As he will tell you, Jude is the brother of "James". Now, Jude refers to his brother James because James was more "famous" in the early Church.
When I say "early" Church, I am referring to the era when the apostles were still alive and establishing Christ's church- so about 35 AD to 60 AD.
James was "famous" because he was Christ's half-brother, the son of Mary and Joseph. This is understood from verses such as Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3, and Galatians 1:19. James had a prominent role in the early Church. If you read these verses, you will see that Jesus had four brothers; James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. Yes, Judas, NOT Judas iscariot. There was more than one Judas just as there is more than one "Bob" or "Joe". Judas was a popular name at the time. Therefore, after the treachery of Judas Iscariot, Jude understandably goes by his nickname and stresses his connection to James. He is mentioned in the Gospel of John and the difference between Jude and Judas Iscariot is stressed by John:
Jesus said,“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments andkeeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me."
John 14:18-24
If you read my blog regularly that passage should be familiar.
So, the Book of Jude was written by Judas aka Jude the brother of James and half-brother of Jesus Christ. Its a short book, only one chapter. It is an epistle, meaning a letter. Unlike many of the epistles in the New Testament, it is not written to a specific church; it is written to all Christians. It is as much for us as it was for the Christians in the early Church of Christ.
I love everything about this letter. It is a love letter, written to convict Christians of the truth. It is filled with cautionary tales of those who were negative influences and seduced God's people. It mentions epic prophecy regarding angels and demons. It is a reminder that the stakes are high; that we are easily led astray and that there are spiritual consequences for our actions.
Although it may seem to be a confusing read, remember, "all scripture is God-breathed and profitable," 2 Timothy 3:16. I pray you receive it well and hear the message it contains, as God speaks through these words. At the bottom of this page, there are some footnotes and a link to a commentary that may help.
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:
May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. These are hidden reefs (a phrase meaning "blemishes") at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves;waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters,showing favoritism to gain advantage.
But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. (This metaphor refers to a "chiton" which was an undergarment worn against the skin.)
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Jude 1:1-25
And now just because it's my favorite Beatle's song:
Source for mobile users here.
*Information on "Balaam's error" here.
* Information on "Korah's Rebellion" here.
* A verse-by-verse commentary on Jude here.
