But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Michael is not a created angel but Christ Himself, His name means 'Who is as God,' and Scripture shows Him as head of all principality and power. The body of Moses, literally his grave, was the subject of dispute: Satan wanted it raised to seduce Israel into idolatry, while Christ opposed him to preserve the law's burial and prevent that sin.
AI summary
Michael, one of the chiefest angels, committed Satan to God's judgment rather than rail against him. Yet these perverse men boast in evil-speaking of powers ordained by God, a shameless contrast to the archangel's reverent restraint.
AI summary
This passage has troubled expositors because the story appears nowhere in Scripture and sounds like a Jewish fable. Peter made only a general point about angels; Jude cites a particular case. The difficulty remains genuine, though several explanations have been proposed by careful scholars to reconcile it with sound doctrine.
AI summary