The very brief letter of Jude has a single focus: to warn believers against succumbing to false teaching. Jude helps believers in Christ stay true to the faith by painting a grim portrait of deviant teachers. Arrogant, immoral, and greedy, these teachers are destined for the terrible judgment God has in store for all who deny and defy him. Who would want to follow such people to their condemnation? In a world with so many distorted ideas about Christianity, we need to be reminded of the dangers of false teaching. Setting Jude wrote this letter to combat false teachers in the early church. Jude focuses less on what these people were teaching than on the way they were living; at the heart of Jude’s critique is the charge that they were libertines—they assumed that God’s grace revealed in Christ gave them the freedom to do whatever they pleased (1:4). They had no respect for authority (see 1:8-9), and they engaged in many sinful behaviors (1:16, 19). These profligates, who claimed to be followers of Christ (see 1:4), were effectively denying the Lord and were therefore destined for the condemnation of all who rebel against him. Summary After the letter opening (1:1-2), Jud...

The Letter of Jude Purpose To urge readers to defend their faith in the face of false teaching Author Jude, brother of Jesus Date Unknown, possibly around the same time as 2 Peter (early 60s AD) Setting Written to a group of churches that had been infiltrated by false teachers who encouraged an immoral lifestyle

1:1 Jude (or Judas) is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name “Judah.” It was a common name; this Jude was a brother of James, who was a brother of Jesus (see Jude Book Introduction, “Author”). • a slave of Jesus Christ: Jude acknowledges that he is under Jesus’ lordship in every area of life. The title also carries honor: The great Old Testament leaders of God’s people were also called slaves or servants of God (see Josh 14:7; 2 Kgs 18:12; Ezek 34:23). • to all who have been called: It is unclear who the specific recipients of Jude’s letter were.