Jude's Epistle: Authorship and Canonicity
The Epistle of Jude identifies its author as "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James" (Jude 1:1). This Jude is generally understood to be Judas, one of the twelve apostles, also known as Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus [8, 2]. He is also believed to be one of the brethren of Jesus [1]. The name "Jude" is the same as "Judah," which comes from a word meaning "to praise" or "to confess" [8].
The canonicity of the Epistle of Jude, meaning its acceptance as inspired Scripture, was questioned early in Christian history, and doubts resurfaced during the Reformation [2]. However, many scholars argue that the evidence supporting its claims to genuineness is complete, bearing all the marks of having proceeded from the writer whose name it bears [2]. The epistle's primary purpose is to exhort believers to contend for the faith, a reason plainly announced in verse 3 [1]. The remainder of the letter is largely dedicated to describing adversaries of the faith [1].
The process of determining the canon of Scripture has involved discerning which books were divinely authoritative. For the Old Testament, Christians often refer to the books sanctioned by Christ and the apostles as "Scriptures" or "the law and the prophets" [9]. Similarly, the New Testament canon was formed by recognizing writings given by the inspiration of the Spirit [9]. Augustine of Hippo, a significant patristic figure, emphasized that canonical Scripture holds paramount authority, to which believers yield assent in all matters of which they ought not to be ignorant [10].
While the authorship of some New Testament books, such as Hebrews, has been widely debated, with various suggestions including Silas, Paul, Clement of Rome, Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos, the consensus for Jude is stronger [3, 4]. For other books, like the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John, the authorship by the Apostle John is considered beyond reasonable doubt [5, 6].
The date and place of writing for Jude are not definitively known, but it is generally placed around A.D. 65, in the later period of the apostolic age [1, 2]. The epistle concludes with a doxology that emphasizes God's ability to keep believers from falling and to bring them safely into His glorious presence, a message particularly relevant given the false teachings Jude addresses [7]. The epistle also reminds readers of apostolic predictions [1].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Jude, Epistle Of — Its author was probably Jude, one of the brethren of Jesus, the subject of the preceding article. There are no data from which to determine its date or place of writing, but it is placed about A.D. 65. The object of the epistle is plainly enough announced ver. 3; the reason for this exhortation is given ver. + The remainder of the epistle is almost entirely occupied by a minute depiction of the adversaries of the faith. The epistle closes by briefly reminding the readers of the oft-repeated prediction of the apostles--among whom the writer seems not”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Jude, Epistle of — The author was "Judas, the brother of James" the Less (Jude 1:1), called also Lebbaeus (Matt. 10:3) and Thaddaeus (Mark 3:18). The genuineness of this epistle was early questioned, and doubts regarding it were revived at the time of the Reformation; but the evidences in support of its claims are complete. It has all the marks of having proceeded from the writer whose name it bears. There is nothing very definite to determine the time and place at which it was written. It was apparently written in the later period of the apostolic age, for when it w”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Hebrews, Epistle to — (1.) Its canonicity. All the results of critical and historical research to which this epistle has been specially subjected abundantly vindicate its right to a place in the New Testament canon among the other inspired books. (2.) Its authorship. A considerable variety of opinions on this subject has at different times been advanced. Some have maintained that its author was Silas, Paul's companion. Others have attributed it to Clement of Rome, or Luke, or Barnabas, or some unknown Alexandrian Christian, or Apollos; but the conclusion which we thi”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Hebrews, Epistle To The — + The author--There has been a wide difference of opinion respecting the authorship of this epistle. For many years Paul was considered the author; others think it may have been Luke, Barnabas, or Apollos. Much of the theology and the language are similar to Paul's, but the authorship of the epistle ia still disputed. + To whom written .--The epistle was probably addressed to the Jews in Jerusalem and Palestine. The argument of the epistle is such as could he used with most effect to a church consisting exclusively of Jews by birth, personall”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: John, Gospel of — The genuineness of this Gospel, i.e., the fact that the apostle John was its author, is beyond all reasonable doubt. In recent times, from about 1820, many attempts have been made to impugn its genuineness, but without success. The design of John in writing this Gospel is stated by himself (John 20:31). It was at one time supposed that he wrote for the purpose of supplying the omissions of the synoptical, i.e., of the first three, Gospels, but there is no evidence for this. "There is here no history of Jesus and his teaching after the manner of the ”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: John, The First Epistle General Of — There can be no doubt that the apostle John was the author of this epistle. It was probably written from Ephesus, and most likely at the close of the first century. In the introduction, ch. (1 John 1:1-4) the apostle states the purpose of his epistle: it is to declare the word of life to those whom he is addressing, in order that he and they might be united in true communion with each other, and with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. His lesson throughout is that the means of union with God are, on the part of Christ, his at”
- Jude (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jude 1:24: 1:24 To have mercy (Hebrew khesed) has the overtones of making a covenant (see also 8:35, “loyalty”). 1:24-25 Jude concludes his letter with one of the most stirring doxologies in Scripture, and one quoted very often in liturgical settings. Jude’s wording makes it especially appropriate for his readers: They needed a renewed vision of God who could keep them from falling away, from succumbing to the enticing doctrine of false teachers. He has the glory, majesty, power, and authority to bring them safely into his glorious presence forever.”
- Jude (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jude 1:1: Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ,.... The author of this epistle is the same who is elsewhere called Judas, Luk 6:16, who was one of the twelve apostles of Christ, whose name was also Lebbaeus, and whose surname was Thaddaeus, Mat 10:3, the name is the same with Judah, Gen 29:35, which comes from a word that signifies "to praise" or "confess"; and in the Rabbinical dialect is called "Juda" (e), as here. He styles himself "the servant of Jesus Christ"; See Gill on Rom 1:1; though this is a title common to all believers, yet here, and in some other places, it is peculiar ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 40: Word of God. When we refer to the Bible as 153 of divine authority, we refer to it as a volume and recognize all the writings which it contains as given by the inspiration of the Spirit. In like manner when Christ or his Apostles quote the “Scriptures,” or the “law and the prophets,” and speak of the volume then so called, they give their sanction to the divine authority of all the books which that volume contained. All, therefore, that is necessary to determine for Christians the canon of the Old Testament, is to ascertain what books wer”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 3.--OF THE AUTHORITY OF THE CANONICAL SCRIPTURES COMPOSED BY THE DIVINE SPIRIT.: This Mediator, having spoken what He judged sufficient first by the prophets, then by His own lips, and afterwards by the apostles, has besides produced the Scripture which is called canonical, which has paramount authority, and to which we yield assent in all matters of which we ought not to be ignorant, and yet cannot know of ourselves. For if we attain the knowledge of present objects by the testimony of our own senses,(3) whether internal or exte”