In the Epistle of James – Part eight

Brother Harry Whittaker, in “The Epistle of James” (7 Short Epistles, pp. 63-139), argued, persuasively in my opinion, the following two points.

1. The author of the epistle of James was probably James the son of Zebedee, brother of John, first cousin of Jesus, James the apostle who was killed with the sword by king Herod (Acts 12:1-2).
2. James addresses the practical problems of the Jerusalem ecclesia as recorded in the early chapters of Acts. The epistle consists of a collection of inspired exhortations and speeches that James had given in Jerusalem. Compare, for example, James 1:1-2 with Acts 8:1,3-4, persecution and scattering of the Jerusalem ecclesia; James 1:13-­15 with Acts 5:1-11, God cannot be tempted, lust conceives in the heart, sin brings forth death; James 2 with Acts 6:1, feeding the poor without respect of persons; James 3 with Acts 6:7, priests that would be teachers; James 5:1-6 with Acts 8:2, James’ burial speech addressed to those who killed Stephen; and James 5:13-20 with Acts 8:18-24, sin, the threat of death, repentance and prayer, prayer of the apostles, forgiveness.

James the son of Zebedee was one of the first disciples called to follow Jesus (Mt. 4:21-22). James heard the many speeches of his Lord. The epistle of James is filled with sayings from these speeches. Especially, as we illustrate in this article, the epistle is filled with words and ideas from the Sermon on the Mount. In short, James was inspired to base many of his practical exhortations for the early Jerusalem ecclesia on the Lord’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.

Persecution

One of the major problems facing the Jerusalem ecclesia was the great persecution led by Saul of Tarsus. To escape the savagery, the Jerusalem breth­ren scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria (Acts 8:1,3-4).

Rejoice in persecution

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had exhorted the disciples to rejoice when they were persecuted for his sake (Mt. 5:10-12). James strengthens his scattered brethren with the same exhortation. “Greeting. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (i.e. persecutions, see Acts 20:19; 1 Pet. 1:6; 4:12; 2 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 3:10); knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience..Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (Jas. 1:2-3,12).

Strong words for Jewish rulers

The epistle of James contains two caustic attacks on the Jewish leaders who were having the disciples imprisoned, beaten, and killed (Jas. 4:1-10 and 5:1-6, neither of which has the otherwise common reference to “my brethren”). These attacks are based on the Sermon on the Mount.

James accuses these rulers of succumbing to the lusts of adultery, “From whence come wars and fighting’s among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in you members? Ye lust…Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses…The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy” (Jas. 4:1-5). These men had violated the seventh commandment by lusting in their hearts, “Thou shalt not commit adultery…Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Mt. 5:27-28).

James also says to these murderers, “Ye kill”. They had violated the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment” (Mt. 5:21).

James tells them that they should take note of the sixth and the second beatitudes, “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (Jas. 4:8­-10; cp. Mt. 5:8,4; Lk. 6:21,25).

Those who killed Stephen

It is likely that James gave one of the speeches at the burial of Stephen (Acts 8:2). In his speech, he would have condemned those that had “killed the just” (Jas. 5:6). His words, ” Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days” (Jas. 5:2-3), are based on the words of Jesus, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt” (Mt. 6:19).

Patience in affliction

James exhorts his brethren to be patient until the coming of the Lord (Jas. 5:7­-12). Again, this exhortation is based on the words of Jesus. “Unto the coming of the Lord…the coming of the Lord draweth nigh…the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord” (Jas. 5:7,8,10) refers back to the Lord’s prayer, “Our Father…Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come” (Mt. 6:9,10). “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience” (Jas. 5:10) recalls “for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Mt. 5:12). “Behold, we count them happy which endure” (Jas. 5:11) recalls the eighth beatitude (Mt. 5:10-12). “But, above all things, my brethren” remember the Lord’s command, “swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath, but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation” (Jas. 5:12; // Mt. 5:34-37); James’ warning may refer to the temptation the brethren faced to utter religious oaths to emphatically deny false accusations leveled against them. Jesus had warned such false accusations would come (Mt. 5:11).

Rich and Poor

Another major problem facing the Jerusalem ecclesia was the wide range of income levels among the brethren. Acts emphasizes that our early brethren had all things in common (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32,34-35). But it was no easy decision for the rich to give their money to the poor. Why should they give their hard-earned money to their new lower-class brethren? What if they gave all their money to the ecclesia for distribution and then they themselves needed it?

Barnabas, the rich young ruler who had gone away sad when asked to sell all that he had and give it to the poor (Mt. 19:16-22), finally heeded the exhortation (Acts 4:36-37). In contrast, Ananias and Sapphira kept back some of their proceeds, which would have been alright had they not acted as if they had given them all (Acts 5:1-11).

A large portion of the epistle of James is devoted to this problem together with solutions suggested by the principles in the Sermon on the Mount.

Be ye perfect

“Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (Jas. 1:4) recalls “Be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Mt. 5:48). You must be mature enough to follow the example of your heavenly Father.

God gives to all men liberally

In particular, “If any of you lacketh wisdom (about giving to the poor), let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (Jas. 1:5) refers to “your Father…maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust” (Mt. 5:45). God gives his good gifts to all men without considering how they might misuse them. Shouldn’t you do the same?

Ask for guidance in faith

“If any man lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God…but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering” (Jas. 1:6-7) reminds us of Jesus’ words, “0 ye of little faith” (Mt. 6:30), spoken for those who worry about what they would eat, drink, and wear. God will continue to provide, so don’t worry about giving what you have.

No man can serve two masters

“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (Jas. 1:8) because “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt. 6:24).

The grass into the oven

“The sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth” (Jas. 1:11) comes from the exhortation on worrying about physical needs, “Consider the lilies…If God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven” (Mt. 6:28,30).

Our Father gives every good gift

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights” (Jas. 1:17) refers to “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Mt. 7:11). All good gifts that you might give to the ecclesia have been given to you by God.

Hearers and doers

Jesus concluded the Sermon on the Mount with the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders (Mt. 7:24-27). The wise man hears his words and does them. The foolish man hears his words but does not do them. James 1:19-25 and 4:17 (which concludes section 4:13-17 directed at those trying to escape their obligations) relay the same message. Hearing what Jesus says, especially about your willingness to give to the poor, is not enough. You must do what he says, then you will be “blessed in (your) deed.”

Pure religion

In the words, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (Jas. 1:26-27; cp. Acts 6:1), James applies the sixth beatitude, “Blessed are the pure in heart,” to encourage assisting those less fortunate than yourself.

No respect of persons

James 2:1-13 is an exhortation against having “respect of persons,” especially with respect to their wealth. “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” (Jas. 2:5) incorporates both the first and third beatitudes, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Mt. 5:3,5). Jas. 2:8-11 refers to Mt. 5:43,17-20,21,27 concerning the fulfillment of the whole law. “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment” (Jas. 2:13) refers to the fifth beatitude, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt. 5:7).

Faith and works

James’ next argument in favor of giving to the poor is that faith is made perfect with works (Jas. 2:14-26). The wealthy brother who says he has “faith” but ignores the needs of his hungry brother or sister is declaring that his “faith” is dead. “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food” reminds us of Jesus’ exhortation against worrying about what we will eat and drink and what clothes we will wear (Mt. 6:25-34), and the Lord’s prayer “Give us this day our daily bread” (Mt. 6:11).

Warnings Against False Prophets

James 3, a warning against false teachers, reminds us of Jesus’ warning against false prophets (Mt. 7:15-20). In particular, “Can the fig tree, my breth­ren, bear olive berries, either a vine, figs?” (Jas. 3:12) recalls “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Mt. 7:16). “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation (life, RV) his works with meekness of wisdom…But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (Jas. 3:13,17-18) is filled with references to the beatitudes, “meek…righteousness…merciful…pure in heart…peacemakers… (Mt. 5:5,6,7,8,9). It also refers to the exhortation against hypocrisy (ML 6:2,5,16), and the test of a good tree, “every good tree bringeth forth good fruit” (Mt. 7:17).

Prayer

James concludes his epistle with an exhortation to pray (Jas. 5:13-20). Likewise, in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus had taught his disciples how to pray (Mt. 6:5-15). “Anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord…if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him…Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (Jas. 5:14,15,20) recalls specific petitions from the Lord’s prayer, “Hallowed be thy name …for give us our debts…deliver us from evil” (ML 6:9,12,13).

In the epistle of James we find an excellent example of the application of the teaching of Jesus to the everyday, real-life, practical problems that faced the early Jerusalem brethren. We should learn to do the same.