What is the summary of James?
Summary of the Book of James. The book of James was written by Jesus’ half brother, James who initially did not accept him as the Messiah (John 7:5), but later became a pillar in the early church (I Corinthians 15:7). The book has been dated between 44-49 AD which makes it the first book written in the New Testament.
Who are the two James in the Bible?
Who was James the apostle in the Bible? There were a few different men named James in Jesus' circle: James, the half-brother of Jesus who wrote the book of James and was an early church leader ( Acts 15:13 ), James the son of Alphaeus who was one of the twelve disciples ( Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; 15:40; Luke 6:15 ), and James the son of Zebedee who was also one of the Twelve.
What is the biblical meaning of James?
In fact, the name James means the same exact thing as Jacob—“supplanter” or substitute—and comes from the original Hebrew word for Jacob.Because of its connection to Jacob, James is a Biblical name (two of Jesus’ apostles were named James).
Is James in the Bible?
There were a few different men named James in Jesus' circle: James, the half-brother of Jesus who wrote the book of James and was an early church leader ( Acts 15:13 ), James the son of Alphaeus who was one of the twelve disciples ( Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; 15:40; Luke 6:15 ), and James the son of Zebedee who was also one of the Twelve.
What is the message of James 2?
James 2 continues the theme of maturity presented at the beginning of the book. When James opens his letter, he challenges his readers to view trials as opportunities to grow rather than obstacles to lament. He asserts that every trial we overcome helps us mature as Christians.
What is the main message of the book of James?
Framing his letter within an overall theme of patient perseverance during trials and temptations, James writes in order to encourage his readers to live consistently with what they have learned in Christ. He condemns various sins, including pride, hypocrisy, favouritism, and slander.
Who is speaking in James 2?
James 2 is the second chapter of the Epistle of James in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The author identifies himself as "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" and the epistle is traditionally attributed to James the brother of Jesus, written in Jerusalem between 48 and 61 CE.
What can we learn from james1?
Introduction. James wrote an epistle to the scattered house of Israel, encouraging them to be patient in their afflictions and to seek wisdom from Heavenly Father. James also taught them to resist temptation, to be doers of the word, to serve others, and to stay spiritually clean.
What is the full meaning of James?
supplanterJames is a classic, traditional and Biblical name (Saint James, of course, was one of Jesus' 12 apostles) meaning "supplanter" or "replacer." It's derived from the Latin Jacomus which also means "may God protect."
Why is the book of James relevant today?
The relevance of the book of James is found in its call for ethical living based on the Christian gos- pel. It is true that James emphasizes the ethical obligations rather than the theological basis of the Christian faith. He is not indifferent to theology; he assumes it.
What does James teach about faith and works?
(JAMES 1:2 -11; 2:14- 26) That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Teaching about faith and works, James said it does not profit a man if he said he has faith but lacks works because his faith can never save him.
Are we saved by faith alone?
God's Word says that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus and not by our own efforts or works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
How does faith work in your life?
#3 — Faith helps you to discover your purpose in life But through all of the trials and tribulations we might face, it's faith that gives us that helping hand. It works to guide us in the right direction, moving us towards and allowing us to discover our purpose in life.
What does moral filth mean?
2a : moral corruption or defilement. b : something that tends to corrupt or defile.
What does let patience have her perfect work mean?
It's about facing problems with a sense of confidence that God, divine Truth, is always active and helping us gain a higher, more spiritual understanding of life – just as leaven helps the dough to rise. And when patience has “its perfect work,” the result is healing.
When you fall into divers temptations meaning?
Temptations come in many different forms. “Divers temptations” mean many different kinds. We're tempted to lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, and murder, etc. A temptation puts to test what a Christian says they believe to find out if they really believe it.
What is the significance of James in the New Testament?
This means that the earliest Christians considered Jesus to be God, and said so in strong, unmistakable words. b.
What does James mean by the word "Jesus Christ"?
James used strong words to refer to Jesus Christ: The Lord of glory. Moffatt comments: “The Christian religion [is here called] more explicitly belief in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the divine Glory – a striking term for Christ as the full manifestation of the divine presence and majesty.
What does it mean when the Lord does not see as man sees?
God looks at the heart, and so should we. ii. To show partiality shows that we misunderstand who is important and blessed in the sight of God.
Why is James calling a synagogue a synagogue?
The fact that James calls a Christian meeting place a synagogue shows that he wrote before Gentiles were widely received into the church. At the time James wrote, most all Christians came from a Jewish heritage. This is the only place in the New Testament where an assembly of Christians is clearly called a synagogue.
Has God chosen the poor of this world?
a. Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom: Though it is easy for man to be partial to the rich, God isn’t partial to them. In fact, since riches are an obstacle to the kingdom of God ( Matthew 19:24 ), there is a sense in which God specially blesses the poor of this world.
Who is James in the Bible?
Verse 1 James was the half-brother of the *Lord Jesus. Their mother was Mary but Joseph was the father of James. After Jesus came back from the dead, James trusted in him. He soon became a leader in the church in *Jerusalem.
What did Peter say to James and the brothers?
So, he went to the home where the Christians were praying. He said to them, ‘Go and tell this to James and the brothers’ (Acts 12:17). James had become one of the leaders in the church in *Jerusalem.
What was James's honor?
To James it was an honour to make himself a slave, and to belong to God and to the *Lord Jesus. The *Scripture calls some of the great people in *Israel’s history slaves or servants of God. [See for example Abraham (Genesis 26:24), Moses (Joshua 1:1), David (Psalm 36:1).]
Who was the Roman ruler who came after the feast of James?
Albinus ~ a *Roman ruler. He came after *Festus and after James, the *Lord’s brother, died. altar ~ the special table on which to offer gifts to God. Ananus II ~ the chief priest of the *Jews who was responsible for the death of James the *Lord’s brother.
What does the Bible say about judge?
v11 My Christian brothers and sisters, do not say bad things about one another. If you speak against another person you are *judging him or her. When you do this, you speak against the law. And you *judge it as well. If you *judge the law you do not obey it. You have made yourself its judge. v12 It is God who gave the law. And it is God who says what we should do. Therefore, only God can be the judge. He alone is able to save us or to destroy us. Who do you think you are, to *judge someone else?
How honorably does James speak of Jesus Christ?
How honorably James speaks of Jesus Christ; he calls him the Lord of glory; for he is the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person. 3. Christ’s being the Lord of glory should teach us not to respect Christians for any thing so much as their relation and conformity to Christ.
What does Mt 11:5 mean?
Mt. 11:5 , The poor are evangelized .’’. God designed to recommend his holy religion to men’s esteem and affection, not by the external advantages of gaiety and pomp, but by its intrinsic worth and excellency; and therefore chose the poor of this world.
What chapter does Matthew Henry write in the Bible?
Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete) /. James /. James 2. James 1. James 3. Chapter 2 In this chapter the apostle condemns a sinful regarding of the rich, and despising the poor, which he imputes to partiality and injustice, and shows it to be an acting contrary to God, who has chosen the poor, ...
Where in the Bible does it say "assemble"?
assembly --literally, "synagogue"; this, the latest honorable use, and the only Christian use of the term in the New Testament, occurs in James's Epistle, the apostle who maintained to the latest possible moment the bonds between the Jewish synagogue and the Christian Church.
What does the Bible say about the brethren?
1. brethren --The equality of all Christians as "brethren," forms the groundwork of the admonition. the faith of . . . Christ --that is, the Christian faith. James grounds Christian practice on Christian faith. the Lord of glory --So 1 Corinthians 2:8 .
What does James 2 say about faith?
The entire last section of James 2 proves that faith can, and did, exist apart from works; and that it is not true that where faith is genuine works will follow. "Works are an expression of faith." [63] . This is false because works are something done by the believer, not by his faith.
What does James 2:20 mean?
The language of James 2:20 calls upon the believer in "faith only" to be willing to recognize or acknowledge the truth. James is so confident of the truth of his position and of the force of his reasoning that he calls upon the errorists to concede.
What is the warning in James 2:1-13?
The first section of this chapter ( James 2:1-13) carries a warning against courting the favor of middle-upper income people or the wealthy, against showing special courtesies and solicitude. There are no doubt many congregations which are tempted to do this very thing. After all, there are budgets to be subscribed, programs to be financed and all kinds of good works which require constant scrambling on the part of the church elders and deacons in their efforts to finance such things. Therefore, the tendency is to do a little bowing and scraping when some well-to-do person condescends to visit the assembly of the church. It was no different in that generation to which James addressed these remarkable words. The warning is clear enough: "Don't do it!"
Is the faith of Jesus Christ subjective?
The faith of our Lord Jesus Christ ... As usual, the scholars cannot agree on whether "faith" is here subjective or objective. Zerr made it objective, "referring to the Christian religion." [2] . Roberts said that "It is subjective and does not refer to the doctrine or teaching." [3] .
Who wrote the Master's letter to the Syrian churches?
Our Lord Jesus Christ ... This exact title of the Master is found in that letter addressed by James and the apostles and elders in Jerusalem to the Syrian churches ( Acts 15:26 ), and this is considered by some to support the proposition that this epistle was written by the same James .
Is the royal law a reference to the law of Moses?
The royal law ... It is impossible to view "royal law" as a reference to the Law of Moses, because Moses was never a king. Furthermore, James mentioned the "law of liberty" a moment later ( James 2:12 ); and he is presenting not two laws but one. In addition, the reference to the "kingdom" ( James 2:5) leads naturally to the conclusion that it is the law of that kingdom to which reference is made here. Throughout James, there are dozens of references to the teachings of Jesus Christ (see introduction), and it is illogical to consider this as referring to anything else.
Did James spell out the name of Christ?
Some have marveled that James did not spell out the name of Christ in this passage; but as Oesterley said, "This was due to the Jewish heritage of James." [17] ". A feeling of reverence led the Jews as far as possible to avoid mentioning the name of God." [18] .
What does James refer to in the Bible?
Despite controversy, this does not clash with Paul's view of salvation by grace alone. James refers to good works as an expected outcome of salvation, not the source of it. In the following chapters, he will continue to show what a life of genuine faith looks like.
What does James teach in chapter 1?
Chapter Context. In chapter 1, James taught that a saving belief in God changes how a Christian looks at trials in their lives.
What is the book of James about?
Book Summary#N#The book of James is about specifically understanding what saving faith looks like. How does faith in Christ reveal itself in a believer's life? What choices does real trust in God lead us to make? Those are the questions James answers. Most scholars believe the writer was Jesus' half-brother, a son born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus' birth. James may not have come to believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. Eventually, though, he became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem. This is possibly the earliest-written of all the New Testament books, around AD 40–50. James addresses his letter to Jewish Christians scattered around the known world.
What does James say about our faith in God?
In this chapter, James insists that our faith in God should keep us from showing favoritism to the rich and powerful on earth and should provoke us to love our poor neighbors as ourselves.
When did James come to believe Jesus was the Messiah?
James may not have come to believe Jesus was the Messiah until after the resurrection. Eventually, though, he became one of the leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem. This is possibly the earliest-written of all the New Testament books, around AD 40–50.
Introduction
- 1 The writer
James is the writer of the letter. But he does not tell us whichJames he is. James was a common name and there are several men called James inthe *New Testament. He wrote to the *Jewish Christians who had left *Israel tolive in other countries. They accepted this letter, so they must h… - 2 The time of writing
For many reasons, the date of the letter seems to be between AD40 and AD 60. The most likely date is between AD 45 and AD 55. The main reasonsfor this date are: • The letter doesnot mention Christians who are not *Jewish. The first Christians were almostall *Jewish. So James probably …
Chapter 1
- Greeting from James 1:1
Verse 1 James was the half-brother of the *Lord Jesus. Theirmother was Mary but Joseph was the father of James. After Jesus came back fromthe dead, James trusted in him. He soon became a leader in the church in*Jerusalem. The *apostle Paul talks about him as one of the thr… - Testing builds character 1:2-4
Verse 2 James calls them his brothers and sisters because hecares about them. They are his brothers and sisters as children of God becausethey trust in Jesus Christ. They were having many *trials that were hard for them toovercome. These *trials came to them from other people and w…
Chapter 2
- Respect of persons 2:1-7
Verse 1 James again calls them brothers and sisters. In this, heshows them that he respects and looks after them. To God we are all of equalworth whether we are rich or poor. They must accept people for what they areand not for what they have or have not. They had considered the rich to … - Royal law 2:8-13
Verse 8 James now writes about the royal law. It is royal becauseof its nature and it comes from the great king. The great king is either God orthe *Lord Jesus. This is the law of the *kingdom of God. It is the law that isabove all laws. It tells us what God commands us to do. And it tells us ho…
Chapter 3
- Responsibility of the teacher 3:1-5a
Verse 1 In the early church, the role of the teacher was a veryimportant one. The church members had a great respect for their teachers. So,it seems that many church members wanted to be teachers. Some of them may havewanted it for the wrong reasons. They wanted other people to … - Danger of the tongue 3:5b-12
Verse 5b In the dry season, the grass, the low growing bushes andother plants were like dry straw. A small flame could set it all on fire. Theflames of that fire would spread like a wave that no-one could stop. It wouldsoon be out of control. It takes just a tiny flame to set on fire a great massof …
Chapter 4
- Desires and divisions 4:1-10
Verse 1 There were problems where there should be peace. Jamesasks the readers to see what was the true source of their quarrels. There werewars and fights in the church. The word ‘wars’ here means quarrels rather thanreal wars. So there were quarrels and fights among them. There … - Speaking evil and judging 4:11-12
Verse 11 In the church, there were those who said bad thingsabout other Christians. What they said was unkind. And perhaps it was not true.They must stop doing it because they are brothers and sisters. To speak againsta Christian is against the law to love him or her. They cannot spea…
Chapter 5
- Judgement of the rich 5:1-6
Verse 1 James speaks to the rich people as if he were writing tothem. But he is not sending this letter to them. Even if they were to receiveit, they would not accept what he says about them. James wrote, in this way, toshow his Christian readers that it is foolish to trust in *riches. They s… - Patience until the *Lord comes again 5:7-11
Verse 7 James now speaks to his Christian brothers and sisters.They need to be patient until God acts on their behalf. They may have to sufferthese troubles as they wait for the *Lord to come. Then the *Lord will punishthose who have caused them to suffer. In the meantime, Christians m…
Word List
- Albinus ~ a *Roman ruler. He came after *Festus and afterJames, the *Lord’s brother, died. altar ~ the special table on which to offer gifts to God. Ananus II ~ the chief priest of the *Jews who wasresponsible for the death of James the *Lord’s brother. angel ~ a servant of God. He brings messages from God topeople on earth. anoint ~ to put oil put on someone’s head. This shows t…
Book List
- W Barclay ~ The Letter of James ~ Daily Study Bible D W Burdick ~ in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary C S Keener ~ Background Commentary ~ IVP R P Martin ~ in World Biblical Commentary J B Mayor ~ in Dictionary of the Bible, edited by J Hastings A McNab ~ The New Bible Commentary (IVF) R V G Tasker ~ James ~ The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. …