Jesus' Kid Brother

“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ” (v1).

Ever wonder what Jesus was like growing up? You know, what kind of kid was He? The writers of the Bible don’t have a lot to say about those days. Wouldn’t it be great if we could hear from someone who knew Jesus back in the day? Someone who knew Him before there was all this crazy talk of being Messiah and the Son of God. Well, wouldn’t you know it, there are! His little brothers James and Jude actually wrote books of the Bible. These two guys grew up sharing the same bedroom with our Savior. And it took them a while to believe that Jesus is who He said He was (Jn 7:5; Mk 3:21). That didn’t happen until their big Brother walked out of the graveyard (1Cor 15:6). Brother Jim turns out to be a big dog in the early church in Jerusalem. Jude’s resume might not be as impressive as his other brothers, but he has some very important things to tell folks who follow Jesus.

First of all, Jude doesn’t play the “little brother of the Savior of the world” card. As a matter of fact, he simply says he’s “a servant of Jesus Christ” (v1). He only claims to be the “brother of James” (v1). His pen drips with humility. I don’t know about you, but if I’m Jude, I’m more than ready to drop this nuclear bomb of knowledge on everyone I meet. Comedian Brian Regan does this hilarious routine about what it must be like to be Neil Armstrong. No matter how anyone brags at dinner party, he can stop the conversation with, “Well, I walked on the moon.” Jude’s one of the few people in history who can top the first man on the moon. “I’m Jesus’ kid brother.” That’s when you drop the mic and walk off. And if there’s ever a time to do it, you’d think it would be in the opening lines of a letter to folks who’ve placed their trust in your big Brother as their Lord and Savior. But no. He’s simply a humble servant. 

So just where did this dude Jude learn to put others first? I’m guessing that’s also from watching his big Brother. Jesus told His own posse that while He might be Messiah, He didn’t come to be waited on. “Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). The Apostle Paul wrote about the mind-blowing fact that Jesus isn’t just the King of Kings but the Servant of Servants. “Though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil 2:6-7). Jesus is God but didn’t put His kung fu grip on that truth when He became human. Instead He set His focus on serving others. The very night He was betrayed, Jesus went so far as to grab a towel and wash His disciples’ feet (Jn 13:3-5). If there ever was a time when our Savior could have been the guest of honor, it was that night. Instead, He served.   

Jude could have latched onto the fact that he was Jesus’ little brother and never let go. But he has the same humble attitude as Jesus. Jude is a servant. He’s here to help. Just like his big Brother.