Reference: James, Epistle Of
Easton
(1.) Author of, was James the Less, the Lord's brother, one of the twelve apostles. He was one of the three pillars of the Church (Ga 2:9).
(2.) It was addressed to the Jews of the dispersion, "the twelve tribes scattered abroad."
(3.) The place and time of the writing of the epistle were Jerusalem, where James was residing, and, from internal evidence, the period between Paul's two imprisonments at Rome, probably about A.D. 62.
(4.) The object of the writer was to enforce the practical duties of the Christian life. "The Jewish vices against which he warns them are, formalism, which made the service of God consist in washings and outward ceremonies, whereas he reminds them (1:27) that it consists rather in active love and purity; fanaticism, which, under the cloak of religious zeal, was tearing Jerusalem in pieces (1:20); fatalism, which threw its sins on God (1:13); meanness, which crouched before the rich (2:2); falsehood, which had made words and oaths play-things (3:2-12); partisanship (3:14); evil speaking (4:11); boasting (4:16); oppression (5:4). The great lesson which he teaches them as Christians is patience, patience in trial (1:2), patience in good works (1:22-25), patience under provocation (3:17), patience under oppression (5:7), patience under persecution (5:10); and the ground of their patience is that the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, which is to right all wrong (5:8)."
Justification by works, which James contends for, is justification before man, the justification of our profession of faith by a consistent life. Paul contends for the doctrine of "justification by faith;" but that is justification before God, a being regarded and accepted as just by virtue of the righteousness of Christ, which is received by faith.
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and knowing the grace given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, gave right hands of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we go to the nations, but they to the circumcision.
Hastings
JAMES, EPISTLE OF
1. The author claims to be 'James, a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ' (Jas 1:1). He is usually identified with the Lord's brother the 'bishop' of Jerusalem, not a member of the Twelve, but an apostle in the wider sense (see Jas 3). The name is common, and the writer adds no further note of identification. This fact makes for the authenticity of the address. If the Epistle had been pseudonymous, the writer would have defined the position of the James whose authority he wished to claim, and the same objection holds good against any theory of interpolation. Or again, if it had been written by a later James under his own name, he must have distinguished himself from his better known namesakes. The absence of description supports the common view of the authorship of the letter; it is a mark of modesty, the brother of the Lord not wishing to insist on his relationship after the flesh; it also points to a consciousness of authority; the writer expected to be listened to, and knew that his mere name was a sufficient description of himself. So Jude writes merely as 'the brother of James.' It has indeed been doubted whether a Jew of his position could have written such good Greek as we find in this Epistle, but we know really very little of the scope of Jewish education; there was every opportunity for intercourse with Greeks in Galilee, and a priori arguments of this nature can at most be only subsidiary. If indeed the late date, suggested by some, be adopted, the possibility of the brother of the Lord being the author is excluded, since he probably died in 62; otherwise there is nothing against the ordinary view. If that be rejected, the author is entirely unknown. More will be said in the rest of the article on the subject; but attention must be called to the remarkable coincidence in language between this Epistle and the speech of James in Ac 15.
2. Date.
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And he believed in Jehovah. And He counted it to him for righteousness.
And he believed in Jehovah. And He counted it to him for righteousness.
Hear, O, Israel. Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.
But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil.
Do not lay up treasures on earth for yourselves, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.
No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Judge not, that you may not be judged. For with whatever judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with whatever measure you measure out, it shall be measured to you again. read more. And why do you look on the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but do not consider the beam that is in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull the splinter out of your eye; and, behold, a beam is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First cast the beam out of your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast the splinter out of your brother's eye.
Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.
You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
And the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on a rock.
And whoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he who shall humble himself shall be exalted.
For truly I say to you that whoever shall say to this mountain, Be moved and be cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he said shall occur, he shall have whatever he said.
And lifting up His eyes to His disciples, He said, Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation.
If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
And they wrote these things by their hand: The apostles and elders and brothers send greeting to the brothers, from the nations in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Because we have heard that certain ones who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, Be circumcised and keep the law! (to whom we gave no such command);
Therefore you are without excuse, O man, everyone who judges; for in that in which you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judge do the same things.
who will render to each according to his works; indeed to those who with patience in good work are seeking for glory, and honor, and incorruptibility, everlasting life. read more. But to those who indeed disobeying the truth out of self-seeking, and obeying unrighteousness, will be anger and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man who has worked out evil; of the Jew first, and also of the Greek. But He will give glory, honor and peace to every man who works good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no respect of faces with God. For as many as sinned without Law will also perish without Law. And as many as have sinned within Law shall be judged through Law. For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. For when the nations, who do not have the Law, do by nature the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves; read more. who show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and the thoughts between one another accusing or even excusing one another, in a day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Behold, you are called a Jew, and rest in the Law, and boast in God; and know His will and approve the things excelling, being instructed out of the Law; and persuading yourselves to be a guide of the blind, a light to those in darkness; an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, who have the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law.
Let it not be! But let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, "That You might be justified in Your sayings, and will overcome when You are judged."
because by the works of the Law none of all flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law is the knowledge of sin.
even the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ, toward all and upon all those who believe. For there is no difference,
for the display of His righteousness at this time, for Him to be just and, forgiving the one being of the faith of Jesus.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the works of the Law.
And not only this, but we glory in afflictions also, knowing that afflictions work out patience, and patience works out experience, and experience works out hope. read more. And hope does not make us ashamed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us.
but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin being in my members.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand; therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Who are you that judges another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. But he will stand, for God is able to make him stand.
But I saw no other of the apostles, except James the Lord's brother.
knowing that a man is not justified by works of the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ; even we believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law. For all flesh will not be justified by works of law.
knowing that a man is not justified by works of the Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ; even we believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith in Christ, and not by works of the Law. For all flesh will not be justified by works of law.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any strength, but faith working through love.
For Jesus, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared,
By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, greeting:
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, greeting:
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, greeting:
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, greeting: My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of temptations, read more. knowing that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and with no reproach, and it shall be given to him.
and the rich one rejoice in his humiliation, because he shall pass away as the flower of the grass.
and the rich one rejoice in his humiliation, because he shall pass away as the flower of the grass.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because having been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Do not err, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning. read more. Of His own will He brought us forth with the Word of truth, for us to be a certain firstfruit of His creatures.
Of His own will He brought us forth with the Word of truth, for us to be a certain firstfruit of His creatures. Therefore, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
Therefore putting aside all filthiness and overflowing of evil, receive in meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls. But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing.
But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their afflictions, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
My brothers, do not have the faith of our Lord Christ, the Lord of glory, with respecter of faces. For if there comes a gold-fingered man in fancy clothing into your assembly, and if there also comes in a poor man in shabby clothing,
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him?
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him?
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him?
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He has promised to those who love Him? But you dishonored the poor one. Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgment seats?
But you dishonored the poor one. Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgment seats? Do they not blaspheme that worthy Name by which you are called? read more. If you fulfill the royal Law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well.
Even so, if it does not have works, faith is dead, being by itself.
You believe that there is one God, you do well; even the demons believe and tremble.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
You see then how a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. And in the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she had received the messengers and had sent them out another way?
From where do wars and fightings among you come? Is it not from this, from your lusts which war in your members?
From where do wars and fightings among you come? Is it not from this, from your lusts which war in your members?
Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever desires to be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Be humbled before the Lord, and He will lift you up. Do not speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against his brother, and who judges his brother, speaks against the Law and judges the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge.
Do not speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against his brother, and who judges his brother, speaks against the Law and judges the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge.
Do not speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against his brother, and who judges his brother, speaks against the Law and judges the Law. But if you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge.
Come now, those saying, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and spend a year there, and we will trade and will make a profit,
Behold, the hire of the laborers reaping your fields cry out, being kept back by you. And the cries of those who have reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have condemned and murdered the just; he does not resist you.
You have condemned and murdered the just; he does not resist you. Therefore be patient, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and the latter rain. read more. You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of your Lord draws near.
My brothers, take the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering ill, and of patience. Behold, we count blessed those who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is full of pity and of tender mercy.
Behold, we count blessed those who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is full of pity and of tender mercy. But before all things, my brothers, do not swear; neither by the heaven nor by the earth, nor any other oath. But let your yes be yes, and your no, no, lest you fall into condemnation. read more. Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 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.
Elijah was a man of like passion as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for the time of three years and six months.
Brothers, if anyone among you err from the truth, and if anyone turns him back,
For you were not called to this? For Christ also suffered on our behalf, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps,
as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable pervert, as also they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction).
Morish
This was written to the twelve tribes which were in the dispersion, viewing them as still in relationship with God, though it was only the Jewish remnant, now become Christians, who professed the faith, which the Spirit gave, in the true Messiah. The moral measure of the life presented is the same as when the Lord was here among His disciples: it does not rise up to the position and principles of the church as found in Paul's epistles. The believers being in the midst of the Israelites, some of whom merely professed faith in Christ, accounts for the apostles address to the mass and the warning to professors. The epistle belongs in character to the transitional time in the early part of the Acts, when the believers went on with the temple worship, etc., before Paul's testimony came in. In some Greek MSS this epistle follows the Acts, preceding Paul's writings.
Referring to the various temptations into which saints fall, the apostle bids them count it all joy, inasmuch as the proving of faith works endurance. But this last must have her perfect work that they might be lacking in nothing. If wisdom be lacking, it should be sought in faith from God. The man who doubts will get nothing.
The poor and the rich had both that in which they could glory; the one in his exaltation, the other in his humiliation, being able rightly to judge of that which is but for a moment. The crown of life is for him who endures trial