Contender: Going Deeper in the Book of Jude

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name, Jude? For many, it’s the Beatles song, Hey Jude. Even among Christians, Jude, the Bible character and the book that bears his name, is often overlooked.That was true for me. I didn’t know who Jude was. I wasn’t aware of his family relationships. Discovering who his brothers were was an eye-opener. It wasn’t until I dug deeper into Jude’s background that I realized the importance of this character in the biblical story.Finding out about Jude’s family is one example of the hidden treasures in the powerful little book. Another enlightening surprise is learning about the extra-biblical literature Jude quotes in his letter. These documents were well-known in Jude’s day but mostly unknown to us. So learning about them is like finding the light switch in the attic – it makes it easier to find your way around.Why did Jude write this letter? He said it wasn’t the letter he planned to write. The circumstances of his readers compelled him to call them to “contend for the faith once for all delivered to the Saints.”Reading the Book of Jude, we learn a lot about the group opposing the gospel and negatively influencing his dear friends. When we put the pieces together, we find that Jude’s adversaries resemble people opposing the gospel in our time.Churches and church leaders are using this Jude material with small groups, teen Bible camps, teen small groups, and pastor’s conferences. Why? Because Jude speaks powerfully to the issues of our time. From human sexuality to justice, judgment to divisive leaders. I have had the privilege to lead hundreds of people through a study of the book of Jude, and they have found that it speaks powerfully to the issues of our day.Learning the historical, cultural, and literary context of the passages we study is crucial to interpreting them correctly. In this book’s chapters and bonus content, I’ll share the insights I’ve gained by digging deep into those contexts. I have been blown away by how powerful Jude is and how it is “burningly relevant” for our time. Read more