Jude, sometimes known as Thaddeus or Lebbeus, was the brother of James the Lesser. He was always a bit violent and militant, desiring the Jews to be the dominant people group in the world. He initially wanted Jesus to be a militaristic Messiah in order to fulfill his nationalistic dreams. Despite his early misconceptions regarding Jesus’ purpose, he was incredibly faithful. His ministry spanned from Assyria to Persia. Jude eventually became a martyr for God, with accounts of him either being shot to death with arrows or crucified. Jude’s symbol in the Catholic church is that of a ship, due to him being a fisherman.
Name: Jude
Family: James (the Lesser), Alpheus (Father), Mary (Mother)
Nicknames: Trinomious, Thaddeus, Lebbeus
- Trinomious means “a man with three names”
- Thaddeus was his surname
Personality:
- Intense
- Violent
- Nationalistic
- Dreamt of domination by the Jews of the world
- Zealous
- Passionate
- Wanted Jesus to be a ruling King
Life before Christ:
- Little is known about him
- Lived in Galilee
Accomplishments:
- Preached in Assyria and Persia
- Asked Jesus at the Last Supper, “But Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
- Preached in Edessa near the Euphrates River where he healed many and brought many to Christ
- Was a martyr for Christ
Death:
- Was either killed by arrows at Ararat or crucified at Edessa