Jude 16 The Self-serving Speech of the False Teacher

These are grumblers, finding fault, following their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

 

You might ask, “Why all the emphasis here and in verses 14 and 15 with the speech of a false teacher?  What about the lousy things they DO?!?  That’s a fair question, and I think the answer may be found in the very nature of teaching, particularly in the religious environment of a church.  The pulpit is a very powerful tool, and can be used for horrible ends.  I would imagine that of the most terrible crimes done by groups of people in history, most of them have begun by something that was said by a decent speaker.  Jude identifies three attributes of the speech of the apostate.

 

1.         Their speech betrays dissatisfaction with their lot in life. 16a

These are grumblers, finding fault…

 

If you listen closely, you will here the low-toned murmuring of dissatisfaction with their circumstances—it’s audible, but not always clear to comprehend.  Also, they find fault.  In the original language the word comes from the history of Greek philosophy.  To find fault meant to express dissatisfaction with how things had gone in life, and was therefore primarily aimed at God.  False teachers usually have a short list of the things they’re disappointed about concerning how they’ve been treated, disrespected, forgotten, unrecognized, etc.

 

2.         Their speech betrays a desire for personal indulgence. 16b

… following their own lusts…

 

The controlling goal behind all of the grumbling and fault-finding was that these men had desires, wants, lusts, that drove them. They followed their own lusts in the same way they were controlled by their own desires in life and ministry, and not by the will of God.  Scratch lightly on the surface of what these men say, and you will find a core desire to gain something for themselves.  Illigitimate wealth, sex, and power are the usual suspects regarding the lusts of the false teacher.

 

3.         Their speech betrays a pattern of deceit for personal gain. 16c

…they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

 

Their speech is marked by a puffed-up assessment of themselves, which easily leads to puffed up treatment of those whom they want to manipulate.  To flatter someone is to compliment somebody too much, often without sincerity.  False teachers are astute observers of people—it is a survival instinct for them to recognize the weak spots, the insecurities, in their followers, and then to exploit those vulnerabilities in order to gain something from their victims.  Sadly, many who have been brutalized by an apostate teacher have learned that personal loss is the final price-tag of flattery from such a leader.  Like a veteran wrestler, the false teacher often gains an advantage over those he leads by finding their weak point through the use of flattery, and then, at the opportune moment, simply applying pressure…

 

Conclusion:  When the discourse of a leader, preacher, or teacher in the church always seems to end up being about his feelings/hurts/pain/loss/desires, and also seems insincere and manipulative—calmly pick up your Bible and walk out the door.  You can either do it at the moment you realize you are dealing with an apostate leader, or wait until he takes everything he can from you.  And that’s a price no child of God should pay to a mere man.