The Letter of Jude
Written by the apostle Jude, brother of James (verse 1), and like James, also the "brother" (half-brother) of the Lord
Location not indicated
Written to Christian friends, perhaps in a particular church, prior to A.D. 70
Written to warn against and excoriate false teachers who were creeping into the early church and spreading corrupt doctrine
CONTEND BOLDLY FOR THE FAITH Read Jude 1-3
Describing himself as a slave of Jesus Christ and the brother of James, Jude opens his letter with greetings to those who are beloved of God, divinely called and guarded by him. My reason for writing you earlier [he explains] was to encourage you to contend aggressively for the Christian faith, a faith which has been completely revealed to, delivered to, and received by believers in Christ.
INFILTRATORS IN THE CHURCH Read 4-10
Certain windy men have infiltrated the church with malicious intent. They deny our Lord, pervert his grace, defile the flesh, corrupt their own natures and are forever smearing Christians. But let me remind you that ours is a God of justice who burned Sodom and Gomorrah [Genesis 19:24], judged Israel after the Exodus [Numbers 14:20], and even threw the rebellious angels into dungeons [Isaiah 24:22].
WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT THEM Read 11-21
These infiltrators are in the tradition of Cain, Balaam and Korah [Genesis 4:8; Numbers 27:3, 31:16]. They are to faith
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what a hidden reef is to a ship. Carousers, complainers, braggarts, flatterers, they have neither root nor fruit, and are as purposeless as waves breaking on the beach or planets wandering through the sky. God will judge them, as Enoch prophesied.
But beloved, we are told that these people would come on the scene before the end. Our only protection is to grow in faith, to keep praying and to look for the everlasting mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
TO GOD BE GLORY AND POWER Read 22-25
Some will always dispute and find fault, but the Lord still has his faithful crew looking for souls to rescue. To him, our Saviour God and our Sustainer, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, now and forever. Amen
Jude is not a letter for casual reading. To go through these verses without spiritual preparation is to enter a world of strange figures and obscure meanings. The author accomplishes his purpose with a colorful use of language.
Trusted commentaries contain valuable help in interpreting some of the difficult passages of this short letter, such as are found in verses 6, 9, and 14.
The bulk of the message is given over to attacks on the enemies of the Christian faith. Several different classes of unbelievers and pseudo-believers are mentioned by Jude, and it is worthwhile taking the time to examine them.
Two types are described in the fourth verse: (1) the antinomians, or "spirituals," who misused the concept of free grace, even as far as indulging in license, by pretending they were "above" sin; and (2) the gnostics, who denied the real humanity of Jesus. In the other verses Jude takes to task racketeers, flatterers, anarchists, obstructionists, demagogues, and those who disputed the deity of Jesus Christ.
Yet there is in Jude also a strain of sublimity which comes out most clearly in the first three and in the closing five verses. Our Bible would be poorer indeed without the magnificent benediction which has become so much a part of the life of the church (24-25).
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Jude has something to say to each of us. In group discussion the question might be raised: Does God wish believers today to remain silent when they see skeptics and doubters taking over the leadership of a church or denomination? What would Jude have said or done in some of our ecclesiastical gatherings? Where is the line drawn between the stalwart defense of truth and mere trouble-making? This letter reminds us of our obligation not only to live by the faith, but to contend for it.
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