“May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.” (Jude 2 (ESV)
Jude began his epistle by immediately identifying who he was and to whom he was writing (vs.1). He called himself by name, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. He referred to his readers those who God the Father called, loved and kept.
Jude continued by invoking a common Jewish blessing, or greeting of God’s favor, found in all of the Apostle Paul’s epistles. Employing his characteristic triad, Jude used three nouns in his blessing: mercy, peace and love. What do these three words mean?
Mercy (ἔλεος; eleos) refers to pity and compassion. It also means to show kindness to someone in serious need. Regarding salvation, mercy is God “not” giving what sinners deserve; His wrath and judgment for their sin. Mercy compliments the biblical doctrine of God’s grace, which is God giving what the sinner “does not” deserve; salvation.
Mercy is the need on the part of him who receives it and the resources necessarily adequate to meet the need on the part of God who shows it. Mercy is the sovereign act of God wherein He does not give us what we deserve but rather what we do not deserve; salvation. But here in the context, not just salvation, for they are already saved, but rather mercy displayed towards others as a Christian virtue. Since believers have received mercy from God, they are to exercise mercy in relation to their fellow human beings. It is tolerance when justice demands punishment.
Peace (εἰρήνη; eirene) means tranquility and freedom from worry on the basis of favorable circumstances. Peace also refers to the tranquility and harmony existing between two parties.
There is peace with God (Rom. 5:1). There is also peace with fellow believers in Christ (Rom. 15:13) and in the midst of the circumstances of life (Phil.4:6-7). Peace is also a fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work in our souls (Gal. 5:22-23).
Love (ἀγάπη; agape) refers to self-sacrificial love of the will. Is a love of the will which regards the recipient of such love as valuable and precious. Such love is to be the hallmark of each believer in Christ (I Cor. 13; I John 4:7-11). This is because God so loved us (Jude 1).
Jude in effect prays God will multiply all three Christlike characteristics within the lives of each believer to whom he is writing. Multiply (πληθυνθείη; plethyntheie) means to greatly increase. In addition to God’s mercy, peace and love establishing our position before Him in Christ, we are also to display such mercy, peace and love to fellow believers in Christ.
The Apostle Paul expressed this to the Ephesian Church. Ephesians 4:32 (ESV) says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
“Jude says, “May mercy and peace and love” – not be yours but “be” – what? – “multiplied to you.” May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you because you’re the called and the loved and the kept. The verb here, plēthunō, means to be increased. May you just have a constantly increasing amount of this. It’s like Peter said, 1 Peter 1:2, “May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure.” Or 2 Peter 1:2, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you.” It’s the same thing,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.
“The divine provisions of mercy, peace, and love included in Jude’s greeting are needed by Christians living in the licentious atmosphere of apostate teaching. God’s mercy can sustain them in times of difficulty (Heb. 4:16); His peace can give a subtle calmness when evil abounds (Rom. 15:13; Phil. 4:7); and His love can protect and assure believers in the face of peril (Rom. 5:5; 1 John 4:12, 15–16),” states Dr. Edward C. Pentecost.
“The nature of the salutation reflects the writer’s attitude. Jude’s choice of words introduces his deep-seated compassion and heartfelt concern for his readers. He longed for them to know in the fullest measure God’s “mercy, peace, and love.” Jude overflowed with love for the believers while warning them about those who were making their way into the church to destroy it, those who knew nothing of God’s mercy, peace, or love.”
How may believers in Christ display God’s mercy, peace and love towards fellow believers, and also non-believers? We truly evidence the Lord’s mercy, peace and love He gave us when we give it to others; even when it is not easy and also when we do not feel like doing it. I encourage you to meditate upon I Corinthians 13:1-8 and I John 4:7-12 today.
May the Lord’s mercy, peace and love be found here.
Soli deo Gloria!
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