Jude Series: Jude 11c-Like Balaam, the Unregenerate Jewish Zealots of Judaea Would Be Judged For Their Rebellion

Jude 11 Disaster will strike them because they have allowed themselves to follow Cain’s course of conduct. Also, they abandoned themselves to Balaam’s perversion, namely financial reward. Consequently, they will certainly cause themselves to be destroyed in association with Korah’s rebellion. (Lecturer’s translation)

Jude 11 is composed of four declarative statements.

The first solemnly asserts that disaster will strike these unregenerate Jewish Zealots.

The second presents the reason for the first and asserts that these individuals have allowed themselves to follow Cain’s course of conduct.

The third declarative statement presents the second reason for the first and asserts that these unregenerate Jewish Zealots have abandoned themselves to Balaam’s perversion, namely, financial reward.

The fourth declarative statement presents the result of the first three declarative statements and asserts that these unregenerate Jewish Zealots will certainly cause themselves to be destroyed in association with Korah’s rebellion.

Jude 11 presents three examples from the Old Testament of individuals who were judged by the Lord for rebelling against His authority.

The first is Cain’s rebellion against the Lord, which is recorded in Genesis chapter four.

The second is Balaam’s rebellion against the Lord which is recorded in Numbers 22-24, Numbers 31:16 and Deuteronomy 23:4-5.

The third and final example is Korah’s rebellion against the authority of Moses, which was delegated to him by the Lord Himself, which is recorded in Numbers chapter sixteen.

Therefore, Jude 11 is teaching that just like Cain, Balaam and Korah were judged by the Lord for rebelling against Him so these Jewish Zealots who were attempting to lead the citizens of Judaea into a rebellion against Rome in order to usher in the kingdom of God on earth, would be judged by the Lord as well.

These three examples which appear in Jude 11 are in addition to the three presented in Jude 5-7.

Jude 11 also presents the sixth triad, which we have come across in our study of the epistle of Jude.

The first two appear in Jude 1-2.

The third appears in Jude 5-7 and the fourth appears in Jude 8, which contains a three-fold description of the Jewish Zealots in Jude’s day and age.

The fifth triad appears in Jude 10, which presents another three-fold description of these unregenerate Jewish Zealots.

As we noted, the third declarative statement in Jude 11 presents the second reason for the first declarative statement in this verse.

It asserts that these unregenerate Jewish Zealots, who were seeking to usher in the kingdom of God on earth apart from Jesus Christ by rebelling against Rome which was occupying Judaea in the first century A.D., had abandoned themselves to Balaam’s perversion, namely greed for financial reward.

Therefore, this indicates that disaster will strike these individuals “because” they had abandoned themselves to Balaam’s perversion, namely greed for financial reward.

“Balaam” was a non-Israelite seer whom the Moabites hired to curse the Israelites as they traveled from Egypt to the land of Canaan promised to them by the Lord as an inheritance.

The noun planē(πλάνη), “perversion” pertained to causing someone to turn aside or away from what is good or morally right.

Here it is used in the context of Balaam, whom Balak, the king of Moab, hired to curse the Israelites prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan.

He went to Balak even though God told him initially to not go to Balak because He was blessing Israel (cf. Num. 22-24).

Thus, it does not mean “error” since this word in English speaks of an act involving an “unintentional” deviation from the truth and Balaam “intentionally” deviated from the truth of God because of greed.

The noun misthos(μισθός), “profit” pertains to a payment for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing and understood as a tangible wage.

It pertains to the amount offered for services rendered or paid for work done.

In Jude 11, it speaks of Balaam receiving wages or pay from Balak, the king of Moab, to curse Israel.

Thus, it refers to his greed for financial gain.

Furthermore, the verb ekcheō, “they have rushed” speaks of Balaam rushing headlong to receive pay from Balak to curse Israel in the sense of being totally committed to receiving this pay in order to curse Israel.

It is speaking of him having abandoned himself completely to cursing Israel in order to receive a great financial reward from Balak, the king of Moab in the sense that he gave up the Lord’s control and influence over him since the Lord commanded him to not go to Balak.

The passive voice of this verb is also a permissive passive which is expressing the idea that these individuals “permitted” or “allowed themselves” to rush headlong into the perversion of Balaam, which we noted was greed.

In other words, they were volitionally responsible for being greedy for financial reward, which followed the example of Balaam.

Warren Wiersbe writes “The ‘way of Balaam’ is merchandising one’s gifts and ministry just for the purpose of making money. It is using the spiritual to gain the material (see 1 Thes. 2:5–6; 1 Tim. 6:3–21). The false teachers were greedy for material gain and, like Balaam, would do anything for money. The ‘error of Balaam’ is thinking that they can get away with this kind of rebellion. Balaam was a true prophet of God, but he prostituted his gifts and sought to destroy God’s people. God turned Balaam’s curses into blessings (Deut. 23:4–5).

While we are on the subject of Balaam, we might note the ‘doctrine of Balaam’ (Rev. 2:14) which is, ‘You can violate your separated position and get away with it!’ He told King Balak that the fastest way to destroy Israel would be to corrupt the nation by having the people defile themselves with the heathen nations around them. ‘You are God’s chosen people,’ was the argument. ‘Certainly, a little friendship with your neighbors will not hurt you!’ It was ‘turning the grace of … God into lasciviousness’ (Jude 4), and God judged both Israel and Balaam.”[1]

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary(Vol. 2, pp. 554–555). Victor Books.