Fascinating Facts about the Letter of Jude

Jude 3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
Book of Controversy
The Book of Jude has a suspicious history. Due to the cloud of controversy, many theologians have avoided writing about Jude’s background. Therefore, there is little historical data related to its history.
The Nature of the Controversy
These are the reasons for Jude’s neglect:
Jude is tiny. Its Greek word count is the smallest in the Bible.
The book is almost entirely found in 2 Peter.
Jude controversially quotes apocryphal books as authoritative.
Where, When, and Why?
Where: It is not known where the audience was located.
The author appeals to their authority as a brother of James. As James was most well-known in Palestine, it is likely that the letter was written to Jews in Israel as Jasmes would have held more weight with that audience.
The author generously uses Old Testament references suggesting a Jewish audience.
There are numerous and contradictory accounts of the final location of Jude. Some have Jude dying in Jerusalem, Syria, and Edessa.
When: It is unknown when the book was written. If we conclude that Peter copied from Jude, then Jude must have occurred before Peter, which was likely written in the mid-sixties A.D.
Why: The book is addressing heresy but unlike John or Peter which give details of the issues their addressing, Jude does not give such details. Therefore, the heresy and incident that inspired the letter are unknown.
Author
Jude 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
it is disputed; at least, not many of the ancients have mentioned it, as is the case likewise with the epistle that bears the name of Jude . . . Nevertheless, we know that these also, with the rest, have been read publicly in very many churches.
Eusebius 2:23:25
Starting in the middle of the second century, the letter was attributed to Jude, brother of James and Jesus.
The author is well-versed in the Old Testament and pseudepigraphical literature.
The author is adept at ornate and technical Greek.
The author employs poetic analogies such as “clouds without rain", "trees without fruit", "foaming waves of the sea", and "wandering stars."
The author refers to the apostles in the third person.
This likely means the author was not an apostle but it could be a statement of humility.
The letter was classified as Antilegomena by the early church.
Which Jude?
The author describes himself as “a brother of James.”
It is traditional to define oneself by their paternal relationship. To be defined by the fraternal relationship would mean the fraternal relationship would be a definitive departure.
“a servant/slave of Jesus Christ,” is not necessarily a lowly position. Being a slave of a prominent family was a position of honor and power.
Like James, the author does not mention they are the brother of Christ.
If Jude is the brother of James, and James is the brother of Jesus, then Jude is the brother of Jesus. One of Jesus’ brothers is named Judas (Ἰούδαν), the same name as the author.
There is an apostle named Jude, also, Thaddeus.
The names are differentiated to make a distinction between Jude and Judas.
The apostle is sometimes referred to as Ἰούδαν Ἰακώβου (Judas from James). Older translations translate this as “Judas the brother of James,” (KJV). This translation is likely to connect the brother of James with the author of Jude. It is not supported by the original language.
An unknown Jude.
The writing is pseudepigraphical.
This is unlikely as Jude is likely the basis of 2 Peter. The author of 2 Peter would so extensively use a book of questionable provenance.
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[@bredamccarthy4965]

Super interesting.

[@TheLlywelyn]

Why is Jude dated earlier? I'm not aware of any source that would be clear on that.

[@xifangyangren9997]

I say it’s by Jude Barsabas

[@Theolife]

That's an interesting theory. Why do you think that is the case?

[@xifangyangren9997]

@@Theolife (1) Judas Barsabas must’ve been a loyal follower of James because James trusted Judas Barsabas with important work. That is, they were close colleagues. (2) In Paul’s epistles, close colleagues not related by blood regularly refer to each other as brothers, so I assume Judas Barsabas could do the same with James. (3) The Jude of the Epistle of Jude doesn’t refer to himself as an apostle. (4) I don’t think Jesus’ brother, Jude, would be able to write such poetic Greek. His Greek would be much simpler and straightforward. Of course this is all pure speculation on my part.

[@Theolife]

@@xifangyangren9997 It is an excellent theory! I think you could be on to something.

[@xifangyangren9997]

@@Theolife I can’t prove it but no one can falsify it either, which is good enough for me.

[@Theolife]

@@xifangyangren9997 When studying history, one does not look for proof, but probability. Absolute proof is not something we can find in the ancient history. We look at all the evidence and determine the most likely story. All the theories have some evidence but no comprehensive proof.