Jude 1:11–25

These people are even fratricides, because what they teach kills the souls of those who are deceived by them. Look how he describes their outrageous ungodliness. He is not content to compare them with Cain but adds Ba-laam and Korah as well. Cain we understand from the above. Balaam he adds because Ba-laam went out to curse God's people for the sake of money, even if God later turned his tongue around to the point where he blessed them instead. Korah is mentioned because he seized a teaching authority which God had not granted to him.

Woe to them who have gone in the way of Cain, etc. They go in the way of Cain, who assume for themselves the name of learned men out of envy for their betters to be honored. And they pour themselves out in the error of Balaam, who for the love of earthly goods, attack the truth which they themselves know. They perish in the contradiction of Korah, who descended alive into the inferno, whoever separates themselves from the unity of the Holy Church with the desire of undue primacy, knowing and foreseeing how much evil they carry, yet they descend to the abyss of crimes. And indeed the Lord reproached Cain for thinking of fratricide, but envy did not let him be saved. Balaam, however, desiring to walk against the people of God, the Lord forbade, but the love of money hindered him from obeying. Moses tried to calm Korah, who was boasting, speaking for the Lord; but his pride made him incurable. Thus indeed, thus do heretics act, who, scorned by the rebuke of the holy Church, refuse to be corrected; rather they strive to kill their brothers with the sword of evil doctrine, as Cain did, deceive them with evil counsel as Balaam did, and rise up against catholic teachers as Korah did, to their own destruction.

"Woe unto them!" he says, "for they have gone in the way of Cain." For so also we lie under Adam's sin through similarity of sin.

I and my colleagues who were present with me were deeply and grievously distressed, dearest brother, on reading your letter in which you complained of your deacon, that, forgetful of your priestly station, and unmindful of his own office and ministry, he had provoked you by his insults and injuries. And you indeed have acted worthily, and with your accustomed humility towards us, in rather complaining of him to us; although you have power, according to the vigour of the episcopate and the authority of your See, whereby you might be justified on him at once, assured that all we your colleagues would regard it as a matter of satisfaction, whatever you should do by your priestly power in respect of an insolent deacon, as you have in respect of men of this kind divine commands. Inasmuch as the Lord God says in Deuteronomy, "And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest or the judge, whoever he shall be in those days, that man shall die; and all the people, when they hear, shall fear, and shall no more do impiously." And that we may know that this voice of God came forth with His true and highest majesty to honour and avenge His priests; when three of the ministers -Korah, Dathan, and Abiram-dared to deal proudly, and to exalt their neck against Aaron the priest, and to equal themselves with the priest set over them; they were swallowed up and devoured by the opening of the earth, and so immediately suffered the penalty of their sacrilegious audacity. Nor they alone, but also two hundred and fifty others, who were their companions in boldness, were consumed by a fire breaking forth from the Lord, that it might be proved that God's priests are avenged by Him who makes priests. In the book of Kings also, when Samuel the priest was despised by the Jewish people on account of his age, as you are now, the Lord in wrath exclaimed, and said, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me." And that He might avenge this, He set over them Saul as a king, who afflicted them with grievous injuries, and trod on the people, and pressed down their pride with all insults and penalties, that the despised priest might he avenged by divine vengeance on a proud people.

Since it has been declared that heretics have completely deserted the word of truth, Jude shows how they are subjected to different kinds of evil.

Woe to them, for they have gone the way of Cain, and for profit they have abandoned themselves to the error of Balaam, and in the contradiction of Korah they perished. "The way of Cain": this is, through the murder of a brother: for those teaching such things also kill their brothers, or men of the same sort, with wicked doctrines. Or even by absorbing the seed, they kill the brother in virtue, whom the fruitfulness of the seed would bring forth to life. "the error of Balaam", because they, like him, do these things for the sake of gain. Furthermore, the way of Korah, because they, like him, seized the office of teacher, being unworthy.

Woe to them, because they went in the way of "Cain" through fratricide; for, teaching impious doctrine to brethren, that is, to fellow men, they kill them with their evil teachings, or: by devouring the seed, they kill their brethren in potentiality, that is, those whom the seed, brought to maturity, would have brought into life. They went in the way of "Balaam," because they too do what they do for the sake of gain, like Balaam. They went in the way of "Korah," because, like him, being unworthy, they seized for themselves the dignity of the teaching office.

The apostle's words about these men who will not be pardoned have to be understood metaphorically. For he is not talking about stars and clouds, waves and trees, though he uses them as examples, because what they have they have by nature, whereas these men have the same things by deliberate choice. For waterless clouds which are blown about by the winds are not punished, nor are fruitless trees which just die. Wild waves have nothing to be ashamed of either, because they are mindless and devoid of sense. Likewise, the stars we call planets do not inherit the darkness—sinful people do! The ones whom Jude is talking about are like wandering planets which are going along the pathway which is diametrically opposed to virtue. The darkness is reserved for them, not as stars but as men. For Jude's point has nothing to do with stars or clouds or waves, but rather it is concerned with the animal-like behavior of men, their wickedness and corruption.

These are spots in their feasts, etc. He who sins is stained: the stain is the very crime that contaminates its perpetrator. And therefore he calls the heretics, whom he accuses, stains; because they not only perish themselves in their feasting and drunkenness, whether carnal or spiritual, but they also destroy and pollute others.

Clouds without water, etc. The saints are preachers, who, having their conversation in the heavens, shine with miracles, and rain with words. Of whom it is said to God: And your truth reaches to the clouds. But heretics are clouds without water, who have placed their mouth in the heavens by their proud words; but they do not water the hearts of their listeners with the water of wisdom, who are carried away by the winds, as if by the suggestion of invisible spirits, and are caught up in various errors of vices.

Autumnal trees, fruitless, twice dead, uprooted. A tree is dead which does not bear good fruit; but one that has also produced the fruit of evil work is called a twice-dead tree. And if he who refuses to bear the fruit of good work is said to be cut down for his barrenness and cast into the fire; what punishment do you think he deserves, who either by acting wickedly or by perverting others has brought forth the most wicked fruits? Nor is it surprising if fruitless and twice-dead trees are said to be uprooted, which are proven to be. For it is said of the saints: Rooted and grounded in love (Ephes. III). But those who do not fear to uproot themselves from the firmness of love, and justly admit if they seem to have any good fruit. Such men are deservedly compared to autumnal trees, to show their salvation is hopeless. For in the time of autumn not only no fruits are born; but also those that were born and ripened usually fall. To this time are compared those who neglect to bear the fruits of faith themselves and strive to uproot and convert into vain endeavors those good deeds which they see faithful people perform.

"Clouds," he says, "without water; who do not possess in themselves the divine and fruitful word." Wherefore, he says, "men of this kind are carried about both by winds and violent blasts." "Trees," he says, "of autumn, without fruit,"— unbelievers, that is, who bear no fruit of fidelity. "Twice dead," he says: once, namely, when they sinned by transgressing, and a second time when delivered up to punishment, according to the predestined judgments of God; inasmuch as it is to be reckoned death, even when each one does not immediately deserve the inheritance.

These people may say that they will bear fruit, but they are lying because they are incapable of doing that. The reason is that they are thorns and weeds, and trees without any fruit at all. They are fit for nothing except to be thrown into the fire.

These are the blemishes who are in your love feasts, feasting without fear, shepherding themselves; they are clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead and uprooted; wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. "These are the blemishes who are in your love feasts (ἀγάπαις)." There were still at that time, tables that were prepared in the churches, of which Paul speaks in the Epistle to the Corinthians (11): which were also called ἀγάπας, that is, "loves). Jude says, "They come together not for the purpose that is in them, but to find an opportunity "enticing unstable souls": as Peter also says in the second Epistle (2:14). And what he says: without fear, or with the preceding, it should be arranged that there is this sense: "Like the stones of the sea living together," that is, when they expect nothing to fear, they suddenly take on one form, like the stones of the sea leading to the punishment of souls. But, fearlessly shepherding themselves, or rather to be arranged towards the blemishes, so that the meaning may be this: Fearlessly feasting like blemished ones, that is, not anticipating any fear from the fellow diners, suddenly, like blemished ones, bringing upon them the destruction of souls. As for the shepherding, feeding themselves without fear. Without fear, he says, the judgment from not knowing how to shepherd, but blind, leading the blind, and into the abyss, as the Lord will say, falling in with those being shepherded. And he likens them to cliffs, and to clouds without water, and to autumn trees, and to wild waves, and to wandering stars. For they have that which exists by nature, these things by choice. For if the whirlpools are deadly to those sailing, unexpectedly arising, they also present a trustworthy evil to those dining together. And the waterless clouds, driven by the winds, wherever they may be carried, do not refresh with rain, for they do not have it; rather, they work out darkness for them. Likewise, these also do not save the souls of those who encounter them with a saving word, but they darken them with their most polluted teachings, being driven by the wicked practices of the demons. But even the autumn trees, dying twice, both in the shedding of their fruit and in the falling of their leaves (for they seem then to be deprived of beauty, both from the splendor of the fruit and from the flowery elegance of the leaves), suffer something appropriate to them. For they are twice cast out due to the eating of the seed, and they are deprived of the good behavior that comes from a temperate state. Therefore, they are also uprooted from the paradise of the Lord of the Church. And being cast out from this, they are gathered to the eternal fire. For what standing or root will he have, who is being thrown by all into the heap of pleasure? The stars also wander and engage in business, not because they are transforming to the firmament of our faith, having the sun of righteousness (Mal. 4:2), Christ, arising through them, and producing the hours of virtues, and giving life to the faithful arranged according to these, but because they seem to be transformed into an angel of light, as the wicked demon who is their precursor, on the contrary, only bear the doctrines of the Lord, by which they also darken those approaching, and acquire for themselves eternal darkness. But even when compared to wild waves, they do not deny their similarity to them. For they themselves, driven by the spirits of wickedness, blaspheme against God without restraint, foaming up their own shame, ultimately coming to a foam with the height of blasphemy, from the weak and easily broken filth of their lives. Such is the foam of the waves to which they have been compared.

At that time, love-feasts were still being celebrated in the churches, as the Apostle Paul says in the Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 11:21–22), called "agapae," or "love-feasts." They, he says, come together at the feasts not for the benefit contained in them, but in order to find an occasion to beguile unstable souls, as the Apostle Peter also says in his second epistle (2 Pet. 2:14). He likens such people to hidden rocks, waterless clouds, autumn trees, and wandering stars; for what happens in these by nature is done by heretics by choice. Just as hidden rocks, encountered unexpectedly by those sailing, prove destructive to them, so too heretics cause unexpected harm to their companions at the feast. Just as waterless clouds do not refresh with rain (for they have none in themselves) the places to which they are carried, driven by the wind, but bring darkness upon them, so too heretics do not irrigate the souls of the people they encounter with saving teaching, but darken them with their most foul narratives, driven by the evil qualities of demons. Autumn trees die twice, losing their fruit and shedding their leaves (for dry trees at this time appear stripped of their adornment, the splendor of fruit and the flourishing comeliness of leaves). And something similar happens with heretics as well. They too die twice, losing their fruit through the consumption of the seed and being stripped of the comeliness of a prudent life. Therefore they are also uprooted from the paradise of the Lord, that is, from the Church, and outside of it are gathered and cast into the eternal fire. For what root will one have whom all turn away from on account of the vileness of his life? The words "without fear" should be referred to the words "feast themselves." They feast themselves "without fear," that is, not fearing the condemnation pronounced by the Lord for their inability to shepherd: blind leaders of the blind, together with those they lead, they themselves also fall into the pit (Matt. 15:14).

These are people who by their wicked life and ungodliness have killed their souls with false doctrines. Before they believed, they were dead in their ungodliness, but when they turned to the gospel they found life. However, they gave themselves up again to ungodliness and lust, thereby killing themselves a second time. How can someone who is this guilty, doing evil and living in ungodliness and lust, ever find stability or roots in such a topsy-turvy life?

Wild waves of the sea foaming out their own shame. The wild waves of the sea are perverse teachers, who are always restless in themselves, swollen, dark, and bitter, and never cease to attack the peace of the Church, which is the stability and firmness of the faithful. But such men are rightly said to foam out their own shame, because, like swollen waves, the higher they rise in pride, the more they are confused, dissolving into the lightest foam and perishing.

Wandering stars, for whom the storm of darkness is reserved forever. The wandering stars, which are seven, never rise or set in the same place where they did the day before; but sometimes they descend to the lowest part of the winter zone, sometimes they ascend to the highest part of the summer zone, sometimes they return to the middle line of the equinoctial zone. Thus indeed, thus are the heretics, who promising the light of truth, never persist in the same state of teaching; but now in this way, now in that way, shaping their doctrine, they themselves clearly show how contemptible is the display of light which they promise. And indeed among the planets, that is the wandering stars, the most well-known are the moon, the morning star, which is also the evening star. These are sometimes taken in a good sense, when the sun is the Lord, the moon is the Church, the morning star is John the Baptist, who, by being born, preceded the Lord about to be born in the flesh and by providing testimony to the light. But we also read about the sun in a bad sense, as the Lord says about the seeds sown on rocky ground: And when the sun rose, they were scorched (Matthew 13). Which he himself explains further: When persecution arises because of the word, they quickly fall away (ibid). Therefore, the sun's heat indicates the fervor of persecution. We read about the moon in a bad sense: A fool is changed like the moon (Ecclesiasticus 27). The morning star in a bad sense: How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star (Isaiah 14)? This can be understood not only about the devil's first fall, but also about his members who fall from the Church through heresy. The evening in a bad sense: You cause darkness to be fall upon the children of earth (Job 38). Because both the Antichrist and his ministers, although they transform themselves as angels of light, do not bear witness to the divine light, like the morning star to the sun; but they rather show the works of darkness to their followers; similar to the star called the evening star, which appearing in the west in the evening, is the precursor of the ensuing night. It says, Wandering stars, for whom the storm of darkness is reserved forever. For rightly they will be sent into the darkness of eternal torment, who were bringing the darkness of errors into the Church of God under the name of light. Deservedly they will be struck by the storm of punishment, who, like sea storms, were disturbing the peace of the faithful.

"Waves," he says, "of a raging sea." By these words he signifies the life of the Gentiles, whose end is abominable ambition. "Wandering stars,"— that is, he means those who err and are apostates are of that kind of stars which fell from the seats of the angels— "to whom," for their apostasy, "the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.

These people are called wandering stars because they do not follow the sun of truth.

He calls them "wandering stars." Heretics are like them not in the sense that they shine in the firmament of our faith and through them passes the Sun of righteousness, Christ, who brings virtues to maturity and gives life to the faithful devoted to them, but in the sense that, appearing to have taken upon themselves the guise of an angel of light, like their originators, the demons (2 Cor. 11:13–14), they rush only against the teachings of the Lord, by which they both darken those who approach them and prepare for themselves eternal darkness. He likens them to "raging waves." They bear resemblance to these as well; for, driven by the spirits of wickedness, they foam madly and uncontrollably in blasphemies against God with their shameful deeds and end the inconstant and easily destroyed shame of their life in the foam of proud blasphemies. For such is also the foam of the waves to which they are likened.

Does not the canonical epistle of Jude the apostle openly declare that Enoch spoke as a prophet? It is true that his alleged writings have never been accepted as authoritative, either by Jews or Christians, but that is because their extreme antiquity makes us afraid of handing out as authentic works those which may be forgeries.

Prophecies were made about them by the seventh from Adam, Enoch, etc. He does not speak against all men, but against all the impious, leaving none of them unpunished. It is added about them:

And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones To execute judgement upon all, And to destroy all the ungodly: And to convict all flesh Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.

Enoch also, the seventh from Adam," he says, "prophesied of these." In these words he verities the prophecy.

But the seventh from Adam, Enoch, also prophesied, saying: Behold, the Lord comes with thousands of His saints to execute judgment on all and to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly works which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against God. Jude adds to these things Enoch, who previously prophesied the punishment reserved for them by God, in the final judgment of God. "all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly works." The ungodly differs from the sinner in that the ungodly has sin against God, while the sinner deviates from the goal of righteousness in the actions of life.

I am aware that the Scripture of Enoch, which has assigned this order (of action) to angels, is not received by some, because it is not admitted into the Jewish canon either. I suppose they did not think that, having been published before the deluge, it could have safely survived that world-wide calamity, the abolisher of all things. If that is the reason (for rejecting it), let them recall to their memory that Noah, the survivor of the deluge, was the great-grandson of Enoch himself; and he, of course, had heard and remembered, from domestic renown and hereditary tradition, concerning his own great-grandfather's "grace in the sight of God," and concerning all his preachings; since Enoch had given no other charge to Methuselah than that he should hand on the knowledge of them to his posterity. Noah therefore, no doubt, might have succeeded in the trusteeship of (his) preaching; or, had the case been otherwise, he would not have been silent alike concerning the disposition (of things) made by God, his Preserver, and concerning the particular glory of his own house. If (Noah) had not had this (conservative power) by so short a route, there would (still) be this (consideration) to warrant our assertion of (the genuineness of) this Scripture: he could equally have renewed it, under the Spirit's inspiration, after it had been destroyed by the violence of the deluge, as, after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian storming of it, every document of the Jewish literature is generally agreed to have been restored through Ezra. But since Enoch in the same Scripture has preached likewise concerning the Lord, nothing at all must be rejected by us which pertains to us; and we read that "every Scripture suitable for edification is divinely inspired." By the Jews it may now seem to have been rejected for that (very) reason, just like all the other (portions) nearly which tell of Christ. Nor, of course, is this fact wonderful, that they did not receive some Scriptures which spoke of Him whom even in person, speaking in their presence, they were not to receive. To these considerations is added the fact that Enoch possesses a testimony in the Apostle Jude.

Since Enoch in the same book tells us of our Lord, we must not reject anything at all which genuinely pertains to us. Do we not read that every word of Scripture useful for edification is divinely inspired? As you very well know, Enoch was later rejected by the Jews for the same reason that prompted them to reject almost everything which prophesied about Christ. It is not at all surprising that they rejected certain Scriptures which spoke of him, considering that they were destined not to receive him when he spoke to them himself. But we have a witness to Enoch in the epistle of Jude the apostle.

Nor, of course, is this fact wonderful, that they did not receive some Scriptures which spake of Him whom even in person, speaking in their presence, they were not to receive. To these considerations is added the fact that Enoch possesses a testimony in the Apostle Jude.

To what was said above he adds that Enoch also prophesied about the punishment awaiting them from God in the last days, that is, on the day of God's righteous judgment.

And to convict all the impious. He actually states that the seventh from Adam is Enoch, who prophesied these things, to confirm by example what he stated above: Because the impious men who long ago were designated for such judgment had slipped in at his time to subvert the faith of the pious.

And to convict (he says) all the impious of all their deeds of impiety, etc. This sentiment is indeed true, because the Lord, coming in judgment, will convict the impious not only of deeds but also of words, and will judge the wicked; however, it should be known that the book of Enoch, from which this is taken, is classified among the apocryphal Scriptures by the Church, not because the sayings of such a great patriarch can be in any way dismissed or should be considered false, but because the book offered under his name does not seem to have been truly written by him, but published by another person under his title. For if it were truly his, it would not be contrary to sound faith. But now, because it contains many incredible things, among which is the account of the giants not having human fathers but angels, it is clear to the learned that the writings that are tainted with falsehood are not those of a truthful man. Hence, this same Epistle of Jude, because it bears testimony from an apocryphal book, was rejected by many in the early times. However, due to its authority, antiquity, and use, it has merited to be counted among the holy Scriptures, especially because Jude took such testimony from an apocryphal book which is conspicuous for the clear truth of its true light rather than being apocryphal and dubious.

Between the ungodly and the sinner there is this difference: the ungodly one sins in relation to God, while the sinner deviates in the affairs of life from the aim of righteousness.

These people have no confidence in their own teaching. For how can it not be dangerous to spread it with such wickedness and blasphemy?

These are murmurers, grumblers, etc. The more anyone murmurs and grumbles about the present labors of the Church, the less they have extinguished the desires of the flesh within themselves. But on the contrary, holy Daniel and other men of heavenly desires, as diligently as they only desire the things above, so much more scornfully do they despise all passing things that seem adverse.

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and their mouth speaks great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. After this, however, having been freed from the accommodation of these ungodly ones, Jude now also addresses the matter itself, accusing their vices, calling them grumblers and complainers. There is indeed a grumbler, one who, under his breath and without speaking out, complains to the one who is displeased. The complainer, on the other hand, always and constantly engages in contempt. These wretched ones are murmurers and complainers, Jude says. For they do not have the boldness to engage in their teaching through shameful means. For it is not without danger to publicly proclaim recklessness with wickedness and blasphemy. And they are complainers, slandering both other people and the truth, in order to set up their own evils and obscenity as if they were something good. As he has said concerning Balaam, that they have poured themselves out for profit just like him, he now states more clearly that they flattering people to gain advantage, admiring indeed, by flattering those in authority, but the profit is actually the gain.

After this, having left off the comparison of the ungodly, he now proceeds to the actual exposure of them, calling them murmurers and fault-finders. A murmurer is one who through clenched teeth and timidly censures what is displeasing to him, while a fault-finder is one who always and at everything laughs. These vile ones are murmurers and fault-finders. They are murmurers, for they do not dare openly to make use of their teaching, on account of its vileness, since it is unsafe to publicize their ungodliness, which is joined with debauchery and blasphemy. They are fault-finders, because they slander everything that belongs to others and truth itself, in order to more firmly establish their own evil and debauchery. What was said above, that the heretics, like Balaam, were carried away by reward, he now explains with the words: they "show partiality" for the sake of "gain." To show partiality means to deal flatteringly with those in authority.

Jude does not specify which apostles he is referring to, but many people assume he means Peter, James and John.

"remember the words spoken beforehand by the apostles," those by Peter in the second Epistle, and by Paul in almost every epistle. From this, it is clear that this was written last after the apostles had passed away.

Jude got this from Peter's second letter, where he talks about Paul's writings, for Paul has a lot to say about this.

Outside this body the Holy Spirit giveth life to no one, seeing that, as the apostle says himself, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us;" but he is not a partaker of the divine love who is the enemy of unity. Therefore they have not the Holy Ghost who are outside the Church; for it is written of them, "They separate themselves being sensual, having not the Spirit." But neither does he receive it who is insincerely in the Church, since this is also the intent of what is written: "For the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee deceit." If any one, therefore, wishes to receive the Holy Spirit, let him beware of continuing in alienation from the Church, let him beware of entering it in the spirit of dissimulation; or if he has already entered it in such wise, let him beware of persisting in such dissimulation, in order that he may truly and indeed become united with the tree of life.

These are they who separate themselves, etc. Therefore, they reprobate themselves by separating from the lot of the righteous, hence they are sensual, that is, following the lusts of their own soul, because they have not merited to possess the Spirit of unity by which the Church is gathered together, by which it is made spiritual. Therefore, they dissolve, because they lack the bond of charity.

"Those," he says, "separating" the faithful from the unfaithful, be convicted according to their own unbelief. And again those separating from the flesh. He says, "Animal not having the spirit;" that is, the spirit which is by faith, which supervenes through the practice of righteousness.

The Nestorians are sensual men, not having the Spirit, because they divide the one Christ and Son and Lord into two sons.… For they pretend to confess one Christ and Son and say that his person is one, but by dividing him into two separate hypostases they completely sweep away the doctrine of the mystery.

"These are the ones who are causing divisions." Behold, another accusation against these very small men.

For they are not the only ones, Jude says, who perish, but they also rob the nourishments of those of the Church, (for this is what the term "cause division" intends to signify), that is, making them outside the ecclesiastical boundaries, either of the faith or even of the very holy tabernacle of the Church. For having shown their gatherings to be a den of thieves, they lead away from the Church, but bring to themselves. And they do this, being worldly people, that is, living according to the behavior of the world. For we have already said that the divine Scripture often calls the soul and life, as in Job; "All that a man has, he will give for his soul," (Job 2:4) that is, for his life. Of these, Paul says that they are natural men, unable to accept the things of the Spirit of God. (1 Cor. 2:14) Being worldly, they are taught by natural means, concerning which it has been said: This wisdom is not from above, descending from the Father of lights (James 1:17), but is earthly, demonic, not having the Spirit of God speaking.

Here is yet another fault of these most vile people. They, he says, not only perish themselves, but also snatch away the nurslings of the Church (this is what "those who separate" means), that is, they lead them beyond the boundaries of the Church, that is, the boundaries of the faith or even of the church enclosure itself. For they have made their assemblies into dens of robbers, and they lead others away from the Church and bring them to themselves. They do this because they are soulish people, that is, people who live according to the manner of the world. For we have already noted that Holy Scripture has the custom of calling the life also "soul." And the Apostle Paul says that soulish people cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:14). So, being soulish, they also employ soulish teaching, of which it is said: "This is not the wisdom that descends from above, but is earthly, soulish, demonic" (James 3:15), not having the Spirit of God.

But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, etc. We pray in the Holy Spirit when, pierced by divine inspiration, we seek heavenly aid to receive the goods which we cannot possess by ourselves. Therefore, the blessed Jude instructs us to build ourselves up on the foundation of holy faith, to thus join ourselves as living stones to the house of God, which is the Church; he thus commands us to keep ourselves in the love of God, so that we never presume on our own strength, but hope in the aid of divine protection. Let no one according to the dogma of Pelagius declare that he can be saved by himself, but let us all seek the coming of the Holy Spirit into us, by which inspired we may be able to pray more fervently, lest perhaps we be separated from the society of the Holy Church with those who do not have the Spirit and therefore continue to be sensual.

"But you, beloved." Therefore, Jude says, but you building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, that is, making your own gatherings according to the teaching of the Holy Spirit in your prayers. "keep yourselves in the love of God," that is, safeguard yourselves, waiting for the mercy of our Lord that leads to eternal life.

Soulish people, he says, act as we have described. But you, build yourselves up on the Holy Spirit and on your most holy faith, that is, renew yourselves in the Holy Spirit, that is, conduct your assemblies in your houses of prayer according to the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

And "keep" yourselves in the love of God, that is, preserve yourselves, awaiting mercy from the Lord, Who on the last day will grant you eternal life.

Jude is recommending mercy for those who doubt the truth of the words of false teaching. As for other kinds of doubters, James condemns them in his letter.

And of some have compassion, making a difference: others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh, etc. What he said with fear must be joined to all three things he proposed. Because whoever reproves apostates and shows them as damnable must act in fear, lest perhaps he or his loved ones suffer something similar. And whoever rescues another from the fire of vices by chastising him, must consider himself lest he also be tempted. And whoever shows mercy to a penitent neighbor must also do this carefully, lest perhaps he becomes more severe or more lenient than is just.

"But some," he says, "save, plucking them from the fire;" "but of some have compassion in fear," that is, teach those who fall into the fire to free themselves. "Hating," he says, "that spotted garment, which is carnal:" that of the soul, namely; the spotted garment is a spirit polluted by carnal lusts.

Since, then, there is much difference between those who have sacrificed, what a want of mercy it is, and how bitter is the hardship, to associate those who have received certificates, with those who have sacrificed, when he by whom the certificate has been received may say, "I had previously read, and had been made aware by the discourse of the bishop, that we must not sacrifice to idols, that the servant of God ought not to worship images; and therefore, in order that I might not do this which was net lawful, when the opportunity of receiving a certificate was offered, which itself also I should not have received, unless the opportunity had been put before me, I either went or charged some other person going to the magistrate, to say that I am a Christian, that I am not allowed to sacrifice, that I cannot come to the devil's altars, and that I pay a price for this purpose, that I may not do what is not lawful for me to do." Now, however, even he who is stained with having received a certificate,-after he has learnt from our admonitions that he ought not even to have done this, and that although his hand is pure, and no contact of deadly food has polluted his lips, yet his conscience is nevertheless polluted, weeps when he hears us, and laments, and is now admonished of the thing wherein he has sinned, and having been deceived, not so much by guilt as by error, bears witness that for another time he is instructed and prepared.

And those, if they separate from you (for this is what "to distinguish" means), rebuke them, that is, make their wickedness evident to all.

If they are aimed at healing, do not reject them, but receive them with your love, snatching them out of the fire that threatens them. But receive them with caution and with fear, considering that the reception of these may become a cause of distress for you if you are careless in your dealings with them, leading to the theft of those already established into the same overflow of their wickedness. For wickedness is very zealous. Therefore, let their reception be, Jude says. But approach them with fear, either with careful consideration, and let the hatred towards their small deeds be accompanied by mercy, hating and detesting them, and the garment stained by their flesh, or their defiled garment, as it touches their flesh and becomes disgusting. Those who receive them with the fear of the coming punishment, Jude says, should see mercy granted to them, preparing for repentance.

And those, if they are departing from you, rebuke, that is, expose their impiety before all; but if they are disposed toward healing, do not push them away, but receive them by the mercy of your love, saving them from the fire that threatens them.

If someone can use the word of God to rescue those who have already fallen into the all-embracing fire set alight by the flaming arrows of the devil, he will snatch the most promising ones from the fire. For this person is not called to snatch back those who have been condemned by God.

Hating even the garment stained by the flesh. By "garment of the flesh" he means our body. However, we should not hate our body, but we should hate this stained condition in every way, and as much as we can act to make it spotless, so that what is carnal may deserve to become spiritual. Since this is not achieved by our own will, but must be accomplished by the grace of God, it is rightly added:

What is meant by "a cloak stained by corrupted flesh"? This is said of those who have a life stained by the lusts of the flesh. We all have clothes which bear the marks of our life, whether we are righteous or not. The person who has a clean cloak is one who leads a pure life, whereas the one who has a soiled one has got mixed up with evil deeds. Or a cloak may be soiled by the flesh if the latter is formed in its conscience by the memory of those evil deeds which spring from the flesh and which still work on the soul. Just as the Spirit can make a cloak for the soul out of the virtues which come from the principle of incorruptibility, so by analogy the flesh can produce an unclean and soiled cloak from the lusts which belong to it.

What if, even here, you should conceive to reply that communion is indeed denied to sinners, very especially such as had been "polluted by the flesh," but (only) for the present; to be restored, to wit, as the result of penitential suing: in accordance with that clemency of God which prefers a sinner's repentance to his death? -for this fundamental ground of your opinion must be universally attacked.

Receive them, however, with mercy and with fear, being careful that receiving them, through your careless disposition toward them, does not become a cause of perdition for yourselves, because they drag even those who are firm in the faith into the flood of their impiety, and evil is easily adopted.

So then, receive them, but approach them with fear, that is, with caution, and combine mercy toward them with hatred for their vile deeds; even toward the garment defiled by their flesh, have loathing and aversion, because through contact with the flesh it itself becomes defiled. Or: receiving them, by the fear of future punishment prepare them so that they may repent and prove worthy of mercy. The defiled garment is a life defiled by many transgressions as a result of fleshly passion. For every person is known, whether righteous or unrighteous, by their way of life, as if by their clothing. One has clean clothing, a virtuous life; another has defiled clothing, a life with evil deeds. Or, better: the garment defiled by the flesh is such a habit and disposition of conscience that corrupts the soul by the remembrance of the depraved movements and actions of the flesh, constantly looking upon which, as upon its own clothing, the soul is filled with the stench of passions. For just as from the Spirit, through virtues gradually added one to another, a garment of incorruption is formed for the soul, putting on which it becomes beautiful and most glorious, so also from the flesh, through the gradual addition of one passion to another, a certain impure and defiled garment is formed, which of itself reveals the qualities of the soul and gives it a different appearance and image, and not God's.

When Jude says this, does he not show that perseverance in good to the end is a gift of God?

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling, etc. It rightly says here that we will be placed in exultation before the presence of God's glory, whom he previously admonished to serve God in fear. For the more fearful we are about our actions in the present, the more we will rejoice about our deserved reward in the future.

"Now to Him," he says, "who is able to keep you without stumbling, and present you faultless before the presence of His glory in joy." In the presence of His glory: he means in the presence of the angels, to be presented faultless, having become angels. When Daniel speaks of the people and comes into the presence of the Lord, he does not say this, because he saw God: for it is impossible that any one whose heart is not pure should see God; but he says this, that everything that the people did was in the sight of God, and was manifest to Him; that is, that nothing is hid from the Lord.

Having said these things, he seals the letter with a prayer.

To the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory and majesty. This clause attributes equal and co-eternal glory and kingdom to both the Father and the Son, before all and through all ages. It also refutes the error of those who believe the Son to be less or posterior to the Father, when it says that glory, majesty, dominion, and power belong to God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. And this not from the beginning of any time, but before all ages, and now and for all ages of ages. Amen.

Praise is given to God alone, for he is the only one who deserves our worship. He is our Savior, because "he has saved his people from their sins." Glory is ascribed to him because he is the victor in every battle; majesty, because the praise of the heavenly virtues is so great; dominion, because he rules over all he has made; and authority, because he has the power to destroy or to set free everything in creation. He exists from the beginning, in the present and forever.

Having said this, the apostle concludes his epistle with a prayer, as with a seal.