Jude explained his reason for writing this letter to introduce what follows and to impress the urgency of his subject on his readers.
v. 3 Most Spirit-led preachers have felt exactly how Jude said he felt in this verse. It is enjoyable to talk about salvation and something positive. Nevertheless occasionally a particular situation compels us to speak about a danger that God's people need to appreciate. The presentation of this subject must sometimes be quite negative. Delivering such a message is not as pleasant a task.
The faith delivered to the saints is the special revelation of God that Scripture contains and the apostles preached (cf. Gal. 1:23; 1 Tim. 4:1). Jude's readers needed to struggle to maintain this faith as a champion athlete labors to dominate and to subdue his or her challengers (cf. 1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7-8).
"To contend earnestly for' (epagonizesthai) is an expressive compound infinitive which appears only here in the New Testament. The simple form of the verb (agonizomai), which appears as agonize' in its English form, was commonly used in connection with the Greek stadium to denote a strenuous struggle to overcome an opponent, as in a wrestling match. It was also used more generally of any conflict, contest, debate, or lawsuit. Involved is the thought of the expenditure of all one's energy in order to prevail."14
This unique compound verb pictures a person taking his or her stand on top of something an adversary desires to take away, and fighting to defend and retain it.15
"These efforts are, it is surely unnecessary to add, of a moral and persuasive nature only; all force of a physical nature being expressly forbidden the faithful. When Peter sought to defend the Lord with a sword he was rebuked for his pains; and in bidding him sheathe it, he forevermore made it clear that his followers are not to fight with carnal weapons in his behalf."16
"Jude has two major concerns--that they [his readers] will not be led astray by false teachers. He prays that they will instead take the initiative and contend for the faith."17
"The final argument for faith in the world is not the argument of words, but the argument of life."18
"Indifference to error is a sign of false liberalism and humiliating weakness."19
The phrase "once for all delivered"stresses the unalterable and normative character of this faith.
v. 4 "Certain persons"stands in contrast to the "saints"(v. 3). These people had "wormed their way in"(NEB) to the churches (cf. 2 Pet. 2:1).
The verb "crept in"(Gr. pareisedusan), ". . . indicates a secret, stealthy, and subtle insinuation of something evil into a society or a situation."20
". . . not only is the local community troubled by importations of an alien creed, but it seems that the heretics themselves have invaded the church, bringing their doctrines with them."21
"They slipped in secretly (Jude 4; cf. Gal. 2:4) as itinerant preachers, a common part of first-century religious life (cf. Acts 13:15; 2 John 7-11; Didache 11.1-12; 13.1-7). Or they arose within the community itself and later quietly brought in heretical teachings from outside (2 Peter 2:1; cf. Acts 20:29-30; Rom. 16:17-18)."22
These people were tares among the wheat (cf. Matt. 13:24-25, 38-39).
"Jude's opponents are a group of itinerant charismatics who have arrived in the church(es) to which he writes. Everything else Jude tells us about them is related to their antinomianism, which is the target of his attack. They reject all moral authority, whether that of the law of Moses (vv 8-10) or that of Christ himself (vv 4, 8), even though they claim to be followers of Christ. . . .
"In line with their rejection of moral authority, they indulge in immoral behavior, especially sexual misconduct (vv 6-8, 10); in this they may be deliberately flouting accepted standards of Jewish morality and conforming to the permissiveness of pagan society."23
Probably God had marked them previously for condemnation in the sense that He knew their sin long ago and would punish them in the future for it. "This condemnation"refers to the sure punishment that lay ahead of them for their sin (cf. Matt. 7:15; Mark 13:22; Acts 20:29-30; 2 Pet. 2).
Jude's original readers could see the ungodly character of these people in two specific activities. They used the liberty from the Law of Moses that believers enjoy as an opportunity for sensual indulgence and debauchery (i.e., antinomianism). Gnostics were guilty of this, and their influence seems to be in evidence here as well as elsewhere throughout this epistle.24Second, they denied God and Jesus Christ evidently by distorting the truth that Scripture reveals (cf. 1 John 2:22-23; Titus 1:16). In view of the Greek grammatical construction of this verse, "Master"seems to refer to God and "Lord"to Jesus Christ.25However, many scholars believe that Jude had Jesus Christ in view in both of these titles.26
"Although they claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, Jude says that by rejecting his moral demands they are in fact disowning him as their Master and repudiating his authority as Lord."27
Doctrinal deviation often accompanies and often justifies ethical and moral sin.
