James 1:1-8

Friday, November 6, 2009

Click to read here.

Now for the meat of the chapter - the actual verses. This particular day's notes were taken on scrap paper I found in my purse, because I did not have the foresight to bring a notepad with me to the Bible Study. I may get things wrong, or have incomplete thoughts as a consequence, but I will do my best.

It should not be a surprise, that given the information in the brief introduction to this chapter, that James' letter differs greatly from Paul's letters. Even the first verse is different. The greeting in James uses the word "chairein" which is a secular greeting in Greek, whereas Paul used a greeting which said "Grace and Peace." This verse is one of only two places where Jesus' name is mentioned, and James uses the word doula, or servant to describe his relationship to Christ. (I personally attribute the word 'doula' to childbirth, but the root meaning remains the same).

The next bit of notetaking is jumled, but I wrote down information about dispersal. The Jews (to whom James was presumably writing) had been dispersed through many means, including but not limited to being captured by the Assyrians, Babylonian captivity and Pompei conquering the Jews and bringing them to Rome. In my study Bible introduction it says,

"it has been plausibly suggested that there were believers from the early Jerusalem church, who, after Stephan's death, were scattered as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Syrian Antioch. This would account for James' references to trials and oppression, his intimate knowledge of the readers and the authoritative nature of the letter."

The next bit, verses 2 - 4, hit so close to home that I made them my blog byline. James talks here about testing, trials and temptations. This doesn't mean seduction into sin, but trials which purify your heart and desires. They make your walk with the Lord constant and steadfast. Speaking from my own experience, I feel that my trials have taught me to trust that God will take care of me and also that material possessions, while nice to own, really are more an ebb and flow. You get something, you loose something. Tom's bike gets stolen, we find two for free on Craigslist.org. (Though I know these things, it is incredibly difficult to live. For me, it's like knowing that the amusement park drop tower won't crash into the ground, but still being terrified by the fall.) It's basically a Temptation --> Trying -->Patience --> Perfection, although our version of perfection is pretty weak compared to Christ's example.

James tell us in verses 5 - 8 that wisdom is a gift from God. It keeps you from living a life of sin, and you can receive wisdom by honestly and doubtlessly (I'm not sure that's a word) asking the Lord for wisdom. If you ask sincerely and are not "double-minded" (Greek dipsuchos), God will give generously.

James: Introduction

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

I have been in a Bible study on the book of James. I've been taking notes so that I can review them here and  have lasting reference.  The Bible study is lead by my pastor, so I have more detailed information than I might normally have for myself. However, I am using my notes as a reference for these entries, so if I have anything wrong, please feel free to correct me.

    Beginning with some background and history of the book of James. James was not in the Muratorian fragment (the books which were originally on a fragment found to be part of the Bible and thus canon) and didn't wasn't officially accepted until much later at the council of Trent. James is one of the deuterocanonical books that is now accepted as canon in both the Protestant and Catholic Bibles. One of the reasons for this (it is believed) is that the book James appears to be written for Jews, with its emphasis on good works in addition to faith. It was this emphasis that turned off Martin Luther; in fact he called James an "Epistle of Straw." Luther actually made references that essentially, the book of James was fine for other people, but not good enough for him. The lack of references to Jesus, the Resurrection, and the Holy Spirit is another reason for the late acceptance of James into the Bible.
    The book of James, while obviously written by James, could be written by any number of James'. There are roughly five real contenders (it could also have been an anonymous Jew). They are: the father of the "other" Judas, the son of Alphious, James the Younger, the son of Zebidee or James, the brother of Jesus. It is generally agreed (but yet highly debated) that James the brother of Jesus wrote this book. Arguments against James the brother of Jesus are that the Greek is too good for someone who should have spoken Aramaic.
    Assuming it is the brother of Jesus, I have some basic information written down. I forgot to note whether this is speculative information or if it is verified fact. If you know, please tell me! He didn't believe in Christ's divinity during Christ's lifetime and converted some time around the Pentecost. He was a praying man, also known as James the Just, and died a martyr in Jerusalem in 62 AD; death by stoning.

EDIT: When I turned over my page of notes, I realized I had forgotten to write down some other "Intro" type notes.

The book of James was written in approximately 50 AD. James wrote the book because he felt that Christians were behaving in "unChristian" ways. My pastor said it could be considered a "Practical Guide to Christian Life and Conduct." The tone is authoritative, like a preacher giving a sermon; a very "do this" sort of message. You get the impression though, that he's not trying to be bossy, but only help Christians to grow spiritually by applying the lessons Christ taught to their daily lives.

Themes in this book include Rejoice in Trials, Wisdom, Speech to Strengthen, Status of the Rich & Poor, and Prayer.