Jude: False Teachers
Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed…
…persons… ἄνθρωποι/anthropoi in the Greek. This is the plural form of what is translated “man” or “humanity”. It is a broad, corporate term for a human being. It could be a man or a woman.
…have crept in unnoticed… Some people have παρεισέδυσαν/pareisedusan. As Strong’s Concordance defines: they have entered secretly, slipped in stealthily; to steal in.
Pay close attention. Here is some insight into their character. They are quietly sneaky. They are not loud and in your face. Don’t think these are only men. False teachers can be women. Be on guard. The Bible repeatedly warns against false prophets and false teachers whether it is in the Old Testament or the New Testament.
God anticipates these sordid characters are coming in His law. And God has a consequence for false prophets.
Deuteronomy 18:20 “But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.”
Look at all of the authors in the Bible, in addition to Jude, who warn generations about false teachers and false prophets.
Jeremiah 14:15 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them–yet they keep saying, ‘There will be no sword or famine in this land’–by sword and famine those prophets shall meet their end! -Jeremiah
Isaiah 9:15-16 The head is the elder and honorable man, and the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail. For those who guide this people are leading them astray; and those who are guided by them are brought to confusion. -Isaiah
Ezekiel 13:3 Thus says the Lord GOD, “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.” -Ezekiel
Hosea 4:5 So you will stumble by day, and the prophet also will stumble with you by night; and I will destroy your mother. -Hosea
Micah 3:5 Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray; when they have something to bite with their teeth, they cry, “Peace,” but against him who puts nothing in their mouths they declare holy war. -Micah
Zechariah 13:2 “It will come about in that day,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.” -Zechariah
Every gospel author (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) has a statement on false prophets and false teachers.
Matthew 7:15 “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” -Jesus
Acts 20:29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock… -Luke, author of Acts, quoting Paul
2 Timothy 3:8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. -Paul
2 Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. -Peter
2 John 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. -John
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