Ver. 23. σώζετε. Here again a word
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276
ἐλεᾶτε ἐν φόβω,]
Χιτῶνα.
24. TO δὲ δυναµένω φυλάξαι ὑμᾶς 3
lous δε (2) ελεατε εν φοβῳ HAB; om. KLP;
μισοῦντες καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς σαρκὸς
ΙΟΥΔΑ ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ κα
ἐσπιλωμένον
ἁπταίστους ὃ καὶ στῆσαι
εν φοβῳ C.
2 ypas ΝΒΟΙ, vulg. syrr. boh.; ημας A; αντους KP. ὃαπταιστους] add. και ασπιλους C.
which is strictly applicable to God is transferred to him whom God uses as His instrument, cf. 1 Pet. iv. τι and notes On τηρήσατε, ἐλέγχετε above, especially James ν. 20, 6 ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλὸν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ σώσει ψυχὴν ἐκ θανάτου.
ἐκ πυρὸς ἁρπάζοντε. The expres- sion is borrowed from Amos iv. II, κατέστρεψα ὑμᾶς καθὼς κατέστρεψεν ὁ 6 Θεὸς Σόδομα καὶ Γόμορρα, καὶ ἐγένεσθε ὡς δαλὸς ἐξεσπασμένος ἐκ πυρός, καὶ ous’ ὣς ἐπεστρέψατε πρός με, λέγει Κύριος, and Zech. iii. 3, οὐκ ἰδοὺ οὗτος δαλὸς ἐξεσπασμένος ἐκ πυρός; Both passages have further connexions with our epistle, the former from the reference to Sodom (see above ver. 7), the latter as following immediately on the words, ἐπιτιμήσαι σοι Κύριος quoted in ver. 9, and precéding a reference to filthy gar- ments (see note below). In it the High Priest Joshua is a representative of Israel, saved like a brand from the captivity, which was the punishment of national sin. The image of fire is naturally suggested by the allusion to the punishment of Sodom in the passage of Amos, and of Korah (see above ver. 7) described in Num. xvi. 35, Ps. cvi. 18, ἐξεκαύθη TUp ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ αὐτῶν καὶ Φλὸξ κατέφλεξεν ἁμαρτωλούς. The writer may also have had in mind St. Paul’s description of the building erected on the One Foundation (see above ver. 20), which, he says, will be tried by fire, 1 Cor. iii. 13-15, ἑκάστου τὸ ἔργον, ὁποῖόν ἐστιν, TO TWUp αὐτὸ δοκιµάσει . . . εἴ τινος τὸ ἔργον κατακαήσεται, ζημιω- θήσεται, αὐτὸς δὲ σωθήσεται, οὕτως δὲ ὡς διὰ πυρός. Such an one may be spoken of as “‘a brand snatched from the fire,’ not however as here, saved from the fire of temptation, but as saved through the agency of God’s purgatorial fire, whether in this or in a future life.
ἐλεᾶτε ἐν φόβῳ. The faithful are urged to show all possible tenderness for the fallen, but at the same time to have a fear lest they themselves or others whom they influence should be led to think too lightly of the sin whose ravages
they are endeavouring to repair. Cf. 2 Cor. Vil. I, καθαρίσωµεν ἑ ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ παντὸς μολυσμοῦ σαρκὸς | καὶ πνεύματος ἐπιτελοῦντες ἁγιωσύνην ἐν φόβῳ Θεοῦ, Phil. Ἡ. 12; τΡεῖ. Ἱ. τη, πδ. hon the contusion of the contracted verbs in -έω and -άω in late Greek see Jannaris, § 850. § 854 f., Winer p. 104. The best MSS. read ἐλεᾷ in Prov. xxi. 26, and ἐλεῶντος Rom. ix. 16, but ἐλεεῖ in Rom. ix. 18.
μισοῦντες Kal τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς σαρκὸς ἐσπιλωμένον χιτῶνα. While it is the duty ot the Christian to pity and pray for the sinner, he must view with loath- ing all that bears traces of the sin. The form of expression seems borrowed from such passages as Isa. xxx. 22, Lev. xv. 17, perhaps too from Zech. iii. 4, ‘Ingots ἦν ἐνδεδυμένος ἵμάτια ῥυπαρά. Ce Apoc. iii. 4, οὐκ ἐμόλυναν Ta ipatia αὐτῶν, and A pocal. Pault quoted by Spitta, 6 χιτών µου οὐκ ἐρυπώθη. The derivatives of σπίλος are peculiar to late Greek: the only other examples of σπιλόω in Biblical Greek are James iii. 6, ἡ γλῶσσα . . . ἢ σπιλοῦσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα and Wisd. xv. 4, εἶδος σπιλωθὲν χρώμασι διηλλαγμένοις. Compare for the treatment of the erring 2 Tim. ii. 25, 26, ἐν TpaiTynTL παιθεύοντα τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους, µήποτε Sw αὐτοῖς 6 Θεὸς µετάνοιαν eis ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας, καὶ ἀνανήψωσιν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλον παγίδος.
Vv. 24, 25. Final Benediction and Ascription. J have bidden you to keep yourselves in the love of God; I have warned you against all impiety and im- purity. But do not think that you can attain to the one, or guard yourselves from the other, in your own strength. You must receive power from above; and that it may be so, I offer up my prayer to Him, who alone is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you before the throne of His glory, pure and spotless in exceeding joy. To Him, the only God and Saviour, belong glory, greatness, might, and authority through- out all ages.