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Jude
AUTHOR
A. Jude (Hebrew, Judah, or Greek, Judas) characterizes himself by two designations
1. “a bond-servant of Jesus Christ” - This is not exactly the same as Paul’s usual designation, although they look the same in English.
2. “a brother of James” - There are many persons in the NT named James (Jacob), but the name by itself, without any description, reminds one of James 1:1. James, the half-brother of Jesus, was the leader of the Jerusalem church during Paul’s missionary journeys (cf. Acts 15). It has been speculated that both half-brothers chose, out of humility, not to identify themselves as biologically related to Jesus.
B. The simple opening reflects someone who was well-known and active (cf. I Cor. 9:3) in the early church, but about whom no information has survived. If someone writing at a later period wanted to write in the name of a famous person from the past (pseudography), Jude would not be a good candidate.
C. The ancient tradition that Jude was a Hebrew Christian and half-brother of Jesus (cf. Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) rests on several assumptions
1. a family relationship to James (cf. James 1:1)
2. the extensive use of the OT
3. the characteristic Hebrew literary use of threes
a. 3 OT events of apostasy
b. 3 OT characters
c. opening greeting
(1) three verbs: “called,” “beloved,” “kept”
(2) three prayer requests: “mercy,” “peace,” “love”
RECIPIENTS AND OCCASION
A. The early church was not theologically monolithic; even the Apostles emphasized different aspects of the gospel. As the Apostles began to die (or at least were too few and too far away to be consulted) and the Second Coming continued to be delayed, the early church faced the challenge of “standardizing” acceptable parameters for gospel teachings. The OT, the words and stories of Jesus, and the preaching of the Apostles became the standards.
B. Jude was written in a day of flux and disruption of clear authority. The believers (whether a local church or geographical area is uncertain) were facing massive invasion of error through speculative theology/philosophy. What is known of the heresy:
1. the heretics were part of the church meetings (“love feasts” cf. v. 12)
2. the heretics were immoral, manipulative teachers who were causing divisions among God’s people (cf. v. 19)
3. the heretics seem to have used or discussed “angels” in their theology
4. the heretics seem to have emphasized “knowledge” (gnosis)
If one is familiar with the Greco-Roman world of the first and second centuries, these characteristics imply the philosophical/theological movement known as “Gnosticism.” It is surely true that the origins of these specific second century heretics were a common element of much near-eastern thought. Elements of the dualism so characteristic of Gnosticism is present in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Many of the NT books (Eph. - Col, the Pastorals, I, II John) were written to combat a similar type of false teaching/teachers.
PURPOSE
A. The author desired to write about their common salvation (cf. v. 3).
B. The invasion of false teachings and teachers into the inner fellowship times of the church (cf. v. 12) caused the author to address the burning issue of “the faith once and for all given to the church” (cf. vv. 3, 20). His goal was orthodoxy, but he approached the subject through godly living (orthopraxy), not doctrine (very similar to James 2:14–24). How people lived was a clear window into their theology.
C. The author wants to encourage believers to
1. grow spiritually (cf. v. 20)
2. be assured of salvation (cf. vv. 21, 24–25)
3. help the fallen (cf. vv. 22–23) [1]
Jude
AUTHOR
A. Jude (Hebrew, Judah, or Greek, Judas) characterizes himself by two designations
1. “a bond-servant of Jesus Christ” - This is not exactly the same as Paul’s usual designation, although they look the same in English.
2. “a brother of James” - There are many persons in the NT named James (Jacob), but the name by itself, without any description, reminds one of James 1:1. James, the half-brother of Jesus, was the leader of the Jerusalem church during Paul’s missionary journeys (cf. Acts 15). It has been speculated that both half-brothers chose, out of humility, not to identify themselves as biologically related to Jesus.
B. The simple opening reflects someone who was well-known and active (cf. I Cor. 9:3) in the early church, but about whom no information has survived. If someone writing at a later period wanted to write in the name of a famous person from the past (pseudography), Jude would not be a good candidate.
C. The ancient tradition that Jude was a Hebrew Christian and half-brother of Jesus (cf. Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) rests on several assumptions
1. a family relationship to James (cf. James 1:1)
2. the extensive use of the OT
3. the characteristic Hebrew literary use of threes
a. 3 OT events of apostasy
b. 3 OT characters
c. opening greeting
(1) three verbs: “called,” “beloved,” “kept”
(2) three prayer requests: “mercy,” “peace,” “love”
RECIPIENTS AND OCCASION
A. The early church was not theologically monolithic; even the Apostles emphasized different aspects of the gospel. As the Apostles began to die (or at least were too few and too far away to be consulted) and the Second Coming continued to be delayed, the early church faced the challenge of “standardizing” acceptable parameters for gospel teachings. The OT, the words and stories of Jesus, and the preaching of the Apostles became the standards.
B. Jude was written in a day of flux and disruption of clear authority. The believers (whether a local church or geographical area is uncertain) were facing massive invasion of error through speculative theology/philosophy. What is known of the heresy:
1. the heretics were part of the church meetings (“love feasts” cf. v. 12)
2. the heretics were immoral, manipulative teachers who were causing divisions among God’s people (cf. v. 19)
3. the heretics seem to have used or discussed “angels” in their theology
4. the heretics seem to have emphasized “knowledge” (gnosis)
If one is familiar with the Greco-Roman world of the first and second centuries, these characteristics imply the philosophical/theological movement known as “Gnosticism.” It is surely true that the origins of these specific second century heretics were a common element of much near-eastern thought. Elements of the dualism so characteristic of Gnosticism is present in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Many of the NT books (Eph. - Col, the Pastorals, I, II John) were written to combat a similar type of false teaching/teachers.
PURPOSE
A. The author desired to write about their common salvation (cf. v. 3).
B. The invasion of false teachings and teachers into the inner fellowship times of the church (cf. v. 12) caused the author to address the burning issue of “the faith once and for all given to the church” (cf. vv. 3, 20). His goal was orthodoxy, but he approached the subject through godly living (orthopraxy), not doctrine (very similar to James 2:14–24). How people lived was a clear window into their theology.
C. The author wants to encourage believers to
1. grow spiritually (cf. v. 20)
2. be assured of salvation (cf. vv. 21, 24–25)
3. help the fallen (cf. vv. 22–23) [1]
[1] Robert James Dr. Utley, vol. Volume 11, Jesus' Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude, Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International, 2000), 79-81.
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