The Revelation can only be understood in the light of Old Testament symbols and sequences. The same is true of the epistle of Jude, which serves as a blistering hors d’oeuvre to John’s fiery feast.
Possibly written by the apostle Judas Thaddaeus (Luke 6:16, Acts 1:13, John 14:22), the epistle is an encyclical exhortation rather than a letter to a particular congregation. This indicates that the author held some authority in the Firstfruits Church. Claims of late authorship (70-90AD) result from a failure to understand the covenant context of the epistle, and indeed of the entire New Testament. The end of Judaism and its royal purpose was at hand, and the lies of Judaizers without and within continued to confuse the saints. There was a pressing need to remind believers of the dangers of apostasy. For that purpose, Jude’s tirade is a shooting gallery, and he most definitely has all his ducks in a row.
As with the other epistles in the final section of the canon (especially Hebrews), Jude was written mainly with Jewish Christians in mind. Without that understanding, the epistle becomes detached from history and its author wrongly perceived as a “chicken little.” But the letter uses an Old Testament sequence that is a common literary device employed by the biblical authors—the first seven books of the Bible as an antitypical “Creation Week.” This indicates that it was written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem. The structure is not only the key to comprehending Jude’s reason for writing but also explains his apparently eclectic allusions to Old Testament history. Once the covenant-literary shape is perceived, it becomes clear that there is nothing random or indiscriminate about the text in any way. It is a carefully-considered and beautifully constructed overture to the dramatic finale of the apostolic witness.
OVERVIEW
Jude begins with a subtle allusion to the book of Genesis, which seems to be an arbitrary observation until it is recognized as part of a sequence. He is taking his audience for a walk through the wilderness—a familiar theme in the epistles of Paul and Hebrews—in order to sort the sons of men from the Sons of God, those who were still bond-servants to the kingdom of the Egyptian-hearted Herods from those who were about to inherit a heavenly country by faith.
Greeting, and serpents “creeping in”
(Genesis – Creation – Sabbath – Initiation)
Egypt and Sodom, where the Lord was crucified
(Exodus – Division – Passover – Delegation)
Angels and Moses
(Leviticus – Ascension – Firstfruits – Presentation)
Cain, Balaam, and Korah in the wilderness
(Numbers – Testing – Pentecost – Purification)
Enoch vs. the false prophets
(Deuteronomy – Maturity – Trumpets – Transformation)
Mediators and the New Covenant ministry of atonement
(Joshua – Conquest – Coverings – Vindication)
Doxology: Rest and Rule
(Judges – Glorification – Booths – Representation)
NEXT READ: Jude Against the Judaizers – Part 1.
A detailed analysis of this epistle explaining its controversial verses in the light of its structure is included in The Shape of 1-3 John & Jude: A Covenant-literary Analysis. You can get the basic patterns under your belt here.
If you are new to this method of interpretation, please visit the Welcome page for some help to get you up to speed.
