Jesus in the General Epistles (1)
Pray Psalm 110.1, 2.
The LORD said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”
The LORD shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of Your enemies!
Sing Psalm 110.1, 2.
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation
“Sit by Me at My right hand,” the LORD says to my Lord,
“until I make Your foot stand on all who hate Your Word.”
The LORD sends strength from Zion: “Rule all Your enemies.”
While those who Him rely on go forth their LORD to please.
Read Heb. 1.3-12; 12.1-3; Jude 1.24, 25; meditate on Jude 1.24, 25.
Preparation
1. What can Jesus do for us?
2. What is our destination in life?
Meditation
The book of Hebrews establishes the template for seeing Christ in the general epistles (Hebrews, James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1-3 John, and Jude). By far the most theological and Christological book of this group, Hebrews reveals the underlying mindset that guides the writer’s exhortations and practical teaching, as well as those of all the general epistles. Hebrews shows us Jesus exalted, interceding as High Priest, bringing salvation, sanctifying His people, building His Church, advancing His Kingdom, and coming again as Judge of the world and Mediator for His people.
Hebrews is chock-full of Jesus, calling us to consider and see Him in all His glory, offices, and roles.
But we look to our selection from the book of Jude because of the compact richness of this text, how it puts the Lord Jesus before us in all the various ways He is spoken of in the general epistles.
Jude shows us that Jesus is exalted in glory, our God and our Savior. He keeps and therefore sanctifies us who believe in Him, building His Church and advancing His dominion. On the day when He judges the world, He will present all who believe in Him faultless to God, having judged us as without sin by virtue of His mediation on our behalf. He alone is wise, glorious, majestic, having dominion and advancing His rule with power, both now and forever. Amen.
Thus Jude, in the last two verses of the general epistles, offers a summary coda of this entire group: Jesus is exalted Lord and interceding High Priest. What the book of Hebrews and the other general epistles proclaim in detail, Jude offers as a summary benediction to all who believe in Jesus. To this God, our Savior, be all praise and honor and glory forever!
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Our lives are meant to be lived for His praise, honor, and glory.
“Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful” (Ps. 33.1).
To offer this kind of beautiful praise we must strive, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to be like Jesus. The writer of the book of Hebrews explains carefully what this will look like, and how it is to be done.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,”
[the angels and those believers who have preceded us]
“let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,”
[anything contrary to His law in Ex. 20.1-17 and Matt. 22.37-40]
“and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
[the Kingdom work He has planned for us to do, Eph. 2.10]
“looking unto Jesus,”
[where else would or could we look? Jn. 6.68]
“the author and finisher of our faith,”
[The Creator, The All in all, Gen. 1.1, Jn. 1.1-4; Prov. 8.22-31]
“Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,”
[His eyes always fixed on the prize, Phil. 2.5-11]
“despising the shame,”
[for His people whom He loved to the end, Jn. 13.1]
“and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
[All glory, laud, and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King, c.800, Theodulph of Orleans]
“For consider Him Who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself,
lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb. 12.1-3).
[Running the course of His commandments, in His strength, Ps. 119.32]
As we consider Him, we hear Him say,
“These things I have spoken to you,
that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (Jn. 15.11, 12).
“If you love Me, keep My commandments” (Jn. 14.15).
“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,
to God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
be glory and majesty,
dominion and power,
both now and forever.
Amen (Jude 1.24, 25).
Reflection
1. What does it mean for you to know that Jesus is exalted in glory?
2. How do you “consider and see” Jesus in His glory? Do you think you could improve in this? Explain.
3. Whom will you encourage today to consider Jesus, exalted in glory?
Let us more often look up to Him who is able to keep us from falling, to improve as well as maintain the work he has wrought in us, till we shall be presented blameless before the presence of his glory. Then shall our hearts know a joy beyond what earth can afford; then shall God also rejoice over us, and the joy of our compassionate Savior be completed. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Jude 1.24, 25
Pray Psalm 110.3-7.
Praise the Lord, exalted in glory. Call on Him to use you today for the progress of His Kingdom. Commit your day and everything in it to His service and glory.
Sing Psalm 110.3-7.
(Aurelia: The Church’s One Foundation)
Your people in Your power, arrayed in holiness,
like dew of morning’s hour shall serve like youth refreshed.
The LORD has sworn and never will He His promise check:
“You are a priest forever after Melchizedek.”
The Lord is at Your right hand to execute His wrath,
and judge all kings and all lands—doomed sinners in His path.
Then, all His foes defeated, He takes His hard-won rest,
in glorious triumph seated with us, redeemed and blessed.
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: Our ReVision series on “The Kingdom Economy” wraps up our study of time and how to use it and turns next to consider the work we’ve been given to do. In our Read Moore column, we continue working through the book, Understanding the Times. And I encourage you to follow our Corsfigell series on Brendan of Clonfert, nicknamed “The Navigator.” Join us and find out why. Click the Articles tab on the home page to see all the selections available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
