Breakdown of Jude

What is Jude talking about ?

For certain people have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into indecent behavior and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

 People that are appearing to be of Salvation, that are trusting that they are secure and are actually marked for destruction.  This is used is example in several following verses, noting the context is those who presume to be secure, and are then destroyed. 

 Now I want to remind you, though you know everything once and for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. - Jude 

Taken from a place - Egypt   
Then- Destroyed 


Of note is that in this following verse, it is the only place angels are mentioned, where as translators add the word angels in two other verses to reconstruct the meaning of the text to be a doctrine regarding angels rather than about those who are putting trust in something other than God and following through with faith obedience.

 And angels who did not keep their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling place, these He has kept in eternal restraints under darkness for the judgment of the great day

Angels had a place- Heaven 
Then- Chained in darkness for judgement day 

 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in sexual perversion and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.- Jude

A secure place - Sodom and Gomorrah  
Then- like the cities surrounding were destroyed for sexual deviance 

 People try to take verses 6,7, and 8 to be speaking about angels falling and engaging in sex presumably to try and build a case for fallen angels being sons of God and drawing off of extrabiblical enoch text... but a huge problem is that the word angels or angelic isn't in verse 7 and 8 and as is done with other passages like Job- assumptions are made and then built upon.  Jude states that the angels are in darkness awaiting judgement day, Enoch says that they are cast to earth, develops genitals , enter covenant relationships with earth women rather than fornicate, and sire a race of have angel- half human breed of Giants. In the effort to shoehorn this text to make it say something to affirm that doctrine 

Yet in the same way these people also, dreaming, defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak abusively of majesties. 9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him an abusive judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these people disparage all the things that they do not understand; and all the things that they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. - Jude 

Again. the context is a reverence for God and not a debased fleshly assurance or slander. Rather than this being an Extrabiblical showdown of the angels and the Devil of which we would have to look elsewhere than the scripture to find, I find that the reasoned explanation is that the body of Moses in question is not the physical bones of the Prophet, but rather a reference to the church and the argument with Joshua the High priest.

 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a log snatched from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was clothed in filthy garments and was standing before the angel. 4 And he responded and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your guilt away from you and will clothe you with festive robes.” 5 Then I said, “Have them put a clean headband on his head.” So they put the clean headband on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing by.- Zechariah 3:1-5

He continues to say that in obedience faithfulness leads to being a member of the house of God 

 And the angel of the Lord admonished Joshua, saying, 7 “The Lord of armies says this: ‘If you walk in My ways and perform My service, then you will both govern My house and be in charge of My courtyards, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here. - Zechariah 3:6-7

Note that this interpretation, without sensational interpretation, now fits not only within the bounds of established scripture but also fits with the context of Jude in that it is about humbly serving God and that faithfulness will be rewarded INSTEAD of spewing slander and turning aside to the works of the flesh. 
 

Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have given themselves up to the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are the ones who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, like shepherds caring only for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, churning up their own shameful deeds like dirty foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever. -Jude 

Who was Cain, He was man who was offering sacrifices to God who was warned by God that sin was looking to rule over him but he must master it, just like the context of these men in Jude that they must not trust in anything but God and continue in faithfulness not trusting in self or or position or place or even man made doctrine.  Now lets look at an objection regarding a prophesy that people say is quoting from extrabiblical sources such as Enoch:

 

  It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying,Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

• the Lord
• with Holy Ones
• and to repay the ungodly of their deeds 

Matthew  16:27 

For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.

• The Lord
• with holy ones 
• repaying the ungodly of their deeds

Psalms 149

For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. 5 Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, 7 To execute vengeance on the nations And punishment on the peoples,  8 To bind their kings with chains And their nobles with fetters of iron,9 To execute on them the judgment written;This is an honor for all His godly ones. Praise the Lord!

• The Lord 
• With Holy ones
• repaying the ungodly for their deeds

 Matthew 25 

“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ... 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; ... 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

• The Lord
• With Holy ones
• repaying the ungodly for their deeds

2 Thessalonians 1

This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. 6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.

•  The Lord 
• With Holy ones 
• repaying ungodly for their deeds. 

As seen here the Judes prophesy is found in scripture without Enoch. Enoch being used to doesn't mean that Christ or Jude thought that Enoch was scripture any more than Paul citing Pagan philosophers and poets to convey a utilitarian truth. 

Pagan authors quoted or alluded to are:

Menander, Thais 218, quoting Euripides,"Evil company corrupts good habits" (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Epimenides, de Oraculis, (Titus 1–12:13) where Paul introduces Epimenides as "a prophet of the Cretans"; see Epimenides paradox)

Aratus, Phaenomena 5, (Acts 17:28 where Paul refers to the words of "some of your own poets")

None of these are scripture or considered scripture and it would be wrong to do so. 



Acts 17 

 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ 29 Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. 30 Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

Returning back to Jude we can see that Jude is quite likely referencing Zechariah in context with the mentioning of the garments 

But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 18 that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.- Jude

The unclean garment, just like in Zechariah taking the unclean and giving clean

 “See, I have taken your guilt away from you and will clothe you with festive robes.” 5 Then I said, “Have them put a clean headband on his head.” So they put the clean headband on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing by -Zechariah 3:4-5

In conclusion Jude is not about angel sex or quoting a prophecy from an external source its about our security not being in a place, a doctrine, ourselves, or our flesh. It is found in Christ alone, and we must be faithful and humble that He clothed in Him and His righteousness. 

24 Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen.

 Amen.