Jude Bible Study Notes

 

Jude verse 1, 

 

Jude immediately identifies himself as the author. Then he identifies himself as a servant.This is important because all of us should be willing to be a servant of Jesus Christ because Jesus was the ultimate servant. 

 

When Jude uses the name of Jesus Christ – he is not using the name “Jesus Christ” just to identify his allegiance and to whom he is a servant, but is also using his name at the onset to identify the humanity and deity of Jesus. The name “Jesus” identifies with Jesus’ humanity and the name “Christ” identifies with Jesus’ deity.

To the surprise of some, “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name (surname). “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos, meaning “anointed one” or “chosen one.” This is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Meshach, or “Messiah.” “Jesus” is the Lord’s human name given to Mary by the angel Gabriel, Luke 1:31, “31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

“Christ” is His title, signifying Jesus was sent from God to be a King and Deliverer.

 

“Jesus Christ” means “Jesus the Messiah” or “Jesus the Anointed One.”

 

A brother of James... Jude was the brother of James and a half-brother of Jesus. They had the same mother, “Mary” but they had different fathers! By using this writing style, Jude is emphasizing the idea of a servant that is modest and humble. (He does not need special recognition other than to have his identity as being a servant of Jesus Christ.” Hence, he defers his biological connection of having the same mother to bring emphasis on Christ and the message rather than the messenger. 

 

James, Jude’s brother, was the leader of the church in Jerusalem.
 

According to Luke 1:28-35, “28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. 31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34Then said Mary unto the angel, “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” 35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

“Mary conceives through divine intervention, Jesus, her firstborn, of which had been prophesied by the prophets of old.

 

Isaiah 7:14, “14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

 

First Triad: 

 

This is the first of several triads in this short book.

 

1. To those that are called…

2. Who are loved…

3. And kept by Jesus Christ…

 

 

1. To those that are called…this is a biblical description of believers. The author of the Christian call is God. The nature of being called is holiness and the working out of the call in our life is what God works in us. 

 

• This calling originated in the secret purposes of God Himself (Romans 8:28) 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

• This call is big enough to embrace heaven (Ephesians 4:4) 4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. Hebrews 3:1) 1Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.

• The calling is applied to man’s everyday life (1Corinthians 7:20) 20Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

• There is nothing about us or our destiny which is irrelevant to the call of God.

 

1. Who are loved…

 

• How much did God love us? He loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son. (John 3:16)

• Agape love – unconditional love!

• He loves the saint as much as he loves the sinner.

• For example: That’s why He can kick Adam and Eve out of the garden and still express His love—because of His infinite wisdom, He did not want them to be able to eat from the tree of life to where they would stay eternally in a sinful state.

 

1. And kept by “Jesus Christ”

 

• Jude places emphasis here that Jesus keeps those that continue to keep their trust in Him. (2Timothy 1:12) 2For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless, I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (1Peter 1:5) 5Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1John 5:18) 18We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

• He keeps what we commit to Him. 

• In verse 21, it is interesting that Jude writes that we should, “Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

• In other words, it’s God’s part to keep man, but it’s man’s part to keep himself in the love of God!

• (Philippians 2:12-13) 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

 

Second Triad,

 

Verse 2, Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. 

 

• Jude mentions the things that he is praying for his friends. 

• Mercy, peace, and love!

• He does not just want them to have a little of these things…he wants them to have it in abundance. 

• This is the same as (1 Peter 1:2) 2Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

• Mercy

• Why Mercy? (1 Timothy 1:2) 2To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

(2 Timothy 1:2) 2To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

(2 John 1:3) 3Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

• What’s important about this greeting is that in these four places that this occurs is that it is always against the background of false teaching.

• It’s a reminder that not only that mercy is not only needed at regeneration, its needed in our everyday walk. (1Peter 1:3) 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

• Nothing but unmerited mercy can meet the constant needs of habitual sinners.

• Peace – Shalom! 

• When a man knows that he is accepted by God, knowing how underserving he is, this gives him a deep peace in his life.

• Gracious mercy from God not only transforms our lives, but it also reaches out through us to others, why, because we want them to experience the same piece that we have experienced. 

• Love 

• Love is used here to express God’s own love that is poured out to overflowing in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5) 5And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

 

Mercy – from God; Peace – Within; Love – for men – all in the fullest measure! 

 

Verse 3 – Dear Friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was 0nce for all entrusted to the saints.

 

Dear friends – Jude does not merely talk about love; he displays it! In verse 3, 17 and 20. He uses it as an introduction but also uses it in conjunction with serious warning and stern rebuke.

 

• Note: Christian love – speaks the truth in love – regardless of how people are living. Sometimes love is expressed through a stern warning or rebuke!

• In today’s world – evil is soothed for the sake of tolerance whereas evil should be rebuked.

• Stern warnings should bring conviction and fire that destroys the impurities of those that fall prey to it.

 

Jude never intended to write this letter. He was going to write about the salvation we share, but removed from doing so due to the news of dangerous heresy.

 

Therefore, instead of writing a pastoral letter, he found himself writing a letter that would be unwelcomed, but Jude writes, “I felt I had to write and urge you.”

 

The true pastor is also a watchman. (Ezekiel 3:17-19) 7“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 19But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.

 

(Acts 20:28-30) 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

 

• This part of a pastor’s duty in this generation is widely rejected and neglected.

• Why? Tolerance!

 

Salvation – In this verse the Christian experience is summed up by one word, “salvation.”

 

Salvation to Jude meant not only past deliverance (verse 5), but present deliverance (verse 23) and future enjoyment of the glory of God (verse 25). 

 

This faith is a body of believers from different walks of life. This is the salvation that we share. 

 

Entrusted to the saints – the saints are the people of God. By faith, he means the apostolic teaching that was regulative upon the church. (Acts 2:42) 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

 

Here, Jude implies that God has handed over to His people a recognizable body of teaching about His Son, and when they eat of this doctrine that they will be nourished, able to stand the false doctrines that were causing people to be tossed by every wind of doctrine. 

 

Entrust – means that this is the word used for handing down as authorized for teaching.  (1 Corinthians 15:1-3) 1Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

 

(2 Thessalonians 3:6) 6In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.