Free Bible Commentary on Jude

By John Chopores

 

Introduction

“This epistle is addressed to all believers in the gospel. Its design appears to be to guard believers against the false teachers who had begun to creep into the Christian church, and to scatter dangerous tenets, by attempting to lower all Christianity into a merely nominal belief and outward profession of the gospel. Having thus denied the obligations of personal holiness, they taught their disciples to live in sinful courses, at the same time flattering them with the hope of eternal life. The vile character of these seducers is shown, and their sentence is denounced, and the epistle concludes with warnings, admonitions, and counsels to believers.” [MATTHEW HENRY].

“That this epistle was written by Jude,  one of the twelve apostles of Christ,  and not by Jude the fifteenth bishop of Jerusalem,  who lived in the time of Trojan,  a little before Bar Cocab,  the false Messiah, as Grotius thought,  is evident from his being called,  in the epistle itself,  the brother of James,  and which is confirmed by all copies; and its agreement with the second epistle of Peter shows it to have been written about the same time,  and upon the same occasion. As to Jude's not calling himself an apostle,  but a servant of Jesus Christ, it may be observed,  that the latter is much the same with the former, and the Apostle Paul sometimes uses them both,  as in #Ro 1:1 #Tit 1:1,  and sometimes neither,  as #1Th 1:1 2Th 1:1 Phm 1:1,  and sometimes only servant,  as Jude does here,  #Php 1:1,  though in some copies of the title of this epistle he is called "Jude the Apostle"; and as to Jude's making mention of the apostles as if he was later than they,  and not of their number,  #Jude 1:17,  it may be returned for answer to it,  that the Apostle Peter expresses himself much in the same manner,  #2Pe 3:2,  where some copies,  instead of "us the apostles",  read "your apostles",  see Gill on "2Pe 3:2"; moreover,  Jude seems to cite a passage out of Peter,  as Peter in the same chapter cites the Apostle Paul,  which only shows agreement in their doctrine and writing;” [JOHN GILL]. 

 

  “Chapter Summary

 

 Jude 1:1-3   After a general address, Jude exhorteth Christians to constancy in the received faith. Jude 1:4-19  He foretelleth the punishment of certain false teachers crept into the church, and describeth their evil doctrine and manners. Jude 1:20,21 He exhorteth true Christians to persevere in the right faith, and in the love of God, Jude 1:22-23 and to seek the reformation of others. Jude 1:24,25 He concludeth with ascribing glory to God.” [Matthew Poole.].

 

   

1 ¶ Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:

  Some believe that this “Jude” is a brother of the Apostle James. Cf. Galatians 2:9  and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

And that would make him a brother of Jesus (on His human side)! Cf. Matthew 13:55  "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?

Galatians 1:19  But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother.

   

The Greek word used for “Jude” is “Ιορδάνης” it means: “Judah”, also: ““he shall be praised””

The Greek word used for  “bondservant” is “δου̂λος”  its meaning: “from deō, to bind, a slave, originally the lowest term in the scale of servitude, came also to mean one who gives himself up to the will of another,”^[1]

 

The Greek word for Christ is, Χριστός  it means: “literally ‘one who has been anointed’[2]”

The Greek word used for “preserved” is, “tereo” it means: “to attend to carefully, take care of”, and “to guard”. The word is in the (Greek) perfect tense, so it is something finished. 

 

Comments by others:

“1:1. The gospel is the gospel of Christ. He has revealed it to us,  and he is the main subject of it; and therefore we are indispensably bound to learn thence all we can of his person,  natures,  and offices: indifference as to this is inexcusable in any who call themselves Christians; and we know from what fountain we are wholly and solely to draw all necessary saving knowledge.  Further,  it is also a doctrine of godliness. Whatever doctrines favour the corrupt lusts of men cannot be of God, let the pleas and pretensions for them be what they will.” [MATTHEW HENRY].  

 

  

Jude  2  Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

We all have need of more of these!

We also need to know where they come from, and the answer is God Himself! Cf. Romans 1:7  To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:2  elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

 

Comments by others:

“Mercy--in a time of wretchedness. Therefore mercy stands first; the mercy of Christ (#Jude 1:21).

 

peace--in the Holy Ghost (#Jude 1:20).

 

love--of God (#Jude 1:21). The three answer to the divine Trinity.

 

be multiplied--in you and towards you.” [JFB].

 

Comments by others:

“Mercy unto you,  and peace and love be multiplied.] In this salutation the apostle wishes for a multiplication of "mercy",  from God the Father,  by whom these persons were sanctified: mercy is a perfection in God; and shows itself in a special manner towards the elect,  in the covenant of grace,  in the provision of Christ as a Saviour,  in the mission of him into this world,  in redemption by him,  in the forgiveness of sin,  in regeneration,  and in their whole salvation; and the multiplication of it intends an enlarged view and fresh application of it,  which they sometimes stand in need of,  as under desertions,  when they want the sense and manifestation of it to them; and under temptations and afflictions,  when they need sympathy and compassion; and when they fall into sin they stand in need of the fresh discoveries and application of pardoning mercy to them. Moreover,  herein is wished for a multiplication of "peace" from Christ,  in whom these chosen ones were preserved; and may design a fresh and enlarged view of peace being made for them by his blood,  and an increase of conscience peace in their own hearts,  as the effect of it; and may include peace,  and an abundance of it, among themselves,  as well as all prosperity,  both external, internal,  and eternal: likewise in the salutation,  "love",  and a multiplication of it is wished for from the Spirit of God,  by whom they were called; and may be understood of the love with which God loved them; and which may be said to be multiplied,  when it is gradually shed abroad in their hearts by the Spirit,  and they are by degrees led into it more and more,  and the acts of it are drawn out and set before them one after another,  and fresh manifestations of it are made unto them; as in afflictive providences” [JOHN GILL]. 

 

Jude 1:3 ¶ Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. [NKJV].

“Verse 3.   When I gave all diligence]  This phrase, pasan spoudhn poioumenov, is a Grecism for being exceedingly intent upon a subject; taking it up seriously with determination to bring it to good effect.  The meaning of the apostle seems to be this: "Beloved brethren, when I saw it necessary to write to you concerning the common salvation, my mind being deeply affected with the dangers to which the Church is exposed from the false teachers that are gone out into the world, I found it extremely necessary to write and exhort you to hold fast the truth which you had received, and strenuously to contend for that only faith which, by our Lord and his apostles, has been delivered to the Christians."

 

Some think that St. Jude intimates that he had at first purposed to write to the Church at large, on the nature and design of the Gospel; but seeing the dangers to which the Churches were exposed, because of the false teachers, he changed his mind, and wrote pointedly against those false doctrines, exhorting them strenuously to contend for the faith.

 

  The common salvation]  The Christian religion, and the salvation which it brings.  This is called common because it equally belongs to Jews and Gentiles; it is the saving grace of God which has appeared to every man, and equally offers to every human being that redemption which is provided for the whole world.” [Adam Clarke.].

 

 

Jude 1:4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
“ Turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness]  Making the grace and mercy of God a covering for crimes; intimating that men might sin safely who believe the Gospel, because in that Gospel grace abounds.  But perhaps the goodness of God is here meant, for I cannot see how they could believe the Gospel in any way who denied the Lord Jesus Christ; unless, which is likely, their denial refers to this, that while they acknowledged Jesus as the promised Messiah, they denied him to be the only Lord, Sovereign, and Ruler of the Church and of the world.  There are many in the present day who hold the same opinion.” [Adam Clarke].