“Jude, which is rendered “Judah” in Hebrew and “Judas” in Greek, was named after its author (v. 1), one of the 4 half-brothers of Christ (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3). As the fourth shortest NT book (Philem., 2 John, and 3 John are shorter), Jude is the last of 8 general epistles. Jude does not quote the OT directly, but there are at least 9 obvious allusions to it. Contextually, this “epistolary sermon” could be called “The Acts of the Apostates.” – Dr. John MacArthur
“This short epistle was not lost in the first few centuries of the Christian era but was providentially preserved. It circulated widely in the church and, although some leaders expressed reservation, the letter was accepted as God’s Word. Even if the letter was not written by an apostle, the church gave Jude’s epistle canonical status. Church councils fully acknowledged its status in the last decade of the fourth century (e.g., the Council of Carthage in a.d. 397).” – Dr. William Hendriksen
With only twenty-five verses, the intention is to complete this study of Jude in approximately two months. Each blog will focus on a particular chronological verse. Building on the foundation Jude gave in vs. 1, the goal is to have an overall understanding of this entire, concise epistle. Today’s installment is an introduction of the epistle.
Jude identifies himself “a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James (Acts 15; Gal. 1:19). He does not mention he is the brother of the Lord (see Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3). This may well be because of his humble spirit and an understanding his half-brother is the Lord of heaven and earth. Jude does not call himself an apostle (vs. 1), but distinguishes himself from the apostles (vs. 17).
“The doctrinal and moral apostasy discussed by Jude (vv. 4–18) closely parallels that of 2 Peter (2:1–3:4), and it is believed that Peter’s writing predated Jude for several reasons: 1) 2 Peter anticipates the coming of false teachers (2 Pet. 2:1,2; 3:3), while Jude deals with their arrival (vv. 4,11,12,17,18); and 2) Jude quotes directly from 2 Pet. 3:3 and acknowledges that it is from an apostle (vv. 17,18). Since no mention of Jerusalem’s destruction in A.D. 70 was made by Jude, though Jude most likely came after 2 Peter (ca. A.D. 68–70), it was almost certainly written before the destruction of Jerusalem,” explains Dr. MacArthur.
“Although Jude did travel on missionary trips with other brothers and their wives (1 Cor. 9:5), it is most likely that he wrote from Jerusalem. The exact audience of believers with whom Jude corresponded is unknown, but seems to be Jewish in light of Jude’s illustrations. He undoubtedly wrote to a region recently plagued by false teachers.”
The historical background to the epistle was when Rome was attacking the church politically and culturally from without and false teachers were attacking the church theologically from within. Jude encouraged the believers in Christ to “contend for the faith” (vs.3). This was a time for the church to be fervently active in its commitment to biblical truth.
Jude is the only book in the New Testament singularly devoted to confronting apostasy. Apostasy is a defection from biblical doctrine or truth. Characteristics of apostates are found in 2 Thess. 2:10; Heb. 10:29; 2 Pet. 2:1–22; 1 John 2:18–23.
“Jude also vividly described the apostates in terms of their character and unconscionable activities (vv. 4,8,10,16,18,19). Additionally, he borrowed from nature to illustrate the futility of their teaching (vv. 12,13). While Jude never commented on the specific content of their false teaching, it was enough to demonstrate that their degenerate personal lives and fruitless ministries betrayed their attempts to teach error as though it were truth. This emphasis on character repeats the constant theme regarding false teachers—their personal corruption. While their teaching is clever, subtle, deceptive, enticing, and delivered in myriads of forms, the common way to recognize them is to look behind their false spiritual fronts and see their wicked lives (2 Pet. 2:10,12,18,19),” continues Dr. MacArthur.
In keeping with the epistle’s Jewish tone, Jude contains several historical illustrations from the Old Testament. These include: 1) the Exodus (v. 5); 2) Satan’s rebellion (v. 6); 3) Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 7); 4) Moses’ death (v. 9); 5) Cain (v. 11); 6) Balaam (v. 11); 7) Korah (v. 11); 8) Enoch (vv. 14,15); and 9) Adam (v. 14). Jude’s audience was obviously familiar with the Old Testament Scriptures.
Jude alludes to and quotes from apocryphal literature. He mentions the dispute the archangel Michael had with Satan (v. 9; and see the Assumption of Moses). And he cites from the prophecy of “Enoch, the seventh from Adam” (vv. 14–15; also consult I Enoch.). This may explain why there were initial questions concerning Jude’s canonicity.
“This inclusion of such quotations in the inspired canon, whether for illustrative purposes or an appeal to conventional wisdom, does not imply that the apocryphal and non-biblical documents were themselves inspired or that everything in them is being endorsed by the Bible. It is the use of the particular reference that is inspired, not the source of that reference,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
“The apostolic use of extrabiblical traditions and documents is not contrary to the inspiration of the NT, for the authors of the NT were enabled by the Lord to incorporate only that which is truth into their writings.”
Finally, Jude is particularly structured in triads or groups of three. This stylistic format is found throughout the epistle.
“Throughout the epistle Jude has a peculiar manner of arranging his material in a threefold pattern. Here are a few examples: the addressees have been called, are loved, and are kept (v. 1); in the salutation Jude enumerates mercy, peace, and love (v. 2); the immoral apostates “pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings” (v. 8); the grumblers and faultfinders “follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage” (v. 16); these are men who divide the Christians, follow mere natural instincts, and lack the Holy Spirit (v. 19); and the doxology lists three periods: before all ages, now, and forevermore (v. 25),” concludes Dr. Hendriksen.
Tomorrow, we will examine Jude, vs. 1 “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:” (Jude 1 ESV).
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 