Jude 9

Jude 9

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

a. NLT: But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.)

b. NIV: But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

c. YLT: Yet Michael, the chief messenger, when, with the devil contending, he was disputing about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring up an evil-speaking judgment, but said, 'The Lord rebuke thee!'

d. Amplified Bible Classic: But when even the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, judicially argued (disputed) about the body of Moses, he dared not presumed to bring an abusive condemnation against him, but simply said, The Lord rebuke you!

e. Worrell Translation: But Michael, the arch-angel, when contending with the Devil he was disputing about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

f. Wuest Translation: Yet Michael, the archangel, when disputing with the devil, arguing concerning the body of Moses, dared not bring a sentence of judgment that would impugn his [original] dignity, but said, May the Lord rebuke you.

g. Peshitta Eastern Text: Yet Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare bring railing accusation against him, but said, The LORD rebuke thee.

1. “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses…”

a. Yet [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. Michael [Strong: 3413 Michael mikh-ah-ale' of Hebrew origin (4317); Michael, an archangel:--Michael.]

c. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

d. archangel [Strong: 743 archaggelos ar-khang'-el-os from 757 and 32; a chief angel:--archangel.]

e. when [Strong: 3753 hote hot'-eh from 3739 and 5037; at which (thing) too, i.e. when:--after (that), as soon as, that, when, while.]

f. contending [Strong: 1252 diakrino dee-ak-ree'-no from 1223 and 2919; to separate thoroughly, i.e. (literally and reflexively) to withdraw from, or (by implication) oppose; figuratively, to discriminate (by implication, decide), or (reflexively) hesitate:--contend, make (to) differ(-ence), discern, doubt, judge, be partial, stagger, waver.]

g. with the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

h. devil [Strong: 1228 diabolos dee-ab'-ol-os from 1225; a traducer; specially, Satan (compare 7854):--false accuser, devil, slanderer.]

i. he disputed [Strong: 1256 dialegomai dee-al-eg'-om-ahee middle voice from 1223 and 3004; to say thoroughly, i.e. discuss (in argument or exhortation):--dispute, preach (unto), reason (with), speak.]

j. about [Strong: 4012 peri per-ee' from the base of 4008; properly, through (all over), i.e. around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period):--(there-)about, above, against, at, on behalf of, X and his company, which concern, (as) concerning, for, X how it will go with, ((there-, where-)) of, on, over, pertaining (to), for sake, X (e-)state, (as) touching, (where-)by (in), with. In comparative, it retains substantially the same meaning of circuit (around), excess (beyond), or completeness (through).]

k. [the] body [Strong: 4983 soma so'-mah from 4982; the body (as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively:--bodily, body, slave.]

l. [of] Moses [Strong: 3475 Moseus moce-yoos’ or Moses mo-sace’, or Mouses mo-oo-sace’ of Hebrew origin; (4872); Moseus, Moses, or Mouses (i.e. Mosheh), the Hebrew lawgiver:--Moses.]

1). Jude is bringing out in greater detail the characteristic of rejection of authority that he mentioned in verse 8,that will be a characteristic of the false teachers of his day and in the future.

a). 2 Peter 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

2). Jude is supposedly quoting from a book called the Assumption of Moses. If Jude quoted from this book it would in many minds including mine, compromise the book of Jude. Based on the following information I don’t believe Jude quoted from it.

a). The King James Defended, Dr. Edward F. Hills Th.D. pp98, 99, The Pseudepigrapha: [soo-da-pig-gra-fa] These are other non-canonical books which were held in high esteem by many early Christians but which, unlike the Apocrypha, were never included in the manuscripts of the Greek Septuagint or of the Latin Vulgate. Because of this circumstance the texts of many of these Pseudepigrapha were lost during the middle-ages and have been found again in only comparatively recent times. They are called Pseudepigrapha because most of them falsely claim to have been written by various Old Testament patriarchs. Actually, however, they were composed between 200 B.C. and 100 A.D., mostly by Jewish authors but in some cases perhaps by Christians. Jude 9 is a verse which is often attributed to the Pseudepigrapha…According to Origen and Didymus of Alexandria, Jude is here quoting from a non-canonical book called ‘The Assumption of Moses’. This book was lost for many centuries until in 1861 Ceriani published about a third of it from a manuscript in the Ambrosian Library at Milan. This manuscript comes to an end, however, before reaching the account of the death of Moses, and so there is no way of verifying the statement of Origen and Didymus concerning Jude’s use of this book. But even if the manuscript were complete and did contain the desired incident, it would still be preferable to suppose that Jude was quoting not ‘The Assumption of Moses’, but a common source, probably an ancient oral tradition, For a similar instance is related by the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 3:1-3), and this indicates that encounters such as these between the good and evil angels were not fabulous but actual events”.

b). I agree with Dr. Edward F. Hills in his statement that Jude was probably quoting an ancient oral tradition. Backing up my belief that Jude was quoting an oral tradition is the fact there are at least three examples in the New Testament where Jewish traditions were included into the inspired canon of Scripture.

(1) The Rock that followed Israel in the wilderness: 1 Corinthians 10:4.

(2) The names of the magicians of Pharoah’s  court: 2 Timothy 3:8.

(3)  The mention of the angels assisting in giving the Law: Hebrews 2:1, 2.

3). Why would Michael the archangel contend with the devil over the body of Moses? There is a familiar passage in the gospels concerning the transfiguration of Jesus that is linked here.

a). Luke 9:28-31 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

9:30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:

9:31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

b). Here we have Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. Moses died approximately 1400 years before Christ and of course Elijah never died but was taken up in a fiery chariot. Elijah was there in his flesh and blood body. I am led to believe that the contending of the devil and Michael over the body of Moses had to do with the fact that the devil has the power of death as it says in Hebrews.

(1) Hebrews 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

4). Michael was taking the body of Moses for a future use and the devil didn’t like it and tried to stop him. The future use being the appearance at the transfiguration. Another future use could also be Moses being one of the two witnesses of Revelation 11.

a). Revelation 11:3-12 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11:11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

b). Zechariah 4:11-14