Page 86 - General Epistles (James through Jude) Textbook

Why did Jude quote from a pseudepigrapha (a book written under a false name) and what implications
does that have on the inspired Word of God? Notice that Jude did not call the quotation as Scripture just
like Paul when he quoted non-canonical writings: Acts 17:28, Cretan poet; Epimenides, Cilician poet;
Aratus, Phaenomena (1:5), and from Cleanthes in his Hymn to Zeus; 1 Cor. 15:33; quotation from the
Greek comedy written by a Greek poet, Menander [Thais 218]); Titus 1:12, quotation from Epimenides.
“But still, this language does not mean Jude believed that 1 Enoch to be inspired (as far as we know, no
other Jews did). Rather, he could well have imagined that this text unwittingly (unknowingly) reflected a
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divine truth, much like Caiaphas was said to have prophesied unknowingly in JOHN 11:51.”

In closing the letter, Jude exhorted his readers to remember the apostles’ words concerning the coming
of scoffers, and to keep themselves in God’s love by doing three things. First, by building themselves up
in their most holy faith. Second, by praying in the Holy Spirit. Third, by waiting for the mercy of their
Lord Jesus Christ to bring them to eternal life. They needed to be merciful to those who were doubting
caused by possibly false teaching. They needed to save some by means of snatching them from the fire.
It is likely that these could have been those who were beginning to buy into the teaching of false
teachers and thus, being found among those who were bound for judgement by fire. To others, Jude’s
audience needed to show mercy to possibly false teachers but with fear resulting from the fact that they
might also be lured by false teachers. How was that fear supposed to look like? They needed to even
hate the false teachers’ clothing viewed to have been stained by corrupted flesh. He reminds them that
to the one who was able to keep them from falling and to present them pure be glory, majestic power,
and authority.

Overview of Jude

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