james

Background

Authorship.   The author identifies himself as “James, a servant” (1:1). Arguments for any known New Testament James other than the Lord’s half-brother do not stand up. The brother of John, son of Zebedee, was martyred only a decade after the Lord’s crucifixion (Acts 12:2). The son of Alphaeus (Mark 3:18) was so little known, even in the early decades and centuries of the church, that he is a quite unlikely candidate, especially in the light of the author’s assumption of his name recognition. The father of one of the Twelve (Luke 6:16) fails for the same reasons. The only alternative that has received serious consideration is that the epistle is pseudonymous.  That suggestion is inadmissible for canonical writings.

On the other hand the traditional ascription of the epistle to the Lord’s half-brother has much to commend it. The author is quite familiar with the Old Testament, and at home with the Hebrew language and mentality. Some have demonstrated remarkable similarities of language to that of James’ speech and the council letter in Acts 15, while others have detected familiarity with Jesus’ words, especially from the Sermon on the Mount.

Having grown up under the same roof with the Lord as his younger brother, James was an unbeliever (John 7:5) until after the resurrection, when the Lord appeared to him specially (1 Cor. 15:7). Thereafter he rose to prominence among the Jerusalem church leadership, having the final word in the council on Gentiles (Acts 15:13–21), and being recognized by Paul as authoritative on three different occasions (Gal. 1:19; 2:9, 12).

Date of composition.   According to Josephus (Antiquities 20.200f) James died in 62. The fact that the epistle fails to interact with the Jew–Gentile question, which came to its head in 49–50 (Acts 15), almost demands a date before that furor. But if later, it must have been at least a few years later, to allow time for the controversy to have died down. The primitiveness of church order in the epistle, however (3:1 teachers, and 5:14–15 elders), argues for an early date. Also, the faith–works question which has stimulated so much speculation concerning a supposed conflict with Paul is best answered by recognizing that James’ treatment of the subject (2:14–26) is a work completely independent of Pauline thought, and thus probably predating Galatians (c. 49). A reasonable date for this epistle is mid-to-late-40s.

Destination.   The epistle is addressed to “the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad” (1:1), Jews who with James affirmed the Lordship of Jesus Christ (1:1; 2:1), and his soon coming in judgment (5:7–8). It was probably written to a particular congregation or group of congregations, in light of the author’s acquaintance with specific circumstances and problems which obtained (cf. 2:1ff; 3:1; 4:1ff; 5:7–11). It is also likely that geographical region was Palestinian, in light of the reference to “the early and late rains” (5:7). A reasonable proposal is that the addressees had been part of the Jerusalem church (under James’ charge), and had fled from the persecution that arose from the stoning of Stephen.

Purpose.   Martin Luther’s famous discount of this epistle (“a right strawy epistle”) was based largely on the fact that James does not deal much with doctrine.[1] In fact, that is precisely James’s point. The recipients had knowledge (cf. 1:19; taking iste as indicative and absolute); their need was not more teaching, but exhortation to put into practice what they knew (cf. 1:22–25). Apparently undergoing significant trial of their faith, they needed to be reminded that God had not abandoned them, but that they were responsible to endure them by faith. Perhaps troubled by some professing special wisdom, they needed to return to the sound heavenly wisdom of peace and good deeds. In the midst of their trials they needed to support one another, and especially their poor.

Argument

James introduces his themes in the double opening (1:2–11, 12–27). The primary message concerns trials: they are to be viewed as having a beneficial purpose (1:2–4). Moving by means of the link word, lack, he introduces the second theme, wisdom, and teaches that it is acquired merely for the asking (1:5–8). The third theme concerns an inverted perspective on material status (1:9–11). The second half of the introduction returns to what must be the major theme, faith’s test–trials. Blessing comes through them because they come from a good God. On the other hand if they are turned to sin, only the individual’s sinful heart can be blamed (1:12–18). The theme of the application of the truth of Scripture, both negatively and positively, rounds out the introduction (1:19–27). The integration of these themes James reveals as the epistle unfolds.

The particular issue of poverty was both a trial of faith and an occasion to view material status from God’s perspective (2). Using the hypothetical situation of discrimination against the poor, James argued both rationally and biblically for overlooking the matter of a person’s wealth or poverty as inconsequential (2:1–13). The next issue, which follows the same pattern of argument, ties in the theme of applying Scripture by faithful works. By means of the hypothetical situation, the rational argument, and the examples of Abraham and Rahab, James enjoins generosity on behalf of the poor because unless faith issues in works it benefits no one, and is thus of dubious value for eternal salvation (2:14–26).

The issue of self-control, by speech control, combines the themes of the testing of faith and wisdom (as it also issues in a paragraph specifically on wisdom). Here was a test that if mishandled would result in sin; but which on the other hand could result in mutual benefit (teaching) and praise to God (3:1–12).

Next, the theme of wisdom is tied to the theme of application (3:13–18). The difference between Christian and worldly wisdom is in the quality of works each produces. Its leading characteristic is peace, which provides the hinge to the next section. Likewise the identification of the alternative source as the earth anticipates the sinister connotations of the world in what follows.

Another test of faith is how one deals with his desires (4:1–10). When those desires become more important than the people around him, he is acting worldly, and needs to repent with great humility. In fact this section seems to have the flavor of an OT prophet condemning the enemies of God’s people—in this case unbelieving Israel, as a primary target—with the rhetorical effect for his readers of reassurance—that their oppressors would not escape divine judgment—and warning—against being like their oppressors. And when gain becomes more important than people, one runs the risk of incurring wrath for having arrogated the divine prerogative of judgment (4:11–12).

Returning to the theme of dealing with things material James addresses two errors. The first is the error of disregarding God in one’s financial pursuits (4:13–17); the second of disregarding one’s fellowman in those pursuits (5:1–6). Both errors amount to a denial of James’s teaching on the divine perspective on materiality (cf. 1:9–11). In the latter James introduces the judgment day, which provides the link to his closing section.

The concluding statements begin with a reiteration of the main theme concerning the enduring of trials (5:7–11). Its encouragement is based on the ultimate goal of the day of judgment when oppressors and oppressed alike will be recompensed. It also ties in the theme of helping one another (cf. 1:26f), which dominates the very end (5:13–20). Under the pressure of those trials one must refrain from pronouncing oaths (presumably for the purpose of asserting his innocence, 5:12).

Finally, the ultimate response to trials, the ultimate expression of wisdom, is for the saints to band together in their time of need. Together they can secure divine aid both physically and spiritually, and provide the guidance to keep one another from straying from the truth (5:13–20).

Outline[2]

I. Greeting  1:1

II. Opening statement: enduring trials, wisdom, and applying Scripture  1:2–27

A. First segment  1:2–11

1. Facing trials of faith  1:2–4

a) The right approach to trials: joy  1:2

b) The results of trials  1:3–4

(1) Endurance  1:3

(2) Maturity  1:4

2. Receiving the divine gift of wisdom  1:5–8

a) The faithfulness of God to supply it  1:5

b) The faith of man to receive it  1:6–8

(1) The reception of faith  1:6a

(2) The failure of unbelief  1:6b–8

3. Responding to the circumstances of material status  1:9–11

a) The exaltation of the poor  1:9

b) The humiliation of the rich  1:10–11

B. Second segment  1:12–27

1. Confessing God’s goodness in the face of trials  1:12–18

a) Blessing promised for endurance of trials  1:12

b) Basis of blessing: God’s goodness  1:13–18

(1) His separateness from the evil of sinful temptation  1:13–16

(a) The wrong source of temptation: God’s separateness from sin  1:13

(b) The real source of temptation: man’s sinful heart  1:14–16

(2) His giving of good things  1:17–18

(a) Every good gift  1:17

(b) The gift of the new creation  1:18

2. Applying the truth of Scripture  1:19–27

a) Negative application: with respect to sin  1:19–21

(1) Anger  1:19–20

(2) Wickedness  1:21

b) The logical necessity of application  1:22–25

(1) The injunction  1:22

(2) The illustration  1:23–25

(a) Negative example  1:23–24

(b) Positive example  1:25

c) Comprehensive application  1:26–27

(1) A bridled tongue  1:26

(2) Sympathy toward the needy  1:27a

(3) Avoidance of moral pollution  1:27b

III. Caring for the poor  2

A. The sin of discrimination against the poor  2:1–13

1. The scene  2:1–4

a) Summary command  2:1

b) Hypothetical situation  2:2–3

c) Conclusion  2:4

2. Rational argument  2:5–7

a) God’s choice of the poor  2:5

b) The oppression of the rich  2:6

c) The blasphemy of the rich  2:7

3. Biblical argument  2:8–12

a) Specific application  2:8–9

b) General application  2:10–12

4. Concluding warning against mercilessness  2:13

B. The necessity of faith issuing in works  2:14–26

1. The thesis  2:14–17

a) Rhetorical question  2:14

b) Hypothetical situation  2:15–16

c) Conclusion  2:17

2. Rational argument  2:18–20

3. Biblical argument  2:21–26

a) Abraham  2:21–24

b) Rahab  2:25–26

IV. Various aspects of wisdom  3:1—4:12

A. The need to control the tongue  3:1–12

1. Its cruciality for general self-control  3:1–4

2. Its natural (moral) wildness  3:5–8

3. Its power for evil and good  3:9–12

B. The need to cultivate wisdom  3:13–18

1. The behavioral expression of wisdom  3:13

2. Negative description: earthly wisdom  3:14–16

3. Positive description: heavenly wisdom  3:17–18

C. The need to submit desires to God  4:1–10

1. Symptoms  4:1–3

a) Social conflict  4:1–2

b) Frustrated prayers  4:3

2. Root problem  4:4–6

a) Identification with the world  4:4

b) Alienation from God  4:5–6

3. Solution: humble repentance  4:7–10

D. The need to refrain from judging  4:11–12

V. Addressing financial matters: two errors  4:13—5:6

A. The sin of presumption  4:13–17

1. His error exposed  4:13–15

2. His sin exposed  4:16–17

B. The sin of financial profit at the expense of others  5:1–6

1. His prospective loss  5:1–3

2. His sin  5:4–6

VI. Closing statement: enduring trials, and helping one another  5:7–20

A. Enduring testing  5:7–11

1. The basis: the Judge’s soon coming  5:7–9

a) Exhortation to endurance  5:7–8

b) Exhortation to innocence  5:9

2. The examples  5:10–11

a) The prophets  5:10

b) Job  5:11

B. ‘Forswearing’ oaths  5:12

C. Helping one another through prayer  5:13–18

1. The exhortations  5:13–16

2. The example of Elijah  5:17–18

D. Restoring a brother in sin  5:19–20