What makes James unique?
JAMES begins like a letter that
is written to Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire (1:1),
but it really is more like a short book of instructions on how God's
people should live and treat others. The advice in the book is clear
and to the point: If you are poor, don't despair! Don't give up when
your faith is being tested. Don't get angry quickly. Don't favor the
rich over the poor. Help others, and control your tongue and your
desires. Rely on God's wisdom. Resist the devil. Don't brag about what
you are going to do. If you are rich, use your money to help the poor.
Be patient and kind, and pray for those who need God's help.
Why was James written?
For
the writer of James, faith means action! This letter says that the
faith of a person who does not do kind deeds is as good as dead. The
writer challenges God's people to obey "the most important law in the
Scriptures'" to love others as much as they love themselves (2:8).
What's the story behind the scene?
This
letter is written to "the twelve tribes scattered all over the world"
(1:1). This does not refer to the people of Israel but to Christians,
who viewed themselves as heirs of the Jewish tradition. The twelve
tribes of Israel were named for the sons of Jacob, the grandson of
Abraham (Genesis 25:19-49:28). When Babylon defeated the Israelite
people living in Judah in the sixth century B.C., many of them were
scattered to countries outside their homeland. In addressing the letter
to first- century followers of Christ who were now scattered in various
areas outside of Palestine, or in the Dispersion (Greek: diaspora), the
author was able to help them identify with their heritage. The
reference to those who were "scattered" may indicate that the letter
was written later in the first century (see 1 Peter 1:1).
The
author of the book calls himself James, which in Greek is Iakobos, a
form of the Hebrew name "Jacob." According to some early church
traditions, the writer of JAMES was thought to be James, the brother of
Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem church (Mark 6:3; Acts 15:13; 1
Corinthians 15:7; Galatians 1:19). It is filled with teachings that are
similar to the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. However, the general
language and style of the letter suggest that the writer was also
familiar with the terms used by the broader Greek culture of the first
century. The instructional speech is characteristic of Greco-Roman
ethical teaching. This means that the writer probably lived many years
after James, the brother of Jesus, or James the disciple (Matthew 4:21).
The
letter does not refer to the life of Jesus, his crucifixion, or his
resurrection, and never discusses salvation. In fact, the name "Jesus"
appears only twice (1:1; 2:1). The absence of any mention of a
relationship between the author and Jesus supports the claim by those
who say that the letter could not have been written by James, the
brother of Jesus. In the ancient world, pseudonymous writing, such as
writing in the name of an apostle, was not unknown and was regarded as
a sign of reverence for the attributed author's authority and not
considered deception.
How is James constructed?
After a brief greeting, the letter offers advice about living as God's people. The letter can be outlined in the following way:
Ask for God's wisdom and patience (1:1-18)
The
introduction to JAMES follows typical Greek letter-writing style, which
puts the writer's name first, then names the person or persons the
letter is written to, and ends with a word of greeting. The writer
encourages the readers to seek God's wisdom and remain faithful, even
as they face testing and temptation.
Show that your faith is alive (1:19-2:26)
The
writer encourages God's people to turn away from doing evil and to obey
God's perfect law, which includes helping the needy, orphans, and
widows. The people of God are not to give special attention to the
rich, but are to love the poor and all others as much as they love
themselves. In this way they will show that their faith is not dead,
but is alive.
Watch what you say, and be wise (3:1-5:6)
Followers
are warned to be careful to choose their words wisely, and not brag or
say mean things about others. They are also reminded to follow God's
wisdom and to make sure that riches don't pull them away from living as
God wants them to live.
Be patient, kind, and prayerful (5:7-20)
Christians
are told to be patient until the Lord returns, to avoid swearing or
making oaths, and to pray for others, especially for sinners who have
gone the wrong way.
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