James 1

A broad consensus of authorities attributes this epistle to James, the Lord’s brother (cf. Mt. 13:55-57).  None of Jesus’ brothers believed in him before the resurrection (John 7:5; cf. Mark 3:21, 31-35).  Yet the Lord appeared to James (1 Cor. 15:7), and by Acts 12:17, he was apparently the leading elder of the church of Jerusalem.  As seen in this epistle, his main role was not so much evangelistic as pastoral, leading the sheep and keeping them in the flock, more than gathering them out of the wilderness.  In that respect, the purpose of this epistle is much like that of Hebrews, urging steadfastness, to continue in faith to maturity, and thus receive the crown of life (1:12; cf. Heb. 10:36). James was murdered in AD 62 by opponents of Christianity (Standard Lesson Com., 2-2-14). See notes at Jn. 3:1-21, as James (like John) weaves strands of truth into a strong rope of reason (cf. Ecc.4:12). 

     1:1.  James identifies himself as the bond-servant (slave) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, thus acknowledging Jesus as God’s divine Son, the Lord, and reigning Christ.  He addresses greetings to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion (margin).  There is a lot of NT evidence that James meant more by this than just Jews scattered abroad.  He is, first of all, addressing brethren of like faith in Jesus.  He would have included believing Gentiles in that description.  See the leadership he provided on that score in Acts 15:12-19.  Nor is James the only one to include the Gentiles among God’s chosen people by using such language (e.g., Paul in Gal. 3:7, 29; 6:15-16; Peter in 1 Pet. 2:9-10; and John in Rev. 21:2, 12-13, 25-26, where all the nations enter the new Jerusalem through the gates marked by the names of the twelve tribes).  The new covenant people are the fellow citizens of the new Israel, strangers and aliens in the world (Eph. 2:11-19; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11).  This exposes a great error of Dispensationalism, with its carnal and worldly notion of the current nation of Israel as a “last days” fulfillment of prophecy, as they understand it.

     1:2-4.  Here is his main purpose in writing, to call them to rejoice in the fact that the trials they endure are for the proving and strengthening of their faith, that they may lack no good thing (cf. the beatitude in 12; and see Phip.1:29; Heb. 12:1-13; 1 Pet. 2:20 ff., etc.).

     1:5-8.  Wisdom is needed to trust God and obey him when obedience brings suffering.  Obedience took Jesus to the shame of a cruel death.  Yet God never reproaches one who cries to him for the wisdom of obedience, which Jesus found in Gethsemane.  The doubt warned of here is the instability of the man of two minds.  We can’t have it both ways (Ps. 119:113; James 1:6-8, 4:8).   We are either for the Lord, come what may, or we are against him.

     1:9-11.  The poor brother must remember that all good and lasting things are his in Christ Jesus.  The rich man would be wise to be humbled before God, for all his goods and pursuits in this world will perish, and the one whose security is in this world will lose everything.  Remember that the poor believer and the rich man in James are types, two different ways of looking at the world.  The poor believer has his treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt, nor thieves break in and steal.  But many are the unbelievers in poverty who think like the rich fool.  They think money is the secret to happiness and security.  None of this means that the necessities of this present life are unimportant.  We are to pray for our daily bread.  But we should never make the mistake of thinking that lots of bread makes us more secure than faith in the One who is the source of the bread (17; cf. 1 Tim.6:17).  That was the lesson taught when the manna spoiled if kept over until morning (Ex. 16:19-20).

     1:12.  Cf. Mt. 5:3-12.

     1:13-16.  Nothing tempts God to evil, and he does not tempt anyone.  He is not like us (cf. Ps.50:21; 1 John 2:16).

     Though God ordains whatsoever comes to pass (Eph. 1:11), he is not thereby the author of sin.  Without the enticement of our own lust, sin would not tempt, but repel us.

     “And whence, I ask you, comes the stench of a corpse, which is both putrefied and laid open by the heat of the sun?  All men see that it is stirred up by the sun’s rays; yet no one for this reason says that the rays stink.”  John Calvin, Institutes 1:XVII:5, Westminster Press, 1960, p. 217.  So says Calvin (a note cites Augustine) of those who would excuse themselves because God orders their sins to serve his own holy purposes.

     1:17-18.  There are no shifting shadows from the Father of lights (cf. John 3:21, 27; Heb. 13:8).  Just as in Gen. 1, by the mere exercise of his will, God’s powerful word of truth has brought forth a new creation, a creation of which we, in Christ, are the first fruits.  As Adam was to rule over the creatures of the earth, so we are to lead a new creation, to the glory of God (cf. Is. 43:20 f.; Ro. 8:19-23).

     1:19-21.  While these verses no doubt speak to our relationships with one another, such as listening with understanding, and controlling ill-considered words and anger, we must nevertheless not miss the vital connection to v.18.   It is instruction in the powerful word of truth that has brought us forth that we are to be quick to hear, consider well before speaking in response, and slow to react in anger.  Anger is the natural reaction of the old man to the gospel, for it calls us to put aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness.  It takes humility to receive the seed implanted in us, to become good productive soil.  All the ability to save the soul is in the Word, not in us (21).  This is very good news, but not flattering news.  It is often received with anger.

     1:22-27.  But sometimes the seed of the word is met with a shallow acceptance.  The mirror that reflects the marred image of the natural man does not offend.  The deluded man easily forgets what his natural condition looked like (22-24).

     Rather than a self-flattering image, try looking intently at the perfect law, and abiding by it, hearing it and doing it from a new heart.  James calls this the law of liberty (25; 2:12), and the royal law (2:8).  It is the law of our King, the law of love written on hearts of flesh, not stone.  That is why it is a law of liberty, because our King has set us free from the law of sin and death, that we may freely obey him out of a transformed mind and will.  To see how well we are advancing in the reformation of our old nature, James suggests bridling that wild horse of an organ, the tongue.  That attempt will tell us what our own self-righteous opinion of our religiosity is worth (26).  Pure religion is revealed in kindness to those in need, and keeping oneself unstained by the world’s sins.