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Introduction to Jude

 

Summary of the Book of Jude

This summary of the book of Jude provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Jude.

Author

The author identifies himself as Jude (v. 1), which is another form of the Hebrew name Judah (Greek "Judas"), a common name among the Jews. Of those so named in the NT, the ones most likely to be author of this letter are: (1) Judas the apostle (see Lk 6:16; Ac 1:1 and note) -- not Judas Iscariot -- and (2) Judas the brother of the Lord (Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3). The latter is more likely. For example, the author does not claim to be an apostle and even seems to separate himself from the apostles (v. 17). Furthermore, he describes himself as a "brother of James" (v. 1). Ordinarily a person in Jude's day would describe himself as someone's son rather than as someone's brother. The reason for the exception here may have been James's prominence in the church at Jerusalem (see Introduction to James: Author).

Although neither Jude nor James describes himself as a brother of the Lord, others did not hesitate to speak of them in this way (see Mt 13:55; Jn 7:3-10; Ac 1:14; 1Co 9:5; Gal 1:19). Apparently they themselves did not ask to be heard because of the special privilege they had as members of the household of Joseph and Mary.

Possible references to the letter of Jude or quotations from it are found at a very early date: e.g., in Clement of Rome (c. a.d. 96). Clement of Alexandria (155-215), Tertullian (150-222) and Origen (185-253) accepted it; it was included in the Muratorian Canon (c. 170) and was accepted by Athanasius (298-373) and by the Council of Carthage (397). Eusebius (265-340) listed the letter among the questioned books, though he recognized that many considered it as from Jude.

According to Jerome and Didymus, some did not accept the letter as canonical because of the manner in which it uses noncanonical literature (see notes on vv. 9,14). But sound judgment has recognized that an inspired author may legitimately make use of such literature -- whether for illustrative purposes or for appropriation of historically reliable or otherwise acceptable material -- and such use does not necessarily endorse that literature as inspired. Under the influence of the Spirit, the church came to the conviction that the authority of God stands behind the letter of Jude. The fact that the letter was questioned and tested but nonetheless was finally accepted by the churches indicates the strength of its claims to authenticity.

Date

There is nothing in the letter that requires a date beyond the lifetime of Jude the brother of the Lord. The error the author is combating, like that in 2 Peter, is not the heretical teaching of the second century, but that which could and did develop at an early date (cf. Ac 20:29-30; Ro 6:1; 1Co 5:1-11; 2Co 12:21; Gal 5:13; Eph 5:3-17; 1Th 4:6). (See also Introduction to 2 Peter: Date.) There is, moreover, nothing in the letter that requires a date after the time of the apostles, as some have argued. It may even be that Jude's readers had heard some of the apostles speak (see vv. 17-18). Likewise, the use of the word "faith" in the objective sense of the body of truth believed (v. 3) does not require a late dating of the letter. It was used in such a sense as early as Gal 1:23.

The question of the relationship between Jude and 2 Peter has a bearing on the date of Jude. If 2Pe 2 makes use of Jude -- a commonly accepted view (see Introduction to 2 Peter: 2 Peter and Jude) -- then Jude is to be dated prior to 2 Peter, probably c. a.d. 65. Otherwise, a date as late as c. 80 would be possible.

Recipients

The description of those to whom Jude addressed his letter is very general (see v. 1). It could apply to Jewish Christians, Gentile Christians, or both. Their location is not indicated. It should not be assumed that, since 2Pe 2 and Jude 4-18 appear to describe similar situations, they were both written to the same people. The kind of heresy depicted in these two passages was widespread (see Date).

Occasion and Purpose

Although Jude was very eager to write to his readers about salvation, he felt that he must instead warn them about certain immoral men circulating among them who were perverting the grace of God (see v. 4 and note). Apparently these false teachers were trying to convince believers that being saved by grace gave them license to sin since their sins would no longer be held against them. Jude thought it imperative that his readers be on guard against such men and be prepared to oppose their perverted teaching with the truth about God's saving grace.

It has generally been assumed that these false teachers were Gnostics. Although this identification is no doubt correct, they must have been forerunners of fully developed, second-century Gnosticism (see Introduction to 2 Peter: Date).

Outline

I.           Greetings (1-2)

  1. Occasion for the Letter (3-4)

A.   The Change of Subject (3)

    • The Reason for the Change: The Presence of Godless Apostates (4)

                   III.        Warning against the False Teachers (5-16)

    • Historical Examples of the Judgment of Apostates (5-7)
      1. Unbelieving Israel (5)
      2. Angels who fell (6)
      3. Sodom and Gomorrah (7)
    • Description of the Apostates of Jude's Day (8-16)
      1. Their slanderous speech deplored (8-10)
      2. Their character graphically portrayed (11-13)
      3. Their destruction prophesied (14-16)

IV.           Exhortation to Believers (17-23)

  1. Concluding Doxology (24-25)

¢w¢w¡mNew International Version¡n

 

Introduction to Jude

This epistle is addressed to all believers in the gospel. Its design appears to be to guard believers against the false teachers who had begun to creep into the Christian church, and to scatter dangerous tenets, by attempting to lower all Christianity into a merely nominal belief and outward profession of the gospel. Having thus denied the obligations of personal holiness, they taught their disciples to live in sinful courses, at the same time flattering them with the hope of eternal life. The vile character of these seducers is shown, and their sentence is denounced, and the epistle concludes with warnings, admonitions, and counsels to believers.

¢w¢w Matthew Henry¡mConcise Commentary on Jude¡n

 
Jude General Review
                             
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In several passages throughout the New Testament, we find serious 
   warnings about impending apostasy...
   a. Jesus warned that false prophets would arise, the love of many 
      would grow cold, and only those who endure to the end would be 
      saved - Mt 24:11-13
   b. Paul foretold of many disciples being drawn away - Ac 20:29-30
   c. Peter warned about the rise of false teachers, and how many would
      follow their destructive ways - 2 Pe 2:1-3
 
2. But by the time the epistles of John and Jude were written, the 
   danger was no longer impending, it was very much in existence...
   a. Antichrists were present, and false prophets were in the world 
      - 1 Jn 2:18; 4:1; 2 Jn 7
   b. Jude was forced to change his original purpose to deal with the
      crisis - Ju 3-4
 
3. If the danger of apostasy was already present in the First Century
   A.D....
   a. We should not be surprised that the dangers exists in the 
      twentieth century!
   b. We would do well to pay close heed to those epistles written to
      tell us how to deal with it
 
4. That makes The Epistle Of Jude especially relevant, and with this
   lesson we begin a series of expository sermons based upon its 
   contents
 
5. In verses 1-2, Jude begins his letter in typical fashion:
   a. He identifies himself...
      1) As "a servant of Jesus Christ" and "brother of James"
      2) It is considered very likely that James was the brother of the
         Lord who had become prominent in the church at Jerusalem - cf.
         Ga 1:16; 2:9
      3) This would mean Jude was also a brother to the Lord Jesus - 
         cf. also Mt 13:54-56
      4) That Judas would describe himself as a servant of the Lord and
         not His brother is typical of the modesty shown by James as
         well - Ja 1:1
   b. He then addresses his original readers...
      1) No particular church or individuals are named
      2) They are simply "those who are called, sanctified by God the
         Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:"
      3) For this reason, the epistle of Jude has been categorized as a
         catholic, or general, epistle (like James, 1st & 2nd Peter,
         and 1st John)
   c. He concludes his salutation with a three-fold benediction:  
      "Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you"
 
6. Before we go any further, the manner in which Jude addressed his 
   readers is worthy of careful notice...
   a. Jude's purpose is to warn of those "ungodly men" who have crept 
      in
   b. That a warning is necessary suggests a danger that is real: being
      led away from the faith
   c. Yet Jude uses terms in his address that some would say teaches
      the impossibility of apostasy (especially the phrase: "preserved
      in Jesus Christ")

 

¡Ð¡Ð¡mExecutable Outlines¡n