Jude is continuing his attack on false teachers who have infiltrated the church and who risk polluting the purity of the gospel with their doctrines and practices. Jude is certainly not vague or evasive about his concerns. His language is personal and pointed as he calls down woe on these deceivers. In our verses today the apostle employs another three notorious examples from the history of the Old Testament people and labels his targets ‘brute beasts’.  Brute beasts By using this phrase ‘brute beasts’ Jude conveys the idea of both ignorance and sensuality. He has previously called these people ‘ungodly men’, now they are brutish and beastly. They are beast-like in their teaching because they are bereft of spiritual understanding. There is a brutish physicality…

In the New Testament there really is not another epistle quite like Jude’s. Jude draws on Old Testament history, prophecy and imagery to support a strong, impassioned argument against false teachers who have infiltrated and troubled the church from apostolic days. He attaches to these ‘ungodly men’ vivid, illustrative epithets and grimly likens them to notorious characters such as Cain, Balaam and the sons of Korah. He enlists ancient writers such as Enoch and Moses to support his message. Jude’s burden is for the damage being done to the true gospel. Michael the archangel In all this, perhaps today’s reference to ‘Michael the archangel’ is the most enigmatic of all Jude’s observations and comments. Michael is not an unusual Bible name – around seven or…