THE BOOK OF JAMES
Author: James, a leader of the Jerusalem church Audience: Jewish Christians, perhaps Jerusalem believers scattered after Stephen’s death Date: Perhaps before AD 50 Theme: James emphasizes vital Christianity characterized by good deeds and faith that works.
Author
The author identifies himself as James (1:1); he was probably the brother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem council (Ac 15). Four men in the NT have this name. The author of this letter could not have been the apostle James, who died too early (AD 44) to have written it. The other two men named James had neither the stature nor the influence that the writer of this letter had. James was one of several brothers of Jesus, probably the oldest since he heads the list in Mt 13:55.
Matthew 13:55
55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us?
At first he did not believe in Jesus and even challenged him and misunderstood his mission (Jn 7:2–5).
John 7:2-5
2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
After Jesus’ resurrection, James became very prominent in the Jerusalem church:
(1) James was one of the select individuals Christ appeared to after his resurrection (see 1Co 15:7 and note).
1 Corinthians 15:7
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
(2) Paul called him a “pillar” of the church (Gal 2:9).
Galatians 2:9
9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.
(3) Paul, on his first post conversion visit to Jerusalem, saw James (Gal 1:19).
Galatians 1:19
19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother.
(4) Paul did the same on his last visit (Ac 21:18).
Acts 21:18
18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present.
(5) When Peter was rescued from prison, he told his friends to tell James, presumably because James was a key leader in the church (Ac 12:17).
Acts 12:17
17 Peter motioned with his hand† for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.
(6) James was a leader in the important council of Jerusalem (Ac 15:13).
Acts 15:13
13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me.
(7) Jude could identify himself simply as “a brother of James” (Jude 1:1), so well known was James.
Jude 1:1
1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,
James was martyred c. AD 62, an event recorded by the Jewish historian Josephus (Antiquities, 20.9.1).
Date
Some date the letter in the early 60s. There are indications, however, that it was written before AD 50:
(1) Its distinctively Jewish nature suggests that it was composed when the church was still predominantly Jewish.
(2) It reflects a simple church order—officers of the church are called “elders” (5:14) and “teachers” (3:1).
(3) No reference is made to the controversy over Gentile circumcision.
(4) The Greek term synagoge (“synagogue” or “meeting”) is used to designate the meeting or meeting place of the church (2:2).
Recipients
The recipients are identified explicitly only in 1:1: “the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” Some hold that this expression refers to Christians in general, but the term “twelve tribes” would more naturally apply to Jewish Christians. Furthermore, a Jewish audience would be more in keeping with the obviously Jewish nature of the letter (e.g., the use of the Hebrew title for God, kyrios sabaoth, “Lord Almighty,” 5:4). That the recipients were Christians is clear from 2:1; 5:7–8. It has been plausibly suggested that these were believers from the early Jerusalem church who, after Stephen’s death, were scattered as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Syrian Antioch (see Ac 8:1; 11:19 and notes). This would account for James’s references to trials and oppression, his intimate knowledge of the readers and the authoritative nature of the letter. As leader of the Jerusalem church, James wrote as pastor to instruct and encourage his dispersed people in the face of their difficulties (see essay).
The General Letters
The seven letters following Hebrews—James; 1, 2 Peter; 1, 2, 3 John; Jude—have often been designated as the General Letters. This term goes back to the early church historian Eusebius (c. AD 265–340), who in his Ecclesiastical History (2:23–25) first referred to these seven letters as the Catholic Letters, using the word “catholic” in the sense of “universal.” The letters so designated may be said to be, for the most part, addressed to general audiences rather than to specific persons or localized groups. The only exceptions are 2 and 3 John, which are written to individuals or a specific church. In contrast to these general letters, Paul addresses his letters to individual churches (such as Philippians), small groups of churches (such as Galatians) or individuals (such as Timothy or Titus). As Eusebius noted long ago, one interesting fact connected with the General Letters is that most of them were at one time among the disputed books of the NT. James, 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John and Jude were all questioned extensively before being admitted to the canon of Scripture.
Theme
The central theme of James is “faith that works.” The letter is concerned primarily with practical matters related to the Christian’s walk (or lifestyle). How does faith work itself out in a Christian’s life? “Faith without deeds is dead,” James says (2:26). There is no such thing as true faith that does not express itself in a life of godliness. For the relationship between James and Paul on faith and works, see notes on 2:14–26 and 2:21.
Distinctive Characteristics
Characteristics that make the letter distinctive are:
(1) its unmistakably Jewish nature;
(2) its emphasis on vital Christianity, characterized by good deeds and a faith that works (genuine faith must and will be accompanied by a consistent lifestyle);
(3) its simple organization;
(4) its familiarity with Jesus’ teachings preserved in the Sermon on the Mount;
(5) its similarity to OT wisdom writings such as Proverbs (see essay);
(6) its excellent Greek.
Outline of the Book of James
I. Greetings (1:1)
II. Trials and Temptations (1:2–18)
A. The Testing of Faith (1:2–12)
B. The Source of Temptation (1:13–18)
III. Listening and Doing (1:19–27)
IV. Favoritism Forbidden (2:1–13)
V. Faith and Deeds (2:14–26)
VI. Taming the Tongue (3:1–12)
VII. Two Kinds of Wisdom (3:13–18)
VIII. Warning against Worldliness (ch. 4)
A. Quarrelsomeness (4:1–3)
B. Spiritual Unfaithfulness (4:4)
C. Pride (4:5–10)
D. Slander (4:11–12)
E. Boasting (4:13–17)
IX. Warning to Rich Oppressors (5:1–6)
X. Miscellaneous Exhortations (5:7–20)
A. Concerning Patience in Suffering (5:7–11)
B. Concerning Oaths (5:12)
C. Concerning the Prayer of Faith (5:13–18)
D. Concerning Those Who Wander from the Truth (5:19–20)
GENUINE RELIGION
1 James, a servant (or bondslave) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.
Trials and Temptations
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[1] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (or Patience is the ancient Greek word hupomone).
· This word does not describe a passive waiting, but an active endurance. It isn’t so much the quality that helps you sit quietly in the doctor’s waiting room as it is the quality that helps you finish a marathon.
Faith is tested through trials, not produced by trials. Trials reveal what faith we do have, not because God doesn’t know how much faith we have, but to make our faith evident to ourselves and those around us.
· We are constantly faced with temptations. It's just a part of life. And in each temptation there has to be a decision on our part, whether or not we are going to walk in the flesh or to walk in the Spirit. For temptation is any situation that would draw me into the flesh and into a fleshly reaction. I have to choose. Will I walk after the flesh? Will I walk after the Spirit? And we realize that there are all kinds of temptation. They come from all directions.
Matthew 5:12
12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Hebrews 10:34
34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
Hebrews 12:11
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
· (Calvin) Knowing God’s generosity, that He never despises or resents us for asking for wisdom, should encourage us to ask Him often. We need to understand that we the God of the open hand, not the god of the clenched fist.
1Kings 3:9-10
9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
Proverbs 2:3-6
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
· My commitment to God needs to be a complete commitment. I'm not to hold things out and then pull them back. I'm not to offer God my life and then take it back. I'm not really to ask for wisdom and then do my own thing. It isn't asking for wisdom and then making up my mind whether or not I want to follow it. Asking God to reveal His will so I can determine whether or not I want to yield to it. I must make a decision. I must make a commitment. I must determine that I'm going to just commit my life to the Lord's keeping, and then just believe the Lord to keep it. And when things aren't going quite right, or I can't quite understand what's happening, don't say, "Oh, I better take over here now, you know, I don't know what the Lord is doing." And this is so common among us, this wavering bit. Not really for sure. Offering and then taking back. You become unstable in everything.
Mark 11:24
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.
11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
· Here in chapter one, he speaks out against those rich who would use their riches to oppress others, to gain a special position. He says, "Hey, you're going to fade like a flower in the field. You're going to pass away." A man of low degree better rejoice in that he's exalted. But the rich in that he is made low.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
· Testing is a great way to learn the truth about me. It comes out in the time of trial. Again, when everything is going great, everything is running smooth; I don't know the truth about me. I don't know how I would respond in real adversity. God allows the adversity so that I can see the truth about myself and how I would respond in adversity. And when the adversity comes and I respond after the Spirit, Ah man, what a joyful delight. I often say, "Hey, that's not me. That's the Lord working in me because that isn't the way I would naturally respond." And it's a joy to see God's Spirit working in our lives, transforming us into the image of Jesus Christ.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
· The sin isn't in the temptation. We all of us experience temptation. Even Jesus was tempted of the devil. The sin doesn't lie in the temptation. The sin is there when I give into my desire of my flesh and I turn after the path that Satan suggests. That’s when the lust is conceived, it gives birth to sin. That's the beginning of sin.
Job 15:35
35 They conceive trouble and give birth to evil;
their womb fashions deceit.”
Psalm 7:14
14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
· This means that God never changes. Among modern theologians, there are some that are taken with something called process theology, which says that God is “maturing” and “growing” and “in process” Himself. But the Bible says that there is no variation or shadow of turning with God. The gift of God to us. His goodness, His grace, His love, comes from above,
18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
· Jesus said, "You didn't choose me, I chose you, and ordained that you should be my disciples and that you should bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John 15:16).
John 1:13
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
· I love it that God should choose me. I love it! I love it especially because He chose me on the basis of His foreknowledge, which means He knew the end from the beginning. And He chose me on the basis of what He knew would be the end of my walk and fellowship with Him. You see, God wouldn't be so foolish as to choose losers. If you had the power of foreknowledge, you wouldn't choose the losers. That'd be ridiculous, wouldn't it? Think of what you can do if you could make all of your choices with the advantage of foreknowledge. You knew exactly what would be the result of this choice.
· Peter in his first epistle said, "Thanks be to God who has us new birth" (1 Peter 1:3). My being born again is a work of God, God has chosen me and I was born again by a work of God's Spirit, not by even my own will. "Not the will of man nor the will of the flesh but by the will of God."
New creatures in Christ.
Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
Proverbs 10:19
19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
but the prudent hold their tongues.
20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
· James said, Well you say you have the word of God; that isn't enough. You've got to be doing the word of God. There's got to be the practical application. There's got to be obedience to the commands. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only because you'll deceive yourself.
· We must receive God’s word as doers, not merely hearers. (marching orders!) To take comfort in the fact you have heard God’s word when you haven’t done it is to deceive yourself.
· Jesus used this same point to conclude His great Sermon on the Mount. He said that the one who heard the word without doing it was like a man who built his house on the sand, but the one who heard God’s word and did it was like a man whose house was built on a rock and could withstand the inevitable storms of life and eternity. (Matthew 7:24-27)
John 13:17
17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.
· In the ancient Greek language, religious is a word that is never used in a positive sense in the New Testament. James uses it here of someone who is religious, but not really right with God, and it is evident because he does not bridle his tongue.
27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Matthew 25:36
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
TABLE TALK QUESTIONS
(1) When was the last time you considered a trial ‘pure joy’? Share with the Brothers so they can pray for you!
(2) How many times have you wished you had asked God for wisdom instead of just moving ahead on your own? Cost you big time?
(3) What keeps us from asking for wisdom more often?
(4) Are you committed to God? Holding anything back?
(5) Find yourself taking comfort in God’s promises but not delivering on obedience? Pray for each other.
