#6. Able to Keep You From Falling (Jude 1-2, 20-25)
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
http://www.jesuswalk.com/2peter/6_persevere.htm
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"St. Jude (Thaddeus)" by Flemish painter Anthony Van Dyke
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Text
Jude 1:1-2, 20-25
[1] Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus
Christ:
[2] Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance....
[20] But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and
pray in the Holy Spirit. [21] Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
[22] Be merciful to those who doubt; [23] snatch others from the fire and
save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear -- hating even the clothing
stained by corrupted flesh.
[24] To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before
his glorious presence without fault and with great joy -- [25] to the only God
our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our
Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Exposition
As you'll recall, we looked at several passages from Jude in Lesson 4 when we
looked at the warnings of both 2 Peter and Jude about false teachers. This week
we'll take a brief but leisurely walk through the beginning and end of the
short, 25-verse Letter of Jude.
Jude's Humility (Jude 1a)
The letter begins:
"Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those
who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus
Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation
we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that
was once for all entrusted to the saints...." (Jude 1-3)
Notice how Jude introduces himself -- "a servant of Jesus Christ and a
brother of James." The word he uses for servant is the Greek noun doulos,
"slave, bond servant." It is an expression of his humility. Instead of boasting
that he was the brother of Jesus -- which he seems to have been -- instead he
identifies himself as the brother of James. This can be none other than "James
the Less", the brother of Jesus, who wrote the Epistle of James and served as
the leader of the Jerusalem Church (Acts 15:13; 21:18). Jude first humbles
himself as a servant or slave and then, again, by claiming kinship to a
prominent brother, James -- but not his most prominent brother, Jesus.
Jude, as we learned in the introduction to this series, is sometimes identified
with the Apostle Thaddeus[1] and is spoken of by St. Paul as "the brother of the
Lord" (Galatians 1:19). According to Hegesippus, he "was said to have been the
brother of the Lord according to the flesh" and that two of his grandsons lived
until the reign of Emperor Trajan.[2]
Privileges of the Letter's Recipients (Jude 1b)
As is customary, the letter's author introduces himself first, and then names
his recipients:
"To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and
kept by Jesus Christ." (Jude 1b)
Jude seems to love triads, groups of three. His three-fold characterization
of his recipients' privileges is:
- Called (by God),
- Loved by God the Father, and
- Kept by Jesus Christ.
Think about these words for a moment.
First, we are "called" by God, which means we are "summoned"
personally. This relationship begins not at your initiative, but God's.
He calls you. He invites you into fellowship with himself. We
evangelicals sometimes used the phrase, "accepted Christ," as if it were our
initiative. Yes, we have a part and we must say, "Yes," but it is God who
initiates, God who calls. "We love because he first loved us" (1 John
4:19).
Second, we are "loved by God the Father." Sometimes we Christians are
so Jesus-centered that we forget about the Father. I've run across some
Christians who find it politically incorrect to speak of God as "Father," thus
the concept of God as "Abba," God as the loving Parent, gets blurred, and is
dropped out of liturgy and preaching in order not to offend. How very sad. One
of Jesus' chief revelations of God was as Father -- his Father and ours. In the
Lord's Prayer he taught us to address God as "Father." The disciples had
depended upon Jesus to reveal God to them, but he tells them: "The Father
himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from
God" (John 16:27).
I don't know about you, but to hear my own father say, "I love you, Ralph,"
has been very special to me. Sometimes there had been strains in our
relationship. A distance had developed. But to have my father say, "I love you,"
is special. To be accepted and loved by my father touches me to the core.
The same is true with my heavenly Father. I so long to hear him say on that
Day when I stand before him, "Well done, good and faithful servant.… Enter into
the joy of your Lord" (Matthew 25:21). My dear friend, meditate on this phrase,
pray it back to the Father with thanksgiving -- "loved by God the Father." I am
loved by the King of the Universe -- personally. How wonderful!
Third, we are "kept by Jesus Christ." "Kept" (NIV), "kept safe"
(NRSV), and "preserved" (KJV) used here and in verse 21 is the Greek verb
tēreō. It has the basic meaning of "to retain in custody, keep watch over,
guard." Here it has the meaning "to cause a state, condition, or activity to
continue, keep, hold, reserve, preserve someone or something ... keep unharmed
or undisturbed."[3]
Some brands of Christianity maintain in their adherents a constant fear of
damnation. It's an attempt to keep them living right, no doubt. But it can also
be a means of control. Jude's characterization of a Christian's privilege is of
one who is "kept by Jesus Christ." You are "guarded" by Jesus. I am "preserved
unharmed" by Jesus. We don't have to fend for ourselves for salvation and
protection in the spirit world. Jesus, the King of Kings, has set a guard around
us. Hallelujah!
A Three-Fold Blessing (Jude 2)
Jude has characterized his readers' privileges. Now he blesses them:
"Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance...." (Jude 2)
Think of Jude as a priest of God pronouncing upon you this triad of
blessings:
"Mercy" -- Greek eleos, "kindness or concern expressed for
someone in need, mercy, compassion, pity, clemency."[4] I'll receive that
blessing! I need God's mercy to stand before him at all. Yes, I receive God's
mercy and compassion.
"Peace" -- The Hebrew blessing behind this word is "Shalom." Peace
with God and wellness and welfare from God himself. Yes, I receive that, too.
"Love" -- God's amazing love for us who deserve nothing, who have done
much sin to offend any concept of righteousness. To us his love is a marvelous
blessing and gift. I receive the blessing of love, as well.
The three-fold blessing -- mercy, peace, and love -- is now multiplied. The
Greek verb is plēthunō, "be multiplied, grow, increase."[5] Jude blesses
us with mercy, peace, and love and then calls upon God to up the ante, to double
the blessing, to multiply it many fold. What a wonderful God we serve, that his
servants can speak blessings not curses.
Five Commands for Christian Growth (Jude 20-21)
After his salutation and blessing in verses 1 and 2, Jude turns to the matter
of false teachers:
"Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the
salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the
faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints...." (Jude 3)
In Lesson 4 we studied this verse and many others, with parallels in 2 Peter,
so we'll skip them today. Jude lashes out at the false teachers, but by verse 20
his tone changes to one of love and nurture for his recipients, who must live
out their faith in a context where false teachers dangerously blur the
boundaries between immorality and Christian righteousness.
He speaks to them tenderly in verse 20, "But you, dear friends….." Literally,
he calls them "beloved," agapētos, "pertaining to one who is dearly
loved, dear, beloved, prized, valued,"[6], from the word agapē,
"self-giving love." In verse 1 he as reminded his readers that they are "loved
by God the Father." Now he addresses them with that same tender love, and gives
four commands for Christian growth that will help them maintain a vibrant
Christian life in the midst of an immoral and antagonistic society:
- Build yourselves up on your most holy faith.
- Pray in the Holy Spirit.
- Keep yourselves in the love of God.
- Look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal
life.[7]
- Rescue the perishing.
Let's look at these one by one.
1. Build Yourselves Up in Your Most Holy Faith (Jude 20a)
The first command is, "Build yourselves up in your most holy faith"
(Jude 20a). "Build yourselves" is the Greek verb epoikodomeō, "to
build something on something already built, build on to," here figuratively,
"to engage in a building process of personal and corporate development,
edify, build up/on."[8] The building material is "your most holy faith."
Jude speaks of a "most holy faith" to contrast it with the unholy
teachings of the false teachers.
Sometimes we expect God to build us -- and the Holy Spirit is certainly at
work to "edify" us. But this building requires significant cooperation from us.
How do you build yourself up in your faith? Paul reminds us, "Faith comes from
hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ"
(Romans 10:17). Our faith is built up when we listen to, meditate on, and put
into practice in our lives the teachings of Christ. We can do that for
ourselves, through reading the Bible on a regular basis -- and not just reading,
but thinking about, dwelling on, absorbing. It builds up, edifies, strengthens
us in our most holy faith. It is Jude's first command.
2. Pray in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20b)
The second command is: "Pray in the Holy Spirit" (Jude 20b). What does this
mean? Some say it means to pray in tongues, based on Paul's explanation of
worship in tongues:
"So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also
pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my
mind." (1 Corinthians 14:15)
If you'll notice, in this passage prayer and singing in tongues come from
Paul's own personal spirit -- though no doubt moved on by the Holy Spirit.
Several other verses indicate that prayer "in" or "by"[9] the Holy Spirit is
broader than prayer in tongues:
"For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to
fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba,
Father.'" (Romans 8:15)
"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our
hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'" (Galatians 4:6)
"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not
know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows
the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in
accordance with God's will." (Romans 8:26-27)
"And pray in (en) the Spirit on all occasions
with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and
always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:18)
The Spirit assists us in all kinds of prayers and requests. I have no doubt
that the Spirit assists us with prayer in tongues, but also all kinds of other
prayers. We are not to pray just rote prayers, but ask God how to pray and rely
upon the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit to pray effectively. Spirit-led
prayer is Jude's second command to help us grow in Christ.
3. Keep Yourselves in God's Love (Jude 21a)
The third command is, "Keep yourselves in God's love" (Jude 21a). "Keep
yourselves" is the Greek verb tēreō that we saw in verse 1 --
"keep/preserve unharmed or undisturbed." "God's love" here could be either God's
love for us or our love for God. Whichever it is, this command talks about us
keeping up our part of a love relationship with God. Consider these verses:
"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will
grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." (Matthew
24:12-13)
"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love."
(Revelation 2:4)
"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just
as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." (John
15:9-10, NRSV)
The false teachers were flagrantly disobeying Jesus' commands, thus they
weren't abiding in his love. No doubt you've met Christians whose love has
"grown cold," who have abandoned the love for Jesus they once had. Perhaps this
describes you.
Jude commands us to "keep ourselves in God's love." How do you do that? By
prayer and worship. The first question in the Westminster Shorter Catechism
asks: "What is the chief end of man?" The answer is: "To glorify God and to
enjoy him forever." Worship can be conducted with outward formality and external
propriety. It can also be conducted with love and full heart toward God --
any kind of Christian worship and liturgy! I want to encourage you to
prepare yourself for worship so that you can worship God with a true heart.
Nurture that relationship with him in your own private worship as well as in
public worship. You can fall back in love with the Lord. He'll help.
4. Look Forward to Christ's Mercy (Jude 21b)
The fourth command to help you grow in your Christian life is:
"Look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to
eternal life." (Jude 21b, NRSV)
"Wait for" (NIV), "looking for" (KJV), and "look forward to" (NRSV) is the
Greek verb prosdechomai, "to look forward to, wait for."[10] We should
live in the present, not in the past or future, but we must keep alive the flame
of hope in the promises of God for the future. "The mercy ... that leads to
eternal life" looks back to Jesus' atonement on the cross, then forward to the
great judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) where we are acquitted, based on the
presence of our names in the Lamb's Book of Life (Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 21:27),
among the roll call of those who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
Beyond the judgment we look to an eternity of life in the presence of God. Dear
friend, look forward to that mercy and to eternal life.
5. Rescue the Perishing (Jude 22-23)
We are told to look forward to God's mercy for us, but in the next breath
Jude tells us to be merciful to those who are tempted to various degrees. Here
is the fifth command: rescue the perishing.
"Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and
save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear -- hating even the clothing
stained by corrupted flesh." (Jude 22-23)
"Be merciful" (NIV), "have compassion" (KJV), and "have mercy" (NRSV) in
verses 22 and 23 is the Greek verb eleaō, "have mercy on," from the noun
eleos, "kindness or concern expressed for someone in need"[11] that we saw
in verse 2 above.
Specifically, we are to have mercy on those who waver, who doubt, who don't
have stability in their Christian walk. "Those who doubt" (NIV) is the Greek
verb diakrinō, "to be uncertain, be at odds with oneself, doubt,
waver."[12]
These waverers are probably not the false teachers who are brazenly
propagating sexual immorality, but those who have been influenced by their
teaching. Speaking figuratively, their "white garments" have been stained by
their immorality.[13] The garment referred to[14] is the one worn directly over
the skin or "flesh" -- which hints a both to (a) the physical flesh where sexual
sin may have taken place and (b) the figurative use of "flesh" to refer to one's
sinful nature.[15]
Jude warns us that in helping those who are entangled in sin, we must be
aware of our own spiritual danger, lest we become accepting and calloused to sin
-- especially the sexual sin he seems to have in mind here. We live in a
generation that winks at youthful promiscuity and expects a young person to live
with several lovers before marriage. When we help those who are caught in sin,
we must do so "with fear" lest we stop hating the sin that has entrapped the
sinner whom God loves.
Jude likens the rescue procedure to pulling a piece of wood out of a fire
that is already begun to burn it (Amos 4:11; Zechariah 3:2). "Snatch/snatching"
(NIV, NRSV) and "pulling out" (KJV) is the Greek verb harpazō. This is a
violent word which means "to make off with someone's property by attacking or
seizing, steal, carry off, drag away." Here it means "to grab or seize suddenly
so as to remove or gain control, snatch or take away."[16]
To snatch people from sin is a command every bit as much as binding on us as
those which relate to maintaining our own spiritual life. We have a
responsibility, especially towards our brother and sister Christians, to watch
out for them:
"Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual
should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted."
(Galatians 6:1)
"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone
should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error
of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."
(James 5:19-20)
"If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to
death, he should pray and God will give him life...." (1 John 5:16)
How do you grow in Christ?
- Build yourselves up
- Pray in the Spirit
- Keep your love fresh,
- Look forward to Christ's promises of mercy, and
- Rescue the perishing.
He Who Is Able to Keep You from Falling (Jude 24)
Jude closes his brief letter with an amazing description of God's commitment
toward us:
"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you
before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy." (Jude 24)
Both Peter and Jude have pronounced some terrible judgments upon the false
teachers. A Christian could become terrified of falling. I've talked to some
Christians who are frightened that they might have committed the unforgivable
sin or that they have sinned so badly and so often that God is tired of rescuing
them and they are beyond forgiveness. The wonderful message of the Christian
gospel is found in three parts (Jude seems to love triads):
- He will guard you against falling.
- He will present you before judgment without fault.
- He will present you with tremendous joy.
First, God will guard you against falling. What does "falling" mean here? It
is the Greek adverb aptaistos, "without stumbling,"[17] specifically
referring to the kind of fall from which you cannot recover -- the loss of
salvation.
God guards you against that. "Keep" is the Greek verb phulassō, "to
carry out sentinel functions, watch, guard" or "to protect by taking careful
measures, guard, protect."[18] Are you afraid that the devil will be too strong
for you? God is stronger. The apostle John writes, "You, dear children, are from
God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the
one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
God is guarding you. He is a hedge of protection around you (Job 1:10). He
instructs his angel to "encamp" around you and deliver you from your enemy
(Psalm 34:7), to guard you in all your ways (Psalm 91:11). As the invisible
horses and chariots of fire surrounded Elisha, so God is protecting you (2 Kings
6:17). God's guard around you is no small thing. You can rely upon him.
Second, he will present you[19] before his glorious presence at the judgment
without fault. "Without fault" (NIV), "faultless" (KJV), "without blemish" is
the Greek adjective amōmos, a word used with reference to sacrificial
animals being without defect or blemish. Here it carries the figurative sense:
"pertaining to being without fault and therefore morally blameless."[20] When
you think about this, it's amazing. The longer I live, the more I realize that I
fall short. I am much more aware of my own imperfection than when I was a young
man. But we see this again and again in scripture as a core celebration of the
Gospel's power to save:
"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be
holy and blameless in his sight." (Ephesians 1:4)
"Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her
holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to
present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any
other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:25-27)
"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may
become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked
and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe...."
(Philippians 2:14-15)
"But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through
death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from
accusation...." (Colossians 1:22)
"So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make
every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him."
(2 Peter 3:14)
Of the 144,000 -- "... who had been redeemed from the earth. These
are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves
pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among
men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in
their mouths; they are blameless." (Revelation 14:3-5)
What an amazing promise! Though we least deserve it, it is Christ's mission
to present you and me to God blameless, clothed in Christ's righteousness.
Hallelujah!
Third, he will bring you before his presence with tremendous joy. "Great joy"
(NIV), "exceeding joy" (KJV), and "rejoicing" (NRSV) render the Greek noun
agalliasis, "a piercing exclamation, exultation," from the verb agalliaō,
"to be exceedingly joyful, exult, be glad, overjoyed."[21] There's a passage in
Zephaniah that expresses this well:
"The Lord your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)
He loves you that much! Can you bring yourself to imagine that God himself
delights in you -- you personally? This scripture teaches that he does. He
delights in you as does a mother with her babies, as a grandfather constantly
showing off pictures of his grandchildren. He loves you with an intense and
emotional love. So when you finally appear before his glorious presence, he is
utterly delighted to see you there and will shout with joy.
This is the Gospel we declare: that our God guards us, forgives us, and
delights in us -- and with all who will draw close to him through Jesus our
Savior.
God Our Savior (Jude 25)
Jude now concludes with a doxology, words of praise to God:
"To the only[22] God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and
authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and
forevermore!" (Jude 25)
Observe that he calls God "our Savior." Sometimes we reserve this title to
Jesus the Son, but God the Father is very much our Savior, too. Dozens of verses
in the Bible call God our Savior (such as Psalm 18:46; Psalm 42:11; Isaiah 43:3;
Luke 1:47; 1 Timothy 2:3; 4:10; Titus 1:3; 2:10).
Next, Jude offers four words that describe God's greatness -- glory, majesty,
power, and authority. Following this, he offers praise through "Jesus Christ our
Lord." Finally, he encompasses all time with the words:
- Before all ages,
- Now, and
- Forevermore.
As I finish Jude I find myself groping for words to express my love, and my
mind lights upon a chorus by Noel Richards:
You deserve the glory and the honor
Lord, we lift our hands in worship
As we praise Your holy name.
For You are great, You do miracles so great.
There is no one else like You,
There is no one else like You![23]
Our God is great in so very many ways -- but to us he shows his greatness in
his restraint, the undeserved mercy he has shown us and in his inexplicable
delight in us, his love which springs with no reason from the heart of God and
knows no quenching. Yes, to him be glory, majesty, power and authority through
Jesus Christ our Lord -- forever! Amen.
Prayer
Lord, I am amazed at your love -- tough love, enduring love, love that breaks
out toward me when I least expect it, cleansing love, love that delights in me
even when I despair of my own weaknesses. I don't know why you have chosen to
love me -- and my brothers and sisters -- but you have. Help me to return that
love to you with my whole life. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
Key Verses
"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his
glorious presence without fault and with great joy -- to the only God our Savior
be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before
all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." (Jude 24-25)
References
Standard References
http://www.jesuswalk.com/1peter/refs.htm
- A. Camerlynck, "Jude., Epistle of St.," Catholic Encyclopedia (1908),
in loc.
- Hegesippus is quoted in Eusebius, Church History 3.19, 20, 22.
- BDAG 1002.
- BDAG 316.
- BDAG 826.
- BDAG 7.
- In Greek three of these are present participles that serve as commands, the
fourth is the present imperative.
- BDAG 387. Here the lexicographer translates verse 20, "build each other up
on the basis of the faith."
- The Greek preposition en can have either a either local or
instrumental sense here.
- BDAG 877.
- BDAG 314, 316.
- Diakrinō
has the basic meaning "to differentiate by separating." The
KJV selected the meaning "to conclude that there is a difference, make a
distinction, differentiate," which doesn't fit this context at all. Rather it
means here "doubt, waver" (BDAG 231). The meaning "doubt, waver" appears first
in the New Testament. This meaning is also found at Matthew
21:21; Mark 11:23; Luke 11:38; Acts 10:20; Romans 14:23; and James 1:6; 2:4.
- "Stained" (NIV), "spotted" (KJV), and "defiled" (NRSV) is the Greek verb
spiloō, "stain, defile," here and in James 3:6 (BDAG 938).
- "Clothing" (NIV), "garment" (NIV), or "tunic" (NRSV) is the Greek noun
chitōn, "tunic, shirt," a garment worn next to the skin, and by both sexes"
(BDAG 1085).
- "Corrupted flesh" (NIV), "flesh" (KJV), and "bodies" (NRSV) is the Greek
noun sarx. This word is used in several ways in the New Testament: (1)
the material that covers the bones, "flesh," (2) a "physical body," (3)
figuratively as "the sinful nature," commonly used this way in Paul's writings,
(4) a human being, and (5) the outward, external side of life (BDAG 914-916).
- BDAG 134. The word is used where no resistance is offered -- of Phillip
being caught up by the Spirit (Acts 8:39), of Paul being caught up to the third
heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2, 4), and of the rapture of the church (1
Thessalonians 4:17; Revelation 12:5).
- BDAG 126. From the verb ptaiō, "to lose one's footing, stumble,
trip." In 2 Peter 1:10 it has the idea, "to experience disaster, be ruined, be
lost," referring to the loss of salvation." (BDAG 894).
- BDAG 1068.
- "Present" (NIV, KJV) or "make you stand" (NRSV) is the common Greek verb
histēmi, "to stand." Here it carries the meaning, "to come up in the
presence of others, come up, stand, appear." "Before" (NIV, KJV) is the Greek
adverb katenōpion, "marker of a position in front of, right opposite"
(BDAG 531). This is an adverb used as a preposition.
- BDAG 56.
- BDAG 4.
- "Wise God" (KJV). The Textus Receptus plus K L P and most miniscules add
sophō, "wise." Bruce Metzger calls it "an obvious interpolation derived from
Romans 16:27." The shorter reading (without "wise") is decisively supported by
alpha A B C vg syr(h), cop(bo) arm, and others (Metzger, Textual Commentary,
p. 730).
- Words by Noel Richards, copyright 1991, administered by Kingsway’s ThankYou
Music.
Part of Disciple Lessons
from 2 Peter and Jude
Copyright © 1985-2012, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor
joyfulheart.com> All rights reserved. A single copy of this article is free. Do not put this on a website. See legal, copyright, and reprint information.
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