similar problem on debian linux: jenkins.war does not start inside tomcat, and shows the log: 

INFORMATION: Deploying web application archive /data/jenkins/webapps/jenkins.war
Apr 11, 2017 8:34:18 AM org.apache.catalina.deploy.WebXml setVersion
WARNUNG: Unknown version string [3.1]. Default version will be used.
Apr 11, 2017 8:34:20 AM org.apache.catalina.startup.ContextConfig validateSecurityRoles
WARNUNG: Security role name ** used in an <auth-constraint> without being defined in a <security-role>
Apr 11, 2017 8:34:21 AM org.apache.catalina.startup.TldConfig execute
INFORMATION: At least one JAR was scanned for TLDs yet contained no TLDs. Enable debug logging for this logger for a complete list of JARs that were scanned but no TLDs
were found in them. Skipping unneeded JARs during scanning can improve startup time and JSP compilation time.
Apr 11, 2017 8:34:21 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext startInternal
SCHWERWIEGEND: One or more listeners failed to start. Full details will be found in the appropriate container log file 
Apr 11, 2017 8:34:21 AM org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext startInternal
SCHWERWIEGEND: Context [/jenkins] startup failed due to previous errors

Reverting to 2.53 fixed the problem

Jenkins 2.54 updates the minimal Java requirement to Java 8. It has been announced multiple times in Jenkins blogs and the mailing list. Here is the last entry: https://jenkins.io/blog/2017/04/10/jenkins-has-upgraded-to-java-8/

Even though the "Environment" field says it is Java 8, version "52" means that the JDK you are running on is not compatible with the Java SE 8 standard.

I think we've figured it out.

When we first started using Jenkins we installed it using the Windows installer, which installed Jenkins as a service. This installed its own version of Java as well and it has been using that all this time to run Jenkins:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Jenkins\jre\bin\java.exe" -version
java version "1.7.0_25"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_25-b17)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 23.25-b01, mixed mode)

This was a bit of a surprise for us - we'd been updating Java regularly, the "java -version" command gave us version 8, and we never realised that Jenkins was using its own version of Java. I think that this is why Jenkins 2.54 was failing even though we had Java version 8 installed on our server.

Since the issue is not with Jenkins itself I am satisfied that this issue is "Not a defect". Though I am a bit concerned that if Jenkins from the Windows Installer is using its own version of Java it could leave a security hole. Maybe this is something that's worth looking into?

Thanks for pointing us in the right direction Oleg, we really appreciate your help and patience!

Created JENKINS-43499 to check all installers

The debian packages also do not check Java Version and give no hint while updating.

BTW: http://semver.org/ would be very nice.

Debian packaging is JENKINS-43495.
Regarding SemVer, unfortunately Jenkins project works slightly differently. Even though, there was no API compatibility changes

Please update the control file in the 2.54 deb package since it currently does not reflect the Java 1.8 dependency:

Depends: daemon, adduser, procps, psmisc, net-tools, default-jre-headless (>= 2:1.7) | java7-runtime-headless

Both Debian packaging and SSH Slaves have been updated. The new Debian package will be released tomorrow

This is a problem with RHEL/CentOS as well using the 'official' RPM repo:

yum info jenkins
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* base: bay.uchicago.edu
* epel: mirror.us.leaseweb.net
* extras: mirrors.rit.edu
* updates: mirror.es.its.nyu.edu
Installed Packages
Name : jenkins
Arch : noarch
Version : 2.56
Release : 1.1
Size : 67 M
Repo : installed
From repo : jenkins

 yum deplist jenkins
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* base: repos-va.psychz.net
* epel: kdeforge2.unl.edu
* extras: mirror.tzulo.com
* updates: repos-tx.psychz.net
package: jenkins.noarch 2.56-1.1
dependency: /bin/sh
provider: bash.x86_64 4.2.46-21.el7_3
dependency: /usr/sbin/groupadd
provider: shadow-utils.x86_64 2:4.1.5.1-24.el7
dependency: /usr/sbin/useradd
provider: shadow-utils.x86_64 2:4.1.5.1-24.el7
dependency: procps
provider: procps-ng.x86_64 3.3.10-10.el7
provider: procps-ng.i686 3.3.10-10.el7

Not sure if java was intentionally not present in the dependency list for the RPM (whereas it is apparently listed for the deb packages), but its not there for the rpm ones.  Just in case someone stumbles upon this from a google search.

rstevens76 Probably as designed: https://github.com/jenkinsci/packaging/pull/96 , CC svanoort. Anyway, it should be created as a separate issue

rstevens76 Java is not on the dependency list for the RPM builds, because the Oracle JDK/JRE does not register as providing the "java" dependency.  This means adding the dependency would forcibly install the OpenJDK version, which can cause consequences for users.