Hermann L. Strack and Paul Billerbeck provide the Jewish background to Jude 9.

Date
2021
Type
Book
Source
Hermann L. Strack
Non-LDS
Hearsay
Direct
Reprint
Reference

Hermann L. Strack and Paul Billerbeck, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud & Midrash, ed. Jacon N. Cerone, 4 vols. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2021), 3:920–921 (Logos ed.)

Scribe/Publisher
Lexham Press, Logos
People
Paul Billerbeck, Hermann L. Strack
Audience
Reading Public
Transcription

Verse 9 A: Michael, the archangel.

In Dan 10:13, Michael is called אַחַד הַשָּׂרִים הָרִאשֹׁנִים “one of the first (angel) princes”; Dan 12:1 חַשַּׂר הַגָּדוֹל “the great prince”; therefore, in rabbinic literature שַׂר הַגָּדוֹל perhaps = ἀρχάγγελος. — See b. Ḥag. 12B and b. Menaḥ. 110A at § Heb 8:2. — See more about the angel Michael at § Rev 12:7.

Verse 9 B: When he talked with the devil about the body of Moses, he did not dare to pass a cursing judgment, but rather said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

1. On the background of this saying from the Assumption of Moses, see Schürer, Geschichte des jüdischen Volkes (3:294, 298, 303). There is nothing that corresponds to this in ancient rabbinic literature. However, once we find a narrative about a dialogue between Michael and Satan about Moses’ soul shortly before his death. Here, though, Michael has no qualms about passing a cursing judgment on the devil, but rather calls him in short wicked רָשָׁע.

Deuteronomy Rabbah 11 (207C): The angel Sammael (= Satan), the wicked, the head of all satans, had calculated every hour up until the death of Moses and said, “When will the appointed time or moment come when Moses will die, so that I may go down and take his soul from him?” Concerning him David said, “The wicked waylays the righteous and seeks to kill him” (Ps 37:32). Among all the satans, there is none as wicked as Sammael and among all the prophets there is none as righteous as Moses; as it says, “No longer did any prophet arise in Israel like Moses, whom Yahweh knew face to face” (Deut 34:10). What can this be compared with? Like a person who was invited to a wedding. We waited and said, “When will the joyful feast come so that I may rejoice in it?!” So too Sammael the wicked waited for Moses’ soul and said, “When will Michael (as the patron of Israel) weep and my mouth be full of laughing?,” until Michael said to him, “What, you wicked רשע! I weep and you laugh? ‘Do not rejoice, my enemy, because of me. If I have fallen, I will rise up again; and if I sit in darkness, Yahweh is my light’ (Mic 7:8).” “If I have fallen” as a result of Moses’ demise, “I will rise up again” as a result of Joshua’s leadership when he brings down the 31 kings (of Canaan). “If I sit in darkness” during the destruction of the first and second temple, “Yahweh is my light” in the days of the Messiah (see the continuation see at § Matt 4:1 B, #3, C, middle). — There is a parallel in the midrash about the demise of Moses (Beth ha-Midrash 1.125.19).

2. The words: “The Lord rebuke you!” stem from Zech 3:2; Satan demands their application to him, so to speak, as his right in b. Qidd. 81A: see § Matt 4:1 B, #3, A.

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