Jude 1:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Woe to them, because they have gone in the way of Cain through fratricide. For by imparting impious teaching to their brethren, that is, to men of the same race, they kill them by their evil doctrines. Or again, by consuming the seed, they kill their brethren potentially, that is, those whom the seed, brought to maturity, would have brought into life. They have gone in the way of Balaam, because they also do their work for gain, as Balaam did. They have gone in the way of Korah, because, like him, though unworthy, they seized the dignity of teacher for themselves.

They are fratricides, for by their teachings they kill the souls of those deceived.

See how the Apostle shows the excess of their impiety. It is not enough that they have surpassed Cain, the fratricide.

Through their vile killing of the seed, they kill a possible man and brother. But they have also surpassed Balaam and Korah.

They surpass Cain for the reason just stated. They surpass Balaam because he came to curse the people of God for gain, though God turned his tongue to blessing.

They surpass Korah because he seized the dignity of teacher, to which God had not appointed him.

The Apostle compares the false teachers with Cain because, by imparting impious teaching to their brethren, that is, to men of the same race, they kill them by their evil doctrines. He compares them with Balaam because they too do their work for gain, as Balaam did. He compares them with Korah because, like him, though unworthy, they seized the dignity of teacher for themselves (Theophylact).

Portraying and denouncing those "dreamers who defile the flesh, reject authority, and revile glorious powers" (v. 8), the holy Apostle Jude adds to what the Apostle Peter says about the same heretics. He compares their stubbornness, which leads them to destruction, with the stubbornness that destroyed Korah: "they perished in the rebellion of Korah" (v. 11). Korah and his accomplices reasoned exactly as the Stundists do when they reject priesthood and authorities. We read in Numbers: "Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rose up against Moses and Aaron and said to them, 'You have gone too far. All the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them.

“They go in the way”: to go by one way or another, or to walk in someone’s steps, in a bad sense, means to perform certain actions or lead a certain way of life; cf. the note on 2 Pet 2:15.

“They go in the way of Cain”: they commit the same fratricidal and godless deed that Cain committed, with all its grievous consequences (Gen 4:8; cf. 1 Jn 3:12).

The false teachers also spiritually kill their neighbors, for whom Christ died, by their false teaching and by the example of their licentious life (cf. Theophylact). Therefore woe to them.

“They give themselves over like Balaam”: Balaam, for the sake of vile gain, attempted to pronounce a curse upon the Jewish people, but he was rebuked by the donkey; see the note on 2 Pet 2:15-16.

“Woe to them, for they go in the way of Cain,” spiritually killing their neighbors by their false teaching and by the example of a corrupt life, as Theophylact says. “They give themselves to the deception of reward, like Balaam,” who wished to curse the people of God for the gifts promised by the king of Moab, but was rebuked by the donkey. See 2 Pet 2:13, 16. “And in their obstinacy they perish, like Korah,” who, together with Dathan and Abiram, rebelled with two hundred fifty men against Moses and Aaron. See Jude 11; compare Num 16:1 and following.

Cf. Gen 4:8; Num 22:23; Num 31:16.

The series of examples ends by comparing the life of the heretics with the life of Cain, the fratricide and hater (cf. Jn 3:15), with Balaam the hireling, and with Korah the opponent of authority.

Korah’s uprising against the God-established hierarchy and the order of Old Testament worship was especially similar to the heretics’ free teaching about the indifference of every manner of life.

Among the many violations by the heretics of the sanctity of New Testament liturgical order, the Apostle points to one, but the most important. This occurred at the love feasts.

The crimes of Cain, Balaam, and Korah are grave. But the impious men rebuked by Jude combine in themselves everything by which each of them sinned. They resemble Cain in envy, which moved him to kill innocent Abel. They resemble Balaam in greed, for he sold his services to the enemies of God’s people. They resemble Korah in ambition and pride, for he rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Nothing is sacred for them, just as the bonds of brotherhood were not sacred for Cain, the gift of prophecy for Balaam, or the authority of the leaders of God’s people for Korah and his accomplices.

Since it has been explained in every way that the heretics have rejected the words of truth, Jude shows how they are subjected to various vices.