The Book of James : BST notes

Introduction

The letter reads like sermon notes. Punchy, lively and abrupt.

Introduction and  Conclusion talk about need for patience and prayer in all the contrasting circumstances of life.

The central content of the letter carries the theme of the birth (1:13-19), growth (1:19-25) and development (1:26-5:6) of the Christian.

Not all growth is true growth; true Christian growth can be assess by noting whether certain specific developments are taking place: The controlled tongue, care for the needy, personal purity of life.

The new birth and the reality of the struggle:

Before James tells us about the miracle of that birth which comes to us by the Father's will, through the Father's word, he reminds us that, Christians though we are, the old nature is still virulent and active within us. The new birth does not solve the conflict, nor give us an automatic victory. Nor does it put us beyond the reach of temptation or into the possibility of falling; the new birth in fact brings us into the arena where the old nature and the new nature battle it out.  

Special people but not immune to suffering:

Christian are a special people, but not a protected species.  

Maturity through struggles:

Ask James 'does the road wind up-hill all the way?' and hear him reply, 'Yes, to the very end.' 

40 years ago it was popular in the church to encourage 'separation from the world' for holiness. Now it has swung almost too far the other way. The old 'reactive separation from the world has led to a forgetfulness of the concept of separation, and for very many Christians what goes in the world goes in the church. Everyone does it, why should not the Christian?'

The unsuspected factor

Like a doctor who comes to a patient and says 'let me see your tongue.' James examines our tongues, not only as an index of spiritual health but as a key to spiritual well being. 

James is reiterating with his own imagery (horse, ship and fire) a repeated Biblical truth about our words.

At enmity with Paul?

No. It is a misunderstanding of both Paul and James to think that they are in disagreement as some scholars have said. For Paul our lifestyle will inevitably look different after becoming a Christian because we have 'died' with him and also 'risen' with him to new life. For James he pointed to the true definition of faith as something that includes behaviour along with it.

The author. 

This letter is a 'law book' in a deeper and more pervasive sense than any single writing in the NT.

It reads like something written by the James who authored the letter at the Council of Jerusalem (James, Jesus' brother).

Setting the Scene (1:1)

Believers in the Lord Jesus are the intended recipients of the letter. He uses OT language (dispersion) to connect them to the historic and ongoing people of and work of God. These are the 'true Israel' of God.

We can think of our ancestral tribes... redeemed by the blood of the lamb... battling to enter into what the Lord had promised and struggling ever after to live in holiness amid the enticements of a pagan environment. 

This is how James would have us think of ourselves. We are the Lord's twelve tribes dispersed throughout a menacing and testing world. Our homeland is elsewhere and we haven't yet come to take up our final residence there.

Our present lot is to feel the weight of life's pressures, the lure of this world's temptations and an insidious, ever-present encouragement to conform to the standards of our pagan environment.

First priority

The letter has as major theme the whole area of relationships:

• 1:27 care for orphans and widows
• 2:1 care for others
• 2:8 love for our neighbour
• 2:15-16 scorns profession of faith that doesn't love others
• 2:25 applauds those who risk it for others
• 3:14 warns against things that break fellowship
• 4:11 warns against words that wound others
• 5:4 discharge honourable debts
• 5:9 guard reactions
• 5:14 minister to the sick
• 5:16 share with the distressed
• 5:19-20 urgently pursue those who stray from Christ

Yet before he gets into these things he begins by emphasising the importance of caring for self. The Christian is to look after Number One. Forget others for a bit! What is your life with God like?

The Lord Jesus Christ

James uses the term 'brother' throughout the letter to refer to the people he's writing to and yet when he writes of Jesus he calls him simply 'The Lord Jesus Christ' and himself his 'servant'. Servant:

Not a term of special humility, nor... to be understood as involving a claim to the rank of a prophet or distinguished leader... simply... to belong to Christ as his worshipper.'

He is there to worship his Lord and to do his bidding.

2:1-7 Denying our faith

James' words are: 'show no partiality, as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.' Partiality is linked to holding the faith, our faith in not Buddha but the Lord's glory himself. James transitions from talking about 'true religion' (defined perhaps as the outliving of our faith) to 'the faith in'. Christians behaviour displays our 'religion' because of our faith 'in'.

Motyer:

By falling into the sin of partiality, we deny our faith in the Lord Jesus.

Two sorts of glory

This is not talking about honouring people who deserve honour: Lev. 19:32 (elderly), Prov. 24:21 (rulers).

It is one thing thus to acknowledge inherent dignity, whether of age or position; it is another thing altogether to be swayed by the mere chance that one possesses worldly advantages such as money and the other does not.

Glory:

Why is it a sin to show favouritism?

Literally the Greek says: my brothers, not with pariality of any sort must you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the glory.

If James wanted simply to say 'the Lord of glory' he could have done so. He didn't.
Instead it should be read that it is to be read as:  'faith in the Jesus Christ (who is) the glory.' Although the grammar doesn't force you into that. 

Glory then is 'shorthand' for the personal presence of the Lord in all his goodness and in the fullness of his revealed character. The Lord Jesus Christ is God's glory: God himself comes among us in all his goodness and in the full revelation of his person.

Ex. 34: 'show me your glory' to which the Lord replies 'I will make my goodness pass before you and will proclaim my name before you.' the name means 'what he is; a summary of the Lord's character and attributes.'

Divided loyalty in C1 was about trusting God in difficulty here: it is whether we put the Lord's glory first in our scale of values or whether, all the time or from time to time, we allow ourselves rather to be led by the standards of this world as to what is worthy and worth-while.

Are we 'facing both ways'? nominally to Christ and actually to worldly snobbery.

Jesus took our nature upon him (Heb. 2:14, our sin upon him (1 Pet. 2:24), our curse upon him (Gal. 3:13), bringing the light of the gospel of the glory of God (2 Cor. 4:4).

In a word it was in Christ that God the Father shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Jesus must reign supreme:

As to how we accept others, we must ask how he would accept them (Rom. 14:, 3,15:7). As to how we appraise others, we must ask how he appraises them. As to how we act towards others, we must ask how he would act towards them. Our values, priorities and activities must ever be governed by the definition of true glory displayed in the person, conduct and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To dishonour the poor...

is to contradict the mind of God. Or, in terms of verse 1, choose another glory as exceeding the glory of Jesus.

When God chose the slaves in Egypt:

'he made a name for himself ie. revealed what he's really like.'

Favouritism in the church?

It is by no means unusual for a person to have a voice in church affairs related not to his wisdom but to his wealth. In the same way it is common for well-heeled congregations to assume that they ought to have (and to get) the most gifted pastors, while fellowships in less promising or attractive areas cannot expect more than the average. Money still does the talking far too loudly in Christian circles, and where and when it does, the glory of Christ departs.

How do we weed out favouritism/ worldly glory?

1) think of Jesus as the true glory: he came down to the poorest level, identifying himself with the least and the worst. If our faith rests in him who is the glory, then how shall we behave?
2) Think of the mind of God: what choice did he make and how would he choose now?
3) Our identity of being called into that honourable name. Think marriage custom. We have the name of God on us. Think baptism. We've been called here.

Not just the poor however: neighbour love is the royal law in fulfilment.

When you've been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, you long to be like him. Just as the law in the OT served as a way of helping God's people see how they can become like him so for us:

Jesus' example comes to us with the force of divine law. 

The Proving of faith - 2:14-26

James has an impish sense of humour. 2:14 we can well imagine causing his audience to sit bolt upright. He intends to be provocative 'can that faith save him?!'

Faith is the root from which good works grow.

The links between the first half of the chapter and this bit:
- the domino link (mercy is an essential product of faith)
- the verbal link
- the doctrinal link
- the topical link

This great and eternal salvation we have is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. How very important, then, it is to know what a true and saving faith is! So much rests on it.

What makes faith real?

People sometimes say: 'Oh I'm a great believer!' but all it amounts to is a wishful thought that in fact everything will turn out for the best, and that it will do so if only one believes it!

To arrive at a correct definition of faith, James uses 4 illustrations:

1. The hungry believer
2. The believing but troubled demons
3. Abraham, the friend of God
4. Rahab who welcomed Joshua's spies

Each illustration ends with a summary statement of what James wants us to learn:

v17 - so faith by itself it it does not ave works, is dead.

v20 - faith apart from works is useless

v 24 - a person is justified by works and not by faith alone

v 26 - faith apart from works is dead

The first two illustrations are negative: what faith isn't

The second two illustrations are positive: what faith is

The first two are about the manward direction of faith: feeds hungry and welcomes spies

The second two are about the Godward evidence of a true faith: peace with God not terror, and a life of obedience to God's will.

What we say:

James begins by drawing a distinction between what someone may say and what the reality actually is. They may say that they have faith but it isn't faith unless it acts.

Works follow faith. Faith is the dominant partner. (The well wisher and Rahab)

Phrase: v16 the 'armchair philanthropist' contrasted with Rahab. Also contrasted is someone unwilling to help Christian brothers and sisters and someone willing to help her enemies.

The faith that only wishes a Christian brother well and isn't willing to act, isn't described as a half faith or a limited faith: it is dead.

A. Barnes:

There is as much necessity that faith and works should be united to constitute true religion, as there is that body and soul should be united to constitute a living man.

Owch. This is deeply challenging. How can we as Christians sit around with full fridges and do nothing about the need of the poor whether around us or around the globe. We really ought to do more, Motyer argues, in the form of lobbying those who can make a real difference:

Unless your faith issues in pressure, what does it profit? Unless your faith is willing to take personal risks, it does not come up to the test afforded by the faith of Rahab.

Spurgeon: If you want to give a hungry man a tract, wrap it up in a sandwich.

The heart of the matter - 2:18-24 (the demons and Abraham)

There is a faith productive only of fear and there is a faith productive of friendship.

J. H. Ropes: 'The demons fear stands in contrast to the peace of salvation.'

A. Barnes: 'If demons might hold such faith and remain in perdition, men might hold it and go to perdition...'

The primary works of faith, then, are the works of Abraham and Rahab and they apply to all without exception. 

What was the work of Abraham? He held nothing back from God. God said, 'I want your son' and Abraham 'rose early in the morning' in prompt obedience. What was the work of Rahab? She reached out and took into her own care those who were needy and helpless, regardless of the cost to herself.

The gospel:

The life of faith, then, is the life which respects the glory of Jesus, for in his obedience to God and his concern for nedy sinners he 'emptied himself... humbled himself... unto death, even death on a cross.' It is a life of obedience in particular to the royal law our obedience to the word of God seen in our concern for the needs of man. The life of faith is more than a private (long past) transaction of the heart with God. It is the life of active consecration seen in the obedience which holds nothing back from God, and the concern which holds nothing back from human need.

Quotes from Phil Moore's 'Straight to the Heart of James' on this section:

Anyone who truly believes that Jesus laid down his life for them will naturally begin to lay down their life for others. James makes it clear that Christian talk is no substitute for Christian walk.

Afraid of losing justification by faith alone we can sometimes reduce faith to something that nods its head to certain theological facts instead of something that stirs our hearts to change the whole direction of our lives.

James 5:13-20 - Prayer & care

James is much too practical to leave us with only the wearying ideas of patience and steadfastness as guides for life till Jesus comes again.

In 1:2-4 in mentioning trials he also called us to prayer: 'let him ask for wisdom.'

7 references to patience, waiting and steadfastness in (7-12) are matched by seven reference to prayer in verses 13-18:

The positive way forward in situations demanding endurance is the way of prayer.

prayer is mentioned in each verse of 13-18. James mentions:

- the praying individual Christian (13)
- the praying elders (14-15)
- the praying friends (16a)
- the praying prophet, Elijah (16b-18)

The individual at prayer:

Whether life is 'bad' or 'good' - pray. These two things, cheerfulness or suffering can have the same effect on us, to abandon spiritual practices.

Trouble can give rise to an attitude or surly rebellion against God and the abandonment of spiritual practices. Equally, times of ease and affluence beget complacency, laziness and the assumption that we are able of ourselves to cope with life, and God is forgotten.

We have a God for all seasons.

Our whole life, we might say, should be so angled towards God that whatever strikes upon us, whether sorrow or joy, should be deflected upwards at once into his presence. 

R. V. G. Tasker: notes that when Jesus was in spiritual agony, he prayed all the more:

Prayer may not remove the affliction but it most certainly can transform it. 

The individual at prayer, reflects all his life upward, acknowledging the sufficiency and sovereignty of God.

Elders at prayer:

Neither the sick person nor any of the elders is there to insist that his or her will be done, but to put the sick one within the total, eternal security of the unchangeable and unchangeably gracious will of God.

The friends at prayer:

We come away from verses 14-15 with at least this clear in our minds, that prayer is a very powerful thing.

'pray for one another,' - prayer is not the prerogative of the elders only.

James (along with Scripture) views sin as a sickness of the soul which needs to be healed.

The prophet at prayer: 

It is of such importance to James that we should believe all this: that prayer is the truest response to problems, even to the problem of serious illness, and that it has the power to heal the sin-sick sould and the sin-torn fellowship.

He states the fact:

(16b) The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

And the illustrates it from the story of Elijah (17-18)

Prayer:

- has great power (ischys): inherent strength, strength which makes a person sufficient for the task.
- potency or power waiting to be released.

Unpromising tracts of land hide rich deposits of minerals; grey seas cover a wealth of natural gas. Such is the picture suggested by the word - not the unpromising appearance but the hidden powers. 

Elijah's prayer carries a mighty punch.

The prayer of the 'righteous' (does that rule us out then?). It's for this reason James adds 'Elijah was a man of like nature to us' capable to rise to the great heights of faith and commitment and fall into the depths of despair and depression.

Pro:
faith and commitment: 1 K 18:36-38
brave an resolute: 1 K 18:17-19
selfless in his concern for others: 1 K 17:19-24

Con:
depths of despair and depression: 1 K 19:4
fly for his life at a whiff of danger: 1 K 19:3
filled with self-pity: 1 K 19:10

He was an 'ordinary person'.

Those who by grace have been given the status of righteousness in God's sight have been brought into the realm where effective prayer operates and have been given the right to exercise a ministry of prayer.

1) Power of prayer
2) Or God-given right to use this power
3) Prayer's supernatural results

Man prayed, God acted... it did not rain... he prayed again and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit.

Elijah is presented as the man of prayer.

17:3 - 'hide yourself' : Elijah's secret years of apprenticeship, during which the Lord prepared him for his future ministry by bringing him through three testing experiences of ascending severity.

In prayer, a mere man can move God 

18:1 'Show yourself' God moves Elijah into public ministry. Baal showdown takes place.

To this extent Elijah is supremely the man of prayer. He is ready to allow the whole issue of the reality of God to be decided by this one factor: there is a God who answers prayer. 

19: severe depression grips him:

but Elijah has learnt the lesson of prayer so that even in his depression he talks to God. Anyone who has experience depression, or who has sought to minister to those who suffer in this way, will pause here to marvel.

 His prayer is: take my life, but it is still prayer!

He is talking to God, not to himself. He does not contemplate suicide, but asks the Lord to act.

'Fervent prayer'? ? No. The Greek simply says: 'with prayer he prayed' not 'fervently'

James Adamson: Not that Elijah put up a particularly fervent prayer, but that praying was precisely what he did.'

We see from verses 16-18b that prayer is a thing of power, simplicity and confidence:

Elijah 'just prayed'. He simply mentioned it to the Lord. 

In a word:

James urges that all life should be lived with immediate reference to God (13).
bringing its joys to him in praise, and its sorrows to him in prayer.

There is not situation in which prayer is not the proper Christian response.