Jude #65

Jude is a short, urgent letter written because false teachers had slipped into the churches, calling believers to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to them and closing with one of the New Testament’s best-known doxologies.

Read Jude in the King James Version →

Author and Date

The writer identifies himself as Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James (Jude 1:1). Tradition takes him to be the brother of Jesus, though he does not say so. Proposed dates range from the 50s to the 80s AD. Jude and 2 Peter 2 share extensive material, and scholars differ on whether one used the other or both drew on a common source; some also question the traditional attribution.

Background and Audience

The readers are not named. Jude had planned to write about salvation but was compelled to warn against people who had entered the community unnoticed, turning God’s grace into license and denying their Lord (verses 3-4). Their exact teaching is not described beyond that.

Outline

• Verses 1-2: Greeting from Jude to those called, loved, and kept.
• Verses 3-4: The occasion, and the call to contend for the faith.
• Verses 5-7: Three examples of judgment: Israel in the wilderness, rebellious angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah.
• Verses 8-16: A description of the intruders, with references to Michael, Cain, Balaam, Korah, and Enoch.
• Verses 17-23: Remember the apostles’ warnings, build yourselves up, and show mercy while working to rescue others.
• Verses 24-25: A doxology to the God who keeps believers from stumbling.

Key Themes

Jude urges vigilance about the received faith, warning that judgment awaits those who twist grace and despise authority. It also asks for compassion toward others who are in danger. Verse 9 refers to a tradition about Michael and Moses’ body, and verses 14-15 cite a prophecy of Enoch found in 1 Enoch; traditions differ on what this implies about those writings. The letter ends by resting on God’s keeping power.

Key Verses

• Jude 1:3 — the call to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints
• Jude 1:4 — certain people have slipped in and turned grace into license
• Jude 1:5-7 — Israel in the wilderness, rebellious angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of judgment
• Jude 1:20-21 — build yourselves up, pray in the Holy Spirit, and keep yourselves in God’s love
• Jude 1:22-23 — show compassion to some and rescue others with care
• Jude 1:24-25 — praise to God, who is able to keep believers from falling and present them faultless

How It Fits the Bible

Jude is the last of the General Epistles before Revelation, and is closely paired with 2 Peter in its warning about false teachers. It draws on Old Testament examples from Exodus, Genesis, and Numbers to show that God has judged rebellion before.