Name
The title “Jude ” comes from the name of the author (v.1).
Author
Jude referred to himself in verse 1 as a brother of James. James, the son of Zebedee, was martyred early (Acts 12:1-2), so it cannot be him. The other James is the half-brother of Jesus and the leader of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-21). If Jude was the brother of James, he was also the half-brother of Jesus. Most scholars accept Jude, the half-brother of Jesus as the author.
External evidence comes from a number of early church fathers who ascribe authorship to Jude, including Hermas, Polycarp, Tertullian, and Eusebius.
Genre
General Epistle
Literary Form
Jude bears the marks of a traditional letter format (an opening, the letter body, and a close). Its form is exhortation and encouragement, with some apocalyptic language.
Time Frame
Dating the book of with precision is difficult because there are few clues in the letter itself. Many scholars believe Jude was heavily influenced by 2 Peter, which was written about A.D. 67-68. Peter predicted that false teachers would arise (2 Peter 2:1), but Jude says they have slipped in among the congregation (v. 4). For this reason, most scholars assign a date of A.D. 67-80.
Emphasis
The emphasis of Jude is an exhortation to reject false teachers who teach a different Gospel, and encouragement to believers to hold firm to the Gospel they had been taught.
Outline
- Greeting (1-2)
- Purpose in writing (3-4)
- Examples of Apostates and judgment (5-19)
- Exhortation and benediction (20-25)
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