Contending for the Faith: A Study of Jude 8

1. Introduction & Overview

Jude's brief letter delivers a powerful warning against false teachers who abuse God's grace as a license for immorality. In verse 8, Jude specifically targets how these false teachers claim spiritual authority based on supposed divine dreams and visions, while simultaneously living immoral lives and rejecting legitimate spiritual authority.

This sermon addresses the timeless challenge of discerning true spiritual authority from false claims. Pastor Mark examines how we should evaluate claims of new revelation when they contradict established Scripture, particularly focusing on four reasons to reject new dreams, visions, or prophecies that undermine God's Word. The sermon culminates with a practical application for believers today: while God may still speak through dreams and visions, these will never contradict His previously revealed Word.

Study Objectives:

• Understand the biblical criteria for evaluating claims of new spiritual revelation
• Examine how false teachers throughout history have used "new revelation" to justify immoral behavior
• Explore the relationship between God's written Word and continuing revelation
• Apply these principles to contemporary situations where people claim special revelation

Estimated study time: 2-3 hours

2. Exegetical Analysis

Structure and Literary Context

Verse 8 continues Jude's condemnation of the false teachers that began in verse 4. After providing historical examples of God's judgment against the ungodly in verses 5-7 (rebellious Israel, fallen angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah), Jude transitions with "in the same way" (ὁμοίως) to show that contemporary false teachers follow the same pattern of rebellion.

Jude 8 (ESV): "Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones."

The verse contains three specific accusations against the false teachers:

1. They rely on dreams while defiling the flesh (sexual immorality)
2. They reject authority/lordship
3. They blaspheme/slander the glorious ones

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

"Yet in like manner these people also" - Jude connects the current false teachers with the historical examples of rebellion. This establishes continuity between God's past judgments and the certain judgment awaiting these false teachers.

"relying on their dreams" (ἐνυπνιαζόμενοι, enypniazomenoi) - This participle describes the basis of their claimed authority. The term refers to receiving visions or dreams, which in biblical tradition could be legitimate means of divine revelation (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17). However, the Old Testament also warned against false prophets who claimed divine dreams (Jeremiah 23:25-32; Deuteronomy 13:1-5).

"defile the flesh" (σάρκα μιαίνουσιν, sarka miainousin) - This refers to sexual immorality. The term "defile" (μιαίνω) was often used in contexts of ritual impurity, particularly sexual impurity. The false teachers claimed their dreams gave them license for sexual permissiveness.

"reject authority" (κυριότητα ἀθετοῦσιν, kuriotēta athetousin) - The term "authority" (κυριότης) is related to the word for "Lord" (κύριος). This likely refers to rejecting the lordship of Christ himself, not merely human authority.

"blaspheme the glorious ones" (δόξας βλασφημοῦσιν, doxas blasphēmousin) - The identity of "the glorious ones" is debated. Options include angels, church leaders, or demonic powers. Given the context of verse 9 (which discusses Michael the archangel), the most likely referent is angels as mediators of God's law.

Author's Intent

Jude intends to expose the true nature of the false teachers by showing how their claimed spiritual experiences lead to:

1. Moral corruption rather than holiness
2. Rejection of Christ's lordship rather than submission
3. Disrespect for divine order rather than reverence

He wants the church to recognize that genuine spiritual experiences always lead to greater holiness, submission to Christ, and respect for God's established order.

3. Historical & Cultural Context

Second Temple Judaism and Angelology

In Second Temple Judaism, angels were highly regarded as mediators of God's law. According to Deuteronomy 33:2 (LXX), the law was delivered to Moses by "myriads of angels." This belief is reflected in several New Testament passages (Acts 7:38, 53; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 2:2). The false teachers' blasphemy against "the glorious ones" likely reflects their dismissal of the law these angels delivered.

False Prophets and Dreams in Ancient Israel

Israel had a long history of false prophets claiming divine dreams. Jeremiah 23:25-32 specifically condemns prophets who "prophesy the delusions of their own minds" and claim "I had a dream!" Jeremiah contrasts these false dreams with the true word of God: "What has straw to do with grain?" (v.28).

Sexual Immorality in Greco-Roman Culture

The Greco-Roman world of Jude's time featured religious practices that often included sexual rituals. Some Gnostic-leaning teachers taught that the physical body was irrelevant to spiritual life, leading to either asceticism or licentiousness. The false teachers in Jude's context were promoting the latter, using their "revelations" to justify sexual immorality.

Historical Movements That Claimed New Revelation

The sermon mentions Montanism (mid-2nd century), which claimed new revelations superseding apostolic teaching. Church historian Eusebius recorded how the church rejected Montanus because his prophetic utterances contradicted "the custom from the beginning of the church." This established an important precedent for evaluating claims of new revelation.

4. Word Studies

"Dreams" (ἐνυπνιαζόμενοι, enypniazomenoi): This Greek participle derives from ἐνύπνιον (enypnion, "dream"). In the Septuagint, this word appears in contexts of both true divine dreams (Joel 2:28) and false prophetic dreams (Jeremiah 23:25-32). The participle form suggests these false teachers were in a habitual state of claiming dreams or visions. The word carries a sense of being in a dreamlike state, potentially disconnected from reality.

"Reject authority" (κυριότητα ἀθετοῦσιν, kuriotēta athetousin): The term for "authority" (κυριότης, kuriotēs) is related to the word for "Lord" (κύριος, kurios). This rare term appears only four times in the New Testament. Its root connection to "Lord" suggests these false teachers were rejecting the lordship of Christ himself, not merely human authority structures. The verb ἀθετέω (atheteō) means to nullify, reject, or set aside, indicating a deliberate rejection.

"Blaspheme" (βλασφημοῦσιν, blasphēmousin): This verb means to slander, revile, or speak evil against someone or something. It combines βλάπτω (blaptō, "to harm") and φήμη (phēmē, "speech"), literally meaning "harmful speech." In religious contexts, it refers to speech that dishonors God or sacred things. The false teachers were speaking disrespectfully about angelic beings who deserved honor as God's messengers.

"The glorious ones" (δόξας, doxas): Literally "glories," this unusual plural form of δόξα (doxa, "glory") appears to refer to angelic beings. In Second Temple Judaism, angels were associated with glory and splendor as they reflected God's glory. These beings were particularly revered as mediators of God's law, making the false teachers' blasphemy against them equivalent to dismissing the authority of God's law.

"Defile" (μιαίνουσιν, miainousin): This verb describes ritual or moral contamination. In Levitical law, it referred to becoming ceremonially unclean. In moral contexts, it often referred specifically to sexual impurity. The present tense indicates ongoing, habitual defilement, not isolated incidents.

5. Cross-References & Biblical Theology

Dreams and Divine Revelation

1. Joel 2:28-29 - "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions." This prophecy, fulfilled at Pentecost, confirms that dreams can be legitimate means of divine revelation.

2. Acts 2:17 - Peter quotes Joel 2:28 at Pentecost, confirming that dreams and visions are part of the Spirit's work in the New Covenant era.

3. Jeremiah 23:25-28 - "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!'... Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully." This passage establishes that claimed dreams must be evaluated against God's revealed word.

4. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 - Even if a prophet or dreamer performs signs and wonders, if they encourage disobedience to God's commands, they must be rejected.

Authority and Submission

5. John 13:13-14 - Jesus establishes himself as "Teacher and Lord," establishing his authority over believers.

6. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - "You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." This establishes Christ's lordship over believers' bodies, contradicting the false teachers' sexual license.

7. Matthew 7:21-23 - "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father." Genuine recognition of Christ's lordship leads to obedience.

Sexual Ethics and Holiness

8. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 - "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality... For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life."

9. 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 - Paul condemns sexual immorality because it unites Christ (through the believer's body) with a prostitute.

10. Matthew 19:4-6 - Jesus appeals to Genesis 1-2 as the definitive revelation on gender and marriage, establishing that we must return to "the beginning" for God's design.

Apostolic Authority and Complete Revelation

11. John 16:13 - "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth." Jesus promised the apostles complete revelation.

12. John 17:20 - "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message." Jesus established that future believers would come to faith through the apostolic message, not new revelations.

6. Interpretive Considerations

Identifying "The Glorious Ones"

Scholars debate the identity of "the glorious ones" (δόξας) whom the false teachers blaspheme:

1. Angels (most likely) - Given the context of verse 9 discussing Michael the archangel, and the Jewish belief that angels mediated the law (Galatians 3:19), this interpretation makes the most contextual sense. The false teachers would be blaspheming the angelic mediators of God's law, effectively dismissing the law itself.

2. Church Leaders - Some suggest these might be church authorities whom the false teachers disrespect. However, the term δόξας ("glories") would be unusual for human leaders.

3. Demonic Powers - Some suggest these might be evil spiritual powers, but this would make the comparison with Michael's respectful treatment of Satan in verse 9 difficult to understand.

The sermon takes the position that these are good angels, particularly as mediators and guardians of God's law. This interpretation best fits the context of the false teachers rejecting divine authority and moral boundaries.

Continuing Revelation vs. Closed Canon

The sermon addresses the tension between affirming that God still speaks today through dreams, visions, and prophecies (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17; 1 Corinthians 14:1) while maintaining the closed canon of Scripture and the sufficiency of apostolic revelation.

This balanced view recognizes that:

1. God can and does still speak through dreams, visions, and prophecies
2. However, these contemporary revelations must always be tested against Scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21; 1 John 4:1)
3. No new revelation will contradict or supersede what God has already revealed in Scripture
4. The canon is closed—no new books will be added to Scripture

This position stands between two extremes:

• Cessationism (which denies continuing revelatory gifts)
• Continuationism that elevates contemporary prophecies to the level of Scripture

Homosexuality and Biblical Interpretation

The sermon addresses contemporary attempts to redefine biblical teaching on homosexuality, addressing four common reinterpretation arguments:

1. The "pederasty only" argument - The claim that biblical prohibitions only condemned exploitative relationships with young boys, not loving adult same-sex relationships. This fails because the biblical terms are general, condemn both partners, and describe mutual desire (Romans 1:27).

2. The "cherry-picking laws" argument - The claim that Christians inconsistently apply Old Testament laws. This fails to recognize the theological distinction between universal moral laws (repeated in the New Testament) versus ceremonial and civil laws specific to ancient Israel.

3. The "against nature" argument - The claim that Paul only condemned those acting contrary to their own sexual orientation. This fails because the Greek term παρὰ φύσιν (para physin) refers to God's design in creation, not individual orientation.

4. The "ancient ignorance" argument - The claim that ancient authors had no concept of sexual orientation or committed same-sex relationships. Historical evidence from Plato's Symposium (375 BC) and other ancient sources demonstrates this is historically inaccurate.

This analysis demonstrates the sermon's commitment to historical-grammatical exegesis rather than eisegesis driven by contemporary cultural values.

7. Theological Implications

The Sufficiency of Scripture

Jude 8 reinforces the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture—that the Bible contains all we need for faith and godly living (2 Timothy 3:16-17). While God may continue to speak through dreams and visions, these will never add to or contradict the complete revelation given through the apostles. This protects the church from both adding to Scripture (Revelation 22:18-19) and from being led astray by false claims of new revelation.

The Lordship of Christ

The false teachers' rejection of "authority" (κυριότητα) reveals a fundamental rejection of Christ's lordship. This highlights the theological truth that genuine faith always includes submission to Christ as Lord, not merely intellectual assent to his teachings. Salvation involves not just receiving Christ as Savior but submitting to him as Lord (Romans 10:9).

Sexual Ethics and Creation Order

By appealing to Jesus' method of addressing sexual ethics questions (returning to "the beginning" in Genesis 1-2), the sermon establishes that biblical sexual ethics are grounded in creation order, not merely cultural conventions or ceremonial laws. This connects sexual ethics to God's created design rather than arbitrary rules, demonstrating God's goodness in establishing boundaries.

Progressive Revelation and Its Limits

The sermon acknowledges the biblical pattern of progressive revelation—God revealing more of himself and his will over time—while maintaining that this progression reached its climax and completion in Christ and the apostolic witness (Hebrews 1:1-2). This establishes that while God's revelation was progressive, it is now complete in terms of doctrinal and moral teaching.

The Relationship Between Grace and Holiness

The false teachers abused grace as a license for immorality. This distortion highlights the proper theological understanding that grace leads to holiness, not lawlessness (Romans 6:1-2, 15; Titus 2:11-12). God's grace transforms believers to desire and pursue holiness, not to rationalize sin.

8. Practical Application

Evaluating Claims of New Revelation

When someone claims to have received a dream, vision, or prophetic word:

1. Test it against Scripture—does it align with God's revealed Word?
2. Examine its fruit—does it lead to greater holiness or to license for sin?
3. Assess its view of Christ—does it exalt Jesus and promote submission to his lordship?
4. Consider its humility—does it submit to the authority of Scripture or claim to supersede it?

Responding to "I Prayed About It" Reasoning

The sermon addresses how people often say "I prayed about it" to justify decisions that clearly contradict Scripture:

• For matters where Scripture speaks clearly (sexual ethics, marriage fidelity, dating non-believers), there is nothing to "pray about" except for strength to obey
• Prayer should never be used to seek permission to disobey what God has already commanded
• The proper prayer is "God, help me trust and obey what you've already revealed"

Maintaining Biblical Sexual Ethics in a Changing Culture

Believers today must:

1. Know what Scripture actually teaches about sexuality and be able to defend it
2. Recognize and refute revisionist interpretations with grace and truth
3. Follow Jesus' example of appealing to creation order (Genesis 1-2) when addressing sexual ethics
4. Hold to biblical truth with both conviction and compassion
5. Understand that standing for biblical sexual ethics may cost social approval

Discerning True and False Teaching

Develop these habits to protect yourself from false teaching:

1. Study Scripture thoroughly, not just isolated verses
2. Follow the Berean example of examining all teaching against Scripture (Acts 17:11)
3. Recognize that if teaching is "new" (contradicting historical Christian understanding), it's likely not true
4. Submit personal feelings, experiences, and cultural values to the authority of Scripture
5. Participate in a church community that values sound doctrine and holds one another accountable

9. Discussion Questions

1. Observational: What three specific charges does Jude bring against the false teachers in verse 8? How does each charge relate to the historical examples in verses 5-7?

2. Interpretive: What does it mean that the false teachers "rely on their dreams"? How might this relate to their rejection of authority and moral boundaries?

3. Theological: How do we balance the biblical truth that God still speaks through dreams and visions (Acts 2:17) with the closed nature of the biblical canon? What guidelines help us evaluate claimed revelations?

4. Applicational: What are some contemporary examples of people claiming new revelations that contradict established biblical teaching? How should we respond to such claims?

5. Investigative: Research the Montanist movement of the 2nd century. What similarities do you see between their claims and contemporary movements that emphasize new revelation?

6. Theological: How does Jesus' approach in Matthew 19:4-6 (appealing to "the beginning") provide a model for addressing contemporary ethical questions? What other ethical issues might benefit from this approach?

7. Interpretive: Who do you think "the glorious ones" are in Jude 8, and why does your interpretation make the most sense of the context?

8. Applicational: How would you respond to someone who says, "I prayed about it, and I feel peace" about a decision that contradicts clear biblical teaching?

9. Theological: How does the New Covenant promise that God would "write his law on our hearts" (Jeremiah 31:33) relate to Christian obedience? Does this make God's commands more or less binding?

10. Investigative: Research one of the four arguments used to reinterpret biblical teaching on homosexuality. What additional scholarly responses exist beyond those mentioned in the sermon?

11. Applicational: How can we maintain both truth and love when discussing biblical sexual ethics with those who disagree? What practical steps can we take to avoid either compromising truth or failing in love?

12. Theological: What is the relationship between dreams/visions and the written Word of God in terms of authority? How should we evaluate spiritual experiences in light of Scripture?

10. Recommended Resources

Commentaries on Jude

1. Bauckham, Richard. Jude, 2 Peter (Word Biblical Commentary). [Advanced] A scholarly commentary that provides detailed analysis of the Greek text and historical background.

2. Schreiner, Thomas R. 1, 2 Peter, Jude (New American Commentary). [Intermediate] Balances scholarly insights with accessible application, particularly strong on theological implications.

3. Green, Gene L. Jude and 2 Peter (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). [Intermediate/Advanced] Provides thorough exegetical analysis with attention to the literary and theological aspects of the text.

On Scripture and Revelation

4. Carson, D.A. and John Woodbridge. Scripture and Truth. [Intermediate] A collection of essays exploring the nature of Scripture, its authority, and its sufficiency.

5. Grudem, Wayne. The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today. [Intermediate] Presents a balanced view on continuing revelation while maintaining the unique authority of Scripture.

On Biblical Sexual Ethics

6. Yarhouse, Mark A. Homosexuality and the Christian: A Guide for Parents, Pastors, and Friends. [Introductory/Intermediate] A compassionate approach to the topic from a clinical psychologist who maintains biblical convictions.

7. DeYoung, Kevin. What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?. [Introductory] A clear, accessible explanation of the relevant biblical texts and responses to revisionist interpretations.

8. Gagnon, Robert A.J. The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics. [Advanced] The most comprehensive scholarly treatment defending the traditional interpretation of relevant biblical texts.

These resources provide a range of difficulty levels and perspectives to help you deepen your understanding of Jude and the theological issues raised in this study.