Exposition of Jude 2, Biblical exegesis · Verse 9 · Commentary 4
EXPLICATION.
Two things for the explaining of this ſecond Branch of the third part,
1. What Michael here intends by the Lords rebuking of Satan?
2. Why he uſeth this imprecation, and deſires the Lord would rebuke him?
1.foreign, Increpo interminor. Significat increpare cum poteſtat…. & objurgatione imperare, & ab in cepto deterrere. Juſtinian. in Jud. Increpando imperare & impe rando increpare. Lap. in 3. Zec. Interdicere, & imperare additis minis. Lor. in loc. Divinum imperium efficax. For the firſt, The word Rebuke, in the Original is foreign, the Vulgar renders it imperet, the Lord rule thee. Beza and Eraſmus, increpet, the Lord chide or rebuke thee, and the word ſignifieth both to charge or command, by way of ſevere commination, or threatning, to prevent diſobedience in the commanded; as alſo (and moſt properly) to chide or reprehend, ſo as a ſervant is rebuked by his Maſter, who both by his charging with threats, and chiding or rebuking, ſhewes, as his Authority to command, ſo his ſtrength and ability to puniſh, in caſe the party whom he threats and chides be not deterred from going on in his begun Enterpriſe. And becauſe the commands, threats, and rebukes of God are not verbal, but efficaciouſly put forth in their effects; this word foreign, here uſed by Jude, is uſed by the Evangeliſt to expreſs the Authority and Power of Chriſt, in ſtilling and calming the winds of the ſea Matth. 8.26. foreign, he rebuked the wind: and in caſting the Divel out of the poſſeſſed, foreign, &c. Mark 9.25. He rebuked the foul ſpirit; and in healing Simous wives mother of the Feaver, Luke 4.39. foreign, He rebuked the feaver. So that this imprecation here uſed by the Archangel, of rebuking Satan, 1 Preſuppoſeth Satans bold readineſs to oppoſe, and reſolution to overthrow the pleaſure of God, unleſs he were hindred by the force of Gods threats and rebukes, and the ſlaviſhneſs of Satans fear, who forbears and gives over any wicked attempt, meerly for fear of puniſhment, and by a powerful reſtraint from God. And 2. It more properly intends the Soveraign Authority of God over the higheſt of wicked creatures, and his power, whereby without any paines, eaſily, even as by the uttering of a rebuking word, he quels the Divel; yea, the putting forth of his Authority and Power in the curbing and reſtraining of that his impudent Malignancy, whereby he reſiſted the will and pleaſure of God concerning the body of Moſes.
To the ſecond, why Michael in this hot conteſtation with the Divel, interpoſed this imprecation, or deſire of Gods rebuking him. I anſwer, hereby he expreſt 1 his confidence in, 2. Zeal for, 3. Submiſſiveneſs to God.
1. Hereby he would ſhew his confidence, that God was able to maintain that righteous cauſe wherein he was now employed, viz. his oppoſing of Satan; the holy Angel manifeſting, that he whoſe will and pleaſure it was that the Sepulcher ſhould be concealed, could eaſily curb and reſtrain this evil ſpirit from accompliſhing, though he ſuffered him to attempt the diſcovery thereof. His carriage herein agrees to his name; for as his name Michael ſignified, Who is like, or equal to the Lord; ſo by ſaying, The Lord rebuke thee, he expreſt that Satans conteſtations againſt ſo great a God, were all but in vain, he being a great and powerful Lord, and the Divel though a wicked and rebellious, yet a weak and timorous ſlave and underling, the Lord being able to chide all the Divels undertakings and contentions into nothing, even with one word or rebuke of his mouth.
2. Hereby Michael diſcovered his Zeal for God. Though this holy Angel was not ſo ſinfully hot as to revile Satan, yet was he ſo holily zealous, as to plead, yea, to imprecate for God. He who was holily patient in his own, was holily impatient in Gods cauſe and quarrel. He prayes not here in his own, but in Gods behalf, that the foul mouth which had diſputed againſt, and blaſphemed the holy God, might by that God be ſtopt. Angels are zealous for Gods glory. Some think that the name of Seraphim, is therefore given to ſome of them, for their burning zeal. As God takes the diſhonour offered to any of his Angels and Meſſengers, as offered to himſelf, ſo ſhould they more ſadly reſent the diſhonour offered to God, then if it had befaln themſelves. Deut. 32.35.Michael here, ſeeing the Divels carriage impudently derogating from Gods glory, could no longer refrain, but zealouſly prayes, The Lord rebuke thee.
3. Hereby he ſhewes his holy and humble ſubmiſſiveneſs to God, and forbearance to be his own, or his Adverſaries Judge; he remits, and refers revenge to God, deſiring that God would take up the controverſie: The Lord (ſaith he) rebuke thee. The holy Angel beſeeched God to be Mediator between him and the Divel in this diſputation: he knew well that vengeance belonged to God. and therefore he deſires that God would deal with him, as ſeemed beſt to himſelf: he repayes not evil for evil, neither in affection, or expreſſion and ſpeech; God being the righteous Judge, he expects the ſentence onelyonly from him; who beſt knew what puniſhment the Divel deſerved, and how to vindicate the glory of his own Name, and from whoſe hand the Archangel well knew, that the Divel was not able to make an eſcape. In ſhort, the Divels ſinful oppoſing of Michael, yea, of Gods glory, by contending for the diſcovery of M… ſes Sepulchre, was no warrant for Michael to offend God by expreſſing any undue deſire of revenge; he therefore remits the matter to Gods determination, The Lord (ſaith he) rebuk… thee.