The Epistle of James
INTRODUCTION
James, like 1 and 2 Peter, is a practical and somewhat neglected book. Occasionally someone says, “Why do we seldom hear preaching from the Book of James?” Perhaps the book is not too well understood by some and too practical for others. A few have said, “I think of it more as a Jewish epistle; not as much for the church.” But, neglecting it means suffering spiritual loss.
Some may be confused by the portion in the second chapter dealing with faith and works – thinking that James teaches salvation by works in contradiction to Paul’s teaching on the importance of faith. Some try and prove faith only using Paul’s teaching on faith; others attempt to prove works only using the teaching of James. But, James does not teach that works, in and of itself alone, produces salvation, any more than Paul teaches that faith, in and of itself alone, produces salvation. He does teach that if faith does not produce works, it is a dead faith – no faith at all.
This Epistle is one of the most fascinating books of the New Testament, thrusting itself to the very heart of vital factors of Christian living. It is one New Testament book that must not be ignored. It deserves frequent study.
Authorship
The New Testament mentions at least four who bore the name of James:
The son of Zebedee (Matt. 4:21);
The son of Alphaeus (Matt. 10:3), probably the same as the Little or the Less (Mark 15:40; John 19:25);
The father of Judas the Apostle, not Iscariot (Luke 6:16); and
The Lord’s brother (Matt. 13:55; Gal. 1:19).
Which of these is the author of the Epistle? Consider: The father of Judas can be dismissed at once as being entirely unknown, except for this relation to the Apostle Judas. The son of Alphaeus, too, is not likely to be the author. He is almost unknown, except for the mention in the lists of Apostles. The son of Zebedee is more conspicuous in the Gospels, but he, too, does not seem to have been prominent. He is usually referred to as the son of Zebedee or is associated with his brother John. The last two were Apostles; but the author of the Epistle merely calls himself “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:1). James the son of Zebedee was martyred under Herod Agrippa I, not later than the spring of A.D. 44; and that an apostle would write an encyclical letter before this date is so unlikely that it does not need to be considered. We take it, then, as do most scholars, that the author of this Epistle was James the Lord’s brother.
In his book, Introduction to the New Testament, Dr. Henry Thiessen states: “This James was really the Lord’s half-brother: the two had the same mother, but not the same father (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3).” He was probably among those who sought an interview with Jesus somewhere in Galilee (Matt. 12:46); he probably also went with Jesus to Capernaum (John 2:12), and later joined in the attempt to persuade Him to go to Judea for the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:3). He himself went up to the Feast, but he was an unbeliever at that time (John 7:5, 10). After the crucifixion he apparently remained with his mother in Jerusalem. We are told that after the resurrection Christ appeared to James also (1 Cor. 15:7). This may have led him to believe in Jesus, for he is next seen among the Lord’s brethren, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). He may have taken part in the selection of Matthias to take the place of Judas (Acts 1:15-25).
Purpose and Plan
The author undertakes to meet the needs of his fellow Jewish Christians in the Dispersion. After a brief salutation (1:1);
He admonishes a right attitude toward trials and temptations (1:2-18);
He exhorts his readers to receive the Word properly (1:19-27);
He forbids them to show partiality to others (2:1-13);
He demonstrates to them the insufficiency of faith without works (2:14-26);
He warns them against the sings of the tongue (3:1-12);
He sets forth the nature of true and false wisdom (3:13-18);
He rebukes them for quarrelsomeness, worldliness, and pride (4:1-10);
He instructs them to be considerate toward their brethren (4:11, 12);
He upbraids them for their attitude and conduct in their business life (4:13-5:6);
He exhorts them to patient endurance of the ills of life (5:7-12);
He tells them what to do in times of affliction (5:13-18); and He points out the importance of restoring an erring brother (5:19, 20).
James wants each of his readers to become a “perfect man” (3:2). Bearing this ideal in mind, we may outline the Epistle as follows:
Attitude toward Trials and Temptations, 1:2-18
Reception of the Word, 1:19-27
Impartiality toward Others, 2:1-13
Credentials of Faith, 2:14-26
Use of the Tongue, 3:1-12
Attitude toward True Wisdom, 3:13-18
Amiableness, Unworldliness, and Humility, 4:1-10
Considerateness of Others, 4:11, 12
Business Affairs, 4:13-5:6
Patience and Endurance, 5:7-12
Conduct in Affliction, 5:13-18
Effort in Behalf of an Erring Brother, 5:19, 20
Conclusion
A serious attempt was made toward practical simplicity of this material. No effort was made to bury the reader in technical theological terms and philosophies. Even appeal to Greek words and their meaning, important to understanding of the text, is done in simplicity. The lessons are interspersed with thoughts, analogies, and illustrations, in the hope of giving luster to thought content.
