James 1: 1-11
Notes
Transcript
1 2-4 5-8 9-11
1 2-4 5-8 9-11
1
1
James 1:1 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.”
James writes this book to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, to the Jewish Christians who have fled or been forced out of Jerusalem, probably because of the martyring of Stephen and the persecution of Christians by Herod Agrippa sited in Acts 12 which was around the year 44 A.D. James also refers to the audience as “brethren” or “brothers” in the ESV fifteen times this leads to the thought that James is also Jewish, so James was most likely written after 44 A.D. But there is no mention of the Council of Jerusalem from Acts 15 in 49 A.D. so that puts the writing of James somewhere in between 44 and 49 A.D., which makes it the earliest written book of the New Testament. But it being the oldest of the New Testament books does not mean that James was not met without any opposition to it being Bible canon. The main point of contention is that some people believe that James is preaching a works based salvation and righteousness in opposition to Paul’s clear salvation by grace through faith message. But as we will see later James is not suggesting that one salvation can be earned by his works but a true and saving faith will always be followed by good works, as Jesus says himself in Matthew 7:16–17 “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.” James is preaching the logical continuation of Paul’s salvation by grace through faith, that it will bear good fruit. James is referred to as the Proverbs of the New Testament and is a book that faithfully reminds Christians how to live out their Christian lives. So as a book on how to live and be a faithful Christian James’ focus is more on the fruit of our saving faith. On one side of the coin is Paul’s salvation by grace through faith and the other side is James’ saving faith leads must lead to good works, two vantage points one could say but they are both talking about the same coin.
James like all of the apostolic epistles except Hebrews is named after its author, James. But which James, there are four James’ named in the New Testament. James the son of Alphaeus, James the father of Judas (not Iscariot), James the son of Zebedee and the brother of John, and James the half-brother of Jesus and brother of Jude. None believe that James the father of Judas (not Iscariot) nor James the son of Alphaeus, also known as James the Less or Lessor, probably to differentiate him from James the brother of John, either because he was smaller in stature or younger than the son of Zebedee are the authors of the book of James. There are some who think it possible that the Epistle of James was written by John’s brother but he was martyred by Herod very early in the formation and spread of the Church, Acts 12:2 “He killed James the brother of John with the sword,” This leaves James the half-brother of Jesus as the mostly widely thought author of the book of James. James, the brother of Jesus was also, after his conversion, placed over the Christian church in Jerusalem and Josephus strongly suggest that James’ death by the hands of the Jewish chief-priest was a large contributing factor in the destruction of Jerusalem. James calls himself a servant or bondservant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, much like Paul does in his opening in the letter to the Romans. Romans 1:1 “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,”
2-8
2-8
2
2
James starts right off after his greeting with a death blow statement to the prosperity gospel, as a Christian you will meet trials of various kinds, he does not say if we have trials but when. But he says to count all our trials as joy, just as Peter and the Apostles rejoiced that they were worthy to be beaten for the name of the Lord, and as Jesus said in John 15 “if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you”
3
3
We must have faith and joy in the knowledge that our trials that we face are for Christ and for our benefit. The testing or proving of our faith will bring us closer to God and will produce patience and perseverance. Building up our endurance to withstand all that the world will pressure us with, and when God sovereignly lifts whatever trials we face we will see and be thankful for the benefits and strengths we have gained.
4
4
This constant testing and proving of our faith will produce more and more endurance, faith, and joy, like a continuous refining process, constantly removing imperfections or constantly removing the dross from the wheat, getting us closer and closer to perfection and completeness, preparing us for our new redeemed, regenerated, and sinless bodies.
5-8
5-8
5
5
James does not say if anyone is lacking money, fame, or power ask God and he will freely give, James says if any of you lacks wisdom. He says this right after he says be joyous at the trials we face. So what James is saying is that wisdom is what is necessary, specifically the wisdom contained in the Word of God, wisdom is how we can be joyous in the trials that we will face. So when we face trials in our lives, seek the abundant and freely given wisdom from God with prayer and with the Word of God in the Bible to be comforted, with peace and joy.
6-7
6-7
But when we ask in prayer for wisdom from God we must ask with faith and confidence in our sovereign God. If we have disbelief or doubts that God is sovereign and is able to provide wisdom then we will be tossed about like a small boat on the restless waves of the sea, never able to gain and trust in God’s wisdom.
8
8
The person who has disbelief or doubts about God’s sovereignty or ability to provide the necessary wisdom is of two minds, one seeking God, but the other in the world and in disbelief. That person will never be stable in his thinking.
9-11
9-11
9
9
Your worldly social or economic status has no bearing on your place in heaven if you are saved. Those that are, according to the world, in a lower status and counted among the brethren are already rich in spirit and will know that this world is not what we live for and so joyously look forward to the richness in Christ to come, not that they are not rich in spirit now but how much more there will be after the passing of these worldly cares.
10
10
Conversely those that are blessed with material wealth should boast and strive to be humble, not letting their material possessions become their idol, as Jesus said, it will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter heaven. This is not saying that the wealthy are almost all but excluded from the kingdom of heaven but those that worship the material, the attitude and idolatry that so often accompanies wealth is what brings about the difficulties of spirit. James alludes to Isaiah 40 talking about material items are like a flower and will quickly pass away. Isaiah 40:6–8 “A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”
11
11
Those caught up in the pursuit of the world, James specifically calls out money in this verse but really any pursuit of the world will have the same end, those that are in the world and do not come to repentance and salvation before the end will fade away into hell.
