Jude

🗺️ Overview

Jude is a short but urgent letter warning believers to contend for the faith against false teachers who have crept into the church. With vivid examples from history and judgment, Jude calls for discernment, perseverance, and trust in God’s preserving power.

💡 Jude teaches that Christians must be vigilant in protecting the gospel and resisting compromise. It encourages believers to grow in faith, show mercy to the doubting, and trust God to keep them from falling. The letter highlights the importance of sound doctrine and godly living.

• Jude’s Identity

  Jude identifies himself as the brother of James. Early church tradition holds he was also a half-brother of Jesus (cf. Mark 6:3).

  📚 Source: ESV Study Bible

• Use of Extrabiblical Sources

  Jude quotes from Jewish writings like 1 Enoch and the Assumption of Moses — familiar to his audience and used to reinforce biblical points.

  📚 Source: IVP Bible Background Commentary

• False Teachers and Immorality

  Jude condemns false teachers for twisting grace into license and living in rebellion — linking them to infamous examples of judgment.

  📚 Source: Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary

📊 Book at a Glance

📝 Author

Jude, the brother of James (and likely half-brother of Jesus)

📅 Date

c. AD 65–80

📖 Chapters

1

🏷️ Genre

Epistle

📍 Location

Written to a general group of believers to defend the faith and resist deceptive influences within the church

🧵 Main Themes

Contend for the faith, Warning against false teachers, God’s judgment on rebellion, Call to perseverance and godliness, God’s power to keep believers from falling

📚 Outline

• Introduction and Purpose (v. 1–4)
• Historical Warnings Against Apostasy (v. 5–10)
• Character and Condemnation of False Teachers (v. 11–16)
• Call to Persevere and Build Each Other Up (v. 17–23)
• Doxology (v. 24–25)

📖 Key Stories

🧠 Key Verses

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. — Jude 3

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. — Jude 20–21

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. — Jude 22–23

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 24–25

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