Exposition of Jude 2, Biblical exegesis · Verse 9 · Commentary 1
EXPLICATION.
In the Explication whereof, we ſhall conſider, Firſt, Michael the Archangel, who is deſcribed two wayes; or from a double Name, 1. Of his Perſon, and ſo he is called Michael. 2. Of his Office and Place, and ſo he is called an Archangel.
The Name of his perſon is Michael. This Name ſignifies, who is as, or like, or equal unto God. But who this perſon ſhould be, learned men agree not: Some conceive that the Son of God, the ſecond Perſon of the Trinity is here cald Michael: Others, that an holy, and created Angel, is here by Jude intended by the Name of Michael; and that as by the Name of Gabriel, ſo likewiſe of Michael, a certain Angel is to be underſtood. And that this latter is the true opinion, ſeems to me undeniable for theſe reaſons. 1. Becauſe Michael, (Dan. 10.13.) is called one of the chief Princes, that is of the chief Angels or Archangels; but how this can fitly be ſpoken of Chriſt, I underſtand not, whom we muſt not account one of the number of the Angels, but one without, or rather infinitely above that number, or order, even the omnipotent Creator of Angels, as well as men, Col. 1.16. 2. An Angel verſ. 21. of the forenamed Chapter, deſcribing the difficulty of his work, tels Daniel, that there was none that held with him, Inepta & filio Dei indigna oratio. Gom. de Nom. Mich. Tom. 1. p. 107. & Tom. 2. p. 217.or ſtrengthned him, but Michael: But this expreſſion (as learned Gomarus notes) ſeems to be unfitly applied unto Chriſt, becauſe there can be no greater ſtrength named then that of Chriſt, whoſe power is infinite. To ſay, There's none with me but the Son of God, ſeems an harſh expreſſion; he who hath the Son of God to ſtand by him wanting no other. 3. Jude call, this Michael an Archangel: but as we never read in Scripture that Chriſt is called an Archangel, or a chief, or the chief Angel; ſo 1 Theſ. 4.16. we find that Chriſt and the Archangel are manifeſtly diſtinguiſhed, the Apoſtle ſaying, that The Lord ſhall deſcend from heaven with the voice of an Archangel. 4. It ſeems alſo to be very unmeet to ſay of Chriſt, that he durſt not bring againſt the Devil, a railing accuſation, Chriſt being the Lord and Judg of Devils, and whom he ſhall at the laſt day condemn to eternal puniſhment: yea we find Joh. 8.44. that he paſſed judgment upon him, and pronounced him a murtherer, one that hath no truth in him, a lyar, and the father of a lye; a ſentence, which the Angel here diſputing with the Devil (though he had juſt cauſe, yet) durſt not utter, he only ſaying, The Lord rebuke thee. 5. The Apoſtle Peter ſpeaking of this very matter, 2 Pet. 2.11.and aggravating the ſin of theſe ſeducers by this humble carriage of their Superiours, plainly ſpeaks not of Chriſt, but of the holy Angels, he ſaying thus, whereas Angels which are greater in power and might, bring not a railing accuſation, &c. Nor doth the Argument drawn from the ſignification of the name Michael, prove, that by Michael we are here to underſtand the Son of God. This word Michael, by Interpretation (ſay ſome) is, qui ſicut Deus, (and according to them) imports one that is as, or equal to God, a name which (ſay they) cannot agree to any creature. But its anſwered, that the Particle foreign in the Hebrew is not here to be taken relatively, as ſignifying one who; but interrogatively, Who is? and it is ever in Scripture ſo taken, Pſal. 89.8. Eſai. 44.7. Jer. 49.19. and 50.44.when uſed in expreſſions wherein the Name of God is celebrated, as Exod. 15.11. Who is like unto thee? &c. So Pſal. 35.10. all my bones ſhall ſay. Lord who is like to thee? So Pſal. 71.19. And thus the giving of this name Michael to the creature, is no diſhonouring of God, by making it equal to God; Eſt confeſſio majeſtatis Dei, non alienatio illius à Deo. Gomarus.but rather an advancing of God by an humble Confeſſion or acknowledgment of the matchles majeſty of that gloririous God, whom none can equalize. And hence it is, that as the name Micaiah is impoſed upon one who was an holy Prophet; ſo this name Michael is in Scripture frequently found to be impoſed by the people of God on their children; Numb. 13.13. 1 Chron. 5.13. 2 Chron. 21 2. 2 Chron. 20.Yea Jehoſhaphat gave this name to one of his ſons, haply in token of thankfulneſſe for that glorious victorie which in his reign God beſtowed upon him and all Judah. Fieri poteſt ut ob divinae gloriae zelum, nomen id impoſitum ſit iſti angelo. Lor.And poſſibly for the zeal of this Angel in vindicating the glory of God, was this name Michael given him.
2. This firſt party contending, is deſcribed by the name of his office and place, and ſo he is called the Archangel. It's here demanded, 1. Whether he were the only Archangel, the cheif of all the reſt of the Angels, or only one of the Archangels, or cheif Angels? 2. Wherein this Principality and Superiority ſtands? Queſtions, whereof the Scriptures (and therfore we ought to) ſpeak ſparingly.
1. For the firſt. The Scripture ſpeaks not any where of Archangels in the Plurall number, nor of more then one Archangel. 1 Theſ. 4.16. The Lord himſelf ſhall deſcend from heaven with the voice of the Archangel: ſome conceive, that as there is one cheif of the evill Angels, called the Prince of the Divels, who are called his Angels, (Matth. 25. the Divel and his Angels) ſo likewiſe that there is one cheif or principal among the good Angels, and that he is this Michael; and thus they underſtand that place of Rev. 12. where Michael and his Angels are mentioned, as fighting with the Divel and his Angels. And divers of the popiſh Schoolmen account this Michael the Archangel to be ſuperior to all thoſe three Hierarchies, and nine orders of Angels; (one whereof, they ſay, is that of Archangels) which they boldly affirm to be in heaven.
The ſecond queſtion, Wherein the ſuperiority and preheminence of this Archangel ſtands, is more difficultly reſolved then the former. The Schoolmen following Dionyſius, Gregory, and others, groundleſly aſſert, that the Angels are diſtributed into three ranks and Hierarchies; and that every one of theſe three, contain three ſeveral orders apiece. The firſt of the three ranks and Hierarchies, they ſay, comprehends Cherubims, Seraphims, and Thrones; The ſecond, Dominions, Principaleties, and Powers: The third, Mights, Archangels, and Angels. Nor do they only ſhew their boldneſſe in ranking and dividing them thus into theſe three Hierarchies and nine orders, (for how can they preciſely aſſert that they ſhould be thus marſhal'd in rank and file, diſtributed and divided after this manner, and that there are juſt ſo many and no more orders of Angels?) but they preſume to tell us the reaſons of all theſe ſeverall appellations, and to ſet down the ſeverall properties and offices which are allotted to all theſe orders of Angels, whereby they are diſtinguiſhed among themſelves. The Seraphims (they ſay) are ſo called, becauſe they are inflamed, and inflame others with extraordinary and ardent love to God. The Cherubims are named from their excelling in the light of knowledg: The Thrones are ſuch who contemplate and adore the judiciary equity and righteous judgments of God; and the Angels (ſay they) who are contained in this firſt claſſis or order, are never ſent forth (a bold aſſertion and contrary to Scripture; which ſaith, they are all miniſtring ſpirits, ſent forth to miniſter for them who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation) upon any miniſtry or imployment, Heb. 1 14.but their work is only to wait immediately upon God. In the ſecond rank and hierarchy, they tell us, that Dominions are thoſe that govern and order all the offices of the other Angels; Principalities ſuch as are ſet over People, and Provinces, Nations, as their keepers and Princes. Powers, ſuch as are to reſtrain and keep under the powers of divels. For the third rank, they dictate, that thoſe upon whom they put the title of *Or Might, foreign, Epheſ. 1.21.Mights, have the working of miracles for their imployment; that Archangels are meſſengers employed by God in matters of greater and weightier concernment, and Angels in leſſer buſineſſe. How audacious the vanity of theſe aſſertions is, how much without, yea againſt the warrant of Scripture, its evident by the naming of them. Where find we in Scripture, that Seraphims are either a certain, or the firſt order of Angels, and that they are ſo call'd from their ardent love of God? There's nothing attributed to theſe Seraphims in Jſaiah 6. verſe 2. where they are mentioned, which may not agree to all the reſt of the Angels; nor can it thence be proved, that they are call'd Seraphims from their ardent love to God. The word Seraphim in the Hebrew ſignifies foreign, incenſores, ſuch who ſet on fire: Its a name given to the fiery Serpents Num. 21.6.8. and it's much more probable, that they are ſo call'd not from their office or inward gifts, but from their externall likeneſſe wherein they appeared. As Ezek cap 1.13. ſpeaks of the living creatures, that their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of Lamps. Nor can it be proved from the ſignification of the word Cherubim, that they are ſo call'd from their great knowledg; for though ſome (indeed) ſay, the word Cherub ſignifies, From foreign, ſicut multitudo.as a multitude (which yet muſt be far fetch'd, to import the abundance of their knowledg); yet others more probably conceive, that it ſignifies as young men, or intimates their appearance in a winged ſhape; and ſo indeed by the command of God they were ſhadowed out, Exod. 25.18. Nor are they leſſe miſtaken in making the overſeeing and ruling of Provinces the work of Principalities; for if any ſuch thing belong to any Angels, it may be with more probability attributed to the Archangel Michael, who (according to ſome learned men) is ſaid to be (under Chriſt) the Prince of the Jews. (Dan. 10.21. it's ſaid, Michael your prince) It's generally conceived by our more learned and modeſt interpreters, that thoſe ſeverall expreſſions of Thrones, Epheſ. 1.21. Col. 1.16. Epheſ. 3.10.Dominions, Principalities, Powers; do not ſignifie purely the ſame thing, but divers orders and ranks of Angels; and this they prove from the diſ-junctive particle, or, put between Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, as alſo from that place of Dan. 10.13. where Michael is ſaid to be one, or the firſt of the chief Princes; likewiſe from the title of an Arch, or chief Angel. Laſtly, becauſe there is an order among the Devils, which they loſt not with their integrity at ther fall; but what and wherein this order among the Angels ſhould conſiſt, and how they differ, they modeſtly profeſs they dare not determine; that its curioſity to enquire into; and raſhneſs to define this ſecret; that this is a learned ignorance: and herein Auguſtine joyns with them, who ſaith, *Quid inter ſc diſtant has vocabula dicant qui poſſunt, ſi tamen poſſunt probare quod dicunt. Ego me iſta ignorare confiteor. Enchirid. c. 58.How thoſe names of Angels differ, let them ſpeak who are are able, if yet they are able to prove what they ſpeak; I profeſs my ignorance herein. And this by way of Explication of the firſt Party here contending, Michael the Archangel: It follows, that we ſpeak of the ſecond, who is here ſaid to be the Devil.
2. Of the word Devil (in the Greek foreign) I meet with ſundry Interpretations among the learned. Some, as Gerſon and Bonaventure ſay, that the word ſignifies falling †q. Deorſum fluens. Gerſon Tr. in Magnificat. Bonavent. l. 2. Sent. diſt. 5. q. 1. Dictus eſt Diabolus, quia deorſum fluxit, & ex hoc in ſuâ malitiâ firmatus eſt. Diabolus non valens conſcendere, ſed compulſus deſcendere, odit Deum juſtum, & invidet excellentiae ejus.and tending downward, and the Devil (ſay they) not being able to keep up in his former height of glory and excellency, but compell'd to deſcend from it, is not to be moved from his malice. Others alſo with more wit then ſtrength, ſay, that the Word Diabolus comes from Dia (which they ſay, is as much as two,) and Bolus, ſignifying a draught, taken up in a Fiſhers net, becauſe when the Devil draws man into his net, he makes of him (as it were) a double draught, by deſtroying both body and ſoul: The ordinary and true derivation of the word is from foreign, to ſlander, calumniate, and falſly to accuſe; and hence the appellative name of Devil is often in Scripture uſed for any falſe accuſer: thus Judas is called Devil, Joh. 6.70 One of you (ſaith Chriſt) is a divel. 1 Tim. 3.11. The wives of Deacons muſt not be foreign, ſlanderers, and 2 Tim. 3.3. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſome who are treacherous, falſe accuſers, or devils, &c. So Tit. 2.3. concerning the aged women he ſaith, that they muſt not be falſe accuſers, or Devils; in which ſenſe ſome underſtand that command of Eph. 4.27. Give not place to the Devil, or to any falſe accuſer, or ſlanderer, who ſhall come with ſlanderous reports againſt another; the Apoſtle giving that precept as a direction to the obſerving of what went immediatly before; namely, that the Sun ſhould not go down upon our wrath. Falſe accuſers being make-bates and kindle-coals between perſons, are to be oppos'd and reſiſted. More ſpecially, the word Divel is taken for an evil ſpirit, or Angel, Mat. 13.39. Luc. 8.12. Acts 10.38. and 13.10. 1 Pet. 5.8. 2 Tim. 2.26, &c. and yet more ſpecially the term Devil is attributed to the chief or Prince of Devils, call'd ſo by way of eminency. Mat. 4.1. he tempted Chriſt. Apoc. 12.7. he and his Angels fight with Michael and his. See Mat. 25.41. Thus it is taken here. And clear reaſon there is why Satan ſhould thus be called a ſlanderer, or falſe accuſer. Some ſay, becauſe of his accuſing of God to man, and that principally by that firſt accuſation, wherin he accuſed God of falſhood, by ſaying, notwithſtanding what God had threatned, that they ſhould not die: and of Envy, by telling them, that God knew that in the day they did eat thereof, they ſhould be like gods; And this is the opinion of Juſtin Martyr, foreign. Juſtin in Paraen. ad Graec. p. mihi 21.in that excellent exhortation of his to the Greeks: The Scriptures (ſaith he) call that enemy of mankind, the Devil, from that firſt ſlander or calumny which he brought to man; And thus he is ſtill a ſlanderer, laying his accuſations ſometimes againſt Gods Juſtice, perſwading ſinners that God allows them in their ſins, Sic Tert. 2. Cont. Marc. cap. 10. Deo impoſuit prohibitionem eſus omnis ligni, mendacem comminationem mortis, invidiam cujuſdamdivinitatis. Vide Chryſoſt. hom 2. in 2. Ep. ad Corinth.ſo driving them to preſume: ſometimes laying them againſt his mercy, perſwading thoſe who are humbled, that their ſins are greater then can be forgiven, ſo driving them to deſpair: ſometime againſt his faithfulneſs, omniſcience, &c. frequently againſt his providence, making men beleeve that God hath no care of the ordering and governing of things in the world; the good are miſerable, and the wicked happy. When Chriſt was on Earth, he was accus'd by the Devil to be an Impoſtor, that caſt out Devils by the help of Beelzebub, &c. Falſely did he accuſe God to Chriſt, by clipping his word, and perverting the Scripture to a pernicious ſenſe.
2. He is (according to others) called an accuſer, for accuſing man to God. This is the opinion of Lactantius. The Devil (ſaith he) is calld an accuſer, becauſe for thoſe very faults to which he tempts and allures us, Vid. Chryſoſt. ubi ſupra. Diabolum criminatorem vocamus, propterea quod crimina in quae ipſe allicit, ad Deum defert. Lact. lib. 2. Inſtit. cap. 8.he accuſeth us, by laying them before God. The accuſer of the brethren (Rev. 12) is caſt down, which accuſed them before our God day and night. He objecteth things before God for the diſgrace and hurt of the godly. Thus he accuſed Joſhuah the High Prieſt, for his ſins noted by filthy garments, Zech. 3.1, 3. As alſo Joh, for ſelf-ſeeking. Satan eſpies the leaſt ſins in them, theſe he aggravates, and for them pleads their unworthineſs of the leaſt mercy, the ſins which in them are weakneſſes, he repreſents as wickedneſſes; the ſins which they condemn in themſelves, and for which they condemn themſelves, he layes before God to have him alſo condemn them for them claiming the juſtice of the Law, and the execution of the curſe againſt, and upon them. This accuſer diminiſheth, wreſteth their beſt actions, as if performed to a wrong end, and hypocritically; thus he accuſed Job of ſerving God only for wages, hereby repreſenting all his ſervices to be void of ſincerity. In nothing is the malice of Satan ſo clearly diſcovered as in accuſing the godly before God. For 1. Hereby he ſhewes his deſire to do them the greateſt hurt, which is to bring them out of favour with God, to ſeparate them from their only friend, by being a tale-bearer and ſlanderer, Revel. 12. He accuſed them before our God. And 2. Such is his malice, that he will endeavor that which he can but endeavour, never effect; yea in the undertaking whereof he is ſure to miſcarry: Oppoſe them he will, though hurt them he cannot, and is ſure to hurt himſelf; putting forth his poyſon, though he have no power; he accuſing Saints before a God who ſees the falſneſs of his accuſations, whoſe Power, Juſtice and Mercy ever makes him rebuke the accuſing Divel, Zech. 3.1, 2, 3.& pity the accuſed Saints. And in reſpect of this accuſing the Faithful to God, I conceive that Satan is principally called, (1 Pet. 5.8.) Our Adverſary: in the Original, foreign, a word that properly ſignifies an Adverſary pleading or contending againſt another before a Judg in judgment; in which ſenſe its uſed Matth. 5.25. Leſt thy adverſary, foreign, deliver thee to the Judg, &c. ſo Luke 12.58. When thou goeſt with thine adverſary, foreign, to the Magiſtrate; ſo that when the Apoſtle calls the Divel Our adverſary, he intends that he is our adverſary by way of accuſing us before the Judg of Heaven and earth. And very fitly may this our Accuſer be called an foreign, or adverſary in judgment, becauſe he who contends with another before a Judg, commonly labours to pervert his cauſe by ſlanders and falſe accuſation▪ which (as hath been ſaid) aptly agrees to this our adverſary; and hence it may be, 1 Chron. 21.1 Job 1, 6. Z…ch. 3.….that when the Septuagint meet in the Old Teſtament with the Hebrew word Satan, an adverſary, they tranſlate it by the Greek word foreign, a falſe accuſer.
Thirdly, Our enemy is here called the Divel, or falſe Accuſer, becauſe he accuſeth one man to another; ſtirring up hereby ſtrife and contention between man and man: and as ſometimes he accuſeth the Godly to one another, as plain hearted Mephiboſheth to David (his Divelliſh ſtratagem in theſe times;) ſo moſt commonly he accuſeth the Godly to the wicked: Thus he accuſed Joſeph of Incontinency, David of Treaſon, Daniel of Diſobedience, Elijah of troubling Iſrael, Jeremy of revolting, Amos of preaching againſt the King; the Apoſtles of Sedition, Rebellion, alteration of Lawes; Paul was accuſed to be a peſtilent fellow, and one that taught againſt the Law of Moſes; Chriſt himſelf was accuſed of Gluttony, Sorcery, Sedition; and how skilful a Maſter he is in this helliſh Art of falſe accuſation, appears in that he accuſeth the Faithful, though never ſo innocent; deviſing what he cannot find, Jer. 18.18. nay, not only though they are, but even becauſe they are holy; for the matter of their God, for Praying, Hearing, Faſting, keeping Sabbath, Preaching the Truth. He accuſeth them oft by thoſe who are tyed to them by deareſt relations, David of Injuſtice by Abſolom. He accuſeth all the Godly for one mans offence, Thus they are all, &c. nay, for a perſonal failing in one or two, he accuſeth the whole Religion it ſelf; railing againſt the Sun, becauſe one hath ſtumbled in the Sun-ſhine. He hath an Art to accuſe for that, whereof himſelf and his are moſt guilty; thus he accuſed Joſeph of Incontinency, Elijah of troubling Iſrael, Chriſt of being an enemy to Ceſar; yea, of that, to which the Accuſed are moſt contrary, as in thoſe inſtances appears, accuſing even the Sun of darkneſs. And God hereby makes their integrity more apparant, either here or hereafter: Slanders are but as ſoap, which though it ſoyles for the preſent, yet it makes way for whiteneſs: The Sun of their good fame ſhall break out gloriouſly from under the cloud of ſlanders; God will bring forth their righteouſneſs as the light, Pſal. 37.6.and their judgment as the noon day: yea, which is the greater advantage, the ſmutchings of ſlanders ſhall brighten the Graces of Gods people, their Humility, Peace, Watchfulneſs, Faith. The tongues of ſinners are but as bruſhes or rubbers to fetch off the duſt which is but too ready to fall upon the graces of Saints. The Divel is Satan, and therefore he is a Divel; he is an Adverſary to Chriſt, to Holineſs: what will not malice ſay? Now Chriſt is gone beyond Satans reach, he throwes the dirt of ſlanders upon his pictures, and on them moſt, that are faireſt and moſt reſemble him; he loves to trouble them in their way, whom he cannot hinder of the end. The Divel is a Serpent, and therefore he is an Accuſer; he hath ſubtilty to invent, as well as malice to utter his ſlanders. He is the god of the world, and hath the tongues of wicked men at his command: if he ſaith to one, Go, it goeth, &c. He hath found the ſucceſsfulneſs of this Engine of accuſation, he hath murdered thouſands with it, and thereby ever brought Religion into ſuſpition and diſgrace; he hath many receivers, he wil therefore thieve away the names of Saints; his calumnies eaſily enter, and hardly depart.
Fourthly, This adverſary may here be called a Divel, an Accuſer, becauſe he accuſeth a man to himſelf, and that in two reſpects: 1 He makes a man think better of himſelf then he ſhould; tells him he is going to Dothan, when he is going to Samaria; that the way to Hell is the ready way to Heaven. As Abſolom told the people flatteringly, Thy cauſe is good; ſo he, Thy caſe is happy: Strangling them oft with a ſilken halter. 2 He makes men think their eſtate worſe then it is, by ſtretching the ſins which he hath drawen them to commit, beyond all the meaſure of Mercy, and poſſibility of pardon, to bring the ſinner to deſpair. Thus he dealt with Cain and Judas. He who once told men, they might repent when they would, and it would be time enough hereafter to call for Mercy, now affrights them with apprehenſions that the day of Grace is at an end, and that it is too late to make their peace with God. He who was of late a tempting, is now a tormenting Divel.
Hitherto of the Explication of this firſt part, the parties contending: the Obſervations follow.