I Peter 2, Chosen People, Royal Priesthood

Peter has been reminding his readers of the eternal role of Jesus as both creator and sacrificial lamb.

1 Peter 2: 1-3, Crave growth

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Step up! 

1 Peter 2: 4-5, Be living stones, just like your leader
As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

You are part of a larger spiritual house, an eternal indestructible one!

1 Peter 2: 6-8, 
For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a  chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in  him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has  become the capstone, " and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that  makes them fall."  They stumble because they disobey the  message--which is also what they were destined for.

Peter makes his argument, to his Jewish readers, by quoting from the Jewish scriptures, especially from the scroll of Isaiah. The quote in verse 6 is from Isaiah 28:16; the quote in verse 7 is from Psalm 118: 22 and the quote in verse 8 is from Isaiah 8: 14.

1 Peter 2: 9-10, You are a royal priesthood!

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of  God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

This letter is steeped with Old Testament concepts and analogies.  The phrase "not my people" is reminiscent of the beginning of Hosea. In that book God tells the Israelites "You are not my people" and "I am not your God" but then promises (in Hosea 2) that a day will come when God will say, "You are my people" and the Israelites will respond, "You are our God!"  Peter is telling his Jewish readers that time, long awaited by Hosea and his descendants, has finally come!

1 Peter 2: 11-12, We are aliens and strangers
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Until the final kingdom is set up, the Jewish remnant must live among the pagans, living out a life of good deeds, representing their future kingdom.

1 Peter 2: 13-17, As aliens, submit to local authorities in your temporary home
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up  for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of  believers, fear God, honor the king.

Like Paul, Peter has no interest in rebellions and insurrections. We are ambassadors, out of another country, seeking to live peacefully in this temporary home.

1 Peter 2: 18-20a, Slavery and suffering
Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to  those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of  unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? 

Peter is not supporting slavery but is (again) emphasizing peaceful coexistence in this alien world.

1 Peter 2: 20b-24, Endurance, like Jesus
But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."  When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate;  when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted  himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

This passage quotes from the Messianic passage in Isaiah, chapter 23. The quote in verse 22 is from Isaiah 53: 9 and the quote in verse 25 is from Isaiah 53: 4-6 (Septuagint). 

I recall, long ago, reading I Peter just after having read Isaiah 53 and suddenly recognizing that Peter had been doing the same thing.  Indeed, Peter has spent some time in Isaiah.

This passage gives a simple summary of the reasons for Christ's death.

1 Peter 2: 25, Our Shepherd
For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

The Lamb/Shepherd has called us back!

The next chapter will provide more specific details about how the community of believers should treat each other.

I Peter 1, Eternal, Imperishable Truth

We now begin reading through the two letters of Peter.  If Peter was the source for the Gospel of Mark then one would expect that these letters agree with that perspective of Jesus.

1 Peter 1: 1-2, To the strangers in the world

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia,  Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God  the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for  obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Peter writes to the followers of Jesus, scattered throughout Asia Minor (part of modern southern Turkey.) Like the author of Hebrews, Peter believes that these followers of Jesus are aliens on a strange planet.

1 Peter 1: 3-7, The living hope
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or  fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the  coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the  last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be  proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

The focus is on Jesus, but like Hebrews 11, there is an emphasis in "hanging on", staying with their decision to follow the Christ.

1 Peter 1: 8-9, Joy in Jesus
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Our faith and love for Christ leads naturally to joy.

1 Peter 1: 10-12, This salvation was forecast long ago!
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the  Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to  you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to  look into these things.

Those who wrote long ago were writing, says Peter, for this generation, the generation who got to experience the salvation offered by the Messiah.

1 Peter 1: 13-16, Be holy (like Jesus)!
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you  do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." 

The quote in verse 16 is from Leviticus 11: 44-45 and 19:2.  A call to holiness is reflected throughout the Torah.

1 Peter 1: 17-19, Eternal perspective

Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent  fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without  blemish or defect.

The blood of Christ is more precious than any earthly thing, as it provides entrance into an eternal universe, in relationship with the Creator of that universe.

1 Peter 1: 20-22, The Creator risen
He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

The longterm (eternal!) perspective of the Kingdom of God is emphasized.

1 Peter 1: 23-25, Imperishable!
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.

The quote in verse 25 is from Isaiah 40: 6-8, from the Septuagint translation.

In the next chapter, Peter describes what citizenship in this Kingdom means.

The Letters of Peter

The two letters of Peter, towards the end of most modern versions of the Bible, are short pastoral letters intended to encourage Christians in strife and persecution and provide answers to a number of questions that would have arisen in the church late in the first century, questions such as "Is Jesus really going to return soon?"

The letters are apparently written in very different styles, with the first letter written in educated, sophisticated Greek.  Although both letters claim to be written by Peter, that authorship of the second letter has been disputed in various ways, over the centuries.  Both were late in being accepted into the New Testament canon.

One possible explanation for the Greek stylistic differences may be that the letters have different amanuenses, different secretarial scribes.  The first letter is written by a secretary, Silvanus, whose Greek is eloquent while the second letter, more hurried with sloppier Greek, might have been dictated to someone else or written by Peter himself, shortly before death.

I Peter, focuses on Christians, as aliens and strangers, living in the Roman Empire and their need to still live as citizens of an eternal kingdom.

I Peter has a strong emphasis on Old Testament passages, familiar to his readers, from Isaiah and Hosea and others. Even though his readers are probably Gentiles, they are surely familiar with the Old Testament passages and the passages are mentioned without reference.

An especially good reference is from overviewbible.com here.

Their are a number of online references on I Peter.  As always there are Wikipedia articles on I Peter and on the authorship of these letters (but note the alert at the top of that page.)

The second letter is from a man facing death, concerned about false prophets and the future of the church.  It is intended to confront falsehoods and reassure those who have given up on Jesus's return.

A good overview of the second letter is here.

James 5, True Compassion

James continues to confront the rich -- and those who wish to be like them.

James 5: 1-6, God and the rich
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.

Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.  You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.

James insists that God hears the vulnerable and the oppressed. This is a poignant passage -- if you think you can exploit your employees, their "wages ... are crying out against you."  These cries reach God's ears.

There is nothing in the epistle of James to suggest that God favors the rich!  Indeed quite the contrary. I echo William Barclay (from his commentary on James) -- how can a religion based on writings like these ever be accused (by Karl Marx) of being "an opiate for the masses"? If Christianity is ever an "opiate", it has been adulterated and watered down.

I will resist here the temptation to make comments about American politics....

James 5: 7-8 The patient farmer
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near.

The agriculture metaphor continues.  Every farmer knows that farming requires considerable patience.  So too, patience is required of those from the Kingdom of Heaven, living as visitors and aliens on this planet.

James 5: 9-12 The rich
Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Above all, my brothers, do not swear--not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned.

Job is an example -- but I'm not very eager to have Job's patience!

The last two sentences of this passage echo part of the Sermon on the Mount, which James presumably heard.

James 5: 13-15, Prayer
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

James suggests several reasons why the church leaders should pray with us and for us.  I was an elder in a church where we did this; we prayed for others and in response to requests for healing, we did "anoint" with oil, an act that made it clear our reliance on God and our expectation that God was actively responding to our requests.

James 5: 16-28, Confession
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Confession is to be a regular part of the Christian life and community.

"Elijah was a man just like us" says James, and uses him as a model of prayer and its efficacy.  But I am not sure I have much in common with Elijah!

William Barclay notes that the Old Testament passage, I Kings 17, in which Elijah's long drought is described, does not explicitly mention any prayer by Elijah. James is making a natural assumption....

James 5: 19-20, Care for each other
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

And so the letter ends.  Abruptly.  This is a strange little letter, with strong words, both sharp criticism and confrontation and bold statements about the importance of prayer and correct action.

Tomorrow we look at the first letter of Peter.

James 4, Quarrels

James has finished a passage on the importance of wisdom and wise speech.  Now he takes on common arguments and disputes within the church.

James 4: 1-3, Fights and quarrels
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

A classic, straightforward description of strife and want. James accuses believers of acting in this secular way, without relying on God.

James 4: 4-6, Fights and quarrels
You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?  But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

The rich and proud are enemies of God!  This is a bit reassuring to the poor and vulnerable, as we receive "more grace".

The "envies intensely" phrase is unclear.  The NIV footnotes suggest several translations: "God jealously longs for the spirit that he made to live in us" or "that the Spirit he caused to live in us longs jealously".  This section is especially difficult since, despite its open phrase giving the appearance of quoting an Old Testament passage, there is no known passage of scripture that is quoted here. Maybe James is summarizing concepts he sees in scripture?

The quote in verse 6 is from scripture, Proverbs 3:34. (Peter also quotes this proverb in a similar passage.) James echoes the Jewish literature, mixing ancient proverbs with his own.

James 4: 7-10, Fights and quarrels
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

This is a very sober passage. Only God is worth trusting. We are to commit to God while "resisting the devil" and should then expect success as the devil "flees" and God "draws near" to us.

James expects the believer to be a friend with God, with a certain level of intimacy not experienced by the rich and proud

James 4: 11-12, Fights and quarrels
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?

Be serious about your life and you have no need to condemn others. Here judgement is equated with slander. Once again, correct speech is important.  (Paul expresses similar concerns about slander and related speech in II Corinthians 12:20.)

James 4: 13-17, Dust in the wind
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

In this paragraph the Jewish wisdom comes from Ecclesiastes.  The phrase "you are mist" is reminiscent of Ecclesiastes 1:14.  To quote Kansas, we are just Dust in the Wind.  "Nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky..."

We will finish James tomorrow.

James 3, Wise Speech

James continues talking about true religion and appropriate thought and action.  This is done in a series of proverbs typical of Jewish wisdom literature.

James 3: 1-2, On teaching
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

A spiritual teacher should speak correctly and accurately.  (This agrees with Paul's description of teaching as an important spiritual gift.)

James 3: 3-5a, Speech

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.

Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. 

The small tongue is a powerful organ, a potent weapon.  It builds relationships and destroys them.

James 3: 5b-8, The powerful and dangerous tongue!
Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 

Here the tongue's power is pictured as mainly negative; it is out of control and destructive.

James 3: 9-12, The tongue and hypocrisy
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. 

My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. 

The phrase translated "salt water" is literally "bitter water."  A certain inconsistency is confronted: one moment we use our tongue for good; a moment later we use our tongue for evil.  I wish I could say that I was not that way....

James 3: 13-18, True Wisdom
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

After chastising us for our poor use of speech, the chapter turns positive, towards "true wisdom" and how we should reflect heaven.

One might wonder how this chapter connects with the previous one on "true faith/works." Presumably one way our faith is demonstrated is by correct view of speech and how we use it. This requires "wisdom", which is (from the beginning of this letter) an attribute of God.

James 2, Faith = Works

The first chapter of James emphasized faith and the commitment required in "true religion". Now we have a number of brief practical statements on how we should live as Christians.

James 2: 1-9, Showing favoritism
My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.

Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

James strongly confronts discrimination based on class and wealth.  What motivated this paragraph? (Is James confronting a particular church? Or is James thinking about human nature and trying to warn the church away from natural bad habits?)

I have found this passage reassuring and useful during forty years of wearing blue jeans to church.

Who is “him to whom you belong”? That sounds like a Christian phrase? Does “him” refer to Jesus or Yahweh?

The first verse of chapter 2, like the first verse of chapter 1, is one of the few places where Jesus is explicitly mentioned.

James 2: 10-13, Keeping the Law
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

I don’t think I understand the last few sentences here. It seems to both warn (condemn) and then exalt mercy.

The quote in verse 8 is from Leviticus 19:18.  The two quotes from the Ten Commandments in verse 11 come from Exodus 20:14/Deut. 5:18 and Exodus 20:13/Deut. 5:17.

James 2: 14-17, Good faith gives good works
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it. In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

To James the distinction between faith and works is artificial. Faith is a decision that leads to correct actions.

James 2: 17-26, Simple "belief" is not enough; faith leads to living works
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.

You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Mere intellectual belief is not faith.  One can believe that Jesus rose from the dead and, says James, so believe the demons.  Faith requires a decision, an act of the will, leading to outward, visible results.

Two Old Testament examples are given here: the ancient hero Abraham... and the prostitute, Rahab! Interesting choices.  (Hebrews 11 includes these two and then a much longer list.  Clearly Rahab was a favorite heroine to the Jews.)

The quote in verse 23 is from Genesis 15:6.

We continue to describe correct works and action in the next chapter.

James 1, True Religion

As we complete Hebrews we move on to another letter aimed at Jewish believers, the letter of James.

This short book is a little depressing (to me) at times, since it assumes that Christian believers are struggling and suffering under some persecution.  That they are always financially very poor!  Yet there are benefits to reminding us (yes, even us rich Americans) of this point of view.

Here we examine the first chapter of the letter (epistle) of James.  This letter is written to Jewish believers and contains numerous "wisdom" teachings, short pithy sayings, similar to the book of Proverbs.

James 1:1, Greetings to the Jews far away,
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.          

Although tradition has it that James was the brother of Jesus (and leader of the church in Jerusalem), the author merely claims to be a servant of God.  Right away we see that this letter is aimed at Jewish believers, that is, remnants of the twelve tribes of Israel. It is intended for a variety of groups, many of them presumably not in the area around Jerusalem. But no more details are given.

The word "servant" is sometimes translated "bondservant" or "slave".

The Messiah Jesus is not mentioned much in this letter. Only here and one other time.  (If James is the brother of Jesus, why does he not mention this?)

The Greek word translated "Greetings" here is chairein, and occurs only two other times in the New Testament as part of a greeting. One of those times is in Act 15, in a letter written by James, the leader of the church in Jerusalem. This is apparently a fairly standard (and secular) greeting.

James identifies himself very simply, as a servant (‘doulos’ = servant or slave) of God and Jesus Christ. ‘Servant’ is a significant, serious term, indicating permanent commitment. It the same word that is translated "bondslave" at the beginning of Philippians.

James 1:2-4, Trials and Temptations

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.          

Apparently trials (testing, struggles) are to be expected in human life and have some type of goal.  If so, we are develop perseverance, endurance -- it is more of a marathon than a sprint -- and James encourages us to allow the struggles to strengthen us, to create a stable, mature individual, someone who is complete.

In the Star Wars science fiction world, young Luke (or anyone seeking to be a Jedi master) must be developed.  They must mature.  Luke groans and struggles against master Yoda's statements that he is "not yet ready".  Luke is impatient.  James would agree with Yoda -- let time and training build you and don't quit early.

What are we to consider joyous?  Is the author deliberately slapping us with an opposite?  Rejoice in pain??  How healthy is that?  Why are we doing this?

There does seem to be a goal here – that suffering brings perseverance and (here is the point) that if we persevere, perseverance will “finish” its work and bring us maturity.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be “mature and complete, lacking in nothing”?

Perseverance is personified, as if Perseverance were looking over our shoulder, working on our character.

James 1:5-8, Seeking wisdom in faith
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. 

We are encouraged to ask for wisdom from God who is willing to give it generously, without chiding us for past mistakes or past stupid actions.  But then there is an aspect to this request; after asking for wisdom, we should trust that it is being given to us (although possibly given rather slowly, in my experience!) and we should move on in confidence, not timidly blown around like seafoam.

But what about those of us who ask while doubting?  Indeed, won’t most of us have doubts the first time we try to apply James 1:5?  This doesn’t seem fair.  Or maybe something else is meant by doubting here – the doubter is describe in further detail as someone of two minds, unstable, blown and tossed by the wind.  Instead we are to be steady, to persevere.  So doubting may be more closely linked to our long-term action?  

Obviously there are several types of doubts.  If one is being encouraged to believe something, a certain type of doubt is acceptable, or we would not even do the encouraging.  Any transition from one set of opinions to another includes a place where new beliefs are challenged.

James 1:9-11
The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.  But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.  For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. 

A major theme of James: chiding and scolding the rich.  Here the rich are viewed as unrealistic, expecting their "blossoms" to last awhile, when instead they collapse in the summer heat. The humble and the proud are sharply contrasted, as is one’s status and God’s development of it.  God lifts the humble, reduces the proud and rich.

James is about to bring an accusation against these believers; it will run throughout the book.  These believers have become too complacent and comfortable.

There is a sharp tone to all of this that I now find a bit disconcerting.  Am I now too content?  Too rich?  What should I do?

James 1:12, Transition
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 

Instead, we (the people of humble circumstances) are to patiently endure, completing our marathon, a demonstration (in some way?) of God's love.  I'm not sure that this is especially encouraging to me....What does it mean to receive “the crown of life”?  (What is that?)

James 1:13-15, Birth of sin
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;  but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. 

What does it mean, that God does not tempt anyone?   Isn’t God in charge?  Is it really any different to say, “God allows temptation”?

We are told not to blame our difficulties and temptation on God.  Apparently much of it is our own faults, deeply embedded in our own selfish desires.  (Notice the progression of sin, as something that comes to life and grows.)

Surely, if we examine ourselves carefully, much of our own suffering is due to our selfishness and unwillingness to look up and care for others. But not all of it....  Some of it is part of the "natural" living in a broken world.

James 1:16-18, Heavenly lights
Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. 

Verse 16 (“Don’t be deceived…”) may be a transition verse.  But both Barclay and Jensen split the paragraph before it.  (I am reading a commentary by William Barclay, as I study the letter of James.)

James 1:17-20, True religion
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.  He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,  for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

James digresses to emphasize "true religion".  The phrase “change like shifting shadows" might remind us of verse six, where we are told not to be unstable.  We are reminded that although we might be unstable, constantly shifting, God is constant.

Firstfruits is an Old Testament term, used for the best things, put forward as a tithe.  So this is our role as the Church…..Verse 19 – more brief pithy advice.  Quick to listen, slow to anger ….  Note the simple, short contrasts.  Jensen has 19 as a new paragraph.

James 1: 21-25, Applying the Word of God
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.           

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.

It is better to know the truth, even when it is painful, and begin to respond to it, than to conveniently forget.James’ metaphor:  what good is it to have a mirror if you look at it and then forget what you saw?

How does the Law give freedom?

James 1: 26-27, More short proverbs
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.            

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Verse 27 seems to have a positive and a negative component.  The positive: reach out to the vulnerable and help them.  The negative: avoid the world’s “pollution.”

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.

James is mentioned explicitly in the New Testament in some places and in others he is included as one of the brothers of Jesus. (See Matthew 13:55 or Mark 6:3, and John 7:5.)
He is described by Paul as one of the leaders of the Jerusalem church (see Galatians 1:19, Galatians 2: 1-10, I Corinthians 9:5 and I Corinthians 15:7) and is mentioned in a number of places in the book of Acts: Acts 1:14, 12:17, 15:13-21, 21:18-26.

In my study in James I have 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.)”