What is the meaning of Jude 1:18? When they said to you The phrase points back to the eyewitness testimony and repeated warnings of the apostles. Their words carry full authority because they were commissioned directly by the risen Christ (Acts 1:2). • Jude had just reminded his readers to “remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 17). • Paul told the Ephesian elders, “After my departure, savage wolves will come in among you” (Acts 20:29–30). • Peter likewise urged believers to “remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of our Lord and Savior through your apostles” (2 Peter 3:2). The Spirit had already alerted the church: spiritual counterfeits would come. Jude now calls on believers to lean on that settled revelation instead of being shaken by new opposition. In the last times Scripture treats the entire era between Christ’s ascension and His return as “the last days” (Hebrews 1:2). • Paul wrote, “But understand this: In the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1). • Peter said mockers would arise “in the last days” (2 Peter 3:3). • John declared, “Children, it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18). The wording is not meant to create calendar anxiety but to mark every generation of believers as living in an age of heightened spiritual conflict—an age that will culminate in Christ’s visible victory. Knowing we are already in that season keeps us watchful and fuels holy urgency (Romans 13:11–12). there will be scoffers Scoffers are not mere doubters; they are active mockers who sneer at God’s truth. • Psalm 1:1 warns against sitting “in the seat of mockers.” • Proverbs 21:24 calls the scoffer “arrogant and presumptuous.” • Peter said these scoffers “follow their own evil desires and say, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’” (2 Peter 3:3–4). Their ridicule aims to undermine confidence in Scripture, discourage the faithful, and normalize rebellion. Believers must recognize mockery for what it is—evidence of a heart hardened against God (Galatians 6:7). who will follow after their own ungodly desires The root issue is moral, not merely intellectual. Scoffers chase cravings that clash with God’s character. • Jude had already labeled certain intruders “ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality” (Jude 4). • Peter described false teachers who “indulge the flesh in corrupt desires” (2 Peter 2:10, 18). • Paul wept over those “whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame” (Philippians 3:18–19). Because they refuse to submit to Christ’s lordship, they must also silence or belittle any voice that exposes their sin. Their lifestyle proves their unbelief (Romans 8:5–8). For disciples, the call is clear: walk by the Spirit and put to death the deeds of the flesh (Galatians 5:16–24). summary Jude 1:18 is a loving reminder, not a cause for panic. Long ago the apostles warned that the church age would be marked by scoffers who mock truth and pursue ungodly passions. Their presence validates biblical prophecy and calls believers to stay anchored to apostolic teaching, remain alert in these last times, and live holy lives that contrast sharply with a culture bent on self-pleasure. |
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