Still not convinced to read this book?
There are a lot of commentaries in print these days. Many with similar viewpoints and several more that are very different. Why so many? If this is the first commentary you have read about a book in the Bible, perhaps you have not noticed, but there are many opinions regarding the ‘correct way’ to interpret the Bible followed by several versions of theology to match those varied opinions. Sadly, most authors attempt to research or study something they are going to write about fully armed with presuppositions and look for material that only supports their unique understanding or interpretation.
Don’t get me wrong; all Christians should be armed with certain presuppositions such as Jesus is God (see John 1:1-5; Philippians 2:6), Jesus died for our sins (see John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:10), God cannot lie (see Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2), and that we are saved by grace, through faith, a free gift from God (see Ephesians 2:8-10), etc., We call them essential Christian fundamentals. However, as students of the Bible, we need to be willing to analyze and investigate different interpretations or points of view, while being guided by the Holy Spirit.
So, what is different with this commentary? Probably nothing! I am sure that I have allowed a lot more presuppositions in this commentary than I realize, but my goal was to look carefully at every word and use Scripture (the Word of God is, in my opinion, its best commentary) while having the Holy Spirit to guide me in finding the correct interpretation (Boy how many times have you heard that one!)
I wrestled with many verses along the way. Ultimately, this commentary is the result of simple straightforward research. If you are looking for a super-scholarly analysis this isn’t it. My goal was to provide you with an enjoyable yet provocative (probably the longest word I’m going to use) book to read. My prayer is that you be intrigued enough to read on!
Written by James (Iákōbos[1] in the Greek), the half-brother of Jesus (see Galatians 1:19) estimated to have been written between 40-50 AD. Most Bible scholars agree that if it was written any later there would have been a mention of the Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts 15 thought to be in the year 49 AD. That makes it likely the earliest New Testament writing, although it was one of the last books to be added to the New Testament canon (finally accepted as Scripture around 600 AD).
There were three prominent ‘James’ in the New Testament; 1) the brother of John (sons of Zebedee); 2) James the son of Alphaeus (also known as “James the Less”), one of the apostles (see Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13); and 3) the Lord’s half-brother. Acts 12:2 tells us that James, the brother of John, was martyred fairly early and the history of James the son of Alphaeus is largely unknown, so it is likely that James, the author, must have been Jesus’ brother who initially rejected Jesus’ claims of being the Messiah (see John 7:5). Origen (185-254 AD), an early Christian theologian, was the first to refer to James, the brother of Jesus, as the epistle’s author. This has been the understanding by most scholars including those living today.
According to Eusebius, another early Christian theologian and historian, along with others, note that James, the brother of Jesus, later became a leader in the church in Jerusalem and played a prominent role in the Jerusalem Council meeting referenced above.[2] Scripture at this time consisted of only what we call today the Old Testament, there were no letters or books teaching the gospel, Christian doctrine, or instructions on how to live as a Christian, yet. So as the ‘lead’ pastor of a church consisting mainly of converted Jews, this book was written by James to provide that missing instruction, especially aimed at ‘correcting’ old Jewish habits.
Some theologians argue the legitimacy of the book due to its not containing any discussion about the life of Jesus, the Gospel, or any message of salvation. However, since James is writing to existing Christians, the story of Christ would already be understood, and in reading the text you find that James does indeed reiterate much of Jesus’ teaching. Many scholars have pointed out the similarities to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which was not written yet (see Appendix for a comparison between the Book of James and the Sermon on the Mount).
The book is often referred to as “the Proverbs of the New Testament,” due primarily to the many seemingly disconnected concise, yet practical, statements on wise living. However, upon examination, we will find that the book does indeed have a specific order with a strong unified message.
Before going too far I should point out that an epistle is a letter.[3] I realize that even using that term in today’s technologically-savvy world of instantaneous emails, many may not be fully understood, but we need to understand that for the majority of civilization, the use of letters, in some form or another, was an important means of communication. In this commentary I will use the words ‘epistle’ and ‘letter’ interchangeably.
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[1] Strong’s Greek 2385, can also be translated as ‘Jacob’.
[2] Eusebius of Caesarea. (1953). Ecclesiastical History, Books 1–5 (R. J. Deferrari, Ed. & Trans.; Vol. 19, pp. 124–129). The Catholic University of America Press.
[3] See “What is an Epistle?” in the Appendix for further discussion.