Jude 1:1-2

INTRODUCTION AND SALUTATION: A BELIEVER KEPT SECURELY IN THE STATE OF HIS CHOICE

Text

1.

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James to them that are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

2.

Mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied.

Queries

1.

Who is the stated author of the epistle?

2.

What relationship with Jesus is stated?

3.

Does this relationship make it impossible that he could also be the physical brother of Jesus?

4.

What is the stated relationship with James?

5.

Since the James is not further identified, to which James is the reference likely?

6.

What are the three ways in which Jude identifies his readers as Christians?

7.

What does -kept-' mean?

8.

In what way is God the author of our safety?

9.

Since he is writing to those who are -kept-' does this indicate that some who started correctly have not been preserved?

10.

For whom does God call?

11.

Since the persons addressed are obviously the Christians, in what sense does the term -called-' refer only to Christians?

12.

Why does a Christian, who already is preserved in Jesus Christ, need mercy?

13.

Why is -peace-' a real need among Christians?

14.

Be multiplied refers to what quantity of increase?

Paraphrases

A. 1.

Jude, who with his brother James is a bondservant of Jesus Christ; to the Christians who have responded to the call and love of God the Father, and who have been preserved for the cause of Jesus Christ;

2.

may God's mercy, His peace, and His love be added again and again unto you.

B.*l.

From: Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James. To: Christians everywhere, for God the Father has chosen you and kept you for Jesus Christ.

2.

May you be given more and more of God's kindness, peace and love.

Summary

Jude identifies himself as a brother of the well-known James and as a servant of Jesus. He then addresses the Christians with a wish for mercy, peace and love.

Comment

There is some question as to which Jude actually wrote the book. The five Judes of the New Testament include (1) The Judas of Damascus (Acts 9:11). Lack of further mention of this Jude eliminates him as a likely author of the epistle. (2) Judas Barsabas was mentioned in Acts 15 (Acts 15:22; Acts 15:27; Acts 15:32). This Judas accompanies Silas on a trip to Antioch from Jerusalem, and he was also called a prophet (Acts 15:32), but he has never been seriously considered as a likely author of the book of Jude. (3) Then there was Judas Iscariot who was not alive at the time the book was written. This leaves two men by the name of Jude who might have possibly been the author: (4) The Apostle Judas not Iscariot (John 14:22). This apostle is called the brother of James in the Authorised Version, and as such would look like a likely author of the book. However, in this passage the word brother has been added, for it was not contained in the original Greek. (All words printed in italics in the Authorised Version are not in the original Greek). Judas of James in the Greek more likely means Judas, son of James. The later translations so read. Thus the apostle Judas is probably not the author of the book. Had he been, he probably would have mentioned his apostleship in the first verse rather than identifying himself as being the brother of James. (5) The most likely author is the fifth Judas, the brother of Jesus mentioned in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3. James the author of the epistle James, is identified as the brother of Jesus. It is quite probable that another brother of Jesus, Jude, wrote the Jude epistle. Had he been an apostle, his apostleship would have been a sure mark of identification, but this he does not mention.

You might ask, If Jude, the brother of Jesus, wrote the epistle, why didn-'t he mention that he was Jesus-' brother as a mark of identifying himself? Jude no doubt felt his relationship to Jesus as a Lord and servant relationship to be far more important. In humility and for the sake of proper testimony it seems natural he would prefer to call himself a servant of his Lord (which he was). James was so well known that this identification seemed to be sufficient. For this reason the James who was his brother must have been the well-known James who was the Lord's brother and who wrote the epistle of James.

Most commentators agree that the epistle was written at a late date, some even giving a date far after the destruction of Jerusalem. The beginning of Gnosticism was evident when the epistle was written. It also appears Jude was familiar with the passages in 2 Peter 1:5; 2 Peter 2:1-18, for he finds their expression so well suited to his purpose that he uses them with slight modification. (Jude 1:3-18.) Some argue that perhaps Peter was familiar with Jude when he wrote his epistle. This is, of course, another possibility. No exact date can be given, but if Jude was familiar with Peter's writing and he wrote before the siege of Jerusalem, then the date would probably be between A.D. 65 and 70. Nothing is known concerning the place of writing.

Jude identifies his readers three ways; the called, beloved, and kept. Although many Christians often argue as to the way in which God calls, the scripture is quite clear that the call of God is given for every man and is given through the gospel. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). This gives added meaning to the urgency of carrying the good news to every man; and seeing that the gospel is preached in every season and in every nation. The word for called is used for summoning a man to a responsibility or to a feast or festival, or to a court and judgment. All three senses have some significance here, but it seems the responsibility as being a member of God's army and the feast at the Word of God has added significance to the Christian. The call to a court judgment would have significance to everyone, but especially to the non-Christian.

Beloved is a term that grips the very soul of man. This is not only the nature of the call, but the nature of the caller and the nature of the one who responds to the call. In love is the real motive for response as well as the real motive for offering the way of escape (the scheme of redemption) for man. Man responds (becomes beloved in his own nature through regeneration) because he is beloved of God.
The power of God to keep the Christian from all adversaries and guard him from all his enemies is emphasized at the beginning and the end of the epistle. The apostasy described and warned against will certainly make life miserable for the saint, but this misery is nothing when compared to the glory that shall follow. God's ability to keep his saints in their chosen state of redemption is without contest. As long as the individual saint chooses to remain in that group which God has pre-planned and predestined to be saved, he will be kept (Jude 1:1) and guarded (Jude 1:24) by God. Of course, the individual is free to leave this guarded group if he should choose, for God has not taken his will from him. The book of Jude becomes more than a strong statement of woe against the apostate, it becomes a warning to the saint not to choose the road of apostasy.

The determination and power of God to keep those who continue to choose to remain with Him is nowhere more clearly set forth than in the book of Romans. If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39.

Jude's starting point for his discussion on apostasy is beautiful indeed, although briefly stated. The majestic grandeur of being kept for Jesus Christ culminates in Jude's prayer for multiplied mercy, peace and love for his readers. Mercy is the sympathetic good performed on our behalf, then tranquility of soul is ours because this good (salvation) has been performed. His love is multiplied as we become like He is. altogether lovely.
In this section we already see a pattern of expression that Jude uses in a beautiful way: the triad. Three triads are used in these two verses: (1) Jude, servant, brother; (2) sanctified, preserved, called; (3) mercy, love, peace. More than a dozen such triplets are used in the epistle.