Jude 1:1-2
Was looking at the book of Jude today – and didn’t get much past the first two verses. Found something very interesting that I haven’t seen before. Here is the text:
1:1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James. To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Went digging in my interlinear Greek and coupled with Strongs, and got the following interesting things:
- Jude is short for “Judas” which is Greek for “Judah” which means “praised”
- servant is “doulon/doulos” in Greek which means bond-slave, metaphorically spoken as volunteering as a slave (cf. Ex 21:1-6 on 7th year freedom…very interesting)
- called is “kletois” – same as invited, appointed.
- beloved is a form of Greek “agape” – meaning unconditional love.
- kept is Greek “teteremenois” which means to guard from loss or injury; to keep the eye upon; to withold, figuratively to keep unmarried, to keep safe
It’s this last bullet that is so interesting to me. The phrase “kept for Jesus Christ” has been beckoning me like a blinking neon sign. Looking at the definition (to keep unmarried), coupled with what Jude indicates we’re “kept for” (Jesus) – I see that there is a betrothal relationship in view. WOW.
We can see here that those who are called, are beloved by the Father, and KEPT FOR JESUS CHRIST. We are the Bride of Christ. That is what Jude is setting up the letter with. I’ve never seen that before.
Take vs 2: You have three things that Jude lists that are “blessings” upon us: mercy, peace, and love. What’s so interesting about these three? Well – let’s compare in parallel to vs. 1:
- vs. 1 Those who are called ( vs. 2 mercy – as in the mercy of God to even elect SOME out of His creation)
- vs. 1 Beloved in God the Father ( vs. 2 peace – as in having peace with God – being Justified)
- vs. 1 Kept for Jesus Christ (vs. 2 love – as in a betrothed bride and bridegroom)
Wow. Never saw the connection before between vs. 1 and 2 in that way. God definitely has an order and purpose by which He frames His revealed Word to us.
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