book of james essay

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The Book of James, Essay Example

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James focuses much on the riches of this life and the riches of the next world and about the gap between the goals of earthly life and the righteousness of pursuing self-sacrifice and acceptance of a humble life and of each other. These are the eternal treasures that the Bible offers Christians.

In Chapter 1, James tells us that trials develop the perseverance necessary to reach maturity, completion, and readiness to receive faith without doubt. The high times only prepare a person to wither into complaisance and to thank God only when earthly treasures present themselves. “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” (1:17). James writes that the poor blossom and can be proud of this struggle. Anger comes from humanity and brings people away from godliness, a trait which James regards as useful only in practice and under close guard.

Like many common idioms, the warning: “Never judge a book by its cover” related to the Bible. James’ second chapter urges Christians to consider men as all the same and possibly even pity the rich above the poor of strong faith. The law is a single book. All of it is kept, or none of it. A lawbreaker wears no badge to show which sin was committed. We all sin. Faith and action make Christians completed and clean again.

In the third chapter, James tells his followers that “We who teach will be judged more sternly.” (3:1) He writes that every ‘stumble’ or ‘ripple’ is a setback to the message that we bring. As a small part of the body, the tongue should be unimportant, but the words that we use, especially when we think that no one is watching or listening, “corrupts the whole person… and is itself set on fire by hell.” (3:6) A boast or an insult make men choose which words to honor and believe. Ambition does not represent the wisdom of God, which chooses impulses of love above these things.

Every fight belongs to unmet wants and needs, but God meets the truest needs. The friend of the world turns against God and becomes proud, envious, ambitious, and angry; Christians should accept mourning for their membership in the inborn sins of humanity. Again Paul talks about favoritism and how Christians often choose to help the rich first and to judge others for their sins. This pushes godliness away as something as mysterious as life itelf—life…the “mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (4:14) Inaction is a sin of omission.

In the final chapter, James warns that rich people have it coming and that the riches of one’s lifetime will eat away at the soul. Obtaining riches is not the sin, but James writes that wealth comes at the cost of the common worker, of another person that could have been helped, or of an innocent man who was not your enemy and was not saved from hell. These men are among the blessed because they stand firm and free. The martyred prophets were so blessed. All roads lead to prayer: happiness, trouble, sin, and faith. A righteous man’s prayer carries great power, so confession among the believers produces greatness because that person likely prays only for the pure desires of charity and compassion. Every convert is saved from death and from his own damnation.

Of an Abrupt Shift in James

Throughout the world, many different codes of behavior develop. Regardless, certain themes commonly develop. Among these themes, one of the most common and cherished rules advises each person to “Treat people as you would like to be treated”—the golden rule. In this small excerpt (from 2:8-2:11) James begins by reminding Christians to “Love your neighbor as yourself”. In James 2:8-11, the focus of the rhetoric shifts abruptly from the roots of sin and dark warnings to a cheerful segue about how avoiding direct participation in a sin is not enough—Christians must continue to enact the brotherly measures which the Bible requires of its followers.

As if this Scripture itself does not prove a heavy burden to meet, James writes that doing right in most areas of lie does not excuse our weakness. The book of James as a whole discusses failures and potential pitfalls item-by-item, a very extensive NOT to do list which fits in more with the laws of the Old Testament than with the Gospel and good news of the New Testament. Beginning with 2:9, James tells us not to break the law but basically classifies every person as a lawbreaker and as equally guilty of one sin as of those we have not committed. By this point in his book, James had already listed many specific faults which might tempt us and explained the difference between a trial and a curse, the work of God and the devil, and between words of faith and action. According to James, both murderers and cheaters are merely lawbreakers because the law is part-and-parcel; a break with one command severs the entire connection to the Word.

James wants each reader to examine their own faults without favoritism- just as he advised Christians to do good deeds without favoritism regarding the person. Rice explains that hidden within this simple advice against hasty judgment is a command to put aside the classes and races and just be together without conflict. Even so, the law of love is called ‘royal’ because it governs the heart in a broad way which makes the laws culminate in a single code. God favors the law of love above the specific guidelines set out by James. The royal law connects every verse- just as every prohibited sin is connected as a single law to be broken. “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” (James 2:9)

James 2:8-11 proves a rather bleak read which makes a Christian look down upon their greatest deeds. Because every person becomes a lawbreaker according to this standard, this serves as a poignant reminder that all people break the laws of God. While most of the surrounding verses concentrate on the appropriate actions and on inaction, this transitional sliver places the entire book in the greater context of the New Testament for one reason: it reminds the reader that Heaven will be reached through salvation alone, through the Trinity alone. The end of Chapter Two makes this clear in its discussion of mercy. James would not leave his long list of flaws and impossible perfection by indirectly relating it to the salvation and mercy which God extends to his followers.

Works Cited

Study Bible . New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. rev. 2002. Print.

Rice, Emily. “Breaking Free From Favoritism: Understanding James 2 Through Its Cultural Context.” Mutuality 18.4 (2011): 13-15. Academic Search Complete . Web. 5 July 2014.

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BibleProject Guides

Book of James

Key Information and Helpful Resources

The original pronunciation of this author’s name in Greek is Iakobos, which in Hebrew is spelled Ya’akov. This is why most ancient and modern translations render his name as “Jacob,” and that’s what we will call him as well. There are many Jacobs in the New Testament. Two of them belonged to Jesus’ inner circle of twelve disciples, the son of Zebedee and the son of Alphaeus (Mark 3:16-19). But this letter was written by Jesus’ half-brother Jacob (Mark 6:3).

8:03 • New Testament Overviews

Who Wrote the Book of James?

Christian tradition holds that the book of James was written by Jesus’ half-brother, James.

The events described in James take place in the city of Jerusalem. James was likely composed around 62 C.E.

Literary Styles

The book of James is a letter written in prose discourse.

• The loving wisdom of Jesus
• Real faith is inseparable from actions
• Perseverance and patience in difficulty

James can be divided into two parts. Chapter 1 introduces Jesus and the wisdom he offers. And chapters 2-5 contain twelve teachings and an encouragement for perseverance in prayer.

Background of the Book of James

We learn about Jacob's story from the book of Acts and Paul’s letters (Acts 12, 15; Gal. 1-2). After Peter moved on from Jerusalem to start new churches, Jesus’ half-brother Jacob rose to prominence as a leader of the mother church in Jerusalem, made up of messianic Jews. This church was the first Christian community ever, and we know the people experienced difficult times during the twenty years that Jacob was their leader. There was a famine that led to great poverty in their region, and these messianic Jews were also being persecuted by the traditional Jewish leaders in Jeru­s­alem. Jacob, however, was known as a pillar of this Jer­usalem church, acting as a peacemaker who led with wisdom and courage until his untimely death. Sometime around 62 C.E., he was murdered by the priestly establishment in Jerusalem for following Jesus.

In this book, we have the legacy of Jacob’s teaching and wisdom condensed into a short but powerful work. While it begins like a letter, with Jacob greeting all the messianic Jews living outside the land of Israel, the rest of the work doesn’t read like a letter at all because it doesn’t address the specific problems of one local church like Paul’s letters. Instead, this book is a summary of Jacob’s sage wisdom for any and every community of Jesus’ followers. His goal isn’t to teach us new theological information; rather, he wants to get in our business and challenge how we live.

Jacob’s wisdom has been heavily influenced by two sources, the first of which is Jesus’ teaching about life in the Kingdom of God, especially the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). The second key influence is the biblical wisdom book of Proverbs, especially the poems in Proverbs 1-9. Jacob literally grew up with Jesus and the book of Proverbs, so his own teaching sounds a lot like them both and is stamped with their language and imagery. This book is made up of short challenging wisdom speeches, which are full of metaphors and easy to memorize one-liners.

In essence, Jacob is calling the messianic community to become truly wise by living according to Jesus’ summary of the Torah­­—love God and love your neighbor as yourself.

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James 1: The Wisdom Jesus Offers

The introductory chapter is designed to sum up the main ideas to the entire book. Chapter 1 is a flowing stream of wise teachings and one-liners that introduce us to all of the keywords and themes that we’ll see in chapters 2-5.

Jacob knows from personal experience that life is hard. After all, he was martyred not long after writing this letter. But he believes that life’s trials and hardships are paradoxical gifts that can produce endurance and shape our character. God can work on us in the midst of suffering to help us become “perfect and complete” (Jas. 1:4). Now, this word “perfect” is important for Jacob, and he repeats it seven times throughout the book (Jas. 1:4, 17, 25; 2:8, 23; 3:2). In biblical Hebrew, the word is tamim, while the Greek is teleios. This word refers to wholeness. In this context, it means living a completely integrated life in which your actions are consistent with the values and beliefs you learned from Jesus. Jacob knows that most of us live as fractured people with large inconsistencies in our character. All of us are more compromised than we’d like to admit, but God is on a mission to restore fractured people and make them whole.

This journey begins with gaining wisdom, and the ability to see hardships through a new perspective (Jas. 1:5-8). God will generously give wisdom to people who ask for it in faith without doubting God’s character. It’s when we realize our humble and frail place before God that we’re forced to choose between anxiety or trust. True wisdom is choosing to believe that God is good despite any circumstances.

In James 1:9-11, Jacob assumes that hard times are often caused by poverty. He urges his audience to try and view this circumstance as a gift that forces us to trust in God alone. Besides, wealth is fleeting and will pass away like wildflowers in the summer heat. When we do fall on hard times (Jas. 1:12-18), we must not accuse God. Rather, we should let our circumstances teach us what Jesus himself taught about God’s character, that the Father is generous, there to meet us in our pain, and trustworthy. This God has given us new birth through Jesus to become new kinds of humans who can face their suffering with total trust in the Father just as Jesus did.

This new humanity is something that we discover when we not only listen to God’s word but actually do what it says (Jas. 1:19-27). Jacob calls God’s word “the perfect Torah of freedom.” He’s referring here to the greatest command of the Torah as interpreted by Jesus (Matt. 22:34-40), in which he freed us to love God and our neighbor. Jacob then shows us practically what that looks like. It means speaking to others in a kind and loving way, serving the poor, and living with wholehearted devotion to God alone.

You can see how this one opening chapter contains all the keywords and ideas that are explored more deeply in the twelve teachings of chapters 2-5. Jacob immersed himself in the teachings of Jesus and the Proverbs, and he’s given us a great gift in this book of his own wisdom. It’s a beautifully crafted punch in the gut for those who want to follow Jesus.

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James 2-5: Twelve Teachings on Devotion to Jesus

The body of the book is in chapters 2-5, consisting of twelve short teachings that call God’s people to wholehearted devotion to the way of Jesus. But these chapters don’t develop one main idea in a linear way. Instead, each teaching stands alone and usually concludes with a catchy one-liner. They are all connected through key repeated words and themes.

We begin with the first teaching, which is about favoritism and love (Jas. 2:1-13). Jacob exposes how we show favor to people who can benefit us, and we neglect people who can’t because they are needy. This behavior is the exact opposite of love as Jesus defined it (Matt. 5:46-48). Jacob goes on to show what genuine faith does and does not look like (Jas. 2:14-26). If someone says that they have faith in God but neglects the needs of the poor, this person’s faith is dead. Their actions betray what they say they believe. Genuine faith will always result in obedience to Jesus’ teachings (Matt. 7:21-27).

Scattered throughout this section of the book, there are three different places where Jacob develops Jesus’ own teaching about our words. With the very same mouth, we unleash pain on others while offering praise to God (Jas. 3:1-12). We judge people and talk poorly about them behind their backs (Jas. 4:11-12), and we all tend to distort the truth to our own advantage (Jas. 5:12). This is so backwards and hypocritical! How we talk to and about people opens a window into our hearts and our core values. And our words tell the real truth about our character.

Jacob also believes that God’s Kingdom community is a place where the divisions created by wealth and social status are dismantled. He warns of the arrogance that wealth can create in people, especially those who believe that it will be around forever (Jas. 4:13-17). Jacob stays that their wealth will one day rot away just as they will (Jas. 5:1-6). In contrast, God’s people are to live with the patient hope for Jesus’ return to set all things right (Jas. 5:7-11; Matt. 24:13), and this should inspire a life full of faith-filled prayer (Jas. 5:13-18; Matt. 21:21-22). This part of the book is really powerful, and each teaching deserves slow rereading over a cup of tea followed by a long walk.

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James: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale New Testament Commentary Series)

The Letter of James (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)

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The Authorship of the “Book of James” Essay

The Letter of James or the Epistle of James is one of the twenty-one didactic letters in the New Testament. It is an epistle of an uncertain age that was written approximately between 42 and 100 A.D. There is little information about this document, and it itself does not provide many clues as to for whom, when, and where it was created. Moreover, its authorship also causes many debates and discussions since it is not obvious who precisely wrote the Book of James. There are several possible options, and each of them is doubted by certain scientists and religious people but has a number of proofs that make it reliable. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the authorship of the Letter of James.

This didactic text’s writer never actually identifies himself as to which precisely “James” he is. The first line simply states: “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,” who writes to “the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.” Therefore, the fact that the author of this holy text is actually a person close to Jesus and God and is their servant is quite enough for some believers to follow its advice and lessons. Such a person can never lie or write some non-trustworthy ideas since he serves the Lord.

However, the presence of a specific name makes people curious and willing to find out who the real author is. One of the versions that seem pretty reliable is that it was James the half-brother of Jesus who wrote this didactic letter. This version is traditional, and it has many proofs that point to its truthfulness. During the Savior’s time on earth, this James was not Jesus’s follower, but he finally became an apostle in Paul’s vein. James was the one who had believed in and seen the post-resurrection of the Lord and became one of the Jerusalem church’s leaders. After comparing James’s letters and speech with the text of the book of James, it is possible to find a number of similarities of phrasing and language. Moreover, the brother of Jesus was an essential figure in the church, well-known by a significant number of people. Therefore, he did not need to clarify his personality, and that is why the author names himself simply “James.”

Another version that seems to me rather reliable is that the writer of this didactic letter is James the brother of John, who is also the author of many holy texts. James might have written this book after the Jewish Christians scattered around 35 A.D. and before he died in 43 A.D. However, if it were him, he would have probably clarified his personality since he was not as well-known as James the brother of Jesus. Moreover, John’s brother more likely would have called himself not a servant but an apostle of Jesus Christ. These small inconsistencies are severe enough to make this version less likely.

To draw a conclusion, one may say that the authorship of the Book of James will probably remain a secret. However, is it actually that important to know the real author of this didactic letter? It already has a significant influence on people, and the members of the Christian community value it. If it is impossible to ultimately prove that specific James is the author, the believers will still follow the lessons of this holy text, and this is the most important aspect.

Bibliography

Andrews, Edward D., and Brent A. Calloway. The Book of James: CPH New Testament Commentary . Cambridge: Christian Publishing House, 2017.

“James – New International Version.” Bible Gateway . Web.

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Blog / What Is the Book of James About? Here Are 10 Key Themes

What Is the Book of James About? Here Are 10 Key Themes

The Book of James is a short letter full of practical insights into Christian living.

James was a prominent leader of the early church. He uses his letter to expound on the true nature of faith and teach about the behavior and perspectives believers should embody.

His letter is packed with powerful lines and memorable imagery. It embodies many of the essential teachings and beliefs of early Christianity.

Let’s take a look at ten of the key themes in this short New Testament book.

1. God is the source of all wisdom

The Greek word for wisdom (sophia) occurs four times in the letter of James ( 1:5 ; 3:13, 15, 17 ). Wisdom is not a topic or theme of the book of James, but it is an assumed value essential for Christian living and under which all the various topics of the book are subsumed. James applied Jewish wisdom as it was developed and controlled by the teachings of Jesus to other practical topics for the wise Christian believer to take to heart in his or her life.

James also considers the teachings of Jesus, which took the understanding of the law to a new level, and brings this rich tradition to the issues he felt were pressing at that moment, and which retain their significance for life as a Christian today.

2. Testing and trials

Our lives are full of trials. James understands the true goal of trials to be perseverance. And perseverance works toward spiritual maturity and wholeness, which James implies are worthy goals for Christians. He says that eternal life (“the crown which is life”) is the reward of those who persevere under trial.

Professor Robert Wall says: “[James] is a book written for readers whose faith in God is threatened by a daily struggle with hardship. This ‘testing of faith’ is provoked by a variety of external and historical circumstances or ‘trials.’ Yet more importantly, every test occasions a theological crisis, when the believer is more easily deceived or confused about who God is and how God acts.”

The one who successfully perseveres under testing is the one who does not let their own evil desire drag them into the downward spiral of sin and death ( 1:13–15 ). Those desires for evil are contrary to every good and perfect gift, which comes from the Father who gives life through the word of truth ( 1:16–17 ).

James invites his readers to live wisely by choosing life rather than death.

3. Wealth and oppression

Socioeconomic disparity, both in society and in the church, seems to have been a major concern in James’s mind as he wrote this letter.

He introduces the topic by leveling the differences between the “humble” and the rich when viewed from the perspective of spiritual realities ( 1:9–11 ).

The humble believer—even though they may be dismissed by society—has received every privilege from God, who gives without consideration of one’s material resources.

Rich believers have been humbled, because no amount of wealth could buy what they have received from God in Christ; therefore, their resources are worthless in view of the gospel and can be no source of pride within the Christian community.

4. Material things will not last

The poor, without material resources, have also received the riches of God’s grace in Christ.

Furthermore, the rich and poor are alike in another way—both will pass away.

Whatever protection the rich think their wealth will afford against the ups and downs of life, allowing them to live in relative luxury, is fleeting and temporary—their lives are like wildflowers that have a short time of glory and then wither and pass away.

In other words, in light of spiritual realities, financial resources or the lack of them are irrelevant to one’s standing with God and one’s inevitable future. For this reason, they should not be a defining issue in the social dynamic of the Christian church.

5. The unjust rich

James does, however, issue a prophetic denouncement of those rich who have accumulated their wealth by the oppression and exploitation of others ( 5:1–6 ).

The harsh pronouncement of their coming misery suggests that even self-professing Christians who have so unjustly earned their wealth at the expense of others have missed the point of the gospel and will suffer judgment not different from the unbelieving rich.

By putting the accumulation of money above love for others, such people are the “adulterous people” ( 4:4 ) who stand in enmity against God because of their friendship with the world. The very wealth on which such people rely will be the witness against them.

6. Everything belongs to God

All of James’s discussion of wealth is intended to put the Christian’s resources, no matter how little or how much, under God’s sovereignty.

To plan to do business and make money apart from recognition of God’s control over one’s life speaks of an evil arrogance that is incompatible with spiritual maturity ( 4:13–16 ).

In our times of enormous corporate scandal and financial scams from which certain people have gained extreme wealth, issues of rich and poor continue to entangle the church. James expects those with resources to do more than have pity on others who live in poverty and to do something to provide for their food and shelter ( 2:14–16 ). Christians of poor nations indict the North American church for its lack of concern about clean water and adequate food in the poverty-stricken nations. The enticement of wealth is still a great danger to Christians today.

7. Favoritism

While favoritism may seem like a small infraction, James points out that showing favoritism, especially in the Christian community, is breaking the royal law, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This command is second only to loving God wholeheartedly.

Recognizing that the “royal law” sums up all of the commandments that govern relationships between people, James points out, “If you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it” ( 2:9–10 ).

Just as adultery and murder violate love for neighbor, so does favoritism. And then, as now, an inordinate valuing of those who possess material riches drove favoritism.

Rich people, whether understood as fellow believers or unbelieving visitors, should especially not be shown favoritism in the gatherings of the Christian community ( 2:1–13 ). Their show of wealth in the way they dress is not reason to receive more honorable treatment in the community. Similarly, the poor person should not be dishonored or treated as lesser because of the way they dress.

All believers and visitors should be welcomed alike, without regard for wealth. Anything else violates the great command of love for one’s neighbor.

8. Godly speech

One of the New Testament’s foremost ethical concerns is how people, especially God’s people, use words. Speech is the primary way in which we interact with others, and it shapes our relationships day by day throughout our lives. James is particularly concerned with godly speech and lays out some principles:

• Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger ( 1:19 ).
• The religion of those who do not have control over their mouths is worthless ( 1:26 ).
• Teachers are held especially accountable for what they say, and for that reason James cautions that not many among his readers should presume to teach ( 3:1–2 ).
• Although the tongue is a small part of the human body, it is the part that steers the course of the whole of one’s life ( 3:3–5
• A Christian must not presume to praise the Lord while cursing others ( 3:9–12 ). Godly speech is consistently wholesome.
• Those who speak slanderously to accuse someone of violating God’s law is breaking the law themselves ( 4:11–12 ).
• Christians should not swear, that is, take oaths, by created things. A simple yes or no should be as binding as any oath, for keeping one’s word is one’s integrity ( 5:12 ).

Then, as now, Christians lie, break promises, spread gossip, violate confidences, and use their words to promote themselves and put down others. James wants his readers to understand that what a person says is an expression of what that person is.

9. Faith and good deeds

A faith that can look on others in need of food and shelter and pronounce a blessing without doing something to help provide their physical needs is not the kind of faith that saves ( 2:14–17 ).

A faith that consists of mental assent to doctrinal statements but has no outward expression in life is not the kind of faith that saves ( 2:18–19 ).

James gives two telling examples of faith that was expressed in action: Abraham and Rahab.

• The kind of faith that Abraham had (which was reckoned as saving faith) was the kind of faith that motivated his action to obey God even against all human reason ( 2:21–24 ).
• And Rahab’s faith motivated her to put her own life at risk as she harbored and protected the spies who were God’s people ( 2:26 ).

James chose two examples of deeds expressing faith that have nothing to do with the law of Moses. Abraham lived centuries before Moses brought the law of the covenant to the people. And Rahab was a Gentile who had most likely not even heard of the law at the time she acted.

These examples indicate that James is not directly engaging Paul, who spoke of the impotence of observing the law of Moses for salvation.

In fact, James may have chosen these examples to avoid being read against Paul’s teaching of salvation by faith alone. James would agree that it is faith in Christ that saves; Paul would agree that such faith in Christ must result in behavior that expresses the fruit of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:13–26 ).

10. The Law

James does not directly refer to the law of Moses. He refers to the law in other ways:

• He speaks of “the perfect law that gives freedom” ( 1:24 ; 2:12 ).
• In 2:8 he refers to “the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” This is one of the two commands that Jesus said summed up all the Law and Prophets ( Matthew 22:39 ; Mark 12:31 ; Luke 10:27 ).The faith that saves is a faith that motivates deeds of love for neighbor, such as providing for the physical needs of the poor ( 2:14–17 ), looking after orphans and widows ( 1:27 ), taming the tongue from hurting others ( 3:1–12 ; 4:11 ), desisting from fights and quarrels ( 4:1–3 ), and turning others back to the truth ( 5:19–20 ).

James’s vision for Christian morality and ethics moves beyond a legalism that demands compliance with individual commandments, applying Jesus’ teaching that all of the commandments can be summed up in love for neighbor and love for God.

As Jewish people came to faith in Jesus as the Messiah and realized that it was his death and resurrection that saved them from their sins, a natural question would be what “laws” they might still need to observe.

James, following Jesus’ teaching, completely transposes the ethical basis of Christian faith from any form of legalism to the more demanding law of loving one’s neighbor as oneself.

Learn more about James in MasterLectures .

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This post is adapted from Letters to the Church: A Survey of Hebrews and the General Epistles by Karen H. Jobes.

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Believing God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine

An Introduction to the Book of James

August 10, 2015 By Phil Ressler 20 Comments

I would like to invite you to join me on a journey through the Book of James. We will be exploring this New Testament book for the next 5 weeks. Before you go any further, take some time to read through it. James is five chapters long and should take you about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Go there now! Don’t delay.

James is authored by James “the brother of Jesus.” He was the biological brother of Jesus. Even though he was a blood relative, he did not believe Jesus was the Christ until after the resurrection.

For not even his brothers believed in him. John 7:5 (ESV)

Soon after the resurrection it seems he had a conversion. Acts 1:14 tells how the brothers of Jesus were present with the disciples after the resurrection but before Pentecost.

All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers . Acts 1:14 (ESV)

Later we see James as a leader in the church at Jerusalem (see Acts 15:12-21, Galatians 1:19, Galatians 2:9). He was martyred in 62 AD.

The Book of James is one of the earliest written books in the New Testament, if not the earliest. It is not so much a book as much as it is a letter. It is written to Jewish Christians who were scattered throughout the world after the martyrdom of Stephen.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Acts 8:1 (ESV)

James is not a personal letter, but a chain letter, designed to be passed from person to person and church to church. While the original intended recipients were Jewish Christians of the first century, this letter has insight for all believers, both Jewish and Gentile.

James is sometimes referred to as the Proverbs of the New Testament. Proverbs was a book in the Old Testament, written by King Solomon, filled with numerous wise sayings. James is a book that is filled with much wisdom and practical thoughts for everyday living.

If you had to use one word to capture the theme of this book, it would be perseverance. James says:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (James 1:2-3 ESV)

We rarely associate joy with the challenges of life, but James makes the point that a believer can meet adversity with joy. We see several examples of this in the Scriptures. There is the apostle Paul writing from prison:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4 (ESV)

Then there is Jesus himself:

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross . . . Hebrews 12:2 (ESV)

The reality is we will all encounter difficult moments in life. We cannot prevent the trials of life, but we can choose how we respond to them. James gives us the wisdom to persevere and even find joy in the most difficult challenges.

Tomorrow we will begin to take a look at some of the tools and assets God gives us to face adversity. In the meantime, take a look at the questions below and if you have not done so already, read through the book of James.

Questions/Thoughts for Reflection

• What is a challenge you faced in the past that helped you grow closer to Christ?
• What lessons have you learned from facing adversity?
• What adversity are you facing right now where you need to rely on the power of Christ?
• Do you know someone who is facing a difficult time? What can you do right now, before you do anything else, to encourage them?

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Reader Interactions

August 10, 2015 at 1:28 pm

Glad to be getting your devotionals again. I didn’t know James was one of the first New Testament books written. Did I hear Martin Luther didn’t care much for James?

August 10, 2015 at 1:40 pm

The letter is addressed to the twelve tribes. It might be because there were not many Gentile believers yet.

August 11, 2015 at 3:08 pm

I was of the understanding that James relied on “good works” in order to be saved, not the grace of God through Jesus, and that is why Martin Luther was not “fond” of the book.

August 11, 2015 at 3:32 pm

We will talk about that section of James next week. It is true that Luther was not as fond of this book. It is also true the faith and works section of the book that is often misunderstood. We will talk about it more, but in the meantime recognize that we are saved by works. It is the work of Jesus that saves us. Our faith is placed in the perfect work he accomplished on the cross. Those are some initial thoughts, but I will have more to share.

August 10, 2015 at 2:59 pm

So many things I have read lately refer to James. Obviously, God is giving me a gentle push to study this letter. Thank you. JOAN

August 10, 2015 at 4:01 pm

Thank you for this study. We are going through a rough road right now and I know this study will help us. God walks with us each step of the way and I know He is teaching us patience and perseverance.

August 10, 2015 at 6:47 pm

I am so happy once again to be receiving your emails! This looks like a great study!

October 19, 2017 at 6:52 am

yes it well be a great study to us or any one in the world.

August 10, 2015 at 7:29 pm

I have missed getting devotions from you. I am pleased to be studying the book of James with you!

August 10, 2015 at 8:05 pm

This sounds like a good study!

August 10, 2015 at 8:30 pm

I’m so happy that you are providing a new study. I enjoyed the study we did for Lent and was sorry to see it end. Thank you. I am looking forward to the next 5 weeks.

August 11, 2015 at 6:58 am

Thank you for being back! I have missed the daily devotional sand I’m looking forward to studying James (ole Camel Knees) with you. Virginia

August 11, 2015 at 10:04 am

Thank so much for these daily devotionals. I have missed them. When I saw this today and the subject, I felt that it was my “God Wink”.

August 11, 2015 at 10:57 am

Thank you for this email…always appreciated the 40 days of Lent series…and looking forward to understanding the book of James…always appreciated this book of the Bible, it was practical and you could use it as a GPS of how to walk as a Christian…..thank you

August 11, 2015 at 12:17 pm

On Sunday our pastor spoke on James as we as a local body are going through a difficult time. Now you start James??? I agree with Joan – guess God wants me to learn more about perseverance & how to walk thru it with joy.

August 11, 2015 at 7:46 pm

I really enjoyed the 40 Days of Lent, so I was excited to see you were starting something new. I think I am going to make it a personal goal to follow this study. Off to read James now. 15 to 20 minutes? Maybe I’ll time it. (Missouri)

August 11, 2015 at 8:10 pm

Wow! You’re good! 17 minutes, 20.95 seconds!

August 11, 2015 at 9:02 pm

Wow, I confess I did not time how long I took. More of an educated guess.

August 14, 2015 at 3:02 pm

I am glad we are doing this study. I enjoyed your Lent study and the videos that accompanied them. Thank you.

August 16, 2015 at 1:31 am

Some from our ladies mission group just yesterday went to hear a Jewish Christian explain how the celebration of Hannukah relates to todays Christians through our Jewish roots. So I’m ready to see what James had to say to the Jewish Christians!

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The Book of James: A New Perspective, A Linguistic Commentary Applying Discourse Analysis

This slim commentary approaches the text of James as a unified discourse. This is a particularly tall order in light of the scholarship on James that stems from Martin Luther to Martin Dibelius. Both Germans led the way for later commentators to regard the book of James as loosely arranged sayings without a cohesive message. Varner argues that the peak of the book is James 3:13–18, which contrasts heavenly wisdom with earthly wisdom. The section contains anaphoric elements looking back to James 1–2 as well as cataphoric elements that look forward to James 4–5. The section has several elements of a frontground prominence (pp. 28–31). James organizes the rest of the epistle with the cohesive tie of a nominative of address (usually ajdelfoi, “brothers”) along with an imperative.

Unlike most commentaries that contain an introduction followed by ongoing commentary on each section of the text, Varner begins with an essay on discourse features. The commentary gives some of the prominent details of the text, but largely explains how the epistle’s sections cohere to one another. This is particularly helpful to track the verbal links and grammatical shifts in the book. Varner concludes the volume with two essays. First is his argument that James the Just held the most prominent position in the church, a historical fact that is often forgotten, and as a result the significance of the letter, as the first epistle addressed to the believers, is often understated. Second, Varner gives a homiletical outline that pastors can use in preaching the book. According to Varner exegesis should lead to exposition, and exposition to preaching or teaching.

The basis of this methodology is the assumption that the author communicated to his readers with a single strategy in mind, not a series of competing ideas. The methodological goal is to keep the larger picture of James in mind as one exegetes the individual passages. Varner seeks to fit the passages within the context of the entire book by applying discourse analysis to the book. He describes his method as paying “rigorous attention to context” (p. 13), or analyzing James in light of his discourse (which here means the entire book). Because of this, Varner states, “When we encounter the various issues of interpretation that arise, with all of their attending perplexities, we firmly believe that our author has an overall strategy in mind; that he is competent to convey effectively his message to us; and that the linguistic resources available to him in Hellenistic Greek were adequate to convey his message” (p. 39).

A few factors detract from the value of the volume. The first that stands out is cosmetic. In the first part of the book the text is presented without verse numbers. The editor began inserting verse numbers in the middle of the volume, which was helpful. Without the verse numbers, it is difficult to follow Varner’s argument without a separate Greek text.

       Second, because of his treatment of James as a discourse, readers may not be able to use the text as a reference. In this case an up-to-date reference commentary would be more helpful. Often Varner recommends another source to help resolve a problem or discuss a point further. A reader who would want to consult the commentary on a particular verse or problem will have difficulty because Varner focuses solely on the flow of the argument of James. More discussion might be expected; yet Varner’s goal is to show the argument of James.

In short Varner’s approach is welcomed. His work shows the direction of James’s argument. His method, which emphasizes the unity of the text, should be used more widely in commentaries. However, because of the space constraints of the commentary this is not the best single volume on James. Readers could use this volume in tandem with commentaries such as those by Douglas Moo or Ralph Martin.

• October 1, 2012

Book of James NKJV

Chapters for james, summary of the book of james.

This summary of the book of James provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of James.

The author identifies himself as James ( 1:1 ); he was probably the brother of Jesus and 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 (a.d. 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 Christ, probably the oldest since he heads the list in Mt 13:55 . At first he did not believe in Jesus and even challenged him and misunderstood his mission ( Jn 7:2-5 ). Later he became very prominent in the church:

• He was one of the select individuals Christ appeared to after his resurrection ( 1co 15:7 ; ).
• Paul called him a "pillar" of the church ( gal 2:9 ).
• Paul, on his first post-conversion visit to Jerusalem, saw James (Gal 1:19).
• Paul did the same on his last visit ( ac 21:18 ).
• When Peter was rescued from prison, he told his friends to tell James ( ac 12:17 ).
• James was a leader in the important council of Jerusalem ( ac 15:13 ).
• Jude could identify himself simply as "a brother of James" ( jude 1:1 ), so well known was James. He was martyred c. a.d. 62.

Some date the letter in the early 60s. There are indications, however, that it was written before a.d. 50:

• Its distinctively Jewish nature suggests that it was composed when the church was still predominantly Jewish.
• It reflects a simple church order -- officers of the church are called "elders" ( 5:14 ) and "teachers" ( 3:1 ).
• No reference is made to the controversy over Gentile circumcision.
• The Greek term synagoge ("synagogue" or "meeting") is used to designate the meeting or meeting place of the church ( 2:2 ).

If this early dating is correct, this letter is the earliest of all the NT writings -- with the possible exception of Galatians.

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, p. 2539).

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 (compare 2:5 with Mt 5:3 ; 3:10-12 with Mt 7:15-20 ; 3:18 with Mt 5:9 ; 5:2-3 with Mt 6:19-20 ; 5:12 with Mt 5:33-37 ); (5) its similarity to OT wisdom writings such as Proverbs (see essay, p. 970); (6) its excellent Greek.

• Greetings ( 1:1 )
• The Testing of Faith ( 1:2-12 )
• The Source of Temptation ( 1:13-18 )
• Listening and Doing ( 1:19-27 )
• Favoritism Forbidden ( 2:1-13 )
• Faith and Deeds ( 2:14-26 )
• Taming the Tongue ( 3:1-12 )
• Two Kinds of Wisdom ( 3:13-18 )
• Quarrelsomeness ( 4:1-3 )
• Spiritual Unfaithfulness ( 4:4 )
• Pride ( 4:5-10 )
• Slander ( 4:11-12 )
• Boasting ( 4:13-17 )
• Warning to Rich Oppressors ( 5:1-6 )
• Concerning Patience in Suffering ( 5:7-11 )
• Concerning Oaths ( 5:12 )
• Concerning the Prayer of Faith ( 5:13-18 )
• Concerning Those Who Wander from the Truth ( 5:19-20 )

From the NIV Study Bible, Introductions to the Books of the Bible, James Copyright 2002 © Zondervan. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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