pt BR Video Lecture #3 James Overview

welcome to video lecture number three an overview of the Book of James the letter of James is a unique and practical book though it is short it is profound in what it has to say in the New Testament calling one to live out their faith uh through Christian works and in Christian Community uh this lecture will explore the Providence authorship date audience and background and key themes of the Book of James verses of the Book of James include uh James 1 15 where it says counted all joy when you meet Trials of various kinds or

2:24 where it says you see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone or that Faith apart from works is dead Luther rejected James because he saw so little of Christ in it James seems to contradict Paul on Grace let's look at the background to the Book of James the author is James the brother of Jesus now there's some different opinions out there but I'm going to stick with that one and explain why he is the only logical person named James who could be capable of writing the book and not need

further explanation and we know that he was executed in 62 ad which will help us to date the book later on it is likely written from Jerusalem to dipor Jewish Christians James addresses his letter to the 12 tribes scattered among the Nations uh this phrase likely refers to Jewish Christians living in the diaspora meaning those who are outside of Palestine they are living in a time of the initial growth of the Christian church and the gospel Beyond Jerusalem and Judea probably in the mid 40s ad and trying to understand how their faith intersects with their

culture and their tradition these early Jewish Believers faced social and economic challenges as well as religious persecution the reader would have caught the image that James's Hebrew name Jacob refers to the father of the 12 tribes of Israel when the book of James is originally dressed to the 12 tribes scattered among the Nations you see the play there Jacob is writing to the 12 tribes Jacob James which we have in English is writing to the scatter to 12 tribes as we have seen this refers to Jewish Christians dispersed throughout the Mediterranean World historically the Jewish

diaspora the Greek word diaspora means scattering began with the Assyrian conquest of of Israel in 722 BC and was followed up in 586 or 587 BC with the destruction of Jerusalem uh they scattered the Jewish people from their Homeland into Exile in places like Babylon or Assyria and the Babylonian exile would end with some of them coming back but many Jews remained throughout the the region the Levant in that time to Alexandria and to ancient Greece again there was a a scattering that takes place when the Jerusalem is sieged by the Romans and the temple

is destroyed in 70 AD James as the leader of the Jewish Christian Church in Jerusalem wrote to provide spiritual guidance to the Jewish Christians especially those who were displaced by persecution in Acts chapter 8 his reference to the 12 tribes symbolically includes all Jewish Christians highlighting the Fulfillment of the eschatological promise to reather Israel's tribes through faith in Jesus Christ over time the phrase also came to represent the true remnant of Israel emphasizing encompassing both Jewish and Gentile Believers grafted into the Community of Faith as we see Paul write in Romans chap 11 the Letter's

practical Focus suggests that his audience was struggling to live out their faith and trials the Letter's practical Focus suggests that his audience was struggling to live out their faith amid trials and temptations issues like favoritism toward the rich disputes among members and oppression by wealthy land owners reflect the real life concerns of these communities James exhortations aimed to strengthen their moral and spiritual resolve let's go back and take a look at authorship the early and traditional view identifies James the brother of Jesus as the author of The Letter James became a prominent leader in the

Jerusalem Church by acts 15 and was known for the Devotion to pray prayer and his role as a mediator between Jewish and Gentile Christians James comes to be known as James the just or righteous for excelling at piety the letter itself identifies the author as James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ the self-designation aligns with James humility and reflects his deep commitment to his faith rather than on relying on familial connections to Jesus Scholars note that the letters Jewish tone and its emphasis on wisdom literature could be consistent with James as

the leader of the church in Jerusalem some Scholars however questioned James with the authorship citing the high level of Greek used in the letter and the lack of explicit references to Jesus's life yet it is plausible that James as a prominent leader had access to Skilled scribes and translators who could exp which could explain the refined Greek style let's look at the name James in the New Testament because there are a lot of them there are a lot of people named James throughout the New Testament it is the English translation of the Greek name yakobus

which is the Greek name for the Old Testament Hebrew name Jacob the name occurs 42 times in the New Testament apparently referring to several different men James is one of the 12 disciples of Jesus the son of Al alus Another James James the younger whose mother was named Mary uh may have been the same James who's identified as the son of alus so it could be the same person or somebody else James whose son Judas was among Jesus's 12 disciples it's not Judas the es scariot by the way James was also the son of Zebedee

the brother of John both John and James are sons of Zebedee were in the innermost circle of Jesus's disciples this James died a martyr's death at the hands of Herod a grippa about ad44 according to 122 James the brother of the New Testament writer Jude who traditionally has been understood as the half brother of Jesus may have also been to James who came to be known as the just whom the Apostle Paul identifies as the half brother of Jesus James the just became the leader of the church in Jerusalem after the Apostle Peter was miraculously

rescued from prison and left for another place according to Josephus this James was the head of the Jerusalem Church martyred before 62 the dating of the Book of James is debated many scholars place it between AD 40 and 62 prior to James's martyrdom recorded by Josephus in 862 this would make James one of the earliest New Testament writings predating Paul's letters support for an early date come from the Letter's lack of reference to the destruction of the Jewish temple in 870 is focus on Jewish Christian concerns and the absence of any developed theological reflection on

issues like Gentile inclusion if written early it reflects the Simplicity and directness of the church's formative years more specifically James the son of Zebedee and the brother of John was killed in 44 and this book does not mention in anything that seems to related to it which would have been odd considering the intimacy of the early church furthermore the letter does not mention the debate that surrounds the Council of Jerusalem in 49 it has a very hebraic style and does not easily match Greco Roman genres as a result the economic imbalance that was a real

concern in the letter places it well within the Jerusalem context in the midcentury let's look at the theological themes of the Book of James first is let's look at Faith and works probably the most important theme in the book how do they relate to each other one of the most distinctive themes in James is the relationship between faith and works James challenges the notion of a faith that exists without practical expression he declares that Faith by itself is if uh as if it is not accompanied by action is dead this assertion does not contradict Paul's

teachings on justification by faith alone but complement them by emphasizing that genuine Faith necessarily produces good work the theological significance of this is that faith is not merely an intellectual Ascent but a transform of reality that compels action James illustrates this by referencing Abraham and Rahab whose Faith was demonstrated through their deeds the Practical implication of this is that Believers are called to live out their faith in tangible ways such as caring for the poor practicing hospitality and advocating justice for James Orthodoxy and orthopraxy are closely weaved together this means there's a correct a correct

belief that comes along with correct Behavior there's sensual truths plus social action it reflects wisdom literature of the Old Testament and of The Sermon on the Mount with Jesus that leads us to our next category the next major theme is the wisdom that comes from above James draws heavily on the tradition of Jewish wisdom literature offering practical guidance for living a Godly life he contrasts Earthly wisdom characterized by Envy and selfish ambition with wisdom that comes from above which is pure peaceloving considerate submissive full of mercy and good fruit impartial and sincere the Greek word

for wisdom Sophia occurs four times in the letter of James wisdom is a gift from God granted generously to those who ask in faith it reflects the character of God and enables Believers to navigate trials and conflict conflicts with Integrity Christians are encouraged to cultivate Godly wisdom in their relationships decisionmaking and Community interactions a third major theme is that of Trials and perseverance the theme of Trials and perseverance runs throughout the Book of James James encourages Believers to consider it pure joy when facing trials because these experiences test their faith and develop their perseverance the

two obstacles to perseverance are double-mindedness and the pitfalls of one's socioeconomic status according to James the double-mindedness of those who doubt God Echoes The Divided heart of Covenant Breakers who are lured from into faithlessness by the prosperity of the land in the Old Testament to doubt God is to be unstable in one's ways like the wind tossed sea no stability for perseverance can be found there James discusses the rich many times he does so immediately after warning against double-mindedness in chapter 1: 10 following verse 8 suggesting that the pursuit of socioeconomic gain might well encourage

double-mindedness being wealthy in the Roman World likely meant complicity with Roman ways according to James this could be a result of a friendship with the world that produces enmity with God comparable to spiritual adultery that had sent Israel into Exile trials are not meaningless but they serve as a refining process shaping Believers into maturity and completeness this reflects a broader theme of God's sovereignty in using suffering for Redemptive purpose Believers are called to endure hardship with faith trusting that God is at work in their circumstances perseverance is not passive resignation but active faithfulness a fourth

major theme in the Book of James is the power of the T James devotes significant attention to the theme of speech and its impact warning that the tongue is a small part of the body but it makes great boasts and can set the course on a of a person's life in a certain direction speech reveals the heart's condition just as a spring cannot produce both fresh and salt water a believer's words should consistently reflect Godly character Christians are called to use their words for edification reconciliation and Truth telling avoiding gossip gossip slander and deceit a

fifth theme is that of wealth and social justice James frequently addresses issues of wealth and economic inequality condemning favoritism toward the rich and exploitation of the poor the letter calls for justice and mercy toward the oppressed God's kingdom prioritizes Justice and mercy and he opposes those who oppress others for personal gain the letter Echoes the prophetic tradition's call for economic Justice Believers are urged to show impartiality advocate for the marginalized and Steward their resources in a way that honors God and benefits others a sixth important theme is prayer and dependence on God prayer is a

central theme in James reflecting the believer's dependence on God in all circumstances James encourages Prayer for Wisdom healing and confession prayer is an Act of Faith acknowledging God's sovereignty and power it Fosters intimacy with God and alies aligns the believer's heart with his will Christians are called to cultivate a vibrant prayer life interceding for others and asking God's guidance in trials and decisions a seventh final theme is the idea of community James reflects a communal concern calling Believers to confession prayer and mutual care for each other the emphasis on unity and practical Holiness suggest a

community striving to maintain its distinct identity in a hostile environment the Book of James offers Rich theological insights that emphasize the integration of Faith and Action the pursuit of Godly wisdom perseverance in trials and commitment to Justice in prayer these themes are not only foundational for Christian theology but also offer deep practical challenging Believers to embody their faith in every aspect of life let's look at James discussion on the pursuit of Holiness James deals with several issues on the pursuit of Holiness poverty and oppression favoritism uh Godly speech among some of the things James addresses

uh poverty and oppression at many locations in James 1 2 and 5 he had addresses a socioeconomic disparity emphasizing that material wealth is irrelevant to spiritual standing before God both rich and poor Believers are equal recipients of God's grace James condemns favoritism in the Christian Community urging Believers to treat all people equally regardless of wealth as partiality violates the command to love one another and to loved one's neighbor additionally James harshly rebukes the rich who exploit others to gain wealth warning of judgment for prioritizing riches over Godly love and Justice favoritism plays into this as

well James stresses that favoritism driven by value by valuing wealth over a people breaks the Royal law of God of loving one's neighbor equating it seriously with sins like murder and adultery such actions contradict the gospel's call for love and Justice with within the Christian Community in a similar way he addresses one's speech talking about the need to have Godly speech James emphasizes the importance of Godly speech as a reflection of spiritual maturity be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to anger he says speech should be consistently wholesome avoiding slander gossip and

arrogance teachers bear greater responsibility because of their words speech reflects the heart echoing Jesus's teachings that the mouth reveals the character the inner character of the individual James also teaches on faith and Good Deeds arguing that faith and works are inseparable genuine Faith manifests its Deeds of justice and love particularly in caring for the poor while historically debated as a contradictory to Paul's teaching of justification by faith James is not opposing Paul but emphasizing that true Faith naturally results in compassionate action he speaks about the danger spiritual danger of wealth James highlights the spiritual danger

of wealth echoing things from the Deuteronomy and the prophets Prosperity often leads to Pride forgetfulness of God and social injustice Believers must acknowledge God's sovereignty over their resources and avoid presuming control of their own lives and earnings as a result James teachings are very relevant for the modern reader addressing issues of favoritism socioeconomic disparity and the spiritual dangers of wealth Christians are called to reflect Christ's love through Equitable treatment of others through holesome speech an act of concern for the oppressed particularly in a world marked by corporate greed and poverty now here's an interesting I

thing I want to look at is the christology that we find in the Book of James and by that I mean the emphasis on Jesus Christ as the Son of God in some form James letter only contained two explicit explicit it references to Jesus Christ and that's in James 1 vers1 and James 2:1 leading some to question is christological emphasis however implicit references and Theological assumptions reveal a very high christology in the Book of James as I mentioned a moment ago the explicit references are in James 1 where he identifies the author as the servant

of Jesus Christ and James 2 where he refers to Jesus as our glorious Lord Jesus Christ the Greek phrase suggests a high christology potentially associating Jesus with the shakina or Divine glory of God exalted in an eschatological sense of as the resurrected Messiah but there are implicit uses of CHR Christ throughout the Book of James James's use of the word Lord the Greek word curios is found many times throughout the book be frequently use as Lord uh to refer to both Jesus and God we see that in James 1:1 James 2 1 4:15 and 57

and 8 this dual usage emphasizes an elevated view of Jesus consistent with the early Church's recognition of Jesus sharing God's yahweh's Divine status he refers to Jesus is to both God and Jesus as judge while James 4:2 declares God is the sole lawgiver and judge in James 5:7 and9 portrays Jesus as the judge at his second coming and this role sharing underscores James view of Jesus's Divine Authority there's Echoes of Jesus's teachings throughout James James ethical teachings heavily Echo The Sermon on the Mount and other teachings of Jesus including love for the Neighbors as the

Royal law in James 2:8 and there's also the ongoing existence and return of Jesus mentioned in the Book of James James speaks of the imminent return of Jesus in James 5: 7-9 affirming a high christology view of Jesus's ongoing lordship and eschatological role there's the distinctly Christian nature of James though explicit mentions of Jesus are limited the letter assumes a robust christology James's treatment of Jesus as lord judge and the source of ethical teachings demonstrates a thorough Christian worldview consistent with early church Orthodoxy his implicit High christology reflects a sh shared understanding with his audience

making explicit argumentation now I mentioned a moment ago that James uh teaches some of the ethical teachings of Jesus and the most prominent of that is found in The Sermon on the Mount James does not explicitly cite Jesus as the source of this teaching from The Sermon on the Mount yet much of his content closely aligns with what Jesus taught James's audience would have likely recognized James re referencing Jesus's teachings for for example in The Sermon on the Mount Jesus frequently engages with the law as it was interpreted in his time using phrases like you

have heard it said uh but I tell you he does this in Matthew 5:21 27 33 38 and 43 through this approach Jesus asserts a level of authority that surpasses that that of the teachers of his day or of the law and the Pharisees a claim clearly understood by his audience by grounding his moral instructions in Jesus's teachings James acknowledges and conveys Jesus's Authority as foundational for Christian Living this influence of Jesus's words is so deeply woven into Jame James's thinking that his ethical directives effectively Echo the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and recognize

him as the authority lawgiver uh in your documents you're going to find a paper that has a list of all the teachings but some examples will be in James 1 1 2 that he says the joy and blessing in the face of Trials and suffering match what Jesus taught in Matthew 5:10 through2 and there's a list of all of these in your written material James was quoting Jesus regularly because he saw Jesus as the ultimate lawgiver and the ultimate Authority now there's one aspect of the law that Jesus gives that James doubles down on and

that's James CH 2:8 what he refers to as the Royal law Jam Jam refers to the Royal law in James 2:8 to emphasize the enduring significance of Jesus's teaching on the law Jesus stated that he came not to abolish the law and the prophets but to fulfill them similarly James affirms the ongoing value of the law when properly interpreted aligning with Jesus's and Matthew's understanding that the moral principles of the Mosaic law remain foundational for a life that pleases God for example James highlights key Commandments against adultery and murder which also addresses broader implications such

as Jesus's teachings that anchor that anger is akin to murder which James reflects in James 4:2 and 56 Central to James's teaching is the command to love your neighbor as yourself which is found in Leviticus 19 1918 and found in jesus' teachings as the Golden Rule he listed this as the second greatest commandment alongside of loving God with one's own one one's heart soul and mind in Matthew 22: 37-40 James views this principle of love as the essence of the law condemning favoritism in any form as a violation of the foundational ethic that Jesus taught

this principle connects back to the Old Testament where Leviticus 1918 ties love for one neighbor to God's moral laws the term Royal law law reflects James's understanding of Christ's Authority the adjective links the law to the kingdom of God over which Jesus Reigns as the king the law of Love represents the ethical framework of God's kingdom proclaimed by Jesus as the central to his mission by highlighting this law James underscores his christological conviction that Jesus is rightly interpreter and lawgiver of God's Kingdom making his teaching the standard for a Christian ethic in conclusion the Book

of James offers Timeless principles for living a life of faith it reflects the concerns of an early Jewish Christian Community while addressing Universal issues of Integrity perseverance and compassion understanding the historical and cultural context of James's letter allows us to better appreciate its relevance to for modern Christian discipleship may God bless you all oh