BBB Bible Series: Jude Trivia Quiz

Answer: Judas, brother of James the Just, both half-brothers of Jesus

A majority of Protestant Christian scholars believe that the author of Jude was the younger brother of James the Just. In verse one he describes himself as 'brother of James'. But which James? James the son of Zebedee was martyred by Herod Agrippa in 44 A.D. (and no brother other than John is ever mentioned), while James the Just was the leader of the Christian Church at Jerusalem. It therefore seems much more likely that a simple reference to 'James' would mean the latter, who would have been well known in the early Church to whom this letter is addressed.
According to the New Jerome Biblical Commentary, Roman Catholic teaching agrees that the claimed authorship is Judas, brother of James the Just, but holds that the letter is both late and pseudonymous (written later, and by an unknown author who used Jude's name).
Note: I have been careful to frame the question in Protestant Christian terms. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox doctrine both reject the possibility of any siblings of Jesus through Mary. (Both teach the Perpetual Virginity of Mary.) James the Just (and thus Jude) are seen either as children of Joseph by another, probably previous, wife; or possibly as cousins who are loosely termed 'brothers'.

Answer: To exhort the saints to uphold the Christian Gospel; to resist heresy

Jude clearly is writing in opposition to some heresy, or false doctrine.
While many scholars argue that this heresy was some form of Gnosticism, the evidence in Jude's letter itself is not conclusive. Throughout the letter, Jude is strongly condemnatory of these false teachers, and equally strongly encouraging in his exhortation to Christians to stand against them.

Answer: Once for all

In using the phrase 'once for all', Christians understand that Jude was saying that the faith was delivered once (through Jesus Christ), and that this gift was given both 'for all' in the sense of 'all believers' and 'for all' in the sense of 'all time'.

There is, according to Jude (and according to John, in 2 John 9, and according to Paul, in Galatians 1:6-9), a single core of truth, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which remains true for all Christians and for all time.

Answer: "The Lord rebuke you!"

Jude is quite clear in his implication that the reason the archangel Michael says, "*The Lord* rebuke you!" is that he does not want to intrude upon the prerogative of God; it is for God to pass judgement - not for men, nor even for angels.

Answer: spots

Opinion is divided on the best translation of this. The Greek text reads 'spilades', which means literally 'sunken rocks' or 'hidden reefs' (some more literal translations read thus); the understanding would be that this is a metaphor - these evil people are a cause of 'shipwreck' of the faith of true believers.

Other translators favour a parallel of Jude with 2 Peter 2:13's "spots and blemishes" (Greek: 'spiloi kai momoi'), meaning a defilement, in the sense of a dirty mark on an otherwise clean garment.

Answer: clouds without water

Jude writes in verse 12, "...clouds without water, carried about by the winds;"
These ungodly people, Jude says, offer no blessing to others; do not produce the 'fruit' of righteous behaviour or a godly life which was God's purpose for them, and furthermore they have no stable doctrine or faith, but rather are pushed about in one direction and another by every new idea or teaching.

Answer: ungodly

The repetition of the word 'ungodly' is very prominent in the text, appearing four times in verse 15.
The Enoch referred to, and described in the text as 'the seventh from Adam', is that Enoch who was the father of Methuselah, and who walked with God, and whom God took before he died. (He is not to be confused with Enoch the son of Cain, mentioned in Genesis 4:17-18.)

Answer: Faultless

The Greek is 'amomous' which means literally 'blameless' or 'without blemish'.
The teaching in Christian understanding is that God, in the person of Jesus Christ, is able to make Christians perfect (sanctification, in doctrinal terms), and to present them thus to Himself 'with exceeding joy' probably in both God and those of His saints being presented. It may also be read as 'washed' or 'cleansed' (justification, in doctrinal terms), but in the context the former seems to be the better reading.

Answer: 24 and 25: "Now unto Him who is able to keep..."

In Christian circles, these verses comprise a popular song of benediction. Relatively few, however, know where the words come from!

"Now unto Him who is able to keep,
able to keep you from falling,
And present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy;
To the only wise God our Saviour,
Be glory and majesty;
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever!
Amen."

Answer: Glory and majesty, dominion and power

Jude, throughout this letter, has retained a clear focus on the primacy and sovereignty of God. In his conclusion, he makes it clear that the focus of Christians must remain upon God.