Introduction
Review
History
Neglected, not rejected; complementary not contrary to Paul’s letters; addresses different issues.
Paul addresses how salvation is received; James addresses how salvation is verified
Authorship
James the brother of Jesus; leader of the church at Jerusalem;
Date, Place, Circumstances
Likely written about AD 45-48, almost certainly before the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15
Written to Jewish Christians, likely those who had left Palestine for Syria and Asia Minor
Form & Style
An open letter, Greek in language and style but with strong Hebrew and proverbial influences
Strong tone of pastoral exhortation – more imperatives than any other NT book
Themes
Eschatology, Faith/Works/Justification, The Law, The Christian Life, Wisdom, Poverty/Wealth
James wants the faith of the Jewish Christians to be genuine and not a counterfeit based on Judaism.
A true and living faith is of primary concern for James
Chapter One
- Greeting
Trials and Christian Maturity
2-4 Trials, Joy, Steadfastness
5-8 Seek Wisdom from God in Faith
9-11 Boasting of the Lowly and the Rich
12-15 Trials from God vs Temptation
16-18 Good Gifts from our Father
True Christianity Seen in its Works
19-21 Hearing, Speaking, and Anger
22-25 Doers vs Hearers of the Word
26-27 True Religion: Speech, Orphans and Widows, Worldliness
Themes
Trials and Steadfastness
Now and Not Yet
Mature, Perfect
Goodness of God
The Tongue
Doers of the Word
Content
1 Greeting
2-4 Trials, Joy, Steadfastness
Circumstances of readers – dire: famine, persecution
God is at work in them, and in us, through trials
Whatever the trials may be, we are to consider them to be an occasion of rejoicing
James’ desire is a mature, stable faith in believers
Luke 22:31-32 – Satan and Peter
Rom 5:3-5 – Sufferings produce endurance
5-8 Seek Wisdom from God in Faith
Trials bring a need for God’s wisdom
Our nature – Lacking wisdom, need to seek it; doubting needing faith
God’s nature – He is generous and gives freely to those with faith
The divided person has no fixed beliefs or direction; no “anchor of the soul” (Heb 6:19)
I Kings 18:21 – Elijah, God, and Baal
Matt 7:24-27 – Wisdom connected to hearing and doing
9-11 Boasting of the Lowly and the Rich
Boasting in God not ourselves, regardless of station in life
God exalts the lowly and brings low the rich
Clearly echoing Isiah 40:6-8
12-15 Trials from God vs Temptation
Trials again connected with steadfastness
Differentiation between trials from God and temptations from within and without
Trials strengthen our faith; Temptations lead us to sin
Progression of temptation: desire, sin, death
Rev 2:8-10 – Church at Smyrna in trials
16-18 Good Gifts from our Father
God gives good and perfect gifts to us, his first fruits of creation
In contrast to the double-minded man, God is constant and unchanging.
Matt 7:7-11 – Good gifts from our Father in heaven
19-21 Hearing, Speaking, and Anger
We all are to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger
Note the connection between speech and anger
Warning against the anger of man and what it does not produce – righteousness.
Matt 13:18-23 – Parable of the sower
22-25 Doers vs Hearers of the Word
Hearers Only – We must hear the word
Doers- On hearing, we must obey
Unapplied learning leads to self-deception
Looking into the law and doing it brings blessing
“Obedience is the mother of true knowledge of God.” – Calvin
John 14:21-24 – Loving Jesus and keeping His commandments
26-27 True Religion – The Tongue, The Helpless, and Worldliness
Bridling the tongue connected with self-deception
What doing the word looks like – helping the helpless, echoing strong OT themes
True religion connected with staying unstained by the world
Isiah 1:14-17 – True religion
Application
God’s dealings with us – Trials, joy, steadfastness, crowns
Temptation – Understanding, resisting
Hearing and Doing – Dangers of separating these, and the blessings of joining them
True Religion vs False Religion
The Tongue – Anger, bridling, deception
