The Epistle of Jude is one of the most intense and urgent books in the New Testament. Often overlooked because of its brevity (only 25 verses) and its placement right before Revelation, it serves as the final warning shot of the apostolic age. Jude originally intended to write a joyful letter about “our common salvation,” but he was forced to change course to address a spiritual emergency: godless men had secretly slipped into the church, turning the grace of God into a license for immorality. The letter is a fiery call to arms, urging believers to “contend earnestly for the faith.” It is famous for its vivid imagery of judgment and its unusual use of non-biblical ancient literature (like the Book of Enoch) to make its point.
Quick Facts
- Author: Jude (Judas), the brother of James and half-brother of Jesus
- Date Written: ~65–80 AD
- Audience: Jewish Christians (implied by the heavy use of OT and Jewish tradition)
- Theme: Contending for the Faith / Warning against Apostasy
- Key Word: “Ungodly” (used 6 times) and “Kept”
- Key Verse: Jude 3 (“I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.”)
- Structure: The Warning (1–16) → The Strategy (17–23) → The Doxology (24–25)
- Symbol: The Reef (Hidden Rocks) — danger lurking beneath the surface
Title / Purpose
Title: The Epistle of Jude.
Purpose:
- To Sound the Alarm: To expose the “stealth” heretics who were infiltrating the church disguised as fellow believers.
- To Call for Defense: To urge the church not to be passive but to actively fight (agonize) for the integrity of the Gospel.
- To Assure: To remind them that while apostates will be destroyed, God is able to keep His true children from stumbling.
Authorship & Context
The Author: Jude introduces himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.” This James was the leader of the Jerusalem church, and both were half-brothers of Jesus (Matthew 13:55). Like James, Jude humbly avoids calling himself the “brother of the Lord,” choosing the title “servant” instead.
The Relationship to 2 Peter: Jude shares a massive amount of content with 2 Peter Chapter 2. They use the same examples (fallen angels, Sodom, Balaam) and similar vocabulary. It is likely that one borrowed from the other to combat the same wave of moral corruption.
The Problem: The false teachers were “antinomians”—people who believed that because they were saved by grace, they were free to indulge in sexual sin and reject moral authority.
Structure / Narrative Arc
Jude loves “triads” (sets of three). The letter is tightly organized around examples from the past applied to the present.
1. The Purpose (Verses 1–4):
- The Change of Plans: Jude wanted to write about salvation but felt “compelled” to write a war manual instead.
- The Infiltrators: Ungodly people have “crept in unnoticed” (like spies).
2. Three Examples of Judgment (Verses 5–7):
- Israel: Saved from Egypt, but those who did not believe were later destroyed.
- Fallen Angels: Those who abandoned their proper dwelling are kept in darkness for judgment.
- Sodom and Gomorrah: Destroyed by fire for sexual immorality and perversion.
3. Description of the Heretics (Verses 8–16):
- Three Rebels: They have gone the way of Cain (murder/hatred), rushed into the error of Balaam (greed), and perished in the rebellion of Korah (insubordination).
- Nature Metaphors: They are hidden reefs, shepherds feeding only themselves, clouds without rain, autumn trees without fruit, wild waves of the sea, and wandering stars.
4. The Call to Persevere (Verses 17–23):
- Remember: The apostles predicted scoffers would come.
- Build Up: Pray in the Holy Spirit and keep yourselves in God’s love.
- Rescue: Be merciful to doubters; snatch others from the fire; show mercy to the corrupt but hate the sin (“the garment stained by the flesh”).
5. The Doxology (Verses 24–25):
- One of the most beautiful closings in Scripture, focusing on God’s power to keep us.
Major Themes
Contending for the Faith: The faith is not something we invent; it was “once for all entrusted” to the saints. It is a deposit that must be guarded. To contend means to struggle or wrestle (Greek: epagonizomai) against error.
Apostasy: Jude describes people who knew the truth but abandoned it. He warns that proximity to the truth (like being in the church) does not guarantee salvation if the heart is rebellious.
Judgment is Certain: By citing history (angels, Sodom, Cain), Jude proves that God always judges rebellion. No one gets away with it, even if they seem prosperous now.
Preservation: The book opens and closes with the promise that believers are “kept” by Jesus Christ. In a world full of falling stars, true believers are held secure by God’s power.
Key Characters
Jude: The vigilant watchman. Michael the Archangel: Cited in a dispute with the devil over the body of Moses. Enoch: The seventh from Adam, quoted as a prophet predicting the Lord’s coming judgment. The False Shepherds: The infiltrators turning the love feasts (communion/dinners) into blemishes.
Notable Passages
The Call to Arms (Verse 3): “…I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.”
The Body of Moses (Verse 9): “But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’”
Enoch’s Prophecy (Verses 14–15): “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone…”
The Doxology (Verses 24–25): “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy…”
Legacy & Impact
Use of Apocrypha: Jude is unique for quoting the Book of 1 Enoch (v. 14) and alluding to the Assumption of Moses (v. 9). This has puzzled theologians for centuries. Most evangelicals view this not as an endorsement of those entire books as Scripture, but as Jude citing a known truth or historical tradition contained within them (similar to Paul quoting Greek poets).
The Great Doxology: Verses 24–25 are widely used in church benedictions today, providing deep comfort regarding the security of the believer.
Symbolism / Typology
Wandering Stars: In verse 13, the false teachers are called “wandering stars” (likely referring to comets or planets that don’t follow the fixed patterns of the stars). For ancient sailors, navigating by a wandering star meant death. Following a false teacher leads to being “lost in the blackest darkness forever.”
Clouds without Rain: A symbol of false promise. In a dry land, a cloud promises life-giving water; if it brings nothing, it is a cruel deception.
Leave a Reply