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Caught between tradition and revolution, Jude confronts hidden corruption.

Jude ben Joseph always dreamed of becoming a respected Rabbi. Born into poverty, his family needed his labor more than his intellect, and that dream seemed out of his reach.

After his oldest brother’s death and miraculous resurrection, Jude begins to connect his studies with the radical teachings of Jesus. As these teachings clash with the established religious leaders of Jerusalem, Jude starts to recognize the wolves hiding among the sheep.

Caught between his steadfast adherence to traditional beliefs and the transformative message of his brother, Jude must confront his religious convictions with the challenge of this new movement.

Dive into the new world in the aftermath of Jesus’ resurrection with this gripping story in Jude, Book 4 of the Servant Siblings series.

231 pages, ebook

Published March 10, 2023

37 people are currently reading
152 people want to read

About the author

Jenifer Jennings

30 books132 followers
Jenifer Jennings writes Historical novels that immerse readers in ancient worlds filled with Biblical characters and faith-building stories. Coming to faith in Jesus at seventeen, she spends her days falling in love with her Savior through the study of His Word. Jenifer has a Bachelor’s in Women’s Ministry and graduated with distinction while earning her Master’s in Biblical Languages. When she’s not working on her latest book, Jenifer can be found on a date with her hardworking husband or mothering their two children.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
55 reviews3 followers
February 23, 2023
I haven’t read the books in this series that preceded Jude but I definitely will now. Jude is written in a style that quickly and comfortably draws you into the story. I love that the chapters are short enough that I could read several in a sitting.
The story itself is a mixture of biblical truth, romance and suspense. I could tell that I was missing the back story of several characters but it didn’t interfere with the story at all. What it did do was make me want to go back and read all the books in the series.

I received this book as an advanced readers copy but was not obligated to give a positive review.
19 reviews5 followers
February 24, 2023
This is a story about Jude, Jesus’ brother, who had a hunger for the Scriptures, especially the Words of the Prophets, that spoke of the Messiah.
Jude’s hope for his future is to become a Rabi, so he is hoping to be able to study The Law under a Temple Rabi. As Jude is studying the prophecies, he is also seeing how his brother Jesus fulfilled not only the Scriptures, but also how Jesus came against the religious leaders of the day, and he starts to see how things are not as they seem on the surface.
What does he find and how does that impact the beliefs and traditions he holds.
This book caught my interest because it was about Jude, one of Jesus’ brothers’. I personally haven’t read many Biblical Fiction books on Jesus’ sisters’ or brothers’, so I thought this would be an interesting book to read. I enjoyed many of the characters like Arava, Jude and a few other sisters’ that were mentioned. There were a few other minor characters that I enjoyed also, like Salvus, a Roman Soldier whom Jude helped and witnessed to. I definitely would like to know more of his story, as I have some questions about him that were not mentioned in the story, but may be answered in the next book. I also would like to know about Rabi Gamaliel and the Priest Theodotos as they captured my attention in the story.
I did have a slightly difficult time at first getting into the story. Part of the reason may be because there seemed to be parts of the story that I was missing that was probably answered in the previous books that I didn’t read beforehand. I feel the story didn’t fill in or give enough information when needed. Again, maybe I needed to read the other books. The story also ended to quickly and left you with many questions. Again, the story may pick up in the next book.
There were a few quotes in the book that I feel is worth mentioning, as I feel they are very relevant for today. The first one is when Jude was witnessing to Salvus. He said to him, “We all need a Saviour. Some of us just don’t know it yet. I didn’t know I needed one either. But I did, and so do you.” There is a very powerful truth to that statement. The other quote was from Salvus to Jude. He said, “No Hebrew god would care enough to protect a Roman Soldier.
This made an impact on me because in this period of time, Salvus just didn’t understand what Jesus had provided for everyone through his blood and finished death on the cross and his resurrection, and that was salvation for everyone, the Jew and Gentile alike.
Jenifer Jennings is a new to me author and I am looking forward to reading the other books on the series.

I was given an Advanced Copy to read from the author in order to give an honest review, whether good or bad, and this is my honest review of this book.
Profile Image for ArynTheLibraryan.
327 reviews32 followers
February 26, 2023
I got totally caught up in this story. I haven't read the earlier books in the series, and now I need to, because this was so good, and there were hints of backstory that I want to explore. But I was never lost, and it worked well as a standalone story.

Jude is full of the enthusiasm and the uncertainty of a new believer. I thoroughly enjoyed watching him read familiar passages of scripture and discover his brother there, plain as day.

The wonder and awe is infectious, and inspires you to go look for Jesus in the Old Testament stories more diligently and with more appreciation.

I especially loved Mary in this story. She was so real and they talked about some things that were hard for her. It made her a little bit more 3D than some stories do.

I received a copy of the book from the author and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for Malgorzata.
372 reviews8 followers
March 10, 2023
The author wrote a story about one of Jesus brothers and how his life might look like short after his famous brother death and resurrection. It is good read for all who likes to read biblical fiction.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
28 reviews35 followers
March 22, 2023
This is book 4 in a series about the siblings of Jesus. I had not read the previous books, but it does work as a standalone, as each book focuses on a specific person. However, it would probably be best to read the previous work first, as there are people and events referenced from the preceding books.

Jude has worked as a craftsman, but his true dream is to study the scriptures under a rabbi. He is not sure if he will ever be accepted by a rabbi, as his speaking about Jesus and pointing others towards him as the Messiah is frowned upon by the religious elite. He is finally accepted by Rabbi Ethan. Jude continues his study with Ethan, along with his duties with the followers of the way. They visit many people in need each day to offer food and any help or assistance needed.

An important part of biblical fiction is not deviating from what is in the Bible. This book follows along with the book of Acts. It follows along with the history of the early church.

There is a disabled character, and I thought her story was handled in a good way. Ultimately, she is not healed, because she is not broken. Her deafness is just part of how God created her. There are many great details such as Jude choosing trumpets and loud instruments at an event so she could feel the vibrations, even if she couldn't hear the music.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Nyla Kay.
Author 1 book24 followers
April 8, 2023
Jude: Captivating 1st Century Biblical Novel, book four in the Servant Siblings Series by amazing wordsmith Jenifer Jennings, is a masterpiece. Biblical Fiction is my favorite genre if it is written in accordance with scripture. This one is. I am thrilled to find another author that I can follow in this category. Even though this is book four, it may easily be read as a stand along.

I was invested in the story and character immediately. It held my interest through the entire book. I will definitely be reading the first three books of the series. The author has an inviting style of writing. Her pace is even and the material kept my attention. It is obvious she did extensive research. This is a well planned, well written novel.

This is the tale of Jude, Jesus’ brother. He is a new believer and has a heart to share his belief. While Jude is excited is still has a bit of uncertainty as a new believer. It was enlightening to read how he found familiar passages of scripture and discovered his brother, Jesus, there in the prophesies. Mary was written exquisitely. Reading about her triumph and trials was emotional. She became more familiar and personal. There is a sweet, poignant love story in this book, too.

I highly recommend “Jude” by author Jenifer Jennings. It would make a lovely reading group choice. There is so much to discuss and share. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided, but these are my honest words.
Profile Image for Claire Musters.
Author 29 books4 followers
March 30, 2023
This is part four of the Servant Siblings series, which focus on the siblings of Jesus. I read it as a standalone, which works, but have been advised that there are many strands from previous titles that add more depth to it.

I am a fairly recent convert to biblical fiction and it was interesting to view what life could have been like for Jude and other early followers of the Way. Jude was a likeable, real character and the gentle love story that weaved throughout worked well.

There were big chunks that seemed to be simply summarising scripture, which I found myself skimming over more quickly even though this did add credibility to the story. What I found most fascinating was the author’s imagination filling out scenes that we can only imagine through the words we read in Acts, such as the imprisonment and flogging of Peter, John and Jude. It was fascinating to think about how they must have lived day to day as they followed Jesus’ call to care for the poor and preach the good news against a backdrop of hostility. It was refreshing to read about Jude’s own desires, hopes and dreams as he sought to be a faithful follower.

Overall, if you like biblical fiction I would recommend you check this series out (don’t be put off by the covers, which I don’t think are too successful unfortunately.)
63 reviews7 followers
March 4, 2023
Jude is an awe inspiring Biblical fiction novel, which happens to be my favorite genre! Jude, of course, was one of Jesus’s brothers and so he had a first person perspective on the life, death, and resurrection of our Saviour! I loved how honest Jenifer was with Jude’s feelings about this-first-doubt-then-trepidation-then-fear-then a full-blown eye-opening revelation of WHO his brother REALLY was and how that knowledge affected his life from that moment forward! In this book, also, is a love story, a very beautiful and at times, heart-wrenching story of a deaf and mute girl, whom Jude happens to fall head over heels in love with, but I cannot explain it all to you. It would really ruin this book for you if I TELL you about it, instead of letting you explore it all for yourself, putting yourself back in time and living life with the disciples with all of their their love for one another and for others of all walks of life, (even Romans!), their tenacity and bravery through the Holy Spirit to minister, teach, preach, and heal through the name of Jesus…wow! What a wonderful book! Please get this book. You will surely love it as much as I did! I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion. 🙏♥️🙏♥️
120 reviews3 followers
March 9, 2023
In her latest book, Jude, Jennifer Jennings introduces us to Jude, the youngest brother of Jesus. We are given a glimpse into the lives of Jesus’ family and how his death and resurrection changed all of their lives. The struggles were real as they took on the mantle of servants and Jude suffered perhaps the most as his dream of being a rabbi seemed to be out of reach because of Jesus. As Jude continues to search the scrolls, his eyes are opened more and more to the fact that his brother was Messiah.
The supporting characters were well developed and interesting, especially Arava. The book has everything in it that makes for a good read, including a beautiful romance, the sights and smells of a long-ago time, culture and always faith. The disciples are present, and Peter was portrayed just like I picture him. Such an interesting time the of First Century Christians and Jennifer Jennings has brought it to life. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and others in this series. A recommendation for all who enjoy Biblical fiction.
I received an advance copy from the author but was not required to write a review. The opinions are mine alone.
478 reviews4 followers
March 10, 2023
Jude is a scholar, a gentle, sensitive man, looking for rabbi who will take him as a student. All he wants to do is study the ancient scrolls of his people. As shown in his many prayers, he is seeking Adonai's will for his life. He also searches the scrolls looking for references and evidence that his older half-brother, Jesus, was Adonai's chosen Messiah Jude is looking for "textbook" evidence, but it takes an experience of the heart to convince him that he must believe. As with the previous books in this series, the events in the Bible come alive. Although told from Jude's perspective, I felt like I was standing by his side. I could almost hear Peter's booming voice as he preached in the Temple and feel the joy of the crippled man as he was healed. As I finished reading, all I wanted to do was read the book of Jude in the Bible. Since the author is described as the brother of James, I am sure it is the same Jude. Wonderful read. Reading Jude's prayers are a must, so heartfelt. I received a complimentary copy of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for HAL.
426 reviews3 followers
July 13, 2025
Great insight into post resurrection days!

Jennifer is so gifted in portraying what could have happened in the household of Jesus. Though Lydia's story had a raw component to the suffering endured by early Christians, Jude has his own battles to face. I found the unfolding of needy believers as the church grew and the problems that developed presented in a fascinating narrative that fit so well with the story of Jude. A part of me wanted Jennings to relate how he would write a short but powerful letter that we see in the New Testament today, but that aside, the book entertains and gives the reader much to ponder. Jennifer also covers deafness during that time and how healing wasn't given to everyone. Societal expectations were just as or more discriminating then as many deaf face today.
There is death and violence but I can recommend this story for mid teens and adults heartily and look forward to reading more from this gifted author!
Profile Image for Roger.
5,705 reviews28 followers
March 15, 2023
Jude: Captivating 1st Century Biblical Novel (Servant Siblings Book 4) , my thirteenth read from Christian author Jenifer Jennings. A well-written fictionalized expansion of Biblical times focusing on Jude following Jesus' crucifixion & resurrection in the time of the disciples. “I received a free Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. I'll definitely be reading more from this author and look forward to Jenning's next book, Lydia: Captivating 1st Century Biblical Novel (Servant Siblings Book 5) when it's published in January of next year. RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
Profile Image for Holly Bleggi.
1,377 reviews27 followers
March 29, 2023
I liked how this book took us to the time right after Christ’s death and showed us what the apostles were doing. I liked how we got to see how people were responding to what was being taught. I also liked that these books in this series follow Christ’s siblings. I think that gives a unique insight into what was happening at the time and what Christ taught. I thought that this book did a good job of taking us back to Jerusalem at this time and showing us how people came closer to God through Christ’s teachings. I enjoyed reading this book.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own
Profile Image for Jill.
475 reviews
March 9, 2023
I absolutely loved this story of Jude. I have read the previous books in this series and truly enjoyed the continuation of the Servant Siblings. Although this book could be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the previous titles in order to get the full scope of the story.

Jude seemed to have a sweet nature; his compassion for others is an example that we as Christians should always follow. Not only is this an entertaining read, but it serves to provide the reader with great spiritual truths as well. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.
Profile Image for Sunnie.
1,006 reviews49 followers
February 23, 2023
This was an interesting book of the siblings of Jesus. I haven't read the earlier books, so this was my first. It was fine though and I didn't feel I had to catch up to the previous books. It started just a little slower for me and took a while to grab my attention. But then it did and so I found it interesting to read of possible feelings of the people in Jesus' life that we really don't know too much about.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for Mae Clair.
Author 24 books565 followers
March 28, 2023
I’ve followed this series from the start. All the books are engaging with wonderful characters from both historical and fictional realms. I liked that the author used actual happenings from the book of Acts in this one. I do think (by this point) it’s harder to pick up as a standalone reader because of the amount of threads that have carried over from pervious novels. I look forward to sticking with this series through all of the Servant Siblings.
Profile Image for Tamara.
9 reviews4 followers
July 17, 2024
Follows through with updates on character arcs from previous books in the series and weaves in the Bible’s one-shot wonder characters with plausible “next chapter” epilogues, while continuing the story forward with a look at the studious brother’s hopes and dreams. The author draws the reader into the tensions and challenges faced by early believers with historical details and realistic characters. Looking forward to more!
557 reviews19 followers
March 17, 2023
We don't often think about the other children, siblings of Jesus. This story gives you a look at what life might have been like after Jesus died, was risen, and returned to heaven. What did his family believe? What was the world like for them?
I found this a good read that wove scripture with imagination well.
Profile Image for Kate Joyce.
80 reviews1 follower
August 3, 2023
Such a good book. I didn’t know much about Jude, except that he was a brother of Jesus. Our Women’s Ministry is going to do a Bible on Jude in a few weeks, so this was a perfect time to read this book. I enjoyed the author’s easy writing style, I’m a slow read reader but read this book in a few days. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. Highly recommend.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
191 reviews
March 31, 2025
Really Good

I enjoyed this book, it didn’t pull me in as much as the other 3 books, but still enjoyed it. Jude is an interesting brother of Jesus, not a ton is really known about him, other than that he wrote the Book of Jude in the Bible! Thank you Jenifer for these books, now on to your next book!
954 reviews22 followers
February 20, 2023
A book that I was able to read in an evening. A Biblical fiction story about Jesus’ brother Jude. It didn’t seem really attention getting, but I easily read it. I received a copy of this book and all opinions are mine.
Profile Image for Linda.
458 reviews24 followers
March 9, 2023
Author Jennifer Jennings is a new-to-me author. Even though Jude is Book #4 in the Servant Siblings Series, it reads as a stand-alone. However, I will make sure I check out the other books. Author Jennings bio reveals “she has a passion for in-depth Biblical study, historical research, and a few dashes of fiction to bring well-loved or little-known Bible stories to life.” Other than being Jesus’ brother, Jude is a lesser-known character in the Bible. With the author’s unique writing style Jude’s life became relatable.
I received a complimentary copy from the author. The opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Bonny Rambarran.
1,521 reviews21 followers
March 10, 2023
OH MY GOODNESS - WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK
Jude- one of Christ’s brothers. And while we know very little about him this is a great book about what could have happened. Absolutely loved this book!!! I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and comments are my own.
Profile Image for Barbara Carter.
467 reviews20 followers
March 20, 2023
living and active!

The Biblical narrative, powerful and true is brought to greater understanding as we meet the characters and their challenges in the streets and in their homes. Blessed to read and enjoy these powerful stories.
37 reviews3 followers
March 27, 2023
Great book of one if Jesus siblings after his resurrection. How he deals with teaching others, the miracles and the growing relationship with a woman. Great story and characters.anotger great book by Jennings
Profile Image for Carlene Havel.
Author 28 books110 followers
April 24, 2023
Great story, wonderful characters. This is an altogether appealing book, a sweet story of love and compassion set in Biblical times. Jude is such a gentle, loveable hero! I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Profile Image for Amanda.
1,010 reviews
February 1, 2025
This series continues to bring the events of the book of Acts to life. I enjoy seeing the author's ideas of what happened through the eyes of her characters. She stays true to the Bible's account while adding details that help us remember that real people experienced these events.
98 reviews2 followers
March 21, 2023
great story

I’ve enjoyed all the sibling stories which give another insight into Jesus’ life as an elder brother and later for them, a risen Messiah.
95 reviews3 followers
March 22, 2023
I have read all of (The Servant Siblings) By Jenifer Jennings and have enjoyed them all. I will say my favorites have been Jude and Joseph. I wish we didn't have to wait so long for the next one.
103 reviews5 followers
April 12, 2023
Back In Jerusalem

I felt that I was back in Jerusalem with the apostles and family of Jesus. Even though the book is fiction, there's plenty of Scripture.
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