Jude
The book of Jude is a rather unique one in that it cites from the Assumption of Moses (ca. AD 20) and the book of Enoch (1st century BC), both belonging to the corpus of Jewish Pseudepigraphy, but the book itself was accepted into the Canon quite early by the Christian Church. A good part of the book appears in part or whole in 2 Peter (Jude 3-19; 2 Pet. 2:1-3,10).
The author is the earthly half-brother of our Lord Jesus (Matt. 13:55), and he writes passionately against the false teachers with a sense of great urgency. The recipients are likely the churches of Asia Minor, those to whom 2 Peter was also directed before AD 70.
1-2—Greetings
(1) Why doesn't he call himself the brother of Jesus, but, rather, the brother of James? (Mk. 6:3)
(2) How does Jude address the recipients of his letter?
(3) What would your life be like if you had “mercy, peace and love in abundance”?
3-16—The Problems Facing the Church
(4) What is the purpose of his writing? (v. 3)
(5) Godless men have secretly slipped into the church (v. 4)
a. They are changing God’s grace into a license for immorality. What does it mean?
b. They deny Jesus Christ. Why does such a sin amount to denying Christ?
c. Can you think of contemporary examples of this?
(6) Examples of God’s judgment (vv. 5-7)
a. The people of Exodus in the wilderness (v. 5):
- What was their sin?
- What judgment did they face? (Num. 14:29, 33)
b. The fallen angels (v. 6):
- What was their sin? (see 2 Pet. 2:4)
- What judgment have they suffered?
c. Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 7)
- What were their sins?
- What judgment did they face? (Gen. 19:23ff)
- In this particular case, what does their judgment exemplify?
(7) Marks of the godless men (vv. 8-10)
a. What are their marks? (v. 8)
b. The sin of slandering (vv. 9-10)
- How unrestrained are their slanders?
- By contrast, how did the archangel Michael demonstrate his restraint and why? (Jude is quoting from the Assumption of Moses.)
(8) Analogies of their wickedness (vv. 11-13)
a. Biblical precedents (v. 11)
- The way of Cain: What exactly is the way of Cain? (Gen. 4:6-8; 1 Jn. 3:12)
- The error of Balaam: What is his error? (Num. 22-23; see comment in Deut. 23:4)
- The rebellion of Korah: Why did Korah and his people meet with such a horrible judgment, that of being swallowed by the earth? (Num. 16:1-3, 31-35)
b. Analogies of their wickedness (vv. 12-13): What does each of the analogies seek to highlight?
- Blemishes at love feasts
- Shepherds who feed only themselves
- Clouds without rain
- Trees without fruit
- Wild waves?
(9) Their coming judgment (vv. 14-16)
a. What fate will they face? (Jude is citing from the book of Enoch.)
b. What kinds of wickedness are highlighted?
c. Given all of the above (from v. 4 onwards), can you describe in your own words who these false teachers are?
Vv. 17-23—Call to Persevere
(10) What have the apostles foretold about the “last times”? (vv.17-18; see 2 Tim. 3:1ff; 2 Pet. 3:3)
(11) What will their impact be on the church? (v. 19)
(12) Are they true believers? (v. 19b)
(13) How then shall we live in these “last times”? (vv. 20-21)
(14) How should we deal with those who are weak in faith? (v. 22)
V. 24—The Doxology
(15) Use this doxology to end your time of devotion.
“To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy — to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” (Jude 24-25)
(16) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請細心慢慢讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
猶大書
猶大書在聖經的正典書卷中是很獨特的。書中引用了偽經（Pseudepigraphy）的兩本書—摩西升天(The Assumption of Moses—主後20年) 和以諾書(The Book of Enoch—主前1世紀) 。但猶大書卻一早已被教會接納為正典。這短短的書信大部份的內容（第3-9節）出現在彼得後書2:1–3:10。
猶大是主耶穌在世時同母異父的弟弟（太13:55）。他在信中極力的責備假師傅；收信人相信是與彼得後書的對象相同，就是主後60-70年代，小亞細亞地區的眾教會。
1-2—問候語
(1) 為何稱自己是雅各的弟兄，而不直稱自己是耶穌的弟兄？（可6:3）
(2) 他怎樣稱呼收信人？
(3) 一個「充滿著/in abundance」憐恤、平安、慈愛的生命是怎樣的？
3-16—教會面對的挑戰
(4) 他寫信的目的是什麼？（第3節）
(5) 不敬虔的人偷進了教會（第4節）
a. 把神的恩變作放縱情慾的機會：是什麼意思？
b. 這與不認主耶穌何關？
c. 你可以想到今天相似的事例嗎？
(6) 古時受神審判事例為鑑戒（第5-7節）
a. 以色列民在出埃及曠野之例（第5節）
i. 他們所犯何罪？
ii. 他們得到什麼審判？（參民14:29, 33）
b. 墮落的天使（第6節）
i. 他們所犯何罪？（參彼後2:4）
ii. 他們得到什麼審判？
c. 所多瑪、蛾摩拉（第7節）
i. 他們所犯何罪？
ii. 他們得到什麼審判？（創19:23ff）
iii. 這審判給我們什麼鑑戒？
(7) 這些不敬虔的人的特徵（第8-10節）
a. 他們的罪的特色包括什麼？（第8節）
b. 毀謗的罪（第9-10節）
i. 他們說毀謗話到什麼程度？
ii. 天使長米迦勒在這方面如何顯出這些人的惡行？（註：猶大在此引用偽經）
(8) 猶大提他們的惡行（第11-13節）
a. 與以下聖經中的人物相比（第11節）
i. 該隱的道路：是什麼惡行？（創4:6-8；約壹3:12）
ii. 巴蘭的錯謬：是什麼錯謬？（見民22-23，和申23:4的評語）
iii. 可拉的背叛：是指怎樣的惡行引致要被地吞滅？（見民16:1-3, 31-35）
b. 他用的比喻（第12-13節）
i. 愛席上的礁石：是什麼意思？
ii. 只知肥己的牧人：這樣的教會牧者是怎樣的？
iii. 無雨的雲：是什麼意思？
iv. 無果的樹：會有什麼後果？（見太21:18ff）
v. 海中的狂浪：是什麼意思？
(9) 他們要得的審判（第14-16節）
a. 他們要得的審判是什麼？（猶大在此亦引用偽經）
b. 這裡刻劃的是什麼惡行？
c. 讀到這裡（由第4-16節），你可以怎樣形容這些假師傅？
17-23—勸戒信徒
(10) 使徒們曾怎樣論到末世？（第17-18節；參提後3:1ff；彼後3:3）
(11) 這些假師傅怎樣破壞教會？（第19節）
(12) 他們是否真基督徒？（第19b）
(13) 他們該怎樣在這末世生活？（第20-21節）
(14) 我們如何對待軟弱的信徒？（第22節）
24—祝福語
(15) 請讀出這祝福語作為今日（年）靈修的祝福。（見以下的VII段）
(16) 今天你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.” (Jude 3)
“The insightful words of Eugene Peterson in his introduction to the book of Jude (The Message, page 604) deserve our undivided attention:
‘Our spiritual communities are as susceptible to disease as our physical bodies. But it is easier to detect whatever is wrong in our stomachs and lungs than in our worship and witness. When our physical bodies are sick or damaged, the pain calls our attention to it, and we do something quick. But a dangerous, even deadly, virus in our spiritual communities can go undetected for a long time.’
"Drawing on that word picture, just as we need accurate and honest physicians to diagnose our physical condition when we’re sick, we need diagnosticians to examine us spiritually. Jude’s letter is precisely that—an accurate and forthright diagnosis we dare not ignore.
"In light of that, the time has come for you and for me to look deep within and ask ourselves some penetrating questions. As we evaluate our willingness to stand with Jude in contending for the faith, I wonder if his words cut into our hearts. I wonder if, in the process of these last number of years (or maybe even months), there has begun to be an erosion in your faith, maybe a slow, almost imperceptible hardening of your heart, a weakening of your commitment, a loosening of your lifestyle. How’s the quantity and quality of your time with God in prayer and fellowship and in the Word? How teachable is your spirit, how contrite is your heart? How are you doing in showing mercy and caring for the hurting? Is your thought pattern a wholesome one? Do you still cultivate a heart for God? I say those things to myself, as well. As we honestly appraise our lives, may the words of Jude burn within us with a renewed intensity: ‘I ...urge you to contend for the faith’ (verse 3). Are we doing that?”
(The Living Insight Study Bible, 1388)
「論我們同得救恩的時候，就不得不寫信勸你們，要為從前一次交付聖徒的真道竭力地爭辯。」(猶 3)
“Eugene Peterson對猶大書的引言是很有深度，是值得我們留意的。他說：‘我們屬靈的群體，像我們肉體一樣，同是會感染病菌的。不過，腸胃、胸肺的疾病卻比敬拜和見證的疾病容易察覺得到。當我們身體生病或受到傷害時，痛楚自然得到我們的注意，我們會立刻去處理。但我們屬靈群體的病毒，雖然是危險，甚至是致命的，卻可以長期不被察覺。’
是的，一如身體生病時，我們需要醫生準確和誠實的診斷，同樣我們需要屬靈醫生的診斷。猶大書正是這位醫生，給我們準確和誠實的診斷；是我們不能不理會的。
因此，是時候我與你看清楚自己的內心，深深的自問了。當我們省察自己是否願意與猶大一起為真道爭辯，我不曉得他的話有否剖析我們的內心、我們信仰的生命在這幾年或幾個月是否已開始退後？我們的心是否慢慢甚至不其然的在硬化？我們的委身是否在減退？我們的生活是否已漸漸放縱了？我們與神相交、禱告的時間的質與量又如何？你的靈是否受教？你的心有多痛悔？你對那些受傷害者有表達憐憫與關懷嗎？你的思想清潔嗎？你仍培養愛慕神的心嗎？我也在問自己。當我們誠實的察看自己的生命，願猶大書的話如火挑旺我們：‘我……勸你們要為……真道竭力爭辯’ （第3節）。我們是否如此？”
(The Living Insight Study Bible, 1388)