Introduction to the letter of Jude
The 65th book of the Bible, the 26th in the New Testament
The Epistle of Jude contains many references to and further elaborations on the Second Epistle of Peter.
In the meantime, the apostasy in the churches, caused by false teachings, had already reached significant proportions. We can assume that the epistle was written a few years after the Second Epistle of Peter.
However, the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 had not yet taken place, so the letter is believed to have been written around the year 68.
The author of the letter introduces himself as Judas, a servant of Jesus Christ, but a brother of James.
This makes him likely one of the four (half-)brothers of Jesus Christ. Their names are mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 13, verse 55.
According to tradition, his brother James, Paul, and Peter had already suffered martyrdom.
Judas most likely belonged to the leadership circle of believers in Jerusalem and held great authority in the early churches.
However, there are also biblical interpreters who suggest that the letter may have been written by
the Apostle Jude, the son of James (Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13) — or Judas Barsabbas, a prophet also mentioned in Acts who accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Antioch to announce the results of the First Council of the Apostles, as a possibility.
The theme of the Epistle of Jude is the struggle to defend the true faith and to combat the spreading heresies that abuse God’s grace to justify a sinful lifestyle and deny salvation through Jesus Christ.
To illustrate his point, Jude cites several passages from the Old Testament in this short epistle, offering them as a point of comparison for us.
Outline of the Epistle of Jude:
Verses 1–4 – Greetings, blessings, and the purpose of the letter
Verses 5–16 – Announcement of judgment and punishment for false teachers
Verses 17–23 – Instructions to the Christian community
Verses 24 and 55 – Praise to God