Book of Jude

Jude 3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.

Book of Controversy

The Book of Jude has a suspicious history. Due to the cloud of controversy, many theologians have avoided writing about Jude’s background. Therefore, there is little historical data related to its history.

The Nature of the Controversy

These are the reasons for Jude’s neglect:
Jude is tiny. Its Greek word count is the smallest in the Bible.
The book is almost entirely found in 2 Peter.
Jude controversially quotes apocryphal books as authoritative.

Where, When, and Why?

Where: It is not known where the audience was located.
The author appeals to their authority as a brother of James. As James was most well-known in Palestine, it is likely that the letter was written to Jews in Israel as Jasmes would have held more weight with that audience.
The author generously uses Old Testament references suggesting a Jewish audience.
There are numerous and contradictory accounts of the final location of Jude. Some have Jude dying in Jerusalem, Syria, and Edessa.
When: It is unknown when the book was written. If we conclude that Peter copied from Jude, then Jude must have occurred before Peter, which was likely written in the mid-sixties A.D.
Why: The book is addressing heresy but unlike John or Peter which give details of the issues their addressing, Jude does not give such details. Therefore, the heresy and incident that inspired the letter are unknown.

Author

Jude 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,

it is disputed; at least, not many of the ancients have mentioned it, as is the case likewise with the epistle that bears the name of Jude . . . Nevertheless, we know that these also, with the rest, have been read publicly in very many churches.
Eusebius 2:23:25

Starting in the middle of the second century, the letter was attributed to Jude, brother of James and Jesus.
The author is well-versed in the Old Testament and pseudepigraphical literature.
The author is adept at ornate and technical Greek.
The author employs poetic analogies such as “clouds without rain", "trees without fruit", "foaming waves of the sea", and "wandering stars."
The author refers to the apostles in the third person.
This likely means the author was not an apostle but it could be a statement of humility.
The letter was classified as Antilegomena by the early church.

Which Jude?

The author describes himself as “a brother of James.”
It is traditional to define oneself by their paternal relationship. To be defined by the fraternal relationship would mean the fraternal relationship would be a definitive departure.
“a servant/slave of Jesus Christ,” is not necessarily a lowly position. Being a slave of a prominent family was a position of honor and power.
Like James, the author does not mention they are the brother of Christ.
If Jude is the brother of James, and James is the brother of Jesus, then Jude is the brother of Jesus. One of Jesus’ brothers is named Judas (Ἰούδαν), the same name as the author.
There is an apostle named Jude, also, Thaddeus.
The names are differentiated to make a distinction between Jude and Judas.
The apostle is sometimes referred to as Ἰούδαν Ἰακώβου (Judas from James). Older translations translate this as “Judas the brother of James,” (KJV). This translation is likely to connect the brother of James with the author of Jude. It is not supported by the original language.
An unknown Jude.
The writing is pseudepigraphical.
This is unlikely as Jude is likely the basis of 2 Peter. The author of 2 Peter would so extensively use a book of questionable provenance.

Possible Controversy

2 Peter and Jude
There was a common source.
There is no evidence such a document exists.
Jude copied Peter.
Jude is an ornate form of Greek. Jude was unlikely to have been educated. Peter may have been educated or had access to an amanuensis.
Peter copied Jude.
Peter expands upon ideas found in Jude; such as 2 Peter 2:12 and Jude 10, 2 Peter 2:1-3 and Jude 4.
Apocryphal Writings

Jude 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Jude 14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
The letter of Jude uses apocryphal writing of the Book of Enoch and the Assumption of Moses.
Jude believed they should be scripture (and this would be a distinct theology).
Jude was using well-known stories as an analogy
He could be attacking a heresy that favored heretical texts.

свернуть