Page 113 - New Testament Survey Student Textbook

2. Internal Evidence
a. Of the four James’s mentioned in the NT, the brother of the Lord
is the leading candidate: two of the James’s are minor figures
(James, son of Alphaeus, one of the twelve [Mk 3:18]; and James,
the father of Judas [Lk 6:16; Acts 1:13]); the lack of elaboration in
1:1 points to a well-known James) and the third, James the
brother of John, was martyred in 43/44 by Agrippa I (Acts 12:1-2).
b. Other corroborating evidence fits what we know of James from the NT and from
extrabiblical references (see Eusebius’ description of “James the Just” in H.E., 2.1; 2.23): (i)
similarities between James and the speech in Acts 15:13-21; (ii) frequent allusions to Jesus’
teaching, esp. the Sermon on the Mount (Jas 2:5/Mt 5:3; Jas 3:10-12/Mt 7:15-20; Jas
3:18/Mt 5:9; Jas 5:2-3/Mt 6:19-20; Jas 5:12/Mt 5:33-37); (iii) Jewish character of the epistle
with numerous OT allusions (Jas 1:10, 25; 2:8-13, 21; 3:9; 4:6; 5:4); (iv) authority assumed in
addressing “the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.”

Provenance and Date
Assuming authorship by James, brother of the Lord, leader of the church in Jerusalem, it was probably
written from Jerusalem. Social and economic conditions addressed in the letter fit with Palestine:
absentee landlords exploiting the poor tenant farmers (2:5-7; 5:1-6); merchants ranging far and wide in
search of profits (4:13-17); heated religious controversy (4:1-3).

In Chapter 2 James may be responding to an antinomian distortion of Paul’s teaching on justification by
faith, suggesting a date in the early to mid-40’s, before James and Paul met to resolve such issues at the
Jerusalem council (Acts 15; A.D. 49).
Recipients

The letter of James is addressed to the dispersed twelve tribes of Israel (Jas 1:1). Some scholars suggest
that, “This could be a way of describing the global church or Jewish Christians living outside Palestine
(compare 1 Pet 1:1).” 150 James might have been writing to Jewish Christians who
had been scattered by the persecution that broke out in Jerusalem after the
stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1).

Themes

James advocates for faith and action with wisdom. Our trust in God can’t be
limited to one section of life and not the other, that is hypocritical. It is crucial in every part of our lives.
Our faith should affect how we speak and actin every circumstance, and at every level of life. For James,
if you can control your tongue, you can control your other actions as well (1:19–2:13; 5:1–6).

In James we also see a close relationship between wisdom and testing (5:7–18). We grow through
perseverance, prayer and faith in God in the face of hardship.

James also throughout show us the teachings of Jesus, for example how to live a life that truly
represents the good news of Christ (compare 4:10 with Matt 23:12). We also see that genuine faith
produces a life that looks like Christ—and faith without works is dead (Jas 2:14–26). 151

150 Barry, J. D., et al.
151 Ibid.

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