seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
James 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 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 will fade away even while they go about their business.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 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.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 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.
Footnotes:
a. James 1:2 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verses 16 and 19; and in 2:1, 5, 14; 3:10, 12; 4:11; 5:7, 9, 10, 12, 19.
Well... new book... new start.... so this is from Bible_studys.org.
The Epistle of James was probably written by the half-brother of Jesus. I say half-brother, because Jesus' mother was Mary and His Father was God. James' mother was Mary and his father was Joseph. Paul called him the Lord's brother in Galatians 1:19 "But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother."
As a half-brother of Jesus, James grew up in a carpenter’s home in Nazareth (Matt. 13:55), and later moved to Capernaum when Jesus began His public ministry (John 2:12). Like his brothers, he did not believe in Jesus as Lord until the end of Christ’s earthly ministry (John 7:1-5). But after the resurrection of Jesus, James received a special, post-resurrection appearance of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7), experienced Pentecost (Acts 1:14), and was a leader of the Jerusalem church throughout most of the history of Acts (15:13; 21:18). Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, records that James was martyred about A.D. 62.
James, the half-brother of Jesus was not known to Christianity, until after the resurrection of Jesus. He became the head of the church in Jerusalem, possibly because he was the brother of Jesus. Paul and James had a different view of Christianity. Paul looked at it from the mystical view, and James looked at it from the standpoint of the law. The primary difference was; Paul preached justification by faith in Jesus Christ, and James taught that we will show good works in our daily walk, if we are saved. In truth, there was no difference at all. James was just ministering to Jewish Christians, and Paul was ministering to Gentiles.
James would have been trained in the Jewish religion, because his parents were Hebrews. He would have been perfect to lead the Jews who had accepted Jesus as their Savior. The letter was actually written to Jewish Christians, which is still in character for this to be the half-brother of Jesus. The letter is even addressed to the twelve tribes of Israel. It is, however, useful to all Christians, as well as Jews.
The themes of faith and works surface repeatedly. And James presents these subjects not as conflicting values, but as complementary. For James, “faith” may be either saving faith or profession of faith (much like the usage today). For Paul, faith is faith; for James faith may be genuine or spurious. Hence, James demands that faith must demonstrate itself as real. Therefore, the theme of James is not merely faith and works, but faith that works.
James, with its devotion to direct, pungent statements on wise living, is reminiscent of the book of Proverbs. It has a practical emphasis, stressing not theoretical knowledge, but godly behavior. James wrote with a passionate desire for his readers to be uncompromisingly obedient to the Word of God. He used at least 30 references to nature (e.g., “surf of the sea” (1:6); “reptile” (3:7); and “sky poured rain” (5:18); as befits one who spent a great deal of time outdoors. He complements Paul’s emphasis on justification by faith with his own emphasis on spiritual fruitfulness demonstrating true faith.
The approach of James is practical rather than theoretical. It is the Proverbs of the New Testament, and the most Jewish of all New Testament books, containing little that is distinctively Christian. Even such basic doctrines as redemption through the death of Christ or His resurrection are absent. It seems like a commentary on the teachings of Jesus, incorporating many ideas and phrases from the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. Chapters 5-7). There are many obvious parallel references to the Gospels. Even James’ frequent illustrations from nature correspond to Christ’s parabolic teaching.
Same commentary but now on to the chapter.....The natural response to adversity is to escape it. But God uses trouble to mature His people.
When we pray, we usually want to see an instant answer to our prayer. We are not instantly transformed into that perfect Christian that we all desire to be, and our prayers are many times not answered immediately either. There is a growing process to become the person we want to be.
This verse is not a blanket promise of wisdom for any situation. In the context of life’s trials, it probably speaks of the believer being granted;
(1) Wisdom as to the reason for his trials; and
(2) Wisdom to endure them.
Wisdom is a gift from God. Knowledge is accumulated learning. The best way to grow in the Lord then, would be to pray that God will give you the gift of wisdom and understanding. Ask God for the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher and Guide. Then study the Word of God, and grow in the Word, and in experience.
God is not like man that would remind you constantly that he had given you a gift. God attaches no strings to the things He gives us. He gives them to us, because He loves us.
It is useless to pray and ask for something, if you do not believe you will get an answer to that prayer. Faith is what causes the prayer to be answered. When Jesus healed the sick, He said, your faith has made you whole.
At first sight, these verses seem unrelated to the larger theme of life’s trials. Yet money is a common cause of trials and “double-mindedness” (unreliability). James is teaching us here to adopt a non-materialistic worldview.
“Brother of low degree ... the rich”: Trials make all believers equally dependent on God and bring them to the same level with one another by keeping them from becoming preoccupied with earthly things. Poor Christians and wealthy ones can rejoice that God is no respecter of persons and that they both have the privilege of being identified with Christ.
This really is speaking of someone who professes Christianity, but lives like the world. This is like people who get baptized and then go back to their old way of life. When we repent and are saved, and baptized, we become a brand new creature.
The two things Jesus said were the important commandments were to love God above all else, and to love our neighbor as our self. You cannot be involved in the ways of the world and belong to God. Christians are in the world, but are not of the world. We must not get involved with the world. We are to be a separated people.
The neighbors that we are most responsible for are the neighbors that cannot help themselves. The widows and orphans are the responsibility of the Christians. Keep yourself stayed upon good things, and you will not have time to get involved with the bad. When you do for those who cannot help themselves, you are doing it unto God.
These letters... they leave be scratching my head. I have read the book before... and I've studied it in bits and pieces as part of other lessons... or in footnotes. This is the first time I am looking at it chapter by chapter.... in context. The reason I am scratching my head is that I am not any happier with James than I was with Paul. James didn't believe Jesus when His Brother was on earth. Then James is teaching "works" rather than Paul's "faith" teaching.
Paul worked with Gentiles and James worked with Jews [Hebrews, descendants of Jacob who God renamed Israel]. Paul had a clean slate to work with. Jesus gave the Gentiles Two Commandments. Gentiles weren't burdened by the Original Ten Commandments and with all their man made rules and regulations, policies and procedures.
James was dealing with the law laden. James had to get through all the burden of centuries of promises made by humans to save themselves.... and then promises broken because humans never good keep their hands out of the cookie jar. James was working with humans who were more than willing to slaughter an animal than accept a simple commandment to be kind to one another.
I'm a Southern Baptist.... or that's the church I am generally most comfortable in. See, I believe that I can read scripture, and the Holy Spirit helps me interpret it correctly. Other religions put a preacher or a priest between me and the Word. That bugs me... personally.... so I am a Southern Baptist. That said.... I have visited lots of other churches and meetings. I even read the Book of Mormon to understand what my friends were studying.
The Jews in Jerusalem.... under the teaching of James.... were Messianic Jews. They "believed" that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the promised Messiah. They didn't need to sacrifice any more livestock. They didn't need to tie a rope around the waste of the priest once a year.... and the priest didn't have to face certain death once a year.
They were really good at pretending though. Apparently James caught a lot of people attending his church who were only there to warm a pew. I think they had to worship somewhere... after all, keeping the Sabbath was still a big deal in Jerusalem...... so why not warm a pew rather than kneel..... or why not warm a pew without having to slaughter their pet ox.
So James said.... Hey.... we need you to work in the church..... we need to to help those less fortunate than you..... we need you to cash in some of that money you are hoarding and get some food for these people. The church James was leading.... didn't have a built in collection plate at the altar. There was no "rule" requiring a tithe. That tithing thing was part of the Old Testament stuff. James and his church had no steady income.... unless..... James needed his church to put their faith to work.
IMHO..... Jesus brought us eternal life. When I consider a hundred years as compared to eternity.... a hundred years is jut a click on the clock.... a blip on the screen.... and the trials and tribulations of that blip on the screen will be our calling card when we get to Heaven. Once we believe.... we become the adopted children of God. Jesus the Messiah is our Big Brother. He shows how to get along in the family of God.
Jesus had faith that He would conquer death. Jesus displayed His faith by allowing Himself to be beaten and hung on a cross. Jesus met with his stepbrother James right after He completed His mission. Jesus put James to work in Jerusalem. James didn't believe his own brother could be the Messiah. After all they were just carpenters. But after the resurrection..... James saw Jesus.... and of course James realized his brother really was the Big Brother of the family of God.
Now James had to put that belief to work carrying on the work his stepbrother, Jesus the Messiah, started. James told the Jews.... you say you believe in my brother's mission.... then let's get to work.... only he said it in a long winded letter.
Faith..... sitting by itself saves only one guy..... but if we work to show that faith off.... it spreads....
Works makes Faith more contagious.
.