The Epistle of James

Who Was James?

Eusebius quotes Clement in Institutions, Book 6: “Peter, and James, and John after the ascension of our Savior, though they had been preferred by our Lord, did not contend for the honour, but chose James the Just as bishop of Jerusalem. The Lord imparted the gift of knowledge to James the Just, to John and Peter after his resurrection, these delivered it to the rest of the apostles, and they to the seventy.” (Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilus, page 49.)

He quotes Hegesippus in Commentaries, Book 5. “But James the brother of the Lord, who was surnamed the Just by all, received the government of the church with the apostles. This apostle was consecrated from his mother’s womb. He drank neither wine nor fermented liquors, and abstained from animal foods. A razor never came upon his head, he never anointed with oil, and never used a bath. He alone was allowed to enter the sanctuary. He never wore woollen, but linen garments. He was in the habit of entering the temple alone, and was often found upon his bended knees, and interceding for the forgiveness of the people; so that his knees became hard as camel’s. On account of his exceeding great piety, he was called the Just and Oblias (or Zaddick and Ozleam) which signifies justice and protection of the people.” (Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilus, page 76.)

Between the time of the death of Festus and the arrival of Albinus to Judea as procurator, King Agrippa replaced Joseph with Ananus as high priest. Ananus, a Sadducee, assembled the sanhedrin of the judges and formed an accusation against James and some of his companions. (Antiquities of the Jews, XX, ix, 1.)

The scribes and the Pharisees placed James on the wing of the temple and taunted him about Jesus. In a loud voice, James gave his testimony of Jesus. The scribes and the Pharisees saw their failure and decided to cast him down from the height in an effort to bring fear to the people in attendance. Since James did not die from the fall, he was stoned to death. One man, a fuller, beat out the brains of James with a club that he used to beat out clothes. (Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilus, page 77.)

There were some of the citizens who did not approve of what had taken place. They asked King Agrippa to have Ananus told not to act like this any more. They also sent word to Albinus, telling him what had happened. In anger, Albinus sent a letter from Alexandria to Ananus condemning the action and threatening punishment. King Agrippa immediately removed Ananus from the high priesthood. (Antiquities of the Jews, XX, ix, 1.)

James, like his brothers, did not believe in the Lord Jesus during his earthly ministry (NBV). He was not converted until Jesus was raised from the dead (WNT). He decided the admission of Paul into fellowship with the church at Jerusalem (Smith’s Bible Dictionary). The conference dealing with the controversy about circumcision was presided over by James (WNT).

Some scholars deny that this letter was written by him (NJB). Eusebius noted that James is said to have written it but that it was considered spurious. Nevertheless, he also noted that this and the other epistles were publicly used in most of the churches. (Ecclesiastical History, of Eusebius Pamphilus, pages 78 and 79). In another place, he said that the Epistle of James is among the disputed books, although these were well known and approved by many (page 110). He quotes Origen, who listed his review of the Scriptures of both Testaments, in which James is not mentioned (pages 244-247). Many modern scholars have concluded, primarily on internal evidence, that James was a Hellenistic Jew writing for Jewish Christians toward the end of the first century A.D. (TDB).

1. AAT – An American Translation (Beck)
2. CEV – Contemporary English Version
3. GW – God’s Word
4. NAB – New American Bible
5. NAS – New American Standard
6. NCV – New Century Version
7. NET – New Evangelical Translation
8. NIV – New International Version
9. NJB – New Jerusalem Bible
10. NLV – New Life Version
11. PRS – Phillips Revised Student Edition
12. REB – Revised English Bible
13. TDB – The Dartmouth Bible
14. TEV – Today’s English Version
15. TM – The Message
16. WNT – Williams New Testament

 

CEV – Though written as a letter, it is more like a short book of instructions for daily living. It is a series of examples that show faith in action in wise and practical ways. The advice is clear and to the point.

NAB – It consists of sequences of didactic proverbs. Numerous passages treat of subjects that also appear in the synoptic sayings of Jesus, especially in Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. It represents a type of early Christianity that emphasized sound teaching and responsible moral behavior.

NJB – The author insists that Christian faith must issue in good works: a faith not expressed in good works is no faith at all. In the Wisdom tradition of the Old Testament he gives sharp and sensible advice on many practical points of conduct, especially stressing the danger and transistories of wealth.

PRS – The teaching closely follows that of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and reads like a collection of short homilies. It deals particularly with the dangers of an uncontrolled tongue, snobbery, belief in God unaccompanied by Christian conduct, and trusting in material prosperity.

TDB – It is a vigorous homily in the form of a letter. It is a guide for daily living and presents Christianity as a “religion of attainment;” that is, a religion not primarily of “faith” but of “works.” It has often been called the most Hebraic writing in the New Testament. This little book is notable for its numerous imperatives (fifty-four of them in a hundred and eight verses), for its irony and humor, for its invectives against wealth, and for its famous passage on “taming the tongue.” Martin Luther, in grading the books of the Bible according to their spiritual value, called the Epistle of James “a letter of straw” (page 7).

TEV – It is a collection of practical instructions, written to “all God’s people scattered over the whole world.” From the Christian perspective he deals with a variety of topics such as riches and poverty, temptation, good conduct, prejudice, faith and actions, the use of the tongue, wisdom, quarrelling, pride and humility, judging others, boasting, patience, and prayer. It emphasizes the importance of actions along with faith, in the practice of the Christian religion.

TM – The letter of James shows one of the church’s early pastors skillfully going about his work of confronting, diagnosing, and dealing with areas of misbelief and misbehavior that had turned up in congregations committed to his care. Deep and living wisdom is on display here, wisdom both rare and essential.

WNT – James wrote to encourage the Jewish Christians who were suffering persecution to be patient; to urge all not to be partial to the rich; to warn the rich oppressors against the day of judgment; in short, to stress the social, practical side of Christianity.

The Bible Almanac – Addressed to Hebrew converts, it is intended to strengthen them in Christian life by correcting various tendencies to sin and by instructing them in the truth that faith must show itself above by the way it works.

Smith’s Bible Dictionary – Its main object is not to teach doctrine, but to improve morality. It was written to Jewish Christians to warn them against the sins to which as Jews they were most liable, and to console and exhort them under the sufferings to which as Christians they were most exposed.

 

An American Translation (Beck) – AAT

1:1 – Introduction
1:2 – Cheer Up
1:12 – Our Desires Tempt Us
1:16 – God’s Children
2:1 – Don’t Prefer the Rich
2:10 – Keep the Whole Law
2:14 – Faith Is Active
3:1 – Control Your Tongue
3:13 – Wisdom from Above
4:1 – Don’t Love the World
4:11 – Don’t Talk Against One Another
4:13 – “If the Lord Is Willing”
5:1 – Woe to the Rich
5:7 – Be Patient
5:12 – Don’t Swear
5:13 – The Power of Prayer
5:19 – Bring Back the Lost

Contemporary English Version – CEV

1:1 – Greetings
1:2 – Faith and Wisdom
1:9 – Poor People and Rich People
1:12 – Trials and Temptations
1:19 – Hearing and Obeying
2:1 – Warning Against Having Favorites
2:14 – Faith and Works
3:1 – The Tongue
3:13 – Wisdom from Above
4:1 – Friendship with the World
4:11 – Saying Cruel Things About Others
4:13 – Warning Against Bragging
5:1 – Warning to the Rich
5:7 – Be Patient and Kind

God’s Word – GW

1:1 – Greeting
1:2 – When You Are Tested, Turn to God
2:1 – Don’t Favor Rich People over Poor People
2:14 – We Show Our Faith by What We Do
3:1 – Speak Wisely
3:13 – Live Wisely
4:1 – Stop Fighting with Each Other
4:11 – Stop Slandering Each Other
4:13 – Don’t Brag About Your Plans for the Future
5:1 – Advice to Rich People
5:7 – Be Patient
5:12 – Don’t Take Oaths
5:13 – Prayer Is Powerful
5:19 – Help Those Who Have Wandered Away from the Truth

New American Bible – NAB

1:1 – Address
The Value of Trial and Temptation
1:2 – Perseverance in Trial
1:12 – Temptation
Exhortations and Warnings
1:19 – Doers of the Word
2:1 – Sin of Partiality
2:14 – Faith and Works
3:1 – Power of the Tongue
3:13 – True Wisdom
4:1 – Causes of Divisions
4:13 – Warning Against Presumption
5:1 – Warning to the Rich
5:7 – Patience and Oaths
The Power of Prayer
5:13 – Anointing of the Sick
5:16 – Confession and Intercession
5:19 – Conversion of Sinners

New American Standard – NAS

1:1 – Testing Your Faith
2:1 – The Sin of Partiality
2:14 – Faith and Works
3:1 – The Tongue Is a Fire
3:13 – Wisdom from Above
4:1 – Things to Avoid
5:1 – Misuse of Riches

New Century Version – NCV

How to Live As a Christian
1:1 – Introduction
1:2 – Faith and Wisdom
1:9 – True Riches
1:12 – Temptation Is Not from God
1:19 – Listening and Obeying
1:26 – The True Way to Worship God
2:1 – Love All People
2:14 – Faith and Good Works
3:1 – Controlling the Things We Say
3:13 – True Wisdom
4:1 – Give Yourselves to God
4:11 – You Are Not the Judge
4:13 – Let God Plan Your Life
5:1 – A Warning to the Rich
5:7 – Be Patient
5:12 – Be Careful What You Say
5:13 – The Power of Prayer
5:19 – Saving a Soul

New Evangelical Translation – NET

1:1 – Introduction
Turn to God, the Giver of Perfect Gifts
1:2 – Cheer Up
1:12 – Our Desires Tempt Us
1:16 – God’s Children
Turn to True and Active Faith
2:1 – Do Not Prefer the Rich
2:10 – Keep the Whole Law
2:14 – Faith Is Active
Turn, Teachers, to God-Given Wisdom
3:1 – Control Your Tongue
3:13 – Wisdom from Above
Turn to God, the Giver of the Spirit and of All Grace
4:1 – Do Not Love the World
4:11 – Do Not Talk Against One Another
Turn from the World’s Self-Assurance
4:13 – “If the Lord Is Willing”
5:1 – Woe to the Rich
Turn to the Returning Lord
5:7 – Be Patient
5:12 – Do Not Swear
5:13 – The Power of Prayer
5:19 – Bring Back the Lost

New International Version – NIV

1:1 – Greeting
1:2 – Trials and Temptations
1:19 – Listening and Doing
2:1 – Favoritism Forbidden
2:14 – Faith and Deeds
3:1 – Taming the Tongue
3:13 – Two Kinds of Wisdom
4:1 – Submit Yourselves to God
4:13 – Boasting About Tomorrow
5:1 – Warning to Rich Oppressors
5:7 – Patience in Suffering
5:13 – The Prayer of Faith

New Jerusalem Bible – NJB

1:1 – Address and Greetings
1:2 – Trials a Privilege
1:5 – Prayer with Confidence
1:9 – The Lot of the Rich
1:12 – Temptation
1:16 – Receiving the Word and Putting It into Practice
1:19 – True Religion
2:1 – Respect for the Poor
2:14 – Faith and Good Deeds
3:1 – Uncontrolled Language
3:13 – Real Wisdom and Its Opposite
4:1 – Disunity Among Christians
4:13 – A Warning for the Rich and Self-Confident
5:7 – The Coming of the Lord

New Life Version – NLV

1:1 – Introduction
1:2 – Take Hope When Tests Come
1:13 – God Does Not Tempt Us
2:1 – The Rich and the Poor
2:10 – Keep the Whole Law
2:14 – Faith Without Works Is Dead
3:1 – The Power of the Tongue
3:13 – Wisdom from Above
4:11 – Do Not Talk Against Each Other
5:7 – The Lord Will Come Again
5:13 – The Power of Prayer in Healing
5:19 – Bring Back Those Who Are Lost in Sin

Phillips Revised Student Edition – PRS

1:1 – Introduction
1:2 – The Christian Can Even Welcome Trouble
1:9 – Rich and Poor Can Be Glad – For Different Reasons
1:12 – No Temptation Comes from God, Only the Highest Good
1:19 – Hear God’s Word and Put It Into Practice: That Is Real Religion
2:1 – Avoid Snobbery: Keep the Royal Law
2:14 – The Relation Between Faith and Action
3:1 – The Responsibility of a Teacher’s Position
3:2 – The Danger of the Tongue
3:13 – Real, Spiritual Wisdom Means Humility, Not Rivalry
4:1 – Your Jealousies Spring from Love of What the World Can Give
4:7 – You Should Be Humble, Not Proud
4:11 – It Is for God to Judge, Not for Us
4:13 – It Is Still True That Man Proposes, But God Disposes
5:1 – Riches Are Going to Prove a Liability, Not an Asset to the Selfish
5:7 – Ultimate Justice Will Surely Come: Be Patient Meanwhile
5:12 – Don’t Emphasise with Oaths: Speak the Plain Truth
5:13 – Prayer Is a Great Weapon
5:19 – A Concluding Hint

Revised English Bible – REB

1:1 – Introduction
1:2 – Faith Under Trial
2:1 – Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
3:1 – Christian Speaking
4:13 – The Danger of Wealth
5:7 – Patience and Prayer

Today’s English Version – TEV

1:1 – Introduction
1:2 – Faith and Wisdom
1:9 – Poverty and Wealth
1:12 – Testing and Tempting
1:19 – Hearing and Doing
2:1 – Warning Against Discrimination
2:14 – Faith and Works
3:1 – The Christian and His Tongue
4:1 – The Christian and the World
5:7 – Various Instructions

The Message – TM

1:1 – Introduction
1:2 – Faith Under Pressure
1:19 – Act on What You Hear
2:1 – The Royal Rule of Love
2:14 – Faith in Action
3:1 – When You Open Your Mouth
3:13 – Live Well, Live Wisely
4:1 – Get Serious
4:13 – Nothing But a Wisp of Fog
5:1 – Destroying Your Life from Within
5:13 – Prayer to Be Reckoned With

Williams New Testament – WNT

1:1 – The Christian’s Character Perfected Through Trials
1:9 – Christian Faith Is Democratic
1:19 – God Requires Humble Obedience
2:1 – Christians Are Not to Practice Partiality
2:14 – Man’s Uprightness Shown by Good Deeds
3:1 – The Tongue Is Potentially Harmful
3:13 – Noble Living Reveals Heavenly Wisdom
4:1 – The World’s Friend Is God’s Enemy
4:11 – Definition of Sin
5:1 – Await the Lord’s Coming While Serving Him
5:13 – Prayer for the Sick

The Bible Almanac:

Enduring Daily Temptation
1:1 – Faith Is Strong
1:12 – Good Rewards the Faithful
Individual Conduct
1:16 – Holy Attitudes
2:1 – Serving One’s Fellow Man
3:1 – A Bridled Tongue
3:13 – True Wisdom
4:1 – Dangers of Pride
5:1 – Warnings for the Wealthy
5:17 – Patience in Time of Trouble
5:19 – Challenge to Bring Back an Erring Brother

 

1:1 (CEV) – Twelve tribes scattered all over the world: James is saying that the Lord’s followers are like the tribes of Israel that were scattered everywhere by their enemies.

1:2 (DRB) – Into divers temptations: The word temptation, in this epistle, is sometimes taken for trials by afflictions or persecutions, as in this place; at other times, it is to be understood, tempting, enticing, or drawing others into sin.

1:5 (NAB) – Wisdom: a gift that God readily grants to all who ask in faith and that sustains the Christian in times of trial. It is a kind of knowledge or understanding not accessible to the unbeliever or those who doubt, which gives the recipient an understanding of the real importance of events. In this way a Christian can deal with adversity with great calm and hope.

1:12 (NAB) – The crown of life: in ancient Palestine, crowns or wreaths of flowers were worn at festive occasions as signs of joy and honor. In the Hellenistic world, wreaths were given as a reward to great statesmen, soldiers, athletes.

1:12 (CEV) – A glorious life: The Greek text has “the crown of life.” In ancient times an athlete who had won a contest was rewarded with a crown of flowers as a sign of victory.

1:15 (WNT) – Only a practical, not a philosophical, explanation – of how sinning starts and matures in death.

1:18 (CEV) – His own special people: The Greek text has “the first of his creatures.” The Law of Moses taught that the first-born of all animals and the first part of the harvest were special and belonged to the Lord.

1:25 (NET) – Literally: “if a person looks into the perfect ‘law’ of freedom.” For a Jew, the word “law” basically meant “instruction” or “teaching.” The reference here is to “law” in the wider sense, as a name for the whole “word” or “instruction” of God.

1:27 (AB) – “Religion in its rise interests us about ourselves; in its progress, about our fellow creatures; in the highest stage, about the honor of God.” (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown).

2:10 (DRB) – Guilty of all: that is, he becomes a transgressor of the law in such a manner, that the observing of all other points will not avail him to salvation; … . For all the precepts of the law are to be considered as one total and entire law, and as it were a chain of precepts, where, by breaking one link of this chain, the whole chain is broken, or the integrity of the law consisting of a collection of precepts.

2:21 (AAT) – See note at Romans 3: 20. “Righteous” (“Justify”) is a court term. God, who gives us the righteousness of Christ, as a judge declares us righteous and by His verdict makes us righteous in His sight.

3:4 (TDB) – Comparing the tongue with a rudder may have been a common figure of speech, for it has been traced back a thousand years or more. The Egyptian sage Amenemope expressed it as follows: “The tongue of a man is the rudder of a ship, But the Universal Lord is its pilot.”

3:4 (WNT) – Tiny: in superlative to emphasize the contrast in size of rudder and ship.

4:4 (NAB) – Adulterers: a common biblical image for the covenant between God and his people is the marriage bond. In this image, breaking the covenant with God is likened to the unfaithfulness of adultery.

4:5 (WNT) – [The quotation is] not from Old Testament; uncertain from what book it comes.

5:7 (NAB) – The early and late rains: an expression related to the agricultural season in ancient Palestine. (See Jeremiah 5: 24.) Rain early and late: autumn and spring rains respectively.
[Note: This suggests a winter growing season. If there is also a summer growing season, it would be spring and autumn rains.]

5:12 (NAB) – This is the threat of condemnation for the abuse of swearing oaths. By heaven or by earth: these words were substitutes for the original form of an oath, to circumvent its binding force and to avoid pronouncing the holy name of God.

5:14 (CEV) – Church leaders: Or “elders” or “presbyters” or “priests.” Olive oil: The Jewish people used olive oil for healing.

5:14 (DRB) – Let him bring in, etc.: See here a plain warrant of scripture for the sacrament of extreme unction, that any controversy against its institution would be against the express words of the sacred text in the plainest terms.

5:14 (GW) – People in ancient times used olive oil for healing.

5:14 (NCV) – Pour oil upon the person: Oil was used in the name of the Lord as a sign that the person was now set for God’s special attention and care.

5:15 (TDB) – This prescribed ceremony and the promise to the sick are the basis for the Catholic sacrament of “Extreme Unction,” administered to those thought to be at death’s door.

5:16 (DRB) – Confess your sins to one another: That is, to the priests of the church whom he had ordered to be called for, and brought in to the sick; moreover, to confess to persons who had no power to forgive sins, would be useless. Hence the precept here means, that we must confess to men whom God hath appointed, and who, by their ordination and jurisdiction, have received the power of remitting sins in his name.

 

1:10 (Isaiah 40: 6)
like a flower on a wild plant

1:11 (Isaiah 40: 7, 8)
dries up the plant; its flower drops off

1:12 (Daniel 12: 12; Zechariah 6: 14)
blessed is … who patiently endures; he will receive the crown of life

2:8 (Leviticus 19: 18)
love your neighbor as yourself

2:11 (Exodus 20: 13, 14; Deuteronomy 5: 17, 18)
do not commit adultery … do not murder

2:19 (Deuteronomy 6: 4; Zechariah 14: 9; Malachi 2: 10)
God is one

2:21 (Genesis 22: 2, 9)
offered his son Isaac on the altar

2:23 (Genesis 15: 6)
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness

2:23 (2 Chronicles 20: 7; Isaiah 41: 8)
the friend of God

3:9 (Genesis 1: 27; 5: 1)
made in God’s likeness

4:6 (Proverbs 3: 34)
He gives grace … God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble

5:3 (Psalm 21: 9)
eat your flesh like fire

5:4 (Exodus 2: 23; Leviticus 19: 13; Malachi 3: 5)
the wages that you never paid to the workers

5:4 (Exodus 3: 9; 2 Samuel 22: 7; Psalm 18: 6; Isaiah 5: 9)
groans have come to the ears of the Lord of Armies (Hosts)

5:5 (Jeremiah 12: 3)
the day of slaughter

5:7 (Deuteronomy 11: 14)
the fall and spring rains

5:11 (Exodus 34: 6; 2 Chronicles 30: 9; Psalms 86: 15; 103: 8; 111: 4; 112: 4; 145: 8; Joel 2: 13; Jonah 4: 2; Nehemiah 9: 17, 31)
the Lord is tenderhearted and merciful

5:11 (Daniel 12: 12)
we call those “blessed” who patiently endured

5:20 (Proverbs 10: 12)
cover many sins