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 when they recognized the grace which had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, then thought to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and to me the right hand of fellowship. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the Jews.
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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"But let your word be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the Evil One.
"Store up for yourselves no treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal;
"No slave can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will pay heed to the one and despise the other. You cannot be the slaves both of God and of gold.
"Judge not, that you may be judged, yourselves; "for with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and in what measure you measure, others will measure to you. read more. "And why do you look at the mote in your brother's eye, and fail to notice the beam which is in your own eye? "Or how will you say to your brother, 'Permit me to remove the mote from your eye,' when, behold, the beam is in your own eye? "Hypocrite! First cast out the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to cast the mote out of your brother's eye.
"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
"By their fruits you will know them. Are grapes gathered of thorns, or figs of thistles?
"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house, but it fell not, for it was founded upon the rock.
"whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
"In solemn truth I tell you that if any one shall say to this mountain, 'Up and hurl yourself into the sea!' and shall not doubt in his heart, but on the contrary shall believe that what he says will happen, it will be granted him.
Then raising his eyes upon his disciples he began to say to them. "Blessed are you poor, For the kingdom of God is yours.
"But woe to you rich! For you already have received your consolation.
If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.
They took with them the following letter. "The apostles and older brothers send greeting to the Gentile Brotherhood throughout Antioch and Syria and Cilicia; "as we have heard that some of your number who went out from us have troubled you with words and upset your souls, without having received any such instruction from us;
You are therefore inexcusable, O man, whoever you are, that sits in judgment; for in judging another you are condemning yourself. You, the judge, are habitually practising the very same things.
For He will render to every man according to his works; eternal life to those who by patience in well-doing strive for glory and honor and immortality; read more. but anger and wrath upon those who are self-willed and disobey the truth, but obey unrighteousness. Anguish and calamity will be upon every soul of man who practices evil, upon the Jew first, and also upon the Gentile; but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. For there is no partiality with God. For all who have sinned without law will also perish without law; and all who have sinned under law will be judged by law. For it is not the hearers of law who are righteous in the eyes of God; nay, it is the doers of law who will be accounted righteous.
For it is not the hearers of law who are righteous in the eyes of God; nay, it is the doers of law who will be accounted righteous. For when Gentiles, who have no law, obey by natural instinct the commands of the Law, they even though they have no law, are a law to themselves. read more. For they show that the work of the Law is written in their hearts, while their conscience bears them witness, as their reasonings accuse, or it may be defend, them, in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. Now if you bear the name of a Jew, and rely upon law, and boast yourself in God, and know his will, and can test the things that differ; if you are instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you yourself are a darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of the young, because you have in the Law the form of knowledge and of the truth??ell then, you who are teaching others, do you ever teach yourself?
By no means! Be sure that God is ever true, though all mankind prove false. As it is written, That thou mayest be found just in thine argument, And gain thy cause when thou contendest.
For no man will be justified in God's sight by works of the Law; for through the Law comes the consciousness of sin.
I mean a righteousness coming from God through faith in Jesus Christ, for all who believe. For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile,
I say, at this present time; that he himself might be just, and yet the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.
For I conclude that a man is justified by faith, altogether apart from the deeds of the Law.
For I conclude that a man is justified by faith, altogether apart from the deeds of the Law.
And not only so, but we are actually exulting also even in our troubles; for we know that trouble works fortitude, and fortitude character, and character, hope??5 a hope which never disappoints us. For through the Holy Spirit who has given to us, the "brimming river of the love of God" has overflowed in our hearts.
but I find a different law in my bodily faculties, waging war with the law of my will, and taking me prisoner to that law of sin which is in my bodily faculties.
The night is far spent; The day is at hand. Let is therefore take off the deeds of darkness, Let us put on the armor of light.
Who are you just that judges the household-servant of another? To his own lord he stands or falls. And stand he will, for his Master has power to make him stand.
I saw no other apostle except James, the Lord's brother.
"yet because we know that no man is justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, we ourselves also have put our faith in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law; for "By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."
"yet because we know that no man is justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, we ourselves also have put our faith in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law; for "By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified."
because in Christ neither circumcision has any value, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works through love.
In the days of his flesh, with better cries and weeping Jesus offered up prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save him out of death; and he was heard because of his devout submission.
By faith Rahab, the harlot, perished not with the disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.
James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad.
James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad.
James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad.
James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad. My brothers, when you are beset by various temptations, count it all joy, read more. because you know that the testing of your faith is working out endurance. But let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and entire, not lacking in anything. If any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him ask it from the God who gives to all men freely and without upbraiding; and it will be given to him.
but a rich brother, in his humiliation; because like the flower of the grass the rich man will pass away.
but a rich brother, in his humiliation; because like the flower of the grass the rich man will pass away.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Do not be deceived, my brothers! Every good gift and every perfect boon is from above, and is ever coming down to us from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom is no variation nor shadow of eclipse. read more. Because he willed, he gave us birth through the word of truth, so that we should be a kind of first-fruits among his creatures.
Because he willed, he gave us birth through the word of truth, so that we should be a kind of first-fruits among his creatures. Mark this well, my dear brothers. Let every man be swift in hearing, slow in speaking, slow in growing angry;
So strip off all filthiness and superfluity of wickedness, and in meekness receive the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls. And become doers of the Word, and not merely hearers, deceiving yourselves.
And become doers of the Word, and not merely hearers, deceiving yourselves.
But the man who looks closely into the perfect law??he law of liberty??nd continues looking, this man will be blessed in his deed because he is not a hearer who forgets, but a doer who does.
But the man who looks closely into the perfect law??he law of liberty??nd continues looking, this man will be blessed in his deed because he is not a hearer who forgets, but a doer who does.
and undefiled before our God and Father, to look after orphans and widows in their affliction, and ever to keep himself unspotted from the world.
My brothers, do not hold the faith of the Lord Jesus, the Lord of Glory, in a spirit of caste. Suppose a man comes into your synagogue with a gold ring and dazzling clothes, and suppose a poor man comes in, also, in shabby clothes,
Listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and to inherit the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?
Listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and to inherit the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?
Listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and to inherit the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him?
Listen, my dear brothers, has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith, and to inherit the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you to court?
But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you to court? Are they not blaspheming that glorious Name by which you are called? read more. If you are keeping the royal law, which says, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself, you are doing well.
In just the same way faith, if it have not deeds, is by itself a lifeless thing.
You believe that God is one? You do well; even the demons believe, and they shudder.
Was not Abraham our ancestor justified by deeds, in that he offered up Isaac, his son, upon the altar?
Was not Abraham our ancestor justified by deeds, in that he offered up Isaac, his son, upon the altar?
Was not Abraham our ancestor justified by deeds, in that he offered up Isaac, his son, upon the altar?
Was not Abraham our ancestor justified by deeds, in that he offered up Isaac, his son, upon the altar?
You see, then, that it is by his deeds a man is justified, and not simply by his faith. In like manner was not Rahab, the harlot, justified by her deeds, in the fact that she received the messengers and sent them forth by another way?
Where do the conflicts and quarrels that go on among you come from? Do they not come from your passions which are always making war among your bodily members?
Where do the conflicts and quarrels that go on among you come from? Do they not come from your passions which are always making war among your bodily members?
You adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship of the world is enmity to God? Whoever, then, desires to be a friend of the world, makes himself and enemy of God.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, And he will raise you up. Do not be talking against each other, brothers. He who is talking against a brother and condemning his brothers is talking against the Law and condemning the Law. But if you are condemning the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge.
Do not be talking against each other, brothers. He who is talking against a brother and condemning his brothers is talking against the Law and condemning the Law. But if you are condemning the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge.
Do not be talking against each other, brothers. He who is talking against a brother and condemning his brothers is talking against the Law and condemning the Law. But if you are condemning the Law, you are not a doer of the Law, but a judge.
Go to now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we shall journey to such a city and spend a year there, and trade and make money,"
Look! the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have been keeping back by fraud, are crying aloud! And the cries of the reapers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth!
You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous man unresisting!
You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous man unresisting! Be patient, then, brothers, till the coming of the Lord. Behold the farmer who waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it gets the early and the latter rains. read more. So you also must be patient. Stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord is at hand!
Take, my brothers, for an example the suffering and the patience of the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Remember we count those that were stedfast happy. You have heard of the stedfastness of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord with him, seen how the Lord is full of tenderness.
Remember we count those that were stedfast happy. You have heard of the stedfastness of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord with him, seen how the Lord is full of tenderness. Again, above all things, my brothers, swear not at all, neither by the heavens, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath. Let your "yes" be "yes," and your "no," "no," so you will not fall under condemnation. read more. Is any one of you in trouble? Let him pray. Is any in good spirits? Let him sing unto his harp. Is any one of you ill? Let him send for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, after anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
My brothers, if any one of you strays from the truth, and some one brings him back,
For this is your calling; because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his footsteps;
It is the same in all his letters when he speaks of these things. There are indeed some things in his letters hard to understand, which the ignorant and the shifty wrest, as also they do the other 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