Jude 1:3
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jude originally intended to write about the beauty of our shared salvation, but the urgent need to defend the faith against intruders shifted his focus. The phrase "once for all delivered" emphasizes that this faith is complete and unchangeable, not something to be added to or altered by later interpretations.
Jude had originally intended to write about the shared salvation that believers have in Christ, a topic meant to encourage and build them up. However, he discovered that dangerous individuals had infiltrated the community, twisting God's grace into an excuse for immorality. This urgent threat compelled Jude to shift his focus from general encouragement to a direct exhortation: believers must actively defend the foundational truths of their faith.
Jude starts with a warm greeting and a desire to talk about 'our common salvation.' But suddenly, his tone shifts! What caused this abrupt change?
Jude's initial intention was to write about the shared salvation all believers experience, a topic of comfort and unity. The phrase 'our common salvation' highlights that this salvation is for everyone who trusts in Christ, regardless of background.
However, something urgent demanded his attention. The phrase 'I found it necessary' (or 'I was constrained') signals a shift from a general topic to a critical, immediate need. This urgency stemmed from the infiltration of false teachers into the church, who were twisting the very 'common salvation' Jude wanted to celebrate into a license for sin. His love for the believers meant he couldn't just talk about blessings; he had to warn them of the danger and call them to action.
Jude urges believers to 'contend for the faith.' But what exactly is this 'faith,' and why is it so crucial to defend?
The 'faith' Jude refers to isn't just personal belief or opinion. It's the whole body of Christian doctrine, the sum of truth revealed by God through the apostles.
The key phrase here is 'once for all delivered.' This isn't a faith that evolves or gets updated. It was delivered completely and finally by God's chosen messengers, the apostles, and it is sufficient and unchanging.
This means believers are called to defend this specific body of truth. It's not about inventing new doctrines or compromising essential teachings to appease critics. It's about holding firmly to the foundational truths that were established at the beginning and have been passed down.
Jude uses a strong word for 'contend.' What does this spiritual warfare look like in practice?
The Greek word Jude uses for 'contend' (epagonizesthai) is intense. It carries the imagery of strenuous effort, like an athlete fighting hard in a contest to win. It's not a passive stance; it requires active engagement.
Understand the original words
sōtēria · Greek Noun
The shared, universal experience of deliverance from sin, death, and God's wrath through faith in Jesus Christ, common to all true believers.
epagōnizomai · Greek Verb
To struggle, wrestle, or exert intense effort. In a theological sense, it refers to the active, diligent defense and proclamation of the truth of the Gospel.
pistis · Greek Noun
The body of truth, doctrine, or the message of the Gospel that has been revealed by God and is believed by the Christian community.
hagios · Greek Noun
Those who are set apart for God's purposes; the holy people of God who have been sanctified through Christ.
The urgency Jude expresses to 'contend for the faith' wasn't just a theological debate; it was a response to real threats within and outside the early church. False teachers were actively distorting the message of salvation, and believers needed a strong, unified defense of the core truths delivered by the apostles, especially in a time of Roman persecution and upheaval.
c. AD 60-62
Second Temple Period in Jerusalem
The Roman province of Judea experiences significant social and religious tension. This period sees the rise of various Jewish sects and growing unrest that will eventually lead to the First Jewish-Roman War.
c. AD 62-64
Widespread Persecution of Christians
Under Emperor Nero, Christians in Rome and beyond face intense persecution, often blamed for disasters like the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64. This creates a climate of fear and reinforces the need for steadfastness in faith.
c. AD 64-67
Writings of Peter and Paul
Apostles like Peter and Paul address burgeoning churches, warning against false teachers and urging believers to remain firm in the doctrines of Christ. Jude’s letter shares thematic similarities with Second Peter, suggesting a shared concern for doctrinal purity.
c. AD 67-70— this verse
Jude Writes His Epistle
jfbJude 1:3: "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."
- Design of the Epistle (compare Jude 20, 21).all diligence—(2Pe 1:5). As the minister is to give all diligence to admonish, so the people should, in accordance with his admonition, give all diligence to have all Christian graces, and to make their calling sure.t…
ellicottJude 1:3: "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."
(3, 4) The purpose and occasion of the Letter. (3) Beloved.—“Very unusual at the beginning of an Epistle; Jude 1:2, is the only other example It indicates, possibly, the writer’s wish to be brief and get to his subject at once; and, as his subject is a very unplea…
Jude originally intended to write about the beauty of our shared salvation, but the urgent need to defend the faith against intruders shifted his focus. The phrase "once for all delivered" emphasizes that this faith is complete and unchangeable, not something to be added to or altered by later interpretations.
Jude had originally intended to write about the shared salvation that believers have in Christ, a topic meant to encourage and build them up. However, he discovered that dangerous individuals had infiltrated the community, twisting God's grace into an excuse for immorality. This urgent threat compelled Jude to shift his focus from general encouragement to a direct exhortation: believers must actively defend the foundational truths of their faith.
Jude had originally intended to write about the shared salvation that believers have in Christ, a topic meant to encourage and build them up. However, he discovered that dangerous individuals had infiltrated the community, twisting God's grace into an excuse for immorality. This urgent threat compelled Jude to shift his focus from general encouragement to a direct exhortation: believers must actively defend the foundational truths of their faith.
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However, this contention is not about physical violence or hateful arguments. The commentators remind us it's about striving with our whole force – through consistent adherence to the truth, zealous defense of doctrine, holy living, prayer, and courageous endurance. It means upholding biblical truth with arguments, logic, and a life that reflects the faith.
It's a defense that requires both building ourselves up in our most holy faith (Jude 20) and actively standing against those who would distort or deny it. It’s a fight for something precious, not just against error.
Jude, the brother of James, feels compelled to write to believers, shifting from his original intent to discuss their shared salvation to an urgent call to 'earnestly contend for the faith' due to the infiltration of false teachers.
AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman army under Titus destroys Jerusalem and the Second Temple, marking a catastrophic turning point for Judaism and scattering Jewish communities, including many early Christians.
"Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." — Jude originally intended to write about the beauty of our shared salvation, but the urgent need to defend the faith against intruders shifted his focus. The phrase "once for all delivered" emphasizes…
