Why Did Michael The Archangel Dispute with Satan Over Moses' Body?

This was the question a freind of mine asked me recently. Here is my reply:

The passage is Jude verse 8. Your question is a good question, and has been a difficult question that commentators through the years have struggled to answer. Before offering my answer, there are a couple of important matters that must be considered anytime we approach a difficult text (or any text for that matter).

1. We must consider the context of the passage. This includes considering a number of factors, such as who is writing the passage, who is the audience, what is the issue being discussed, what are the other passages around that verse talking about, what kind of literature is it (is this a poetry, historical narrative, etc.), etc., etc.

2. We interpret Scripture with Scripture. In other words, when we discover a text of Scripture where we are unsure of its meaning, we must go to other places in Scripture to see if more light can be given with regard to the passage in question. In this regard, one of the important things to remember is that just as there are passages that are very clear as to their meaning, there are other passages where the meaning is not so obvious. So, we always want to take the passage that is less clear and compare it with other similar passages that are very clear and beyond question, and interpret it in light of the passage that is clear.

This also calls our attention to the fact that there are some things in Scripture that are more important to grasp than other things. For example, the fact that Jesus will return one day to consummate His kingdom is one very clear and central teaching of Scripture. However, the details of what will occur are not as clear, and are less central. This is why all Christians believe in the Second Coming of Christ, but, there are many different understandings as to many of the details pertaining to that. Those details are important, but do not rise to the level of being essential to understand. Well meaning Christians can differ over those details and still maintain fellowship.

The problem occurs when there is a difference over a clear, fundamental, and essential teaching of Scripture. For example, one person claims that Jesus is in fact God in the flesh, while another person claims that Christ was merely a man. Or, one person affirms that the way a person gets to Heaven is by grace alone through faith in Christ alone, but someone else says that in order for God to let someone into Heaven, their good works must outweigh their bad works. In that case, salvation depends not just on faith, but also on whether we have done enough works. Now, those 2 issues (the nature of Christ, and the teaching on how it is a person gets to heaven) are essential teachings in Scripture, and what a person believes about those things has a direct bearing on whether or not that person would even be considered a Christian.

As for those 2 issues, legitimate Christianity has always maintained that Jesus was in fact God in the flesh (He was 100% God and 100% human), and that salvation is in no sense based on human works, but is purely by God’s grace (undeserved favor) alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. This truth was especially brought to light in the Protestant Reformation in 1517. This link provides a very good, and brief overview of the Reformation: http://www.thirdmill.org/files/english/html/ch/CH.Arnold.RMT.2.HTML. More info can also be found at http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/topic/fivesolas.html)

Anyway, I belabor all of that because I think it is important to keep in mind, particularly when dealing with a relatively obscure passage such as Jude verse 8, in which Michael is said to have disputed with Satan over the body of Moses. Keeping in mind what I have outlined above, lets makes some observations about this passage, and then see if there is an answer:

1. As for the context of the passage, we note that Jude is writing to believers primarily to warn them against false teachers. We are not sure of the location of the writing and the identity of the believers themselves (were they Jewish, Gentile, etc.). The reason that would be important (the identity of the readers) is because the writer would gear things a little differently in communicating with his audience. We see this throughout the New Testament especially. In a largely Jewish audience, there will be more emphasis on certain cultural practices, as well as a more direct appeal to the writings of the prophets, etc. If the audience is assumed to be largely Gentile (i.e., non-Jewish), different things will be emphasized by the writers in order for them to make their point. Anyway, the key here for the context is that the purpose of the letter is that Jude is warning the church against false teachers. I for one believe that the audience was composed largely of Jewish believers in Christ, because most if not all of the examples and imagery used by Jude are related directly to either Jewish history or other Jewish writings. More on that a bit later.

2. In the immediate context of the passage (verse 9), Jude has exhorted these believers to be prepared to contend for the faith (verse 3), and tells them the reason they need to be ready is because there will be “certain men” that have “secretly slipped in among you…who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (v. 4).

Jude then goes on to provide a description of these false teachers. He does this by reminding his readers of some of the examples that they are familiar with, such as the disobedience of Israel after they were brought out Egypt and how there were those that rose up against Moses and sought to lead the people away from his leadership, which resulted in them rejecting God in favor of the golden calf (see v. 5. Note: this is not explicitly stated by Jude, but is clearly implied when we go back to that period of time that Jude is referencing and see what occurred…notice, we compare and interpret Scripture with Scripture). Please note, in their rejecting of Moses, they were in essence, as God said, rejecting Him (see Exodus chapters 3 and 4, and Numbers chapter 12, and Numbers 13:11). When they spoke evil of the things Moses was telling them, they were in essence speaking evil of God Himself. This is important, because this is one theme that Jude is trying to develop. He is trying to demonstrate to his readers that the false teachers they are dealing with are, as he will say in verse 8, those that, “pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings.”

Then in verse 6 Jude provides another example by speaking of the angels that rebelled. This obviously would be Satan and the host of angels that went with him. The issue with Satan and his minions was an issue of again rejecting the authority of God, and slandering the person and nature of God.

In verse 7, Jude highlights the consequences for such actions, and he again uses imagery that a Jewish audience would be very familiar with: Sodom and Gomorrah. The thing that those that he has described, and these false teachers that he is ultimately alluding to, can expect is punishment by eternal fire (which the reference to Sodom and Gomorrah serves to illustrate).

So, after providing these allusions and illustrations, Jude basically sums up the moral shortcomings of these false teachers by stating in verse 8 that they were dreamers who “pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings.” One key to understanding this last phrase (slander celestial beings) is to understand the word slander. Slander is a false and malicious statement or report about someone. Obviously, to engage in slander is sin. The point is that we are not free to slander anyone, the devil included. Slander and false accusations is the devil’s game, not ours.

So now the stage is set for the passage in question! :-) Jude hones in especially on the crassness of these false teachers in terms of their slandering of celestial beings by pointing to an example where it is said that even Michael the archangel “did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him (Satan)” when they disputed over Moses’ body. Now, what of this passage?

First, it is obscure. In other words, this is the only place (at least that I’m aware of) where this is mentioned. Hence, we do not all of the details. We have no idea why the body was disputed over, when the dispute occurred, and what the results of the dispute were (though we could rightly imply that Satan lost the dispute, because Michael said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you!”). But now we can ask more questions of this passage.

First, when we begin to examine this verse, we discover that this passage is actually found in a piece of ancient literature known as the Assumption of Moses. Now, that writing (the Assumption of Moses) is not considered to be part of the Scripture. However, we do find various writers of Scripture that do quote from uninspired sources. As a matter of fact, Jude does it again in verses 14-15 when he speaks about Enoch, and he is getting his material from a writing known as The Apocalypse of 1 Enoch. The Apostle Paul does a similar thing in Acts 17:28 and Titus 1:12 when he quotes the writings of pagan poets and philosophers. The NIV Study Bible provides a helpful commentary on passages like this: “Such usage [of uninspired writings] in no way suggests that the quotations, or the books from which they were taken, are divinely inspired. It only means that the Biblical author found the quotations to be a helpful confirmation, clarification or illustration.” (NIV Study Bible, note on Jude verse 9).

So, why would Jude include this incident that is found in an uninspired writing, particularly if the incident is not found anywhere else in the Bible, and if he was not going to give us more information about it? Because ultimately, the point of the passage is not to tell us about the fact that Michael disputed with Satan over the body of Moses. The point that Jude wants us to see is that even Michael the archangel, with all of his authority, did not sink to the level of slandering someone even as evil as Satan; yet, the false teachers that Jude has been warning his readers about, who are mere human beings, think nothing of engaging in slander, and their slander ultimately is against the authority that they should be submitted to (namely God and His word). They simply have no fear of God, and Jude is powerfully illustrating the utter folly of these false teachers (who obviously are less in stature than someone like Mchael the archangel).

Another thing to consider with regard to the incident of Michael disputing with Satan over Moses’ body is that because Jude is quoting from this extra-biblical source (The Assumption of Moses), it could be that this event was just a common fable that is found in Jewish literature that Jude decides to use to make his point. In other words, the event itself may have never occurred, but Jude, in wanting to illustrate his point about the character of the false teachers, decides to refer to this scene because it would be something that his audience, particularly if they were Jewish, would be very familiar with, and it would make the best impression upon their minds.

We do this frequently in our own speech and writing today. For example, when we want to illustrate a point, we sometimes refer to scenes in popular movies or novels. In the relating of that scene, we usually do not say, “now we know that this scene did not occur in real life…” No; we just refer to the scene and leave it at that. For example, if I want to illustrate the power of perseverance that some people have, I might say, “and look at Rocky Balboa. He battled against insurmountable odds, and ended up beating Apollo Creed!” Anyway, we know that Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed are purely fictional characters, and they did not really fight. But what if someone 200 years from now read something I wrote where I mentioned that, but never qualified it by referring to it as fiction? They might get the idea that Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed were real people who really did fight!

In Jude’s case, it is a little more complicated because the individuals he refers to are real individuals (Michael the angel, Satan, and Moses). However, the events associated with them may not have actually occurred. Anyway, that is one possible understanding of the text. The other understanding is that the events alluded to by Jude did in fact occur, however, whether they actually occurred or did not occur, it was beyond his purposes to state why the dispute arose, and the Bible does not shed any more light on the issue either.

So, the ultimate answer to the question is 3-fold:

1. Jude is citing a non-biblical, uninspired source. The incident he cites is not alluded to anywhere else in Scripture, so we are not 100% sure whether it occurred in history or not. If it did occur, no information is given as to why Michael the archangel was disputing with Satan over Moses’ body.

2. Jude’s purpose for citing the incident is not to merely tell us about the incident; rather, he is using the incident to prove his ultimate point about the character of the false teachers that he is warning the church about. The incident itself is not the thing that is paramount in Jude’s thinking.

3. Our response should be then to consider all of the factors involved, and:
a. Discover the author’s (in this case, Jude’s) purpose for the text.
b. Not lose sight of Jude’s intention (and therefore God’s intention, since it is His
word that He is giving us through Jude). In other words, we must keep before us the primary purpose of the text, and not move from that. We can speculate about the incident, but, we must be careful not to lose sight of why the incident is reported in the first place.

Sorry for the long answer! But, as you can see, there are a number of things to consider, especially with a difficult text like this one.

Blessings!

John
johnandursula@comcast.net