This week a few introductory thoughts that may help us feed on James; and why it matters…
For some of us, James is a little-known book. Yet in other circles it’s very popular; maybe because it’s so practical, and concise, and contains such good illustrations. Rick Warren made it a top priority for his people to study.
Its popularity is surely understandable if its writer was Jesus’ brother. We’re not totally sure of that, but in 1:1 its writer is well enough known not to need his name explained; which implies it was either James John’s brother (Boanerges), or James Jesus’ brother. And Boanerges died early (Acts 12:2), so that leaves Jesus’ brother the most likely; which is also what church tradition says – James who led the Jerusalem church, and who (Jewish writer Josephus tells us) was eventually martyred by stoning. In Scripture we’re told he didn’t believe in Jesus during His lifetime (John 7:5), though not surprisingly one of Jesus’ first resurrection appearances was to his kid brother (1 Cor 15:7). Both Scripture and tradition record James’ strong commitment to the Law (Acts 21:18-25, Gal 2:12 – and indeed James 1:25 and 4:11), and you wonder how that worked in Jesus’ family before James became a disciple. How did he react to Jesus’ restatements of the Law? If James didn’t believe in Jesus, must he not have seen his mother as having sinned seriously sexually; and how then would he have related to her if he was so committed to the Law? (At the cross, we notice, Jesus looks to John to look after Mary, not James.) Presumably he must have seen Jesus Himself as illegitimate – so until the resurrection, had James even seen himself as David’s true heir?
If so, 1:1 shows us a powerful change: now he calls himself a `servant… of the Lord Jesus Christ`! Meeting the risen Jesus has changed him. And he doesn’t flaunt his connection with Jesus. Here perhaps is the book’s first practical lesson: as Rick Warren says, the closer you get to Jesus the less you need to promote yourself!
The book’s opening verse also has a strong Jewish flavour: `To the 12 tribes scattered among the nations.` What does he mean? Is he seeing the whole church as an expansion of the true Israel? Or is he targeting Jewish Christians? Or has the full rupture with Judaism not happened yet, and he’s targeting the Jewish nation as he still hopes they will respond to Jesus (cf Acts 3:19)? If so that would raise another fascinating question. Does James’ strong commitment to the `perfect law` (1:25) underlie what he says in 2:24, `You see that a person is justified by what they do and not by faith alone`, which sometimes gets seen as a contradiction of Paul’s message? `Justified` is a very Paul word, after all: he turns to it numerous times to express salvation by faith and not by works. Was this perhaps James’ first reaction to what he’d been told Paul was teaching; had he heard exaggerated reports of what Paul – or perhaps overenthusiastic, confused hearers of Paul – were up to far away in Turkey? If so, it seems James was concerned that the vital place of holy living in Christian discipleship was being lost; and therefore he goes in quite hard (2:20), and rightly so. (We need to remember that when Jesus talks of repentance it’s not just a casual feeling of sorrow. When we think of what He preaches in the gospels, it’s following Him into a changed lifestyle – obviously, as we later learn, by the Spirit’s strength. But this is what John the Baptist means by repentance as well, Luke 3.) Of course there was in fact no contradiction between what James and Paul were inspired to write, at all; what James and Paul meant by `justified` were two different things – Paul uses it to mean our being accounted just in God’s sight, whereas James’ interest is in our being proved just by the actions that follow from faith. (As Luther apparently said: we are justified by faith alone, but faith is never alone!) From Paul’s writings we can be sure that, had they met, Paul would have listened to James’ concerns and passions and said, Well, yes, amen, obviously! (Look at Ephesians 2:8-10, or Galatians 5:6.) It’s a great example of how different parts of the Bible-based Church benefit each other; as we put both their writings together we get the whole picture. Still, James’ tone may make us wonder whether, when God inspired him to write, he hadn’t yet interacted with Paul personally. In the middle of Acts, of course, these issues came up at the council of Jerusalem, and there they were in complete agreement. People had been changing the gospel to make the Law’s commands necessary for salvation; Paul didn’t simply treat them as `brothers with a slightly different perspective`, but ensured a huge debate; and it was then James who sorted matters out in support of Paul (Acts 15:13ff).
So here’s another reason why this is a fascinating book: it may be very early indeed, maybe even earlier than any of Paul’s letters. But what are we going to get out of it?
Well, God is beside us as we read it, and He wants to feed us with at least two overall themes. These are two things to look out for that God will help us get a grip on as we feed on this book; and we need them!
One is James’ passion for consistency, for a life that matches our beliefs; rather than `double-mindedness` (1:8). What will lead me to this wholeness, this maturity? That question arises in the second main section from 1:19 onwards, and underlies James’ passionate preaching about faith and works in 1:22-24 and ch2; as it does also his passionate preaching about the tongue, briefly in 1:26 then at length in ch3; and then in his many specific lifestyle examples from 3:13 onwards. These are vital things for us to read slowly, and absorb, the words of the Lord, God’s power to our minds to help us be consistent and mature.
And secondly, perhaps unsurprisingly – this is the brother of Jesus who suffered crucifixion, after all – the first theme his book moves into is how we cope with tough times (1:2); with confusion (1:5), poverty (1:9), temptation (1:13). He’s writing (as are the authors of 1 Peter and Hebrews) at a time of crisis, particularly financial crisis (5:4-6, and to people who are `facing trials of many kinds` (1:1-2). It’s equally a concern in his closing chapter (5:7-11). So then: What does James teach us about how we handle such times? How does God use these, and other kinds of testing, to bring about our maturity?
Let’s dig a little further into the book’s opening verses. James’ `Greetings` in v1 is `chairein`, the popular Greek greeting `rejoice`. But James has a deep concern that we mean what we say (eg 4:13, 5:12), so the next thing he writes is about where `pure joy`, rejoicing, might come from (v2). And his answer is unexpected, though practical, but it’s tough: ` Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…`
Well, let’s not play around: I myself haven’t reached that point! But since this is the Word of the Lord, I want to – choose to – actually face what that verse is saying, and to grow – and pray to grow – in that direction… Lloyd Jones, in his excellent two volumes on Philippians, says that the lesson of Paul’s repeated command `Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, Rejoice!`, is that real joy is to be sought and found above all `in the Lord`, not in any external circumstances; and, that if we can really learn this, then external circumstances (`trials`, such as James is equipping us to cope with) can do little to us. That’s very practical, and it’s huge.
We need to learn what James is saying here in 1:2-3, says Motyer in his excellent Bible Speaks Today commentary, because for James it’s actually a key to life’s meaning. It’s something the new testament church grasped, shaped as it was by its central vision of Jesus crucified and then glorified. `It has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him`, says Paul (Phil 1:29); `I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings` (Phil 3:10). In fact the early church saw being killed for Jesus as the highest privilege and honour! I’m reminded of something my deeply respected IFES colleague Ada Lum said, that, being Chinese, in any testing situation she would ask, What’s my side of the bargain – what am I gaining from this? I can see that life will be far richer if we can think like that!
Let’s be real: this is about how we can see pressures at work (discrimination, criticism, things getting worse when we’ve been honest); or family tensions, singleness, joblessness, ill health. Are these experiences normal for Christians? If so why, when there’s a God who loves us? Well, most surely if there’s a loving God there must be gains that outweigh all the trouble. James knows it’s vital to help us grasp why we go through trouble, and he explains its results if (if) we’re God’s: `You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance… so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything… Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial!- because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life [cf 2 Tim 4:8, Rev 2:10] that the Lord has promised to those who love Him!` (1:3-4, 12). We remember that Paul likewise presents this `perseverance` as something immensely valuable: `We also glory` (or, exult!?) `in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character` (Rom 5:3-4) – character which, I think Rick Warren says, is the only thing we’ll take into eternity (something there to think about!) It’s also like a marathon race where the crown comes only to those who hang in all the way; so, says James in 1:4, `let perseverance finish its work` (`have its full effect`, RSV ) – ` so that you may be mature and complete`; the steadfastness, the hanging in, is what brings the fruit, the crown, he’s saying. If we miss this we miss out on what life & its problems were designed, or rather permitted, for, because we won’t be able to grow like this in heaven where no such problems will ever exist…
Motyer gives an example from marriage: we cope with temptations to infidelity, with the kids vomiting, even with minor things we dislike about each other, and out of that steadfastness comes something immensely valuable, a relationship that is lasting, tough, mature (James’ word in 1:4), solid, foundational. God likewise wants more than just conversion in his relationship with us; He wants character, maturity, something wonderful; and He’s bringing it into being as our lives go on… So it’s hugely worth it, says James. Thus he closes his book with the same themes: `Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm… Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take [which implies, read about!] the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord…` (5:7-10). Motyer challenges us: Is this what James teaches?- for if it is – and there’s actually no doubt about it – then God has spoken, and His words explain the things that happen; and we will grow & mature as we deliberately reshape our thinking, in specific situations, in the light of these verses. God passionately wants us to be mature, adult; and this, apparently, is how we get there…
I want to say I’ve never been through these deep waters, especially compared to what numerous people who are precious to me are going through right now. But I’m just recording what I see James saying (and, I confess, praying `Lord, do not bring us to the time of trial`). But in summary: somehow, James is saying, our hearts should be set on making it a habit, to focus on the meaning, the guaranteed fruit, that we trust God there will be in trials we inevitably undergo; and He will grow something massively glorious in us, if – if – we develop that deliberate longterm attitude. To feed on James’ book, then, is to feed on the Word of the Lord that will get these vital things deep into our guts, and empower us to carry on. `Humbly accept the Word planted in you, which can save you`, says James (1:21). So then – Lord God who is here with me: please give me grace as I feed on and live out this book, to grow in this attitude; so that in time I may indeed be `mature and complete, not lacking anything` (1:3)…
