12 These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.
In review, Jude is a letter written to Christians in the first century. It exclusively addresses the threat to the church posed by false teachers. By the term “false teacher”, I am referring to a leader in the Church of Jesus Christ (who may or may not be a Christian himself), who has fallen away, defected, from the teachings and practices that are laid out in the Bible for the Christian church. He now is a person who is simply and cunningly using his gifts, skills, or position to gain for himself, and not to serve the Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ. In verses 12 and 13, Jude provides vivid snapshots of the false teacher, each descriptive of a particular method by which the false teacher operates in a Christian church.
1. Like a hidden reef, they are deceptive.
These men are those who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves…
The picture here is of the rocks that every seamen fears—those just under the surface of the water, barely visible, if at all. Like hidden reefs, the false teachers were tough to spot—a trained eye could spot them out in a second, but to those who were new to the faith, these apostate leaders were a shipwreck waiting to happen. The love feast in the ancient church was a meal at which the Lord’s Supper was observed, but in the context of an extended time of fellowship. False teachers capitalized on the relational intimacy and sharing at these feasts to manipulate others for their own gain, “caring for themselves” instead of their brothers and sisters in Christ. False teachers use the social gatherings of their churches to advance their personal agendas just as much as they may use the pulpit.
2. Like a waterless cloud, they are disappointing.
…clouds without water, carried along by winds…
The Mediterranean lands of the New Testament needed regular rainfall to water crops and replenish water supplies. These false teachers came into the church promising refreshment and health. They looked so promising—from a distance, with their theories, and personalities, dreams and visions. But like a cloud that appears to bear rain and then proves to be “dry,” so these teachers didn’t deliver on what they’d promised. The believers who sat under their teaching were not taught, not cared for, not built up in their faith. Also, the false teacher is “carried along” by a force outside of himself, though he may not know it. The Satanic backing of these men may not be evident at first, but with time, and repeated disappointment, demonic elements often can be discerned in what they do and say.
3. Like an uprooted tree, they are desolate.
…autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted…
With a triple shot of descriptive words, Jude tells us that these men were not only lacking in any real fruit from their ministries, they were actually as dead as a tree ripped from the ground. Its leaves may stay intact and green—for a very short while, but soon the tree will appear as it really is, dead, uprooted, fit only for fuel. “Autumn” is the time of year when our orchards bear their fruit here in Oregon; to find a tree fruitless in the autumn signifies that it is very diseased, dying, or dead.
4. Like a wild sea, they are dangerous.
… wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam…
Ancient mariners had a much healthier respect and fear of the sea than we do today. Sea travel was dangerous, and shipping lanes usually stayed within sight of the shores of the ancient Mediterranean lands. Boats were small, and made with lesser quality materials than ours today. Death at sea was common. These false teachers were like the waves on a stormy day, churning up their shame like a wild sea churns up sea-foam, and threatening destruction to all who dared exposure to them.
The prophet Isaiah likened the waves of the sea to danger and sin: “But the wicked are like the tossing sea, For it cannot be quiet, And its waters toss up refuse and mud. 21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked Isaiah 57:20
5. Like wandering stars, they are directionless.
…wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.”
To you and I, a wandering star is a shooting star. We enjoy seeing one, and at certain times of the year, we look to the sky in hopes of seeing the dazzling beauty of a falling star as it shoots across the sky. But stars served a much more practical purpose in Jude’s day—they were sources of guidance for navigation on land and sea. This was before the age of compasses, radar, and GPS guidance systems. For guidance and direction, a wandering star was useless. It provided no fixed point by which one could reference oneself in order to know which way to go. In the same way, these teachers give no direction, no guidance, and no wise counsel by which a person may make decisions about the direction of his or her life. Although the apostates dazzle and draw a lot of attention, they offer no real help. You won’t find home or safety in following them.
Jude also tells us that a place has been set aside for these false teachers—a place of endless, gloomy, darkness. Just as these men abuse and misuse the light of the Bible and the ministry for themselves, so they will be banished to a place where they will live in eternal darkness. This verse strongly asserts that at least some of the false teachers that Jude wrote of were not saved, and have an eternal darkness awaiting them.
My apologies for such long posts! These snapshots of the false teacher all fit so beautifully together, I couldn’t bring myself to split them up!
May God bless you, Ken
downtownpastor