There are many men spoken of in the New Testament named Jude or Judas, and of two of these it is difficult to determine which was the author of the Epistle of Jude.
“Judas said unto Him, Lord, how is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself to us?” John 14:2222Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? (John 14:22). This is probably the apostle called “Judas... of James” in two of the lists of the twelve (Luke 6:1616And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. (Luke 6:16); Acts 1:1313And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. (Acts 1:13)). In the other lists he is called either Lebbaeus or Simon the Canaanite.
But, you will say, the Jude who wrote the epistle was the “brother of James.” Yes, but both these men answer to the description. The Lord’s brethren were “James, Joses, Simon and Judas,” and the other Judas being also “of James” may have been brother or son to the other James. It is, however, generally believed that the writer of the epistle was brother to the Lord and to the James of Jerusalem.
In any case, we are glad he wrote us a letter, and that God has preserved it for us till now. Think of a letter more than 1800 years old—a letter, too, which speaks of events which occurred 4000 years before it was written! It tells us, too, of terrible things that are to happen in the future, so that it spans an immense space of time. It is all very well for so-called clever men to say nowadays that they do not rely on the Old Testament, and for scoffers to assert that they do not believe in the Lord’s coming. Here is a man who was alive on the earth with Jesus, and who puts his seal on the Old Testament and quotes the words of a saint about the Lord’s coming, who lived 4000 years before him.
It is wonderful how many inspired histories Jude refers to: the departure of the children of Israel from Egypt, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the burial of Moses, and the stories of Cain, Balaam and Korah. He even knows the genealogy from Adam to Enoch! Could any better proof of the inspiration of the Bible be wanted? Would any man’s word have lived so long? Would a human pen reach our hearts and consciences in the same way? God says His Word is like a hammer. (Jer. 23:2929Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29).)
Jude wrote to people who were in danger of forgetting (v. 5) what they had learned of God’s Word. So are we; therefore, verse 21 is applicable to us all: “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” Though we are “preserved [kept] in Jesus Christ” (v. 1) yet there is the other side. We are to watch and pray and read, making use of the helps God has given us, and so be ready to praise “Him who is able to keep us from falling” (v. 24).
The mention of the fallen angels is interesting, as also the allusion to the dispute concerning the body of Moses. Peter and Jude tell us that there were long ago angels who sinned, and sought to be something more than God had made them, and that now they are in chains, awaiting judgment. We know that everlasting fire is prepared for such.
ML-10/17/1976