Jude Ἰούδας

Jude, also known as Judas (not Iscariot), was one of the brothers of Jesus Christ and the author of the Epistle of Jude. He is mentioned in the lists of Jesus' siblings in the Gospels (Mat.13.55; Mrk.6.3) and identifies himself as "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James" in his epistle (Jud.1.1).

As one of Jesus' brothers, Jude would have grown up in the same household as Jesus in Nazareth. The Gospels mention that during Jesus' earthly ministry, His brothers did not believe in Him (Jhn.7.5). However, after the resurrection, they are found among the believers (Act.1.14), indicating that they came to faith in Christ.

Jude's epistle is one of the shortest books in the New Testament, consisting of only 25 verses. In it, he urges the believers to contend for the faith and warns against false teachers who have crept into the church (Jud.1.3-4). He employs various examples from the Old Testament and Jewish literature to illustrate the consequences of unbelief and rebellion against God (Jud.1.5-16).

The epistle of Jude emphasizes the importance of persevering in the faith, building up oneself in the love of God, and showing mercy to those who doubt (Jud.1.20-23). It concludes with a doxology, praising God for His ability to keep believers from stumbling and to present them blameless before His presence with great joy (Jud.1.24-25).

Apart from his epistle and the mention of his name in the lists of Jesus' brothers, no other details about Jude's life or ministry are provided in the Bible.