Jude Chapter 1 Vs. 24

 

Doxology

Verses 24-25: Present you faultless before the presence of his glory”: This great doxology of verses looks forward to those heavenly scenes, when the raptured and resurrected saints are presented as a glorious Bride, holy and blameless before the true God.

The names of those in this “church of the firstborn” (Heb. 12:23), are written in heaven (Eph. 5:25-27; Col. 1:22; 1Thes. 3:13; Rev. 19:7-8; 21:9 – 22:5).

Traditional Hebrew weddings involved three states:

(1) The betrothal;

(2) The presentation, often a celebration lasting several days, suggesting the joyful assembly of all New Testament saints with Jesus (John 14:2-3); and

(3) The ceremony or exchange of vows, concluding with a great final supper.

Jude 1:24 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,”

Now unto him... Two things God is able to do:

1. Keep you from falling (1Cor. 10:13).

2. Present you faultless to Himself (Eph. 5:27; Heb. 7:25).

that is able... This speaks of omnipotent God (Gen. 18:14; Deut. 7:21; 1 Sam. 14:6; Matthew 19:26).

from falling, and... Is literally a word meaning “stumbling.” Savior here refers to God the Father but is often applied to Christ (Tit. 1:4; 2Pet. 3:18). In Old Testament thought there is only one Savior (Isa. 43:10-11). Thus, early church application of the term to Jesus implies His unity with God the Father. The power of Christ would sustain the sincere believer from falling to the temptation of apostasy.

present you faultless... (2Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:27). Christians possess Christ’s imputed righteousness through justification by faith and have been made worthy of eternal life in heaven.

with exceeding joy... This will be our eternal reward. This refers primarily to the joy of the Savior (Heb. 12:2), but also includes the joy of believers (1Pet. 1:8). Joy is the dominant expression of heaven. (Mat. 25:23).

Many ancient manuscripts have through Jesus Christ our Lord following Savior. If those were indeed Jude’s original words, it is a moving tribute to the figure with whom he once shared childhood, and in whom he now places personal trust.

Jude’s lovely benediction/doxology stands as one of the most splendid in the New Testament. It returned to the theme of salvation which Jude had hoped to develop at the beginning (verse 3), and bolstered the courage of believers to know that Christ would protect them from the present apostasy.

Victory over Apostasy

In this final paragraph Jude exploded with a most elevated doxology, answering the unexpressed question, “But who will deliver us from the apostates and the apostasy into which they lead the unsuspecting?” His proclamation was, praise be to Him who is able to keep you from falling. Victory over apostasy is found in Jesus Christ! He is the One who will “keep” believers. Christ will present believers to His Father without fault and with great joy — joy both for Himself and for them (Heb. 12:2; 1Pet. 1:8). Amen.