Jude 1:9, The Body of Moses
But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
//What on earth is this verse all about? Michael and Satan squabbling over the body of Moses?
According to Origin, an early 3rd-century church father, this verse in Jude references an apocryphal text known as the Assumption of Moses or the Ascension of Moses. We’ve never uncovered the ending to the Assumption of Moses; it’s believed that about a third of the manuscript is missing, and many scholars therefore assume the story of Michael and Satan is in the lost ending.
An alternative explanation is that Jude compounds ideas from multiple sources, playing on the general Jewish tradition of Michael as a gravedigger for the just. Michael “rebukes” Azazel in the book of Enoch, and an angel of the Lord “rebukes” Satan in Zechariah 3, so if we mix all the stories together, we get something akin to Jude’s verse.Today’s theologians often point out that Satan is the prince of this earth and, though the spirit of Moses ascended untouched to God, Satan stakes his claim to the bodies of believers. If so, why do you suppose Michael cared about this particular body? Is it because the location of Moses’ burial is supposed to remain a mystery? In Deuteronomy 34, God buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.
Is Satan among those still looking for the lost body of Moses? Why would God take a special hand in Moses’ burial? Something out of the ordinary was going on, and maybe we’ll never know what this little tiff was about, but if you have opinions, I’d be curious to hear them.
4 Comments
Leave a Reply to Meg Cancel reply
Fantasy Football, Anyone?
Put on the whole uniform of the Team, that ye may be able to stand against the blitz of oncoming linebackers. Don the hip pads of truth, the shoulder pads of righteousness, the cleats of preparation. Don’t forget the facemask of faith and the helmet of salvation. Then clutch the pigskin with much Spirit, for that is what the Play Book of your Coach in Heaven demands.The River of Life
Twice before Lee Harmon has written about Christian topics, once on the gospel of John and once on the book of Revelation. But the question people keep asking him is this: As a liberal Christian, why do you care so much about the Bible? Others wonder whether he is truly a Christian at all.
The Way It Happened
|
|
| Revelation: A love story gone awry. | The Gospel: A love story set aright. |
What really happened 2,000 years ago? How did a persecuted minority of end-time believers known as Christians, with their dreams of Armageddon and a conquering Messiah named Jesus, evolve into the largest religion in the world? Author Lee Harmon explores the period in which the New Testament was written in his books about John's Gospel and Revelation.
(Bloggers: you may be eligible for a free review copy! Just contact us.)
Connect With Me!
A Top-100 Christian Blog
Named an Exceptional Website for Christian Theologians
Our Top Book Picks
Selected by The Dubious Disciple as Best Religion Books. Don't miss these!
Subscribers:
Twitter Followers
Facebook Fans
16806 Blog Members
354 Circles
603 Goodreads Friends & Fans
The God Show
Lee Harmon interviewed on The God Show about the History Channel's miniseries The Bible and Lee's latest book, John's Gospel: The Way It Happened.
About Lee
Hello! I'm an author, historical Jesus scholar, book reviewer, and liberal Christian, which means I appreciate and attempt to exercise the humanitarian teachings of Jesus without getting hung up on any particular supernatural or religious beliefs.
The Bible is a magnificent book that has inspired and spiritually fed generations for thousands of years, and each new century seems to bring a deeper understanding of life’s purpose. This is true of not only Christianity; through the years, our age-old religions are slowly transforming from superstitious rituals into humanitarian philosophies. In short, we are growing up, and I am thrilled to be riding the wave.
I avidly read all thought-provoking religion titles. New authors: I'd love to read and review your book!
Contact me here.
About Leslie
Hi! While Lee writes the articles and reviews the books, I edit, organize, and maintain the blog. The views expressed here are Lee's but I'm his biggest supporter! :-)
Have you considered the possibility that “body” in this context means “asssembly”? As in “body of Christ” meaning the “assembly of followers of Christ”?
Note the parallels:
* Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into
his death? (Rom 6:3)
* And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (1 Cor 10:1-2)
If those “baptised into Christ” are part of the “body of Christ”, then could it also be said that those “baptised unto Moses” are part of the “body of Moses”?
In other words, could the dispute recorded in Jude 9 be about Satan’s accusations agaist Israel?
Fascinating contribution, Joe! The cool thing about scripture is that it can be “about” many things. I think we would be remiss not to recognize the historical origin of the story of Satan and Michael disputing, knowing that it was clearly on Jude’s mind as he wrote, but could he have intended that we uncover a deeper meaning? Much like the way you pull a deeper meaning from the story of the red sea crossing? Sure!
False teachers = jewish myths = to be rejected
“The assumption of moses” is an attempt by man under false understanding to ‘fill-in’ the seemingly missing details in his false understanding. But if he were to seek true understanding, he would need no ‘additional writings’ jewish myths.
If those baptised into CHRIST are part of the body of Christ, then those baptised unto Moses are part of the body of Moses. Let scripture explain itself. If we then believe what is written for our learning, we would immediately see the falsehood of the Assumption of Moses for what it is – Jewish fables and myths
You might have just labeled the book of Jude a “Jewish fable and myth,” Meg, since it appears to give credence to the Assumption of Moses.