Aug 20 2020 - Introduction to Jude

Jude is a true letter in form: it begins with the traditional opening formulae and was evidently written to a specific group of people and to deal with specific circumstances. The body of the work, however, is in the form of a lose exposition based on a series of scriptural references and texts. Richard Bauckham characterises it as an 'epistolary sermon,' i.e. a sermon that Jude would have preached to those he addresses but which, due to them being at a distance, he sends in the form of a letter.  

It consists of: the opening address of the letter (vv 1-2); a statement of its theme (vv 3-4); the exposition showing that the false teachers are people whose behaviour is condemned and whose judgment is prophesied in OT types and in prophecy from the time of Enoch to that of the apostles (vv 5-19); the appeal, though far shorter than the preceding midrash, forms the main part of the message (vv 20-23).

The letter is a careful composition written in a lively and vigorous style. Bauckham comments, "Despite his competence in Greek, the author's real intellectual background is the literature of Palestinian Judaism." Not only is he familiar with the Hebrew Old Testament, he also knew and used at least two apocryphal writings, the Assumption of Moses and the Book of Enoch. Jude uses such material where it is useful to his argument.

Jude's Opponents

Jude clearly wrote to deal with an outbreak of false teaching (see vv. 3,4). Itinerant teachers, claiming special spiritual insight, seem recently to have arrived in the church(es) to which Jude writes. They reject all moral authority: "Evidently they understand the grace of God in Christ (v 4) as a deliverance from all external moral constraint, so that the man who possesses the Spirit (v 19) becomes the only judge of his own actions (cf. v 9), subject to no other authority" (Bauckham). They seem to have indulged in immoral behaviour, especially sexual misconduct (vv 6-8, 10), maybe claiming the authority of their own visions for the way they behaved (v 8). Their real motive was greed for they looked for material support from their disciples (vv 11-12).

Date and Authorship

Clement of Alexandria stated that the letter was written by Jude, the brother of James who was leader of the church in Jerusalem and also the Lord's brother (on James, cf. Jas 1:1; Gal 1:19; 2:9; 1 Cor 15:7). Jude is therefore one of the brothers of Jesus, the third named in Mark 6:3, the fourth in Matthew 13:55. Michael Green comments, "Otherwise we know nothing about this Jude."

Bauckham similarly concludes, "The general character of the letter, its Jewishness, its debt to Palestinian Jewish literature and haggadic tradition, its apocalyptic perspective and exegetical methods, its concern for ethical practice more than for doctrinal belief, are all entirely consistent with authorship by Jude the brother of Jesus." He thinks Jude may have been written as late as 90 AD to predominantly Jewish church(es) situated in a Gentile society – perhaps Syria or Egypt.

For the literary relationship between 2 Peter and Jude see the introductory notes to 2 Peter.

Peter Misselbrook