16<\/strong>. These are murmurers, complainers<\/em> ] The first noun is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, but the use of cognate verbs and nouns in Mat 20:11<\/span>; Luk 5:30 ; 1Co 10:10<\/span>; Act 6:1<\/span> and elsewhere, suggests that it refers primarily to the temper of a rebellious murmuring against human authority; in this case, probably, against that of the apostles and other appointed rulers of the Church. The Greek word for “complainers” has a more specific meaning, and means strictly blamers of fate<\/strong>, or, in modern phrase, finding fault with Providence<\/strong>. They took, as it were, a pessimist view of their lot of life, perhaps of the order of the world generally. The same word is used by Philo ( Vit. Mos<\/em>. p. 109) to describe the temper of the Israelites in the wilderness, and appears in the Characters<\/em> of Theophrastus (c. xvii.) as the type of the extremest form of general discontent, which complains even of the weather.<\/p>\n walking after their own lusts<\/em> ] This stands in connexion with the foregoing as cause and effect. The temper of self-indulgence, recognising not God’s will, but man’s desires, as the law of action, is precisely that which issues in weariness and despair. The Confessions of the Preacher present the two elements often in striking combination (Ecc 2:1-20<\/span>).<\/p>\n their mouth speaketh great swelling words<\/em> ] For the latter words and what they imply, see notes on 2Pe 2:18<\/span>.<\/p>\n having men’s persons in admiration<\/em> ] Literally, admiring persons<\/strong>. The phrase, which is a somewhat stronger form of the more familiar “accepting persons” (Jas 2:1<\/span>; Gal 2:6<\/span>; Mat 22:16<\/span>) occurs in the LXX. of Gen 19:21<\/span>; Lev 19:15<\/span>. The temper characterised is that which fawns as in wondering admiration on the great, while all the time the flatterer is simply seeking what profit he can get out of him whom he flatters.<\/p>\n These are murmurers – <\/B>The word here used does not elsewhere occur, though the word murmur is frequent, Mat 20:11<\/span>; Luk 5:30<\/span>; Joh 6:41<\/span>, Joh 6:43<\/span>, Joh 6:61<\/span>; Joh 7:32<\/span>; 1Co 10:10<\/span>. Compare Joh 7:12<\/span>; Act 6:1<\/span>; Phi 2:14<\/span>; 1Pe 4:9<\/span>. The sense is that of repining or complaining under the allotments of Providence, or finding fault with Gods plans, and purposes, and doings.<\/P> Complainers – <\/B>Literally, finding fault with ones own lot (<\/SPAN><\/span> mempsimoiroi.) The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament; the thing often occurs in this world. Nothing is more common than for men to complain of their lot; to think that it is hard; to compare theirs with that of others, and to blame God for not having made their circumstances different. The poor complain that they are not rich like others; the sick that they are not well; the enslaved that they are not free; the bereaved that they are deprived of friends; the ugly that they are not beautiful; those in humble life that their lot was not cast among the great and the frivolous. The virtue that is opposed to this is contentment – a virtue of inestimable value. See the notes at Phi 4:11<\/span>.<\/P> Walking after their own lusts – <\/B>Giving unlimited indulgence to their appetites and passions. See the notes at 2Pe 3:3<\/span>.<\/P> And their mouth speaketh great swelling words – <\/B>Notes at 2Pe 2:18<\/span>.<\/P> Having mens persons in admiration – <\/B>Showing great respect to certain persons, particularly the rich and the great. The idea is, that they were not just in the esteem which they had for others, or that they did not appreciate them according to their real worth, but paid special attention to one class in order to promote their selfish ends.<\/P> Because of advantage – <\/B>Because they hoped to derive some benefit to themselves.<\/P> <\/p>\n Jud 1:16<\/span><\/p>\n These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Church disturbers<\/strong><\/p>\n 1.<\/strong> <\/em><\/strong>Insinuators. The whisper, the shrug of the shoulder, the half sentence containing a surmise of the other half, and the warning of some awful revelation to come respecting the servant of God and his character, mark these men in every age. They succeed to create distrust of the ministry, and dry up the fountain of Christian sympathy and prayer.<\/p>\n 2. <\/strong>Fault-finders. Nothing is done to please them. They are on the alert to find out mistakes. They turn even the love feast into a scene of embitterment.<\/p>\n 3. <\/strong>Libertines. The root of their character is a love of sin–some form of gross immorality. They hate the truth because it exposes their villainy and shame.<\/p>\n 4. <\/strong>Pretenders. They are full of ostentation, fond of tall talk. To the ignorant, loud swelling words sound grandly, but to the wise, the crackling of thorns under a pot.<\/p>\n 5. <\/strong>Dissemblers. They put on smiling face, and speak smooth words to persons of rank, to secure their approbation and gain their support. They subject principles to appearances. Let the mantle of Jude fall on our ministers. (T. Davies, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\n Verse 16<\/span>. These are murmurers<\/B><\/I>] Grudging and grumbling at all men, and at all things; complainers<\/I>, , complainers of<\/I> their fate<\/I> or destiny<\/I>-finding fault with God and all his providential dispensations, making and governing worlds in their own way; persons whom neither God nor man can please.<\/P> <\/P> Walking after their own lusts<\/B><\/I>] Taking their wild, disorderly, and impure passions for the rule of their conduct, and not the writings of the prophets and apostles.<\/P> <\/P> Great swelling words<\/B><\/I>] . See the explanation of this term in 2Pe 2:18<\/span>.<\/P> <\/P> Having men’s persons in admiration<\/B><\/I>] Time-servers and flatterers; persons who pretend to be astonished<\/I> at the greatness,<\/I> goodness, sagacity, learning, wisdom<\/I>; c., of rich<\/I> and great<\/I> men, hoping thereby to acquire money, influence, power, friends, and the like.<\/P> <\/P> Because of advantage.<\/B><\/I>] . For the sake of lucre<\/I>. All the flatterers of the rich are of this kind and especially those who profess to be ministers<\/I> of the Gospel, and who, for the sake of a more advantageous settlement<\/I> or living<\/I>, will soothe the rich even in their sins. With such persons a rich man<\/I> is every<\/I> thing<\/I>; and if he have but a grain<\/I> of grace, his piety<\/I> is extolled to the skies! I have known several ministers of this character, and wish them all to read the sixteenth verse of Jude<\/I>.<\/P><\/p>\n Murmurers, complainers; <\/I>either these two words signify the same thing; or murmurers<\/I> may be meant with relation to Gods decrees, laws, providences, and his ordinations in the church or state, 1Co 10:10<\/span>; and complainers, <\/I>with respect to their own condition, with which they were discontented. <\/P> Walking after their own lusts; <\/I>minding neither the law of God nor man, but making their lusts their law, and being wholly subject to them, led by them, 2Pe 2:10<\/span>. <\/P> And their mouth speaketh great swelling words:<\/I> though they were mere slaves to their own lusts, yet they would speak big, and use high and exotic strains in their language, that they might be applauded and admired: see 2Pe 2:18<\/span>. <\/P> Having mens persons in admiration because of advantage; <\/I>flattering and magnifying the greater and richer sort of men, not considering what they were, so they could gain them to their party, or get gain by them. <\/P> <\/p>\n murmurers<\/B> in secret: mutteringmurmurs<\/I>against Gods ordinances and ministers in Church and state. CompareJud1:8<\/span>,speak evil of dignities; Jud1:15<\/span>,hard speeches; against the Lord.<\/P> complainers<\/B> never satisfied with their lot (Num11:1<\/span>;compare the penalty, Deu28:47<\/span>,Deu28:48<\/span>).<\/P> walkingafter their own lusts<\/B> (Jud1:18<\/span>).The secret of their murmuringand complaining<\/I>is the restless insatiability of their desires.<\/P> greatswelling words<\/B> (2Pe2:18<\/span>).<\/P> menspersons<\/B> their mere outward appearance and rank.<\/P> becauseof advantage<\/B> for the sake of what they may gain from them. While they talkgreat swelling words,<\/I>they are really mean and fawning towards those of wealth and rank.<\/P><\/p>\n These are murmurers<\/strong>,…. That is, at others; secretly, inwardly, in a muttering way, grunting out their murmurs like swine; to which, for their filthiness and apostasy, false teachers may be filly compared: and their murmurs might be both against God and men; against God, against the being of God, denying, or at least wishing there was no God, and uneasy because there is one; against the perfections of God, particularly his sovereignty over all, his special goodness to some, his wisdom, justice, truth, and faithfulness; against his purposes and decrees, both with respect to things temporal, spiritual, and eternal; against the providence of God and his government of the world, and the unequal distribution of things in it; and especially against the doctrines of free grace, and the ordinances of the Gospel: and not only are they murmurers against God, and all divine things and persons, but also against men; particularly against civil magistrates, who restrain them, and are a terror to them; and against the ministers of the Gospel, whose gifts and usefulness they envy; and indeed against all men, their neighbours, and what they enjoy, and at everything that goes besides themselves: it follows,<\/p>\n complainers<\/strong>; some join the above character and this together, and read, as the Vulgate Latin version, “complaining murmurers”; others, as the Syriac version, place not only a comma, but a copulative between them; and as the former may design secret and inward murmuring, this may intend outward complaining in words; not of their own sins and corruptions, nor of the sins of others, with any concern for the honour of religion; or of the decay of powerful godliness in themselves or others; or of the failure of the Gospel, and the decrease of the interest of Christ; but either of God, that he has not made them equal to others in the good things of life, as the Arabic version renders it, “complaining of their own lots”; or that he lays so much affliction upon them more than on others; or of men, that their salaries are not sufficient, and that they are not enough respected according to their merit; and indeed, as the Syriac version reads, “they complain of everything”, and are never satisfied and easy:<\/p>\n walking after their own lusts<\/strong>; which are carnal and worldly,<\/p>\n [See comments on 2Pe 3:3]<\/span>;<\/p>\n and their mouth speaketh great swelling [words]<\/strong>; both against God and men; and this may point at their boast of knowledge, their great ostentation of learning, their vain and empty doctrines, their high flights, their rhetorical style, and bombast language:<\/p>\n having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage<\/strong>; crying up men of their own stamp for the advantage of the party; and giving flattering titles to men of wealth and riches, for the sake of their money: so the Ethiopic version, “they studied to please persons, to make gain of them”; they were respecters of persons; so the phrase is used by the Septuagint in De 10:17<\/span>, and in Job 22:8<\/span>, and in Pr 18:5<\/span> and in Isa 9:15<\/span>.<\/p>\n Exhortation to the Faithful; Conclusion.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/I><\/span><\/P> <\/TD> A. D.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN> 66.<\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/P> <\/TD> <\/TR> <\/TABLE> 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches<\/I> which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words,<\/I> having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them<\/I> out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you<\/I> faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be<\/I> glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.<\/P> Here, I. The apostle enlarges further on the character of these evil men and seducers: they are murmurers, complainers,<\/I> c., <i>v.<\/span> 16<\/span><\/U><\/span>. Observe, A murmuring complaining temper, indulged and expressed, lays men under a very bad character; such are very weak at least, and for the most part very wicked. They murmur against God and his providence, against men and their conduct; they are angry at every thing that happens, and never pleased with their own state and condition in the world, as not thinking it good enough for them. Such walk after their own lusts;<\/I> their will, their appetite, their fancy, are their only rule and law. Note, Those who please their sinful appetites are most prone to yield to their ungovernable passions.<\/P> II. He proceeds to caution and exhort those to whom he is writing, v.<\/I><\/span> 17-23<\/span>. Here,<\/P> 1. He calls them to remember how they have been forewarned: But, beloved, remember,<\/I> c., <i>v.<\/span> 17<\/span><\/U><\/span>. “Remember,<\/I> take heed that you think it not strange (so as to stumble and be offended, and have your faith staggered by it) that such people as the seducers before described and warned against should arise (and that early) in the Christian church, seeing all this was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,<\/I> and consequently the accomplishment of it in the event is a confirmation of your faith, instead of being in the least an occasion of shaking and unsettling you therein.” Note, (1.) Those who would persuade must make it evident that they sincerely love those whom they would persuade. Bitter words and hard usage never did nor ever will convince, much less persuade any body. (2.) The words which inspired persons have spoken (or written), duly remembered and reflected on, are the best preservative against dangerous errors; this will always be so, till men have learnt to speak better than God himself. (3.) We ought not to be offended if errors and persecutions arise and prevail in the Christian church; this was foretold, and therefore we should not think worse of Christ’s person, doctrine, or cross, when we see it fulfilled. See 1Ti 4:1<\/span>; 2Ti 3:1<\/span>; 2Pe 3:3<\/span>. We must not think it strange, but comfort ourselves with this, that in the midst of all this confusion Christ will maintain his church, and make good his promise, that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it,<\/I> Matt. xvi. 18<\/I><\/span>. (4.) The more religion is ridiculed and persecuted the faster hold we should take and keep of it; being forewarned, we should show that we are fore-armed; under such trials we should stand firm, and not be soon shaken in mind,<\/I> 2 Thess. ii. 2<\/I><\/span>.<\/P> 2. He guards them against seducers by a further description of their odious character: These are those who separate,<\/I> c., <i>v.<\/span> 19<\/span><\/U><\/span>. Observe, (1.) Sensualists are the worst separatists. They separate themselves from God, and Christ, and his church, to the devil, the world, and the flesh, by their ungodly courses and vicious practices; and this is a great deal worse than separation from any particular branch of the visible church on account of opinions or modes and circumstances of external government or worship, though many can patiently bear with the former, while they are plentifully and almost perpetually railing at the latter, as if no sin were damnable but what they are pleased to call schism.<\/I> (2.) Sensual men have not the Spirit, that is, of God and Christ, the Spirit of holiness, which whoever has not, is none of Christ’s,<\/I> does not belong to him, Rom. viii. 9<\/span>. (3.) The worse others are the better should we endeavour and approve ourselves to be; the more busy Satan and his instruments are to pervert others, in judgment or practice, the more tenacious should we be of sound doctrine and a good conversation, holding fast the faithful word, as we have been<\/I> (divinely) taught, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience,<\/I>Tit 1:9<\/span>; 1Ti 3:9<\/span>.<\/P> 3. He exhorts them to persevering constancy in truth and holiness.<\/P> (1.) Building up yourselves in your most holy faith,<\/I> v.<\/span> 20<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. Observe, The way to hold fast our profession is to hold on in it. Having laid our foundation well in a sound faith, and a sincere upright heart, we must build upon it, make further progress continually; and we should take care with what materials we carry on our building, namely, gold, silver, precious stones,<\/I> not wood, hay, stubble,<\/I> 1 Cor. iii. 12<\/I><\/span>. Right principles and a regular conversation will stand the test even of the fiery trial; but, whatever we mix of baser alloy, though we be in the main sincere, we shall suffer loss by it, and though our persons be saved all that part of our work shall be consumed; and, if we ourselves escape, it will be with great danger and difficulty, as from a house on fire on every side.<\/P> (2.) Praying in the Holy Ghost.<\/I> Observe, [1.] Prayer is the nurse of faith; the way to build up ourselves in our most holy faith<\/I> is to continue instant in prayer,<\/I> Rom. xii. 12<\/I><\/span>. [2.] Our prayers are then most likely to prevail when we pray in the Holy Ghost,<\/I> that is, under his guidance and influence, according to the rule of his word, with faith, fervency, and constant persevering importunity; this is praying in the Holy Ghost, whether it be done by or without a set prescribed form.<\/P> (3.) Keep yourselves in the love of God,<\/I> v.<\/span> 21<\/span><\/U><\/I><\/span>. [1.] “Keep up the grace of love to God in its lively vigorous actings and exercises in your souls.” [2.] “Take heed of throwing yourselves out of the love of God to you, or its delightful, cheering, strengthening manifestations; keep yourselves in the way of God, if you would continue in his love.”<\/P> (4.) Looking for the mercy,<\/I> c. [1.] Eternal life is to be looked for only through mercy<\/I> mercy is our only plea, not merit; or if merit, not our own, but another’s, who has merited for us what otherwise we could have laid no claim to, nor have entertained any well-grounded hope of. [2.] It is said, not only through the mercy of God as our Creator, but through the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ<\/I> as Redeemer; all who come to heaven must come thither through our Lord Jesus Christ; for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved,<\/I> but that of the Lord Jesus only, Act 4:12<\/span>; Jud 1:10<\/span>. [3.] A believing expectation of eternal life will arm us against the snares of sin (2 Pet. iii. 14<\/span>); a lively faith of the blessed hope will help us to mortify our cursed lusts.<\/P> 4. He directs them how to behave towards erring brethren: And of some have compassion,<\/I> c., Jud 1:22<\/span>Jud 1:23<\/span><\/U><\/span>. Observe, (1.) We ought to do all we can to rescue others out of the snares of the devil, that they may be saved from (or recovered, when entangled therein, out of) dangerous errors, or pernicious practices. We are not only (under God) our own keepers, but every man ought to be, as much as in him lies, his brother’s keeper;<\/I> none but a wicked Cain will contradict this, Gen. iv. 9<\/span>. We must watch over one another, must faithfully, yet prudently, reprove each other, and set a good example to all about us. (2.) This must be done with compassion, making a difference.<\/I> How is that? We must distinguish between the weak and the wilful. [1.] Of some<\/I> we must have compassion,<\/I> treat them with all tenderness, restore them in the spirit of meekness,<\/I> not be needlessly harsh and severe in our censures of them and their actions, nor proud and haughty in our conduct towards them; not implacable, nor averse to reconciliation with them, or admitting them to the friendship they formerly had with us, when they give evident or even strongly hopeful tokens of a sincere repentance: if God has forgiven them, why should not we? We infinitely more need his forgiveness than they do, or can do, ours, though perhaps neither they nor we are justly or sufficiently sensible of this. [2.] Others save with fear,<\/I> urging upon them the terrors of the Lord;<\/I> “Endeavour to frighten them out of their sins; preach hell and damnation to them.” But what if prudence and caution in administering even the most just and severe reproofs be what are primarily and chiefly here intimated–(I do but offer it for consideration); as if he had said, “Fear lest you frustrate your own good intentions and honest designs by rash and imprudent management, that you do not harden, instead of reclaiming, even where greater degrees of severity are requisite than in the immediately foregoing instance.” We are often apt to over-do, when we are sure we mean honestly, and think we are right in the main; yet the very worst are not needlessly, nor rashly, nor to extremity, to be provoked, lest they be thereby further hardened through our default.–“Hating even the garment spotted with the flesh,<\/I> that is, keeping yourselves at the utmost distance from what is or appears evil, and designing and endeavouring that others may do so too. Avoid all that leads to sin or that looks like sin,” 1 Thess. v. 22<\/span>.<\/P> III. The apostle concludes this epistle with a solemn ascription of glory to the great God, Jud 1:24<\/span>; Jud 1:25<\/span>. Note, 1. Whatever is the subject or argument we have been treating of, ascribing glory to God is fittest for us to conclude with. 2. God is able, and he is as willing as able, to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory;<\/I> not as those who never have been faulty (for what has once been done can never be rendered undone, even by Omnipotence itself, for that implies a contradiction), but as those whose faults shall not be imputed, to their ruin, which, but for God’s mercy and a Saviour’s merits, they might most justly have been.–Before the presence of his glory.<\/I> Observe, (1.) The glory of the Lord will shortly be present. We now look upon it as distant, and too many look upon it as uncertain, but it will come, and it will be manifest and apparent. Every eye shall see him,<\/I> Rev. i. 7<\/I><\/span>. This is now the object of our faith, but hereafter (and surely it cannot now<\/I> be long) it will be the object of our sense; whom we now believe in, him we shall shortly see, to our unspeakable joy and comfort or inexpressible terror and consternation. See 1 Pet. i. 8<\/span>. (2.) All real sincere believers shall be presented, and the Lord Redeemer’s appearance and coming, by him their glorious head, to the Father, in order to his approbation, acceptance, and reward. They were given to him of the Father, and of all that were so given to him he has lost none,<\/I> nor will lose any one, not an individual, a single soul, but will present them all perfectly holy and happy, when he shall surrender his mediatorial kingdom to his God and our God, his Father and our Father,<\/I>Joh 6:39<\/span>; Joh 17:12<\/span>; 1Co 15:24<\/span>. (3.) When believers shall be presented faultless it will be with exceeding joy. Alas! now our faults fill us with fears, doubts, and sorrows. But be of good cheer;<\/I> if we be sincere, we shall be, our dear Redeemer has undertaken for it, we shall be presented faultless;<\/I> where there is no sin there will be no sorrow; where there is the perfection of holiness, there will be the perfection of joy. Surely, the God who can and will do this is worthy to have glory, majesty, dominion, and power,<\/I> ascribed to him, both now and for ever!<\/I> And to this we may well, with the apostle, affix our hearty Amen.<\/I><\/P><\/p>\n Murmurers <\/B> (<\/SPAN><\/span>). Late onomatopoetic word for agent, from <\/SPAN><\/span> (Matt 20:11<\/span>; 1Cor 10:10<\/span>) in the LXX (Exod 16:8<\/span>; Num 11:1<\/span>; Num 11:14-29<\/span>).<\/P> Complainers <\/B> (<\/SPAN><\/span>). Rare word (Isocrates, Aristotle, Plutarch) from <\/SPAN><\/span> to complain and <\/SPAN><\/span> lot or fate. Here alone in N.T.<\/P> Lusts <\/B> (<\/SPAN><\/span>). As in 2Pe 3:3<\/span>.<\/P> Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n