"Jude has a very different character. It is not the cradle of Christianity, or of the assembly on earth: it is its decay and its death here below. It does not keep its first estate"

John Nelson Darby's quote provides a profound and important examination of the Book of Jude within the New Testament. To interpret this, we should first understand the context in which Darby composed. He was a 19th-century theologian and a key figure in the Plymouth Brethren movement, understood for his dispensationalist views and a vital examination of existing church practices.

In this quote, Darby recommends that the Book of Jude serves a distinct function compared to other New Testament works. While lots of biblical texts focus on the establishment, development, and proliferation of the Christian church, Jude uses a sobering perspective on its potential decrease. "Jude has a very different character" suggests that Jude is distinctive in its message and tone. It does not celebrate the birth or improvement of Christian teaching ("the cradle of Christianity") but rather regrets its degeneration ("its decay and its death here listed below").

The expression "it does not keep its very first estate" likely describes a departure from foundational principles. In biblical context, the expression "first estate" typically denotes an original condition or pure start. Here, Darby highlights that Jude highlights a movement away from the church's preliminary pureness and fact. This aligns with the themes in Jude, which warn believers versus incorrect teachings and ethical decay infiltrating the community.

Darby's interpretation paints Jude as a didactic caution. It works as a tip of the ever-present obstacles the church faces: to maintain doctrinal pureness and ethical stability amidst external and internal pressures. The Book of Jude, then, is not simply reflective but likewise authoritative, prompting the faithful to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 1:3) as a bulwark against corruption.

In general, Darby highlights Jude's function in encouraging caution and strength amongst followers, asserting its critical value in resolving the church's struggles with spiritual fidelity.