Today we began a brief exposition of the Greek text of Jude with my Int Greek class. I have always been fascinated by Jude’s penchant for expressing truths in groups of three. Is it a matter of style or is it purposeful?
Jude 1:1 Jude, Jesus, James ( or Jude, Servant, Brother)
Jude 1:1 Called, Loved, Kept
Jude 1:2 Mercy, Peace, Love
Jude 1:4 Designated, Perverting, Denying (participles)
Jude 1:5-7 Israelites, Angels, Sodom/Gomorrah
Jude 1:6 Did not Keep Their Position, Left Their Dwelling, Kept in Chains
Jude 1:7 Acted Immorally, Indulged in Unnatural lust, Serve as an Example
Jude 1:8 Defile flesh, Reject authority, Revile angels
Jude 1:9 Disputed about Moses, Dared to Pronounce, Said: “Rebuke”
Jude 1:10 They Revile, They Know by Instinct, They are Destroyed
Jude 1:11 Way of Cain, Error of Balaam, Rebellion of Korah
Jude 1:12 Blemishes in Love Feasts, Waterless Clouds, Fruitless Trees
Jude 1:13 Wild Waves, Casting Up Shame, Wandering Stars
Jude 1:14-15 The Lord Comes, To Execute Judgment, To Convict Ungodly
Jude 1:16 Grumblers, Malcontents, Boasters
Jude 1:19 These Cause Divisions, Are Soulish, Do Not Have the Spirit
Jude 1:20, 21 Building Up Yourselves, Praying in the Spirit, Waiting for the Lord (main command is the imperative keep yourselves in God’s love)
Jude 1:20, 21 Holy Spirit, Love of God, Mercy of Lord Jesus Christ
Jude 1:22, 23 Have Mercy on Doubters, Save Some, Show Mercy to Others
Jude 1:25 God, Savior, Lord
Jude 1:25 Before All Time, Now, Forever
Note the method of the “three-fold witness.” The validity of testimony in OT was affirmed by the mouth of two or three witnesses (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; note Eccl. 4:12). Same principle applied in NT (Matt. 18:16; John 5:31-33; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; Heb. 10:28). In essence the three represent one: a threefold occurrence yields completeness.