Jude 1:1 ¶Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
Jude,
He begins this epistle with the name Jude, it could have been Judah, Or Judas. Both Judah and Judas conjure up thoughts both good and bad. The name Jude was both Famous and infamous. Rich in history in that Judah was the one tribe through which sprang the blood line of Jesus Christ.Hebrews 7:14For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Juda was the son of Jacob. Most of us have heard the Phrase “Jesus the lion of the tribe of Juda” Matt 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; 3.And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram
Let's take a look at the events surrounding the birth of Judas and his offspring. The story that Matthew 1:3 Makes mention of is found in Genesis chapter 38
the servant of Jesus Christ,
Most theologians agree that Jude was the half brother of Jesus. And given the evidence I am inclined to believe them. This evidence we will examine later in this first chapter. Nevertheless he a supposed third son of Mary and Joseph is very reveling as to the mindset of this apostle. For indeed Jude was more ready to be called a servant of Jesus Christ than he was to boast that he was his brother in the flesh! Therefore as an apostle writing an authoritative and authentic letter to the church body in general he felt that being a servant to Jesus the “older brother” was more authoritative than to say he was raised with him, which is to say there was more authority in saying that he was a servant of Jesus Christ than a brother in the flesh. In his mind it was more power and authority in saying I am a servant than to say “ Look here I should know Him more than any of you, after all I was raised in the same home as him.” Hence the book of Jude did not open with “Jude brother of our lord and savior Jesus Christ” or any other thing close to this. This is then the message that the Holy Spirit actually wanted us to have!
Furthermore service and servitude was first and foremost on his mind more than anything other thing. He was more interested in having it said of him I am serving Jesus “His big brother” than to say I was his kin.
Think of it I have a brother and many of you do too so for me to say the same thing would be for me to say “Tony a servant to Daniel and a brother to David”! Sorry Danny “My older brother” but not in a million years! I love you but the words stick in my mouth. It an't gonna happen. Yet this was the mind of Jude. But what is more than that, I find beauty in what Jude said for I find hope there.
Judes concept of his older brother was not his concept of an older brother. Rather it was his perception of his older brother who was the Messiah of God! Jude knew that he and his other brothers and his mother would someday be judged by this older brother. Who was not really his brother at all he was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as he says only four verses later Jude 4 …denying the only Lord God, and(greek word here is kai kahee= even) our Lord Jesus Christ.
How much beauty is in this very idea that we have the chance to be as much a servant as Jude was. In other words Jude was not given a special gift in that he came from the same womb as did our Lord. In fact this never really comes up except that Jude points it out by saying “brother of James” this I think to show that it was no advantage at all being The Lords brother. The only thing making Jude special was that he was in His service. Being a servant rather than being a brother according to the flesh. We therefore have hope as long as we have the mind to be in service, not in charge. Consider that the increase of our faith comes from service not knowledge.
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
