Jude 19-The Jewish Zealots Are Divisive, Worldly and Do Not Possess the Holy Spirit
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Saturday September 10, 2022
Jude Series: Jude 19-The Jewish Zealots Are Divisive, Worldly and Do Not Possess the Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit
Lesson # 59
Jude 19 These people are divisive, who are worldly by nature because they do not possess within themselves the Spirit. (Lecturer’s translation)
Jude 19 is marking a transition in the body of the letter.
Specifically, it is marking a transition from the contents of Jude 17-18 to the final section of the body of the letter in Jude 19-23.
Jude 19 also presents a three-fold description of the unregenerate Jewish Zealots in Jude’s day and age who were attempting to persuade the citizens of Judaea as well as the Jewish Christian community in Judaea to join them in their rebellion against Rome.
The purpose of this rebellion was to prompt the Messiah to return to establish the kingdom of God on the earth.
This three-fold description of these Jewish Zealots in this verse is a solemn one because the writer is using the figure of asyndeton.
It is solemn because it serves as an implicit warning for the Jewish Christian community in Judaea to reject the attempts of these Zealots to persuade them in joining them in their rebellion against Rome.
The first description of these Zealots asserts that they possess the characteristic of being “divisive” because they cause people to split into opposing factions.
In other words, they are divisive because they cause or instigate divisions between people.
In context, this description speaks of these unregenerate Jewish Zealots as causing or instigating divisions between the citizens of Judaea because of their attempts to persuade them to join them in their rebellion against the Roman civil authorities in Judaea as well as the Jewish civil authorities.
The second description of these Zealots asserts that they are “worldly by nature” because they are people who are characterized by the created, finite and fallen world.
Their viewpoint and behavior is typical of fallen human nature.
Specifically, this description indicates that they are not only characterized as being enslaved to the indwelling old Adamic sin nature but are also characterized as being enslaved to the cosmic system of Satan.
Thus, they are totally conformed to the standards of the devil’s world system.
Therefore, this description speaks of a person whose entire life is governed by the indwelling old Adamic sin nature and the cosmic system of Satan.
The third and final description of these Jewish Zealots asserts that they do not possess within themselves the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
This description presents the reason for the first two descriptions of these Zealots.
Thus, it gives the reason why they are divisive as well as worldly individuals who are enslaved to sin and Satan, namely because they do not possess the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
The clear implication with this third and final description of these Zealots is that they are unregenerate people who do not possess eternal life because they have not been declared justified by the Father through faith in His one and only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 19 contains another triad in the epistle of Jude, which constitutes the eighth one that has appeared up to this point in the letter.
The first two appear in Jude 1-2.
The third appears in Jude 5-7 and the fourth triad appears in Jude 8 and is a three-fold description of the Jewish Zealots in Jude’s day and age.
The fifth triad appears in Jude 10 and is also another three-fold description of these unregenerate Jewish Zealots.
The sixth appears in Jude 11 is also a three-fold description of these Zealots.
The seventh triad appears in Jude 12 and is composed of three metaphors, which also serve to describe these unregenerate Jewish Zealots.
Also, Jude 19 presents the final three descriptions of these Jewish Zealots, which are contained in this epistle.
The first five descriptions of these Zealots appeared in Jude 4.
Jude 3 Beloved, although I have prepared myself with utter diligence to communicate in writing for the benefit of each one of you regarding our common salvation, I have entered into the state of being compelled to communicate in writing for the purpose of exhorting and encouraging each and every one of you at this particular time to make it your habit of exerting intense effort for your own benefit on behalf of the faith, which has been delivered once and never again for the benefit of the saints. 4 For certain people have joined all of you surreptitiously with evil intent. Specifically, those who long ago are written about beforehand with regards to the same type of judgment I am about to describe, who are ungodly who are exchanging experiencing the grace of our God for practicing criminal behavior. Consequently, they are refusing to follow the one and only Master, namely our Lord Jesus Christ. (Lecturer’s translation)
Jude 8 presents a four-fold description of these Jewish Zealots in the first century A.D.
Jude 8 Nevertheless, despite this, in a similar manner, these also on the one hand, are defiling their bodies, while on other hand, they are rejecting human governmental authority, and on the other hand, they are disrespecting angelic beings because they are delusional to their own detriment. (Lecturer’s translation)
Jude 10 presents three more descriptions of these Zealots.
Jude 10 But these on the one hand are disrespecting these things, they are totally ignorant of, on the other hand, they are for their own selfish interests comprehending other things instinctively, like irrational animals. They are destroying themselves because of these things. (Lecturer’s translation)
Jude 11 presents a four-fold description of these Jewish Zealots.
Jude 11 Disaster will strike them because they have allowed themselves to follow Cain’s course of conduct. Also, they abandoned themselves to Balaam’s perversion, namely financial reward. Consequently, they will certainly cause themselves to be destroyed in association with Korah’s rebellion. (Lecturer’s translation)
Jude 12 presents nine more descriptions of these Zealots.
Jude 12 These are like dangerous reefs at your love feasts. Those who for their own selfish interests regularly feast together with all of you without reverence. Those who care only for themselves. These are like waterless clouds, which are carried away by winds. These are like autumnal trees, which are without fruit, which have died twice, which have been uprooted. (Lecturer’s translation)
In Jude 13, the writer presents four descriptions of the Jewish Zealots who were infiltrating the Jewish Christian community in Judaea.
Jude 13 These are like violent waves, which are produced by the sea, which are foaming out their own selfish shameful actions. These are like wandering stars. The gloom produced by the darkness, which is unique to that which is experienced throughout eternity, is kept for the judgment of these individuals. (Lecturer’s translation)
Jude 16 contains five more descriptions of the Zealots in Jude’s day and age in the first century A.D.
Jude 16 These are grumblers who are fault-finders because for their own benefit, they are conducting their lives according to their own selfish desires. Also, their mouth speaks boastful words for the purpose of attempting to flatter a person for their own advantage. (Lecturer’s translation)
So therefore, Jude 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16 and 19 in total contain thirty-seven descriptions of these unregenerate Jewish Zealots.
Each of these descriptions serve as a solemn warning to the Christian community in Judaea regarding these people.
Specifically, each is a solemn warning to the Christian community in Judaea to reject their attempts to persuade them into joining their revolt, which is against the will of God.
Their rebellion against Rome was against the will of the Father because by rebelling against Satan’s authority over human governmental authority, they were rebelling against the Lord Jesus Christ because He temporarily delegated authority to the devil and his angels to rule over unregenerate humanity with the exception of Israel until He establishes His sovereign authority over all the nations of the earth at His Second Advent.
Furthermore, their rebellion was against the will of the Father because they were attempting to establish the kingdom of God on earth apart from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Also, they were bringing judgment upon themselves because both the Old and New Testament teach that the nation of Israel is to be subjugated to Gentile nations until the Second Advent of Jesus Christ (cf. Dan. 9:24-27; 11:36-40; Lk. 20:20-24; Rev. 13;).