Jude is one of the shortest books in the new testament and in scripture with only twenty five verses. Jude is the twenty sixth book in the new testament and sixty fifth book in the Holy Bible. The writer Jude is a brother of Jesus and was not a believer until after the resurrection of Jesus. He was also the brother of James who wrote James. The purpose of this short book was to address the heresy of Gnosticism that was making headways in the church. Jude does not seem to be writing to any specific local church, but rather the church as a whole. Gnosticism said that God did not come in the flesh and that knowledge was more important than faith and that only certain people were given this secret knowledge. One early Christian is reported to have said that John wrote the gospel of John to show the falsehood of Gnosticism and that Jesus was God in the flesh and the Son of God. This may or may not be true.
(Jude 1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:) This verse clearly shows that Jude is the brother of James and of Jesus, but Jude does not call Jesus his brother, but rather he says he is a servant of Jesus Christ. This shows how Jude was now a believer and understood that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah (Christ). He writes this short book to those who are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and who have been called by Jesus. He was referring to true Christians who were preserved in their faith of Jesus Christ and had not been corrupted by the teachings of Gnosticism. This preservation by Jesus is confirmation of how if a person is saved then they cannot lose their salvation. [Once saved, always saved.] Only Jesus as God can preserve our salvation, not us.
(Jude 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.) Jude wishes that mercy, peace, and love be multiplied on the Christians he is writing to.
(Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.) Jude says it was necessary to write to the people so that they would once again contend (stand for) for the faith that was first preached to them rather than being persuaded by Gnosticism and other false doctrines. Jude was saying that the original gospel they had heard had not changed. The first part shows that Jude had originally wanted to write about the common salvation, but the Holy Ghost would not allow him to as there was an urgent matter that he needed to write about instead and that was to stand up for the faith that was originally taught to them and to fight against Gnosticism and other false beliefs. This shows scripture is inspired and the writers only wrote what the Holy Ghost directed them to.
(Jude 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.) Jude shows in this verse how certain men had crept in unawares to deceive the people with this false Gnosticism and to turn them away from God and the truth. These were false teachers who pretended to be Christians and had deceived the people in the church. Jude says these were ungodly men. These men had denied the Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord, not Satan or anyone else. By denying Jesus they also had denied God the Father. These men had turned the grace of God into lasciviousness (sexual lust).
(Jude 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.) Jude says that he wants to remind those false Christians in the church that God will destroy them just as he did with those Israelites who did not believe even after God had saved the people out of Egypt. Jude says the people once knew this truth, but they had now become so fallen away that they no longer knew it. Hebrews shows how God did not let the Israelites enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief. (Hebrews 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.)
(Jude 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.) Jude speaks of the angels of Genesis 6 who left their first estate of heaven where they were supposed to live when God made them and they came down to earth to mate with women. This sin produced the giants. (Genesis 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.) (Genesis 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.) For this sin, God has placed them in everlasting chains in the bottomless pit in darkness until the day they our judged before God. It is at this time that they will be cast into the lake of fire for all eternity. (II Peter 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;) Other angels that fell with Satan are not locked up at this time including Satan. These angels are locked up because they tried to corrupt all of mankind’s DNA and prevent Jesus from being born as a man without sin so that Satan and the rebellious angels would not be cast into hell which was made for them. (Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:)
(Jude 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.) Here God connects the sin of the angels in verse 6 with the sin of Sodom and Gomorrha and the three cities around them. This shows that the sin committed by the angels in verse 6 was sexual. Just as the people of Sodom and Gomorrha were guilty of homosexuality as seen by the phrase “going after strange flesh”, these angels also went after strange flesh by mating with women which God never intended. God also never intended for people to be homosexuals and this is why God destroyed these cities. The people of Sodom and Gomorrha and the other cities that were destroyed all will spend eternity in the lake of fire just as the angels of verse 6 will. Those who commit homosexuality and never repent will also spend eternity in the lake of fire.
(Jude 8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.) These false teachers in the church “filthy dreamers” also defile the flesh by teaching false doctrines that will send people to hell. These people despise authority and speak evil of those over them. This includes not only governmental people, but also church leaders such as the pastors and deacons. They also reject the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ as head of the church as they deny him. Just as the Israelites had rejected the authority of Moses and God, these people do the same bringing much harm not only to themselves, but also to those who they brainwash with their false teachings.
(Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.) This verse shows Michael is an archangel, the only one given that description in scripture. Elsewhere Michael is one of the chief princes. (Daniel 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.) The devil wanted the body of Moses and Michael got in a dispute with him over it, but never accused Satan as Satan was a more powerful angel and in authority and so instead he just said the Lord rebuke thee. Michael understood that it is only God who has authority to bring accusation against Satan.
(Jude 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.) This verse shows how the evil doers in the church had no problem speaking evil of those things they know not of, but as natural sinners continue in their sin. People often speak evil of things they know nothing about. Jude compares them to animals (brute beasts). We saw how in verse 9 Michael even as an archangel and one of the chief princes did not accuse Satan, yet these ungodly men had no problem doing so against people.
(Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.) Jude says they have gone in the way of Cain. We know Cain was the first murderer in scripture when he killed his brother Abel and the first to refuse to repent and later go to hell. Cain refused to turn back to God even when God gave him many chances. Cain rejected the way of the cross and wanted works for his salvation. The error of Balaam is their reward. Balaam was the Midianite hired by the Moabite king to curse Israel. God used a talking ass to get Balaam’s attention who then was used by God to instead bless Israel rather than curse Israel. Balaam would later influence the Israelites (intermarriage to Moabites) to commit many sins and to follow false gods. (Numbers 25:1-3 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
3 And Israel joined himself unto Baal–peor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.) (Numbers 31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.) (Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.) God had the Israelites kill him. (Numbers 31:8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.) Balaam knew the truth about God, yet he still rejected it and this applies to all three men. Core is a reference to Korah who led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron and God had the earth swallow him up. Korah was rejecting the men chosen by God and therefore rejecting God. (Numbers 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.) God took the lives of all of these men and all three are now in hell. God said woe unto these ungodly men causing the false lies in the church, for their destruction will be similar to these three men.
(Jude 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;) Jude says these ungodly men who have entered the church pretended to be godly in order to deceive the people. They ate with the people without fear and pretended to be righteous by giving to the poor. Some say they took communion with the church without fear when God said he has taken the lives of those who take it unworthily. This may or may not be referenced here. I believe it just refers to actual feasts or meals that the church had in order to have fellowship just as is often done today. Baptists are notorious in their eating and usually there is always fried chicken. Jude describes these men as fakes similar to a cloud without water. Clouds carry water to water the earth and with no water they are useless. This applies to professing Christians who bear no fruit which is a sign of a false Christian. They are of no use any more than the unsaved. We see this in the reference to the fruit all dried up and the trees without fruit. Scripture says you can know a true Christian by their fruit. (Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.) As ungodly men they could not bring forth any good fruit. (Matthew 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.) These men are carried by the wind just as many are carried by false doctrines. Jude says these ungodly men are carried about just as clouds are by the wind. They follow every new doctrine that comes about. (Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;) We as Christians are to make sure what is being taught is scriptural. Jude says these ungodly men are twice dead showing they are not true Christians who are born again. True Christians are born twice and die once whereas the unsaved are born once and die twice. This second death sends you to the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.)
(Jude 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.) Jude continues his description of these ungodly men by saying they are like raging waves from a storm that bring about foam. This is the false doctrines they spue out of their mouth. Jude says they are like wandering stars. Stars are used for navigation and a wandering star is useless for this purpose and so is a false preacher like they are to find the true gospel. They have no purpose. They have the darkness of hell as their eternal destiny.
(Jude 14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,) Enoch prophesied of these false teachers entering the church in the last days. In God’s eyes the last days started with the death of Jesus and the founding of the church. There is only two days left before the millennium from the start of the church so we have always been in the last days in that sense, but we are truly in the final moments today in our day. Enoch was the one who was translated by God to heaven as an example of the rapture. And he is speaking of the second coming of Jesus in the last part of the verse. All true Christians will return with God to earth at the end of the great tribulation. (Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.) (Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.) People often say that Jude quotes from the unbiblical book of Enoch for verses 6 and 14, but that is not true. Enoch does mention the angels spoken of in verse 6, but it takes from Genesis rather than Jude from it.
(Jude 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.) Jude continues by saying Enoch prophesied of the coming judgment by God on the ungodly who will try to justify their sin before a holy God, but God will instead show the ungodly how ungodly they really are. Jude uses the word ungodly four times in this verse to show they are completely turned over to Satan and have rejected the gospel as the number four means gospel.
(Jude 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.) Jude lists various things of these ungodly men showing how sinful they really are. They seek after the praise of men instead of the praise of God.
(Jude 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;) Jude pleads for the church to remember the words spoken by the apostles about the Lord Jesus Christ rather than those spoken by these ungodly men.
(Jude 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.) Jude continues by saying there would be mockers of those who follow Jesus Christ in the last days and that is so true today. These people walk after their own ungodly lusts rather than follow God and his word.
(Jude 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.) Jude continues by showing how they are not saved and do not have the Spirit living in them. They prefer to purposely separate themselves from God.
(Jude 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,) Jude says for those who are true Christians to build up themselves by increasing their faith and praying in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.) We must stay in the word of God in order to grow. This will help us from falling for false doctrines as taught by these ungodly men. It is only praying with the help of the Holy Ghost that will allow us to keep from being deceived. Many Christians fail to pray especially when it comes to discernment so that they are not deceived. Jude here contrasts true Christians from the ungodly men spoken of earlier.
(Jude 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.) Jude tells the believers to stay in the love of God looking for his mercy. Jude says if we love God we will have eternal life. We see in this verse and in others how Jude refers to his brother Jesus as the Lord Jesus Christ thus recognizing that he is God and his Lord and only Saviour. Jude is no longer the unbeliever he was before the resurrection of Jesus.
(Jude 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:) Jude says that the true believers are to have compassion on those who are sincere in seeking the truth rather than condemning them. We must still give them the gospel and the truth, but we are to do it lovingly.
(Jude 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.) Others we are to try to lead to the Lord with hell fire and brimstone preaching. We are to hate their sin as all sinners and to tell them all about hell. Today many preachers do not preach on hell. Some people get saved because of the fear of going to hell and others get saved by other means and that is what Jude is showing in these last two verses. Different tactics are needed for different people when preaching the gospel. Some get saved by tracts, others by reading scripture, and some by the giving of the gospel by a friend.
(Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,) It is only God who can keep us from falling. He always allows a Christian to have a way out so as not to sin. God never allows us to be tempted above what we can handle. (I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.) We will be presented faultless before God at our judgment due to our sins being washed away by Jesus. It will be with exceeding joy that we are presented before God.
(Jude 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.) Jude concludes by saying that only God is our Saviour and only he is the wise God. Jude says God will have glory and majesty, dominion and power forever. He has always had it, does now, and will continue so forever. We will one day get to see this glory when we get to heaven.
