Jude
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.
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;
13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:
18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;
23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
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The book of Jude is a book that is very relevant to us today, not only because we see many false teachers around and many false doctrines being propagated but because many scholars believe that we are indeed living in the end times.
This book is found in the Bible just before the Revelation of the Apostle John, which deals with what will happen just before the second coming of Jesus Christ.
It is also a book that deals with the subject of Apostasy (a falling away from the faith).
There are other books that warn us about the Apostasy also.
Paul’s second epistle to the Thessalonians tells us that in the last days just before the appearance of the man of sin, (the antichrist), there will be a great Apostasy.
Speaking of the second coming of Jesus, Paul says this:
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
The Apostle Peter warned of this also.
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Peter goes on to say:
2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Paul writing to Timothy says:
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
We have been living in the last days for the last two thousand years and these words of prophecy are as relevant to us today as they were to the early church.
Indeed, more so, for we are nearer to the second coming of Jesus Christ than they were.
There has always been heresy in the church from the inception.
The Apostles of the first and second century contended for the faith, as did the Apostolic fathers and the Anti Nicene fathers.
The Apostolic Fathers included men like, Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna, Papias of Hierapolis.
The Greek Fathers included men such as, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons, Clement of Alexandria, Origen of Alexandria, Athanasius of Alexandria.
Heresies have continued to dog the church right up to our day, some very obvious and some not so obvious.
Our weapon for the fight against heresy has always been the same weapon, the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
We must be like the Bereans in the time of the Apostle Paul.
The scripture tells us that:
Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.
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1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
The writer of this epistle refers to himself as Jude. He also identifies himself as the brother of James.
Matt 13:55 Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
Notice that Jude does not identify himself as the brother of Jesus but the brother of James.
However he does call himself a bondservant of Jesus Christ.
Obviously Jude did not show any pride here. Maybe he could have got more attention by proclaiming to be the physical brother of Jesus, yet he referred to himself as a slave.
James became the prominent leader in the church at Jerusalem and was the writer of the Epistle of James.
Neither Jude nor James were Apostles of Jesus, on the contrary, they both did not believe in Jesus as Messiah until after Jesus was raised from the dead.
John 7:5 For not even his brothers believed in him.
This is an incredible fact. Those who had been brought up with Jesus for 30 years really did not know him. Not one of Jesus’ brothers is mentioned as a disciple during his pre-crucifixion ministry. But after his resurrection and ascension, there they are in the upper room worshipping him as God
Acts 1:14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
So, it is thought by most scholars that this is referring to Jude the brother of the Lord Jesus.
The name was commonly Judas or Judah, it may be that the translators used Jude to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord.
The recipients of this letter:
He is obviously writing to believers in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Whether it is to Messianic Jews or all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, it does not matter as it is clearly addressed to the called in Christ. Which in turn means you and I.
2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
This is slightly different to how the Apostle Paul greeted his readers.“Grace and peace unto you”
Mercy is quite simply withholding a punishment that is deserved or some terrible thing that someone could inflict upon you, but does not.
Grace is a much larger concept, which encompasses not just withholding a very bad thing that is deserved, but also giving a good thing that is not deserved.
Jude acknowledges the Sovereignty of God here in his address.
To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:
Those who are called of God, sanctified by God and preserved, (kept) by God in Jesus Christ.
Jude here is pointing out that God is indeed the author and finisher of our faith.
Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Those who have been saved by faith in Christ and have been sanctified by God and are kept in Jesus Christ.
Jude acknowledges his readers as brothers and sisters, beloved in Christ and to salvation that is common to himself and to them.
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation.
Beloved (Greek - agapētos) Agape is the love of God, a pure love.
In Greek there are three words for love. philo, the love for a friend, a brother, a father.
eros, an erotic love, like the love for a wife and agape the love of God.
Jude was addressing all believers with the love of God.
Dilligent: Greek - spoudē (“speed”, that is, (by implication) despatch, eagerness, earnestness):
Heresy is a very serious problem in the church and must be speedily recognised and dealt with. It can be like a cancer, growing and making the church sick.
This is a sign of good leadership, whether an Elder, Pastor or Teacher.
It is essential to keep the flock safe from the wolves in sheep’s clothing.
A wolf in sheep's clothing is an idiom of Biblical origin used to describe those playing a role contrary to their real character with whom contact is dangerous, particularly false teachers.
Our Common salvation:
By calling our salvation, common salvation, it does not mean that salvation is something cheap or not worth much, neither is it common to all men.
It is common only to those who are of the household of faith.
It is an inclusive salvation to all those who put their trust in Jesus Christ by faith.
It is exclusive in the sense that only those called by God share in that common salvation.
Jude felt that it was necessary to write concerning the heresies that plagued the believers right from the inception of the church.
V3b 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.
To fight for the faith, this is, salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone and was delivered through the Apostles teaching alone, for the glory of God alone.
This is known in Reformed teaching as the five Sola’s.
Sola gratia, Sola fide, Solus Christus, Sola scriptura and Soli Deo Gloria.
The majority of the New Testament would probably be in existence at this time, which could be as late as 80 AD, which would mean that only the Revelation of John would be written after.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ would be well established at the time of writing and so Jude says “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints”.
There is no other Gospel. Paul had made it quite clear that this was the Gospel that he and the other Apostles taught.
Referring to other gospels as false.
Gal 1:7 which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a divine curse!
9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!…
We know that heresies had penetrated the churches, none more than the errors of Gnosticism, which denied that Christ had come in the flesh, also denying the divinity of the Lord.
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.
One would expect to hear heresy outside the church, from organisations that were setup using false doctrine. Organizations like Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, etc. building their churches on extra biblical revelation, through false prophets.
However, when the heresy has infiltrated the church via the back door by someone introducing error subtly into a fellowship, it is more difficult to detect.
These false teachers had crept in unawares and this is why it is so important to test everything by the Word of God.
This is the most dangerous type of error, for these false teachers do not have a sign on them saying false teacher, they mingle amongst the brethren whispering their false teachings, usually amongst the young believers and the less knowledgeable.
This is why a fellowship needs strong sound leaders, well versed in the scriptures, who will recognise error and stamp it out before it has time to be established.
V4 who turn the grace of our God into lewdness.
Lewdness or lasciviousness, (Greek – aselgeia) (filthy licentiousness) usually connected to sexual practice.
Sin that is practised without shame.
The idea here is that the grace of God can be used to excuse bad behaviour. Because God is merciful to sinners does not mean that this grace can be used for sinful practices.
This is a misuse of the grace of God.
There have been those that have taught that the more sin we commit, the more grace we experience.
This just shows the corruptness of the human heart.
V4 and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
These men were denying Christ either through their way of life or by their false doctrine, or both.
These are not saved men, they do not know the ways of the Lord.
Psalm 95:10-11.For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, “It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways. So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest”
Jude reminds them of what they already knew.
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
V4 who long ago were marked out for this condemnation.
We need to be aware, that there are those in the church, that are considered to be true believers, who are not true believers, those with knowledge of the Bible, yet have never been truly born again.
There are those that profess Jesus Christ but they do not possess Jesus Christ.
They misquote and twist the scriptures to suit themselves.
This is the same tactic used by Satan himself in the Garden of Eden.
First questioning the Word of God, Genesis 3:1 Yea, hath God said,
Second, twisting the scripture, Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Thirdly, misquoting scripture, Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
The devils tactics have never changed.
The scriptures tell us that there will be those at the last day that will say:
Matt 7:22 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’
23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’…
Jude reminds them of two more examples:
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgement of the great day;
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Notice the sins of these examples. The angels that manifested themselves in such a way as to have sexual relations with human women which eventually resulted in the destruction of all living creatures in the great flood, except Noah a righteous man and his family.
Also the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, that of fornication and sexual deviance.
For Jude to use examples like these, suggests that these false teachers were of the same nature.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.
Jude refers these false teachers who have slipped in unawares to be guilty of these same sexual sins, defiling the flesh.
V8 reject authority,
Very likely rejecting the teachings of the Apostles of Christ as V3 the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
V8 and speak evil of dignitaries.
The word for speak evil is (blasphēmeō.) Dignitaries could refer to the Apostles or heavenly beings.
The example given by Jude is concerning Michael the Archangel who contended with Satan for the body of Moses.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
Michael is the one who battles on behalf of the children of God and even he does not accuse the devil.
God is the one who accuses and God is the one who will judge.
Our job as well, is to contend for the faith, withstanding the devil.
Eph 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
It is not our job to exact vengeance but to hand the enemy over to the Lord for judgement.
Judgement is Mine says the Lord.
Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
There are those that may know scripture but do not know the truth of that scripture.
10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
They may know the Word of God but they do not know the God of the Word. They are natural men and not spiritual men. They live according to their evil nature like brute beasts.
They pretend to be spiritual but live according to their natural desires, corrupting themselves with their own knowledge.
We know that brute beasts act according to their nature but they have no spiritual life in them.
These men claim to be spiritual, they claim to have knowledge but are worse than even the animals.
Someone once quoted:
“How ironical that when men should claim to be knowledgeable, they should actually be ignorant; when they think themselves superior to the common man they should actually be on the same level as animals, and be corrupted by the very practices in which they seek liberty and self-
expression.”
They bring God’s wrath upon themselves.
11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
The way of Cain, who killed his own brother and received the curse of God.
The error of Baalam, which was greed and for this he cursed Israel and God turned the curse back on him.
Balaam was guilty of the greatest of sins: deliberately leading others into sin. Worse yet, he did it for money.
These men referred to here, in this chapter are likened to them.
The prosperity Gospel preachers and the Word of Faith preachers are doing exactly the same thing, profiting from the Gospel.
Jude goes on to describe the wickedness of these men.
12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;
13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
Spots on your Love Feasts: We used to call these Faith Tea’s.
Everyone brought what they could and it was shared by all.
Jude calls them spots in your love feasts, serving themselves, not being concerned about others.
Clouds without water: Useless.
Clouds without water are good for nothing, empty, dry, nothing to give. Giving no life yet blocking the sun.
Because they have neglected to receive Christ or have turned back from following Him, they are devoid of the Spirit which gives life. They are "clouds without water" -meaning, people without God’s Spirit.
Carried about by winds: Hopping from one thing to the next, one teaching to another, being no use to anyone. Dragging away young believers through cunning craftiness.
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Late Autumn trees without fruit: They weren’t even producing fruit when they should, just taking in and giving nothing out.
Twice dead: They are awaiting their appointed natural death and at the Judgement will be cast into the Lake of Fire which is the second death.
These are in the world as the living dead but those in Christ are the dead living.
Pulled up by the roots: Completely dead, without the roots planted in the soil, the tree dies.
If we are not rooted in Christ we are dead in trespasses and sins.
Raging waves of the sea: They are like a raging sea, unmanageable and causing chaos.
Foaming up their own shame; Just like the sea when it comes up on a beach bringing all its scum.
Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked [are] like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
Wandering stars: (Greek - planētēs)(Erratic teacher).
These men are like a shooting star or a fiery comet. They cause astonishment for a time and then disappear into the darkness of space. They are useless to the observer and cannot be used for guidance.
Reserved the blackness of darkness forever: This is their destination, eternal darkness.
VV14, 15 Jude quotes from Enoch, considered an Apocryphal book, not accepted as canon. However it was respected by the Apostles. This scripture is in agreement with holy scripture that teaches that God will come in judgement against all ungodliness.
Romans 1:18-20 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
Quote from CH Spurgeon.
“You know the sort of people alluded to here, nothing ever satisfies them. They are discontented even with the gospel. The bread of heaven must be cut into three pieces, and served on dainty napkins, or else they cannot eat it; and very soon their soul hates even this light bread. There is no way by which a Christian man can serve God so as to please them. They will pick holes in every preacher’s coat; and if the great High Priest himself were here, they would find fault with the colour of the stones of his breastplate.”
Selfishness leads to grumbling and complaining, it is all about what I want, what can I get out of the Gospel.
Grumbling and complaining forgets what God has done and is doing.
It is the evidence of an unthankful heart, unappreciative of all that God has done.
Grumbling and complaining robs people of their joy and in turn questions other peoples joy.
It is destructive and does not build up anyone.
This is in contrast to how we should be as Christians.
17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:
18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
1. Philippians 2:13-15 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticise you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
2. James 5:9 Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.
3. 1 Peter 4:8-10 Above all, love each other warmly, because love covers many sins. Welcome each other as guests without complaining. Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you to serve others.
V16b They mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
These people blow their own trumpets, project themselves and not Christ. Telling people what they want to hear and using it to gain an advantage.
They appear very charismatic usually very attractive and successful. No more so than the Prosperity Gospel preachers and the Word Faith preachers.
Using the Gospel for gain and self interest.
18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Judes exhortation to holy living.
But you beloved, don’t be like these people, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for mercy that can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself, our sins and so removed the condemnation that was rightfully ours.
22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;
23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
We are not to look down on any brother or sister who has been taken in by these certain men but in compassion help them to see the error, being sensitive to where each one is coming from. Some may need help to see the errors and some maybe need rebuke.
However it is not up to us to judge, Christians should never abandon a friend who flirts with false teaching. They should help him through it in love.
We must continue to love them. No matter how bad a person is, or how misleading and terrible their doctrine, we are not allowed to hate them – or to be unconcerned for their salvation.
There are others that maybe need to be confronted more strongly, as it were pulling them out of the fire.
Hating what they say and do and hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
We cannot stand by and allow false teaching to thrive in our fellowships, which means that sometimes we have to stamp on it.
Our love for them demands that we do something to help them.
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
Jude in his doxology tells us again, who it is that can keep us from stumbling. “to Him”, it is Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour.
Only He can present us faultless, only He it is who is wise.
It is to Him that we give all the glory, majesty, dominion and power, both in this world and the next.
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The similarities between Jude and 2 Peter 2.
There are many similarities between 2 Peter and Jude but there are also significant differences.
Peter does not refer to Enoch. Jude does not mention Noah.
Peter does not mention Cain and the rebellion of Korah.
It has been suggested that one borrowed from the other or that they both drew on a common source.
If there is borrowing, it is more likely that Jude was familiar with Peters writings.
Of course many commentaries use other peoples writings and adapt them to their own explanation.
While many have insisted that Jude used Peter, others suggest that Peter used Jude’s writing.
Such borrowing is fairly common in ancient writings. For example, many believe that Paul used parts of early hymns in Php 2:6-11 and 1Ti 3:16.
It is hard to deny that the words quoted are almost identical in both letters.
2 Peter was written toward the end of Peter's life:
2Pe 1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
2Pe 1:13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
2Pe 1:14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
This was after he had written a prior letter, very likely to the same readers:
2Pe 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance.
Since Peter was martyred during the reign of Nero, his death must have occurred prior to 68AD; so it is very likely that he wrote 2 Peter between 65 and 68.
There are those that believe it is likely that Jude was written later about 80AD.
The Epistle of Jude is placed after Paul's epistles and before the Book of Revelation—and considered canonical by Christians.
In both epistles, Peter and Jude teaches their readers how to be aware of false teachers and evildoers who have come into the church.
2 Peter 1
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
Peter identifies himself as “a bondservant” and “an Apostle” of Jesus Christ.
Jude identifies himself as “a bondservant” and the brother of James.
Here is the difference between Peter and Jude. Whilst Jude knew Jesus, because he was the physical brother of Jesus along with James.
Matt 13:55 Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
He was not like Peter an Apostle of Jesus, in fact Jude did not believe in Jesus until after the resurrection.
Like Jude, Peter recognises the common salvation between him and his readers.
2 Pet1b To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
Jude v3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation.
2 Pet1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied
In both of Peter’s letters he opens with grace and peace.
Grace: giving to someone what they do not deserve.
In Jude, his greeting is “mercy and peace”
Jude 2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Mercy: Not giving someone what they do deserve.
Peter, John and Paul, the Apostles of Jesus in their letters greeted their readers with Grace and peace.
Peter and Jude refer to false teachers.
2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgement now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
The objective of both 2 Peter and Jude is to warn their readers of the false teachers that have infiltrated the church.
Jude 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.
The warnings are the same, False teachers creeping into the church, the denial of the Lord and bringing on themselves destruction.
Both writers go on to use the same examples of the judgement of God on these men.
The angels that fell, in Genesis 6, the ones that manifested themselves so as to have sex with human women and produce a hybrid race, that would bring evil on the world.
2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Jude 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
Therefore, bringing destruction by the flood, saving only Noah and his family.
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
Both writers continue with the example of Sodom and Gomorrah.
2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
Jude 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
The characteristics of these false teachers.
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
Jude 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.
Walking after the lusts of the flesh, not accepting authority and speaking evil of dignitaries, whether the Apostles or angels.
Peter and Jude use the same example of why it is wrong to speak in this way.
Using angels to show how this is not what should be done.
2Pe 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
Both go on to liken them to brute beasts.
2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts,
Jude 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts,
Spots and blemishes, whilst meeting and eating with you.
2Pe 2:13 Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
Jude 12 These are spots in your love feasts,
Wells or clouds without water, carried about with every wind of doctrine.
2Pe 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest;
Jude 12 They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds;
Following the evil ways of Baalam.
2Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
Jude 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit,
Speaking great swelling words.
2Pe 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness,
Jude 16 and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
What these similarities show is that Jude was obviously well aware of the Apostles doctrine and was continuing in the same teaching and passing on that teaching to his readers.
Jude 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.
Not being an Apostle of Jesus Christ, himself, he was reiterating the Apostles doctrine.
Warning his readers of the things that Jesus through the Gospel writers taught and what Peter and Paul had written about.
The conclusion therefore, is that either Jude used Peter’s letter, or Peter used Jude’s letter, or they both used the same information from another source.
It is too much of a co incidence that they both used the same examples and phrases.
