Jude 1:11

Woe. Compare on Matt. 11:21; cf. Rev. 8:13. Jude’s exclamation points to the results that are certain to come to those who take the way chosen by the false teachers.

They have gone. Jude was able to base his judgment of the teachers on their past conduct, for they had already followed the path of other ungodly men.

Cain. Jude has already cited the examples of unbelieving Israel (v. 5), the rebellious angels (v. 6), and Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 7). He now adds Cain, Balaam, and Core (Korah) to the list, making a total of six illustrations of the class to which the false teachers belong. The name of Cain immediately suggests the crime of murder. It is doubtless Cain’s heinous crime of murder that Jude has in mind, for the works of the deceivers resulted in spiritual death.

Ran greedily. Gr. ekcheō, “to pour out,” here implying that the teachers recklessly abandoned themselves to emulating Balaam’s sin.

The error of Balaam. Peter says the false teachers had “gone astray” (planaō) after Balaam, while Jude says they were following the “error” (planē) of Balaam. With only a slight variation in language the two writers thus convey similar thoughts. For comment on the analogy between Balaam and the false teachers see on 2 Peter 2:15.

Gainsaying. Gr. antilogia, “contradiction,” hence, “opposition,” or in this instance, “rebellion.”

Core. The OT form of the name is “Korah.” Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled against the divinely ordained authority of Moses and generated rebellion in the camp of Israel. Jude says that the false teachers have similarly rebelled against authority. As a result they will perish as surely as Korah and his companions did because of their sin (see on Num. 16:1–35).