The Pulpit Commentary — Jude — Section 9

doubtrul interpretation, the douU turning of tho same term in Rom. iv. 5; v. 6; I on tl10 question whether it has a temporal or 'rim. i. 9; 2 Pet. iii. 7.) This nng-odliness e. local reforenco. The lo.tter ideo. eeemi to is next shown to take the form of a.n be expressed in Go.I. iii. I, where tho verb immoral perversion of spiritual privilege- means either publicly plaoarded or openly tnrning the graoe of our God into la.scivions- set forth (" evidenLly sot forth," according neas. By the grace of God is meont the to the Authorized Version). For the most whole gift of redemption offered in th11 pBl't, however, tho temporal sense prevails, gospel. It is ce.lled here the grace of our aud that this is tho ecuee hero ia confirmed God; the tum thus given to the expres- by the fact tho.t tho verb is connected with sion indicating at once the dear and the temporal o.Jverb "or old." It has been intimate relation to G,,d into which the contended tho.t the biblical figure or e. book writer and bis fellows in the faith have of tb.e Divine counsels is o.t tb.e basis of the been introduced, and their shuddering expression here, o.nd tho.t it should be sense of the shameless use to which his rendered "ordained" (with the Autb.orized gift was debased. The thing to which Version), in the Calvinistic sense of "fore- that grace was perverted is described by ordo.ined." But this is opposed by the fact a. word of wide and evil application, de- that the term here rendered "of old" is not noting every species of unbridled conduct, applied in the New Testament to the but particularly unblushing licentiousness. eternal purpose of God. The reference, The same ungodliness in these men is therefore, is to ancient prophecy, and the farther declared to rise to a. denial and term means " who were of old written of," disa.vowa.l of all Divine claims upon them. "who were of old set forth," as the Revised The Revised Version, which is more Version puts it, or "designated" in rigorously true to the original here than the prophecy. The writer does not specify Authorized Version, gives a.n alternative what particular prophecies are in view. rendering, denying our only ]l[a.ster a.nd Hence some take them to be predictions of Lord, J'eSUB Christ, in the text, but denying the evils of the last days spoken of by the the only Master, and our Lord Jesus Chmt apo8Ues, such as we find recorded in the in the margin. The question is whether Pastoral Epistles and in 2 Peter. But the God and Christ are separately mentioned as force of the phrase "of old," in its present buth objects of the denia.l, or whether Christ connection, points to who.t is of ancient alone is referred to; both tb.e titles, Master do.ta in the stticter sense. The Old Testa- and Lord, being applied to him. The ment prophecies, therefore, are probably question is not easy to decide. Among the those referred to, and the fact that mention strongest a.rgnments in favour of the latter is made by-and-by of Enoeh us one of the view are the two considerations that the prophets of old, makes it likely that the attitude of these men to God has been predictive sections of the book which bears already stated in the previons clause, and his name are also in the author's mind. that in 2 Pet. ii. I we find both the verb The phrase, " to this condemnation," o.nd the noun which a.re nsed here applied explains tho.t unto which these men were to Christ. On the other side, it is urged tha.t prophetically <lesignated in o.ncient time. tb.e parallel in 1 John ii. 22 fa.vonrs the The noun denotes usually, if not invui- doable reference here; that the title here ably, the judgment of a judge on something reudered "Master" is never o.pplied to Christ wrong, and here, therefore, it seems to except in tb.e single instance of 2 Pet. ii. I ; havo the sense of penal judgment or con- that the epitb.et "only" is used more demnation. It is not quite apparent what properly of God, as in ver. 25 of this same judgment is intended. It is supposed by Epistle; that it is difficult to distinguish some tho.t the writer is looking to the between the two titles, if both are referred unhappy relations of these mo11 to the to Cb.rist here; and that tb.e analogous Church, and fiuds in these relations and in expression in the Book of Enoch (::tlviii. 10) the moral conditions thereby revealed the is to be considered. The case is stronger judgment ·or God upon them, It is more on the whole on the side of the twofold probable that he refers to the penal retribu- subjeot being in view. But it is further tion, of which he is immeuiately to give asked whether this denial of God and of examples. Three strokes ure added to the Christ is meant to be a theoretical denial or picture of the men. 'l'hese bring out in e. proctica.l. It is the practiosl disavowal of darkest outline both their chnracter a.ad God, which appears in a. godless and un- their faith. There is fil·st the general bridled life, that seems chiefly in view. But description of them as ungodly men-im- there is no good reason for excluding the pious meu, in whom there is no spirit of idea. of corrupt doctrine or teaching. The 1·everance, 11s the udjective literally implies, latter is not expressed, it is true, in the terms The same uol.o oppeo.rs in Peter's descrip- adopted in the Epistles of John. Neither tion (2 Pet, ii. 5, 6). (Compo.re the use is there unything to warrant the suppoditio.n  8 'l'llE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE. [1-26.