Texts in Conversation
Jude speaks about scoffers who mock and dismiss. His language draws on texts like Psalm 1 that urge people to avoid such influences and contrasting them with those who follow God’s way.
Share:
Psalm 1:1
Hebrew Bible
1 How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers. 2 Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.
Date: 6th-3rd Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Jude 1:18
New Testament
16 These people are grumblers and fault-finders who go wherever their desires lead them, and they give bombastic speeches, enchanting folks for their own gain. 17 But you, dear friends—recall the predictions foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 For they said to you, “At the end of time there will come scoffers, propelled by their own ungodly desires.” 19 These people are divisive, worldly, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit,
Date: 90-100 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Search:
Notes and References
"... Jude 1 does not rule out an audience larger than one church, though Jude is likely dealing with a problem confined to a specific area, perhaps in Galilee. The original disciples, follow ing Jesus' teaching (Mt 7:15-20; 24:11; Mk 13:22; 1 Tim 4:1-3; 2 Tim 3:1-9; 4:3-4: 2 Pet 3:3), warned of people who were false teachers and who scoffed at true religion. In Jude 18 ('scoffers'), an extremely derogatory term in early Judaism, refers to a typical Old Testament type of troublemaker - one who despises or ignores and mocks true religion and/or morality (Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 1:22, 9:7-8: Isaiah 28:14). Scoffers characterize this last age and live according to their desires to do ungodly things, not merely thinking ungodly thoughts. Jude is here again using a catch\ word - ton asebeion probably a paraphrase of Jude's favorite term of the gist of the apostolic teaching ..."
Witherington, Ben
Letters and Homilies for Jewish Christians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on Hebrews, James and Jude
(pp. 628-629) InterVarsity Press, 2010
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.