Jude 1:1-25

Jude 1:1 and 2:

^1:1Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, but a brother of James – to the called-people having been loved^1,2 in God (the) Father and having been kept² in Jesus Christ; ^.2may mercy and peace and love¹ be multiplied to you.

Jude begins this letter (epistle) by identifying himself by name: Jude (which could also be translated as Judas or Judah). Next he identifies himself by 'job-title' or 'work-function' relative-to his working/service relationship with Jesus Christ: slave.

He was a slave belonging to Jesus Christ. He was bound to serve him. This service as a slave meant that his whole being was at-the-service-of or in-service-to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jude carried-out his service by his own freedom of will. Wherever Jude was and whatever he was doing he was to behave as a slave of Jesus Christ, not a slave serving anybody or anything else. Jude believed and obeyed the Lord Jesus Christ, and he took his instructions from him. During Biblical times, a master was obligated to take-care of his slave (bond servant) and the slave was obligated to do all his master would ask of him. It was a mutually-beneficial relationship between the master and his slave.  

Jude was a “brother of James” – probably referring to James who wrote the letter of James, both of them being half-brothers of Jesus (refer to Matthew 13:55, Acts 1:14, and I Corinthians 9:5). Some scholars suggest that Jude may have been the apostle referred to in Matthew 10:3 and Acts 1:13 (also called Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus) but only if he was the brother of that James and not his son.

He addressed this letter to…

• the called-people (the invited people, those who were issued an invitation and who have accepted it – all holy-people have believed what God has given to be believed regarding Himself and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore we have received the gift of holy spirit, which was first made available on the day of Pentecost; refer to Acts chapter 2 and Romans 10:8-10; we remain in the standing of being the called-people)
  • having been loved and continuing loved
    • in God the Father (within the cause and sphere of action of God Who is our Father in the spirit category because we have already received the gift of holy spirit and we are now living within His realm; God is also the Father of Jesus Christ; “God” means the First, Superior or Ultimate One, the One Who has power, executes judgment, and emanates what He is, His power and light)
  • and having been kept and continuing kept (as an eye being kept on all of us, having us in safekeeping, and therefore we are not neglected or violated but we are watched over, taken care of, maintained, and observed)
    • in/by Jesus Christ;…

…may…

• mercy
  • [Mercy is giving active-relief because of withholding merited judgment; it is not bestowing punishment on one who deserves to be punished.]
• and peace
  • [Peace is tranquil harmony, tranquility, peaceful wholeness, without any strife or disagreement. We may think of peace as the opposite of war, the opposite of conflict, the opposite of being at odds with the other party. All of God's children are at peace with God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ because it is given to us from God and the Lord Jesus Christ, therefore all Christians should behave peaceably with one-another too.]
• and love¹

…be multiplied to you (caused to be made-full, filled to fullness to all of you).

Jude’s prayerful wish or desire was that mercy, peace, and Godly-love would be multiplied to the called-people during the everyday living of their lives.

The word "love¹” or the verb "to love¹” comes from the Greek word agape which is God’s kind of love. To love with His love means to love the same way as God loves, to manifest God's love towards another, whether it is towards God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, yourself, your Christian neighbor, or towards anyone else. God tells His children today (all who have the spirit of Christ within us) how to Godly-love by means of His previously-revealed written Word and also via our holy spirit-life whereby we receive information from Him regarding how to love in different specific situations. It is the carrying out of God's commandments, His Word, which is the correct usage or way to manifest God's kind of love according to His will (refer to I Corinthians chapter 13 and I John 5:1-3). It is not the same as the brotherly or friendly kind of love, nor is it the same as the emotional/feelings/sexual kind of love.

[Reference: Romans 1:3, 4 and 7, 8:30; I Corinthians 1:2 and 24, 9:5; I Peter 1:2; II Peter 1:2; James 1:1; I John 5:18 and 20. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

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