3 John 13 – 14/Jude 1 - 4

3 John 13 – 14

13 I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face.

Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

John finishes this letter with the same thoughts as he finished his second letter. There are many thoughts he wants to convey to Gaius, but he wants to talk about them and not write them in a letter. A face to face conversation is always better in making sure the understanding is conveyed correctly.

He indicates there will be those coming to see Gaius and that Gaius knows who they will be, he knows them by name.

Jude 1 - 4

1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude identifies himself as the brother of James, the brother of James is believed to be one of Jesus Christ's half brothers. Jude is also considered to be a half brother of Jesus.

Halley's Bible Handbook says:”In the New Testament Church there were two Judes: Judas, one of the 12 apostles (Luke 6:16), and Judas, the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55). The latter is commonly regarded as the writer of this epistle.”

This letter was probably written to the same churches which were written to by Peter. 2 Peter (2 Peter 3:1)infers he wrote it to the same churches as 1 Peter was written to. (1 Peter 1:1) Indicates the churches were in Asia Minor.

The book of Jude was probably written about 67 A.D.

The first verse indicates clearly this book was written to those who had already accepted Jesus as their savior.

Jude not only wishes for them to have mercy, peace, and love, but wishes for those benefits to be multiplied or given to them in abundance.

Jude writes he was diligent, with “thoughtful activity”, as said by Zerr, writing to them about the salvation which is offered to all faithful believers.

Jude says he is exhorting them or instructing them to contend or fight to maintain the truth with the effort to protect the Gospel which was given to all believers.

Jude feels he needs to write this message because of certain individuals which have crept or using deception gained membership with in the body of Christ. Because of their wickedness they had been condemned by God. They were ungodly men, those who do not teach God's truth are not of God but are ungodly. (John 5:36 – 43, 2 John 7 – 9)

These men changed the grace of God into something it is not because what they taught made is seem to support the worldly fleshly desires of the world. By teaching this false doctrine they are denying the true doctrine of Christ and thus denying Jesus and His Father our God and Lord.