The Book of Jude

I. Introduction

This week we will cover the Book of Jude; all 25 verses of it. Jude is the next to the last book found in the NT. As we normally do when starting a new study I will guide our study by answering the questions of Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

II. Who

A. Who wrote it? Two possibilities...

1. Jude, the apostle (not Judas Escariot)
2. Jude, the brother of Jesus
3. Most scholars believe it is the latter

B. To Whom Was it Written

1. It is not known to which church it was originally written

III. What

A. One of the shortest books of the bible, only 25 verses
B. It is written to warn congregants about false prophets living among them
C. False prophets may have been earliest of Gnostics

IV. When

A. Is likely one of the earliest books of the NT
B. Possibly was written around 65 AD

V. Where

A. One of the few NT books from the Palestinian Christian community

VI. Why

A. Written to warn Christians of false prophets in their midst
B. Appears to warn against early gnostics
1. Their philophy distinquishes matter as inherently evil and spirit as being good
2. The effect on Christian ethics was significant
a. antinomianism - belief that one is not under obligation to obey the moral law
b. a belief in abuse of the body to promote spirituality

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

(1) The New Testament and Wycliffe Bible Commentary