The Illustration: The
Dispute Between Michael and Satan (v.9)
Overview
There are two issues which concern the ancient writers in this little
section: should Jude’s authenticity be challenged based on his use of the
apocryphal material, and what point is Jude making here? Jude’s citation of the
Michael/Satan dispute is certainly connected to the charge that they “slander
Celestial beings.” It is clear that the early writers accept Jude’s use of this
apocryphal text but they differ in their understanding of the nature and
details of the event. Much of the problem is that the “Assumption” currently
exists only in manuscript fragments and the early writers’ citations so that it
cannot be ascertained with certainty what was actually included in the original
text (see Charles, Apocrypha, and
Reed, 2005: Introduction).
The Archangel Michael in battle with Satan is not unique to Jude;
various battles and disputes can be found throughout scripture (e.g. Rev. 12).
What is found only in Jude is that the battle is over the body of Moses.
Ancient Receptions
Early writers have interpreted this verse in various ways. Clement of
Alexandria, is the earliest to attribute the event to a Jewish source but
Didymus and Origen also claim that Jude 9 is a quotation of this text; the
writers differ on their understanding of the details of the event and the
reasons for the dispute.
Clement comments that Jude confirms the authenticity/authority of the Assumption of Moses (Clement of Alex., Strom. vi.xv in Jones, 2001: 62) as well
as the event. In the Adumbrations he
makes an even more intriguing remark: “This proves that Moses was taken up into
heaven. The one who fought with the devil as our guardian angel is here called
Michael” (Adumbrations, FGNK: 3:84;
2001: 62, 64 n.1). From a different perspective, Didymus (ibid.: 67–68) takes
this opportunity to discuss the nature of Satan. One catena, which is attributed to Andreas, interprets this
allegorically,
Jude is showing the Old Testament to be in agreement with the New,
both having been given by one God … that after … this life, the devil and the
evil powers with him oppose our souls as they pursue their journey to the
things above, desiring to cut off our course. They overpower those who have
done careless things; but they give way to the righteous because angels fight
with them. (Catena in Jones, 2001:
82–83; 94)
Another catena, attributed
to Severus, Archbishop of Antioch (Letter
to Thomas, Bishop of Germanica, 2001: 83), has a similar interpretation
that Michael and Satan represent powers of good and evil and the dispute shows
us that sometimes an evil demon stands in the way, but good (here in the form
of the angel Michael) will confront and scare it away. Several of the early
writers also allude to this idea.
Oecumenius (sixth century) elaborates on this verse, emphasizing that
the main point is that since even Michael the Archangel did not revile Satan,
how much more should we avoid such behavior:
if the Archangel acted thus, we ought not to be entangled in revilings
in judgment with a man who is to us a brother and of the same kin. (Comm., 2001: 103–104)
Bede (eighth century) is not sure where Jude got this story but
suggests that perhaps it is from Zechariah 3:1–2 (Comm., 1985: 245). Here we can see a glimmer of the challenges at
this time about the use of the apocrypha.
Reformation
Luther notes that this story is one of the reasons why the epistle was
rejected in the past, “because it is not found in the Old Testament.” He does
concur, however, that Jude’s point is clear (Comm., 1990: 294).
Calvin also observes that Jude’s authenticity has been challenged on
account of this reference but defends it by explaining: “It is beyond
controversy that Moses was buried by the Lord, that is, that his grave was
concealed according to the known purpose of God” (Calvin, Comm.: ccel.org).
Other Interpretations
Matthew Poole acknowledges that Michael the Archangel could be
understood as Christ, but he prefers the view that he is a “principal angel.”
He echoes Calvin’s position that the dispute was about concealing Moses’ body
from Israel (Matthew Poole Online: digitalpuritan.net).
John Wesley is not concerned about how or where Jude obtained this
story about Satan and Michael’s dispute, but notes that the important thing is
that his readers know about it and acknowledge it as true:
It does not appear whether St. Jude learned this by any revelation or
from ancient tradition. It suffices, that these things were not only true, but
acknowledged as such by them to whom he wrote. (WesleyCenterOnline: ccel.org) (Rebecca Skaggs, 1, 2 Peter and Jude through the Centuries
[Wiley Blackwell Bible Commentaries; Hoboken, N. J.: Wiley Blackwell, 2020],
182-84)
