Why does Jude warn about mockers in the last days? Text of Jude 1:18 “‘In the last time there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.’ ” Historical Setting of Jude’s Epistle Jude, the half-brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55), wrote to believers who were already “called, loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1). The church, hardly a generation old, faced infiltration by teachers denying “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (v. 4). Jude therefore anchors his warning in Old Testament precedents (vv. 5-7, 11) and apostolic prophecy (vv. 17-18). Meaning of “Mockers / Scoffers” The Greek word empaiktēs denotes one who ridicules sacred things, treating divine revelation with contempt. Such scoffing is moral, not merely intellectual: they “walk according to their own lusts” (v. 18). Like the antediluvians who mocked Noah (Genesis 6-7; cf. 2 Peter 3:3-6), they belittle both judgment and the promise of Christ’s return. “Last Days” in Biblical Theology Scripture identifies the period between Christ’s ascension and His second advent as the “last days” (Acts 2:17; Hebrews 1:2). Jude therefore writes contemporaneously and prophetically: the scoffers were present already yet typify intensifying rebellion preceding the Parousia (cf. 2 Timothy 3:1-5). Link to Apostolic Prediction Jude 1:17-18 recalls “the words spoken beforehand by the apostles.” Peter had earlier warned: “In the last days scoffers will come, following their own evil desires” (2 Peter 3:3). The harmony of Jude and Peter highlights a unified apostolic tradition, corroborated by more than 5,800 Greek NT manuscripts whose verbal agreement on these verses exceeds 99.5 %. Old Testament Paradigms of Mockery • Cain (Genesis 4) rejected God’s warning and “slaughtered his brother” (Jude 11). • Balaam (Numbers 22-24) manipulated divine revelation for gain (Jude 11). • Korah (Numbers 16) rebelled against God-ordained authority (Jude 11). These episodes underline that contempt for God’s word always accompanies moral defection and ends in swift judgment. Why the Warning Is Urgent 1. Protection of the Flock – Scoffers “secretly slip in” (v. 4). Shepherds must identify wolves lest believers be seduced. 2. Preservation of Sound Doctrine – Denying Christ’s lordship erodes the gospel, the sole path to salvation (Acts 4:12). 3. Preparation for Judgment – God’s past interventions (the Flood, Sodom, Egypt) guarantee future reckoning (vv. 5-7). Contrast Between Scoffers and Believers Scoffers: divisive, sensual, “void of the Spirit” (v. 19). Believers: “building yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit” (v. 20), awaiting “the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life” (v. 21). Pastoral Strategy for the Church 1. Remember Apostolic Teaching (v. 17). 2. Remain in Love of God (v. 21). 3. Rescue the Doubting (vv. 22-23) with truth and compassion. 4. Rest in God’s Preservation (vv. 24-25). Eschatological Certainty The presence of mockers is not evidence against the faith but a fulfillment of prophecy, reinforcing confidence that the same Lord who predicted scoffers will also return to judge and to reign (Revelation 22:12-13). Practical Application Today When modern academia or media dismiss Scripture, believers should neither be surprised nor intimidated. Instead, we anchor ourselves in the historically verifiable resurrection, the manuscript reliability of God’s word, and the scientific signatures of design that surround us. Conclusion Jude warns about mockers because their derision is a prophetic sign, a moral contagion, and a present threat to the purity of the gospel. Recognizing them equips the church to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (v. 3) while fixing hope on the imminent appearing of our eternal Savior. |
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