Traditionally the writer of this epistle was Judas, the half-brother of Jesus Christ (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3) and the brother of James (Jude 1; Acts 15:13). Some scholars have challenged this identification in recent years, but they have not proved it incorrect. As such, Jude (Gr. Judas, Heb. Judah, "praise") was a Jewish Christian. Like James he was a Hellenized Galilean Jew who wrote with a cultivated Greek style.1
Jesus' physical brothers did not believe in Him while He was ministering (John 7:5). James became a believer after Jesus' resurrection (1 Cor. 15:7), and we may assume that Jude did too. Jesus' brothers were part of the praying group that awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). They were well known in the early church (1 Cor. 9:5).
Jude's many allusions to the Old Testament suggest that his original readers were very familiar with it. While this could have been true of any Christians, it would have been particularly true of Jewish Christians. Consequently many commentators believe Jude addressed this epistle to Jewish Christians primarily.
". . . we should not see it as a catholic letter' addressed to all Christians, but as a work written with a specific, localized audience in mind."2
"A predominantly, but not exclusively, Jewish Christian community in a Gentile society seems to account best for what little we can gather about the recipients of Jude's letter."3
The time of writing is very difficult to ascertain. Since Jude was a younger brother of Jesus he may have lived into the second century. After the Jewish revolts against Rome (A.D. 66-70) Jude probably lived outside Jerusalem and perhaps outside Palestine if he was still alive. References in the text to the false teachers and the apostles (vv. 3-5, 17) suggest a condition in the church some years after the day of Pentecost. Similarities with Peter's writings have led some to date Jude about the time Peter wrote.4As is obvious, these are all very tentative guesses. Perhaps a date between A.D. 67 and 80 would be correct. At this time Jude may have been living somewhere outside Palestine.5
Fortunately the indefiniteness of the historical background of this epistle does not affect its message or value.
"The Epistle of Jude has stronger attestation than 2 Peter."6
Many scholars regard this epistle as an "epistolary sermon."7Jude could have delivered what he said in this epistle as a homily (sermon) if he had been in his readers' presence. Instead he cast it in the form of a letter since he could not address them directly. Other New Testament epistles that are really written homilies include James, Hebrews, and 1 John.
The Book of Jude is in the Bible to teach us that we must be careful to remain faithful to the faith. That is a positive statement. Jude's emphasis, however, was mainly negative. He warned of the danger of departing from the faith once for all delivered to the saints (i.e., Scriptural teaching).
The subject of Jude then is the peril of apostasy (i.e., departure from the truth). Apostasy is a matter of obedience, not salvation.
Jude first defined the character of apostasy (v. 4). I believe the progression in this verse is significant. It shows how apostasy develops. It moves from ungodliness to licentiousness and then to denial.
An ungodly person is one who has within himself refused to submit to God's authority over him. He may be a non-Christian or a Christian.
This involves a volitional choice.
Having made that choice one then proceeds to act on that basis. Departure from God's will begins to mark his behavior. He takes license.
His apostasy moves from the volitional area into the moral area.
The next step is that he justifies his behavior with intellectual rationalization. He has to convince himself that what he is doing is right to silence his guilty conscience. Consequently he figures a way to convince himself that wrong is right. In so doing he must also show that right is wrong. This leads to a denial of God's Word.
He has moved from volitional to moral apostasy and then to intellectual apostasy.
This means that heresy in the church normally has its ultimate source in personal failure to submit to God in some area of individual life. This is the essential character of apostasy.
Next Jude illustrated the nature and consequences of apostasy (vv. 5-11). He did this by citing three groups followed by three individuals.
Group #1: The nature of apostasy in Israel following the Exodus was rebellion against God's revealed will for her, the volitional root problem (v. 5). This resulted in the premature death of the rebels. They did not enter the land.
Group #2: The nature of the apostasy in heaven was some angels' abandonment of God's place for them, the moral error (v. 6). Their action in rebelling revealed the rebellion in their hearts. The consequence of this conduct was and is present bondage.
Group #3: The nature of apostasy in Sodom and Gomorrah was repudiation of God's law over the residents (v. 7). By their actions these ungodly people were saying their way of life was right and God's was wrong. The result of this apostasy was and is ultimate judgment.
Individual #1: Jude used Cain to illustrate apostasy because he did not submit to God's will for him (v. 11). He was a self-righteous person.
Individual #2: Jude used Balaam to illustrate apostasy because his behavior was a direct result of his lack of submission (v. 11). He was a greedy person who lusted after money.
Individual #3: Jude used Korah to illustrate apostasy because he tried to make wrong right and right wrong (v. 11). He was a presumptuous person. Self-righteousness, greed, and presumption identify apostasy in its various stages: volitional, moral, and intellectual.
Jude also pointed out other characteristics of apostasy and apostates that follow in verses 12 and 13. He did not want us to fail to identify departure from the truth.
What did Jude urge his readers to do in view of the peril that apostasy poses? He gave a general command and then specific commandments.
Note first the general command (v. 3). We are to contend earnestly for the faith. This implies deliberate and determined effort. We learn how to do this in the specific commandments that follow.
Note these specific commandments in verses 20-23. Keeping these commandments involves three things.
1. It involves building ourselves up (v. 20). This comes through spiritual growth that takes place by walking by faith. This counters the volitional aspect of apostasy.
2. It involves praying in the Spirit (v. 20). This means calling on God for help. This counters the moral aspect of apostasy.
3. It involves looking to the future (vv. 21-22). This requires keeping ultimate realities clearly in focus. This counters the intellectual aspect of apostasy.
We contend earnestly for the faith best by remaining faithful to it personally and by demonstrating an example of faithfulness to others. This is Jude's method. He did not have in mind apologetics and Christian evidences, though there is a place for that.
By way of application let me raise and answer two questions.
First, what is the faith for which we are to contend? It is the faith once for all delivered to the saints, namely God's special revelation contained in Scripture. That faith centers on the person of Jesus Christ. This is the mission of the church (Matt. 28:19-20).
Second, what is the contending that defends the faith? It is essentially volitional submission to God's authority. It is also behavior that is in harmony with His will morally. It is also conviction that is consistent with His revelation intellectually. This is the calling of each Christian. Whereas there is much apostasy today, it is possible to remain faithful. Jude wrote to enable us to be faithful (v. 24). May our Lord be able to say to each of us, "Well done thou good and faithfulservant."
I. Introduction vv. 1-2
II. The purpose of this epistle vv. 3-4
III. Warnings against false teachers vv. 5-16
A. Previous failures vv. 5-7
1. The example of certain Israelites v. 5
2. The example of certain angels v. 6
3. The example of certain pagans v. 7
B. Present failures vv. 8-16
1. The nature of the error vv. 8-9
2. The seriousness of the error vv. 10-13
3. The consequences of the error vv. 14-16
IV. Exhortation to the faithful vv. 17-23
A. The reminder to remember the apostles' warning vv. 17-19
B. The positive instruction of the readers vv. 20-23
V. Conclusion vv. 24-25
A former student of mine, Brian Baker, submitted the following structural study of Jude in the spring of 1995. He concluded that Jude deliberately constructed his book in a chiastic structure to focus on the warning of woe in verse 11.
ATo you who are keptin Jesus Christ (1)
BMercyto you (2)
CCommon salvation(3a)
DContendearnestly for the faith(3b)
E Licentiouspeople (4)
FI remindyou (5a)
GThe Lord destroyed unbelievers(5b)
H Angels in darknessfor rebelling (6)
ISodom and Gomorrahan example (7)
JDefilement during sleep(8)
KMichael and Satan argued about Moses(9)
LLike unreasoning animals(10)
MDestruction for ungodly actions(10)
NWoe to them!(11)
M'Cain punished for ungodly actions(11)
L'Balaam's unreasoning animal(11)
K'Korah disputed with Moses(11)
J'Hidden reefs present unseendanger (12)
I'Open exhibition of shame(12-13)
H'Stars wander in darkness(13)
G'Enoch prophesied judgment on the ungodly(14-15)
F'Rememberthe apostles' warning (17)
E'Mockingpeople (18-19)
D'Build yourselvesup in the faith(20)
C'Wait for eternal life(21)
B'Have mercyon some (22-23)
A'To Him who keepsyou from from falling (24)
