16. murmurers--in secret: muttering murmurs against God's ordinances and ministers in Church and state. Compare Jude 8, "speak evil of dignities"; Jude 15, "hard speeches"; against the Lord.
complainers--never satisfied with their lot ([Nu 11:1]; compare the penalty, [De 28:47], ).
walking after their own lusts--(Jude 18). The secret of their murmuring and complaining is the restless insatiability of their desires.
great swelling words--([2Pe 2:18]).
men's persons--their mere outward appearance and rank.
because of advantage--for the sake of what they may gain from them. While they talk great swelling words, they are really mean and fawning towards those of wealth and rank.
17. But; beloved ... ye--in contrast to those reprobates, Jude 20, again.
remember--implying that his readers had been contemporaries of the apostles. For Peter uses the very same formula in reminding the contemporaries of himself and the other apostles.
spoken before--spoken already before now.
the apostles--Peter (see on [2Pe 3:2], ), and Paul before Peter ([Ac 20:29]; [1Ti 4:1]; [2Ti 3:1]). Jude does not exclude himself from the number of the apostles here, for in Jude 18, immediately after, he says, "they told You," not us (rather as Greek, "used to tell you" implying that Jude's readers were contemporaries of the apostles, who used to tell them).
18. mockers--In the parallel, [2Pe 3:3], the same Greek is translated, "scoffers." The word is found nowhere else in the New Testament. How Alford can deny that [2Pe 3:2], is referred to (at least in part), I cannot imagine, seeing that Jude quotes the very words of Peter as the words which the apostles used to speak to his (Jude's) readers.
walk after their own ungodly lusts--literally, "after (according to) their own lusts of ungodliness."
19. These be they--showing that their characters are such as Peter and Paul had foretold.
separate themselves--from Church communion in its vital, spiritual reality: for outwardly they took part in Church ordinances (Jude 12). Some oldest manuscripts omit "themselves": then understand it, "separate," cast out members of the Church by excommunication ([Is 65:5]; ; [Lu 6:22]; [Joh 9:34]; compare "casteth them out of the Church;" 3Jo 10). Many, however, understand "themselves," which indeed is read in some of the oldest manuscripts as English Version has it. Arrogant setting up of themselves, as having greater sanctity and a wisdom and peculiar doctrine, distinct from others, is implied.
sensual--literally, "animal-souled": as opposed to the spiritual, or "having the Spirit." It is translated, "the natural man," [1Co 2:14]. In the threefold division of man's being, body, soul, and spirit, the due state in God's design is, that "the spirit," which is the recipient of the Holy Spirit uniting man to God, should be first, and should rule the soul, which stands intermediate between the body and spirit: but in the animal, or natural man, the spirit is sunk into subserviency to the animal soul, which is earthly in its motives and aims. The "carnal" sink somewhat lower, for in these the flesh, the lowest element and corrupt side of man's bodily nature, reigns paramount.
having not the Spirit--In the animal and natural man the spirit, his higher part, which ought to be the receiver of the Holy Spirit, is not so; and therefore, his spirit not being in its normal state, he is said not to have the spirit (compare [Joh 3:5], ). In the completion of redemption the parts of redeemed man shall be placed in their due relation: whereas in the ungodly, the soul severed from the spirit shall have for ever animal life without union to God and heaven--a living death.
20. Resuming Jude 17.
building up yourselves--the opposite to the "separate themselves" (Jude 19): as "in the Holy Ghost" is opposed to "having not the Spirit."
on--as on a foundation. Building on THE FAITH is equivalent to building on Christ, the object of faith.
praying in the Holy Ghost--([Ro 8:26]; [Ep 6:18]). The Holy Spirit teaches what we are to pray for, and how. None can pray aright save by being in the Spirit, that is, in the element of His influence. Chrysostom states that, among the charisms bestowed at the beginning of the New Testament dispensation, was the gift of prayer, bestowed on someone who prayed in the name of the rest, and taught others to pray. Moreover, their prayers so conceived and often used, were received and preserved among Christians, and out of them forms of prayer were framed. Such is the origin of liturgies [Hammond].
21. In Jude 20, 21, Jude combines the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: and faith, hope, and love.
Keep yourselves--not in your own strength, but "in the love of God," that is, God's love to you and all His believing children, the only guarantee for their being kept safe. Man's need of watching is implied; at the same time he cannot keep himself, unless God in His love keep him.
looking for--in hope.
the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ--to be fully manifested at His coming. Mercy is usually attributed to the Father: here to the Son; so entirely one are they.
22-23. None but those who "keep themselves" are likely to "save" others.
have compassion--So one oldest manuscript reads. But two oldest manuscripts, Vulgate, &c., read, "convict"; "reprove to their conviction"; "confute, so as to convince."
making a difference--The oldest manuscripts and versions read the accusative for the nominative, "when separating themselves" [Wahl], referring to Jude 19; or "when contending with you," as the Greek is translated, Jude 9.
24-25. Concluding doxology.
Now--Greek, "But."
you--Alford, on inferior authority, reads, "them." You is in contradistinction to those ungodly men mentioned above.
keep ... from falling--rather, "guard ... (so as to be) without falling," or stumbling.
faultless--Greek, "blameless."
before the presence of his glory--that is, before Himself, when He shall be revealed in glory.
with exceeding joy--literally, "with exultation" as of those who leap for joy.