The Canonical Epistle of Blessed Jude the Apostle

Epistola Canonica Beati Iudae Apostoli

ᵃ Judas, Jesu Christi ᵇ servus, ᶜ frater autem Jacobi: ᵈ his qui sunt in Deo ᵉ Patre ᶠ dilectis, & ᵍ à Christo Jesu ʰ conservatis & ⁱ vocatis: ᵏ Misericordia vobis & ˡ pax & charitas ᵐ adimpleatur.

ᵃ Confitens tam verbo quam opere. ᵇ Glossa, non displicet Christo, nec discordat à Jacobo predicatorio meo. ᶜ Natura, fide, doctrina & vita. ᵈ Glossa, vocat conservos dilectos Filios, & membra Dei facit. ᵉ Qui Deum habent Patrem & Patronum. ᶠ Propter fidem & charitatem. ᵍ Qui per Filium habens accessum ad Patrem. ʰ In fide & gratia contra perversores. ⁱ Ad hanc dignitatem. ᵏ In peccatorum remissione. ˡ In malorum persecutione. ᵐ Finaliter per constantiam.

The Canonical Epistle of Blessed Jude the Apostle

ᵃ Jude, ᵇ servant of Jesus Christ, ᶜ and brother of James: ᵈ to those who are ᵉ beloved in God the ᶠ Father, and ᵍ preserved ʰ by Jesus Christ and ⁱ called: ᵏ May mercy and ˡ peace and charity ᵐ be fulfilled in you.

ᵃ Confessing both in word and deed. ᵇ Gloss: it does not displease Christ, nor does it discord with my preaching James. ᶜ By nature, faith, doctrine and life. ᵈ Gloss: he calls fellow servants beloved Sons, and makes them members of God. ᵉ Who have God as Father and Patron. ᶠ On account of faith and charity. ᵍ Who through the Son having access to the Father. ʰ In faith and grace against perverters. ⁱ To this dignity. ᵏ In the remission of sins. ˡ In persecution of evils. ᵐ Finally through constancy.

Judas, Jesu Christi servus.

Ista est quarta pars & ultima libri Canonicorum, in qua ponitur Epistola beati Judae Apostoli. Hic dicitur Judae Thaddaeus, qui & frater Jacobi minoris. Scribit autem hanc Epistolam generaliter omnibus fidelibus, cuius materia est de fide & charitate, sicut Glossa dicit: Intentio vero illius est commonere fideles Christi, ne consentiant hæreticis, eos à fide & charitate retrahentibus. Ponitur autem Epistola ipsius loco ultimo: vel quia ultimo edita, vel quia minoris dignitatis & famæ cæteris fuit.

Habet autem hæc Epistola tres partes, sicut & aliæ, scilicet, salutationem, prosecutionem, & conclusionem. Secunda ibi: Charissimi omnem. Tertia ibi: Et autem qui potens est. In prima parte describitur primo persona salutans, cum dicitur: Judas &c. Secundo salutatio, cum subditur: His qui sunt. Tertio, bonum optatum exprimitur ibi: Misericordia vobis. Quoad primam partem, persona salutans notificatur ex tribus: Primo ex nomine proprio, cum dicitur: Judas. Secundo ex religione, cum sequitur: Jesu Christi servus. Tertio ex cognomine, vel circumstantia, cum subditur: Frater autem Jacobi.

Dicit ergo sic: Judas. Glossa: confitens verbo & facto. Servus Jesu Christi. Glossa: cui, secundum Gregorium, servire, est regnare. Non dicit Apostolus, propter humilitatem. Autem, pro sed, frater Jacobi. Glossa: natura, fide, doctrina, & vita. Iste est Jacobus minor, qui fuerat Episcopus Hierosolymitanus, qui dicitur Jacobus Alphæi. Hoc autem dicitur ad differentiam Judæ proditoris Christi. Et nota, quod Judas bene dicitur frater Jacobi. Quia Judas confitens dicitur: Jacobus vero supplantator.

Secundo ponuntur personae salutatae, cum dicitur: His, scilicet, scribit, qui sunt in Deo Patre formata charitate, tanquam Filii per imitationem. Dilectis à Deo, scilicet, per Charitatem, & aeternam praedestinationem. Et in Christo Jesu Filio Dei conservatis ab errore infidelium. Vel à Christo Jesu conservatis & vocatis, id est, Christo Jesu coadunatis. Et licet hic vocatio ponatur posterius, tamen est prior tempore, conservatione. Nec est vis in hoc, quia transpositio nominum non variat significationem.

Tertio ponuntur bona optata, cum sequitur: Misericordia vobis, scilicet, in peccatorum remissione, & pax in perfecta reconciliatione, quoad poenam debitam, & charitas in donorum effusione per gratiam. Scilicet, misericordia vobis peccata relaxans, pax conscientiam quietans, charitas Deo conjungens, adimpleatur per finalem perseverantiam. Vel adimpleatur in coelesti gloria, ubi, & non alibi charitas perficitur.

Glossa: Ut vobis sciatis providere, scribo vobis de illis, detego nequitias eorum, ostendo vobis, qualiter fidem & dilectionem debeatis tenere. Et cum sim ita solicitus pro vobis, admonitionem meam recipere debetis. Ego dico deprecans, non superaddi aliam fidem vestræ fidei. Sed sanctæ fidei, semel traditæ vobis, & omnibus sanctis ab Apostolis, super certari usque ad mortem, ut pro ea, si necesse est, moriamini. Et ideo scripsi, ut scirem statum vestræ fidei, & meam sollicitudinem ostendens vobis, ut sic in fide confirmaremini.

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Charissimi, omnem ᵃ solicitudinem faciens ᵇ scribendi vobis: de ᶜ communi vestra salute ᵈ necesse habui scribere ᵉ vobis, ᶠ deprecans ᵍ supercertari ʰ semel traditæ sanctis fidei.

ᵃ Qua pastor debet esse solicitus de ovibus. ᵇ Supple, Epistolam continentem doctrinam. ᶜ Defide, quæ est causa, mea salus, vestra, & omnium fidelium. ᵈ Urgente me sollicitudine mea interius, & periculo vestro exterius. ᵉ De pertinentibus. ᶠ Obsecrans. ᵍ Fortiter certari. ʰ Usque ad mortem.

Construe sic: Deprecans, id est, obsecrans, supple, vos, supercertari, id est, fortiter certari, usque ad mortem, traditæ, id est, datæ, fidei, scilicet, à Christo semel, id est, una vice, sanctis, supple, suis. Itaque, traditæ fidei, sint Dativi casus. Fidei, autem traditæ certat, & supercertat, qui fidem verbo & opere confirmat, sicut discipulus Christi Deo certat, qui contra diabolum pugnat. Et sua beatitudini certat, & supercertatur, qui in certamine cum mundo, carne, diabolo, & peccato, usque ad mortem fideliter pugnat, &c.

Nota, aliqui textus habent: Traditæ vobis à sanctis fidei. Et tunc exponitur sic: Deprecans supercertari, id est, fortiter certari, traditæ fidei vobis à sanctis, scilicet, Christo & Apostolis. Sed prior textus mihi plus placet.

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ᵃ Subintroierunt enim ᵇ quidam ᶜ homines, qui ᵈ olim ᵉ praescripti sunt in hoc ᶠ judicio impii, Domini nostri ᵍ gratiam transferentes in luxuriam, & ʰ solum ⁱ Dominatorem, & Dominum ᵏ nostrum Jesum Christum ˡ negantes.

ᵃ Glossa: Ideo necesse habui, quia subintroierunt sub specie religionis, quasi fidem Jesu praedicent. ᵇ Ignoti Deo & omnibus sanctis. ᶜ Humane sapientes. ᵈ Ab aeterno. ᵉ Exclusi à vita aeterna. ᶠ Alias in judicium damnationis. ᵍ Qui tanto licentius peccant, quanto sciunt Deum esse magis gratiosum. ʰ Cum Patre & Spiritu sancto. ⁱ Tam volentem, quam nolentem. ᵏ Salvatorem nostrum. ˡ Regem nostrum.

Praescripti. Glossa: Praescripti & praedestinati sunt, ut non fiant impii, sed existentes jam impii, praescripti sunt in judicium.

Nota, aliqui textus non habent literam, impii, quidam habent, & tunc construitur sic textus: Enim, pro quia, quidam impii homines, id est, mali à divino cultu deviantes, subintroierunt, sub specie religionis introierunt, qui olim. Glossa, id est, ab aeterno, in praesentia Dei, praescripti, id est, praevisi sunt, justo judicio Dei, ut sordescerent, & alios in sordes praecipitarent, & ideo judicabuntur.

Nota etiam, quod Dei nostri gratiam transferunt in luxuriam, qui Sacramentis Ecclesiæ abutuntur, ut sunt Simoniaci, avari, & adulterantes verbum Dei, & prædicantes principaliter propter quæstum.

Nota, quod impossibile est gratiam Dei transferre in luxuriam, sic quod gratia Dei mutaretur de se in luxuriam. Sed gratiam Dei in luxuriam transferunt, qui accepta gratia Dei, seipsos in luxuriam transferunt, & qui immensam gratiam Dei recipientes, luxuriantur laxius, & præsertim illi, qui majorem gratiam à Domino, id est, donum majus à Domino, acceperunt. Sic sumus nos, proh dolor, Sacerdotes.

Dominatorem. Glossa: Pater cum Filio & Spiritu sancto solus dominator: Filius cum Patre & Spiritu solus dominator: Spiritus sanctus cum Patre & Filio solus dominator. Quicunque ergo hæreticus Patrem Christi verum Deum, bonum & justum negat, solum dominatorem & Dominum nostrum negat. Qui Jesum Filium Dei esse negat, & hic dominatorem solum, & Dominum nostrum negat. Qui Spiritus sancti potentiæ detrahit, & hic solum dominatorem negat. Hæc Glossa.

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Charissimi, omnem solicitudinem faciens.

Secunda pars Epistolae hujus, in qua incipit prosecutio seu narratio, & habet duas partes. In prima parte Judas proponit propositum suum. In secunda prosequitur, dicens: Commonere autem volo vos. Propositum beati Judae est confirmare fideles contra haereticorum deceptiones.

Unde dicit: Charissimi, spiritualiter mihi juncti, omnem solicitudinem faciens. Glossa, omnia, quae pertinent ad solicitum solicitudine spirituali, qua pastor debet esse solicitus de ovibus suis, scribendi vobis, supple, Epistolam continentem doctrinam, de communi nostra salute. Glossa, de fide, quae est tam mea salus, quam vestra, & omnium fidelium: Ex quo patet, quod beatus Judas instruit generaliter omnes, & non personas aliquas specialiter, sicut fecit beatus Johannes in praecedentibus duabus Epistolis. Necesse habui urgente me sollicitudine mea interius, periculo vestro exterius. Scribere vobis, de pertinentibus ad vestram salutem.

Deprecans, non imperans, quod facit, quia non habuit generalem autoritatem super eos, quibus scribebat. Vel per hoc innuens servitutis Christi libertatem, & suam humilitatem. Supercertari nos, id est, fortiter certari. Glossa, usque ad mortem. Aliqui habent supercertari, ut innuat duplex certamen, scilicet, interius, quo captivatur intellectus: certamen exterius, quo confutatur haereticus. Primum pertinet ad credulitatem cordis. Secundum ad effectum oris, Rom. 10. Corde creditur ad justitiam: FIDEI, scilicet, nostrae, id est, super fidem cordis, addere certamen exterius oris. Quasi diceret: Rogo vos, ut pro fide nostra servanda stetis. Traditae semel vobis. Dicit semel, propter fidei unitatem, Ephes. 4. Unus Deus, una fides. Vel semel, id est, perfecte, à sanctis fidei, id est, Christo & Apostolis.

Jude, servant of Jesus Christ.

This is the fourth and final part of the book of Canonical [writings], in which is placed the Epistle of blessed Jude the Apostle. This one is called Jude Thaddeus, who is also the brother of James the Less. Moreover, he writes this Epistle generally to all the faithful, whose subject matter is about faith and charity, as the Gloss says: His intention truly is to warn the faithful of Christ, lest they consent to heretics, who draw them away from faith and charity. Moreover, his Epistle is placed in the last position: either because it was published last, or because it was of lesser dignity and fame than the others.

Moreover, this Epistle has three parts, just like the others, namely, the salutation, the prosecution [main body], and the conclusion. The second [begins] there: "Most beloved, all." The third there: "But to him who is able." In the first part, first the person greeting is described, when it is said: "Jude, etc." Second, the salutation, when it is added: "To those who are." Third, the good wish is expressed there: "Mercy to you." Regarding the first part, the person greeting is made known from three things: First from his proper name, when it is said: "Jude." Second from his religious [status], when it follows: "servant of Jesus Christ." Third from his surname, or circumstance, when it is added: "But brother of James."

He says therefore thus: "Jude." Gloss: confessing in word and deed. "Servant of Jesus Christ." Gloss: to whom, according to Gregory, to serve is to reign. He does not say "Apostle," on account of humility. "But," meaning "however," "brother of James." Gloss: by nature, faith, doctrine, and life. This is James the Less, who was Bishop of Jerusalem, who is called James of Alphaeus. This, however, is said to distinguish [him] from Jude the betrayer of Christ. And note, that Jude is well called brother of James. Because Jude is called "confessor": James truly "supplanter."

Second, the persons being greeted are set forth, when it is said: "To these," namely, he writes, "who are in God the Father" formed by charity, as Sons through imitation. "Beloved by God," namely, through Charity, and eternal predestination. "And preserved in Christ Jesus the Son of God" from the error of unbelievers. Or "preserved by Christ Jesus and called," that is, united to Christ Jesus. And although here calling is placed later, nevertheless it is prior in time to preservation. Nor is there force in this, because transposition of terms does not vary the signification.

Third, the good things wished [for them] are set forth, when it follows: "Mercy to you," namely, in the remission of sins, "and peace" in perfect reconciliation, regarding the punishment owed, "and charity" in the outpouring of gifts through grace. That is, may mercy relaxing your sins, peace quieting conscience, charity joining [you] to God, "be fulfilled" through final perseverance. Or "be fulfilled" in heavenly glory, where, and not elsewhere, charity is perfected.

Gloss: So that you may know how to provide for yourselves, I write to you about those [heretics], I expose their iniquities, I show you how you ought to hold faith and love. And since I am so solicitous for you, you ought to receive my admonition. I say entreating, not to add another faith to your faith. But [to contend] for the holy faith, once delivered to you, and to all the saints by the Apostles, to struggle even unto death, so that for it, if it is necessary, you may die. And therefore I wrote, so that I might know the state of your faith, and showing my solicitude to you, so that thus you might be confirmed in the faith.

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Most beloved, using all ᵃ diligence in ᵇ writing to you: concerning ᶜ your common salvation ᵈ it was necessary for me to write ᵉ to you, ᶠ entreating ᵍ to contend earnestly ʰ for the faith once delivered to the saints.

ᵃ With which a pastor ought to be solicitous about his sheep. ᵇ Supply: an Epistle containing doctrine. ᶜ About faith, which is the cause—my salvation, yours, and of all the faithful. ᵈ My inner solicitude urging me, and your external danger. ᵉ About pertinent matters. ᶠ Beseeching. ᵍ To fight strongly. ʰ Even unto death.

Construe thus: "Entreating," that is, beseeching, supply "you," "to contend earnestly," that is, to fight strongly, even unto death, for the "delivered," that is, given, "faith," namely, by Christ once, that is, one time, to the "saints," supply "his own." Therefore, "for the delivered faith" are in the dative case. Moreover, he contends and fights earnestly for the delivered faith, who confirms faith by word and work, just as a disciple of Christ fights for God, who battles against the devil. And he fights for his own blessedness, and contends earnestly, who in the struggle with the world, flesh, devil, and sin, faithfully fights even unto death, etc.

Note, some texts have: "Of the faith delivered to you by the saints." And then it is explained thus: "Entreating to contend earnestly," that is, to fight strongly, for the faith delivered to you by the saints, namely, Christ and the Apostles. But the earlier text pleases me more.

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ᵃ For certain ᵇ men ᶜ have crept in secretly, who ᵈ long ago ᵉ were written about for this ᶠ judgment, ungodly men, ᵍ turning the grace of our Lord into licentiousness, and denying ʰ the only ⁱ Ruler, and our ᵏ Lord Jesus ˡ Christ.

ᵃ Gloss: Therefore it was necessary, because they crept in under the appearance of religion, as if they preach the faith of Jesus. ᵇ Unknown to God and all the saints. ᶜ Wise in human terms. ᵈ From eternity. ᵉ Excluded from eternal life. ᶠ Otherwise, unto the judgment of damnation. ᵍ Who sin all the more licentiously, the more they know God to be gracious. ʰ With the Father and Holy Spirit. ⁱ Both willing and unwilling. ᵏ Our Savior. ˡ Our King.

Written about. Gloss: They were written about and predestined, not so that they would become ungodly, but already being ungodly, they were written about for judgment.

Note, some texts do not have the word "ungodly," some have it, and then the text is constructed thus: "For," meaning "because," "certain ungodly men," that is, evil ones deviating from divine worship, "have crept in secretly," have entered under the appearance of religion, "who long ago." Gloss: that is, from eternity, in the presence of God, "were written about," that is, were foreseen by the just judgment of God, so that they would become filthy, and would cast others into filth, and therefore they will be judged.

Note also, that they turn the grace of our God into licentiousness, who abuse the Sacraments of the Church, such as are Simoniacs, the greedy, and those adulterating the word of God, and preaching principally for profit.

Note, that it is impossible to transfer the grace of God into licentiousness, in such a way that the grace of God would be changed from itself into licentiousness. But they transfer the grace of God into licentiousness, who, having received the grace of God, transfer themselves into licentiousness, and who, receiving the immense grace of God, indulge more loosely, and especially those, who have received greater grace from the Lord, that is, a greater gift from the Lord. Thus are we, alas, Priests.

Ruler. Gloss: The Father with the Son and Holy Spirit is the only ruler: the Son with the Father and Spirit is the only ruler: the Holy Spirit with the Father and Son is the only ruler. Therefore, whatever heretic denies the Father of Christ to be true God, good and just, denies the only ruler and our Lord. Whoever denies that Jesus is the Son of God, this one also denies the only ruler, and our Lord. Whoever detracts from the power of the Holy Spirit, this one also denies the only ruler. This is the Gloss.

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Most beloved, using all diligence.

The second part of this Epistle, in which the prosecution or narration begins, and it has two parts. In the first part Jude sets forth his purpose. In the second he proceeds, saying: "But I want to remind you." The purpose of blessed Jude is to strengthen the faithful against the deceptions of heretics.

Hence he says: "Most beloved," spiritually joined to me, "using all diligence." Gloss: all things, which pertain to the solicitous one with spiritual solicitude, with which a pastor ought to be solicitous about his sheep, "in writing to you," supply: an Epistle containing doctrine, "concerning our common salvation." Gloss: about faith, which is as much my salvation, as yours, and of all the faithful: From which it is clear, that blessed Jude instructs generally everyone, and not some persons specifically, just as blessed John did in the preceding two Epistles. "It was necessary for me" with my solicitude urging me inwardly, your danger outwardly. "To write to you," about things pertaining to your salvation.

Entreating, not commanding, which he does, because he did not have general authority over those to whom he wrote. Or by this suggesting the freedom of Christ's servitude, and his own humility. "To contend earnestly for us," that is, to fight strongly. Gloss: even unto death. Some have "to contend earnestly," so that it suggests a double struggle, namely, interior, by which the intellect is captivated: exterior struggle, by which the heretic is refuted. The first pertains to the belief of the heart. The second to the effect of the mouth, Rom. 10. "With the heart one believes unto righteousness": "for the FAITH," namely, our [faith], that is, over the faith of the heart, to add the exterior struggle of the mouth. As if he would say: I ask you, that you stand for preserving our faith. "Delivered once to you." He says "once," on account of the unity of faith, Ephes. 4. "One God, one faith." Or "once," that is, perfectly, "by the saints of the faith," that is, Christ and the Apostles.