Summary and Interpretation

The verse Jude 1:7 serves as a stern warning about the consequences of immorality, drawing a parallel between the sins of Sodom and Gomorrha and the behavior of false teachers. Through their example, Jude illustrates the dire repercussions of turning away from God’s ordained paths.

Key Insights from Public Domain Commentaries

• Matthew Henry: Henry emphasizes the eternal judgment that befell Sodom and Gomorrha as a decisive result of their iniquities. He notes that their "giving themselves over to fornication" represents a deliberate choice leading to God’s wrath. The use of these cities as a cautionary tale serves to highlight the inevitability of divine judgment against sin.
• Albert Barnes: Barnes connects the sins of false teachers to the wickedness of Sodom. He argues that their actions mirror the sinful rebellion against God and His standards of holiness. He underscores that Jude's message warns believers to remain steadfast in faith and righteousness, drawing upon strong examples like Sodom for illustration.
• Adam Clarke: Clarke focuses on the term "strange flesh," interpreting it within the context of the unnatural lusts displayed in Sodom. He highlights how these atypical desires led to destruction, paralleling the fate that awaits those who disregard God’s commandments. Clarke underscores that the historical account serves as a warning to avoid similar paths of sin.

Bible Verse Cross-References

• Genesis 19:24-25: "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground." - This account details the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha, affirming Jude's reference.
• Romans 1:26-27: "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another." - These verses highlight the moral decline that parallels Jude’s mention of Sodom and Gomorrha.
• 2 Peter 2:6: "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly." - This passage reinforces the historical example of Sodom for future generations.
• Ezekiel 16:49-50: "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters... and they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good." - Provides further explanation of Sodom's sins.
• Matthew 10:15: "Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city." - Jesus refers back to Sodom to illustrate the severity of judgment.
• Luke 17:28-30: "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all." - This passage brings the topic full circle regarding Sodom's fate.
• Revelation 21:8: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." - Links the eternal consequences of sin, similar to the fate of Sodom.

Thematic Connections and Lessons

Jude 1:7 serves as a powerful reminder of the destructive nature of sin. By drawing connections between the historical events of Sodom and the contemporary implications for Jude's audience, the text warns against the complacency toward immorality and the grave eternal consequences it invites.

• Moral Responsibility: Believers are called to moral integrity and to live according to God’s standards.
• Warning Against Apostasy: Jude's letter warns against teachers leading believers astray with immoral doctrines.
• Importance of Examples: Historical examples like Sodom have much to teach the church regarding holiness and divine judgment.