As we read through the Bible, we will encounter some odd occurrences, especially to us two thousand years after it was written. As a primary example, the New Testament mentions how Satan and the angel Michael fight over the body of Moses.
Yet when we flip back to the Old Testament, we can’t find this story there. Therefore, modern readers have several questions regarding the story, the authority of the Bible, and apocryphal texts. These ideas can fuel conspiracy theorists who believe the whole canon exists to hide the truth rather than spread it. Unfortunately, because most churches don’t explain the canonization process well, misinformation abounds.
While we look at this odd story from the New Testament, we can find the beauty and complexity of the Bible to speak truth within a world of differing voices.
Where Does the New Testament Mention the Battle over Moses’ Body?
Jude 1:9 refers to Satan and Michael the archangel disputing over the body of Moses. One of the shortest books in the Bible, Jude says, “But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’”
The spiritual conflict is only mentioned in this New Testament letter. Jude includes this without explanation, assuming the reader gets the reference.
The author of this letter calls himself Jude, “a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.” Tradition holds this refers to Jude (otherwise known as Judas), Jesus’ half-brother. Jude would have grown up with Jesus, probably a younger brother, although the Catholic denomination believes Jesus’ brothers were older. Jude and James became a leader of the New Testament church, and Jude wrote this letter to believers to stay faithful to apostolic truth and to Jesus.
In context, Jude warns against false teachers, encouraging people to “contend for the faith.” Ungodly and deceptive individuals had infiltrated the church, and the churches needed to remain loyal to the apostolic faith. The early church needed to fight off worldly ideas from encroaching into the simple, Jesus-focused faith, from within and without. Many New Testament letters encourage the churches in this way. Jude mainly focuses his letter on such warnings against false doctrine and leaders. He uses examples of rebellion from Israel’s history, like the complaining Israelites in the wilderness, fallen angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Jude wanted to remind readers how God judges those who reject his sovereignty.
Within this argument, Jude describes how false teachers speak with pride about things they don’t understand. He contrasts their pride with the archangel Michael’s humility, and he uses the story of a conflict between Michael and Satan over the body of Moses. Despite the important dispute, Michael doesn’t directly condemn Satan but trusts God’s authority by saying, “The Lord rebuke you.” Jude uses this story to show how even powerful beings let God fight on their behalf, unlike the pride of false teachers.
What is the Extra-Biblical Reference for the Conflict over Moses’ Body?
As we can imagine, since the heavenly dispute over Moses’ body can’t be found in the Old Testament canon, this verse has engendered a host of discussion and speculation. In general, scholars believe Jude draws from some extra-biblical tradition, possibly from a work known as the Assumption of Moses or Testament of Moses, which we have no complete copy of today.
The Assumption of Moses was a Jewish writing during what we call the Second Temple period, the time between Ezra/Nehemiah’s history, Malachi, and the life of Jesus. While scholars have found parts of this extra-biblical text, they have no part where Michael and Satan fight over Moses’ body. At the same time, we have other evidence. Early Christian writers like Origen argued this story was found in a version of the Assumption of Moses known to them (Origen shared this in his De Principiis or “On First Principles”). As we can imply from the text, Jude’s readers would have been familiar with this story, not needing a full explanation, and Origen’s writing supports this.
While the Septuagint served as a type of canonization for the Old Testament, several other books floated around and were familiar to the Jews of the first century, and Christians by extension. Enoch was a popular one, for example, as were the Maccabee texts.
The Assumption of Moses would have included such a story about Moses to show the importance of the man as a prophet God used to give the Old Covenant. God chose Moses to deliver Israel and give the Law; Moses died in Moab before Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land, and God himself buried Moses in a valley. However, no one knew the tomb’s location (Deuteronomy 34:5-6). The mysterious burial situation allowed for later speculation.
The story in which Michael protects Moses’ body from Satan would have served a few purposes for the Jews. First, it pointed to the holy role for Moses, even after his death. Moses wrote the foundational texts for Judaism, the first five books, which covered all life, and when referring to those writings, even the New Testament would simply quote them as “Moses said …” The Devil would have used the body to deceive and destroy Jews and others. Therefore, Michael needed to protect it. Second, the story reveals how God works within the unseen, fighting the Devil even though the Jews may have been ignorant of it. The Jews suffered much oppression during the Second Temple period, and this would have encouraged them how God fought on their behalf, like he did for Moses’ body. Third, Michael humbly understands his role and fights Satan through trusting and obeying God rather than taking on the responsibility himself.
It is this last point that Jude uses for the first-century Christian.
Why Does the New Testament Use Moses’ Body as an Example?
Leading up to Jude 1:9, Jude warns believers how wicked people have “crept in unnoticed” and twist the grace of God into an excuse for immorality. Paul dealt with this problem in Romans, as well. The almost scandalous and definitely radical Christian idea of grace and forgiveness led some people to assume actions didn’t matter. If a person was saved by grace and faith alone, and no one could earn it through personal works or righteousness, then they concluded it didn’t matter what anyone did, even as a believer. They could sin to their heart's content, and it wouldn’t matter to God. As Paul explained, they used the grace of God for wickedness (Romans 6:1-2). “What shall we say then? Are we continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Sometimes this “by no means” translates to “God forbid!”
The apostle Paul further explores this with Galatians 5:13, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only don’t use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Also, in Titus 2:11-12, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions …” In essence, God’s grace and forgiveness lead to freedom from sin, not to sin. To use God’s grace to excuse sin would be a perversion and rebellion, and God continues to punish rebels.
Jude uses Old Testament examples to show how God did so in the past. God never changes, and he will condemn again. These Jewish stories show how God doesn’t overlook sin, especially when it comes from those who should know better. And false teachers face a harsher judgment from God for leading others into such deception and wickedness (James 3:1). Jude describes how such false teachers “defile the flesh, reject authority, and slander glorious beings.” To make his point, he refers the reader to how even the great and powerful Michael wouldn’t do such a thing. Michael could stand equal to Satan, conceivably, but he doesn’t take it as his job to curse the Devil. Instead, he calls upon God to rebuke Satan.
For Jude’s teaching, true and mature Jesus-disciples act with humility and reverence, knowing there’s much they don’t know. The evil speak from ignorance and arrogance.
Jude doesn’t mention the fight over Moses’ body to legitimize the Assumption of Moses, necessarily, but to make a deeper point using a story common to the readers. Paul did something similar on Mars Hill when he used an idol of an unknown God to talk about the one true God. Paul wasn’t affirming Roman idolatry but using their cultural stories to lead to Christ. Whether the story about Moses really happened matters less than the message Jude teaches, consistent with apostolic doctrine like Galatians 5:13 and Romans 6:1-2).
What Does This Verse about Michael and Satan's Dispute Mean for Us Today?
Today, we live in a world full of many religions, philosophies, and ideologies, and these can make their way into the church community. This has been the charge and struggle for Christian teachers and leaders for the past two thousand years—how to engage the culture around us without bowing to their deceptive ideas. Like in Jude’s time, false teachings can creep in unawares, covered in charming words and trends. But these ideas might encourage believers to compromise, and we must wrestle against the imaginations that resist the proper knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
A continual problem has been using God’s grace to excuse sin. We still deal with this today. “If God loves me, he wants me to do whatever makes me happy,” the modern culture says, but they use this to justify wickedness and rebellion. The Bible clearly expresses God’s love and forgiveness, and also how his grace empowers us to reject sin and live righteous by his power and Spirit. That is freedom, not doing what we want to do. Acting for ourselves is bondage.
But we can’t stand for truth in ignorance and pride. We must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). This means we study to know God’s Word, hold fast to what it teaches, and resist any compromise, knowing the Father’s truth will save and work good for all. When we stand up for truth, however, we speak with grace, patience, and humility. Love means acting for the eternal best of others, not to prove ourselves right or superior. When we face false teaching in our lives or communities, we should respond like the angel Michael—humbly and lovingly and with confidence in God’s Word.
We can love fully because we know God himself fights for truth, even when others reject it. We might not see immediate results, but God works in the unseen and heavenly places. People we love may ignore, resist, or even attack us for standing for truth. In these cases, we pray and lean on God’s strength, allowing him his role.
While the story of Michael and Satan fighting over Moses’ body might seem strange, Jude uses it to challenge us to stay faithful to the truth, and to be both humble and bold. We lovingly speak the truth and trust the Lord to fight for what is right.
Peace.
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