1. ’Eygvovro ds xcti ^ivdoTrpopriroU) Put there were also false prophets) An antithesis to the true prophets of the Old Testament, concern- ing whom see ch. i. 19. Ka /, also. — Xa&, among the people) of Israel. He is writing to Israelites. An example of a false prophet is given, ver. 15. — e<rovrui) there shall be ; and even at that time there had begun to be. A prophecy, already given, is now repeated, ch. iii. 2 ; Jude 4, 14. — ^svdodiduGxaXoij false teachers) Antithetical
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to the true teachers of the New Testament. — rrapsKfa^ovciv, shall privily bring in) xupa, beside the salutary doctrine respecting Christ. — aip'sffug unuXsiug) heresies , not only bad, but of the worst character, ruinous or abandoned. — xa/') even. The epithet swift , added to the word perdition, which is repeated, is suitable. — rh dyopdcccvra abroug, Him who bought them) To the confession of whom they ought to have been devoted, even to death : ch. i. 16. — bzoxorriv) whom the true doctrine testifies to be Lord. — apvovyevoi, denying) in doctrine and works : Jude 4. They deny that He truly came in the flesh, and thus they take away altogether the mystery of redemption : 1 J ohn iv. 2, 3. — sKayov reg, bringing on) Man brings upon himself : God brings upon him, as an avenger : ver. 5. — ra-fcivriv, swift) On account of the speedy coming of the Lord.
2. UoXXoi, many) How sad ! — dazXyftaig) Others read u^uXs/aig f but uff'sXys/ai is read in Peter and other places in the plural, whereas avruiXe icu is not : and wantonness is that bait which draws many to follow them; Jude 4. That following is succeeded at length by destruction : whereas wantonness , not perdition, so meets the gaze [at once], that men are led to speak evil of the way of truth : and this also is the crime, by which the punishment mentioned in ver. 6 is incurred. In such a variation of readings it is easy to bring forward arguments for either of the two : but it is unnecessary to do so, since the decision ought to be made on the authority of manuscripts. See App. Crit., edit, ii., on this passage. — di oug , on account of whom) It refers to of them. — ^ odbg , the way) ver. 15, 21. Gen. xxiv. 48, riDX "pH, sv 6d'X> dXriQslag (Septuagint), in the way of truth. — (3Xaffcp7i'jjrjd7]azTaiy shall be evil spoken of) by those who are without, and know not how to distinguish between true and false Christians.
3. nXzQvetya, covetousness , avarice) ver. 14. — nXac roTg, feigned) as dealers do. — vyug tyKops-jcovrou) The writers of the Septuagint put iyxopzvzaQai with an accusative for the Hebrew “inD, Gen. xxxiv. 21 ; Prov. iii. 14 ; Ezek. xxvii. 21, ed. Vat. The meaning is, they shall make merchandise of you : they shall deceive ; take money. Pliny says, respecting certain physicians, Nor is it doubtful , that all these , hunting after reputation by some novelty , immediately make merchan- dise of our lives. — Plin., book xxix., chapter 1. — afg, to whom) It tends to the consolation and protection of the righteous, that the
1 ABC Vulg. read ciai’Kyzix.n. Rec. Text has Ai ruXtioug, without any very old authority. — E.
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