Jude Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Jude 1-4

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

To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:

2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

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. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a licence for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

A. Find Out:

1. How does Jude describe himself? v.1a
2. How does he describe those to whom he writes? v.1b
3. What 3 things does he want for them? v.2
4. Why had he originally intended to write? v.3a
5. But why instead did he now feel he has to write? v.3b
6. Why? v.4

B. Think:

1. Read Acts 1:13 and 15:13 What does Jude assume we know?
2. How would you put his original intention in your own words?
3. How would you summarise his intention now?

C. Comment:

     Jude tells us no more about himself than the fact that he considers himself a servant of Jesus and James is his brother. He assumes we know who James is. Where there is the use of such a name like this, it is probable that he is one of the key leaders, so Jude has close ties to the apostles.

     Paul often asked for “grace and peace” for his readers. Jude asks for “mercy, peace and love”. The “mercy” indicates a need to hope for God’s compassionate viewing of them so that they will not get what they deserve. The “peace” is a very real foundational characteristic of the Christian experience which, if it is missing, indicates a turmoil in the church that needs dealing with. The “love” is another foundational characteristic which, if missing, indicates upheaval between people that needs resolving. All of those things become apparent in this short letter.

    His original intention in writing (and this seems a general letter, not to a specific church) was simply to declare afresh the wonder of the salvation that is ours, but as he has gone to write he has heard of things happening that disturb him, and which therefore, become the primary focus of his writing. There are people who have come into the church who are godless, immoral and unbelieving. There is a very real threat to the church and Jude addresses it. This is a vital letter!

D. Application:

1. Are we at peace with God and with others?
2. Are we holding to God, purity and truth?

Passage: Jude 4-7

4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a licence for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling – these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

A. Find Out:

1. When were these men marked out? v.4a
2. What do they do? v.4c
3. Of whom did want to remind his listeners? v.5a,b
4. Why? v.5c
5. Who also does he use as an example? v.6
6. What third illustration does he give? v.7

B. Think:

1. Why is Jude concerned about these men?
2. What does he say will happen to them (by inference so far)?
3. How could this apply today?

C. Comment:

     Jude focuses on people who have somehow got into the church but who, in fact, are very far from what a Christian should be. Apparently they must appear or sound “Christian” but in fact their casual attitude towards the Law means that they do wrong things on the basis that grace will cover them – they’ll be all right!

     No they won’t, says Jude! Stop for a moment, is what he is saying, and remember what’s happened in the past. Remember the Israelites who came out of Egypt – delivered by the miraculous hand of God, but many of whom were also destroyed by it, because they were casual and thought they could ‘get away with it’. They couldn’t!

     Then he refers to the fall of angels. In doing this Jude refers to The Book of Enoch , a Jewish book that was not within the canon of Scripture but much used by the Jews (see Introduction). That book indicated (like Rev 12) that there had been a falling out in heaven and the rebelling angels were judged by God. Their special position hadn’t helped them. Then there was Sodom and Gomorrah as an example of towns given over to immorality who thought that they could ignore God and ‘get away with it’. They didn’t! The message is clear from Jude – these ungodly men may think that they’re getting away with their casual lives, but God WILL hold them accountable, so you watch out.

D. Application:

1. Has grace removed the Law? No, complimented it.
2. Can we be casual with our lives? No, we’re accountable to God!

Passage: Jude 8-11

8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. 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!’ 10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct – as irrational animals do – will destroy them.

11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.

A. Find Out:

1. How does Jude now describe these people? v.8a
2. What 3 things does he say they are doing? v.8b
3. Who does he give as an illustration against them? v.9
4. Yet what do they do? v.10
5. What 3 Old Testament people does he now use as an example? v.11

B. Think:

1. Read: Gen 4:1-15, 2 Pet 2:15, Num 31:16, Num 16:1-3.
2. How was the thinking of these people wrong?
3. How were their actions wrong?

C. Comment:

     Jude is full of Old Testament examples and teaching. Even as he starts here by describing them as “dreamers” there is an echo of Deut 13:1-5, of Moses condemnation of dreamers who led people away from God. These dreamers ‘pollute’ their own bodies (v.8), i.e. their behaviour (probably sexual) contaminated them with sin. They rejected authority (so common in ungodly people) and they even speak about or to spiritual beings without any understanding.

     This last thing, Jude expands on. In this he refers to another non-canonical book used by the Jews of the day, The Assumption of Moses , where the archangel Michael was given the job of burying Moses. Supposedly Satan challenged him declaring that Moses was a murderer. Michael didn’t abuse Satan but merely referred him to the Lord. The point, says Jude, is that if one of the leading angels wouldn’t revile Satan, we shouldn’t either. In fact, he goes on, they speak abusively about anything they don’t understand, thus revealing their unrighteousness. The only things they do understand (implied) are their base sensual desires which lead them on to destruction.

      These people are like Cain, who let his wrong instincts lead him to murder, or Balaam whose base instincts led him to lead others into immorality for money, or for Korah who’s instincts led him to rebel against Moses. That’s what these people in your midst are like, he says, and they were all judged!

D. Application:

1. Are we ruled by flesh or spirit, sensual desire or the Holy Spirit?
2. Are we aware of these battles in the 21 st century?

Passage: Jude 12-13

12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm – shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted – twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved for ever.

A. Find Out:

1. Where do these men flaunt themselves? v.12a
2. What wrong people does Jude then describe them as? v.12b
3. What natural element doers he describe them as? v.12c
4. And then what feature of nature? v.12d
5. What further picture does he use to describe them? v.13a
6. And what final analogy? v.13b

B. Think:

1. What indication is there that these men are supposed leaders?
2. What point does he make with the use of clouds and trees?
3. What point does he make with the waves and the stars?

C. Comment:

     These two verses are the peak of the picture language that Jude uses. He starts out simply by referring to the way they turn up at the Lord’s Supper celebration, brazenly eating without a care, despite their sin. Then he refers to them as shepherds, suggesting possibly that they are leaders, but if they are, they are self concerned and do not care about the flock. Now comes the wave of picture language:

     Clouds – blown along (out of control, driven by desire), without rain – appearing one thing but not bringing the life that is needed and which should be there.

     Autumn trees – without fruit (barren) and uprooted (not connected to God’s world and therefore lifeless.

     Wild waves – coming in on the incoming tide, getting bigger and bigger, crashing to destruction on the shore (their shame at their increasing sin leading to destruction).

     Wandering stars – stars should be in a fixed location but these are out of control (a picture from the Book of Enoch ) where angels and stars are likened. The fallen angels are consigned so darkness – so it is with these men.

     These are the terrible pictures that Jude uses of these men – self-centred, self-concerned in their sensual sins, fruitless & condemned.

D. Application:

1. Unrighteousness is self-centred and fruitless.
2. Are our lives upward and outward looking and fruitful?

Passage: Jude 14-19

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.’ 16 These people are grumblers and fault-finders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, ‘In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.’ 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

A. Find Out:

1. Who did what? v.14
2. What did he say God was going to do? v.15
3. What five things did Jude then say about these people? v.16
4. What does he tell them to remember? v.17
5. What had they said would happen? v.18
6. What three things does he then say about these men? v.19

B. Think:

1. How does Jude appeal again to Old Testament times?
2. How does he appeal to post-Jesus times?
3. What point is he making in all these?

C. Comment:

     These verses could be summed up in four words: “You have been warned!” He’s been describing these men and now it’s as if he says, “But don’t be surprised about this, you have been warned,” and goes on to give them two sources of this warning.

     The first comes again from the Book of Enoch that he’s already referred to. In there Enoch prophesied that God would come to judge the world and deal with the ungodly. The implication is that God knows there will be ungodly people and although they may be apparently getting away with their unrighteous behaviour and speak against God, He will in the end come and deal with them. So, says Jude, expect these sorts of things to happen and don’t be surprised – but also be aware that God WILL deal with them in His time!

     Then he refers to the apostles’ teaching that was already being established as the basis for Christian belief. Already there was clear teaching that Jesus would return and the period before his return will be called the End Times, and in these times there will be many people who will just do their own thing and will scoff at those who are concerned about piety. These, says Jude, are the people you have with you and they therefore divide you by their human opinions, they live according to their desires and they do not have the Holy Spirit. Beware of them!

D. Application:

Can unsaved men be accepted as leaders in the church? Beware. Apostles teaching (Scripture) or human ideas? Beware.

Passage: Jude 20-25

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – 25 to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and for evermore! Amen.

A. Find Out:

1. What 2 things does Jude counsel the church to do? v.20
2. What further 2 things does he tell them to do? v.21
3. How are they to be towards doubters? v.22
4. How are they to act towards others? v.23
5. What does he say God can do? v.24
6. How does he say God is to be glorified? v.25

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise his instructions in v.20 & 21?
2. How would you summarise his instructions in v.22 & 23?
3. How is the emphasis different?

C. Comment:

    As he comes to the end of this letter of warning, Jude now wraps it up by instructions to the church, first on the way they are to look after themselves and then how they are to view others.

     First of all, what they are to do about themselves: build themselves up. The answer to others trying to pull you down, is to build yourself up. Hold onto the truths of the faith and flow in the Spirit – it is always Word and Spirit – truth and life, that we need. Part of that, he says, is keeping yourselves in God’s love. We need to remind ourselves of the truth of the Gospel, that it is all because of God’s love for us, and we need to remind ourselves of that love and live in the light of it.

     Then comes a “check your attitude towards others” type of instruction. Be merciful to doubters, i.e. be gracious, gentle and understanding of those who are in the faith but who are not so strong as you. Keep on reaching out to others – seek to bring them into salvation. Where there are others who don’t seem to want to respond (implied) view them with mercy, but still hold the fear of God, for they will be judged if they don’t eventually repent. Hate the wrong they do, even if you have an open heart to the sinner. He then reminds them that God can keep them and prevent them from falling away. They don’t have to fear these people who have come in!

D. Application:

1. Remain separate from sinners, yet keep an open heart to them.
2. Hate the sin, fear the Lord, but be merciful.