Biblical Theology LXI: Jude

Jude is thought to be the brother of Jesus, who identifies himself instead as the brother of James, who is likely the James who is the brother of Jesus. The letter is clearly a summary of the message of 2 Peter 2-3, and mentions the letter in vv. 17-18. Jude states his purpose as exhorting his audience to “fight for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (v. 3).

Theology: Jude relates the concept that the faith was already delivered to the saints “once for all,” and is not lacking further revelation to clarify it. The false teachers in Jude, however, argue that there is more revelation coming from God concerning the faith that would change how Christians see grace and the Christian life. This revelation comes from dreams/visions they believe they are receiving from God (v. 8). These teachers are likely Gnostics who believe the spirit speaks to the spiritually enlightened directly and are not limited to the apostles, even having the ability to reinterpret the apostles with their new revelations, and reject the Old Testament as an enslaving covenant delivered by angels who are evil workers of the Demiurge, i.e., the spiritually inferior god of the Old Testament.

As other New Testament books have argued, these teachers are not merely Christians with different views about grace, church authority, the means of revelation, etc., but instead people who have been predetermined for damnation (vv. 4 and 13).

Ethics: Jude argues that these men need to be avoided. They are like Cain in that they are murderers of the righteous. They are like Balaam in that they betray the people of God for money. They are like Korah in that they oppose the rightful teachers of God. He furthers his argument by using a series of nautical metaphors. These men are rocks, waterless clouds, dead fruit trees that bear no fruit, wild waves of the sea, roaming stars. In other words, rocks upon which the faith is shipwrecked, they offer no water to thirsty sailors, nor food, but are waves that sink ships, and offer no guidance as a fixed star would.

These men distort the nature of grace by arguing that grace allows for sexually immoral behavior. He gives three examples to refute their view of grace, and that God still accepts people who live this way: (1) God later destroyed the very people he saved out of Egypt for their rebellion, (2) God imprisoned His own angels into the deep darkness because they engaged in sexual immorality, (3) God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns for engaging in sexual immorality as well as an example of the eternal fire reserved for all who do the same. The Lord is going to return to judge all of the ungodly, of whom these false teachers are a part.

By presenting these men this way, Jude wishes to argue that those who follow these men will become like them and receive their punishment.

Jude warns his audience that these men are great speakers who capture people’s respect and allegiance with their persuasive words (v. 16). They look for faults in the orthodox teachers so that they can gain an audience and supplant them.

Instead of following such men, true Christians are to build themselves up in their holy faith (i.e., increasing in the knowledge of the apostolic teaching), praying in the Holy Spirit (i.e., communing with God through prayer), and by these two things, keeping themselves in the love of God as they await His mercy upon them that will bring them eternal life.

He exhorts them not to condemn those who are doubting, but still open, and to rebuke others, perhaps, to the point of discipline, as a way of snatching them out of the fire. All credit is given to Christ who will give them the ability to keep them from falling into the sins of these false teachers.