Woe to Us!

Jude begins to dive deep into mystical theology, using his understanding of angelic interactions as was dictated by other scripts and oral traditions to explain the error of the men he was warning against in this letter.  Personally, I think this is one of the reasons the letter of Jude is usually avoided in Sunday morning sermons, as there is a lot of history and research that needs to be unpacked to understand what he is saying.  I would also go so far as to say that the main reason his letter remains in the biblical canon is because he was Jesus’ brother, which holds some weight to the truth of his words.  I have known and read some other books that were excluded because they seemed to be “too spiritual” and possibly confusing to the average reader, although they were considered substantial spiritual foundations in the early church (look up the Book of Enoch).  But, before we go down that rabbit trail too far, let’s look into what is said in these three verses today.

Verse 9 introduces a story that was commonly known to Jude’s audience but is wildly unknown to us: 21^st-century common Christians.  It’s easy to gloss over it, but also dig so deep into where it comes from, we can miss the point by overlooking it or getting distracted by trying to figure out what he is saying and why he said it.  We know from Deuteronomy 34:5-6 that Moses died in God’s presence and nobody knows the burial site.  Apparently, this is the incident when Satan and Michael battled over the placement of Moses’ corpse.  I found a short clip from gotquestions.org about the theological debate around this but we don’t really know what happened (even Jude didn’t know) to Moses’ body.  

What is important to learn through this reference is Michael’s use of the Lord’s authority.  Scholars point out that the point is that Michael didn’t take it upon himself to rebuke Satan with his own authority and power, but rather the Lord’s authority.  This is important to understand when, at the very least, we are dealing with the demonic.  Even more important, we must understand that false teachers tend to invoke their own authority instead of recognizing God’s authority working through them.  This is what Jesus was referring to, in part, of knowing false teachers and prophets by their fruit (Matthew 7:16).

As we pass onto verse 10, Jude makes his point by pointing out that this is a result of relying upon one’s human nature (aka “instinct”) and not the Holy Spirit.  Depending upon your particular translation, you may see his word directly translated from scurrilous as “revile” or “blaspheme.” 

The term encompasses two primary dimensions: it can refer to content that is “grossly or obscenely abusive or defamatory,” and it may also characterize speech marked by “gross or obscene humour.” More specifically, scurrilous speech operates on multiple registers. It denotes language that is “coarse” and “vulgar and evil,” and it encompasses both malicious accusations intended to damage reputation and humorously insulting remarks. Historically, the word has been associated with “the language of a buffoon”—indecent, vile, and opprobrious speech.

– Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, eds., in Concise Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).

In verse 11, Jude uses three specific examples from the Old Testament to make his point hit home even more clearly.  Cain, who offered a prideful and unholy sacrifice to God (1 John 3:12), and Balaam, who was a for-profit prophet (Numbers 23), as well as the family of Korah (Numbers 16) who thought they knew better than Moses how to lead Israel.  Jude’s examples from times past highlight the plight of prideful, powerful people who think they have everything figured out, but lack a relationship with God to understand their place.  All three examples led to the demise of leaders by God’s hand because they were operating outside of His will.

Jude is doing his best to point out that it is easy to get caught up in our own abilities, skills, and powers without recognizing from Whom they come!  When we make it about us, that is where we get off track.  Indeed, as Jude says, “woe to us!” that we might never fall into this trap.  While Jude is exposing the false teachers of his day, it is important for us to note not only the consequences of becoming one ourselves, but also how easily we can fall to this temptation as well.  It’s easy to look at and condemn “them,” thinking that it would never happen to us.  But I imagine these people and spirits that he points out never initially intended to be a false prophet.  Rather, over time as someone gains power and influence, it becomes a slippery slope if we fail to remain humble and remember our place in the order of things.

May we be wary of our ego and wield what God has given us with grace, mercy, and reverence for the One who gifts it!