This is the 13th lesson in a series of lessons on the book of Jude. In this lesson I do an exposition of Jude 1:10.
Watch the video or scroll down to read a transcript.
Transcript:
Hi, thanks for visiting Bible Mountain. This is part of a series of lessons on the book of Jude. In this lesson I’m going to look at verse 10.
The first four verses of the book of Jude are the introduction which tells us why Jude wrote this book. Jude recognized that people had crept into the church who were denying Jesus and distorting grace.
In verses five through seven Jude reminded us that Jesus is also a judge. This is one of the things Jude wrote in order to refute those who were distorting grace.
Then in verses 8 through 16 Jude further described the problem he was addressing in this letter. In this lesson we’re going to focus on verse 10.
Let’s start reading at Jude 3, Jude 3-4 are where Jude wrote why he wrote the book of Jude.
Jude 3
Beloveds,
making every effort to write to you
about our common salvation,
I felt the necessity to write to you
urging you to contend for the faith
which has been delivered over
once for all to the saints.
Jude 4
For certain people crept in secretly,
those who were long ago
designated into this judgment,
ungodly people
turning the grace of our God into sensuality
and denying our only Master and Lord
Jesus Christ.
Now let’s skip to verse 8 where Jude further described these people that he was writing about.
Jude 8
Nevertheless, likewise also
these men,
dreaming,
indeed
are defiling flesh,
rejecting authority,
and blaspheming majesties.
Jude 9
But
Michael the Archangel,
when arguing with the devil,
was disputing about the body of Moses.
He did not dare to pronounce
an abusive judgment;
rather,
he said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
Jude 10
But
these men indeed are blaspheming
the things they do not understand,
and
the things they naturally know, by them,
like speechless animals,
they are being destroyed.
In verse 10 we see a reference to “these men”. Let’s think about who “these men” are.
Jude 4
For certain people crept in secretly,
those who were long ago
designated into this judgment,
ungodly people
turning the grace of our God into sensuality
and denying our only Master and Lord
Jesus Christ.
In verse 4 Jude wrote that certain people had crept in secretly who were turning the grace of God into sensuality, and denying our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 8
Nevertheless, likewise also
these men,
dreaming,
indeed
are defiling flesh,
rejecting authority,
and blaspheming majesties.
Then in verse eight, Jude began to describe these men. He said they are defiling flesh, rejecting authority, and blaspheming majesties.
Jude 10
But
these men indeed are blaspheming
the things they do not understand,
and
the things they naturally know, by them,
like speechless animals,
they are being destroyed.
Then in verse 10, which is the verse we’re looking at in this lesson, he started off referring to these men. The men he was referring to in verse 10 are the ones who had secretly crept into the church and were distorting grace and denying Jesus.
We see in the middle of verse 10 the word “and”. The word “and” divides verse 10 into two sections. In the first section Jude wrote that these men are blaspheming the things they do not understand. In the second section he said the things that these men naturally know, by them they are being destroyed.
Let me make a broad statement about this verse, and that is that this is backwards. To blaspheme the things you do not understand and to be destroyed by the things that you naturally should understand is backwards. Unfortunately, backward thinking is something that’s very common in humanity, and it’s something that we see multiple times in the Bible.
Is. 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
One of the problems they had in the nation of Israel was people called good evil and evil good. We also see this concept of backward thinking in Romans.
Rom. 1:25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
People should have been worshipping the Creator. Instead, they were worshipping the creature.
1Cor. 5:1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. 2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.
Paul’s point here was that they should have been mourning the fact that someone had his father’s wife. However, they weren’t doing that, they were doing the opposite of what they should have been doing. They were backward. They were thinking about this issue backwards.
Let’s think about the ways in our culture today that we’re backwards or that we think backwards. Think about single parent homes versus two parent homes. Our society celebrates single parent homes and downplays the importance of two parent homes. That’s backwards.
Our definition of marriage is backwards.
Our society celebrates working mothers and makes stay-at-home mothers feel guilty for staying at home and not pursuing their career. That is backwards.
Our society treats monogamy as if it’s old fashioned. Meanwhile, it celebrates and promotes promiscuity. That is backwards.
Thinking backwards, doing things the opposite of how they should be done, is something that has been very common throughout history, something that is happening a lot in our society today, and it’s something we see here in the book of Jude.
Jude 10
But
these men indeed are blaspheming
the things they do not understand,
and
the things they naturally know, by them,
like speechless animals,
they are being destroyed.
The first half of verse 10 says these men indeed are blaspheming things they do not understand.
Let’s think about the word blaspheming. That comes from the Greek word blasphemeo. Let’s look at how that word was used in the New Testament.
Matt. 27:39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads
Here blasphemeo is translated as “hurling abuse”.
Rom. 14:16 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil;
Here blasphemeo is the idea of “spoken of as evil.”
1Cor. 10:30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?
Titus 2:5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.
2Pet. 2:2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;
2Pet. 2:10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties,
Jude 10
But
these men indeed are blaspheming
the things they do not understand,
and
the things they naturally know, by them,
like speechless animals,
they are being destroyed.
Verse 10 tells us “these men indeed are blaspheming the things they do not understand.” These men were reviling and speaking evil of things they did not understand. That’s backwards. It’s dangerous to say bad things about things you do not understand.
Think about this concept of things they did not understand. What might that have been? We see a potential answer to that in Jude 8.
Jude 8
Nevertheless, likewise also
these men,
dreaming,
indeed
are defiling flesh,
rejecting authority,
and blaspheming majesties.
Jude wrote that these men were blaspheming majesties. The word blaspheming is from the Greek word blasphemeo. Majesties refers to anything that has majesty. We often think of it as Jesus or angels.
Jude 10
But
these men indeed are blaspheming
the things they do not understand,
and
the things they naturally know, by them,
like speechless animals,
they are being destroyed.
Going back to verse 10, we know these men were blaspheming majesties. They were blaspheming perhaps Jesus or angels or other heavenly beings. These were things they did not understand.
Let’s go to the second half of verse 10. It reads “the things they naturally know, by them, like speechless animals, they’re being destroyed.” Think about the word “naturally”. That is a translation of the Greek word “phusikos”. “phusikos’ is related to the Greek word “phusis”.
Let’s look at some examples of how that Greek word was used in the New Testament.
Rom. 2:14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,
We see here the concept that Gentiles instinctively did the things of the law. They instinctively did the right thing.
1Cor. 11:14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering.
We see here the concept that there are things in life that we know by instinct, that nature teaches us, that we know without having to be taught.
Jude 10
But
these men indeed are blaspheming
the things they do not understand,
and
the things they naturally know, by them,
like speechless animals,
they are being destroyed.
Verse 10 tells us there are things men should know naturally or know by instinct. There are things we should know without being taught. These men were being destroyed by those things.
Think about this concept of being destroyed. “Destroyed” is a translation of the Greek word “phtheiro”. That word was used in First Corinthians 15.
1Cor. 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
Think about the idea of corrupting. We also see that word in Second Corinthians.
2Cor. 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
Think about the concept of being led astray. That Greek word is used in Jude 10 and is translated “destroyed”.
Jude 10
But
these men indeed are blaspheming
the things they do not understand,
and
the things they naturally know, by them,
like speechless animals,
they are being destroyed.
There are things these men should have known by instinct. They should have known them naturally. They should have known them without being taught. However, they were being destroyed by them. They were being led astray by them.
What are some things we should know naturally, without having to be taught? First of all, we naturally know that God exists. When we look at the universe that we live in, the logical, intelligent conclusion is there has to be a Living Being out there somewhere who created us.
As we look around the world, we also know that men and women are different. It’s very obvious.
We also know there’s right and wrong. There is this concept within every person that there are certain actions that are right. There are certain actions that are wrong. There might be debate as to which actions are right and which actions are wrong, but there still is a concept that there is right and wrong.
Most people agree that murder is wrong. Most people agree that stealing and rape are wrong. Most people agree that it’s right to be fair and honest in your dealings with other people. Most people agree that it’s right and good to tell the truth. Within humanity there is this innate, natural knowledge that there is right and wrong.
Jude 10
But
these men indeed are blaspheming
the things they do not understand,
and
the things they naturally know, by them,
like speechless animals,
they are being destroyed.
Going back to verse 10, we see that these men who had crept into the church were being destroyed by some of these things they should have naturally known. They were ignoring truths that they should have known and that was destroying them.
Likewise, we look at our society today and there are people who are denying that God exists. They are denying that men and women are different. They are denying that there is right and wrong. In many ways those people are being destroyed over their refusal to acknowledge these truths.
One more comment about verse 10. We see the phrase “like speechless animals”. Many of the people in our society who deny the truths that we should naturally know, think that they are intelligent. They are treated as if they are educated and intelligent people. But in some ways, they’re actually as dumb as speechless animals. Denying some of the things they are denying portrays a certain dumbness or a certain stupidity, just as Jude said these men are being destroyed like speechless animals.
Jude wrote in his letter that people had crept into the church who were distorting the grace of God and they were denying Jesus. He further described them as doing things backward. They were blaspheming things they did not understand, and they were being destroyed by the things they should have known by nature, without being taught.
That’s a lesson to us that we should not allow the same thing to happen to us. It is happening in our society. There are people who are denying truths that are self-evident. In many ways they are being destroyed by that. Let’s make sure that you and I do not do the same thing and destroy ourselves through denying obvious truths.
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