Introduction to the Letter of James

In this blog we will spend a short five days reading through the New Testament book of James. Traditions says that James was written by the brother of Christ, identified in the book of Acts as the leader in the church of Jerusalem.  In Galatians the same James is identified as a church leader and one who eventually supports Paul, although "some men from James" traveled to the Galatian churches and attempted to enforce Judaism on the new Gentile converts.  In this regard, James is seen as one proud of his Jewish heritage, emphasizing the Jewish law and good works.  

James identifies his audience: the Jewish people, the “twelve tribes” in the Diaspora, the Jewish nation dispersed across Asian and Europe.  So this book is from a Jew, speaking to Jews.

This book has a Hebrew sermon characteristic, the ‘charaz’, the “stringing beads” where each topic is hit upon and then one moves on to the next topic.  Some have called this book, “The Proverbs of the New Testament.”  Others have claimed that it parallels the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5.)

A major theme of this book is that our actions should be consistent with our beliefs.  We should believe the right thing and then right actions should flow out of that belief.  My metaphor – we should let the clutch out – it is not natural (or right, or good) to have a powerful engine running but keep the clutch in.  Our beliefs should lead to engagement.

The letter of James fits into this image.  It places an emphasis on the law and good works.  It might even read as a reasonable reply to Paul's letter to the Galatians!

If one believes the traditional Christian view, both Catholic and Protestant, that James is a book inspired by the Holy Spirit, intended for reading among believers, members of God's kingdom, then how are we to reconcile the letter of Paul to the Galatians and the letter of James?

The letter reads like a sermon.  It probably was one, written down later.  The Greek in the letter is apparently very good, too good, some say, to be written by an uneducated brother of Jesus.  However, it is also likely that the Greek was "polished up" after the sermon, by one fluent in good Koine Greek.

For a biography of James, see Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3, Galatians 1:19, 2:1, 9-10, I Corinthians 9:5, I Corinthians 15:7, John 7:28, Acts 1:14, Acts 9:26, 12:17, 15:13, 21:18-26.  I've used as a commentary the book by William Barclay, The Letters to James and Peter, The Daily Study Bible Series, Westminster Press, 1976.

There are only two places in this letter where Jesus is mentioned? Why is that? Why is there so little emphasis on Jesus? (This bothered Luther.)

Irving Jensen compares Paul (“Apostle of Grace”) with John (“Apostle of Love”), Peter (“Apostle of Hope”) with James (“Apostle of Good Works”). He says that “James says less about the Master than any other writer in the New Testament but his speech is more like that of the master than the speech of any of them.”

More from Irving Jensen: “A tone of authority pervades the document. (There are 54 imperatives in 108 verses.)”