Over the next few weeks I’m going to be writing a few thoughts on the small and often forgotten letter of Jude.
Why Jude? Is it particularly fitting for the Christmas period? Not really, it really just a random selection to study in my own ‘quiet times’ so I thought I’d share some of my reflections with you all.
Hey Jude!
A good place to start is to share a few of ‘the experts’ thoughts on who wrote it. Before we go on it is worth noting that Jude and Judas are varients in the same name.
In Luke 6:12-16 Jesus original 12 ‘Apostles’ are listed. Among these are two by the name of Judas or Jude. One infamously betrayed Christ to the Jewish authorities and his fate is clearly spelled out in the first chapter of Acts. The second is named as Judas the son of James in Luke (elsewhere called Thaddeus). Did this Judas write Jude?
The answer- probably not. The reason I say this is because of Jude verse 17, “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude’s reference to the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ suggests he himself was not one of them. On top of this, Jude names himself in verse 1 as “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ” rather than as “an Apostles”.
So who is the author, and why is this book in the Bible if it wasn’t written by an Apostle?
Look with me at Mark 6:3, hear how the crowds in the synagogue at Nazareth describe Jesus,
“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.”
Jesus had a ‘brother’ named Judas or Jude. This may have been one of Mary’s sons or it could refer to a broader family member since the word ‘brother’ was often used in that way at the time.
Bear with me for a moment, this may seem a little tedious... but it should make sense. Mark refers to one of Jesus’ other brothers, James. There is every evidence that this is the man who wrote the Epistles of James. He is even mentioned in Galatians 1:19.
In Jude verse 1, Jude refers to himself as “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James”
So, the ‘experts’ say (and I happen to agree), Jude is probably written by one of the Lord’s own brothers. His brother James wrote James, his brother Judas wrote Jude.
Why is this relevant?
The relevance of this doesn’t particularly lie in the fact that Jude was Jesus’ brother. It lies in the fact that Jude was not an Apostle. Its also lies in the fact that he WAS an eye witness of Christ. As someone who wasn’t an Apostle he demonstrates the role and function of other teachers in the earliest days of the Church of Jesus Christ. As an eye witness he also provides corroborating evidence for the things the Apostles taught.
Let me explain what I mean.
NOT an Apostle: A call back
I often speak to people who believe that the emphasis many Churches puts on teaching, specifically on teaching The Bible is something which developed after the first century.
They imply that the earliest Christians were much more open minded and tolerant than to suggest that we ought to be bound by the teachings of a book.
Each person had their own light- their own perspective of God which came to them as they discovered the Messiah, Jesus, and his Spirit. Sure, the Apostles had their light... perhaps even a greater light since they had known Jesus personally. But there wasn’t the same emphasis on right doctrine... this, in fact, even the idea of a Bible, was something invented by Roman’s to coerce people into obedience.
The idea that there is One True Faith and that the early Christians were taught by their pastors to adhere to it: this is somewhat of a modern development. Or so it is thought.
Jude blows that idea out of the water. As a teacher, tho not an Apostle, this letter is written to do the very thing the modern day Pastor is called to do: To bring the Word to God’s people and to bring God’s people back to God’s Word. This is clear from the outset of the short letter:
“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. For certain people have crept in unnoticed...who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (verses 3-4 emphasis added)
These could be the words of a contemporary preacher, could they not? Jude, a first century teacher, is calling the Christians of his day to remain true to the ‘once-for-all’ revealed message. Who’s message? Its Jesus Christ’s but look also at verse 17 again
“But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Jude is calling his readers back to the once for all message, preached by the Apostles of Christ.
The idea of Bible Teachers, that bring the Word of the Apostles to the people and the people back to the Word is not an modern idea at all. Its an idea as old as Jude, the Lord’s brother. It’s an idea as old as the Lord himself- it’s timelessly eternal!
In that sense, the fact that Jude is NOT an Apostle helps us understand the role of Pastor’s today, who aren’t Apostles, but are called to teach. This is one of the ways in which Jude is relevant to us.
An Eye-witness: A corroborating testimony
But why IS Jude in our Bibles if it wasn’t written by an Apostle? In his providence God wanted it there of course! But it is also there as the testimony of an eye-witness who corroborates the testimony of the Apostles.
Jude is someone who would have known better if the Apostles were making it all up! He is someone who could have discredited the Gospels and the writings of Peter, Paul, James etc. He could have clearly denied their claims about the resurrection and the divinity of Christ!
But he doesn’t! As we have seen, he goes out of his way to support them. The very reason he writes is to support their testimony against false teachers and false witnesses.
Jude, the brother of Jesus, started out an as unbeliever, even hostile to Christ. But following the death and resurrection, he and his brother James, became strong supporters and servants of the Lord they once had denied. Here, Jude provides corroborating evidence that the word of the Apostles is the once-for-all truth.
Jude is there to call us back to “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” (v.3)
What about us?
By and large our culture is obsessed with the new and innovative. We are constantly downloading updates, not just for our computers and blackberries but for our relationships, finances, our families, our careers, our faith and our morals.
The Christian establishment of our day is also obsessed with innovation. Innovation in doctrine, in strategy, in techniques. We seem to be so concerned with the zeitgeist, with the mood and opinions of our age, that we all to readily reject or simply ignore the Word of the Apostles. To give an example, I recently attended a church planting conference where the Bible was not opened once!
Jude is a necessary voice in our innovation-obsessed world to, “come back!” Come back to the unchanging, old-fashioned Word of God! It isn’t innovation that counts. Innovation in theology is heresy! So called ‘progress’ beyond the once-for-all revealed Word is actually regress!
I for one am looking forward to what Jude has to say!
Why Jude? Is it particularly fitting for the Christmas period? Not really, it really just a random selection to study in my own ‘quiet times’ so I thought I’d share some of my reflections with you all.
Hey Jude!
A good place to start is to share a few of ‘the experts’ thoughts on who wrote it. Before we go on it is worth noting that Jude and Judas are varients in the same name.
In Luke 6:12-16 Jesus original 12 ‘Apostles’ are listed. Among these are two by the name of Judas or Jude. One infamously betrayed Christ to the Jewish authorities and his fate is clearly spelled out in the first chapter of Acts. The second is named as Judas the son of James in Luke (elsewhere called Thaddeus). Did this Judas write Jude?
The answer- probably not. The reason I say this is because of Jude verse 17, “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude’s reference to the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ suggests he himself was not one of them. On top of this, Jude names himself in verse 1 as “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ” rather than as “an Apostles”.
So who is the author, and why is this book in the Bible if it wasn’t written by an Apostle?
Look with me at Mark 6:3, hear how the crowds in the synagogue at Nazareth describe Jesus,
“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.”
Jesus had a ‘brother’ named Judas or Jude. This may have been one of Mary’s sons or it could refer to a broader family member since the word ‘brother’ was often used in that way at the time.
Bear with me for a moment, this may seem a little tedious... but it should make sense. Mark refers to one of Jesus’ other brothers, James. There is every evidence that this is the man who wrote the Epistles of James. He is even mentioned in Galatians 1:19.
In Jude verse 1, Jude refers to himself as “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James”
So, the ‘experts’ say (and I happen to agree), Jude is probably written by one of the Lord’s own brothers. His brother James wrote James, his brother Judas wrote Jude.
Why is this relevant?
The relevance of this doesn’t particularly lie in the fact that Jude was Jesus’ brother. It lies in the fact that Jude was not an Apostle. Its also lies in the fact that he WAS an eye witness of Christ. As someone who wasn’t an Apostle he demonstrates the role and function of other teachers in the earliest days of the Church of Jesus Christ. As an eye witness he also provides corroborating evidence for the things the Apostles taught.
Let me explain what I mean.
NOT an Apostle: A call back
I often speak to people who believe that the emphasis many Churches puts on teaching, specifically on teaching The Bible is something which developed after the first century.
They imply that the earliest Christians were much more open minded and tolerant than to suggest that we ought to be bound by the teachings of a book.
Each person had their own light- their own perspective of God which came to them as they discovered the Messiah, Jesus, and his Spirit. Sure, the Apostles had their light... perhaps even a greater light since they had known Jesus personally. But there wasn’t the same emphasis on right doctrine... this, in fact, even the idea of a Bible, was something invented by Roman’s to coerce people into obedience.
The idea that there is One True Faith and that the early Christians were taught by their pastors to adhere to it: this is somewhat of a modern development. Or so it is thought.
Jude blows that idea out of the water. As a teacher, tho not an Apostle, this letter is written to do the very thing the modern day Pastor is called to do: To bring the Word to God’s people and to bring God’s people back to God’s Word. This is clear from the outset of the short letter:
“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. For certain people have crept in unnoticed...who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (verses 3-4 emphasis added)
These could be the words of a contemporary preacher, could they not? Jude, a first century teacher, is calling the Christians of his day to remain true to the ‘once-for-all’ revealed message. Who’s message? Its Jesus Christ’s but look also at verse 17 again
“But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Jude is calling his readers back to the once for all message, preached by the Apostles of Christ.
The idea of Bible Teachers, that bring the Word of the Apostles to the people and the people back to the Word is not an modern idea at all. Its an idea as old as Jude, the Lord’s brother. It’s an idea as old as the Lord himself- it’s timelessly eternal!
In that sense, the fact that Jude is NOT an Apostle helps us understand the role of Pastor’s today, who aren’t Apostles, but are called to teach. This is one of the ways in which Jude is relevant to us.
An Eye-witness: A corroborating testimony
But why IS Jude in our Bibles if it wasn’t written by an Apostle? In his providence God wanted it there of course! But it is also there as the testimony of an eye-witness who corroborates the testimony of the Apostles.
Jude is someone who would have known better if the Apostles were making it all up! He is someone who could have discredited the Gospels and the writings of Peter, Paul, James etc. He could have clearly denied their claims about the resurrection and the divinity of Christ!
But he doesn’t! As we have seen, he goes out of his way to support them. The very reason he writes is to support their testimony against false teachers and false witnesses.
Jude, the brother of Jesus, started out an as unbeliever, even hostile to Christ. But following the death and resurrection, he and his brother James, became strong supporters and servants of the Lord they once had denied. Here, Jude provides corroborating evidence that the word of the Apostles is the once-for-all truth.
Jude is there to call us back to “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” (v.3)
What about us?
By and large our culture is obsessed with the new and innovative. We are constantly downloading updates, not just for our computers and blackberries but for our relationships, finances, our families, our careers, our faith and our morals.
The Christian establishment of our day is also obsessed with innovation. Innovation in doctrine, in strategy, in techniques. We seem to be so concerned with the zeitgeist, with the mood and opinions of our age, that we all to readily reject or simply ignore the Word of the Apostles. To give an example, I recently attended a church planting conference where the Bible was not opened once!
Jude is a necessary voice in our innovation-obsessed world to, “come back!” Come back to the unchanging, old-fashioned Word of God! It isn’t innovation that counts. Innovation in theology is heresy! So called ‘progress’ beyond the once-for-all revealed Word is actually regress!
I for one am looking forward to what Jude has to say!
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