The Argument of the Epistle of S. Jude

In the Gospel these are called Fratres Iesu, the brethren of Jesus: James and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude. Mat. 13. Their father is called Alphæus, where James is termed, James of Alphæus: Mat. 10. and their mother, Maria Iacobi minoris, Marie the mother of James the younger and of Joseph. Mat. 13. Which Marie in another place being called Maria Cleophæ, we perceive their father was named both Alphæus and also Cleophas. Ioh. 19. And that this Cleophas was brother to Joseph our Lady's husband, Hegesippus telleth us. Euseb. hist. li. 3. c. 10. Therefore because Joseph was called the father of Christ, his brother's children, were called the brethren, that is (according to the custom of the scripture also) the kinsmen of our Lord: and not because they were the children of Joseph himself by another wife, much less (as Helvidius the heretic did blaspheme) by our B. Lady the perpetual virgin MARIE. Howbeit some good authors say, that their mother Marie was the natural sister of our Lady, and that therefore they are called Fratres Domini, the brethren of our Lord.

Howsoever that be, three of them are reckoned among the 12. Apostles, James and Simon Cananæus, and Jude. Yea and that they were somewhat more than Apostles, though less than Peter, S. Paul signifieth, where he saith speaking of himself and Barnabas: As also the other Apostles, and the brethren of our Lord, and Cephas. 1. Cor. 9.

And as S. Luke calleth this Jude, Jude of James, so he calleth himself in this Epistle of his, Jude the servant of Jesus Christ, and the brother of James. S. Matthew and S. Mark do call him Thaddæus, as Lebbæus also in the Greek. His feast and his brother Simon's together, the Church keepeth Octob. 28. called Simon and Jude's day.

His Epistle is an Invective against all heretics (as it were a Commentary of 2 Pet. 2.) and namely (as S. Aug. hath told us) pag. 379. 646. against those, which misconstered S. Paul's Epistles and held Only faith. whom he calleth therefore, Men that transfer or pervert the grace of God into riotousness, v. 4. exhorting Catholics to be constant and unmoveable from their old faith, and to contend for the keeping thereof, v. 3. and v. 20. For, heretics (saith he) segregate themselves from the Church and from her faith. v. 19.