An Exegetical Study Of The Epistle of Jude (2)
by Samson Hutagalung
The Introductory Salutation (Jude 1-2)
The Writer (v. 1a)
1a. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
There have been many debates on the authorship of this epistle of Jude. Many scholars and commentators have come to the conclusion that the author was Jude the brother of James, the brother of Jesus. Many reasons have been proposed to support this conclusion, and yet no one knows for sure which Jude wrote this epistle. This is to say that the Bible does not say further the identity of the author. Based is the text, clearly it is open to interpretation as to who was the author of this epistle was. Thus a more thorough study of the text itself is necessary to shed some light as to the most possible authorship.
The word jIouda" in verse 1, indicates that Jude was the author. However this is not enough to identify which Jude wrote this epistle.[1] In the same verse there is a further appellation that Jude is jIhsou Cristou doulo". This appellation is very similar to those of Paul is in at least four occasions in his letters.[2] This phrase literally means “a slave of Jesus Christ.” Interestingly jIhsou Cristou is in the Genitive case. It can be categorised as the Genitive of Possession in its usage. This expresses the idea of “belonging to.” Thus jIhsou Cristou doulo" can be understood and translated as “a slave who belongs to Jesus Christ.” This shows Christ is the owner of this slave.[3] Jude belongs to Jesus Himself. Jude recognised himself as a servant, and Jesus is the Master. Naturally Jude does not have any right to do what he thinks or feels but rather he must be subjected to his Master. Jude clearly understood his position before the Lord because “the word doulo" does not refer to an office.”[4] Barclay rightly commented on this as follows:
The only title of honour, which Jude would allow himself, was the servant of Jesus Christ. The Greek is dou'lo", and it means more than servant, it means slave. That is to say, Jude regarded himself as having only one object and one distinction in life to be forever at the disposal of Jesus for service in his cause.[5]
Another title given to him in the verse is ajdelfo" jIakwbou. This was joined by the word de; to the phrase jIhsou Cristou doulo". Although Jude introduced himself as a brother of James, he did not place this title first, but rather the divine title.[6] This indicates his attitude of putting his Lord first in his life as he had been bought by his Master. In this passage there is a Chiasm[7] which tells the readers that the author is a slave of Jesus Christ and the brother of James. On the one hand he has the lower position in his divine relationship with his Master, on the other he has the higher position in this earthly relationship as a brother to James. He was not a slave to James but this is the indication that Jude acknowledged his own brother who was an apostle. That he himself was happy and glad to be a slave of Jesus Christ whom his brother also served. Therefore “Jude was content to be known as the brother of James.”[8]
The Recipients (v. 1b)
1b. to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
The description of the recipients is seen through the use of the twofold participle and one adjective in Greek. They are toi" hJgiasmenoi" kai tethrhmenoi" klhtoi" “those who have been set apart and (those) who have been kept (and) called.” Based on this, it is impossible to know to whom Jude wrote this letter particularly. Jude did not write his epistle the way most of the apostles wrote theirs.[9] But rather he presented it as a general epistle. In other words his epistle is applicable to and intended for every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who have been sanctified, preserved and called to the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ are Jude’s recipients. Apparently this is the reason why theologians categorise it as one of the general epistles.
Although all Christians are the recipients, it should be understood that Jude actually sent it to a certain group of people among whom he knew were apostates. The context explained that this letter was not meant to settle a particular problem in the church. Rather it was the fact that there were people who have been in the church and serving the Lord who were not believers. They may act like Christians but they were not. Jude understood this fact from the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ who warned that apostasy will occur before His Second Coming. This was the concern of Jude when he reminded the readers to be vigilant and watchful. Similarly every group of Christians or churches which read this letter should realise how true it is that there are apostates within the group. Perhaps this was the reason Jude preferred to address this letter to those who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is interesting to note that the twofold participle hJgiasmenoi" and tethrhmenoi" and the adjective klhtoi" refer to the same group of people. The definite article toi'" belongs to these three words.[10] The verb hJgiasmevnoi" literally means “set apart,”[11] and the King James Bible rendered this as “sanctify.” This indicates that God has set apart or sanctified believers for a purpose. Believers “are set apart from the perishing world to act for God, and to seek the things that make for His glory.”[12] Whereas tethrhmenoi" means “to keep or to preserve,” it gives the profound meaning that the letter also was given to those who have been preserved in the Lord Jesus Christ. Again the implication is that, having been called by God the Father by the inward and effectual calling, we are worthy to receive God’s sanctification as well as His preservation. The adjective klhtoi" with the article toi" can mean ‘the called ones.’[13] Thus those who have been called by God, will be sanctified and preserved for God’s glory. For this reason many have suggested that this calling is the effectual calling of believers to conversion. It therefore must be discussed first before the rest of the verbs.[14] For without receiving the effectual calling, there is no sanctification by God. For “the way in which God sanctifies is by regenerating us by his Spirit.”[15]
Therefore based on these three words, the recipients are described in three ways namely, ‘the called ones, the sanctified ones, and the preserved ones.’ These are the ones who can stand before the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers are just the recipients of these blessings. They can do nothing to earn it. The Lord gives these blessings freely to believers for the purpose of His glory. This is the greatest assurance that Christians need to know during this period of apostasy; that they are still in the care of the Lord.
The Greetings (v. 2)
2. Mercy unto you, and peace and love, be multiplied.
Jude in this salutation presented his greeting in a different manner from the rest of the Apostles who wrote the epistles in the New Testament. He is different because the threefold blessing that he pronounced in verse 2, ‘mercy, peace and love’ is uncommon in the New Testament especially in the greeting.[16]
One of the words in the threefold blessing is e[leo". This word literally means “mercy, compassion, pity, and clemency.”[17] This word is applied to those who are in trouble, that the mercy of God may save them. Just like all human beings are sinners through the fall of Adam, all are in the state of trouble, and yet God shows His mercy towards us by sending His Only Begotten Son to save us. One may say that Jude was assuring the recipients at the beginning of his letter because what followed will be a description of the apostates in the church. For this reason Jude begins with an encouragement to them that are sanctified, preserved and called that God will give them mercy despite the apostasy in the church. Those who are in the Lord will be preserved in their going out and their coming in (Psalm 121:8). Truly this is the great blessing and assurance that God will keep His people from falling (v. 24). God will continue to preserve them in their daily life and show His mercy to them by protecting them every second from the rulers of the darkness (Eph 6:12).
The second blessing is eijrhnh which simply means “peace.” Looking at the situation of the recipients, truly peace is the most crucial for them. Therefore Jude has anticipated their need. He assured them by saluting them with peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. By this greeting, believers should have understood that peace here is the continuous peace from God the Father in times of difficulties and troubles. This is the peace that can never be given by this world. Peace in their hearts in times of trouble is a good indication that they are true believers. It is in times of trouble that everyone is tested as to whether he is of the Lord or of the world.
Finally, the word ajgaph means ‘love.’ In the Christian life, love is not less crucial. In fact Paul included it as one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). However in the whole New Testament this is the first time this word is being used in a salutation. The very common greeting in the New Testament is actually grace, “just as peace (Hebrew mlc) was an ordinary Hebrew salutation.”[18] This greeting was absent and replaced by the word ‘love.’ By using this word in his letter Jude was actually giving the greatest comfort to his readers. Having said that God gives them His mercy and peace, Jude continues to say that God also gives them His love, the greatest love from God the Father and Jesus Christ. Apparently there is an emphasis with respect to the word ‘love’ here, that they may also love those who have fallen away, and those who have been swept away by the apostates, by showing and telling them the truth. Jude expressed this that they may also save some from the terrible judgement that God will give to them (v.23). Therefore if his readers understood this word ‘love’ they should remember the greatest command of the Lord Jesus Christ that they must love one another. In relating to this command, Jude was saying that when trouble and apostasy occur in the church, believers who are faithful in the Lord, must be united and have the same mind to serve the Lord and to glorify His name and their love for Him may also increase (v.20).
Having pronounced this threefold blessing, Jude added the verb plhqunqeih. In Greek it is in the Optative mood. Therefore it is the main verb for the words ‘mercy, peace, and love.’ This is to say that these three words are the subject to this verb plhqunqeih. It is the prayer of Jude that while the recipients or believers have received these gifts, these gifts would be multiplied especially in times of apostasy.[19]
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[2]Rom 1:1;Phil 1:1; Titus 1:1. There are other epistles like James and Peter also express the same idea.
[3]James A. Brook and Carlton L. Winbery, Syntax of New Testament Greek, (Lanham: University Press of America, 1979), 8; The phrase “a servant of Jesus Christ” can be considered also as Ablative of Source. This is another usage of Genitive. “It is used to express the idea of separation, source and origin.” “If the word in the ablative is the source of the substantive it modifies, it is an ablative of source.” Therefore “a servant of Jesus Christ” can be translated, the source and the cause for Jude to be a servant is Jesus Christ Himself. To make it smoothly, Jude was a servant of Jesus Christ for the gospel sake. Brook and Winbery, 21-3.
[4]R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of The Epistles of St. Peter, St. John and St. Jude, (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1966), 605.
[5]Barclay, 175; In addition Lawlor added that “The anarthrous noun dou'lo" indicates essence, quality, character. Not only does Jude designate himself as doulo", but as to character he is everything the term describes. It reveals the heart of this man chosen by God to set down these inspired words of warning against apostasy” Lawlor, 20.
[6]In Greek there is no definite rule in regard to the order of the composition of the word. However it is important to notice the idea of each phrase and sentence so that it will not lead to false theology and teaching.
[9]Apostle Paul, in his epistles used to indicate the recipients of his letters (Rom 1:7; I Cor 1:2; II Cor 1:1; Gal 1:2; Eph 1:1; Philip 1:1; Col 1:2; I Thes 1:1; II Thes 1:1; I Tim 1:2; II Tim 1:2; Tit 1:4; and Phil 1).
[10]See Appendix D. There is a parallel line for hJgiasmenoi" and tethrhmenoi" and klhtoi". The first and second are having the same tense and the latter is an adjective.
[11]Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich and Danker (BAGD), A Greek Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Literatures, (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1979), s.v. aJgiazw. It says that this word aJgiazw, if it is applied to ‘things’ means ‘set them aside or make them suitable for ritual purposes.’ If it is applied to ‘person’ means ‘considerate, dedicate, sanctify.’ In the UBSGNT the word hJgiasmenoi" does not exist in verse 1, but it was replaced with the word hJgiasmenoi" which literally means “love,” and its root word is aJgapaw. Many have said that the latter agrees with the best and older manuscripts approved by Westcott and Hort. However, Manton rejected this word h]gaphsenoiv on the basis that the word is “a mistake and in few Greek copies.” Calvin said that “I therefore regard it as corrupt; and it is, indeed, found but in a few copies.” See Thomas Manton, Commentary on Jude. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1988), 34; and John Calvin, 429.
[12]Manton, 34.
[13]Lawlor said “toi~v klhtoiv from klhtov, which in turn has its derivation from kalew, “call, summon,” is the principal word of the whole clause, and signifies not only persons invited or bidden, but those in whom the divine calling out of the world has already become efficient. They are those who have been given the summons to come to the Lord, and have obeyed, heeding the call. They listened to the gospel, received its truth, and came in response to God’s invitation. By His special and effectual call to them, they were brought by His grace to eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. It is thus the condition of the people of God to be a called people: from the death to life, from self to Christ, from misery and wretchedness to happiness and glory. There is lasting comfort in the knowledge that we are by the purpose and grace of God, the called ones” Lawlor, 22-3.
[14]Manton, 22. He suggested that the “called, for that both in the construction of the words and the order of nature, is to be read first.” Others imply that they begin their commentary with the word of ‘called’ rather than ‘sanctified.’ See Henry, 746; Lawlor, 22 and S. Maxwell Coder, Jude: The Acts of the Apostates, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1986), 9.