Has anyone ever read Jude? What a weird book: 3 verses of greeting, 16 verses of talking about these particular men who come to destroy the church, 4 verses of encouragement, and 2 verses of a beautiful benediction. While containing one of the most beautiful greetings (2) and, in my opinion, the most beautiful doxology in the New Testament (24-25), I think it could possibly be the foremost text on gossip in the church and it even contains namecalling. The men are called dreamers, ungodly, unreasoning animals, blemishes, shepherds who feed themselves, clouds without rain, trees without fruit, uprroted and twice dead, wild waves, wondering stars, scoffers, near sighted gynocologists…wait I slipped into Hook there for a second. They are compared to unbelievers, angels who have been cast out of heaven, Cain, Balaam, Sodomites, Korah, and the Devil. They “pollute their own bodies, reject authority, and slander celestial beings.” The online commentaries say that Jude is referring to men who were trying to infiltrate the church by disguising themselves as believers but then leading people astray from the true gospel. The biblical scholars are much kinder than I am to Jude. Still. Really? There are seven verses that are edifying; the rest seems to be hate speech about “certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago.” I think I could get the notes from a church staff meeting and possibly pass it off as Jude.
Ever wonder why some books are in the Bible? Jude, eh, anyone? Seriously. Jude is holy writ. Okay, I’ll stop.
Reason Breeds Insanity 