Book overview · 1 chapters
1 chapters · 12 video commentaries · covered in 5 courses
The Epistle of Jude is a short letter warning early Christians against false teachers and urging them to contend for the faith. It draws heavily on Jewish apocalyptic traditions and serves as a cautionary tale against disobedience.
Our commentary on Jude explores its fascinating use of extra-biblical Jewish traditions, such as the Book of the Watchers and the dispute over Moses' body, which Jude assumes his readers know. You'll learn why scholars like Bart Ehrman argue that Jude, along with other New Testament books, is likely a forgery, challenging traditional views of authorship. We also delve into the historical debates surrounding Jude's inclusion in the New Testament canon, a point Martin Luther famously questioned. Furthermore, we examine the striking parallels between Jude and 2 Peter, with many scholars suggesting 2 Peter borrowed extensively from Jude.
Introduction drafted from the lecture transcripts by AI, pending the team's edit.
The New Testament book of Jude explicitly references the Book of the Watchers, indicating its influence and acceptance within some early Christian communities. This highlights the fluidity of early scriptural canons, as some church fathers, like Tertullian, even defended its inclusion.
Summarized by AI · Demons and Ghosts in the Bible · Lecture 3: Fallen Angels | Revelation and Resistance · watch the clip
The process of canonizing New Testament books was not immediate or universally agreed upon. As noted by Eusebius in the fourth century, some books like Revelation, James, Jude, and Hebrews were disputed by various Christian communities. For instance, the Church of Rome in antiquity questioned the Pauline authorship of Hebrews, leading to debates about its inclusion. This indicates that early Christians actively discussed and sometimes rejected the origins, authorship, and sacredness of texts that later became part of the accepted New Testament.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 1: The New Testament | History and Faith · watch the clip
During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther questioned the established New Testament canon, particularly regarding Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation. He famously doubted James's apostolic authorship, stating he would not include it among the chief books of his Bible, reflecting a willingness to re-evaluate the canon based on scholarly and theological considerations.
Summarized by AI · The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible · Lecture 27: The Making of the New Testament | From Chaos to Canon · watch the clip
Luther, in his German Bible translation, relegated Hebrews, James, Jude, and Revelation to an appendix. He believed these books were deficient in proclaiming Christ's gospel, questioned their apostolic authorship (Hebrews, Jude), saw James as contradicting Paul's teaching on salvation, and found Revelation's visions puzzling.
Summarized by AI · The Unknown Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John · Lecture 2: The Rise of Historical Scholarship · watch the clip
Early Christians, as evidenced by 4th-century church historian Eusebius and 3rd-century Origin, had the freedom to question the authorship of New Testament texts like 2 and 3 John or Jude. This historical precedent contrasts with the modern discomfort some faith communities feel when questioning traditional attributions.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Church vs Universities: Who Gets the New Testament Right? · watch the clip