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Introduction to Jude
Part 1: General Introduction
Outline of the Book of Jude
- Introduction (1:1-2).
- Warning against false teachers (3-4).
- Old Testament examples (5-16).
- Proper Response (17-23).
- Praises to God (24-25).
What is the Book of Jude about?
The purpose of this letter is to warn believers against false teachers. Jude refers to Old Testament accounts to give strength to his arguments. Because of this, the author may have been writing to a Jewish Christian audience. This letter also shares many ideas with 2 Peter, including angels, Sodom and Gomorrah as symbols of evil, and warnings against false teachers.
How should the title of this book be translated?
Translators may choose to call this book by its traditional title, "Jude." Or they may choose a clearer title, such as "The Letter from Jude" or "The Letter Jude Wrote." Jude is the same name as Judah or Judas. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names)
Who wrote the Book of Jude?
The letter was probably written by a brother of James, Jesus' half-brother. It is unknown whether this letter was intended for a specific church.
Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts
Who were the people Jude spoke against?
It is possible that the people Jude spoke against were those who would eventually become known as "Gnostics." These people believed that Jesus was completely God but that he was not really a human with a physical body on earth. They believed this because they viewed the physical world as evil. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/evil)
What is apostasy?
Apostasy is the abandonment of the biblical gospel and teaching that occurs when a believer goes against some of the essentials of the Christian faith. Jude instructs his readers to defend these essential doctrines of Scripture.