<P> The Epistle title is written as follows: "Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James" (NRSV). There is a dispute as to whether "brother" means someone who has the same father and mother, or a half - brother or cousin or more distant familial relationship . This dispute over the true meaning of "brother" grew as the doctrine of the Virgin Birth evolved . </P> <P> The debate has continued over the author's identity as the apostle, the brother of Jesus, both, or neither . Some scholars have argued that since the author of the letter has not identified himself as an apostle and actually refers to the apostles as a third party, he cannot be identified with the Jude who is listed as one of the Twelve (and, in the Gospel of Luke, is explicitly identified as being as "of James"). Others have drawn the opposite conclusion, i.e., that, as an apostle, he would not have made a claim of apostleship on his own behalf . The naming of many Judes in the gospels and among the relatives of Jesus and Jude's relationship to James the Just (called the brother of Jesus) have caused much confusion . Not a lot is known of Jude, which would explain the apparent need to identify him by reference to his better - known brother . </P> <P> The Epistle of Jude is a brief book of only a single chapter with 25 verses . It was composed as an encyclical letter--that is, one not directed to the members of one church in particular, but intended rather to be circulated and read in all churches . The form, as opposed to the earlier letters of Paul, suggests that the author knew Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians or even that the Pauline epistles had already been collected and were circulating when the text was written . </P> <P> The wording and syntax of this epistle in its original Greek demonstrates that the author was capable and fluent . The epistle is addressed to Christians in general, and it warns them about the doctrine of certain errant teachers to whom they were exposed . Examples of heterodox opinions that were circulating in the early 2nd century include Docetism, Marcionism, and Gnosticism . </P>

Who was jude writing to in the bible