Conclusion: What Does "In Like Manner" Refer to in Jude 1:7?¶

The Question¶

In Jude 1:6-7, the phrase τὸν ὅμοιον τρόπον τούτοις ("in like manner to these") connects verse 7 to something. What does τούτοις ("these") refer to?

The Passages¶

Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Two Grammatically Viable Readings¶

Reading A: τούτοις = The Angels (v6)¶

Translation: "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, in like manner to these [angels], giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh..."

Meaning: Sodom's sin paralleled the angels' sin - both involved crossing categories of flesh (angels with humans; humans pursuing angelic/non-human flesh).

Reading B: τούτοις = The Inhabitants of the Cities (v7)¶

Translation: "Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner [to the people of Sodom], giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh..."

Meaning: The surrounding cities committed the same sins as the people of Sodom did.

The Grammatical Evidence¶

Supporting Reading A (Angels)¶

Gender agreement: τούτοις is masculine plural; the only masculine plural antecedent is ἀγγέλους (angels) in v6
The cities are feminine: Σόδομα, Γόμορρα, and πόλεις are all feminine - τούτοις does not grammatically agree with them

Supporting Reading B (Inhabitants)¶

Constructio ad sensum: NT authors use masculine pronouns/participles for feminine cities when referring to inhabitants:
Acts 8:5: τὴν πόλιν τῆς Σαμαρίας (fem) + αὐτοῖς (masc dative pl) = preached to inhabitants
Acts 8:14: ἡ Σαμάρια (fem) + αὐτοὺς (masc acc pl) = sent to inhabitants
Luke 10:13: Tyre/Sidon (fem) + καθήμενοι (masc) = inhabitants sitting
Matt 23:37: Jerusalem (fem) + ἠθελήσατε (2pl) = people not willing
Gal 3:16: σπέρματι (neut) + ὅς (masc) = referring to Christ
Rev 4:8: ζῷα (neut) + λέγοντες (masc) = creatures as persons
The Acts 8:5 parallel is particularly strong: It uses αὐτοῖς (dative plural masculine) for a feminine city - the exact same case as τούτοις in Jude 1:7.
The pattern is well-documented: Greek allows gender to follow sense rather than strict agreement, with multiple clear NT examples.

Contextual Considerations¶

Jude's Structure¶

Jude gives three examples of divine judgment: 1. Unbelieving Israel (v5) 2. Angels who sinned (v6) 3. Sodom and surrounding cities (v7)

Question: Are v6 and v7 linked by parallel sin, or are they separate examples?

2 Peter 2:4-6 Parallel¶

2 Peter gives the same three examples but does not include "in like manner." Peter treats them as separate illustrations of judgment, not as theologically connected by the nature of their sin.

This suggests: - If the connection is significant, it is unique to Jude's emphasis - If the connection is merely structural, the parallel to 2 Peter supports Reading B

"Strange Flesh" (σαρκὸς ἑτέρας)¶

The word ἕτερος means "different in kind" (not just "another"). What was "different" about the flesh?

If Reading A	If Reading B
Angelic flesh (non-human)	Same-sex flesh (unnatural)
Parallels angels pursuing human flesh	Common understanding of Sodom's sin

What the Grammar Proves¶

The grammar does NOT definitively determine the antecedent.

Evidence	Weight
τούτοις is masculine	High - but not decisive
Cities are feminine	High - creates tension if τούτοις refers to cities
Constructio ad sensum exists	High - provides legitimate alternative
NT examples of city → inhabitants	Very High - 6 documented examples
Acts 8:5 uses same case (dative)	Very High - direct grammatical parallel

NT Examples Summary Table¶

Passage	City (Gender)	Pronoun (Gender)	Case	Refers to
Acts 8:5	City of Samaria (Fem)	αὐτοῖς (Masc)	Dative	Inhabitants
Acts 8:14	Samaria (Fem)	αὐτοὺς (Masc)	Accusative	Inhabitants
Luke 10:13	Tyre, Sidon (Fem)	καθήμενοι (Masc)	Nominative	Inhabitants
Matt 23:37	Jerusalem (Fem)	ἠθελήσατε (2pl)	-	Inhabitants
Jude 1:7	Sodom, cities (Fem)	τούτοις (Masc)	Dative	?

What Determines When Authors Use F → M vs F → F?¶

NT authors use both patterns, and the choice appears to depend on the type of action being described:

F → F (Strict Agreement) - When City is Personified¶

Passage	Construction	Why Feminine?
Matt 23:37	Jerusalem... ἡ ἀποκτείνουσα (she who kills)	Deliberate personification - city as mother figure
Mark 1:33	the whole city was ἐπισυνηγμένη (gathered)	Collective action - a crowd can "gather" as a unit
Rev 11:8	the great city ἥτις (which) is called...	City as a symbolic entity with a name

Pattern: Feminine is maintained when the city is conceived as a unified collective entity or when the action can be predicated of an abstraction.

F → M (Constructio ad Sensum) - When Inhabitants Act¶

Passage	Construction	Why Masculine?
Luke 10:13	Tyre/Sidon... καθήμενοι (sitting) in sackcloth	Physical posture - people sit, cities don't
Matt 8:34	the whole city... ἰδόντες (seeing) him	Sensory perception - people see, cities don't
Acts 8:5	preached αὐτοῖς (to them)	Receiving a message - people hear, not geography
Acts 21:30	the city was stirred... ἐπιλαβόμενοι (seizing) Paul	Physical action - people grab, cities don't

Pattern: Masculine appears when the predicate requires individual human agents - seeing, sitting, hearing, seizing, repenting.

Application to Jude 1:7¶

The action in Jude 1:7 is "going after strange flesh" (ἀπελθοῦσαι ὀπίσω σαρκὸς ἑτέρας) - describing individual pursuit of sexual gratification.

This action requires individual agents (people pursuing flesh), not a collective abstraction
This supports the F → M pattern (masculine τούτοις for feminine cities' inhabitants)
However, it does not rule out the angelic referent (M → M strict agreement)

OT Comparison¶

The Hebrew OT typically uses: - Explicit phrases like "men of Sodom" (Gen 13:13; 19:4) - Strict grammatical agreement (Ezek 16:50 uses 3rd fem plural verb for Sodom)

The NT shows more grammatical flexibility (constructio ad sensum), reflecting Koine Greek usage patterns.

What Must Be Decided on Other Grounds¶

Since grammar permits both readings, the interpreter must decide based on:

What makes better sense of Jude's argument?
Is Jude connecting the sins of angels and Sodom theologically?
Or is he clarifying that all the cities (not just Sodom) sinned?
What does "strange flesh" mean?
If angelic flesh: Reading A is strengthened
If homosexual relations: Reading B is more natural
What is the relationship to Genesis 6?
If Jude assumes Gen 6:1-4 describes angel-human unions: Reading A fits
If Jude is not making this connection: Reading B is simpler
How much weight to give 2 Peter?
If Peter and Jude share a tradition: Peter's silence on the parallel is notable
If Jude is independent: his "in like manner" phrase may be significant

Final Assessment¶

What We Can Say with Confidence¶

τούτοις is grammatically masculine - this is unambiguous
The cities in v7 are grammatically feminine - this is unambiguous
Constructio ad sensum is a documented NT phenomenon - cities can take masculine when inhabitants are meant
Both readings are grammatically defensible - neither can be ruled out on grammar alone
The question must be resolved on contextual/theological grounds

What Remains Disputed¶

The question cannot be definitively settled by grammar alone:

Reading A: Jude connects v6 and v7 theologically - Sodom sinned "in like manner to the angels" (both crossed flesh categories)
Reading B: Jude clarifies scope within v7 - the surrounding cities sinned "in like manner to the people of Sodom" (v6 and v7 remain separate examples)

Reading B does not create a connection between the angels' sin and Sodom's sin. It simply explains that all the cities of the plain committed the same sins as Sodom's inhabitants.

Interpreters should: - Acknowledge the grammatical ambiguity - Evaluate the contextual and theological arguments for each reading - Avoid claiming grammatical certainty for either position

Study Files¶

01-topics.md - Nave's Topical Dictionary research
02-verses.md - All relevant verses with full text
03-analysis.md - Detailed grammatical and contextual analysis
04-word-studies.md - Greek word studies (ὅμοιος, τρόπος, οὗτος, σάρξ, ἕτερος)

These companion sites use the same tool-driven research methodology:

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The Law of God	A 33-study investigation examining every major text, word, and argument about the moral law, ceremonial law, the Sabbath, and what continues under the New Covenant. 810 evidence items classified.
The Final Fate of the Wicked	A 21-study investigation examining every major text, word, and argument bearing on the final fate of the wicked. 632 evidence items classified.
The Ten Commandments	A 17-study investigation of the Ten Commandments -- origin, meaning, Hebrew and Greek word studies, love and law, faith and obedience. 1,054 evidence items classified.
Bible Study Collection	Standalone Bible studies on various topics -- genealogies, prophecy, biblical history, and more. Each study is a self-contained investigation produced by the same three-agent pipeline.