Jude

The letter of Jude was written by Jude, identified as a 'servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,' which traditionally links him to Jude the half-brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55). Though brief—only 25 verses—this letter carries a weighty pastoral urgency. It was likely composed in the latter half of the first century, addressed to a broad audience of Jewish-Christian communities facing a serious internal threat from teachers who were distorting the gospel and living in open immorality.

Jude's central purpose is to rouse believers to 'contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.' False teachers had crept unnoticed into the community, twisting God's grace into a license for sin and rejecting Christ's rightful authority. To warn his readers, Jude draws richly from the Old Testament and Jewish tradition, citing the judgment of fallen angels, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the rebellion of Korah. Despite its sharp tone of warning, the letter closes on a note of breathtaking beauty and assurance, commending believers to the God who is able to keep them from stumbling. Mercy, discernment, and steadfast hope are the letter's enduring themes.