is there a story behind jude 1:9?

Question

>[Jude 1:9] 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!"

Where did Paul get this story? is it in the Jewish bible or history?
Id like to read the story

Answer 1

I believe it's in Ezekiel--that's the book that talks most about the devil and angels--supernatural beings, etc.

I could be wrong though

Answer 2

This is not Paul speaking but Jude, he says this as referenced in many places in the Bible. Look up 2 Peter 11-12. Angels, even though more powerful will not lower themselves to the level of Satan, demons, or even wicked men by using slanderous and cutting language. When an Angel even an Archangel like Michael knows that the strongest rebuke that Satan can receive is anything in the name of the Almighty God. The most logical thing for Michael to have said to Satan was "The Lord rebuke you!".

Answer 3

Jude was written by Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James...


First, Jude takes the reviling of the glorious ones, and refers to an incident that is not recorded in our Bible. It comes from a book called The Assumption of Moses which was familiar to the readers of the first century. Many have been troubled by this because they think Jude is referring to a book that has perhaps been lost from the Bible. It has not been lost; we still have it. It, and other so-called "lost books" can be read in any reputable theological seminary library. But they are a mixture of truth and error, and what these New Testament writers sometimes do is refer back to them for some recorded instance that is true, so that what is recorded here is perfectly true, but not everything in The Assumption of Moses is.

What happened is that when Moses died, Michael, the great archangel, the highest of the angels, had disputed with the devil over the body of Moses. The claim of the devil was twofold; he said he had a right to the body of Moses, first, because Moses was a murderer---he had slain an Egyptian. Second, the devil said the body of Moses belonged to him because it was in the realm of material things over which he was lord. But Michael disputed this. He claimed the body for the Lord, just as the whole of scripture claims that our bodies are important to God. God has a plan for them as well as for the spirit.

The point he is making here is that even the archangel Michael did not speak directly to Satan when he confronted him face to face, but simply said, "The Lord rebuke you." Jude's argument is, if archangels, who have so much power and knowledge of truth, are careful to respect the God-given dignity of a fallen angel, then why should we, mere men, speak contemptuously of the principalities and the powers in high places? It is a thing to think about, isn't it, when certain people today just sneer at the idea that the scriptures present the existence of demons or Satan.

Answer 4

This story was popular during the intertestimental period. I will see if I can exactly where it originates.

This is a quote is most likely from the a pseudopigraphical book known as the Assumption of Moses.

However, this book has not completely survived the time. We have fragaments of this book but none of the fragments include this story but they do tell us about Moses's body or "The Assumption of Moses". Most scholars believe that Jude quotes from this book.

UPDATE:
Another person mentioned the book of Enoch. And Yes Jude is also using the book of Enoch and quotes 1 Enoch 1:9, but this story is not in that book.

UPDATE:
Another poster said that you can read the The Assumption of Moses in a theological seminary library. You can not. We do not have this entire book. I thought the poster who included a synopsis was pretty interesting.

Answer 5

Early Christian writers ascribe the legend to the Assumption of Moses, a composite Juewish apocalyptic work of the 1st Century, written by a Pharisaic quietist in either Hebrew or Aramaic.
Paul is not considered the author of Jude.
The Jews had various interpretations of the levels of angels. Michael was considered their special angel.

Answer 6

Extracononical book of Enoch. Online copy at http://ministries.tliquest.net/theology/apocryphas/pseudepigrapha/1enoch_all.html

Careful, it was not included in the canon for a reason.

Answer 7

Assumption of Moses

This is a fragment preserved in the "Midrash Bereshit Rabbati" of R. Moses ha-Darshan (a manuscript in the library of the Jewish congregation in Prague), which was published by Jellinek in "B. H." vi. § 22. It is intended as an exegesis to Gen 28. The following is a synopsis of its contents:

As the time for Moses' death approached, God permitted him to ascend into heaven, and unveiledto him the future world. There Middat ha-Raḥamim (the Attribute of Mercy) came to him, saying: "I will announce good tidings." Turning his eyes to the throne of mercy, Moses saw God building the Temple out of precious stones and pearls; he saw also the rays of the Godhead, and Messiah the son of David with the Torah in his arms; also his own brother Aaron in priestly robes. Aaron imparted to Moses that his death was near at hand, whereupon Moses asked God for permission to speak with the Messiah. The latter then revealed to him that the sanctuary which God was then constructing was the Temple and the Jerusalem, which would be established for Israel in the future world to endure for all eternity, and that God had shown the same Jerusalem to Jacob in his dream in Beth-el. To Moses' question when the new Jerusalem would descend to earth, God replied: "I have not yet revealed the end to any one; should I reveal it to thee?" Thereupon Moses said, "Give me at least a hint from the events of history," and God answered: "After I have scattered Israel among all the nations, I will stretch out My hand to gather them in a second time from all the ends of the earth." Moses then joyfully departed from heaven, followed by the angel of death, who demanded his soul. Moses refused to yield it; but finally God appeared to him, and he surrendered his soul to God willingly and cheerfully.

Deuteronomy 34:6 [Deut. 34:6]—What happened to Moses at the time of his death? The text of the King James Version says: “And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.” Other prophets say Moses was translated. Josephus also lends credence to this explanation, by saying, “As he was going to embrace Eleazar and Joshua, and was still discoursing with them, a cloud stood over him on the sudden, and he disappeared in a certain valley, although he wrote in the holy books that he died, which was done out of fear, lest they should venture to say that, because of his extraordinary virtue, he went to God.” 7
Josephus: Complete Works, trans. William Whiston, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1960, “Antiquities of the Jews,” 4:8:48

Answer 8

Moses body was Transfigured and taken to heaven..his body was not on earth, that's why Satan couldn't find his body.

Answer 9

I think your answer is in the next verse>

Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them.