114 Timo Flink The internal evidence faces a difficult assessment. Both variants are hapax legomenon. Transcriptionally both readings are thus equally difficult (contra Landon)71. Neither word is found in the Septuagint, so there is no direct link to Hebrew text in light of the possible textual background in Isa. 57,20, which has a similar theme of comparing the wicked to a tossing sea. Another background may be an echo of Isa. 57,15 seen in 1QH 2,27-28 and 1QH 8,15 where the ungodly spat out their shame like waves of the sea upon others72. The ἐπαφρίζω predates Jude. It is found in Greek poetry, which makes it possible for Jude to use it73. In contrast, the ἀπαφρίζω is very rare, but it is found in one first century author, Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. AD 60), which evens the odds74. The author of Jude could have also used it. This textual variation unit needs to be solved by exegesis of the passage. The meaning of τὰς ἑαυτῶν αἰσχύνας is debated75. Does it refer to deeds or words or perhaps teachings? The immediate context speaks of the opponents, men like Balaam, who shepherd themselves, who are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind, men who are fruitless and uprooted late autumn trees, twice dead. These descriptions find parallels elsewhere in Scripture. The author of 2 Peter speaks of the ungodly men as waterless springs in the context of Balaam’s error (2 Pet. 2,15-17). The author of Ephesians warns his readers not to be tossed to and fro by waves and carried by every wind of doctrine, by deceitful schemes (Eph. 4,14). The author of Titus speaks of a need for good deeds so that one is not found fruitless (Tit. 3,14). Hence the descriptions are about actions. In the larger context, however, the author of Jude appears to be particularly interested in the quality of the opponent’s speech. They slan- der (v. 9). God will punish them for their remarks (v. 15). They murmur Landon, A Text-Critical Study, 110 argues that ἐπαφρίζοντα was changed to 71 ἀπαφρίζοντα because ἐπαφρίζοντα is hapax legomenon. This is an odd reasoning in light of the fact that ἀπαφρίζοντα is also hapax legomenon. Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter, 88. 72 Bigg, St. Peter and St. Jude, 335. 73 See Pedanius Dioscorides, De Materia Medica 5.23, noted in E.A. Sophocles, Greek 74 Lexicon of the Roman and Byzantine Periods (Cambridge 1914) 204, though incorrectly listed as 5.31. Witnesses for the De Materia Medica are all from later centuries, so absolute certainty is not possible, but they read uniformly ἀπαφρίζω. Wasserman, The Epistle of Jude, 292, notes a second century author Galen, who also used this word, but is unaware of the entry in Dioscorides. For an argument for “deeds”, see e.g. T.R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude (NAC 37; Nash- 75 ville 2003) 462-68. For an argument for “words”, see e.g. B. Reicke, The Epistle of James, Peter and Jude (AB 37; New York 1964) 207; Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter, 89, takes a neutral stance and translates “abominations”.