St. Jude the Plagiarist

They tell me that Peter wrote his epistles around A.D. 64-ish. He died very soon thereafter. They guess that Jude wrote his letter between A.D. 67 and 80. Hard to pin down. But definitely after Peter. And if you read the two back to back, you get a certain feel. Jude starts his letter with "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). He goes on to tell them they need to contend for the faith against the promised and prevalent false teachers that are and will be in their midst. But it's like Jude sat down to write about salvation, read Peter's second epistle, and changed his mind. "I wanted to write about salvation, but there is a more pressing issue I need to address."

I say that because if you read 2 Peter 2:1-3:3 you will find an amazing parallel in Jude's letter. Jude makes many of the same comments that Peter does and basically in the same order. Peter said they "deny the Master who bought them" (2 Peter 2:1) and Jude said they "deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ" (Jude 1:4). Peter said, "Their condemnation from long ago is not idle" (2 Peter 2:3) and Jude said they "were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation" (Jude 1:4). And so it goes. Peter wrote that "angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord" (2 Peter 2:11) and Jude includes this interesting reference to Michael wrestling with Satan over Moses' body saying, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 1:9). Peter used Sodom and Gomorrah and Balaam as illustrations of God's judgment (2 Peter 2:5) and so did Jude (Jude 1:7, 11). I count no less than 14 parallels in Jude's descriptions, illustrations, and accusations. In fact, the two are so much alike that I can't imagine why anyone would have objected to Jude as canon.

Now, Peter, of course, was long dead, so this wasn't a problem for Peter. In fact, he wrote

I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind. (2 Peter 1:13-15)

"I'm reminding you now and I'll find a way to remind you after I'm gone," he said, essentially, and Jude, apparently, took up the task. But we have to ask ourselves, why did God inspire Jude to write what Peter wrote and include it in our Bibles? I can only make a guess, but it seems quite obvious that this is a huge issue that needs to be brought up over and over. False teachers were predicted by Jesus (Matt 7:15-20) and touched on throughout the New Testament. These false teachers are "among us" -- going "out from us." They're in our midst, and, as Jesus's famous "wolf in sheep's clothing" illustration pointed out, they look a lot like us. So it's a problem that we need to hear about, recognize, and be vigilant over. No small thing. That's often the effect of repetition to make a point. "It's important. Pay attention." And it only takes a brief look around to see it everywhere. Are you defending the faith?