The Author
There are 6 Judas’ mentioned in the New Testament. Two of them were named among the apostles: (1) Judas Iscariot and (2) Judas not Iscariot (John 14:22) who is also called Judas, son of James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13). In Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18 there is a mention of a Thaddaeus. Many think that this Judas may have changed his name or used another name following the death of Judas Iscariot in order to avoid the indignity attached to the name Judas. (3) The brother of Jesus, Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3; (4) Judas of Galilee, Acts 5:37; (5) Judas of Damascus, Acts 9:11; (6) Judas surnamed Barsabas, Acts 15:22, 27.
The author does not identify himself as an apostle and even seems to set himself apart from the original twelve (v.17). Instead, he declares that he is the brother of James, the writer of the Epistle of James. He was the most prominent James of the early Church era having been the head of the Jerusalem Church (cf. Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18), he was the half-brother of Jesus. It is more than likely that this Jude is also a half-brother of our Lord Jesus Christ.1
Date of Writing
Since there is no allusion to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., Jude could have written between 65-69 A.D. However, the Apostle John wrote in the late 90’s A.D. and never alludes to the event in his writings. Therefore, it is possible that Jude may have been written as late as 90 A.D.
Recipients
Jude writes to the same audience as did his brother James—the 12 tribes scattered abroad in the Diaspora. It has come to be known as one of the General Epistles since it was not addressed directly to one specific church. “To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ” (v.1). Most likely those of the Diaspora were in the regions which Peter had also written: Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (1 Peter 1:1).
Purpose
Unlike James, who wrote to correct doctrinal errors, Jude wrote to warn of the apostasy of the false teachers of Gnosticism and to encourage his readers to contend earnestly for the faith (v.3). E.C. Pentecost explains:
Gnosticism declared that the spirit was good and the material was evil. Therefore the spiritual was to be cultivated and fed, with freedom to pursue its good inclinations. In addition Gnostics felt free to give vent to the desires of the flesh. Thus the heart of this apostasy was that it turned the grace of God into license and lasciviousness. Jude wrote to warn of this dual apostasy of wrong conduct and false doctrine.2
This short epistle is precisely what is needed today in the 21st Century Church of Jesus Christ. Christianity is under an assault by the apostate false teachers who intend to syncretize faith in Jesus Christ with the dictates of the secular humanist culture and thus lead astray believers from fulfilling God’s divine plan for their lives.
Similarity to 2nd Peter
Most scholars agree that Jude was written before Peter wrote his 2nd epistle since there are similar issues expressed in each. But Lenski is probably correct when he suggests that Jude uses 2 Peter since Peter uses the future tense regarding the false teachers who will bring in destructive heresies denying the Master (2:1) and that the scoffers will come (3:3). Whereas Jude speaks of these things as having already occurred—certain persons have crept in and deny our only Master (v.4) and repeating what Peter had prophesied of the scoffers (v.18).3
A Note
about the Extra-Biblical References in Verses 9, 14 & 15
Jude quotes from The Assumption of Moses and The Book of Enoch. These two books come from a compilation of writings known as the Pseudepigrapha4—non-canonical writings that have been rejected by Roman Catholics as well as Protestants.5 The fact that Jude quotes from these Pseudepigrapha books does not imply that these books in their entirety were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
There are other instances where Biblical writers have used non-canonical writings. The Apostle Paul and Luke quoted from extra-Biblical sources. In 1 Cor. 15:33 Paul quoted the Greek dramatist Menander (c. 341–290 BC), “Bad company corrupts good morals.” In 2 Timothy 3:8, Paul mentioned Jannes and Jambres who do not appear in the Old Testament, but according to Jewish tradition they were court magicians of the Pharaoh who opposed Moses. Also in Titus 1:12 Paul quotes from Epimenides of Crete (6th Century B.C.), “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” And Luke in Acts 17:28 records Paul quoting from the Cilician poet Aratus (c. 315-240B.C.) “For we also are His children.”
However, that which Jude, Luke and Paul wrote is considered inspired by the Holy Spirit and therefore regarded as absolute truth. Dr. Wuest sums this up:
All of which means that since we regard the Epistle of Jude part of the canonical scriptures, and therefore verbally inspired, and because the author treats the subject matter as fact, we are to regard it as such.6
It can therefore be concluded that non-Biblical writings used by the inspired authors of the Scriptures in no way asserts that the Holy Spirit inspired these non-Biblical writings in their entirety. And yet, whatever materials the authors of the Scriptures wrote under the direction of the Holy Spirit becomes the inspired Word of God.
[1] Mayor, J.B. (1990). The Expositor’s Greek Testament (W. Robertson Nicoll, Ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 5.226.
[2] Pentecost, E. C. (1985). Jude. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 2.918.
[3] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 11.597-598.
[4] The “Pseudepigrapha” contains works that falsely claim authorship to noted authorities.
[5] Geisler, Norman (2002). Systematic Theology, Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1.517.
[6] Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English Reader. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 16.246.
© 2023 David M. Rossi
