NT Text: Jude 9
OT Source(s):
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type: Allusion
Connection Method(s): Analogy
Significance: Jude's citation of the Assumption of Moses represents apostolic freedom to use Jewish traditions illustratively without canonizing them, demonstrating that truth can be drawn from non-inspired sources when serving theological purposes. The hermeneutical principle is selective appropriation: Jude extracts a narrative detail that illustrates proper angelic restraint in spiritual conflict, using it to rebuke false teachers who "blaspheme all that they do not understand" (v. 10). The theological move connects Michael's deference to divine authority ("The Lord rebuke you," echoing Zechariah 3:2) with proper Christian engagement with evil—we do not rely on our own authority but appeal to God's. The mysterious burial of Moses (Deuteronomy 34:6) and Michael's role as Israel's protector (Daniel 10-12) provide canonical grounding for the tradition, though the specific dispute over Moses's body comes from extrabiblical sources. This establishes apostolic precedent for using common cultural/religious knowledge to make theological points, provided the teaching itself remains biblically sound.