THE PURPOSE: To encourage scattered Jewish believers (1:1) to face trials with faith and perseverance (1:2-4; 5:7-10).
THE THEME: A useful faith accomplishes practical works.[1]
THE AUTHOR: James is likely the oldest half-brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3).[2] After years of unbelief (John 7:2-5), James became a believer when Jesus appeared to him after His resurrection (1 Cor 15:7).[3] From this point, James quickly gained prominence in the early church. At the time of Paul's first visit to Jerusalem, he wrote of James as being one of the ''pillars'' of the church (Gal 1:19; 2:9). James' prestige in Jerusalem is also reflected in Acts 12:17 where Peter's miraculous release from jail was to be reported to James. In Acts 15 James appears as the key leader at the Jerusalem Council. After Paul's missionary journeys, he visited James in Jerusalem (Acts 21:18-25). The authorship of James is supported by the resemblances in the Greek between this epistle and the speech of James at the Council of Jerusalem (Jas 1:1 and Acts 15:23; Jas 1:27 and Acts 15:14; Jas 2:5 and Acts 15:13). Church tradition states that James was stoned to death in Jerusalem in A.D. 62.
THE AUDIENCE: James addressed his letter to ''the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad'' (Jas 1:1; cf. Matt 1:11, 12, 17). In Acts 2:9-11 Jews from all parts of the world were in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Pentecost. Many of these saw and heard the phenomena of Pentecost and came to believe in Christ (Acts 2:37-41). Eventually, many returned to their respective homes. Later in the book of Acts, there were two other dispersions of Jewish Christians: Jews were dispersed under the persecution of Saul (Acts 8:1-3) and Herod (Acts 12). This leads to the conclusion that James was writing to Jewish Christians dispersed from Jerusalem throughout the Roman Empire.[4]
DATE AND PLACE OF ORIGIN: Most scholars date the epistle of James between A.D. 45-48. Many consider James to be earliest NT book. There are at least seven reasons for this: (1) There is a distinctive Jewish flavor to the letter, which suggests that it was written when the church was still predominantly Jewish. (2) The evidence of a simple church order favors the early date. The leaders are ''teachers'' (3:1) and ''elders'' (5:14). (3) The apostle Paul is not mentioned, nor are his writings alluded to. In fact, James writes about faith and works without the need to defend justification by faith, suggesting he wrote before Paul, and therefore, had no need to explain any potential conflict. (4) There is no reference to the relationship between Jewish and Gentile Christians (see Acts 15:1-35, the Jerusalem Council of A.D. 49). (5) James does not discuss false teachings, another later issue in the church, and a prominent theme in the writings of Paul, Peter, John, and Jude. (6) The Greek term sunagoge (''assembly,'' 2:2) is used to designate the meeting or meeting place of the church rather than ekklesia (''church''). (7) The allusions to Jesus' teachings have such little verbal agreement with the synoptic gospels that they likely preceded them. James probably wrote this letter from Jerusalem where he lived.
KEY VERSES: James 1:19-22: ''This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.'' See also 1:2-4; 2:14-17.
KEY PHRASE: ''faith without works is useless/dead'' (2:20, 26).
KEY WORDS: ''Faith'' (sixteen times), ''works/working'' (fifteen times), and ''brethren'' (nineteen times).
THE OUTSTANDING CHARACTERISTICS:
- There are approximately fifty-nine commands in the letter (108 verses), about one for every two verses. James uses imperative verbs more frequently than any other NT book.
- There are references or allusions from twenty-two OT books. James also refers to many OT characters (e.g., Abraham, Rahab, Job, Elijah) as well as the Ten Commandments and Mosaic Law.
- James depends more than any other NT author on the teaching of Jesus. There are at least fifteen allusions to Christ's teachings as embodied in the Sermon on the Mount.[5]
- There are many figures of speech and analogies, including at least thirty references to nature.
- Topics in the letter change abruptly but are introduced with the phrase ''my brothers'' (1:2, 19; 2:1, 14; 3:1; 4:11; 5:7, 19), the words ''now listen'' (4:13; 5:1), or with a question (4:1; 5:13).
- There is no mention of the cross, the atonement, or the death and resurrection of Christ.
- There are no references to specific individuals who were the original recipients.
- There is no concluding benediction (see also 1 John).
OUTLINE[6]
1. Salutation (1:1)
2. Prologue: Respond to trials and temptations properly (1:2-18)
3. Theme: Behave well in trials (1:19-20)
4. Body: Cultivate the necessary behavior (1:21-5:6)
- By being ''quick to hear'' (1:21-2:26)
- By being ''slow to speak'' (3:1-18)
- By being ''slow to anger'' (4:1-5:6)
1. Epilogue: Persevere in trials to the end (5:7-20)
OUTLINE #1[7]
1. The Test of Faith (1:1-18)
A. The Purpose of Trials (1:1-12)
B. The Price of Temptation (1:13-18)
2. The Characteristics of Faith (1:19-5:6)
A. Faith Obeys God's Word (1:19-27)
B. Faith Avoids Favoritism (2:1-13)
C. Faith Produces Works (2:14-26)
D. Faith Controls the Tongue (3:1-12)
E. Faith Produces Wisdom (3:13-18)
F. Faith Produces Humility (4:1-12)
G. Faith Produces Dependence on God (4:13-5:6)
3. The Triumph of Faith (5:7-20)
A. Faith Endures Awaiting Christ's Return (5:7-12)
B. Faith Prays for the Afflicted (5:13-18)
C. Faith Confronts the Wandering Believer (5:19-20)
OUTLINE #2[8]
I. Greetings (1:1)
II. Statement of Three Key Themes (1:2-11)
a. Trials in the Christian Life (1:2-4)
b. Wisdom (1:5-8)
c. Riches and Poverty (1:9-11)
III. Restatement of the Three Themes (1:12-27)
a. Trials/Temptations in Relation to God (1:12-18)
b. Wisdom in the Areas of Speech and Obedience (1:19-26)
c. The ''Have-Nots'' and the Responsibility of the ''Haves'': The Thesis of the Letter (1:27)
IV. The Three Themes Expanded (2:1-5:18)
a. Riches and Poverty (2:1-26)
1. Favoritism Condemned (2:1-13)
2. The Problem of Faith without Works (2:14-26)
b. Wisdom and Speech (3:1-4:12)
1. The Power of the Tongue (3:1-12)
2. Wisdom from Above and Wisdom from Below (3:13-18)
3. The Misuse of Speech in Quarrels and Slander (4:1-12)
c. Trials and Temptations (4:13-5:18)
1. Planning apart from God's Will (4:13-17)
2. Responding to Oppression (5:1-12)
3. Anointing Prayer for Serious Illness (5:13-18)
V. Closing (5:19-20)
OUTLINE #3
1. Salutation (1:1)
2. Prologue: Respond to trials and temptations properly (1:2-18)
3. Theme: Behave well in trials (1:19-20)
4. Body: Cultivate the necessary behavior (1:21-5:6)
5. By being ''quick to hear'' (1:21-2:26)
6. By being ''slow to speak'' (3:1-18)
7. By being ''slow to anger'' (4:1-5:6)
8. Epilogue: Persevere in trials to the end (5:7-20)
