_THE DESCRIPTION CORRESPONDING TO KORAH: MAKING SEPARATIONS.
EXHORTATION TO THE FAITHFUL TO BUILD UP THEMSELVES,
AND THEN RESCUE OTHERS._
"These are they who make separations sensual, having not the Spirit.
"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And
on some have mercy, who are in doubt; and some save, snatching them
out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the
garment spotted by the flesh."--ST. JUDE 19-23.
For the third and last time St. Jude points his finger at the ungodly
intruders who are working such mischief in the Church, and gives
another triplet of characteristics by which they may be recognized.
"These are they who make separations." This is the first point; like
Korah and his company, these men are separatists (οἱ ἀποδιορίζοντες).
They do not actually make a schism _from_ the Church, for they
frequent the love-feasts and profess membership; but they create a
faction _within_ it. Even in the public services of the Church they
keep aloof from the poorer members of the congregation. At the
love-feasts they feed themselves on the good things which they bring
with them, instead of handing them over to the ministers to be
distributed among all. And in society they care only for persons of
rank and wealth, out of whom they hope to gain something. Worst of
all, they claim to be specially enlightened members of the Church,
having a more comprehensive knowledge of the nature of Christian
liberty, while they are turning the fundamental principles of
Christian life upside down. Hence, although they are not actual
schismatics, who have gone out of the Church and set up a communion of
their own, their tendencies are in that direction. They are, in short,
much the same kind of people as those against whom St. Paul warns his
readers in the Epistle to the Romans: "Now I beseech you, brethren,
mark them _which are causing the divisions_ and occasions of
stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away
from them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but
_their own belly_; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile
the hearts of the innocent" (xvi. 17, 18). And again in the Epistle to
the Philippians: "For many walk of whom I told you often, and now tell
you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:
whose end is perdition, _whose god is the belly_, and whose glory is
in their shame, who mind earthly things" (iii. 18, 19). A parallel to
nearly every clause in these two descriptions might be found in the
account of the libertines given by St. Jude. Indeed, the words in
which Bishop Lightfoot sums up St. Paul's description might be adopted
verbatim as a summary of the description in our Epistle: "They are
described as creating divisions and offences, as holding plausible
language, as professing to be wise beyond others, and yet not innocent
in their wisdom." They are "Antinomians, who refuse to conform to the
Cross, and live a life of self-indulgence." "The unfettered liberty of
which they boast, thus perverted, becomes their deepest degradation"
(_Philippians_, Notes on iii. 18, 19).
Hooker, in his sermons on this passage, although he adopts the
translation of Tyndale, continued by Cranmer and the Genevan Version,
"These are makers of sects," yet in his exposition follows the corrupt
reading which misled the translators of 1611, "These be they who
separate _themselves_" (οἱ ἀποδιορίζοντες ἑαυτούς), "themselves"
being absent from almost all the ancient MSS. and versions. He says,
"St. Jude, to express the manner of their departure which by apostasy
fell away from the faith of Christ, saith, 'They separated
themselves;' noting thereby that it was not constraint of others which
forced them to depart; it was not infirmity and weakness in
themselves, it was not fear of persecution to come upon them, whereat
their hearts did fail; it was not grief of torments, whereof they had
tasted, and were not able any longer to endure them. No, they
voluntarily did separate themselves, with a fully settled and
altogether determined purpose never to name the Lord Jesus any more,
nor to have any fellowship with His saints, but to bend all their
counsel and all their strength to raze out their memorial from amongst
them" (_Serm._ v. 11). Here there is a double error in the quotation
from St. Jude, and therefore considerable error in the exposition of
his meaning. St. Jude does not say that these libertines
"separat_ed_," but that they are "those who _are_ separat_ing_,"
_i.e._ are habitually making separations or differences. He uses the
present participle, not the aorist or perfect. And, as already
noticed, he says nothing about separating _themselves_. So far from
implying that they had "a settled and determined purpose never to name
the Lord Jesus any more, nor to have any fellowship with His saints,"
He shows that these men had crept into the Church, and evidently
intended to remain there, attending the love-feasts and polluting
them, while they put forward the "freedom wherewith Christ had made
them free" as a plea for their own licentiousness; thus "turning the
grace of God into lasciviousness," and by their conduct denying the
Christ in whom they professed to believe. Thus, though they did not
formally leave the Church as heretics, schismatics, or apostates, yet
they had the heretical and schismatical temper, and were apostates in
their manner of life. As Hooker says elsewhere, "Many things exclude
from the kingdom of God, although from the Church they separate not"
(_Eccl. Pol._ V. lxviii. 6). These men had left the way of salvation
to "walk after their own lusts," but they had not separated from the
Church, into which they had surreptitiously obtained admission.
"Sensual" (ψυχικοί). This word has been already discussed in a
previous chapter, in the exposition of the passage where it occurs in
the Epistle of St. James (iii. 15: see pp. 200, 201). "Sensual"
persons are those who live in the world of sense, and are ruled by
human feeling and human reason. They stand not very much above the
carnal, and with them are opposed to the spiritual. In the triplet,
_carnalis, animalis, spiritalis_, the second term is far more closely
allied with the first than with the third. It is possible that the
libertines, in their travesty of the freedom conferred by the Gospel,
made a special claim to be "spiritual" persons, who were above the
restraints of the moral law. They may have held that to their exalted
natures the things of sense were morally indifferent, and might be
indulged in without fear of loss or contamination; while they scoffed
at those Christians who were on their guard against such things, and
called such Christians _psychical_ or sensuous, because they were
careful about the things of sense. St. Jude tells them that it is they
who are sensuous, and not spiritual at all.
"Not having the Spirit." The Revisers maintain this rendering, which
does not appear in English versions until the influence of Beza and
the Genevan Version made itself felt. Calvin seems to adopt it; but
Luther certainly does not ("_die da keinen Geist haben_"). It must be
supposed that the arguments in favour of it are very strong, seeing
that the alternative translation is not allowed a place in the margin
of either Authorized or Revised Version, nor is recommended by the
American Committee. Nevertheless, the points in its favour are well
worth considering. This alternative translation is, "Having no spirit"
(Tyndale, Cranmer), _i.e._ no spiritual nature. "Not having spirit" is
Wiclif's rendering. This agrees very well with the context. St. Jude
has just stigmatized the libertines as "sensuous," or "psychical." Of
the three elements in man's nature, body, soul, and spirit, they are
ruled by the two lower, while the third, which ought to be supreme, is
persistently ignored. They had allowed the spiritual part of their
being to become so bemired with self-indulgence and self-sufficiency,
to be so much under the dominion of human emotion and reason, that it
was utterly inoperative and practically non-existent. Their power of
spiritual insight into things heavenly, of laying hold of the
invisible world, and of entering into communion with God, was gone.
The Holy Spirit was not only absent, but His seat was overturned and
destroyed. The facts that "spirit" has neither article nor epithet in
the Greek, and that the negative is subjective, and not objective
(πνεῦμα μὴ ἔχοντες), are in favour of man's spirit being meant, and
of this clause being an explanation of what precedes. These men are
sensuous _because_ they have lost all spiritual power. It must not,
however, be understood that the absence of article and epithet is any
barrier to the rendering, "Having not the Spirit." Phil. ii. 1 is
proof of that (comp. Eph. ii. 22; vi. 18; Col. i. 8). Nevertheless,
such cases are comparatively rare. The usual expression for the Third
Person of the Holy Trinity is either "the Spirit," or "Holy Spirit,"
or "the Holy Spirit," or "the Spirit of God," or "of the Lord," or "of
Jesus Christ," or "of truth," or "of life," etc. Therefore, when we
find "spirit" without either article, epithet, or distinguishing
genitive, the probabilities are that the spirit of man, and not the
Spirit of God, is intended.
It will be observed that the three independent descriptions of the
libertines, beginning with the words, "These are," become shorter as
they go on. The first is two long verses (12, 13); the second is one
long verse (16); the third is one very short verse. It is as if the
writer were disgusted with the unpalatable subject which necessity had
compelled him to take in hand (ver. 3), and were hurrying through it
to the more pleasing duty of exhorting those faithful Christians for
whose sake he has undertaken this painful task.
"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." As
in ver. 17, the "But _ye_, beloved" (ὑμεῖς δέ, ἀγαπητοί) makes an
emphatic contrast between those whom St. Jude addresses and the
sensuous and unspiritual men of whom he has been speaking. He exhorts his
readers to endeavour to keep themselves in favour with God by cultivating
faith, prayer, and hope; and in this exhortation the main purpose of the
letter, as set forth in ver. 3, is fulfilled. The triplet of participles
(ἐποικοδομοῦντες--προσευχόμενοι--προσδεχόμενοι) must not be
lost sight of, although the fact that the main verb (τηρήσατε) comes
in the middle of them, instead of at the end, somewhat obscures the
triple construction.
The expression "building up" (ἐποικοδομεῖν) is in the New Testament
never used of actual building, but always in the metaphorical sense of
believers being united together so as to form a temple. In this temple
Christ is sometimes regarded as the foundation (1 Cor. iii. 11),
sometimes as that which binds the structure together (Eph. ii. 20;
Col. ii. 7). The notion of building up comes from the preposition
(ἐπί), one stone being placed upon another, so that upward progress
is made. "The faith" here is probably the foundation on which the
structure is to rest; but it would be possible to translate "_with_
your most holy faith," instead of "_on_ your most holy faith;" and in
that case the dative would, as in Col. ii. 7, express the cement
rather than the foundation. In any case "the faith" is not the
internal grace or virtue of faith, but, as both the participle and the
adjective show, "the faith which was once for all delivered unto the
saints" (ver. 3). It is "_your_ faith," because it has been thus
delivered to you; and it is "most holy," in marked contrast to the
vile and shifty doctrines which the libertines profess and uphold.
"Praying in the Holy Ghost." This is the best arrangement of the
words, although the Greek allows us to take "in the Holy Ghost" with
the previous clause, a rather clumsy division of the words, which is
sanctioned by Luther, Beza, and the Rhemish Version: "building
yourselves upon our (_sic_) most holy faith, in the Holy Ghost,
praying." The expression "praying in the Holy Ghost" occurs nowhere
else; but that is no reason why St. Jude should not have used it here.
It means that we are to pray in the power and wisdom of the Spirit. In
order that we may pray, and pray aright, He must move our hearts and
direct our petitions.
"Keep yourselves in the love of God." Not our love of God is meant,
but His love of us. This is rendered probable both by what immediately
follows--for "the love of God" should have a meaning similar to that
of "the mercy of Jesus Christ"--and also by the opening address,
"beloved in God" (ver. 1), which St. Jude perhaps has in his mind; for
the whole of the verse before us is closely connected with the first
verse of the Epistle. God's love is the region in which all Christians
should strive to abide, and it is by faith and prayer that this abode
is secured. To be conscious of being beloved by God is one of the
greatest protections that the believer can possess.
"Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."
That mercy which He will show to all faithful Christians when He
returns as Judge at the last day. We may compare "looking for and
earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God" (2 Peter iii. 12).
Both in this life and in eternity it is mercy that we need and crave.
The Psalms are full of this thought, as a reference to the numerous
passages in which the word mercy occurs will reveal: see especially
Ps. cxxx. And in connexion with this the concise statement respecting
the relations of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity to believers must
not be overlooked. By prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit we are
kept in the love of the Father through the mercy of the Son. "Unto
eternal life." It is not a matter of much moment whether we take these
words with "keep yourselves," or with "looking," or with "mercy." The
first seems to be the best arrangement, "keep yourselves ... unto
eternal life;" but in any case the eternal life is reached through the
mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. With a similar thought the author of
the Epistle to the Hebrews (ix. 28) writes of Christ's Second Advent
as an advent "unto salvation" (εἰς σωτηρίαν). The Divine purpose of
both Advents is mercy, and not judgment; but seeing that both Advents
are met by some who refuse to believe and repent, judgment is
inevitable.
"And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; and some save, snatching
out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear." In hardly any
other passage, perhaps, does the Revised Version differ in so many
particulars from the Authorized. The main changes are the result of
changes in the Greek text, which here is in so corrupt a state that
the original cannot be restored with certainty. The readings adopted
by the Revisers have the advantage of giving us another triple
division, which St. Jude is very likely to have made. This triple
division is preserved in the Vulgate, and therefore in Wiclif and the
Rhemish Version. Our other translators, with Luther and Beza, not
finding it in the inferior Greek MSS. which they used, of course do
not give it.[127] With one possible exception, the text adopted by the
Revisers seems to be the best that can be framed with our present
evidence. It is doubtful whether we ought not to substitute "convict"
(ἐλέγχετε) for the first "have mercy" (ἐλεᾶτε). This reading has
very powerful support (AC, the best cursives, Vulgate, Memphitic,
Armenian, and Ethiopic), and is adopted by many critics. But it may
possibly be an early correction of a still earlier corruption, and not
a restoration of the original reading. This is one of those passages
about which we must be content to remain in doubt as to what the
author actually wrote (see above on ver. 5, p. 404).
In any case the writer is giving directions as to how to deal with two
or three different classes of persons, who are in danger of being
seduced by the libertines; and possibly the libertines themselves are
included. We will assume that three classes are named. In the first we
are confronted with an uncertainty of translation. The participle
rendered "who are in doubt" (διακρινομένους) may also mean "while
they contend" with you. Which meaning we prefer will depend partly
upon the reading which we adopt for the imperative which governs the
accusative. "On some _have mercy_, when they are in _doubt_," makes
very harmonious sense; for earnest doubters, who are unable to make up
their minds for or against the truth, are to be treated with great
tenderness. Again, "And some _convict_, when they _contend_ with you,"
makes very harmonious sense; for it is those who are disposed to be
contentious that need to be refuted and convinced of their error. It
is in favour of the latter version of the command that the verbs
rendered "convict" and "contend" occur, _and in the same sense_, in
the earlier part of the Epistle (vv. 9, 15). In either case that which
is doubted or contended about is "the faith once for all delivered
unto the saints," on which believers are to "build themselves up."
The second class are such as can still be rescued, but by strong
measures. No hint, however, is given as to their characteristics; we
are merely told that there are some who require to be taken with
decision, and perhaps even with violence, out of their perilous
surroundings, in order that they may be saved from destruction. We may
perhaps think of those who, without being in doubt or inclined to
dispute about the faith, are being carried away into licentiousness by
intercourse with the libertines. The fire out of which they are to be
snatched is not the penal fire of the judgment to come, but the state
of perdition in which they are now living. We seem to have here, as in
ver. 9, a reminiscence of Zechariah iii. 1, where we read, "Is not
this a brand plucked out of the fire?" In Amos iv. 11 we have the same
figure, and the context there agrees with the suggestion just made as
to the kind of person indicated by St. Jude: "I have overthrown some
among you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a
brand plucked out of the burning." There are some who need to be
rescued in the way that the angels rescued Lot, with urgency and
constraint (Gen. xix. 16, 17); and it is specially in reference to
temptations such as Lot had gone into that such urgency is needed.
The third class is one which must be treated with great
circumspection: "and on some have mercy _with fear_; hating even the
garment spotted by the flesh." This does not mean, as Luther supposes,
that we must "let them severely alone, and have nothing to do with
them," but that in dealing with evil so insidious and so infectious,
we must take care that we are not contaminated ourselves. It is quite
possible to approach evil with good intentions, and then, through want
of proper humility and caution, end in finding it fatally attractive.
We must carefully preserve abhorrence for all that is associated with
pollution. In the _defiled_ garment (comp. James iii. 6, where the
same word is used) St. Jude appears once more to have Zechariah
iii. 1-3 in his mind; but the Greek of the LXX. is there quite
different (ἱμάτια ῥυπαρά, instead of ἐσπιλωμένον χιτῶνα). The
garment here mentioned is the _chiton_, or shirt, which came in
contact with the body, and would itself be rendered unclean if the
body were unclean. It therefore serves well as a symbol for that which
has become perilous through being closely connected with evil. But
while the evil and that which has been contaminated by it are to be
hated, compassion is to be shown to those who have fallen victims to
it. To be _shown_, not merely _felt_, as is manifest from the word
which St. Jude uses (ἐλεᾷν, not οἰκτείρειν). The passages in which
this verb (or its more common form ἐλεεῖν) elsewhere occurs in the
New Testament prove that it means "to _have_ mercy on, to succour and
bring help to," and not merely "to _feel_ pity for" without doing
anything to relieve the person pitied (Matt. ix. 27; xv. 22; xvii. 15;
xviii. 33; xx. 30; Mark x. 47; Luke xvi. 24; xvii. 13; xviii. 38;
Phil. ii. 27). It is specially used of God's showing mercy to those
who do not deserve it (Rom. ix. 15, 16, 18; xi. 32; 1 Cor. vii. 25;
2 Cor. iv. 1; 1 Tim. i. 13, 16; 1 Peter ii. 10), and therefore fitly
expresses the sympathy which ought to be manifested by the faithful
towards the fallen. But in some cases this sympathy must be manifested
_in fear_. It is by acting in the spirit of godly fear that love of
the sinner can be combined with hatred of the sin. Without it sympathy
with the sinner is too likely to turn into sympathy with the sin. To
put it otherwise: All our efforts for the reformation of others must
be begun and continued with self-reformation; and therefore St. Jude
insists on the necessity for spiritual progress and prayer, before
advising as to the treatment of the fallen. It is while we are
earnestly detesting and contending against a particular sin in
ourselves that we can most safely and effectually deal with that sin
in others.
Finally, it must be noted as specially remarkable that St. Jude, after
all the strong language which he has used in describing the wickedness
of those who are corrupting the Christian community, does _not_, in
this advice as to the different methods which are to be used in
dealing with those who are going or have gone astray, recommend
denunciation. Not that denunciation is always wrong; in some cases it
may be necessary. But denunciation by itself commonly does more harm
than good; while other methods, which must be added in order to make
denunciation effectual, are often quite as efficacious when no
denunciation has been employed. It is quite possible to manifest one's
abhorrence of "the garment spotted with the flesh," without public or
private abuse of those who are the authors of the defilement.
[127] Nevertheless, Westcott and Hort reject the triple division, and
adopt the text of B, "which involves the incongruity that the first οὕς
must be taken as a relative, and the first ἐλεᾶτε as indicative. Some
primitive error evidently affects the passage" (ii., p. 107). It is
difficult to believe that their text is right.