Jude
Apostacy
Summary | About | Why You Should Read it | Author | When Written | Context | Timeline | Location | Outline | Observations | Resources
Summary
The book of Jude is a short epistle in the New Testament, attributed to Jude, the brother of James and likely the half-brother of Jesus. It is a single chapter with 25 verses and is primarily concerned with warning early Christians about false teachers and immoral individuals who were infiltrating the church.
The book ends with a powerful doxology, praising God for His ability to keep believers from falling and to present them blameless in His presence.
The table below is a high-level look at the structure and contents of Jude.
About
Jude is the 26th book of the New Testament and the 65th book of the Bible.
Why You Should Read It
Jude is a strong exhortation to defend the faith and remain vigilant against false teachings that could lead believers astray.
Author
The book of Jude is traditionally attributed to Jude, who is identified as the brother of James and, according to Christian tradition, the half-brother of Jesus. This view is supported by the text itself, where Jude introduces himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James” (Jude 1:1).
When Written
The book of Jude is generally believed to have been written in the late 1st century, likely between A.D. 65 and 80. Early Christian writers and historians, such as Eusebius and Jerome, also provide clues about the timing of its composition.
Context
The book of Jude was written in a context of growing challenges and threats within the early Christian community. Here’s a breakdown of the key aspects of its context:
- Rise of False Teachers
- Infiltration: The early Christian church was experiencing issues with false teachers who were promoting distorted doctrines and immoral behavior. These teachers were seen as corrupting the faith and leading believers astray.
- Characteristics: Jude describes these false teachers as having infiltrated the church “unnoticed” and compares them to various negative images, such as “hidden reefs” and “waterless clouds” (Jude 1:12).
- Moral Decay
- Behavior: The epistle addresses not just doctrinal issues but also the moral behavior of some members of the community. Jude highlights their ungodly conduct, including sexual immorality and greed, which was undermining the church’s integrity.
- Examples: Jude uses historical examples, like the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, to illustrate the consequences of such behavior.
- Defending the Faith
- Urgency: Jude’s message is urgent, calling believers to “contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 1:3). This suggests a pressing need to safeguard the core teachings of Christianity from being diluted or corrupted.
- Exhortation: He emphasizes the importance of remaining steadfast in the faith and maintaining a strong, righteous witness amid growing opposition and moral decline.
- Influence of Apostolic Tradition
- Apostolic Teaching: The letter reflects the concerns and teachings of the apostles, stressing the need to adhere to the original teachings of Jesus and His apostles.
- Doxology: It concludes with a doxology that praises God’s power to keep believers from falling and to present them blameless (Jude 1:24-25), underscoring the need for divine assistance in the face of challenges.
In summary, the book of Jude was written in a context where the early church was grappling with internal threats from false teachers and moral decay, and it aims to reinforce the importance of doctrinal purity and moral integrity.
Timeline
The general order of events from the New Testament period of the early 60s to the early 100s is shown below. This letter was written in this timeframe.
Location
The location of where Jude was written is not known, but believed to be in the area of Judea or Samaria, since his family was from that area and his brother, James, was leader of the church in Jerusalem.
Outline
Greetings (1:1-1:2)
Occasion for the Letter (1:3-1:4)
The Change of Subject (1:3)
The Reason for the Change: The Presence of Godless Apostates (1:4)
Warning against the False Teachers (1:5-1:16)
Historical Examples of the Judgment of Apostates (1:5-1:7)
Unbelieving Israel (1:5)
Angels who fell (1:6)
Sodom and Gomorrah (1:7)
Description of the Apostates of Jude’s Day (1:8-1:16)
Their slanderous speech deplored (1:8-1:10)
Their character graphically portrayed (1:11-1:13)
Their destruction prophesied (1:14-1:16)
Exhortation to Believers (1:17-1:23)
Concluding Doxology (1:24-1:25)
Observations
- Jude:
- Was one of the Lord’s brothers.
- Was called Judas in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3
- The only other Biblical reference to him is in 1 Corinthians 9:5 where it is stated that “the brothers of the Lord” took their wives along on their missionary journeys.
- It may be that the Judas of Acts 15;22, 32 may be another reference to him.
- Judas and James are the only two of the Lord’s brothers to write books in the New Testament.
- Jude does not direct his epistle to:
- A stated circle of readers.
- A stated geographical region.
- At the beginning of the epistle, Jude focuses on the common salvation that Christians have, and then challenges them to contend for the faith.
- False teachers had crept into the church, turning God’s grace into a license to do as they pleased.
- Jude reminds such men of god’s past dealings with:
- Unbelieving Israel.
- Disobedient angels.
- Wicked Sodom and Gomorrah
- It appears that the purpose of the epistle of Jude was to: • Condemn the practices of the ungodly libertines who were infesting and corrupting Christians.
- To counsel the readers of the letter to:
– Stand firm.
– Grow in their faith.
– Contend for the faith.
- Jude alone refers to the dispute between Michael and the devil about the body of Moses. 9
- Jude’s benediction is one of the most beautiful in the Bible.
“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. ”
Jude 3
Sections in Jude
- Greeting & Purpose 1-4
- Exposing of false teachers 5-16
- Warning & commands to Christians 17-23
- Benediction 24-25
Theme
- Exposing false teachers and standing firm in the faith.
- This epistle is all about apostasy.
Jesus in Jude
- Jesus is our only Master and Lord, who will judge the false prophets at His coming (1:4, 14-16).
Old Testament
New Testament
Free Resources
Other Resources
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