Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryJude 1

Apostolic BenedictionThis opening section is the introduction to the letter. It explains who is writing, who will receive the letter, and gives a special blessing. The writer, Jude, takes time to show his humility, his connection to Jesus, and his love for the people he writes to. He also shares what it really means to be a Christian—chosen, set apart by God, and kept safe in Jesus Christ. These ideas help us understand the heart behind this short but powerful letter.v. 1: Jude introduces himself as the writer of this letter. He is also called Judas or Judah, which was the name of the famous son of Jacob, from whom the Messiah, Jesus, came. Jude shares a name with both a great ancestor and with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. This shows that having a good or bad name does not make a person good or bad. What matters is our actions. Jude calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ. He does not brag about being related to Jesus by family, but takes honor in serving Him. This teaches us that it is better to be a faithful servant of Jesus than to have any high position in the world. Jude also says he is the brother of James, who was an important leader in the church at Jerusalem. It is good to respect those with more experience or gifts, but we should not blindly follow anyone if they do wrong (Galatians 2:11 ).Jude writes to all those who are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called (Jude 1:1 ). "Called" means those who are called to be Christians, who have believed the message about Jesus and joined the church. Christians are called out of the world to live for God, to leave sin, and to aim for heaven (Romans 8:30 ). These Christians are also "sanctified," which means they are made holy by God the Father. Real holiness is God’s work in us, not something we achieve by ourselves (2 Peter 1:4 ). Without holiness, no one will see the Lord