Verse 3
Most Spirit-led preachers have felt exactly how Jude said he felt in this verse. It is enjoyable to talk about salvation and other positive subjects. Nevertheless occasionally a particular situation compels us to speak about a danger that God’s people need to appreciate. The presentation of this subject must sometimes be quite negative. Delivering such a message is not as pleasant a task.
The faith delivered to the saints is the special revelation of God that Scripture contains and the apostles preached (cf. Galatians 1:23; 1 Timothy 4:1). Jude’s readers needed to struggle to maintain this faith as a champion athlete labors to dominate and to subdue his or her challengers (cf. 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7-8).
"To ’contend earnestly for’ (epagonizesthai) is an expressive compound infinitive which appears only here in the New Testament. The simple form of the verb (agonizomai), which appears as ’agonize’ in its English form, was commonly used in connection with the Greek stadium to denote a strenuous struggle to overcome an opponent, as in a wrestling match. It was also used more generally of any conflict, contest, debate, or lawsuit. Involved is the thought of the expenditure of all one’s energy in order to prevail." [Note: D. Edmond Hiebert, "An Exposition of Judges 1:3-4," Bibliotheca Sacra 142:566 (April-June 1985):144.]
This unique compound verb pictures a person taking his or her stand on top of something an adversary desires to take away, and fighting to defend and retain it. [Note: G. F. C. Fronmüller, "The Epistle General of Jude," in Lange’s Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, 12:5:13.]
"These efforts are, it is surely unnecessary to add, of a moral and persuasive nature only; all force of a physical nature being expressly forbidden the faithful. When Peter sought to defend the Lord with a sword he was rebuked for his pains; and in bidding him sheathe it, he forevermore made it clear that his followers are not to fight with carnal weapons in his behalf." [Note: Guy N. Woods, A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles of Peter, John, and Jude, p. 385.]
"Jude has two major concerns-that they [his readers] will not be led astray by false teachers. He prays that they will instead take the initiative and contend for the faith." [Note: Cedar, p. 250.]
"The final argument for faith in the world is not the argument of words, but the argument of life." [Note: G. Campbell Morgan, Living Messages of the Books of the Bible, 2:2:203.]
"Indifference to error is a sign of false liberalism and humiliating weakness." [Note: Nathaniel M. Williams, "Commentary on the Epistle of Jude," in An American Commentary on the New Testament, 7:8.]
The phrase "once for all delivered" stresses the unalterable and normative character of this faith.
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