Letter of James
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Title: Letter of James should be called Letter of Jacob. This might bring up many associations of Jacob the Patriarch who had his fair share of trials, defending himself against the rich, relying on the wisdom from above.
Date of
writing: very early
(30-33 AD), probably before St. Paul came to prominence. This is the reason why
James 2:14-26 should not be read as a polemic against Rom 4 and 5. Unlike St.
Paul, James had a very different audience in mind (the people who actually were
brought to diaspora because of Saul [St. Paul], cp. Acts 7-8).
Structure:
a. 1:1 Greeting to 12 tribes in dispersion.
b. 1:2-15 Trials,
wisdom, and riches
c. 1:16-25,
good gifts from above.
d. 1:26 –
2:13, bridle the tongue.
e.
2:14-17 faith without works is dead (v.17).
e’.
2:18-26, faith without works is dead (v.26).
d’. 3:1-12,
taming of tongue.
c’. 3:13 –
4:12 wisdom from above.
b’. 4:13-18,
trials, riches
a’. 5:19-20, saving the wanderer.
Main themes:
Trials. How do we perceive them: is it God who smacks
us, or our own lifestyle got us in trouble (1:13-15). Also, an important issue,
how to respond if we are persecuted unjustly: push back or bear with patience?
(5:7-11)
Wisdom. The Letter of James sometimes is seen as a
collection of random wise sayings, something like a NT reflection on the Book
of Proverbs. Yet, both of them have a deep structure. Also, both bring up the
fact that the Wisdom comes from above (3:13,17; cp. Prov. 8).
Relations with the rich. It is important to identify
the rich. On the one hand James speaks of people in fine clothing with golden
rings. It points to the earthly riches. At the same time these signs can point
to “covenantal riches” (cp. Rom. 9:4-5).
Order in the congregation achieved by the control of
the tongues, by the leaders or teachers (rabbis) and the lay members of the
community.
Main
Characters: Jacob;
Brothers/my beloved brothers (he is not addressing a company or a firm, he
appeals to the family); “rich” and traders (4:13-17). Historical examples:
Abraham and Isaac, Rahab, Job, Elijah.
Reflection
in other parts of the Bible: God Who created everything, knows all things, controls everything, and
guides our lives to the proper End. (Gen. 1:1 – 2:3). It can be seen in the
times of trials – Job is sustained by his faith in his Redeemer (Job 19;
42:10-17; cp. James 4:10).
There are a
few exiles in the Bible. Adam and Eve are “exiled” from the Garden (Gen.
3:23-24), Israel got into the Babylonian captivity. Yet, God always provided a
“comforter” – Jeremiah sent a letter to the ones in diaspora (Jer.
29:1-23).
Lutheran
teaching: Luther is
very often quoted for his “rejection” of the Epistle. It is true that at the
time of translation of the New Testament, he used the analogy of “straw” to
describe James. On the other hand, in his later works Dr. Luther stated that
the Epistle is ‘a good book, because it sets up no doctrine of men but
vigorously promulgates the law of God (LW 35:395).
Apology of
Augsburg Confession has the whole section on relationship between faith and
works based on the Epistle (Ap. V:123-132).
Lutheran
hymnody:
LSB 528 –
Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to sing (1:26-27)
LSB 846 –
Your Hand, o Lord, in Days of Old (5:14-16)
Relevancy of the Book: The epistle is
important to us for at least three reasons. It sets the patterns of order in
the congregation – not quarrelling, but relying on the wisdom from above, all
matters should be solved in peace and reason (3:17). Second, the orderly life
also can be reflected in the way the church treats the powerful figures of this
world. James/Jacob argues for avoiding partiality. Which leads to the third
lesson of the Epistle. The rich will assault the church, therefore, in the
light of forthcoming tribulations, we need to learn and train ourselves to set
aside zealotry, but practice patience in sufferings, confessing our sins, and
calling back the wanderers.
Memory
verses:
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