A Biblical Theology of Jude

The letter of Jude is one of the shortest books of the Bible, but its theological depth is profound. Written by Jude, the brother of James and likely of Jesus himself (Jude 1), it addresses the dangers posed by false teachers who had infiltrated the church. These individuals distorted grace into a license for immorality and denied Jesus Christ as Lord (Jude 4). Jude responds with a prophetic denunciation that echoes the Old Testament prophets, warning of divine judgment and calling believers to persevere in truth and holiness.

Jude is remarkable in that it weaves together Old Testament examples, Jewish interpretive traditions, and early Christian teaching to form a powerful biblical theology. It warns that compromise is not merely an ethical lapse but a denial of the Gospel itself. The letter also sheds light on angelology, apocalyptic expectation, and the cosmic conflict behind the church’s struggles, rooting all hope in the Lord who both saves and judges.

1. False Teachers and Ethical Corruption

The central concern of Jude is the threat posed by false teachers. Jude 4 describes them as ungodly people who “pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” This denial is not so much doctrinal as ethical: to reject Christ’s commands is itself a rejection of his lordship.

The two chief sins Jude highlights are sexual immorality and greed (Jude 7, 11). Both reflect a distortion of Christian liberty. What should have been freedom for holiness became an excuse for indulgence. The parallels with Israel’s history are deliberate. Like Cain, Balaam, and Korah, these false teachers rebel against God’s order for selfish gain (Jude 11). Jude’s biblical theology thus ties immorality to idolatry and insists that ethics flow directly from acknowledging Christ as Lord.

2. Old Testament and Apocryphal Examples of Judgment

To expose the seriousness of this corruption, Jude recalls examples of divine judgment. He cites Israel’s unbelief in the wilderness (Jude 5), the rebellion of angels in Genesis 6:1–4 (Jude 6), and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 7). These events illustrate that judgment is not hypothetical but rooted in God’s dealings with his people and creation.

Jude also draws from Jewish apocalyptic writings. He alludes to 1 Enoch when describing angels bound in darkness (Jude 6) and directly quotes 1 Enoch 1:9 about the Lord coming with his holy ones to judge (Jude 14–15). He even references a tradition from the Testament of Moses, where Michael the archangel contends with the devil over Moses’ body (Jude 9). By invoking these stories, Jude reinforces the certainty of divine judgment. Though these apocryphal texts are not Scripture, Jude employs them to illustrate truths consistent with the biblical witness—that God will not overlook rebellion.

3. Angelology and the Cosmic Conflict

One of Jude’s most striking contributions to biblical theology is its teaching about angels. The “sons of God” in Genesis 6 are interpreted as angels who left their proper domain, seeking forbidden union with human women (Jude 6). Like Sodom, they are punished for transgressing the order of creation. Their imprisonment until judgment highlights that even heavenly beings are accountable to God.

Michael the archangel also appears in Jude 9, contending with Satan over the body of Moses. Instead of invoking his own power, Michael declares, “The Lord rebuke you,” pointing to Christ’s authority as the true Judge. Jude’s angelology therefore emphasizes two truths: angels participate in God’s purposes, but ultimate power belongs only to the Lord. The cosmic conflict is real, but it is not a battle of equals. The victory belongs to Christ, and the church must resist the arrogance of those who think they can manipulate spiritual powers on their own.

4. The Lord Who Saves and Judges

A central theme in Jude is the identity of the Lord. In the Old Testament, “the Lord” often refers to Yahweh. But Jude applies this title consistently to Jesus (Jude 4, 17, 21, 25). This means that when Jude recalls how “the Lord saved a people out of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe” (Jude 5), he attributes both salvation and judgment to Christ. The Lord who redeemed Israel is the same Lord who now reigns and will come in glory to judge.

This high Christology is central to Jude’s biblical theology. Jesus is the Judge who comes with thousands of holy ones (Jude 14), fulfilling the apocalyptic vision of Enoch and the prophetic promises of the Old Testament. His role unites grace and judgment: he saves his people but condemns the ungodly. The Gospel, in this sense, is bigger than personal forgiveness—it is the reign of Christ bringing both salvation and accountability to the world.

5. Mercy, Perseverance, and Hope

Though Jude speaks with severity, he does not end with despair. Believers are called to persevere in the love of God, “building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20). They are to wait with confidence for the mercy of Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (Jude 21).

Jude also instructs believers to show mercy to others—rescuing those who doubt, snatching others from the fire, and still others with fear (Jude 22–23). This pastoral note balances judgment with grace. God’s people must not only resist corruption but actively seek the salvation of others.

The letter concludes with one of the most beautiful doxologies in Scripture: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling… be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever” (Jude 24–25). Here Jude reminds the church that perseverance is not achieved by human strength but by God’s preserving power.

Conclusion

The biblical theology of Jude presents a church under threat, yet firmly anchored in the lordship of Jesus Christ. False teachers deny Christ by rejecting his ethical demands, but their fate is certain—just like Israel’s rebels, the fallen angels, and Sodom. By drawing on Old Testament narratives, Jewish apocryphal traditions, and the Gospel of Jesus, Jude presents a theology of judgment, angelology, and perseverance that equips the church to stand firm.

For today’s church, Jude offers a sobering yet hopeful reminder. To confess Jesus as Lord means both obeying his commands and trusting his mercy. The Gospel proclaims a kingdom in which grace rescues, holiness matters, and judgment is real. In the end, the Lord who keeps his people will present them blameless with great joy.