The Book of James...

[nl]

Facts about the Book of James...

• The Book of James is probably the first book of the New Testament to be written. It has a strongly Jewish flavor. James 1:1 makes reference to the 12 tribes scattered abroad. The lineage of individual Jews was still known at that time as exemplified by the lineages in Matthew 1:1ff and Luke 3:23ff
• James uses nature to illustrate spiritual truth thirty times.

• James is a very practical Epistle. It deals with some unpopular subjects. Some unpopular subjects include:
  • Controlling one’s tongue
  • The danger of kowtowing to the rich
  • The need to show that our faith is real by our lives.

• The Book of James makes frequent references to the law.
  • “the perfect law” (1:25)
  • “the royal law” (2:8)
  • “the law of liberty” (2:12)

• There are resemblances to the book of Proverbs in James. The word wisdom recurs frequently.
• Another key word in James is brethren. It occurs fifteen times.
• In the short space of 108 verses, there are fifty-four commands (imperative forms).

• James on prayer:

• If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. - James 1:5
• Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts - James 4:3
• Is any among you afflicted? let him pray... Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. - James 5:13-18

 

[p_rehbein]

Some believe that the epistle of James is generally divided into three sections:

• Genuine Religion (1:1-27)
• Genuine Faith (2:1 - 3:12)
• Genuine Wisdom (3:13 - 5:20)

James wrote to Jewish Christians who had been scattered throughout the Mediterranean world because of persecution. In their hostile surroundings they were tempted to let intellectual agreement pass for true faith. This letter can have rich meaning for us as we are reminded that genuine faith transforms lives. We are encouraged to put our faith into action. It is easy to say we have faith, but true faith will produce loving actions towards others.

(listed in theopedia.com)

This may be my favorite excerpt from his Epistle:

5:13) Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 .) Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 .) And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 .) Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

[nl]

James makes double-mention of the double-minded:

James 1:8

A DOUBLE MINDED man is unstable in all his ways.

James 4:8

Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you DOUBLE MINDED.

 

[wordsponge]

Hello,

Grace and victory through Christ to everyone.
James is a Christian or a Christ follower.

John.1
[15] If ye love me (the just/ righteous/ good), keep my commandments.

Christ was good. His Father therefore, is good.
His commandments taught love and good deeds as opposed to hatred and evil deeds.

Jas.1
[21] Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,
and >>> (NOW) receive with meekness
the engrafted Word (from GOD through Christ and the Apostles),
which is able to save your souls.
[22] But be ye doers of the Word >> (to love and gather to Christ firstly....),
and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
[23] For if any be a hearer of the Word (from GOD), and not a doer,
he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
[24] For he beholds himself, and goeth his way,
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
[25] But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, (not just 'the perfect law')
and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer,
but a doer of the work >> (with Christ to save man)
this man shall be blessed in his (good) deed.

Rom.6
[16] Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience (to the Apostles) unto righteousness?
[17] But God be thanked,
that ye (previously) were the servants of sin,
but ye have >> obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine
which was delivered (by the Apostles to) you.
[18] Being then made free (liberated) from sin (by Christ, after baptism calling on him),
ye became the servants of righteousness.

The Royal Law from Moses to a Christian means to love.
Jas.2
[7] Do not they blaspheme (defame)
that worthy name (of CHRISTIAN) by the which ye are called?
[8] If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture:
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Matt.5
[43] Ye have heard that it hath been said,;
Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
[44] But I (the lawgiver of Israel) say unto you,
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

The Law of Liberty.
Gal.5
[1] Stand fast (implanted) therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ (the Mighty God) has made us free,
and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage >> (the temporary Moses law)

Isa.61
[1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me (Christ)
because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek;
he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim >> liberty (from the temporary Moses law) to the captives, (servants the law)
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

John.8
[34] Jesus answered them:
Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
[35] And the servant abideth not in the house (of GOD) for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
[36] If the Son therefore shall make you free (from sin), ye shall be free indeed.

Rom.3
[20] Therefore by the deeds of the Moses law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:
for by the Moses law is the knowledge of sin.
[21] But NOW the righteousness of/ from GOD without the (Moses) law is manifested,
being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

1 Cor.15
[56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the (Moses) law.
[57] But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory (to be righteous) through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When a Christian says 'law' or 'commandments' he ie referring to those that Christ brought.

When people return to Christ, through baptism calling on his name,
they are made righteous and acceptable to his Father.

This the plan of GOD that Christ is executing.
The Spirit led people understand it very clearly.

Keep digging.

Grace from Christ is great.

Keep well.

 

[RedTent]

There were several James in the early church who could have been the author of this book, but most think it was James the Just, brother of Jesus. James was head of the Christian Church in Jerusalem. He was executed by stoning in 62.

 

[wordsponge]

There were several James in the early church who could have been the author of this book, but most think it was James the Just, brother of Jesus. James was head of the Christian Church in Jerusalem. He was executed by stoning in 62.

Hello,
I read that he was pushed over the balcony of the Temple.

In either case the killing of the righteous continued.....

Rev.18
[20] Rejoice over her (Jerusalem 70 A.D.), thou heaven,
and ye holy Apostles (like James) and Prophets (like Isaiah)
for GOD has avenged you on her. (Jerusalem)
[21] And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone,
and cast it into the sea, saying,
Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon (Jerusalem 70 A.D.) be thrown down,
and shall be found no more at all.

Only the Spirit lead into all truth....

To GOD through Christ.

Gifts from GOD through CHrit.

One way cannot be confused except if we want to.

 

[konroh]

There are many illusions to the Sermon on the Mount in the book of James. It seems that James as Jesus' half brother heard this teaching by Jesus, though he wasn't at the time a believer. But the sermon resonated with him, and when he did become a believer and write his epistle, the teaching from Jesus poured through.

2Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

10"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when [people] insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

48"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

13For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.


7"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

14"For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15"But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

This is just a taste.

 

[nl]

Images of nature in James 3 include:

• v.3 bits in the horses' mouths
• v.4 ship driven by fierce winds
• v.5 how great a matter a little fire kindleth
• v.6 the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity
• v.7 for every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea..has been tamed
• v.11 Does a fountain send fort at the same place sweet water and bitter?
• v.12 Can a fig tree...bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
• v.18 The fruit of righeousness is sown in peace by them who make peace

 

[nl]

There are many illusions to the Sermon on the Mount in the book of James.

Agreed. Here is another allusion. On oaths and truth telling...

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (The Sermon on the Mount - Matthew 5:33-37)

But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. (James 5:12)

 

[Cobus]

James was written by a Holy Spirit filled man. EXACTLY like God wanted it written. One of the most powerful, short and directly to the point Word of God writings in the Bible.

I love James, and the book is so clear on God's will and charactor. God certainly CANNOT give to a DOUBLE MINDED man. Double minded means... one moment sinning the next moment worhipping the HOLY GOD... That is Double MINDED...

God loves the man with the mind on GOD ALONE.... Him, God loves, because the man's thoughts are on this...Psalm 1...Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Now that is the man with ONE MIND..... God's!