EPISTLE OF, a canonical book of the New Testament, written against
the heretics, who, by their impious doctrines and disorderly lives,
corrupted the faith and good morals of Christians. The author of this
epistle, called Judas, and also Thaddeus and Lebbeus, was one of the
twelve Apostles; he was the son of Alpheus, brother of James the less,
and one of those who were called our Lord’s brethren. We are not
informed when, or how, he was called to be an Apostle; but it has been
conjectured, that, before his vocation to the Apostleship, he was a
husbandman, that he was married, and that he had children. The only
account we have of him in particular, is that which occurs in John xiv,
21–23. It is not unreasonable to suppose that, after having received, in
common with other Apostles, extraordinary gifts at the pentecost, he
preached the Gospel for some time in several parts of the land of
Israel, and wrought miracles in the name of Christ. And, as his life
seems to have been prolonged, it is probable that he afterward left
Judea, and went abroad preaching the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles in
other countries. Some have said that he preached in Arabia, Syria,
Mesopotamia, and Persia; and that he suffered martyrdom in the last
mentioned country. But we have no account of his travels upon which we
can rely; and it may be questioned whether he was a martyr.
In the early ages of Christianity, several rejected the Epistle of St.
Jude, because the apocryphal books of Enoch, and the ascension of Moses,
are quoted in it. Nevertheless, it is to be found in all the ancient
catalogues of the sacred writings; and Clement, of Alexandria,
Tertullian, and Origen quote it as written by Jude, and reckon it among
the books of sacred Scripture. In the time of Eusebius it was generally
received. As to the objections that have been urged against its
authority, Dr. Lardner suggests, that there is no necessity for
supposing that St. Jude quoted a book called Enoch, or Enoch’s
prophecies; and even allowing that he did quote it, he gives it no
authority; it was no canonical book of the Jews; and if such a book
existed among the Jews, it was apocryphal, and yet there might be in it
some right things. Instead of referring to a book called the “Assumption
or Ascension of Christ,” which probably was a forgery much later than
his time, it is much more credible that St. Jude refers to the vision in
Zech. iii, 1–3. It has been the opinion of several writers, and, among
others, of Hammond and Benson, that St. Jude addressed his epistle to
the Jewish Christians; but Dr. Lardner infers, from the words of the
inscription of the epistle, verses 1, 3, that it was designed for the
use of all in general who had embraced the Christian religion. The last
mentioned author supposes that this epistle was written A. D. 64, 65, or
66.
the heretics, who, by their impious doctrines and disorderly lives,
corrupted the faith and good morals of Christians. The author of this
epistle, called Judas, and also Thaddeus and Lebbeus, was one of the
twelve Apostles; he was the son of Alpheus, brother of James the less,
and one of those who were called our Lord’s brethren. We are not
informed when, or how, he was called to be an Apostle; but it has been
conjectured, that, before his vocation to the Apostleship, he was a
husbandman, that he was married, and that he had children. The only
account we have of him in particular, is that which occurs in John xiv,
21–23. It is not unreasonable to suppose that, after having received, in
common with other Apostles, extraordinary gifts at the pentecost, he
preached the Gospel for some time in several parts of the land of
Israel, and wrought miracles in the name of Christ. And, as his life
seems to have been prolonged, it is probable that he afterward left
Judea, and went abroad preaching the Gospel to Jews and Gentiles in
other countries. Some have said that he preached in Arabia, Syria,
Mesopotamia, and Persia; and that he suffered martyrdom in the last
mentioned country. But we have no account of his travels upon which we
can rely; and it may be questioned whether he was a martyr.
In the early ages of Christianity, several rejected the Epistle of St.
Jude, because the apocryphal books of Enoch, and the ascension of Moses,
are quoted in it. Nevertheless, it is to be found in all the ancient
catalogues of the sacred writings; and Clement, of Alexandria,
Tertullian, and Origen quote it as written by Jude, and reckon it among
the books of sacred Scripture. In the time of Eusebius it was generally
received. As to the objections that have been urged against its
authority, Dr. Lardner suggests, that there is no necessity for
supposing that St. Jude quoted a book called Enoch, or Enoch’s
prophecies; and even allowing that he did quote it, he gives it no
authority; it was no canonical book of the Jews; and if such a book
existed among the Jews, it was apocryphal, and yet there might be in it
some right things. Instead of referring to a book called the “Assumption
or Ascension of Christ,” which probably was a forgery much later than
his time, it is much more credible that St. Jude refers to the vision in
Zech. iii, 1–3. It has been the opinion of several writers, and, among
others, of Hammond and Benson, that St. Jude addressed his epistle to
the Jewish Christians; but Dr. Lardner infers, from the words of the
inscription of the epistle, verses 1, 3, that it was designed for the
use of all in general who had embraced the Christian religion. The last
mentioned author supposes that this epistle was written A. D. 64, 65, or
66.