Jude was the half brother of Jesus Christ and the author of the N.T. book that bears his name (1:1). Though we don’t know a great deal about the church or the Christians to whom he wrote (there are similarities between his letter and those of Peter, which might be a clue), he was deeply concerned for their spiritual well-being because of the presence of false teaching and false teachers in their church. His original intent was to write about their common salvation (1:3) so they could rejoice together in its many blessings. But, because false teachers/doctrine had slipped into their fellowship (“crept in unnoticed” – 1:4), he felt compelled to admonish the believers in the church to “earnestly contend for the faith” (1:3). These Christians were encouraged to not idly stand by while these purveyors of false doctrine and profligate living rambled about among their people. They had to take action and become active in the struggle against error and for the truth.
The presence of this doctrinal error was clearly dangerous to the spiritual lives of these people and to their testimony as believers. And, they needed to know that if God did not spare His own people (1:5), the disobedient angels (1:6), or the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (1:7), He certainly would not spare these unrepentant apostates or the church that coddled them. These false teachers were having a significant negative influence in the congregation because of their immorality, rebelliousness, and presumptuous sins (1:8-11). Jude chose two well-known examples from the O.T. to show the danger these apostates posed (1:11). So pronounced was this danger that five descriptive word pictures are used to express his concern. He said they were like “spots in your love feasts,” “clouds without water,” “trees without fruit,” “raging waves,” and “wandering stars” (1:12-14). As these phrases indicate, the apostates had nothing to offer that was fulfilling or brought direction to these believers. They were characterized by empty promises, aimlessness of purpose, and unrestrained wickedness. As far back as the days of Enoch God had said that He would judge the wickedness of people of this ilk (1:14-15).
It’s not until you get almost two-thirds of the way through the letter (1:17) and after he has thoroughly revealed the true character of the apostates, as well as their certain judgment, that Jude gives the first direct commands to this fellowship (each of the following words/phrases is an imperative: “remember,” “keep,” “have compassion,” “save with fear,” and “hate the garments” – 1:17-23). Central to these commands is the one that states that they are to “keep [themselves] in the love of God” (1:20), which he explains as being accomplished by “building yourselves up on your most holy faith” (1:20A), “praying in the Holy Spirit” (1:20B), and “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:21). If the church would take a strong stance for the Apostolic doctrine handed down to them and get in the fight for truth, it was even possible that some that had been deceived by the apostates could be saved from the coming judgment (1:22-23). That, along with the purity of the church, was additional motivation for them to get off the sidelines and get in the struggle for the truth.
As quickly as the letter begins, it ends with the most complete and arguably, the most beautiful doxology in scripture. Jude was reminding these believers that their ultimate purpose was to glorify God through lives that are holy. Christ was/is able to keep His children from falling into the grievous errors of these apostates, if they’d simply entrust themselves to Him and to the truth they had received about Him (1:24-25).
The presence of this doctrinal error was clearly dangerous to the spiritual lives of these people and to their testimony as believers. And, they needed to know that if God did not spare His own people (1:5), the disobedient angels (1:6), or the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (1:7), He certainly would not spare these unrepentant apostates or the church that coddled them. These false teachers were having a significant negative influence in the congregation because of their immorality, rebelliousness, and presumptuous sins (1:8-11). Jude chose two well-known examples from the O.T. to show the danger these apostates posed (1:11). So pronounced was this danger that five descriptive word pictures are used to express his concern. He said they were like “spots in your love feasts,” “clouds without water,” “trees without fruit,” “raging waves,” and “wandering stars” (1:12-14). As these phrases indicate, the apostates had nothing to offer that was fulfilling or brought direction to these believers. They were characterized by empty promises, aimlessness of purpose, and unrestrained wickedness. As far back as the days of Enoch God had said that He would judge the wickedness of people of this ilk (1:14-15).
It’s not until you get almost two-thirds of the way through the letter (1:17) and after he has thoroughly revealed the true character of the apostates, as well as their certain judgment, that Jude gives the first direct commands to this fellowship (each of the following words/phrases is an imperative: “remember,” “keep,” “have compassion,” “save with fear,” and “hate the garments” – 1:17-23). Central to these commands is the one that states that they are to “keep [themselves] in the love of God” (1:20), which he explains as being accomplished by “building yourselves up on your most holy faith” (1:20A), “praying in the Holy Spirit” (1:20B), and “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1:21). If the church would take a strong stance for the Apostolic doctrine handed down to them and get in the fight for truth, it was even possible that some that had been deceived by the apostates could be saved from the coming judgment (1:22-23). That, along with the purity of the church, was additional motivation for them to get off the sidelines and get in the struggle for the truth.
As quickly as the letter begins, it ends with the most complete and arguably, the most beautiful doxology in scripture. Jude was reminding these believers that their ultimate purpose was to glorify God through lives that are holy. Christ was/is able to keep His children from falling into the grievous errors of these apostates, if they’d simply entrust themselves to Him and to the truth they had received about Him (1:24-25).
