Page 512 - Demo

The letter of James was probably not written by either of the apostles named James,
but rather by the disciple referred to as “brother of the Lord” (Matthew 13:55, Mark
6:3), who was the leader of the Church in Jerusalem. Addressed, like Hebrews, to Jewish Christians, the letter of James is an exhortation to right conduct. It is especially powerful in the way it expresses the need to care for the poor and for the least in the Christian community.
1:2 The letter begins with the paradox of faith. Su ering and joy are no longer opposites, since it is through su ering that faith is tested and perfected.
1:5 Do you have confusion and doubt when it comes to faith? James’s advice is to ask for wisdom with total con dence. “O Lord of knowledge and Announcer of wisdom.... give us understanding without weariness, a pure conscience which does not depart from you, so that we know and understand and fully comprehend the measure of your holy doctrine...” (A prayer for understanding from the Ethiopian tradition).
1:13 God does not tempt us. Our temptations come from within, when our own desires turn against us.
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JAMES 
I. ADDRESS
11* James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve
tribes in the dispersion, greetings.
II. THE VALUE OF TRIALS AND TEMPTATION
Perseverance in Trial. 2b Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials,* 3for you know that the testing* of your faith produces perseverance. 4And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5But if any of you lacks wisdom,* he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it.c 6But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind.d 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.
9The brother in lowly circumstances* should take pride in his high standing,e 10and the rich one in his lowliness, for he will pass away “like the ower of the eld.”f 11For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, its ower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes. So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Temptation. 12g Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation,* for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. 13* No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one.h 14Rather, each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.
a
* [1:1] James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: a declaration of the writer’s authority for instructing the Christian communities; cf. Rom 1:1. Regarding the identity of the author, see Introduction. Dispersion: see Introduction.
* [1:2] Consider it all joy. . .various trials: a frequent teaching of the New Testament derived from the words and su erings of Jesus (Mt 5:10–12; Jn 10:11; Acts 5:41).
* [1:3–8] The sequence of testing, perseverance, and being perfect and complete indicates the manner of attaining spiritual maturity and full preparedness for the coming of Christ (Jas 5:7– 12; cf. 1 Pt 1:6–7; Rom 5:3–5). These steps require wisdom (Jas 1:5).
* [1:5] Wisdom: a gift that God readily grants to all who ask in faith and that sustains the Christian in times of trial. It is a kind of knowledge or understanding not accessible to the unbeliever or those who doubt, which gives the recipient an understanding of the real importance of events. In this way a Christian can deal with adversity with great calm and hope (cf. 1 Cor 2:6–12).
* [1:9–11] Throughout his letter (see Jas 2:5; 4:10, 13–16; 5:1–6), the author rea rms the teaching of Jesus that worldly prosperity is not necessarily a sign of God’s favor but can even be a hindrance to proper humility before God (cf. Lk 6:20–25; 12:16–21; 16:19–31).
* [1:12] Temptation: the Greek word used here is the same one used for “trials” in Jas 1:2. The crown of life: in ancient Palestine, crowns or wreaths of owers were worn at festive occasions as signs of joy and honor. In the Hellenistic world, wreaths were given as a reward to great statesmen, soldiers, athletes. Life: here means eternal life. He promised: some manuscripts read “God” or “the Lord,” while the best witnesses do not specify the subject of “promised.”
* [1:13–15] It is contrary to what we know of God for God to be the author of human temptation (Jas 1:13). In the commission of a sinful act, one is rst beguiled by passion (Jas 1:14), then consent is given, which in turn causes the sinful act. When sin permeates the entire person, it incurs the ultimate penalty of death (Jas 1:15).
a. [1:1] Jn 7:35; 1 Pt 1:1.
b. [1:2] Rom 5:3–5; 1 Pt 1:6; 4:13–16.
c. [1:5] Prv 2:2–6; Wis 9:4, 9–12.
d. [1:6] Mt 7:7; Mk 11:24.
e. [1:9] 2:5.
f. [1:10] Is 40:6–7.
g. [1:12] 1 Cor 9:25; 2 Tm 4:8; 1 Pt 5:4; Rev 2:10. h. [1:13] Sir 15:11–20; 1 Cor 10:13.