Jude is an unlikely book in the Bible, both in terms of its position and its content. One of the shortest books in the Bible, it’s placed right in the middle of the New Testament, located between the books of James and Revelation. And yet, important truths are found in this short book, which is why understanding who wrote Jude is a worthwhile pursuit.
The most obvious clue about the author of Jude is found in the opening verses. Jude introduces himself as the “brother of James” in the first verse, providing the name of the human author of the book. According to the early church fathers and internal manuscript evidence, this person is Jude, also known as Judas, the son of Mary and brother of James, who appears in the Gospels as one of Jesus’ brothers. As this was a common name in that time, one might suppose Jude is a Judas, son of Simon the Zealot, who was also one of Jesus’ disciples. Some believe this is the case, however, there are no early manuscripts that support it and many scholars accept that the author of Jude was Jude, the brother of Jesus.
Another clue in Jude is the fact that Jude frequently alludes to early Church history and theology. He mentions extremely early teachings concerning the nature of Jesus and the Church, teachings that date to somewhere between 30 AD to 70 AD. This serves to confirm that Jude is, in fact, Judas, the brother of Jesus, as it is unlikely that Judas, the son of Simon the Zealot, would have these teachings. As such, Jude is almost certainly written by the half-brother of Jesus, who was an eyewitness to Jesus’ life and teachings.
This presents a unique example of a biblical book written by someone other than an apostle. In the early Church, there was a debate about the validity of books written by non-apostles. Even though authors such as Peter and John wrote about Jesus, it was still seen as essential for them to be an apostle in order for their words to be properly received and accepted as God’s Word. We see this in 2 Peter and also 2 John, where they insist that they are indeed the authors. In contrast, Jude is much more relaxed about his identity and merely introduces himself as the brother of James, who was the other half-brother of Jesus.
Although this is the accepted traditional view, some believe it is possible that Jude was written by the Judas, son of Simon the Zealot. It is based on the fact that Jude appears to provide a midrashic (rabbinical style) interpretation of Jewish scripture. This would suggest that Jude was a Jewish convert, who had been taught by Jesus, rather than his half-brother. Furthermore, many themes in Jude focus on the Second Coming of Jesus, which implies a later dating of the book when such teachings had become more actively studied in the Church.
Therefore, even though many believe Jude to be written by Judas, the son of Mary and brother of James, who was the half-brother of Jesus, it is still possible that the author was Judas, son of Simon the Zealot. The evidence for both authors is simply too inconclusive to provide a certainty in this regard.
Moral Tone of Jude
Jude is unique in the Bible in that, while it contains a warning of coming judgment, it is more of a moral exhortation than an architectural blueprint of judgment. Its focus is on the moral behaviour of believers and those who attempt to bring false teaching into the Church. Jude warns against allowing such people into the Church and openly calls them out for the false teachers they are. He also highlights the importance of demonstrating love as a central part of faithfully teaching and obeying Christ’s commands.
Another fascinating aspect of Jude is how it describes the spiritual warfare that rages around us in the invisible realms. It warns believers to keep themselves “in the love of God” by avoiding the temptations of the “ungodly”, who intend to draw believers away from Christ through the false promises of sin. Jude calls out these false teachers and their methods of seduction without directly condoning any kind of retaliation.
Jude’s moral tone is unique in the New Testament, as it’s written not just as a warning but also as an encouragement. It calls on believers to remember their salvation and to live in obedience to Christ’s commands. While it does warn against false teachers and deception, it does so in a gentle, edifying manner. In this way, Jude reminds us of the importance of pursuing righteousness and the need to remain steadfast whatever our current circumstances may be.
Biblical Significance of Jude
Jude is an important book in the Bible and it provides vital insight into both the spiritual warfare taking place around us and the importance of the Church being surrounded by the love of God.
In Jude we learn that there will be those who attempt to bring discord and false teaching into the Church. Jude gives us insight into how to spot these people, provides us with a warning about them and their methods, and ultimately gives us hope that God’s love will protect us.
Furthermore, Jude serves to remind us of how important it is to remain faithful to God’s commands, as living in obedience to them is the only way to walk in complete assurance of our salvation. This is an important reminder, particularly in a world where so many people are being led astray by the false promises of sin.
Application of the Message of Jude
The message of Jude is one of hope and encouragement. We must place our trust in God and make sure that we are living in obedience to His commands. In this way, we protect ourselves from false teaching and stay firmly rooted in His love. This means living each day in intentional Christlikeness.
We must remain in close relationship with God and seek out opportunities to serve and love others. This includes being ready to call out falsehood and speak the truth in love, regardless of the consequences.
The Church must also strive to be a place of safety and comfort for those who are struggling with sin and temptation. We must strive to keep a culture of holiness on all levels, and this includes refusing to accept those who will bring false teaching.
Finally, the message of Jude is to never despair or become weary in doing what is right. We can always find hope and assurance in the knowledge that Christ has already won the battle and that our faith and obedience will be rewarded.
Modern Examples of False Teaching Referenced in Jude
Jude is a warning. He cautions against false teacher, who will attempt to spread lies and lies of omission throughout the Church. These false teachers use methods like appealing to our emotions, twisting the truth, and obfuscating Scripture in order to manipulate people into believing untrue and often dangerous things.
Examples of false teaching today include the prosperity and ridiculous breakthrough promises that some church and television ministries preach, as well as the dangerous myths about Climate Change being spread by some political and religious leaders.
Also controversial is the syncretism that has crept into some churches where worldly values and beliefs are accepted and even glorified in the name of modernity or postmodernity. These false beliefs erode the strength of the Church and deceive people away from what Jesus has truly called us to do.
Jude’s warning is just as important today as it was in his time, as false teachers abound on all levels of our society. We must be on guard against these and be diligent to refute them and instead promote God’s Word as the only true source of ultimate truth.
Conclusion
The book of Jude was likely written by Jude, the brother of James and half-brother of Jesus. While some believe it was written by Judas, the son of Simon the Zealot, the evidence for this is inconclusive.
Jude’s main message is one of warning and encouragement. He warns us against the pitfalls of false teaching and encourages us to remain in firm obedience to God’s commands. In this way, we can be walking in the assurance of our salvation and rooted in God’s love.
Finally, Jude also calls on us to be vigilant in refuting and rebuking false teachers. In our modern world, these can come in many forms, such as prosperity gospel preachers, climate change deniers, and those who accept worldy values as part of their religious life. We must always be on guard against these and instead work to promote the truth found in Scripture.
