Bible Commentaries

Judges 1:3

He that bids us "contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints," tells us that we should do it by "avoiding the spirit of Cain, Corah, and Balaam"; and by "building up ourselves in the most holy Faith," not pinning it upon other men's sleeves. Praying "in the Holy Ghost," not mumbling over matins. Keeping "ourselves in the love of God," not destroying men because they will not be of our Faith. "Waiting for the mercy of Jesus Christ"; not cruel, but merciful.

—Cromwell's Declaration to the People of Ireland (1650).

Judges 1:3

The participation which we have of the knowledge of truth, whatsoever she Judges 1:9

In Luther's Table Talk this passage occurs, "I often think with amazement what a battle there must be between the devils and angels. I think that the angels must often give way for a time, while they fight for us" [Ich halt, das die Engel auch offtmals ein weil unterligen, cum certant pro nobis].

—E. Kroker, Luther's Tischreden, p295 , No586.

Reference.—I:11.—B. J. Snell, Christian World Pulpit, vol. li. p153.

Masked Perils of Spiritual Life and Fellowship

Judges 1:12

The ungodly men who had crept unawares into the Christian community are likened by the Apostle to sunken rocks which amid smooth seas and under fair skies prove fatal to the mariner. But these hidden rocks present themselves in moods, theories, and sentiments, as well as in false brethren; and against these subtlest perils we must diligently watch. We seek now to indicate several of these submerged reefs.

I. The quest of spiritual power whilst forgetting the uses of such power is one of these hidden rocks. Miss J. M. Fry made the following statement at a recent religious gathering: "Many persons are actuated by mere vanity in desiring the attainment of spiritual power". We understand how wealth may be desired for mere vanity: not with an appreciation of its uses, but out of the passion of possession and the desire of display. Intellectual power be coveted from the same motive. Spiritual power should be sought so that the ignoble elements of our nature may be effectually purged, that the sanctification of our faculties may be complete, and that all our work for God and man may be efficient. To lose sight of these practical uses is to fall into a subtle snare of refined selfishness and vanity.

II. The cultivation of character in the artistic spirit is a snare of the spiritual life. He who has understood the teaching of Christ never forgets that the good is the beautiful, and that the two must be sought in this order. He remembers that loveliness of character is first a question of essence and not of form. To cultivate moral beauty in the spirit of art and fashion is to make shipwreck on the coral reef of a silver sea.

III. Sensuous enjoyment may insinuate itself into spiritual culture so as to become a peril. It might be thought that there is little to fear from sensuality in a fervent spiritual life: it would seem so essentially coarse and vulgar as not to be susceptible of concealment or decoration. But it is not so. The "love-feast" became an orgie, and the heavenly love of the individual saint may imperceptibly degenerate into dangerous sentimentalism and profane passion.

IV. To cultivate fervent devoutness apart from practical life is another peril of the spiritual. Contact with the realities of the worldly life is necessary to the health, and sanity of the soul, to the strength and soundness of our piety.

V. Talking too much about our spiritual life may prove to its detriment. A French critic writes: "Beware of an artist who talks too well of his art. He wastes his art in talk." And it is as certainly true in regard to religion. There is much that is sacred and secret about the experiences of the soul, and it is dangerous to violate its delicacy.

—W. L. Watkinson, The Ashes of Roses, p224.

Autumn Trees Without Fruit

Judges 1:12

In the Revised Version of the New Testament the expressive phrase, "Autumn trees without fruit," takes the place of the obscure rendering, "Trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit". Possibly the thought underlying this almost contradictory combination of terms is that of a tree yielding fruit that never comes to perfection, but remains on the boughs, shrivelled, good for nothing but to be burned. The new rendering Judges 1:21

Our text is taken from the Epistle of St. Judges 1:24-25

I. The first thought for our consideration is God's provision for our security and glory. "Unto Him that is able to keep you from falling." The more accurate translation, which you will find in the revised version of the New Testament: "To guard you from stumbling." The word here translated "keep" is a strong word. It is even impregnated with a strong military flavour, and suggests the picture of an armed force. In the centre stands one whose life is threatened by fierce and hostile bands, but by his side stands an invincible Warrior pledged to protect him from all evil. "To guard you from stumbling." That does not mean that we can expect at present to be guarded in such a way that we shall be absolutely sinless. The stumbling here spoken of is akin to falling, and marks failure of a very grievous type. It is such a stumble as leaves our life halt and maimed, takes the power out of us, and renders us a prey to the evil one. Such stumbling as this God can save us from. The exercise of this power depends on the human response to it. "He is able." Why then are there some that stumble? Not because God's power is deficient, but because they withdraw themselves outside the circle of His power. "And to make you stand before the presence of His glory faultless in exceeding joy." The word translated "blameless" does not necessarily mean "without sin". It is sometimes used in the Scriptures of men that are true and pure in heart, though there may be defects in the details of their life and conduct. But in its present position it can mean nothing but "sinlessness". II. The passage next introduces us to the fundamental petition of this guarded and glorified life. "Unto Him—the only wise God our Saviour—be glory and majesty, dominion and power." (1) This ascription of glory is not made to God simply as God, the Creator of heaven and earth. It is to God our Saviour that Jude invites us to sing. (2) "Glory!" that is the infinite essential perfection of God, God as He is in His own eternal brightness, in the glory of His person and His essential nature. (3) "Dominion!" The word here translated "dominion" means "power over". (4) "And power!" The word here translated power means the power that belongs to rightful authority. Of course in a certain sense, glory and majesty, dominion and power belong to God already. But in another sense, they are not fully realised until they are loyally acknowledged from one end of the universe to the other, until every soul joins in the praise, and God is glorified by all His creatures.

—John Thomas, Myrtle Street Pulpit, vol. III. p145.

References.—I:24 , 25.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xi. No634; vol. xxxix. No2296; and vol. lii. No2994. A. Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture— Jude , p105.