Reference: Jude, Epistle Of
Easton
The author was "Judas, the brother of James" the Less (Jude 1:1), called also Lebbaeus (Mt 10:3) and Thaddaeus (Mr 3:18). The genuineness of this epistle was early questioned, and doubts regarding it were revived at the time of the Reformation; but the evidences in support of its claims are complete. It has all the marks of having proceeded from the writer whose name it bears.
There is nothing very definite to determine the time and place at which it was written. It was apparently written in the later period of the apostolic age, for when it was written there were persons still alive who had heard the apostles preach (ver. 17). It may thus have been written about A.D. 66 or 70, and apparently in Palestine.
The epistle is addressed to Christians in general (ver. 1), and its design is to put them on their guard against the misleading efforts of a certain class of errorists to which they were exposed. The style of the epistle is that of an "impassioned invective, in the impetuous whirlwind of which the writer is hurried along, collecting example after example of divine vengeance on the ungodly; heaping epithet upon epithet, and piling image upon image, and, as it were, labouring for words and images strong enough to depict the polluted character of the licentious apostates against whom he is warning the Church; returning again and again to the subject, as though all language was insufficient to give an adequate idea of their profligacy, and to express his burning hatred of their perversion of the doctrines of the gospel."
The striking resemblance this epistle bears to 2PE suggests the idea that the author of the one had seen the epistle of the other.
The doxology with which the epistle concludes is regarded as the finest in the New Testament.
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James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew the publican, James the son of Alpheus, and Labbeus, whose sirname was Thaddeus, Simon the zelot,
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite,
Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those that are sanctified by God the father, and by their vocation are reserved for Jesus Christ.
Hastings
This short epistle is an earnest warning and appeal, couched in vivid and picturesque language, addressed to a church or a circle of churches which have become suddenly exposed to a mischievous attack of false teaching.
1. Contents
(1) Text.
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is not this the carpenter's son? is not Mary his mother? and James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas, are they not his brothers?
And when he was upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came to him in private, and said, tell us when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of this age? Jesus answered them, take care not to be deceived by any one: read more. for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ: and shall deceive many.
for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ: and shall deceive many. ye shall hear likewise of wars, and rumours of wars: take care not to be disturb'd: for these things must happen, but the end of the Jewish age is not yet. read more. for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. yet all this is but the beginning of sorrow. then shall they deliver you up to torments, and to death: and ye shall be hated by all nations upon my account. then shall many relapse, and shall pursue one another with mutual treachery and hatred. many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. and as iniquity becomes more flagrant, the zeal of many will grow cool.
and as iniquity becomes more flagrant, the zeal of many will grow cool. but he that shall persevere unto the end, shall be preserved. read more. and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, to testify to all nations, that the end will then come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, mention'd by Daniel the prophet, stand about the holy place, (let him that readeth, consider it well) let those who are then in Judea, flee into the mountains, he that is on the battlements, let him not venture to go in to take any thing out of his house. if any man be in the field, let him not return back to take his coat. unhappy will they be that are with child, and they that give suck in those days. be sure to pray that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the sabbath-day: for the desolation will be so dreadful, the like was never seen since the beginning of the world, no, nor ever shall be again. for unless the time was to be short, very few could escape, but for the sake of the converts the time shall be short. Then if any shall cry, the Messiah is here, or he is there: give no credit to it. for there shall arise false Messiahs, and false prophets, and shall shew such astonishing miracles and prodigies, as to deceive, if that can do it, the very converts themselves. remember, I have forewarn'd you.
is not he the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses, of Juda and Simon? are not these his sisters, who are here with us? and they were scandalized at him.
In my former treatise, I gave an account, O Theophilus, of all the actions and doctrine of Jesus, to the time of his assumption,
When they were arrived there, they went up into an upper room, where Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, Simon the Zelot, and Judas the brother of James used to resort,
One Simon was then resident in that place, who pretended to be something extra-ordinary, and by his magical practices had so enchanted the people of Samaria, that they all followed him, both old and young. this man, said they, is the plenipotentiary of God. read more. no wonder they were so attach'd to one, who had for a long time infatuated them with his arts. but when they had embraced the doctrine of Philip, concerning the kingdom of the Messias, and the authority of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. nay, Simon himself became a proselyte: and after he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and was transported at the sight of the miracles and prodigies which he perform'd. Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem, heard that the Samaritans had embraced the word of God, they sent Peter and John, who upon their arrival, prayed for them that they might receive the holy spirit. (for as yet he had not descended on any of them: they having only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus) the apostles therefore gave them imposition of hands, and they received the holy spirit. when Simon saw that the holy spirit was given by imposition of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money, saying, give me too this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the holy spirit. but Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, for thinking that the gift of God may be purchased with money. thou hast no manner of share in this gift: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray to God, to forgive, if it be possible, this suggestion you have entertain'd. for I perceive you are upon the brink of misery, led captive by your sin. Simon answered, do you pray to the Lord for me, that nothing like what you mention may befall me.
Having travers'd the isle as far as to Paphos, they found a Jew there nam'd Barjesus, who was a false prophet and magician: he was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man of prudence: who sent for Barnabas and Saul, desiring to hear the word of God. read more. but Elymas (a name which signifies Magus) opposed them, endeavouring to seduce the proconsul from the faith. then Saul, who was nam'd likewise Paul, full of the holy spirit, look'd fixedly upon him, and said, "thou heap of imposture and mischief, offspring of the devil, and enemy to all justice, wilt thou not cease to pervers men from the right ways of the Lord? his hand is falling upon thee, thou shalt be blind, and not see the sun for some time." immediately his eyes were covered with obscurity and darkness; so that he grop'd about for somebody to lead him by the hand. the proconsul seeing the fact, embraced the faith, being struck with admiration of the christian doctrine.
when they heard this, they were initiated by baptism into the christian profession. and Paul having given them imposition of hands, the holy spirit came upon them, and they spoke foreign languages, and prophesied: read more. the number of them being about twelve.
many that believed came to confess, and give an account of their past actions. many that had practis'd magical arts, brought the books and publickly threw them into the fire: the value by computation amounting to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
now hope will not deceive us, because the love of God is diffused thro' our hearts, by the holy spirit which is given to us;
The spirit likewise softens our afflictions: for being at a loss to apply for the most proper relief; the spirit it self affects us with those pious ejaculations, which we can't well express.
Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, conformable to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret from antient times, but now is laid open, and by the writings of the prophets (according to the commandment of the eternal God) made known to all the Gentiles, to induce them to obey the faith: read more. to God, I say, who is only wise, be glory thro' Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
but the animal man does not receive the effusions of the spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; neither can he understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
I did not mean the vicious Gentiles, the misers, the raparees, or with idolaters; for then you must have gone out of the world.
Now in what I am going to say, I do not commend you, because your assemblies are not to your advantage, but to your prejudice.
Fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem, with Barnabas, and took Titus also with me:
Peter, and John, who were esteemed to be pillars, perceived the favour that was bestowed on me, they admitted me and Barnabas into fellowship, and agreed, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.
for till certain Jews came thither from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, for fear of those, who were for circumcision:
through his own death, to present you holy, and unblameable, and unreproveable in his own sight:
being firmly attach'd to, and founded upon him: establishing yourselves in the faith you have been taught, and being thankful for the improvement you make therein.
for we are persuaded, my brethren, that you are the peculiar objects of divine favour;
don't be led into any mistake, because the previous rebellion does not yet appear, nor the man of sin throw off the disguise, that offspring of perdition:
At my departure from Macedonia, I advised you to stay at Ephesus in order to charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,
to the king of the world, the immortal, invisible, and the only God be honour and glory to endless ages. amen.
The vices of some men are so notorious, they prevent any inquisition: others don't discover themselves till they have been ordain'd.
mischievous opinions, and a familiarity with pernicious ignorant impostors, who consider religion only as it makes for their gain.
for the time will come, when they will not endure sound doctrine, but get teachers of their own corrupt taste, to sooth their ears that itch for flattery:
Endeavour to come to me very soon:
Admonish them to be subject to princes and to magistrates, to obey their orders, and to exert their virtue and loyalty upon all occasions.
thro' Jesus Christ our saviour:
This is a secure rule, and what I would have you constantly maintain, that they who have believed in God, should take care to be examples of virtue, for that is commendable and useful to mankind.
dispatch Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos, and take care that nothing be wanting to their journey.
Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those that are sanctified by God the father, and by their vocation are reserved for Jesus Christ.
Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those that are sanctified by God the father, and by their vocation are reserved for Jesus Christ. mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you. read more. My beloved, as I was strongly bent upon writing to you of our common salvation, I thought it necessary to write to you at present, and exhort you to contend earnestly for the faith, which was once delivered to the saints. For certain men have insinuated themselves among you, who were formerly proscrib'd to be punish'd; impious men, who pervert the divine favour to licentiousness, and renounce their only master, and Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, I would call to your remembrance what you once were inform'd of, that when the Lord had delivered the people from the land of Egypt, he afterward destroyed those that were disobedient.
Now, I would call to your remembrance what you once were inform'd of, that when the Lord had delivered the people from the land of Egypt, he afterward destroyed those that were disobedient.
As for these, they inveigh against what they do not understand: and abuse those natural instincts which regulate brute animals.
these are they who distinguish themselves, though they are sensual, and have nothing that is spiritual. but you, my brethren, improve yourselves in your most holy faith, present your addresses by the holy spirit, read more. and thereby cultivate the divine favour, in the expectation of eternal life by the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord. Make use of your discernment; some reprove:
Make use of your discernment; some reprove: of others be compassionately tender, snatching them, as it were, out of the fire: and avoid even the garment of the infected.
of others be compassionately tender, snatching them, as it were, out of the fire: and avoid even the garment of the infected. Now to him that is able to keep you from falling, and make you appear in his glorious presence, without defect, and full of joy: read more. to God only wise, our saviour, be glory, magnificence, power, and empire, both now and for ever.
I know thy works, thy labour, and thy patience, and that thou canst not bear those who are evil: thou hast tried those who say they are apostles, but are not; and hast found them lyars:
but in this thou art right, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
but I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there those that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who counselled Balac to ensnare the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication. you have likewise those that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I hate.
Morish
Written by Jude the brother of James, and apparently the same person as the apostle JUDAS, q.v. The Epistle is addressed to "the called ones, beloved in God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ." Apostasy had set in, and the saints are exhorted to contend for the faith divinely delivered. Ungodly ones had crept in, who abused the grace of God, and denied their only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.
Three instances are produced to show how apostasy had been punished:
1. Some of those saved out of Egypt were yet destroyed.
2. Fallen angels are kept in eternal chains for judgement.
3. Sodom and Gomorrha, which lie under the abiding effect of the judgement on them. Then the railers are put to shame by the conduct of Michael the archangel, who when rightly contending with Satan about the body of Moses did not rail against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke thee."
Three stages of departure from the way of truth are mentioned, with a woe upon those who are found in them:
1. The way of Cain
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not acting like Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother: but why did he slay him? because his own actions were evil, and his brother's were virtuous.
Smith
Jude, Epistle of.
Its author was probably Jude, one of the brethren of Jesus, the subject of the preceding article. There are no data from which to determine its date or place of writing, but it is placed about A.D.
65. The object of the epistle is plainly enough announced ver. 3; the reason for this exhortation is given ver.
4. The remainder of the epistle is almost entirely occupied by a minute depiction of the adversaries of the faith. The epistle closes by briefly reminding the readers of the oft-repeated prediction of the apostles --among whom the writer seems not to rank himself --that the faith would be assailed by such enemies as he has depicted, vs.
exhorting them to maintain their own steadfastness in the faith, vs.
while they earnestly sought to rescue others from the corrupt example of those licentious livers, vs.
and commending them to the power of God in language which forcibly recalls the closing benediction of the epistle to the Romans. vs.
cf. Roma 16:25-27 This epistle presents one peculiarity, which, as we learn from St. Jerome, caused its authority to be impugned in very early times --the supposed citation of apocryphal writings. vs.
The larger portion of this epistle, vs.
is almost identical in language and subject with a part of the Second Epistle of Peter.
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As there were false prophets among the people of Israel, there will likewise be false doctors among you, who by introducing pernicious sects, and by renouncing the Lord, who bought them, will bring upon themselves swift destruction. many will follow their destructive maxims, and by their means christianity will be traduc'd. read more. By their artful discourses they will make you the tools of their avarice; but their condemnation has been a long time advancing, and their ruin is far from lingring. for since God did not spare the angels, who had sinned, but having precipitated them to hell, confin'd them to chains of darkness, where they are reserv'd for judgment: since he did not spare the old world, having preserved only eight persons, including Noah, that preacher of virtue, when he brought the deluge upon the impious world: since he condemn'd the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha to an entire subversion, and reduc'd them to ashes, to make them serve for examples to future impiety: since he deliver'd that just man Lot, who was grieved at the enormous practices of the licentious; for whilst this good man was among them, it daily pierc'd his virtuous soul, to see and hear of their detestable behaviour: this consider'd, I say, the Lord will deliver those, who fear him, from their affliction, and reserve the wicked to be punish'd at the day of judgment. especially those, who prostitute themselves to sensual infamous passions: who despise magistrates, who being audacious, and insolent, intrepidly calumniate the higher powers; whereas the angels, who are of superiour power and dignity, don't inveigh against one another. But as for these, they have no more reason than brute beasts that are naturally made for hunting, and slaughter: so these who calumniate what they do not understand, shall receive the reward of their iniquity by perishing in their own corruption. they place their felicity in daily pleasure: they are a vile scandal to religion: when they are present at your love-feasts they indulge their luxury: their eyes are inflam'd with adultery, and unextinguishable vice: they insnare the souls of the inconstant. their minds are practis'd in the arts of avarice: an execrable race, who have deserted the right way, and are gone astray to follow the practices of Balaam of Bosor, who loved the wages of iniquity; but he was rebuked for his transgression: for an ass, as dumb as it was, spoke with an articulate voice, and reprimanded the extravagance of the prophet. These are wells without water; clouds agitated with a tempest, who are consigned to the obscurity of eternal darkness. when their language swells with vanity, by applying to the sensual passions of the licentious, they allure those who were escap'd for a while, from such deceivers: whilst they promise others liberty, they themselves are slaves to their corrupt passions. for he that is vanquished, is a slave to the conqueror.
My beloved, as I was strongly bent upon writing to you of our common salvation, I thought it necessary to write to you at present, and exhort you to contend earnestly for the faith, which was once delivered to the saints. For certain men have insinuated themselves among you, who were formerly proscrib'd to be punish'd; impious men, who pervert the divine favour to licentiousness, and renounce their only master, and Jesus Christ our Lord. read more. Now, I would call to your remembrance what you once were inform'd of, that when the Lord had delivered the people from the land of Egypt, he afterward destroyed those that were disobedient. and the angels which kept not their original dignity, but deserted their proper abode, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, to the judgment of the great day. so it was with Sodom, Gomorrha, and the neighbouring cities, who abandoning themselves to the same licentiousness and abominable passions, were made examples by suffering the punishment of eternal fire. yet these visionary debauchees despise princes, and traduce dignitys. whereas Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, did not take the liberty to inveigh against him, but said, "the Lord rebuke thee."
whereas Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, did not take the liberty to inveigh against him, but said, "the Lord rebuke thee." As for these, they inveigh against what they do not understand: and abuse those natural instincts which regulate brute animals. read more. unhappy creatures! they have followed the practices of Cain, they have addicted themselves to the mercenary illusions of Balaam, and perish in their rebellion like Core. they are a disgrace to your love-feasts, they indulge themselves at your festivals without reserve: clouds without water, transported with every wind: trees whose fruit soon withers and is useless, twice dead and rooted up: raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame: wandering lights, to whom is reserv'd the thickest darkness for ever. Of these did Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesy in these words, "see! the Lord is coming with ten thousand of his saints,
Of these did Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesy in these words, "see! the Lord is coming with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the impious among them, of all the impious actions they have committed, and of all the injurious expressions, which impious sinners have utter'd against him."
to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the impious among them, of all the impious actions they have committed, and of all the injurious expressions, which impious sinners have utter'd against him." These are murmurers, complainers, who pursue their own passions: their language swells with flattery, which they offer to the personages of men from a prospect of gain. read more. As for you, my beloved, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ have formerly told you. for they assur'd you, there would be impostors in the last days, who would follow their own impious passions. these are they who distinguish themselves, though they are sensual, and have nothing that is spiritual. but you, my brethren, improve yourselves in your most holy faith, present your addresses by the holy spirit, and thereby cultivate the divine favour, in the expectation of eternal life by the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord. Make use of your discernment; some reprove: of others be compassionately tender, snatching them, as it were, out of the fire: and avoid even the garment of the infected. Now to him that is able to keep you from falling, and make you appear in his glorious presence, without defect, and full of joy: to God only wise, our saviour, be glory, magnificence, power, and empire, both now and for ever.