The Contradiction of Ungodliness (2): Jude 8-10

⁸In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. ⁹But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" ¹⁰Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals--these are the very things that destroy them.

In v8, Jude ties these examples from the Old Testament to the current situation of his audience by calling the false teachers “dreamers” who pollute their own bodies, like the folks of Sodom and Gomorrah, reject authority like the Israelites, and slander celestial beings, like the fallen angels. “By their fruits, you will know them.” These false teachers’ lives showed unbelief (rejecting authority), pride (slandering celestial beings), and immorality (polluting their own bodies), rather than pure faith, humility, and holiness, as true teachers’ lives should exude.

Jude then tells his audience about Michael the archangel. Michael – the greatest of angelic beings – in his dispute with the devil, did not engage in slanderous pride or unbelief or immorality. Rather he humbly obeyed God, appealing to Him to rebuke the evil one (Zechariah 3:2). Calvin says, “It is beyond controversy that Moses was buried by the Lord, that is, that his grave was concealed according to the known purpose of God. And the reason for concealing his grave is evident to all, that is, that the Jews might not bring forth his body to promote superstition. What wonder then is it, when the body of the prophet was hidden by God, Satan should attempt to make it known; and that angels, who are ever ready to serve God, should on the other hand resist him? And doubtless we see that Satan almost in all ages has been endeavoring to make the bodies of God’s saints idols to foolish men (referring to Catholic relics in altars). Therefore this Epistle ought not to be suspected on account of this testimony, though it is not found in Scripture… Michael dared not to speak more severely against Satan (though a reprobate and condemned) than to deliver him to God to be restrained; but those men hesitated not to load with extreme reproaches the powers which God had adorned with peculiar honors.”

And in v10, we learn that the false teachers spoke abusively against whatever they did not understand. I heard about a television preacher who said he was in a room when all of the sudden, a demonic force came in. The temperature of the room dropped dramatically and everything began to frost over. Even the furniture began to levitate. The preacher claimed to have addressed that spirit, telling him to get out, and he went out through the window. At that time the furniture fell back to the floor and the temperature returned to normal. But the preacher claimed then to have leaned out the window and said, “Come back here demon! I haven’t finished with you yet. Put that furniture back where you found it.” Now he thought that was very clever, and I’m sure it was impressive to some of his followers. But it seems to me that he engaged in slandering celestial beings, which is a sign of false teaching. It’s messing around with Biblical doctrine that ends up being, as Jude says in v10, the very things that destroy. Grace leads not to prideful immorality but to pure faith and humble obedience and holiness.