Common Apostle’s Jargon or did Peter
plagiarized Jude/Jude < Peter?
Introduction It is not a given that all scholars argued
for plagiarized conditions between Jude and 2 Peter. Davidson did and also
others but Hengstenberg and Heydenreich did not. Hengstenberg felt that it was
common apostle jargon that they were tapping into. Common written sources.
Davidson did not like the idea of written sources. He thought it was just oral.
Thus plagiarizing one from the other is his view. Hengstenberg and Heydenreich
has more for us Adventists than the critical analysts. In 1894 Samuel Davidson listed some
comparisons between Jude and 2 Peter. Jude: Defile the flesh (8). Jude: Speak evil of dignities (8). Jude: In those things they corrupt
themselves (10).
2 Peter: Walk
after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness (2:10) 2 Peter: Are
not afraid to speak evil of dignities (2:10). 2 Peter: Shall
utterly perish ἐπ their own corruption (2:12). ************************************************************** Jude: For there are certain men crept in
unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men,
turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God
and our Lord Jesus Christ (4).
Jude: He
hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness (6).
2 Peter: But
there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false
teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying
the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter: And
many shall follow their pernicious ways (lasciviousnesses), &c. ὅσ. And
through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you;
whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not (2:1-3). 2 Peter: Having
cast them down to hell, delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved
unto judgment (2:4). Thus: Judgment not yet *************************************************************** Jude: Are
set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (7). 2 Peter: Reducing
to ashes condemned them with an overthrow making them an example unto these
that after should live ungodly (2:6). ***************************************************************
Jude:
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after
the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core (11). Jude:
Their mouth speaketh great swelling words (16). Jude:
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of
our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the
last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts (17, 18).
2 Peter: Following
the way of Balaam of Bozor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness (2:15). 2 Peter: When
they speak great swelling words of vanity (2:13). 2 Peter: This
second epistle, beloved. …that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken
before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us the apostles,…knowing
this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their
own lusts (2:1-3). **************************************************************** Jude: feeding
themselves without fear; clouds they are without water, carried about of winds
.... wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever
(12, 13).
2 Peter: and
blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with
you... . wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom
the mist of darkness is reserved for ever (2:13, 17). **************************************************************** sea-rocks
(Jude 12)
> spots
in 2 Peter 2:13 Love-feasts
or agapae in Jude (12) > deceits [meaning not sure?] in 2 Peter
2:13 Clouds
without water in Jude (12) > wells without water 2 Peter 2:17 **************************************************************** Jude 6 compared to 2 Peter 2:4 Jude 9 compared to 2 Peter 2:11 *************************************************************** Samuel Davidson in 1894 explains it as
follows: “there
was a dispute between angels and fallen spirits: ‘angels who are greater (than
these self-willed blasphemers) in power and might, do not bring against them
(angelic dignities) a railing accusation.’ Jude, on the other hand, has a
definite statement. We learn from him, that the dispute was between Michael and
the devil about the body of Moses. Hence angels in Peter means good angels,
Satan being included among angelic dignities. The plural number is employed to
express in a more general way what Jude gives clearly in the singular.” ****************************************************************
Some Notes on what we have so far I think that if scholars do not work with
the Rebellion in Heaven
understanding, they will have a hard time to understand these passages in Jude
and 2 Peter. Jude 6 with 2 Peter 2:4. According to Samuel Davidson, one writer
plagiarized the other, Jude < 2 Peter or 2 Peter < Jude. [Arguments of
Samuel Davidson 1894] Not necessary, says Heydenreich and
Hengstenberg for Jude 17, 18 and 2 Peter 2: 8 says it was spoken of by the
apostles before. Davidson argues that it was spoken but not necessarily written. A feeble argument of Davidson
really. Hengstenberg listed the passages: Acts
20:29; and 1 Tim. 4:1 and 2 Tim. 2:1 and 2 Thess. 2:3. Hengestenberg definitely
has a point here. It was common jargon going around. Right? Jude: But, beloved, remember ye the
words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after
their own ungodly lusts.’ 2 Peter 2: Knowing this first, that
there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts, **************************************************************** Heretic treatments by Jude and 2 Peter
compared ---While Jude does no more than hint at
their misleading influence (16, 19), it appears strongly in Peter (2:3, 4,18). ---Samuel Davidson 1894 says Jude: No
definite object is assigned to the mockers of the last time in Jude; ---2 Peter: the second advent is the thing
they scoff at. ---Jude: The former represents the
errorists as denying God and Christ (4); ---2 Peter: the latter concentrates that
denial on the power of the Redeemer Christ (2:1). ---Jude: The former presents them as
agitators and deceivers; ---2 Peter: the latter as false teachers
(2:1).