have concluded that when Peter was writing he had this Epistle of Jude before him; other scholars equally eminent believe that Jude, in composing his letter, had in hand the work of Peter. Probably it is unwise to be too positive in asserting the priority of either epistle. It does seem, however, that the enemies whose advent Peter predicts are pictured by Jude as already doing their ruinous work, and that the evils, which were not full-grown when Peter wrote, have now reached a fatal maturity. It is evident that in spite of their similarity the passages in both epistles contain features which are original and distinct. Thus the first example of divine punishment cited by Jude is not found in the Second Epistle of Peter. It is the case of Israel, the chosen people, who in spite of their peculiar privileges and their miraculous deliverance from Egyptian bondage, lost faith in God, and all "that believed not" were "destroyed." This example illustrates not only the certainty of doom but the nature of the men whom Jude is describing. It traces the source of their sin to unbelief. It teaches us, not merely that high privilege does not insure one against failure and consequent penalty, but also the lesson drawn in the Epistle to the Hebrews from the same historic facts: "Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God."

The second example of divine retribution Jude takes, not directly from the Old Testament, but from traditions which were current in the writings of his day. The "fall of the angels" is an event shrouded in mystery, but the reference here is evidently intended to illustrate the fatal pride and rebellion which filled the hearts of the apostates whom Jude is denouncing, and again to warn his readers that the most exalted position is no safeguard against sin and doom.

The third example reverts to the history of Genesis, to the infamous immorality and the subsequent destruction of Sodom and the surrounding cities, a reference intended not only to charge with impurity the false teachers to whom Jude refers, but also to warn them of their peril of suffering a like penalty.

These libertines, however, refuse to be warned; and, vainly dreaming that they can safely pursue their unholy course, they treat with insolence the Church authorities who would restrain and admonish them. Jude declares that such conduct is condemned by the example of the archangel, Michael, who refrained from railing against even the Devil when disputing with him about the body of Moses. Here again the reference is to a tradition about which it is useless to speculate. The practical purpose of Jude is obvious. He rebukes the impious folly of those men who insulted authorities they should have respected, and spoke irreverently of truths which they did not understand, while, in the realm of sensual indulgence, where they were at home, they brought about their own destruction by yielding to animal passions.

To the charge of senseless insolence, Jude adds that of murderous envy and hatred: "they went in the way of Cain"; and further, of corrupting greed, "the error of Balaam; and, again, of proud rebellion," "the gainsaying of Korah."

Such then are seven, at least, of the evil characteristics of these guilty apostates whose destruction Jude solemnly predicts; they are unbelieving, proud, sensual, insolent, envious, greedy, rebellious. Their picture is made more abhorrent, however, by the figures of speech which follow, which portray their corrupting influence, their hypocrisy, their disgrace, and their doom. Partaking of the Christian love feasts, these false teachers are like hidden rocks which cause the shipwreck of souls. In their great professions and their failure to give aid, they are like shepherds who care solely for their own needs, or like clouds which bring no rain, or like trees which are fruitless and blasted, or like waves breaking on the shore and leaving a worthless deposit, or like meteors which for a brief time blaze across the sky and disappear in eternal darkness.

The punishment of these apostates has been intimated again and again; but it is finally stated by Jude in words which tradition had assigned to Enoch, "the seventh from Adam," the ancient saint who "walked with God" and was translated without dying. It is stated that he prophesied "to these," that is, to men of this same character, who lived in his own day, as well as to these false teachers in the early Church. It is further implied that exactly such men will exist in the latter da3's just before our Lord returns, dissatisfied men, slaves of passion, proud boasters, and cringing flatterers. However, the Lord will come "with ten thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment upon all." In the expression, "Behold, the Lord came," we have the past tense of prophetic vision. So certain is the event that the prophet describes it as already fulfilled. The delay may seem long, sinful apostates may feel secure, but the hour will strike, and the Judge surely will appear.