If We’re Forgiven, What’s
Wrong with Sin?
Is God’s Grace Greater
Than All Our Sin?
Authorship of Jude
Most scholars identify the writer as Jude, the half-brother of
Jesus
__________.
They identify him as the author for at least two
reasons:
James (Jude
• First, he identified himself as the “brother of ________”
1:1). This means he was probably not the apostle named
Jude, a man who was called “the son of James” (Luke 6:16).
That the author of the book of Jude identified himself as the
brother of James likely aligns him with the family of Jesus.
• Second, Matthew 13:55 records the names of the brothers of
Judas
Jesus as James and _________,
which is shortened as Jude
in English translations. It’s probably shortened for the same
reason no one in the present day wants to name a child Judas,
Iscariot the
because of the association it has with Judas __________,
disciple who betrayed Jesus.
Authorship of Jude
Like his older brother James, Jude did not place his faith in
Jesus while the Lord was still alive. Only after the
crucifixion and _______________
resurrection did the scales fall
______________
from Jude’s eyes and he become a follower of his half-brother,
Jesus.
First Corinthians 9:5 offers a tantalizing piece of information,
noting that the Lord’s brothers and their wives took missionary
journeys. From this limited portrait, we begin to picture Jude
as a man who lived in skepticism for a time but eventually
came to a powerful _________
faith in Jesus. And as he traveled
on behalf of the gospel - telling the story in city after city with
his name Judas butting up against that of Judas Iscariot - he
would stand as a living example of faithfulness, a stark
contrast to the betrayer.
When Was Jude Written?
The book of Jude is difficult to date, primarily because
the Bible and tradition reveal so little about the personal
details of its author while the book itself refrains from
naming any particular individuals or places. The one
clue available to present-day readers is the striking
similarity between the books of Jude and 2 Peter.
Assuming Peter wrote his letter first (AD 64–66), Jude
probably wrote his epistle sometime between AD 67
and 80.
Why is Jude So Important?
Jude’s edgy conciseness communicates the urgency of his
notion that false teachers needed to be condemned and
removed from the church. Few words meant that Jude would
not waste space dancing around the issue. He saw within the
church people and practices that were worthy of condemnation,
including rejecting authority and seeking to please themselves.
In response to these errors, Jude positioned much biblical
imagery to make clear what he thought of it all—anything from
Cain killing his brother Abel to the punishment of the sinful
people who populated Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 1:7, 11).
Purposes
Jude’s purpose in his letter was twofold: he wanted to expose the
false teachers that had infiltrated the Christian community, and he
wanted to encourage Christians to stand firm in the faith and contend
for the truth. Jude recognized that false teachers are often unnoticed
by the faithful, so he worked to heighten the awareness of the
believers by describing in vivid detail how terrible dissenters actually
were. But more than simply raising awareness, Jude thought it
important that believers stand against those working against Jesus
Christ. Believers were to do this by remembering the teaching of the
apostles, building each other up in the faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
and keeping themselves in the love of God (Jude 1:17, 20–21).
Outline of Jude
I.
Greeting (vv. 1-2)
II. The Issue of False Teachers (vv. 3-4)
III. The History of False Teachers (vv. 5-7)
IV. The Description of False Teachers (vv. 8-16)
V. The Resistance to False Teachers (vv. 17-23)
VI. Doxology/Benediction (vv. 24-25)
Greeting and
Purpose
Mercy, peace, and
love
JUDE
What to do:
Contend for the
faith!
Why?
Certain persons
have secretly
slipped in
Exposure of
False
Teachers
-Doom is certain
Warnings and Benediction
Commands
- Our ultimate
for Christians
hope
- Guilt is sure
“Remember!”
(1:17)
-Spirituality is
empty
“Keep yourselves!”
(1:21)
- Lives are Godless
“Have mercy!”
(1:22)
“Save!” (1:23)
- Our infinite
God
Verses 24-25
Verses 1-4
Verses 5-16
Verses 17-23
Emphasis
Appealing
Revealing
Reminding
Praising
Tone
Personal concern
Bold exposure
Strong Exhortation
Great hope
Directed to
Those “Beloved in
God the Father”
(1:1)
Those who
indulged in “gross
immorality” (1:7)
“But you,
beloved…” (1:17,
20)
“The only God”
(1:25)
Theme
Exposing false teachers and standing firm in the faith
Key Verses
1:3, 21-23
Christ in Jude
Jesus is our only Master and Lord, who will judge the false prophets at His
coming (1:4, 14-16)
Jude 1-3 (NKJV)
Greeting
1 Jude,
a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved
in Jesus Christ:
2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
In verses 1-2, Jude modestly identifies himself and
greets fellow believers.
Why did Jude most likely identify himself as a
“bondservant” of Jesus instead of his brother?
Why did Jude probably leave out the word “grace” in his
greeting?
Jude 3-4 (NKJV)
The Issue of False Teachers
3 Beloved,
while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common
salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend
earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For
certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for
this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into
lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
In verses 3-4, we get a glimpse of a purpose for this epistle.
Jude had hoped to write a positive letter about the
salvation
______________
he and fellow believers enjoy, but instead
he felt compelled by the appearance of so many false
teachers to write a letter of ____________.
warning
Explain how and why the word “contend” is used in
these verses?
Now we see Jude use the word “grace.” Why now?
Jude 5-7 (NKJV)
The History of False Teachers
5 But
I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having
saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who
did not believe.6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but
left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness
for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities
around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to
sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example,
suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
In verses 5-7, we see that history has shown us the
conduct of apostates of the past; we also see that God
punishes the wicked and perverse.
unbelief
The warnings of God were against ____________,
sexual immorality
pride, lust, greed, ____________________,
rebellion
perversions, and ____________.
Jude 8-16 (NKJV) The Description of False Teachers
8 Likewise
also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of
dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed
about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said,
“The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and
whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt
themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily
in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are
spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only
themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn
trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea,
foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of
darkness forever. 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men
also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute
judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds
which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which
ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These are grumblers, complainers,
walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering
people to gain advantage.
In verses 8-16, Jude describes the conduct of the apostates
reject
walk in
presently in the church: they _______authority
(vv. 8-10), ______
falsely (vv. 12-13) and please _____________
themselves
error (v. 11), lead _________,
(vv. 14-16).
Jude 17-23 (NKJV) The Resistance to False Teachers
17 But
you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles
of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the
last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual
persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the
Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear,
pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
In verses 17-23, Jude warns that such persons are sure
divide
church
to infiltrate the __________
and try to _________
the
fellowship (vv. 17-19). The best way to resist them is to
growing in the faith, to live in God’s _______,
love
keep __________
mercy
and to show _________
and concern for those who doubt
(vv. 20-23).
Jude 24-25 (NKJV) Doxology/Benediction
24 Now
to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
In verses 24-25, Jude concludes his exhortation with a
victory
benediction that promises ultimate ___________
over
coming
again of our Lord.
apostasy at the __________
_________
Application
Fight for the truth! Stand up against error! The book of Jude
is the very definition of punchy and pithy proclamations—
with its short commands and statements popping off the
page like machine-gun fire. But in our day and age, punchy
has become rude or unacceptable.
In many circles the forcefulness of Jude will not be
tolerated, the crowds preferring a softer and gentler side of
the Christian faith. But Jude reminds us that there is a time
and a place for the aggressive protection of the truth from
those who would seek to tear it down.
How can you participate in defending the truth from error?
How to Respond to Critics
Jude 9 (NKJV) – Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he
disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation,
but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Isn’t the dispute between Michael the archangel and
the devil based on an apocryphal story?
Problem:
Jude records an account in which Michael the archangel and the devil have a
dispute over the body of Moses (see v. 9 above). This account is not found in
the Old Testament and is also considered to be found in a pseudepigraphal
book (false writing) titled The Assumption of Moses.
Solution:
Just because the account is not found in any Old Testament passages of
Scripture doesn’t mean that the event did not occur. The Bible often cites
truths from books that are not inspired, but which contain some true
statements. A biblical author is not limited to citing only Scripture. All truth is
God’s truth, wherever it is found. Again, Jude’s point is that if such a powerful
being deferred to God to deal with Satan, how much more should we as
human beings remain humble in our weakness and defer to God too.
How to Respond to Critics
Jude 14 (NKJV) – Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men
also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
Doesn’t Jude cite the uninspired Book of Enoch as
divinely authoritative?
Problem:
Jude quotes the Book of Enoch (see v. 14 above); however, Enoch is not an
inspired book but is considered pseudepigraphal (a false writing) by the
Christian church.
Solution:
First, it is not certain that Jude is actually citing the Book of Enoch. He may
simply be mentioning an event that is also found in this uninspired book. It is
noteworthy that Jude does not affirm that Enoch wrote this statement. He
simply records what Enoch said. Jude may have been using a valid oral
tradition and not the Book of Enoch.
Furthermore, even if Jude took this statement from the Book of Enoch, it is
still true. As I have already stated, many true statements can be found
outside of Scripture. Just because Jude quoted from a noncanonical
(extrabiblical) source does not mean that what he says is necessarily wrong.
Jude 14 (NKJV) – Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men
also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
Doesn’t Jude cite the uninspired Book of Enoch as
divinely authoritative (cont’d)?
Solution (cont’d):
Remember that the apostle Paul cited truths from pagan poets (Acts 17:28; 1
Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12) without implying that these books are inspired. Indeed,
even Balaam’s donkey uttered a truth (Numbers 22:30). The inspiration of the
book of Jude guarantees that all it cites is true.
Finally, the external evidence for Jude is extensive from the time of Irenaeus
(ca. AD 170) onward. It is in the Bodmer Papyri of AD 250, and traces of it
are found even earlier in the Didache (2:7), which probably dates from the
second century. So there is evidence for the authenticity of the book of Jude,
which is not diminished by this allusion to what Enoch said. The existence of
Enoch and his communication with God is a fact established elsewhere, both
in the Old Testament (Gen. 5:24) and New Testament (Hebrews 11:5).
In addition, Jude quotes this Jewish writing not as an authority, but as a vivid
contemporary description of a Day of Judgment which is substantiated fully in
the Old Testament is coming. Then the false teachers will receive their due,
as will those whom they lead astray.