Jude 3

Understanding the Bible (Sorenson)

Jude 3

1:3 “Jude therefore launches immediately into the occasion of his writing. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. The verb tense in the first phrase of the Authorized Version here implies the past tense hinting at a prior writing. However, the phrase “when I gave all diligence” actually involves a present participle. The first phrase of the verse could thus be rendered, ‘Beloved, in making all diligence to write unto you.’ Jude simply notes that he wrote with diligence (or with urgency). He further refers to his readers as beloved, indicating he likely knew them personally and they thus were beloved unto him.

Having established that, he wrote that it was needful (or necessary) for him to write to them concerning “the common salvation.” His reference to salvation (and by extension the gospel) being common likely refers to how it is for both Jew and gentile alike. The gospel is the same regardless. Thus, the occasion of Jude’s writing was in regard to the basic principles of the gospel itself—the “common salvation.”

His concern was that the recipients of his epistle might “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” The word translated as earnestly contend (επαγωνιζομαι epagonizomai) has as its root the word (αγωνιζομαι) agonizomai. The latter refers to contending, whether in a context as athletes or more seriously as in battle. The general thought is to ‘fight for’ or in this context to ‘defend’ the faith. The faith to which he refers clearly is the gospel of salvation in particular and the body of revealed truth in general. In short, he urged his readers to defend the faith and the Scriptures in which they were contained.

He further notes that this faith was “once delivered unto the saints.” The thought likely is that Jesus Christ, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, delivered the truth of the faith, the gospel of salvation, to the saints. The latter likely refers to the apostles. That truth was not subject to revision or alteration. Though the New Testament was yet to be completed, the truth of the gospel was already established. Jude’s point was the entrance of apostate teachers already coming up with new and peculiar alterations to the common salvation thus delivered.

Moreover, that gospel was delivered once. The essence of the word translated as such (‘απαξ hapax) can also have the sense of ‘once for all.’ The gospel is not subject to revision. Even in Jude’s day, it had already been long established. It was not open to alternative options by aspiring apostates. It was the common salvation already delivered. It is this faith (and the gospel undergirding it) which Jude exhorts his readers to rise up and defend. He thus so wrote this epistle”. Understanding The Bible (Sorenson) http://www.northstarministries.com/