Quotes & Notes
- Praying through the Holy Spirit-Who alone is able to build you up,
as he alone laid the foundation. In this and the following verse St.
Jude mentions the Father, Son, and Spirit, together with faith, love,
and hope. By these means, through his grace, keep yourselves in
the love of God, and in the confident expectation of that eternal life
which is purchased for you, and conferred upon you, through the mere
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- John Wesley Notes
- Building up yourselves] Having the most holy faith-the Gospel
of our Lord Jesus, and the writings of his apostles, for your
foundation; founding all your expectations on these, and seeking from
the Christ who is their sum and substance; all the grace and glory ye
need.
Praying in the Holy Ghost] Holding fast the Divine influence which ye
have received, and under that influence making prayer and supplication
to God. The prayer that is not sent up through the influence of the Holy
Ghost is never likely to reach heaven.
Keep yourselves in the love of God] By building up yourselves on your
most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Ghost; for without this we
shall soon lose the love of God. -
Adam Clarke Commentary
- praying in the Holy Ghost-- (Ro 8:26; Eph 6:18). The Holy
Spirit teaches what we are to pray for, and how. None can pray aright
save by being in the Spirit, that is, in the element of His influence.
CHRYSOSTOM states that, among the charisms bestowed at the beginning of
the New Testament dispensation, was the gift of prayer, bestowed on
someone who prayed in the name of the rest, and taught others to pray.
Moreover, their prayers so conceived and often used, were received and
preserved among Christians, and out of them forms of prayer were framed.
Such is the origin of liturgies [HAMMOND].
Keep yourselves--not in your own strength, but "in the love of God,"
that is, God's love to you and all His believing children, the only
guarantee for their being kept safe. Man's need of watching is implied;
at the same time he cannot keep himself, unless God in His love keep
him. - Jamieson-Faucett-Brown
Commentary
- Building up yourselves; by increasing in the knowledge and love of
God, of his truth and will, and in devotion of body and soul to his
service. In the Holy Ghost; according to his directions, under his
influence, and by his aid.
Keep yourselves in the love of God; by hearkening diligently to his voice
in the Scriptures, believing heartily his declarations, and cheerfully,
steadfastly, and perseveringly obeying his commands.
- Family Bible Notes
- Building up (epoikodomountes). Present active participle of
epoikodomeô, old compound with metaphor of a house (oikos), common in
Paul (1Co 3:9-17; Col 2:7; Eph 2:20). On your most holy faith (têi
hagiôtatêi humôn pistei). For the spiritual temple see also 1Pe 2:3-5.
See pistis (faith) in this sense (cf. Heb 11:1) in 2Pe 1:5 with the list
of graces added. A true superlative here hagiôtatêi, not elative.
Praying in the Holy Spirit (en pneumati hagiôi proseuchomenoi). This is
the way to build themselves up on their faith.
Keep yourselves (heautous têrêsate). First aorist active imperative (of
urgency) of têreô. In verse Jude 1:1 they are said to be kept, but note
the warning in verse Jude 1:5 from the angels who did not keep their
dominion. See also Jas 1:27. In Php 2:12 both sides (human
responsibility and divine sovereignty are presented side by side). - Robertson's Word Pictures
- Our apostle having, in the former part of this chapter, warned the
Christians of the danger of seducers, he closes his epistle with
directions and advice how they may be preserved from seduction, and what
means they should use for their perseverance and establishment in the
doctrine of Christ.
First, he directs them to build up themselves in their most holy faith;
that is, in the doctrine of faith contained in the gospel.
Where note, 1. The faith of Christians is a most holy faith; holy in its
principles, holy in its pattern, holy in its encouragements and rewards.
2. That it is the duty, and ought to be the endeavour, of every
Christian to build up himself, and others also, in the faith of the
gospel; the best way for Christians not to be losers of what they have,
is to be labourers for what they want; progress in Christianity is the
best means to preserve us from apostasy.
Secondly, He exhorts to prayer, Praying in the Holy Ghost; that is, with
holy reverence, with humble confidence, with fervent importunity, with
those holy affections and desires which the Spirit of God exciteth in
us; the concurrence of the Holy Spirit is necessary both to assistance
and acceptance in prayer; it enables us to pray in faith and love, with
sincerity and importunity; without the Spirit there is no acceptable
praying, and without prayer vain is the pretence to the Spirit.
Breathing is the first evidence of life: St. Paul was no sooner
converted, but behold he prayed.
Thirdly, He directs that they keep themselves in the love of God; no
such way to keep ourselves from error, as to preserve ourselves in that
love which God bears to us, and in that love we bear to him; take we
care that there is no intermission in the acts of love, and no remission
of the degrees of love, but that we be rooted and grounded in love, and
then we are proof against seducers and false teachers.
Fourthly, he directs them to look up to heaven, if they would be steady
and steadfast in the faith here on earth, Looking for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Here observe, That heaven, or eternal life, is the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Mercy it is called, because bestowed on the miserable,
that could never merit or deserve it, and because it is the effect and
fruit of free and special mercy, and because bestowed on the vessels of
mercy, and because it is the perfection and consummation of all mercy;
and it is the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, because he purchased it,
he prepared it, he exhibits and gives it.
Observe farther, That Christians are to look for eternal life, as the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ; that is, to believe it, to meditate upon
it, to have ardent desires after it, and patiently to wait for it:
Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
- William Burkitt's Notes
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