Expert: Jim Miller - 3/2/2006

Question
Jim: I have always been curious about the source that Jude quotes when he talks about Michael the Archangel arguing with Satan over the body of Moses. This obviously isn't from another part of the Bible. Do you know the ancient writing that this conversation is taken from? Thanks in advance.

Answer
The source for this bit in Jude has not survived.  Clement of Alexandria and Origen attribute it to a book called The Assumption of Moses, which survives only in fragments.  The statement, "The Lord rebuke you," seems to come from Zechariah 3:2.  In the Septuagint Zechariah reads, "Epitimaesai Kurios en soi," where Jude reads "Epitimaesai soi Kurios."  Many scholars assume that Jude's quote derives from Zechariah.
I hope this is helpful.
Jim Miller