Jude Series: Jude 9-Michael Respected the Devil’s Authority

Jude 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (NIV)

Jude 9 is composed of a temporal clause which is followed by an emphatic adversative clause.

As we noted, this temporal clause in Jude 9 asserts that Michael absolutely did not dare to present a slanderous accusation against the devil while arguing and disputing over the body of Moses after his death.

The term krisis (κρίσις), “to condemn” pertains to a charge of wrongdoing, which is indicated by the meaning of the noun blasphēmia (βλασφημία), “slander” which pertains to the act of defaming someone’s character as a result of bitterness towards them.

Specifically, this word blasphēmia (βλασφημία), “slander” speaks of Michael making a “slanderous” accusation against the devil while disputing and arguing with him over the body of Moses.

The noun blasphēmia (βλασφημία) functions as an attributive genitive, which specifies an attribute or innate quality of the head substantive.

Thus, this word functions as an attributive genitive modifying the noun krisis(κρίσις), “accusation” and can thus be converted into an adjective and means “slanderous.”

Also, the verb tolmaō (τολμάω) speaks of being so bold as to defy or challenge the authority of another.

It is emphatically negated by the emphatic negative adverb ou (οὐ), which emphatically denies the fact of Michael making a slanderous accusation against the devil while disputing and arguing with him over the body of Moses after his death.

Therefore, these two words are expressing the idea of Michael “absolutely not daring” to present a slanderous accusation against the devil before the Supreme Court of Heaven as a result of disputing and arguing with him over the body of Moses after his death in the sense of being so bold as to disrespect the devil’s authority.

Furthermore, the verb epipherō (ἐπιφέρω) speaks of bringing charges or make accusations against someone in a court of law.

Therefore, it is expressing the idea of Michael daring to “make” or “present” a slanderous accusation against the devil before the Supreme Court of heaven as a result of disputing and arguing with the devil over the body of Moses after his death in the sense of being so bold as to disrespect the devil’s authority.

The emphatic adversative clause which follows this temporal clause asserts that Michael prayed to the Father that the preincarnate Christ would rebuke the devil.

Therefore, the emphatic contrast is between Michael making a slanderous accusation against the devil and Michael instead deferring to the Lord to rebuke him.

This emphatic adversative clause contains reported speech.

Specifically, it presents to the reader what Michael said to the devil while disputing and arguing with him over the body of Moses after his death.

The verb epitimaō (ἐπιτιμάω), “rebuke” pertains to expressing strong disapproval of someone or something a person is doing and means to sharply express constructive criticism of a person’s attitude or conduct.

Therefore, it speaks of the preincarnate Christ rebuking the devil rather than Michael presenting a slanderous accusation against the devil before the Supreme Court of Heaven.

This emphatic adversative clause in Jude 9, which records Michael appealing to the Lord’s sovereign authority over the devil to rebuke him rather than assert his own authority recalls the Lord rebuking Satan for accusing the high priest of Israel, which is recorded in Zechariah 3:1-10.

So therefore, Jude 9 is teaching that unlike the Jewish Zealots who disrespected Satan’s authority delegated to him to rule unregenerate humanity and the governments which rule over these individuals, Michael, the highest ranking elect angel and protector of the nation of Israel respected the devil’s authority.

Also, this verse teaches that Michael appealed to the Lord’s sovereign authority over the devil to resolve the confrontation between himself and the devil.

In other words, Michael did not assert the authority given to him by God over Israel, which would also give him authority over the body of Moses who led Israel for forty years.

Instead, he let the Lord deal with the devil.

In fact, Satan has a higher rank than Michael since he was an anointed cherub who once guarded the throne of God from anything unholy prior to his rebellion, and the latter was not.

Furthermore, Satan is the temporary ruler of the earth as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve.

He is called the god of this world in 2 Corinthians 4:4 and in Luke 4 he offered the Lord Jesus Christ the kingdoms of the earth if He would bow down and worship him.

The devil’s offer would not constitute a legitimate temptation of the Lord if in fact Satan did not have such authority over the earth and in fact, the Lord would have called him a liar for making an offer that he had no authority to make.

Thus, by refusing to make a slanderous accusation against the devil while arguing with him over the body of Moses and instead appealing to the Lord’s sovereign authority to rebuke him, Michael was demonstrating his respect for the devil’s authority over the earth.

He was also demonstrating his respect for the devil’s former position as the anointed cherub of God.