Contemplative Bible Reading

Jude 1:16 (New English Translation)

These people are grumblers and fault-finders who go wherever their desires lead them, and they give bombastic speeches, enchanting folks for their own gain.

These are, from verse 4, ungodly men who have turned turned the grace of our God into a license for evil. Verse 16 is one description of who these men are and what they do.

At first, these men are the kind that everyone would avoid. They grumble and find fault with everyone. Who wants that? They, however, have some “redeeming” qualities. They have fun, at least it seems that way as they follow their desires. People who follow their desires usually have fun. And then they enchanted folks. That’s not bad, is it? Enchanting sounds much like entertaining.

Note, however, that the ungodly enchant or entertain for their own gain. Hmmm, that sounds a lot like Hollywood. Perhaps that is a coincidence. There are many entertainers who gain, i.e., are paid, from entertaining, and there are many of us who gladly pay for and enjoy the entertaining. Still, this sounds a bit ominous. Maybe one day I will understand the depth of this one, simple verse.