Let Me First Say a Couple of Disclaimers About Today
James
Let me first say a couple of disclaimers about today.
First of all, for those of you who only know me as that older, awkward guy who comes into class everyday, my name is Wes Rasbury, and I am Dr. Willis’ GA this year.
Secondly, I’m glad Dr. Willis didn’t mention anything today about me teaching this class this morning, or else none of y’all would have shown up.
Third, let me ask for grace from you. I am no professor, nor am I even that smart. I am a graduate student. Hence the last part of that title- student. I am still learning and growing as well. Yes, I have studied and I have prepared things to say for this day and for this class, but it my not be to the caliber that Dr. Willis brings it.
Dr. Willis asked me if I wanted to teach class at all, and I jumped on the chance. I have never taught class here at ACU before, so I wanted the chance to do so. I originally told him that I would do two lessons- Colossians and James. Well, due to family reasons, I was able to be with y’all for the class on Colossians. However, as you can see with your eyes, I am here today.
Okay, now that those things are out of the way, on to James.
James is the first of the seven “Catholic (or General) Epistles”
What are the Catholic Epistles?
Is this book a letter?
Some say it is a collection of different ides and exhortations
Martin Dibelius didn’t even believe it was a letter.
Powell says that after the first verse, it is not very letter-like. It doesn’t have a personal news or mentioning of people by name; there is no hint of relationship with specific people; and there is no closing or signature.
Others suggest the existence of different self-contained units within this book:
2:1-13; 2:14-26; 3:1-4:12; 4:13-5:6[1]
A suggested outline could be
- Salutation (introduction) (1:1)
- The Christian and trials (1:2-18)
- General exhortations (1:19-27)
- The Christian and partiality (2:1-13)
- The Christian and works (2:14-26)
- General exhortations for teachers (3:1-4:12)
- Teachers and the tongue (3:1-12)
- Teachers and wisdom (3:13-18)
- Teachers and dissensions (4:10)
- Teachers, community and the wealthy (4:13-5:11)
- The messianic community and the wealthy (4:13-5:11)
- The sin of presumption (4:13-17)
- The sin of oppression (5:1-6)
- The messianic community’s response to the wealthy (5:7-11)
- Concluding exhortations (5:12-20)[2]
What is the context James is writing in? Who is the audience?
The audience is in Jerusalem, or maybe even Judea
However, it could also be to a wider audience within the diaspora
James understands “God’s Story as the Story of Israel”
This letter “summons the twelve tribes to live out the Mosaic Torah as God’s enduring will,” and he “reads and renders the Torah in the way Jesus taught it- through the combination of loving God and loving others.”
It is wisdom for the church that is now comprised of both Jews and Gentiles
The church that it is addressed to, though, is said to gather in a synagogue (2:2), and to be guided by elders (5:14)[3]
It is written to the Jewish Christians
It is written to “an audience of Christian readers who are appreciative of both Jewish wisdom traditions and Hellenistic rhetoric”[4]
Who is the author?
This is a largely debated point
James was a very popular name during this time
The New International Commentary on the New Testament lists five James’ referred to in the New Testament:
1) James the father of Judas (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13)
2) James the Less or Younger, son of Mary- wife of Cleopas (Mark 15:40; Matt. 27:56; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10)
3) James the son of Alphaeus, one of the Twelve (Mark 3:18; Matt. 10:3; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13)
4) James the son of Zebedee and brother of the apostle John and also one of the Twelve (Mark 1:19; 3:17; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13)
But, this James was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I in Acts 12:2, so probs not
5) James the brother of Jesus, son of Mary (Mark 6:3; Matt. 13:55; Gal 1:19; 2:9, 12; Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; Jude 1; John 7:3-5; 1 Cor. 9:5)
Since it probably wasn’t choice number 4, and since the evidence for one of the other options is not really existent. So:
1) Either James, the brother of Jesus, wrote this letter,
2) James was the brother of Jesus, but the letter was written by someone else and then attributed to James
3) Or, it was written by someone else that we do not know about.[5]
Eusebius, an early historian, provides a list of the bishops of the first-century church of Jerusalem that begins with James:
The first then was James who was called the Lord’s brother, and after him Simeon was the second. The third was Justus, Zacchaeus was the fourth, Tobis the fifth, the sixth Benjamin, the seventh John, the eighth Matthias, the ninth Philip, the tenth Seneca, the eleventh Justus, the twelfth Levi, the thirteenth Ephres, the fourteenth Joseph, and last of all the fifteenth Judas (Church History 4.5.3; cf. 7.19.1)[6]
If James was the center and leader of the church in Jerusalem, he could be likened to the pope.
He was the leader of the church in the Jerusalem, which meant that whatever was said in that church or by him was important in all churches.
Since he was the center of the church in Jerusalem, he was the center of the whole church, because the church started in Jerusalem
James most likely died in 62 A.D. at the hands of Annas II, (Ananus), the Sadducean high priest who killed “several persons for transgressing the law during the period between the Roman governors,”[7] which means that this book is one of the earliest books we have on Christian churches
The view that James, “James of Jerusalem” or “James the Just,” the brother of Jesus wrote this book is the view traditionally held by “many Christians and scholars today, but it was questioned in the early church and has continued to be debated throughout history.” (Powell)
What is the style of James?
It is as response to different imaginary interlocutors (diatribe)
Paranesis- an exhortatory composition
Is this a wholly “Christian” writing?
Could it be moral exhortations without being Christian?
What other Bible writings does it resemble?
Wisdom literature- Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job
Also, Sirach, and The Wisdom of Solomon
James appeals to common sense and reason, using words such as because, for, and therefore.
He also appeals to the logic of the audience saying what is good or best?
Matthew
James seems to echo many things found in the Sermon on the Mount
Powell says “Scholars who study these parallels generally conclude that James is not quoting directly from the Gospels (the wording is not that precise); rather, he appears to have independent knowledge of many things Jesus said.”[8]
But these sayings are not attributed to Jesus, but are presented as James’ own teaching.
Why? Powell offers the possibility that “the author has so integrated the ideas of Jesus into his teaching that he naturally draws upon those ideas when offering advice without conscious awareness that he is doing so.”[9]
Acts 15- The letters have similar beginnings, they express the need to “keep” oneself from sin, they connect “listen” to “brothers,” they use the name invoked upon the believers, and they use some distinctive vocabulary- “care for” (James 1:27; Acts 15:14), and “turning as conversion” (James 5:19-20; Acts 15:19)[10]
MATTHEW
James and Jesus:
Ask God/ask, seek
James 1:5;4:2-3- Matt. 7:7
Hear and do/act
James 1:22- Matt. 7:24
Poor heirs of the kingdom
James 2:5- Matt. 5:3
Love neighbor as self
James 2:8- Matt. 22:39
Do not judge others
James 4:11-12- Matt. 7:1-2
Do not swear- let your “yes” be “yes” and no be no
James 5:12- Matt. 5:37
Key Issues:- GROUPS- Take a couple minutes, look for instances in James of each
I have some that I found, but I’ll ask y’all first.
What are some of the key issues in James?
Temptations and trials
Faith vs. works
Wealth vs. poverty
Control of the tongue
Temptations and trials: (1:2-4; 1:12-13; 5:7-11?)
The relationship between the church and the world
The world has persecuted them (1:2, 12; 5:10-11)
This is the work of Satan (they are not beyond sin, 1:12, 15)
James says that the testing of faith is ultimately beneficial to believers
Faith is hard in the light of the problems of the world, right? One of the age-old questions is how can we have faith and see God in the light of the pain of this world- its called theodicy.
How can we believe in a god that lets terrible disasters such as tsunamis in Asia, earthquakes in Haiti, and tornadoes in the Midwest happen?
How can we believe in a god that doesn’t intervene when a family is ravaged by affairs and divorce?
How can we believe in a god that seems to ignore our prayers for our friend, our sibling, our spouse, our parent that has a terrible, incurable disease?
James reminds us, however, that it is not God who is the agent in this
God is not causing these trials and temptations
What does James say it is?
Powell- “one’s own desire” (1:14)- the human heart, which is enticed by pleasure (4:1-3) and selfish ambition (3:14, 16).
Those who submit to God (4:7), though, and purify their hearts (4:8), make the devil flee from them (4:7), and allow God to draw nearer to them (4:8).
James’ use of the phrase “double-minded” (1:8; 3:9; 4:8)
The members of the community that are trying to be Christians, but are doing things wrong still.
Faith vs. Works: (1:22-25, 27; 2:14-26)
James vs. Paul? (Galatians 2:15-3:14; Gal. 3:23-29; Hebrews 11:8-22)
Is James really fighting against Paul in Galatians?
Most theologians agree that there is no real argument here. Paul and James appear to be talking past each other, using words such as justification, works, and faith to mean different things.
In fact, it seems that Paul would agree with James on many points:
“Faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6); Faith “brought to completion by works (James 2:22)
Faith without love is nothing (1 Cor. 13:2); Faith without works is dead (James 2:26)
“It is not the hearers…but the doers who are justified” (Rom. 2:13); Believers should be “doers of the word, and not merely hearers (James 1:22; cf. 1:23, 25; 4:11).
Is this a misunderstanding of Galatians?
Or, is it a response to Galatians?
Maybe James is responding to a misinterpretation of Paul
How does James define law?
James says you should observe and keep the law- the whole law
Paul says
Works?
James seems to push for “good works” out of obedience towards God
Paul wants to combat the legalism of works
Faith?
Powell says, “mere intellectual assent, the act of knowing or believing certain things to be true.
For Paul, faith “is a radical orientation toward God that transforms one’s entire being and produces a “new creation”
What question is each of these addressing?
They are addressing the shallow, hollow shells of people that are in the churches
James 2:19: You do well if you believe that God is one
But your faith is not deep
You do the things you want to do, and justify it
You are not living out your faith
You are not fully believing and trusting in God
Paul brought the issue of whether or not Gentile converts had to be circumcised directly to James. He was a peacemaking and peaceseeking leader
Wealth vs. Poverty: (1:8-11; 2:1-8; 4:13-17; 5:1-6)
Relationship within the church
There are both wealthy and poor members
The poor are being unjustly treated (4:3-5:6; 2:1-4)
The wealthy are being favorite (2:1-4)
Have y’all ever experienced this?
So, what is the problem?
What does James say to do?
Christians should boast in “being made low” (1:10)
Use money to help others rather than buy jewelry (2:2)
We should be more concerned about carrying out the will of God rather than about how to make money (4:13-15)
James describes true religion in 1:27
Controlling the Tongue: (1:19; 1:26; 3:1-12)
Major concern of Wisdom Literature
(Proverbs, Psalms, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon)
Proverbs 17:27-28; 10:19; 21:23; 18:6-7
Like a fire (3:5-6), the tongue has great power for good or evil
3:9-12- example of double-mindedness (double-tongued?)
So what? Now that we’ve read through James, what are we to do with it?
There has been a somewhat recent rise in scholarship over James. However, as the NICNT puts it, “he has become the ignored leader.”
Martin Luther- called James “an epistle of straw”
Martin Dibellius says that James has “no theology.”
Rudolf Bultmann completely ignored James in his Theology of the New Testament
John Dominic Crossan skips James in his study of the contours of earliest Christianity
Some people even think James, like Dibellius, to be untheological or even anti-theological
NICNT relates this to the connection that James has with Jewish messianic communities- “as Jewish messianic communities faded so also did the theology connected to them, including what we now find in James.
But, James seems to actually have implications and relevance for us
It is the often regarded as the “book of the church”
Powell says that it may be because of James that many people today talk of not just orthodoxy (“right or correct thinking or correct doctrine”), but orthopraxis (right practice or correct behavior)
James reminds us of our call to a higher level of living
We are supposed to love others, even and especially the poor
We are to do everything we can to resist trials and temptations
We are supposed to have real, authentic faith
This is evident in the outworking of our faith to our actions for and toward others
It is written to “an audience of Christian readers who are appreciative of both Jewish wisdom traditions and Hellenistic rhetoric”
James 4:1-10
James 5:13-20
[1] NICNT, 48-49
[2] NICNT, 55
[3] Interpretation, 85
[4] Powell
[5] NICNT- 14-15.
[6] NICNT: The Letter of James- pg. 10-11
[7] Interpretation First and Second Peter, James, and Jude- 83
[8] Powell, “James,” 449.
[9] Powell, 449-450.
[10] NICNT, 24