Jude 1:4 – The Only Despotes

For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. — Jude 1:4, New American Standard

Jude 4

pareisedueesan gar tines anthrwpoi hoi palai
SLIPPED INTO BESIDE FOR SOME MEN, THE (ONES) OF OLD
3921 1063 5100 0444 3588 3819

progegrammenoi eis touto to krima
HAVING BEEN WRITTEN BEFORE INTO THIS THE JUDGMENT,
4270 1519 3778_2 3588 2917

asebeis teen tou theou heemwn charita
IRREVERENTIAL (ONES), THE OF THE GOD OF US UNDESERVED KINDNESS|
0765 3588 3588 2316 1473_8 5485

metatithentes eis aselgeian kai ton monon
PUTTING ACROSS INTO LOOSE CONDUCT AND THE ONLY
3346 1519 0766 2532 3588 3441

despoteen kai kurion heemwn ieesoun christon
MASTER AND LORD OF US OF JESUS CHRIST
1203 2532 2962 1473_8 2424 5547

arnoumenoi
(ONES) DENYING.
0720  -- Westcott & Hort traansliterated Interlinear

We have been asked the question: “Who is your ONLY despotes in heaven?”

The reference is to Jude 1:4, and apparently it is thought that since this scripture speaks of our only Despotes [Master], that if there is another in heaven who is also our Despotes, then these two must both be the same “only Despotes”, and that the two are both the one “only Despotes”. One cannot answer the question at all without making some kind of supposition concerning the scripture. Does it warrant the supposition that Jesus and his God are the same God? Does it warrant the supposition that Jesus is a person of the only true God?

In the scriptures, however, we find that whatever Jesus possesses is of — from — the one God, his God and Father. — Matthew 9:8; Luke 20:22; John 5:19,22.22,26,27; 7:16,17; 8:28; 10:32; 12:49,50; 14:10,24; 15:15,19,26; 17:8; Acts 10:38; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:3; Hebrews 1:9; Revelation 1:1.

The “one God” of 1 Corinthians 8:6 has anointed and appointed his Son as “lord” and shepherd, over all His sheep. Jesus is the only one who fulfills the role as being the only one whom Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appointed — set — as the genuine shepherd over all of Jehovah’s sheep. Jesus is the only Master and Lord that Jehovah has appointed over us. (Isaiah 61:1; Ezekiel 34:23,24; John 3:35; 5:22-29; 10:11,14,29; Acts 2:36; 5:31; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; Philippians 2:9) Thus, while the God of Jesus is despotes, as being the source of all, Jesus also is the only one whom the Most High has made lord and christ over all (with the evident exception of the Most High Himself), being the only instrument that God directly uses through whom He rules, and through, by means of, whom Jehovah will come to judge the world, that all things may be to glory of “one God”, the “God and Father of Jesus.”. — Psalm 2:7,8; 96:10-13; 98:7-9; Acts 17:31; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 15:27; Ephesians 1:3,17; Philippians 2:11.

That the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, spoken of in Acts 3:13, is not Jesus can be seen from the context (Acts 3:13-26), for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the only one who is greater than absolutely all, including Jesus. (John 10:29; 1 Corinthians 15:27) Jehovah God, the God and Father of Jesus, can certainly be called despostes (Master), and of course he is certainly in heaven, while at the same time we only have one despostes whom the Most High has appointed over us through whom the Most High speaks and performs His Works.

According to Bullinger:

Despotes.
Like Kurios (i, above) it denotes owner; but it includes (when used of God) the exercise of more absolute, unlimited and despotic authority and power in heaven and on earth. It is derived from deo = to bind, and pous = the foot. It occurs ten times in the New Testament, and is rendered five times “Lord” ; and five times “Master” (see No. XIV. 2, below).

Used of Jehovah (Appendix 4. II) three times (Luke 2:29. Acts 4:24. Revelation 6:10).

Used of Christ, twice (2 Peter 2:1. Jude 4).

See: 

"Lord” in the New Testament

See:
"Lord" in the New Testament

Despotes – Strong’s #1203
http://studylight.org/lex/grk/view.cgi?number=1203

Luke 2:29
nun apolueis ton doulon sou despota
NOW YOU ARE LOOSING OFF THE SLAVE OF YOU, SOVEREIGN LORD,
3568 3569 0630 3588 1401 4771_1 1203
kata to rheema sou en eireenee
ACCORDING TO THE SAYING OF YOU IN PEACE;
2596 3588 4487 4771_1 1722 1515

Luke 2:29
Now let you your servant depart, [Jehovah], According to your word, in peace

The context would indicate that Simeon used God’s Holy Name here, and that the Holy Name was changed to an anarthrous Despota. Thus, several translations, such as the RNKJV, has some form of God’s Holy Name in this verse.

Nevertheless, Jehovah is indeed the only source of all might, and thus is the Sovereign over absolutely all, including His Son. — John 10:29; 1 Corinthians 15:27.

Acts 4:24
hoi de akousantes homothumadon eeran
THE (ONES) BUT HAVING HEARD LIKE MINDEDLY THEY LIFTED UP
3588 1161 0191 3661 0142
phwneen pros ton theon kai eipan
VOICE TOWARD THE GOD AND THEY SAID
5456 4314 3588 2316 2532 1511_7
despota su ho poieesas ton ouranon kai
SOVEREIGN, YOU THE (ONE) HAVING MADE THE HEAVEN AND
1203 4771 3588 4160 3588 3772 2532
teen geen kai teen thalassan kai panta ta en
THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THE (THINGS) IN
3588 1093 2532 3588 2281 2532 3956 3588 1722
autois
THEM,
0846_93

In Acts 4:24, we find that God’s Holy Name has been changed to Despota (a form of the word despostes). — Exodus 20:11; 31:17; 2 Kings 19:15; 2 Chronicles 2:12; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 115:15; 121:2; 124:8; 134:3; Isaiah 37:16.

I do not believe that these believers would have been guilty of disobeying God by changing God’s eternal Holy Name to Despota (Exodus 3:14,15); I believe that it is more reasonable and in harmony with the entire testimony of the scriptures that this was done by copyists sometime later.
See:
The Holy Name in the New Testament

However, despotes can certainly be applied to the God and Father of Jesus, and since the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is greater than all, including Jesus, the word despotes as applied to Him would indeed take on the meaning of being the only Sovereign over the entire universe; including all that is the spiritual realm, which would also include the Son of the Most High, in his prehuman sonship (John 3:17; 6:38; 8:28,42; 10:36; 17:3,5; Romans 8:3; Galatians 4:4; 1 John 4:10), in the days of his flesh (Luke 1:32,35; Hebrews 5:7), and after his resurrection in the spirit. — John 20:17; Ephesians 1:3; 1 Peter 3:18; Revelation 1:1; 3:12.

Despotes in Acts 4:24, however, as it is, is not applied to Jesus, but the God and Father of Jesus. We know this, because in Acts 4:27 we find that Jesus is depicted as the servant of Despota, and as having been anointed by Despota. This certainly identifies Despota, not with Jesus, but with Jehovah who sent jesus, since it was Jehovah — the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who anointed and sent Jesus. — Exodus 3:14,15; Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18; Acts 3:13-26; 10:38.

The argument of some trinitarians, however, appears to be that there is only one who is Despotes in heaven, and since forms of the word Despotes are used of Jesus as well as the God of Jesus, that both Jesus and His God are that one Despotes. This idea, however, would fail, however, since it is also claimed that Jesus is not His God and Father, thus, they would still have two who are Despotes in heaven, not unless one believes that Jesus is the God and Father of Jesus.

Jesus certainly identified himself and his Father as two individuals, not as one individual. In John 8:17,18, Jesus speaks of himself and His God as “two men”; the word “men” in the verse 17 signifies persons or individuals, not human beings. And while most trinitarians acknowledge this, they would, in effect, contradict this, by saying that these two persons are one Omniscient Being, which in effect would mean that they both have the same sentiency, and thus are both one sentient being. At the same time, however, it is claimed that they are both not the same person, and each has their own will and thoughts (Luke 22:42;John 5:30; 6:38), which would mean that they are not the same sentient being, and that at least one of them could not be omniscient. Some, applying the “hypostatic union” imagination to certain scriptures, even claim that Jesus has one sentiency as man, which is limited in scope, and another sentiency as God, which is unlimited in scope. (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32; Revelation 1:1) Although trinitarians who believe this latter thought deny it, this idea of hypostatic union does indeed end up with the conclusion that Jesus is himself two persons. Additionally, the hypostatic union philosophy, in effect, does indeed end up claiming that God is three persons all of whom are one person, despite all the objections the trinitarian may give to this conclusion.

2 Timothy 2:21
ean oun tis ekkatharee heauton apo
IF EVER THEREFORE ANYONE SHOULD CLEAN OUT HIMSELF FROM
1437 3767 5100 1571 1438 0575
toutwn estai skeuos eis timeen
THESE (THINGS), HE WILL BE VESSEL INTO HONOR,
3778_94 1511_4 4632 1519 5092
heegiasmenon euchreeston tw despotee eis
HAVING BEEN SANCTIFIED, WELL USEFUL TO THE MASTER, INTO
0037 2173 3588 1203 1519
pan ergon agathon heetoimasmenon
EVERY WORK GOOD HAVING BEEN PREPARED.
3956 2041 0018 2090

If a man therefore purges himself from these, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, and suitable for the master’s use, prepared for every good work.

Here the phrase “tw despotee” is indeed applied to Jehovah, who is spoken of in the context. (2 Timothy 2:16,19; Compare with Nahum 1:7; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Proverbs 3:7; 16:6) Jehovah is the Supreme Shepherd (Psalm 23:1; Ezekiel 34:12,15); Jesus is the only genuine [Greek, Kalos (transliterated), Strong’s #2570] shepherd appointed directly by Jehovah, and it is to this appointed shepherd that Jehovah gives His sheep. — Ezekiel 34:23,24; John 10:11,14,17,29.

It is more likely, however, that Peter actually used some form of God’s Holy Name, which would mean, “he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified, and suitable for Jehovah’s use, prepared for every good work.” — 1 Samuel 7:1; 16:5; 1 Chronicles 15:14; 29:15,19; 2 Chronicles 30:15,17.

2 Peter 2:1
egenonto de kai pseudopropheetai en tw law
THERE OCCURRED BUT ALSO FALSE PROPHETS IN THE PEOPLE,
1096 1161 2532 5578 1722 3588 2992
hws kai en humin esontai pseudodidaskaloi hoitines
AS ALSO IN YOU WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS, WHO
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pareisaxousin haireseis apwleias kai ton
WILL LEAD INTO BESIDE SECTS OF DESTRUCTION, AND THE
3919 0139 0684 2532 3588
agorasanta autous despoteen arnoumenoi epagontes
HAVING BOUGHT THEM MASTER DENYING, LEADING UPON
0059 0846_95 1203 0720 1863
heautois tachineen apwleian
TO THEMSELVES SWIFT DESTRUCTION;
1438 5031 0684

In this scripture, Peter does apply despoteen to Jesus. Despoteen is not anarthrous, but it is made definite by the usage of the word “TON” — that is, in effect, “the master of them.”

It was the man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom sacrifice for all. (1 Timothy 2:5,6) Peter is here speaking here, however, of some who had accepted Jesus, had been sanctified in the blood of the new covenant (Hebrews 10:10), and who then denied Jesus. Paul spoke of these also in Hebrews 10:26-29.

Nevertheless, lest we become sidetracked, Peter speaks of Jesus as the Master — the man Christ Jesus — who had purchased them, which he did with his human blood, flesh, soul, body. (Matthew 20:28; 26:28; Mark 10:45; 14:24; Luke 22:19,20; Romans 3:25; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hebrews 9:12; 10:10,29; 13:12) There is nothing here that implies that Jesus is Jehovah.

Jude 4
pareisedueesan gar tines anthrwpoi hoi palai
SLIPPED INTO BESIDE FOR SOME MEN, THE (ONES) OF OLD
3921 1063 5100 0444 3588 3819
progegrammenoi eis touto to krima
HAVING BEEN WRITTEN BEFORE INTO THIS THE JUDGMENT,
4270 1519 3778_2 3588 2917
asebeis teen tou theou heemwn charita
IRREVERENTIAL (ONES), THE OF THE GOD OF US UNDESERVED KINDNESS
0765 3588 3588 2316 1473_8 5485
metatithentes eis aselgeian kai ton monon
PUTTING ACROSS INTO LOOSE CONDUCT AND THE ONLY
3346 1519 0766 2532 3588 3441
despoteen kai kurion heemwn ieesoun christon
MASTER AND LORD OF US OF JESUS CHRIST
1203 2532 2962 1473_8 2424 5547
arnoumenoi
(ONES) DENYING.
0720

It is here that Jesus is described as the “only” Master and Lord of the believers, although it does not say “in heaven”. “Despoteen” is not anarthrous in this verse, but has the article “TON”, thus, in effect, “the Master of us.”. Jesus is indeed the only one we should recognize as our Master and Lord (1 Corinthians 8:6), as being the only one whom Jehovah has made both Christ and Lord. Jesus is not our only Master and Lord by Jesus’ own power or by Jesus’ own authority, but by that which has been given to Jesus from the only source of all power, the only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who anointed and sent Jesus. — Exodus 3:14,15; Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38; Hebrews 1:1,2,9.

Revelation 6:10
kai ekraxan phwnee megalee legontes hews
AND THEY CRIED OUT TO VOICE GREAT (THEY) SAYING UNTIL
2532 2896 5456 3173 3004 2193_5
pote ho despotees ho hagios kai aleethinos ou
WHEN, THE MASTER THE HOLY AND TRUE, NOT
4219 3588 1203 3588 0039 2532 0228 3756
krineis kai ekdikeis to haima heemwn ek
ARE YOU JUDGING AND ARE YOU AVENGING THE BLOOD OF US OUT OF
2919 2532 1556 3588 0129 1473_8 1537
twn katoikountwn epi tees gees
THE (ONES) INHABITING UPON THE EARTH

Despotees in Revelation 6:10 is not anarthrous, but it has the article “HO”, corresponding with the English definite article “the”; thus, in effect is “the master of” someone, which in this case it is the saints who had been killed, and whose slain souls are figuratively pictured as being under the figurative altar. Their souls are figuratively calling out for justice to their Master, who is Holy and True, that their Master avenge their blood.

Bullinger claims that Despotes in this verse is the Father; however, Revelation 3:7 identifies “HO DESPOTEES” as Jesus. In the context of Revelation 3:7, he who is holy and true speaks of some one else as “my God”. (Revelation 3:12) Thus, “He who is holy, he who is true” (of Revelation 3:7) is not the Father, the only true God (John 17:3; 1 Corinthians 8:6), but rather it is the “Son of God” — not God. — Revelation 2:8.

Nevertheless, it is Jehovah, the God and Father of Jesus, who is usually associated with “vengeance”. (Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 79:10; 119:84; Romans 12:19) At the same time, we need to also remember that Jehovah has given all judgment to His Son, and that Jehovah comes to judge through, or by means of, His Son. (Psalm 96:13; 98:9; John 5:22; Acts 17:31; Ephesians 1:3,17-22; ) Thus, we are brought back to the scripture that all is of, or from, the one God, through the one whom the “one God” has made to be only one who is our Lord. — Acts 2:36; 1 Corinthians 8:6.

Regardless, there is definitely nothing in any of these scriptures that warrants making use of the spirit of human imagination so as to add to the scriptures the idea of a “God” who is three persons, and then formulate all else that is needed to go along with that in order to see “triune God” in the scriptures. We find nothing in Jude 1:4 about a triune God, nor any such concept presented there or any where else in the entire Bible