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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Jude 1:1 - 1:1
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
1. Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος. So in Jam 1:1 (where θεοῦ καί is prefixed): the word is also in 2Pe 1:1 δ. καὶ ἀπόστολος Ἰ. Χ.
ἀδελφὸς δὲ Ἰακώβου. Jude was a “brother of the Lord” but does not say so, perhaps from motives of humility. The person he mentions is, there can be little doubt, James the first bishop of Jerusalem. Three persons of this name are mentioned in N.T., (1) James the son of Zebedee, “James the great” martyred by Herod (Acts 12), (2) James the son of Alphaeus Mat 10:3, Mar 3:18, in the list of the Twelve, coupled with Thaddaeus: Luk 6:15, between Thomas and Simon Zelotes, Act 1:13 between Matthew and Simon, (3) James the brother of the Lord, Mat 13:55, Mar 6:3. This last was the first bishop of Jerusalem, and presided at the council of Acts 15.
It has been usual in the Western Church to identify nos. 2 and 3 of the above list. The Eastern Church, however, has always commemorated three Jameses, and there can be little doubt that this is the right view. Of James the son of Alphaeus we really know nothing beyond his name.
τοῖς ἐν θεῷ πατρί κ.τ.λ. A difficult sentence. The late uncial MSS. KLP give ἡγιασμένοις for ἠγαπημένοις (אBA) which is a very much easier reading, but on that account suspicious. Westcott and Hort suggest that ἐν is out of place and that we ought to read τοῖς θεῷ πατρὶ ἠγαπημ. καὶ ἐν Ἰ. Χ. τετηρημ. The possibility has been suggested (by Bishop Chase) that after ἐν a place-name was meant to be inserted (as in Eph 1:1): the letter being a circular letter, and the name varied according to the place where it was read. The sentence would run “to those at—who are beloved of God the Father” etc. As they stand the words are not free from confusion, and I believe that their order must be incorrect. It would be better if ἠγαπημένοις followed κλητοῖς. The three substantives in the next verse may each refer to one of these three descriptive words, thus: ἔλεος to κλητοῖς, for the calling of God shows His mercy: εἰρήνη to τετηρημένοις, for peace is the condition of those who are kept safe: ἀγάπη to ἠγαπημένοις. I do not think it altogether safe to build much upon words which are in the nature of a formula: yet this particular salutation is not identical with any other in N.T. The substantives in Romans , 1, 2 Cor., Gal., Eph., Phil., Colossians , 1, 2 Thess., Tit., Philemon, are χάρις (ὑμῖν) καὶ εἰρήνη: so too in Rev. (Jud 1:4), 1, 2 Pet. In 1, 2 Tim. χάρις, ἔλεος καὶ εἰρήνη: also 2Jn 1:3. So Jude does use a form which is varied, doubtless intentionally. The verb πληθυνθείη is common to him and 1, 2 Pet.