Jude I. Introduction A. The letter of Jude B. A general letter warning about false teachers C. Let us consider the book II. Jude: The Details A. Authorship 1. From "Jude, servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James" (Jude 1:1) 2. Generally accepted as being Judas the brother of Jesus (cf. Matthew 13:55), the Lord's half-brother 3. The James discussed the same James who is the Lord's brother, elder in Jerusalem, author of James (cf. Matthew 13:55, Acts 15:13, etc.) B. Dating 1. As with all New Testament letters, no specific date 2. Jude would have lived in the first century CE 3. Affinity with material in 2 Peter seems to indicate a plausible relationship 4. Therefore, likely date of 60s CE or so C. Audience 1. "Those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ" (Jude 1:1) 2. Therefore, message for all Christians of his day and age 3. Applicable to Christians in later generations D. Purpose 1. To encourage Christians to contend for the faith 2. To warn Christians about the dangers of false teachers 3. To encourage Christians to continue to live according to the standard of Jesus and the Apostles III. Jude: The Story A. Introduction (Jude 1:1-2) 1. Jude, servant of Christ, brother of James; writing to those called, beloved of Father, kept for Jesus (Jude 1:1) 2. Mercy, peace, and love to Christians (Jude 1:2) B. The Nature of False Teachers (Jude 1:3-16) 1. Jude wishes to write about common salvation; feels compelled instead to appeal to them to contend for the faith delivered once for all to Christians (Jude 1:3) 2. Some have crept in, devoted to destruction, perverting Gospel of Christ (Jude 1:4) 3. Jude reminds them what they already knew: Jesus as saving people from Egypt, destroying unbelievers (Jude 1:5) 4. Angels who left their proper place reserved for judgment; Sodom and Gomorrah, sexually immoral places, serve example of punishment of fire (Jude 1:6-7) 5. False teachers in Jude's day act in similar ways: rely on dreams, defile flesh, reject authority, blaspheme (Jude 1:8) 6. Story of Michael the Archangel not pronouncing judgment but providing rebuke of God when disputing with devil about body of Moses (Jude 1:9) 7. False teachers as blaspheming what is not understood, destroyed by lust (Jude 1:10) 8. Woes to false teacher: walk in way of Cain, covetous as Balaam, rebellious like Korah (Jude 1:11) 9. False teachers as stains on communion in assembly; feed on Christians, providing no benefit, reserved for condemnation (Jude 1:12-13) 10. Jude appeals to prophecy of Enoch, quoting 1 Enoch 1:9 about God executing judgment on ungodly that have done ungodliness (Jude 1:14-15) 11. False teachers as grumblers, malcontents, following sinful desires; boastful and showing partiality for their own advantage (Jude 1:16) C. Warning of Apostles, Encouragement (Jude 1:17-24) 1. Jude appeals to predictions of Apostles: scoffers following their own passions (Jude 1:17-18) 2. These scoffers as those causing divisions, of the world, not having the Spirit (Jude 1:19) 3. Christians should build themselves up in their faith, pray in the Spirit, keep themselves in God's love, and wait for mercy of Christ to eternal life (Jude 1:20-21) 4. Christians should show mercy to the doubting, saving those who can be saved from the fire, to show mercy with fear to others, hating sin (Jude 1:22-23) 5. Doxology: God as keeping believers from stumbling, presents them blameless before His glory; glory, majesty, dominion, and authority to God in Christ throughout time (Jude 1:24-25) IV. Jude: Christology A. Even though His half-brother, Jude considers himself a servant of Jesus (Jude 1:1) B. Jesus Christ as Master and Lord; believers kept for Him (Jude 1:1, 4) C. Jesus and YHWH in Exodus 1. Best manuscripts do have "Jesus" in Jude 1:5 2. Ostensibly a discussion of Exodus and wandering in Wilderness (cf. Exodus-Deuteronomy) 3. Jesus here associated with YHWH, akin to 1 Corinthians 10:4 D. Coming return of Jesus described as "mercy of Christ" (Jude 1:21) E. Christ the Lord means through which God is to have glory, majesty, dominion, and authority from eternity to eternity (Jude 1:25) V. Jude: Old Testament Citations, References A. Despite being a short book, Jude full of references to the Old Testament B. Exodus and Wandering: Exodus-Deuteronomy / Jude 1:5 C. Sin of Angels: Genesis 6:1-4 / Jude 1:6 (based on 1 Enoch 10?) D. Sodom and Gomorrah: Genesis 19 / Jude 1:7 E. Moses' body 1. Death of Moses described in Deuteronomy 34 2. Only account of any disputation over his body here in Jude 1:9 F. Cain: Genesis 4:1-16 / Jude 1:11 G. Balaam's error: Numbers 22:5-7 / Jude 1:11 H. Korah's rebellion: Numbers 16 / Jude 1:11 I. Enoch: Genesis 5:18-24 / 1 Enoch 1:9 / Jude 1:14 (see more below) VI. Jude: The Kingdom A. Affinities between Jude and 2 Peter 2-3 have been noted for years 1. Both speak of false teachers, the sins of angels, Sodom and Gomorrah 2. False teachers described in much the same way 3. Jude 1:18 sounds much like 2 Peter 3:3 4. Some believe Peter's letter influenced by Jude's; since Peter is an Apostle, Jude is never so considered, likely the other way around, if there is direct influence B. Jude's introduction, conclusion consistent with other NT letters C. Concern about false teachers also present in many places: Galatians, 2 Corinthians, 1/2 John especially D. "Love Feasts" (Jude 1:12) 1. Imagined by some to be some kind of common, shared meal as part of assembly 2. No greater detail given 3. It can be understood as the Lord's Supper in the assembly 4. It may have referent to some meal outside of the assembly 5. This verse not sufficient basis to establish the justification of full common meal in the assembly E. Exhortations regarding God's Kingdom 1. Need to contend for the faith delivered for saints once for all (Jude 1:3) 2. Christians to build each other up in their faith (Jude 1:20) 3. Believers as waiting for mercy of Jesus to be revealed (Jude 1:21) 4. Exhortation for believers to be merciful to fellow people, even if some doubt, are in grave danger on the Judgment day, or are caught in some immorality that might tempt them (Jude 1:22-23) 5. Above all, remember the scoffers that are to come, those ungodly false teachers, and do not be seduced by them (Jude 1:4-19) VII. Jude: 1 Enoch A. Jude quotes book of 1 Enoch as legitimate prophecy (Jude 1:14-15 /1 Enoch 1:9) B. Normally, such a citation would lend legitimacy to the whole book C. What is 1 Enoch? 1. Believed to be finally compiled by the first century BCE 2. Claims to be the prophecies of the Enoch of Genesis 5:18-24 3. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church considers it inspired, part of the Old Testament; some individuals in other churches do also, mostly based in Jude's citation 4. It was believed that Enoch given mysteries of the universe, wrote them down D. Is 1 Enoch inspired? 1. If nothing else, we know that 1 Enoch 1:9 does represent the word of prophecy given to Enoch and faithfully represented in 1 Enoch 2. Does this mean that the whole book is inspired? 3. Book not entirely well preserved: Ethiopic text the only complete one; some fragments in Aramaic were found in the Dead Sea Scrolls; Greek and Latin fragments and manuscripts do exist 4. Lost to most of Christianity except for the Ethiopian church 5. Yet, in the end, both quoted as prophecy and alluded to by Jude, allusion in Peter a. Peter indicates that no prophecy from man but of God (2 Peter 1:20-21) b. Even if we do not know how far it applies, this means that 1 Enoch has more Biblical credentials of at least having an inspired section than, say, credentials of Esther, Ecclesiastes, or Song of Solomon 6. A difficult subject: probably best to say that first section (1 Enoch 1-32 or so) should be given consideration because of Peter and Jude, should bear on our understanding, discussion of Genesis 6:1-4, 2 Peter 2, and Jude VIII. Jude: Conclusion A. Thus we have seen Jude's letter 1. Short in length, full of substance 2. Deep knowledge and application of Old Testament images B. Exhortation to believers 1. Corruption of false teachers, imperative to not heed them 2. Believers to be edified in faith, waiting for Christ's mercy 3. Meanwhile, need to show mercy C. Let us contend for the faith and show mercy to all! D. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3). Jude would rather write about other things but felt compelled to write to encourage Christians to contend for the faith. "The faith" exists and it ought to be defended; it was delivered "once for all" and ought not be added to or taken from. May we contend for that faith! 2: For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (Jude 1:4). Jude does not mince words when describing the problem: people who have infiltrated the church yet who do not truly serve God. They turn grace into lasciviousness and thus deny Jesus. The temptation always exists to compromise the Gospel with the loose standards of the world. Let us avoid doing so lest we perish in the same error! 3: But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20). Jude has many dire things to say about those who have infiltrated the church. Yet he then turns to encourage those who continue to seek to follow Jesus and tells them to build up one another in faith and pray in the Spirit. There will be false teachers and ungodly persons around; if we would follow Christ we must persist in edification and prayer regardless. Let us do so! 4: Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 1:21). Our eternal life was secured through God's mercy displayed in Christ. As we eagerly anticipate the fullness of that mercy we ought to show mercy to others, even those who are opponents of the faith, in hope of greater repentance. Let us live in mercy and by mercy until the Lord returns!