Bible Study: Jude

I've found that the book of Jude is not easily subdivided for Bible study, but is best digested and discussed all at once. It is, however, a lengthy read, and most of it focuses on heresies of the day that many modern Christians mind find tedious. But that's no excuse! Every part of Scripture is worthy of study and useful for learning about God.

I shoehorned this Bible study onto two sheets of letter-sized paper. Although I prefer to use one side of one sheet of paper (helps with limited attention spans), it's not always possible. I would suggest that the Bible study leader briefly mention what biographical information exists about Jude and describe the religious contraversies of the day before reading the text.

These are the notes that I use to prompt discussion. Bolding certain phrases helps to direct readers attention and guide the conversation.

Jude’s letter deals primarily with a heresy common in his day and in ours: antinomianism. Antinomians believed that the saving grace of God was so complete, that one could continue sinning without consequence. In fact, sinning glorified God because it made one more dependent on His grace, so His grace was magnified. Antinomians thought that it was the inner, meditational life that mattered to God, not the outward, physical life. Consequently, antinomians were known for their sexual license. They also engaged in what we would call spiritism – séances and the like, where they used rituals to communicate with and to control spirits.

Where do you see antinomian thought in our modern society?

Verse 9 is a reference to the Assumption of Moses, a set of prophesies attributed to Moses, but most likely written by a 1st Century B.C. Pharisee. It was considered authentic in Jude’s day. The Assumption can be pieced together from various early Medieval manuscripts, and survives only in Latin translation. The author wrote to protest the growing secularization of the Pharisees and their increasing focus on politics, rather than faith.

The quote that Jude refers to does not survive among the manuscript fragments, thus his reference is lost in the passage of time. An online copy is at: http://wesley.nnu.edu/noncanon/ot/pseudo/
assumptionofmoses.htm

So, keeping in mind the doctrinal errors of the antinomians and this struggle between Michael and Satan, what is the meaning of verses 8-9?

What is the error of Balaam? (v.11)

Look at v.12-13 – the perfect description of the life without Christ.

Verse 14 is a reference to the Book of Enoch, another well-respected work in Jude’s time, but considered fake at the time of the canonization of the New Testament in the 4th Century. Respected early Christian leaders, such as Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, and St. Augustine quoted this book in their own works before it was excluded from the New Testament canon. The book survives in Greek, Latin, and Ethiopic fragments , the most complete of which were discovered in Ethiopia in 1773.

The Book of Enoch claims to be the work of Enoch of the line of Seth (Gen. 5:18-24) but did not appear before the 1st Century B.C. The themes of the book suggest that it was written by Pharisees. It is a lengthy book, but here is the synopsis: God threatens to destroy the mankind with a second flood, but heeds the prayers of Enoch and spares man from his fate. Enoch has a series of revelations about the coming of the Messiah and the liberation of Israel from foreigners and sin. The Book of Enoch is reflective of the 1st Century Jewish anticipation of the imminent arrival of the Messiah.

An online copy can be found at: http://wesley.nnu.edu/noncanon/ot/pseudo/enoch.htm

Is the teaching of Jude undermined by his use of apocryphal works?

Jude is worried about Christians who accept immoral people in their congregations. Where is the balance between being friendly to non-Christians because we are called to evangelize, and separating ourselves from immoral people in order to protect our own souls?