1. Jude. Rev., Judas. One of the brethren of Jesus ; not the brother of James the Apostle, the son of Alphaeus, but of James the superintendent of the church at Jerusalem. He is named among the brethren of the Lord. Matt. xiii. 55; Mark vi. 3.
Servant. He does not call himself an apostle, as Paul and Peter in their introductions, and seems to distinguish himself from the apostles in vv. 17, 18: “The apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that they said,” ete. We are told that Christ’s brethren did not believe on him (John vii. 5); and in Acts i. the brethren of Jesus (ver. 14) are mentioned in a way which seems to separate them from the apostles. Aodyxos, bond-servant, occurs in the introductions to Romans, Philip- pians, Titus, James, and 2 Peter.
Brother of James. That Jude does not allude to his rela- tionship to the Lord may be explained by the fact that the natural relationship in his mind would be subordinate to the spiritual (see Luke xi. 97, 28), and that such a designation would, as Dean Alford remarks, “ have been in harmony with those later and superstitious feelings with which the next and following ages regarded the Lord’s earthly relatives.” He would shrink from emphasizing a distinction to which none of the other disciples or apostles could have a claim, the more so because of his former unbelief in Christ’s authority and mission.
It is noticeable that James likewise avoids such a designation.
Ne WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Ca
Kept. See on 1 Pet.i.4. Compare John xvii. 6, 12.
In Jesus Christ (Incod Xpicro). The simple dative with- out preposition. Therefore for Jesus Christ; by the Father to whom Christ committed them (John xvii. 11). Compare 1 Thess. v. 23; Philip. i. 6, 10.
Called («Anrois). At the end of the verse, for emphasis. 2. Love. Peculiar to Jude in salutation.
3. Beloved. Occurring at the beginning of an epistle only here and 3 John 2.
When | gave all diligence (wacav orovdiy rovovpevos). Lit., making all diligence; the phrase found only here. In Heb. vi. 11, we find “ shew diligence ” (€vdetxvuc$ar); and in 2 Pet. i. 5, “adding diligence.’ See note there.
The common salvation. The best texts add jar, of us. So Rev., “‘ owr common salvation.”
It was needful (avdyxnv éryov). Lit., Thad necessity. Al- ford, [found it necessary. Rev., I was es.
Earnestly contend (éaywvitec$a). Only here in New Testament.
The faith. The sum of what Christians believe. See on Acts vi. 7.
Once (dak). Not Formerly Ys but once for all. So Rev., ** No other faith will be given,” says Bengel.
4. With the whole verse compare 2 Pet. ii. 1.
Crept in unawares (mapeoéSvcav). Rev. , prwily. See on 2 Pet. ii. 1. The verb means to get in by the sule (mapa) ; to slip in by a side-door. Only here in New Testament.
Cu. 1] THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. Ge
Ordained (mpoyeypaypévor). The meaning is in dispute. The word occurs four times in New Testament. In two of these instances mpé has clearly the temporal sense before (Rom. xv. 4; Eph. iii. 3). In Gal. iii. 1, it is taken by some in the sense of openly, publicly (see note there). It seems better, on the whole, to take it here in the temporal sense, and to render written of beforehand, i.e., in prophecy as referred to in vv. 14, 15. So the American Rey.
Lasciviousness. See on 1 Pet. iv. 3.
Lord God. God is omitted in the best texts. On Lord (Seo7rornv), see on 2 Pet. il. 1.
5. Ye once knew (eidétas dat). Entirely wrong. The participle is to be rendered as present, and the once is not for- merly, but once for all, as ver. 38. So Rev., rightly, though ye know all things once for all.