Jude 1:24-25

Jude 1:24-25

Contents:—Conclusion and Doxology

24Now64 unto him that is able to keep you65 from falling, and to present66 you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise67 God our Saviour,68 be glory and69 majesty, dominion and power,70 both now and ever,71 Amen.72

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Jude 1:24. But to Him that is able, etc.—The praise of God blends with the comfortable assurance that God can and will keep them even to His throne.

τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ this conclusion greatly resembles that in Romans 16:25.Jude 1:21; Jude 1:21 might suggest the doubt “Shall we succeed to keep ourselves in the love of God?” This doubt Jude solves by his reference to the power of God.

To keep you; ὑμᾶς φυλάξαι. Protect you from the perils of seduction, and preserve you in love, Jud 1:21; cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:3. [Alford: “The occurrence of αὐτούς (which is almost beyond doubt the true reading instead of ὑμᾶς of Rec. or ἡμᾶς of A), can only be accounted for by the supposition that St. Jude writes here, as of all to whom he has been addressing himself, in the third person, as if he was praying to God for them. His reason for not using ὑμᾶς may have been his desire to include also in the term those who might be convicted, rescued from the fire, and compassionated, as well as his more immediate reader. But it is hardly likely, in the solemn close of his Epistle, that he should mean by αὐτούς those only.”—M.]

From falling; ἅπταιστος, found only here, from πταίω, to stumble or strike against, cf. 2 Peter 1:10; James 3:2; James 2:10. Stier: “Who does not make or has not made a false step in his walk.”

In the presence of His glory; cf. 2 Peter 1:17. A special manifestation of it will take place at Christ’s coming to judgment.

Set; in that decisive day He will set them on His right hand and own them as His own, 2Th 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:10; Matthew 25:33; 1 Corinthians 6:2-3; Revelation 1:5-6; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 5:10.

Faultless; ἄμωμος, Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 5:27; Colossians 1:22; Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelation 14:5. Without the stains of sin, so that even the devil, the arch-blamer, cannot reproach them with any thing, after they have been cleansed and washed, cf. 2 Peter 3:14; Philippians 2:15.

With exceeding joy.—ἐν , cf. 1 Peter 4:13; 1 Peter 1:6-9; 2 Timothy 2:10; Revelation 19:7.

Jude 1:25. To the only (wise) God, etc.—Amen.

μόνῳ, cf. 1 Timothy 1:17; Romans 16:27; applies to God the Father, cf. John 17:3; Rev. 15:14.

Our Saviour.—A predicate of God the Father, as the above-mentioned clause διὰ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυριόυ ἡμων is probably genuine, as in 1 Timothy 2:3, and as the Father is called in the Old Testament Saviour and Redeemer, 1 Samuel 14:39; Psa 106:21; 2 Samuel 22:3; 2 Samuel 1:0 Chron. 17:35. He is our Saviour through the mediation of the Son, for διά belongs to σωτῆρι, not to the sequel, cf. Titus 1:3; Titus 2:10; Titus 3:4. [See Appar. Crit., Jude 1:25, note 5.—M.]

Glory (and) majesty.—[See Appar. Crit., Jude 1:25; Jude 1:6.—M.], cf. 2 Peter 3:18; Romans 11:36; Romans 16:27; Revelation 1:6; μεγαλωσύνη, cf. Deuteronomy 32:3, 70 =גֹּדֶל, Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 8:1. His wonderful greatness, as He is called in Scripture the Highest and Most High.

κράτος (German: power), strength. According to Roos, the essential, immovable strength of the Divine Being, which fainteth not, neither grows weary (Isaiah 40:28).

ἐξουσία [German: might), authority. His sovereignty, lordship and rule of all things. δόξα and κράτος are also found close together, 1 Peter 4:11; 1 Peter 5:11; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:13. Each of these attributes occurs in connection with one related to it. Stier defines the sense as follows: “The glorious majesty and the greatness of the love of God is praised for the good out of His fulness given, restored and preserved to His own; His mighty power is praised for the conquest of evil unto the victory of salvation attending the former.” We have probably to supply ἔστω, as 1 Peter 4:11.

Amen, similar to the conclusion of other doxologies, Romans 1:25; 2 Peter 3:18; so it is; it is assuredly true.

[The clauses διὰ Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν and πρὸ παντὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος have an important bearing, the first being “directed against heretics who separated Jesus from Christ, and did not acknowledge Him as the Giver of all grace from God;” the second as “asserting the eternal pre-existence of Christ against the false teachers.” (Wordsworth); from the latter, says Lillie, may be derived the liturgical formula: “As it was in the beginning.”—M.]

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Rieger:—“That which is impossible with men, is possible with God, who gladly uses His Divine power both in the first wakening of faith, Ephesians 1:19, and in keeping us to the end, John 10:28.” “For the good wrought in and by the accomplishment of His purpose of grace, honour and majesty are due to Him; for the evil conquered in and by the same power and might be ascribed to Him. Faith ascribes this doxology now, and hope is assured that there will be abundant cause for it throughout eternity.”

Starke:—God can do all things by His grace; this is the consolation of His elect and servants, Philippians 4:13.—O, eagerly-desired sight of the glory of Christ! Moses desired to see it in this life, and I cherish the same desire; but a sinful, guilty, mortal man may not see it, but in eternity I shall see it and not another, 1 John 3:2; Psalms 42:3, [cf. Job 19:27.—M.].—All the doings of men are evil, if they aim not at the spread of the honour and glory of God, 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Footnotes:

Jude 1:24; Jude 1:24. [δέ, but, better than now; δέ here introduces an important thought, and is tantamount to: “False teachers may seek for glory elsewhere, but you will ascribe it all to God through Christ.” Wordsworth.—M.]

Jude 1:24; Jude 1:24. Tischendorf reads αὐτοὺς applying to the deceived. De Wette says that this difficult reading ought to be preferred. He thinks that the author, soaring in devotion, turns, as it were, away from the readers, and yet means them. Untenable. If αὐτοὺς is genuine, it would confirm the view that Jude 1:22-23 refer to deceived believers. [ύμᾶς is the reading of C. G., Rec., Elz., Lachm., Vulg., Syr., Arab., Æthiop., al.—M.]

Jude 1:24; Jude 1:24. [στῆσαι, German: stellen, to set. “The only instance, out of 19, in which a transitive form of ἵστημι is translated present in E. V.” Lillie.—M.]

Jude 1:25; Jude 1:25. σόφῷ, omitted in A. B. C. Sin., and rejected by Griesb., Scholz., Lachm., Tischend., al.; it has probably crept in from 1 Timothy 1:17; Romans 16:27. [German retains it.—M.].

Jude 1:25; Jude 1:25. Griesbach and other reliable authorities add: διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν. So Tischendorf. [It is found in A. B. C., Sin., G., al., and is therefore the authentic reading.—M.]

Jude 1:25; Jude 1:25. [καὶ after δοξά cancelled by Lachm., Tischend., Meyer, Peyle, Wordsworth, al. It is wanting in Cod. Sin.—M.]

Jude 1:25; Jude 1:25. Griesbach and others add after ἐξουσία, πρὸ παντὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος. Comprehensive description of eternity. Tischendorf pronounces the reading well-authenticated. [It is found in A. B. C., Cod. Sin., G., received by Scholz, Lachm., Tischend., Alford, Wordsworth, al., but not adopted by Fronmüller; it is the most authentic reading—M.]

[71] Jude 1:25. [εἰς πάντας τοὺς αἰῶνας, literally, “unto all the ages,” Germ.: “unto all eternities.” The Italian, tutti i secoli, and the French, ‘tous les siècles,’ are the most literal versions.

[German of both verses:—“But to Him that is able to keep you inoffensively, and to set you before the face of His glorious majesty unblamable with exceeding joy, to the only wise God be glory and highness, strength and power both now and in all eternities. Amen.”[Translate:—“But to Him that is able to keep you from falling and to set you in the presence of His glory faultless with exceeding joy, to the only God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, strength and authority, before all eternity, and now and unto all the ages. Amen.”—M.

Jude 1:25; Jude 1:25. [The Subscription:—Ιουδα επιστολη καθολικη.. C. al.: του αγιου αποστολου ιουδα επιστολη. L. al.: ετελειωθη συν θεω και η του ιουδα καθολικη επιστολη. δοξα σοι ο Θεος, οΘεος, ο Θεος, ο μακροθυμων επ’ εμοι τω αναξιω δουλω σου. K.: Ιουδα επιστολη. A.: Ιουδα B., Sin. Omitted by many Cursives.—M.]