The Epistle of Jude

In its form, the Epistle of Jude is a classic example of an ancient letter. It begins with a greeting, continues with a theme, evolves into a body and concludes with a final doxology. Traditionally a linier structure has been suggested for the Epistle of Jude, where the theme of the letter focuses on the central content i.e. the apostates, giving the letter an outlook quite isolated from the ecclesiastical context.1 Occasionally, a more chiastic structure has been proposed.2 Yet more attention has been given to the false teachers within the Church community than to the Church itself. Thus, traditionally more attention is given to the apostate problem rather than to the pneumatic solution in Jude. Despite the large portion of polemics, Jude is more of an ecclesiastical exhortation than an attack against the apostates.3 The Epistle of Jude has a definite chiastic structure. The outline clearly shows that the importance of Jude pertains to the Church and its preservation. The battle against the apostates is in the heart of the letter. The following structural outline focuses on the Church community and its strategy for overcoming the danger of false teachers