James

1. James • A letter well-suited for Latter-day Saints

2. Why Study the Book of James? • Although since Luther, James has been interpreted in response to Paul’s letters, it has tremendous value in its own right -- even beyond James 1:5. • While James mentions Jesus Christ by name only twice, it is probably the most authentic presentation of Jesus’ teaching in the NT outside of the Gospels. • It shows deep rooting in both Judaic and Hellenistic traditions, mixing old and new, reaching across the ages, resulting in a still-vibrant message. • James challenges us in highly relevant ways: • Put faith into action • Christianity occurs in a community • Avoid every form of discrimination • Exhorts us to focus on the poor and our Christian duty to champion their cause

3. The Epistle of James has long been a favorite book of the Holy Bible. I find his brief message heart-warming and filled with life. Each of us can quote that well-known passage, "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.) How many of us, however, remember his definition of religion? "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27.)Elder Thomas S. Monson, The Long Line of the Lonely, Ensign (CR), May 1981, p.47

4. First question: Who wrote the book? • James. But who is James? • Why does this question matter? • Authority (was he a real apostle?) • Context (a book written by Jesus’ brother might be viewed differently than one written by his disciple)

5. Who was James? • Who are the candidates? • The name “James” (Greek, Iakwboß, Iakoœbos) is used 42 times in the NT. • Unclear exactly how many different people this refers to. • Most references are to one of three people

6. Three Top Choices for “James” • James the son of Zebedee (brother of John; in the original 12) -- half the occurrences • James the brother of the Lord -- a quarter of the occurrences • James the son of Alphaeus (also in the original 12, aka James the less) • Two runners up: - James a son of a certain Mary - James the father (brother?) of the Judas in Luke’s lists. (Luke 6:16, Acts 1:13)

7. James #1: James the son of Zebedee • Older brother of John (well, probably older -- he’s almost always mentioned before John) • Consistently listed early in the list of the 12 • Probably grew up in a wealthy family (Zebedee has hired servants, Salome his mother materially supported Jesus) • Killed by Herod Agrippa I in 44 AD (or sooner), Acts 12:1 • Unlikely to have been the author of the Epistle due to early death. • Sometimes called “James the greater”

8. James #2: James the son of Alphaeus • Mentioned in all four lists of the Twelve (Matt 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13) • Pretty much nothing else known about this James • In church tradition known as “James the Less” to distinguish him from the son of Zebedee (Just to be confusing, this person is not the same as the James in Mark 15:40, who called James the mikros meaning “the small,” or “the younger,” but which KJV translates as James the less)

9. James #3: James the Lord’s brother • “The Lord’s brother,” Gal 1:19, a “pillar” of the Jerusalem Church, Gal 2:9, meaning most likely its bishop or leader, Acts 12:17, 15:13, 21:18; one who saw the risen Jesus, 1 Cor 15:7. • A major force in the Jerusalem church according to Josephus and other early historians, killed in AD 62 • What does “the Lord’s brother” mean? • This turns out to be a very controversial question in much of Christianity.

10. The Lord’s Brother • Eastern / Greek Orthodox tradition holds that Jesus had only older brothers who were sons of Joseph by a former marriage. Mainly based on John 19:27. • Roman Catholics maintain Mary’s perpetual virginity, and so reject any possibility that Jesus would have biological brothers. Jerome argued that James was the son of Clopas and Mary and was Jesus’ cousin. • Protestants see the plain sense of the terminology as clearly indicating that Jesus had a literal brother and thus disproving Marian semi-divinity. (some Roman Catholics agree) • This debate is still active.

11. Protestant Greek Orthodox Roman Catholic

14. Before the ossuary of James was discovered, the earliest attestation of Jesus appeared in the John Rylands Papyrus, the oldest known fragment of the New Testament, dating to about 125 C.E. The Greek text on the small (2.5 by 3.4 inches) papyrus fragment includes a portion of John 18:31–33 on one side (left) and 18:37–38 on the other (right), in which Jesus is questioned by Pontius Pilate. - John Rylands Library, Manchester, UK / Biblical Archaeology Review 2002 (28:6)

15. Outline • Introduction: Chapter 1 • Body: Chapter 2-5:6 • Conclusion: 5:7-20

16. Introduction: Chapter 1 • 1:1 Greetings • 1:2-11 Testing, Wisdom and the Lowly • 1:12-27 Testing, Hearers and Doers of the Word • Body: Chapter 2:1-5:6 • 2:1-13 Do Not Show Favoritism • 2:14-26 Doers of the Word / Faith and Works • 3:1-12 The Tongue and Speech • 3:13-4:10 Call to Friendship with God • 4:11-12 Speaking Evil Against Another • 4:13-5:6 Judgment on the Rich because of Friendship with the World • Conclusion: 5:7-20 • 5:7-11 Call to Patient Endurance • 5:12 Call to Avoid Taking Oaths • 5:13-18 Prayer • 5:19-20 The Great Commission

17. Theological Themes • Faith • God • Christ • Eschatology • Prayer • Social Concern : Real, deep, practical, communal, Christ-like : Very Jewish -- “one,” merciful, Creator : Implicit; teachings & acts emphasized : The Context for the text; motivational : Specific approach & conditions, social marker : The prominence of the poor

18. James is the (only?) authentic echo of Jesus in the New Testament • How can this be since James never says he is quoting Jesus? • In recent years, scholars have concluded that James is saturated with Jesus’ teachings -- at least 35 allusions are present. • In the days before a written set of scriptures, an oral / memorized approach was most common. Most listeners to James’ letter probably knew Jesus’ teachings by heart. • It is now clear that James used skilled Greek rhetorical techniques to re-phrase Jesus’ statements in support of his arguments. • Example: No other letters or books besides Jesus (in the Gospels) and James pronounce woes on the rich. James and Jesus are both highly interested in the poor.

19. KJV: James 1:1 ¶ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. NET: James 1:1 ¶ From James,1 a slave2 of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad.3 Greetings! NIV: James 1:1 ¶ James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, ¶ To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: ¶ Greetings. 1 tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter. 2 tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though douloß (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for douloß), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.” 3 tn Grk “to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora.” The Greek term diaspora (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles.

20. NET James 1:2 ¶ My brothers and sisters,4 consider it nothing but joy5 when you fall into all sorts of trials, James 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. NIV James 1:2 ¶ Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, James 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. KJV James 1:2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. James 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 4 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v.adelfoß 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the pluraladelfoi [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). Where the plural term is used in direct address, as here, “brothers and sisters” is used; where the term is singular and not direct address (as in v. 9), “believer” is preferred. 5 tn Grk “all joy,” “full joy,” or “greatest joy.”

21. KJV James 1:5 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 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. James 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. NET James 1:5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. James 1:6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. James 1:7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, James 1:8 since he is a double-minded individual,6 unstable in all his ways. NIV James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; James 1:8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. 6 tn Grk “a man of two minds,” continuing the description of the person in v. 7, giving the reason that he cannot expect to receive anything. The word for “man” or “individual” is anhr (aneœr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person,” as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2). sn A double-minded man is one whose devotion to God is less than total. His attention is divided between God and other things, and as a consequence he is unstable and therefore unable to receive from God.

22. 5 Verses 5-8 contain God’s offer of help for those who are facing trials. The repetition of the word “lack” shows that James is still discussing the subject of trials. In v.4 he assures his readers that when perseverance has finished its work, the believer will lack none of the needed virtues and strengths. In v.5, however, James speaks of the period of testing before perseverance has completed its work. During such testing, if anyone “lacks wisdom,” he may have it by asking. The type of Greek conditional sentence found here assumes that people facing trials do lack wisdom. What they need is not the speculative or theoretical wisdom of a philosophical system. It is the kind of wisdom that plays such a large part in the Book of Proverbs (1:2-4; 2:10-15; 4:5-9). It is the God-given understanding that enables a person to avoid the paths of wickedness and to live a life of righteousness. In this context wisdom is understanding the nature and purpose of trials and knowing how to meet them victoriously. Such wisdom is available to the one who will “ask God” for it, not once only, but repeatedly (Gr., present tense). The promise is that “it will be given to him.” There is nothing in God that keeps him from giving. It is his practice to give “generously” and “without finding fault.” He does not scold his children for asking nor berate them for their deficiency.