Answer
The author of Jude, most likely the half-brother of Jesus, wrote to warn believers of the dangers of false teachers who had crept into the early church. He called these false teachers “ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 1:4). In a lengthy description of these godless men, Jude explained how they had rebelled against God, rejecting His authority and wallowing in sin (Jude 1:5–10). Then Jude pronounced doom on them for a terrible trio of sins plucked from the pages of the Old Testament: “Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion” (Jude 1:11).
To literally take “the way of Cain” is to behave or conduct oneself in the same manner as Cain. These ungodly people “follow[ed] in the footsteps of Cain” (NLT) or “traveled down Cain’s path” (NET). Bible scholars attribute various behaviors to the sinful “way of Cain.” Cain’s story unfolds in Genesis 4, beginning with Cain and his brother Abel making offerings to God: “Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry” (Genesis 4:3–5, NLT). Cain’s offering was unacceptable to God because it came from an evil heart (see 1 John 3:11–12).
Warren Wiersbe suggests that Cain’s offering represented a rejection of God’s way of salvation: “By clothing Adam and Eve with the skins of slain animals (Gen. 3:21), God made it clear that the only way of forgiveness is through the shedding of blood. This is the way of faith, not the way of good works (Eph. 2:8–10). But Cain rejected this divinely authorized way and came to the altar with the fruits of his own labor. God rejected Cain’s offering because God rejected Cain: his heart was not right before God. It was by faith that Abel’s sacrifice was offered, and that was why God accepted it (Heb. 11:4)” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2, Victor Books, 1996, p. 554).
The “way of Cain” is the religious person’s approach to salvation rather than God’s way. It is self-righteousness based on one’s own works. The “way of Cain” is paved with human pride, which tries to make oneself right with God by following legalistic rules instead of coming to Him through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:1–4; Philippians 3:3–12). Cain was outraged because God rejected his offering. Genesis 4:7 reveals that God had shown Cain the right way, but Cain knowingly refused to walk in it. Therefore, God warned him, “Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you” (Genesis 4:7). Cain refused to submit to God’s way, and in a fit of jealous anger, he murdered his brother.
The “way of Cain” is the conduct of disobedient, unbelieving cynics who, even though they clearly understand what God expects from them, choose to chart their own course in life (see Isaiah 53:6; Hebrews 3:12; 18–19; 4:2, 6). Instead of trusting in the Lord with all their hearts and seeking His will in all they do, they depend on human wisdom and worship God according to their own understanding rather than His divine revelation (see Proverbs 3:5–6).
Bible commentators also associate the way of Cain with people who are consumed with jealousy, hatred, and envy of others and who have a murderous spirit, like Cain. The false teachers in New Testament times certainly fit this description (Matthew 23:27; Acts 20:29–31; Romans 16:17–18; 1 Timothy 6:3–5). The apostle Peter gave a scathing portrayal of false teachers in 2 Peter 2:1–22. He pictured them as rebellious against authority, destructive, greedy, and proud. “They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong,” writes Peter (verse 15). These false prophets may not have been committing murder in the literal sense, but they were killing the faith and the souls of many (Matthew 7:15; 15:14; Galatians 1:6–9; 1 Timothy 4:1–2; 6:20–21; 2 Timothy 2:17–18; Titus 1:10–11; 2 Peter 2:1).
