The book of Jude is one of the most challenging letters in the New Testament. The author’s warnings against apostasy, false teachings, and the wrathful judgment of God don’t make for cheerful reading. And his epistle has opened the door to lots of confusion and controversy over the centuries.
Jude’s epistle almost didn’t make it into the biblical canon. Its ties to 2 Peter, use of non-canonized Scripture, and brevity raised concerns even among the early church. Today, it raises concerns with its tone, making some uncomfortable with the author’s apparent flat rejection of anything that might smack of Christian pluralism.
Who Wrote the Book of Jude?
“Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called…” (Jude 1)
The epistle opens with the author identifying himself as “Jude” (“Judah” in Hebrew and “Judas” in Greek). He calls himself a “servant of Jesus Christ” (more on this in a moment) and “brother of James.” This ties him to not only to James, the head of the Jerusalem church, but also to Jesus.
Reflecting the consensus of the early church, Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215 AD) wrote in his work Comments on the Epistle of Jude that Jude was a brother of Jesus, but left open the question of whether he was a son of Joseph by a previous marriage or the son of Joseph and Mary.
Like his brother James (see James 1:1), Jude declines to showcase his familial ties to Jesus, and instead calls himself a “servant” – or, more specifically and properly (per the original Greek) a slave – of Jesus.
When Was Jude Written?
The book of Jude was included in the Muratorian Canon (A.D. 170) and referred to by many of the early church fathers, including Clement of Alexandria (ca A.D. 150–215), Tertullian (ca A.D. 150–240) and Origen (ca A.D. 184–253). It also appears to have been quoted in the writings of Clement of Rome (ca A.D. 35-99).
All this places Jude at the end of the first century A.D. or (if the quotations in Clement are disputed) the beginning of the second century A.D. at the latest. Some liberal or progressive scholars date Jude to between A.D. 90 and 120.
However, Jude’s familial association with James (and Jesus), the epistle’s close ties (in content) to 2 Peter, and clues within the text itself (specifically some of the false teachings Jude addresses) make it likely the epistle was written earlier than A.D. 90.
Conservative scholars reasonably hold the epistle of Jude was probably written between ca A.D. 65 and 80.
What Does the Book of Jude Talk About?
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 3-4)
Jude tells his readers that he wanted to write a letter to them about their “common salvation,” but that he felt compelled (or needful) to instead “exhort” his readers to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
The reason he felt so compelled (other than the leading of the Holy Spirit) was his alarm that “certain men” have “crept in unawares” – that is, infiltrated the Christian community – and were now “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In the course of his epistle, Jude refers to past examples of ungodly men infiltrating and corrupting the people of God. These examples include:
- the grumblers and complainers among the ancient Israelites who opposed Joshua and Caleb as well as Moses and Aaron (vs 5)
- the “angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation” (vs 6)
- the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who gave “themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh” (vs 7)
- those people who “have gone in the way of Cain” (vs 11)
- those who “run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward” (vs 11)
- the rebellion of Korah (vs 11)
Jude says these episodes remind us (or should remind us) of the immoral and toxic influences masquerading as godly people within the Christian church. He describes these false teachers, these apostates as “murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.” (vs 16)
Jude’s letter is all about warning the nascent Christian community that these “ungodly men” are polluting the church with lies and leading people away from the truth — namely the Truth.
Jude and the Judgment of God
“I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” (Jude 5-7)
Jude reminds his readers not to take God’s grace and patience for granted. He points out the seriousness of this infiltration by reminding his readers that God has, on several occasions, brought judgment against similar ungodly influences and those carried away in their deception and sin.
The examples of divine judgment that Jude cites are God:
- destroying the Israelites who “believed not,” even after He had “saved the people out of the land of Egypt” (vs 5)
- consigning those angels “who left their estate” to “everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day” (vs 6)
- laying waste to Sodom and Gomorrah and the inhabitants “suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” (vs 7)
What do we Make of Jude Today? What is the Legacy of Jude?
For those who value freedom, religious diversity, pluralism, and tolerance, these examples of divine wrath are uncomfortable to say the least.
For the record, I personally hold free thought, religious freedom, and the freedom of speech in high regard. In my view, neither a civil government nor a popular majority should enforce a strict orthodoxy of “groupthink” on the public – either in the public square or in the marketplace. But…
While we should all respect each other’s right to worship God or not worship God as we see fit, this only applies to the practical realm of people relations. In other words, it’s a horizontal ethic, not a vertical one.
The Creator has the right to expect worship. And He has the right to insist that His people “worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
In terms of our civil and political context, we should cherish freedom, including the right to choose our social, cultural, political, and religious beliefs. But…
Jude would remind us – and indeed he does remind us – that not all beliefs or choices are of equal merit.
Some beliefs are right and some beliefs are wrong.
And ultimately, it’s not us who determine what’s right and wrong. It’s God. He determines truth from error, right from wrong, and orthodoxy from apostasy.
God is the Creator.
God is the Decider.
God is the Judge.
And we will all one day give an account to Him.
That’s what Jude would say to us today.
