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STUDIES IN JAMES

By Eugene Garner

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE EPISTLE OF JAMES

"James, a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting", (James 1:1).

The epistle of James is commonly regarded as the earliest of New Testament documents; it was probably written around 50 A.D.

Identity of the writer is a matter of great importance. Three James's are mentioned in the New Testament:
  1. James, the brother of John and the son of Zebedee, (Mark 1:19; Matt. 10:2; Mark 10:35; 13:3; Acts 12:2)

  2. James, the son of Alphaeus, (Matt. 10:3).

  3. James, the brother of Juda and half-brother of our Lord - son of Joseph and Mary, (Mark 6:3).
        It is generally agreed among conservative Bible scholars that this letter was written by James, the brother of our Lord. It should be profitable to glean whatever we can from the Scriptures about this man. Whatever else may be learned about him, He is remembered as a man of faith. His letter may be said to represent "the OTHER SIDE of faith." It is a letter that deals with practical Christian living.

I. FIRST, JAMES MAY BE VIEWED AS A FAITHFUL SERVANT.

  1. HE WAS A FAITHFUL BONDSERVANT OF GOD.

    1. This should not be surprising, since he was reared in a godly home and taught to reverence and worship the God of his fathers, (Deut. 11:18-19; Ps. 78:1-8; Prov. 2:1-5).

    2. His father and mother both manifested an exceptional quality of faith-obedience before God, (Matt. 1:18-25; Lu. 1:26-35, 46-55; 2:18-19; Matt. 2:13-15).

    3. It was no accident that James grew up with a heart devoted to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but it may seem surprising that he also became:

  2. A DEVOTED BONDSERVANT OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

    1. It is not known how long he lived in the same home with Jesus.
      1. It appears that they were together at least eighteen years.
      2. It was the custom for Jewish men to marry about the age of 18 in that day.
      3. Paul suggests that he was a married man, (I Cor. 9:5); he probably married before the beginning of Jesus' personal ministry.

    2. Following Jesus' first miracle at Cana, His mother, brethren and disciples are said to have accompanied Him to Capernaum, (John 2:12).

    3. It was not long, however, before Jesus became unwelcome in Nazareth; His brothers probably felt very keenly the hostility of His enemies, and may have wondered if He had not been too undiplomatic in dealing with His neighbors, (Luke 4).

    4. Elsewhere the elder brother was heralded as the long-expected "Son of David", (Matt. 12:23).

    5. But the Pharisees were incensed again Him, and sought His ruin, (Matt. 12:24-27).

    6. It appeared to the friends of Jesus that a "strangeness" had come over Him.

    7. Six months before the crucifixion, the brothers of Jesus still had not believed on Him; they even ridiculed His messianic implications, (John 7:2-7).

    8. The fact that Jesus commended His mother to John, just prior to His death, suggests that none of her immediate family was in sympathy with her or her firstborn Son, (John 19:25-28).

    9. Following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to James, (I Cor. 15:7).

    10. By the time of His ascension, however, all the brothers seem to have believed on Him; they were among the group who awaited the Spirit's coming in the Upper Room, (Acts 1:14).
II. JAMES SOON BECAME A FAITHFUL SHEPHERD OVER THE FLOCK AT JERUSALEM; though not specifically stated, it is a very strong implication.
  1. WHEN PETER WAS RELEASED FROM PRISON, HE SENT A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO JAMES, (Acts 12:17).

    1. This indicates that he was an important leader in the Jerusalem church at the time.

    2. Though the Scriptures do not state his position, the consistent tradition among the churches of the early centuries was that he was the bishop of the Jerusalem church.

  2. THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF ACTS JAMES IS SET FORTH AS OCCUPYING A HIGH POSITION AT JERUSALEM, and as having the respect of all Christians, (Acts 15:13-21; 21:18).

  3. THOUGH SOME HAVE ACCUSED JAMES OF BEING A JUDAIZER, they have not made out a very good case for their opinion.

    1. It seems an easy matter for twentieth century churchmen, with their closed creedal systems. Comfortable exclusivism and hyper-critical attitudes, to pass harsh and censorious judgment against faithful New Testament Christians of the first century. (If one can divert men's attention to the supposed weakness and inconsistency of others, perhaps his own sins will be ignored!) James has always been a favorite target for such critics.

    2. There is no biblical evidence that James ever wanted to subject Gentiles to the ordinances of the law.

    3. Nor is there an evidence that he required Jewish Christians to observe the law.

    4. He taught that men in Christ, Jew and Gentile alike, should obey "the perfect law of liberty" - involving a walk of faith under the rule of the Holy Spirit, (James 1:25; comp Rom. 8:2; II Cor. 3:17-18).

  4. JAMES WAS FAITHFUL TO REMEMBER AND ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO HAD BEEN SCATTERED FROM THE FOLD - Christians outside Palestine, in particular.

    1. "To the twelve tribes scattered abroad" does not mean that nation of Israel, (comp. I Peter 1:1).

    2. It appears that he, like Paul and Peter, envisioned a new Israel - a new order and new covenant, pertaining to those who yielded their lives under the authority of Jesus Christ, (Rom. 2:28-29; 9:6; Gal. 6:15-16; Phil. 3:3; Heb. 3:1-6; 13:10-21; I Peter 2:9-12,16; James 2:12).
      1. Jews from many nations had been converted and baptized at Jerusalem of the Day of Pentecost, (Acts 2).
      2. Most of them probably returned to the homes from whence they came; it is very likely that, in some areas, these formed the nucleus of a church.
      3. James, Peter, and Paul (in Hebrews) all address messages to these Christians outside the Holy Land.
      4. Yet, it is quite evident that they all address a corporate people, under the New Covenant - and this included Gentile brethren; all these may be regarded as church epistles, (James 2:1; 5:7-8).

III. IT ALSO APPEARS THAT JAMES WAS A FAITHFUL TEACHER.

  1. HE DEMANDED UNITY OF FAITH AND PRACTICE, OF WORD AND DEED; TO COUNT FOR CHRIST, ONE MUST BE CONSISTENT. And let there be no misunderstanding; James did, unblushingly own Jesus Christ as his "Lord" - as "the Lord of glory", whose coming urges patience on all those who truly revere His name.

  2. HE WARNED THE OVERZEALOUS AND PRESUMPTUOUS AMONG HIS BRETHREN: "Be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation," (James 3:1).

  3. JAMES SET FORTH A WAY OF LIFE THAT IS NOT ONLY IDEAL, BUT PRACTICAL. The way he pointed out involved a life to be lived: not merely talked about. Like Paul, he taught that we ought to practice what we preach!
IV. FINALLY, JAMES MAY BE VIEWED AS A FAITHFUL FRIEND. One thing needs to be made quite clear; the Scriptures record no obvious conflict between Paul and James!
  1. IT IS TRUE THAT JAMES WAS, AT FIRST, A BIT SUSPICIOUS OF PAUL; BUT THIS DID NOT INVOLVE ANY DOCTRINAL VIEWPOINT, (Gal. 1:19; Acts 9:26-29).

  2. THE BOOK OF JAMES WAS NOT WRITTEN AGAINST PAUL'S DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH; nor does Paul, in Galatians and Romans, contradict James' doctrine of "Justification by a faith that really works!"

  3. THOUGH PAUL BRINGS ACCUSATIONS AGAINST BOTH PETER AND BARNABAS (charging them with hypocrisy, Gal. 2), he never lays such a charge against James. To the very end, he appears to regard the overflowing stream of Judaizers from Jerusalem as imposters who deliberately misrepresented James in an effort to accomplish their own selfish ends.

  4. PAUL HAD NOTHING BUT THE HIGHEST RESPECT FOR JAMES, A JEW WHO, LIKE HIMSELF, STILL PRACTICES THE LAW WITHOUT ANY CONPUNCTION OF CONSCIENCE - free from it demands, yet determined not to offend their own countrymen, (I Cor. 9:19-23; Acts 21:20-26).
        CONCLUSION: James did not hesitate to charge that wicked men, whose hearts were set on riches, had "condemned and killed the Righteous One", (James 5:6). Josephus declares that the young high priest, Ananus, was envious and deeply incensed because of James' preaching and life. Taking advantage of the death of Festus, he hastily called the Sanhedrin together, charging James with "transgression of the law", and had him stoned to death before the arrival of the new procurator from Rome. According to him, this took place in A.D. 62 or 63.

        I want to be present to share in the joy, blessing, glory, and praise that shall resound afar when the martyr's crown is placed on the head of James by his elder Brother.

        Can you begin to imagine what a glorious day that will be?