Commentaries:
The false teachers Paul foresees will do the damage with their tongues. They will manipulate the brethren with cunning sermons and with seemingly logical arguments, but their motivation is to get for themselves. Jude says they "speak great swelling words" (Jude 1:16). They are full of bombast, and they sound quite appealing, but one must look beyond their eloquence and notice what they are really saying.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Jude
The false ministers do their evil deeds to gain a following. Their motivation is to gain, to get for themselves. Specifically, Paul says, they want a following. They want people to follow them, to love them, and to do the things they do and say to do. They also want other things like power, influence, money, prestige, wine, women, and song. They are very happy for other people to join them in this. One word describes their motivation: "self-seeking." They are seeking for themselves.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Jude
Paul specifically says these apostates will rise up from among the ministry. In verse 29, he says that "savage wolves will come in among you," and in verse 30, that "among yourselves men will rise up." They will be people in leadership positions or those who are considered to be pillars in the church and highly respected. Thus, they are in an advantageous position, from their point of view, to do the most damage.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Jude
Paul's address here to the Ephesian elders probably took place in the springtime of AD 56. He prophecies to them of apostasy and corrupt leadership that Peter, Jude, and John would later write about as it was happening.
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Jude
Paul understood; he knew the history of the truth of God. He had the Old Testament, and so he knew that people could not hold on to the truth for very long. He knew that, in the days of Moses, a false religion was working. He could see that, if it happened back then, it would happen in his day too. The mystery of lawlessness was already at work (II Thessalonians 2:7; Galatians 1:6-7). Acts 20 was a little bit later than the early part of AD 50, when the books of Galatians and II Thessalonians were written, but the first seal—the first horseman—was already unleashed upon the world (Revelation 6:2; Matthew 24:3-5).
John W. Ritenbaugh
A Place of Safety? (Part 4)
Regarding God's work changing its emphasis according to need and God's will, Acts 20:28-32 is especially interesting. Predicting that conditions would not always remain the same, Paul warns that significant events would trouble the church after his death. He felt it was critical that they pay special attention to feeding the flock through the Word of God, and in doing so the people would build spiritual strength. Clearly, God's focus, the church's focus, shifts occasionally to meet the spiritual needs of the church and His will.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Preparing the Bride
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Song of Solomon 1:1
Matthew 13:24-30
Matthew 24:48-49
Luke 12:45-46
Acts 20:28-32
1 Peter 5:1-3
Library resources that contain this verse:
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