Jude 1:9

Michael. This commentary holds the view that “Michael” is one of the names of Christ (see on Dan. 10:13; 1 Thess. 4:16; Rev. 12:7), not as the chief angel but as ruler over the angels.

Archangel. Gr. archaggelos (see on 1 Thess. 4:16). Angels are created beings; Christ is their Creator (see Col. 1:16, 17). Christ is very God (see Vol. V, p. 917; see on John 1:1–3), and the angels are charged to worship Him (see on Heb. 1:3–8, 13, 14).

When contending. Peter does not refer to the incident that Jude now mentions (cf. on 2 Peter 2:11), but speaks in a general way of the circumspect conduct of angels in the presence of the Lord. Jude is more specific and cites a more crucial example in the personal encounter between Michael and the devil.

Devil. Gr. diabolos (see on Matt. 4:1; Eph. 4:27).

The body of Moses. Apart from Jude’s account, the only scriptural reference to the burial of Moses is Deut. 34:5, 6, where it is recorded that the Lord buried His faithful servant and that his grave was not known to men. Jude now reveals that the dead body was the subject of dispute between Christ and Satan. From the fact that Moses appeared with Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration it may be concluded that the Lord triumphed in the contest with the devil and raised Moses from his grave, making him the first known subject of Christ’s resurrecting power (see on Deut. 34:6; Matt. 17:3).

Durst. Gr. tolmaō, “to dare,” “to presume,” “to bring oneself [to do something].” It was not in keeping with the divine character to slander anyone, even the devil, and Christ would not presume to do anything contrary to His own perfect nature and character as God. Christ would no more “bring against him [the devil] a railing accusation” than He would lie or steal. Satan is the great “accuser” (Rev. 12:10), the great slanderer (see on Zech. 3:1, 2), and Christ could never bring Himself to use the devil’s weapons of warfare.

Bring. Or, “pronounce.”

Railing accusation. Literally, “slanderous judgment.”

The Lord rebuke thee. Compare Zech. 3:2, where the Lord rebukes the devil. There can be no stronger condemnation than being rebuked by the Lord. Compare on 2 Peter 2:11.

Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Didymus assert that Jude 9 is a quotation from a passage in the pseudepigraphical work The Assumption of Moses (see Vol. V, p. 89). This work is preserved only in fragmentary form, and the extant portions do not contain the passage in question. However, scholars are generally agreed that there is no reason to doubt the claim of these early Church Fathers. The assertion that Jude quotes from the The Assumption of Moses does not require us to accept that work as inspired. If Jude quoted from it, he was simply making use of certain factual material contained in it (cf. on v. 14).