The Word Is Alive James

1. The Word Is AliveJames Introduction Narrated by Tony Gillon

2. Author and Title • James the Just was the author.

3. Author and Title • James the Just was the author. • Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? • (Matthew 13:55).

4. Author and Title • Authorship challenged: • The Greek is too polished and the rhetoric too Hellenistic.

5. Author and Title • Authorship challenged: • The Greek is too polished and the rhetoric too Hellenistic. • The author never refers to himself Jesus’ brother.

6. Author and Title • Authorship challenged: • The Greek is too polished and the rhetoric too Hellenistic. • The author never refers to himself Jesus’ brother. • Issues such as faith and works, justification and freedom seem more Pauline.

7. Author and Title • James would have been exposed to Greek and Gentiles from an early age.

8. Author and Title • James would have been exposed to Greek and Gentiles from an early age. • James’ letter is too early to be influenced by Paul.

9. Author and Title • James would have been exposed to Greek and Gentiles from an early age. • James’ letter is too early to be influenced by Paul. • James was martyred by stoning in AD62.

10. Author and Title • James would have been exposed to Greek and Gentiles from an early age. • James’ letter is too early to be influenced by Paul. • James was martyred by stoning in AD62. • The historicity of James is well attested to in historical literature.

11. Date • Evidence indicates that James was written sometime between AD40-45.

12. Theme • James’ primary theme is living out one’s faith, being a doer and not just a hearer of the Word.

13. Purpose of James • James was writing to a predominantly Jewish Christian readership. • To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations (James 1:1b). • Your meeting (James 2:2), Greek synagōgē.

14. Purpose of James • James was writing to a predominantly Jewish Christian readership. • To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations (James 1:1b). • Your meeting (James 2:2), Greek synagōgē.

15. Purpose of James • If the dispersion was literal as well as metaphorical then the letter was to Christians living outside of Judæa.

16. Purpose of James • If the dispersion was literal as well as metaphorical then the letter was to Christians living outside of Judæa. • As a result of the troubles, conflict has entered the churches, and they have splintered into fighting factions.

17. Purpose of James • Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27).

18. Purpose of James • Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27). • You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. • (James 4:4).

19. Purpose of James • Dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. (Continued).

20. Purpose of James • Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. (Continued).

21. Purpose of James • If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless (James 1:19–26).

22. Purpose of James • If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless (James 1:19–26). • He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does (James 1:8).

23. Purpose of James • If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless (James 1:19–26). • He is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does (James 1:8). • Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8).

24. Salvation History • Since Christ has accomplished salvation, believers are to hold fast to him and reject false ways. • They are called to remember that there is only one route into eternal salvation.

25. Writing Style • It is more a collection of wisdom sayings than an epistle.

26. Writing Style • It is more a collection of wisdom sayings than an epistle. • The most pervasive technique in the book of James is the proverb or aphorism. xt in frequency is the rhetorical device of direct command.

27. Writing Style • It is more a collection of wisdom sayings than an epistle. • The most pervasive technique in the book of James is the proverb or aphorism. xt in frequency is the rhetorical device of direct command. • In fact, there are over 50 imperatives in the book’s 108 verses.

28. Key Themes • God is seen as a gracious giver.

29. Key Themes • God is seen as a gracious giver. • Wisdom comes from above.

30. Key Themes • God is seen as a gracious giver. • Wisdom comes from above. • God allows tests and trials, but temptation does not comes from God.

31. Key Themes • God is seen as a gracious giver. • Wisdom comes from above. • God allows tests and trials, but temptation does not comes from God. • The primary trial is poverty and oppression from the rich.

32. Key Themes • God is seen as a gracious giver. • Wisdom comes from above. • God allows tests and trials, but temptation does not comes from God. • The primary trial is poverty and oppression from the rich. • Apocalyptic themes are prevalent in terms of both future judgment and reward.

33. Key Themes • The power of the tongue to destroy or to bring peace dominates the middle section.

34. Key Themes • The power of the tongue to destroy or to bring peace dominates the middle section. • The ethical mandate to go beyond hearing the Word to living it out.

35. Key Themes • The power of the tongue to destroy or to bring peace dominates the middle section. • The ethical mandate to go beyond hearing the Word to living it out. • Prayer is the proper response to trials.

36. Key Themes • The power of the tongue to destroy or to bring peace dominates the middle section. • The ethical mandate to go beyond hearing the Word to living it out. • Prayer is the proper response to trials. • Faith, in its relationship to both works and justification, does not contradict but supplements Paul’s teaching.

37. The Setting of James • The letter was written to: • To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations (James 1:1b). • This gives it a distinctive Jewish flavour.

38. The region at the time James wrote his letter

39. Outline • James did not write in the accepted style of NT epistles but more in the way of a collection of wisdom sayings to address, using forceful language, a number of issues of concern in these early church groups. • For the purposes of study, the letter breaks down into 8 major sections.

40. Outline • James 1:1 – Greeting

41. Outline • James 1:1 – Greeting • James 1:2–18 - Trials and Temptations

42. Outline • James 1:1 – Greeting • James 1:2–18 - Trials and Temptations • James 1:19–27 - Listening and Doing

43. Outline • James 1:1 – Greeting • James 1:2–18 - Trials and Temptations • James 1:19–27 - Listening and Doing • James 2:1–13 - Favouritism Forbidden

44. Outline • James 1:1 – Greeting • James 1:2–18 - Trials and Temptations • James 1:19–27 - Listening and Doing • James 2:1–13 - Favouritism Forbidden • James 2:14–26 - Faith and Deeds

45. Outline • James 1:1 – Greeting • James 1:2–18 - Trials and Temptations • James 1:19–27 - Listening and Doing • James 2:1–13 - Favouritism Forbidden • James 2:14–26 - Faith and Deeds • James 3:1–4:12 - The Sin of Dissension in the Community

46. Outline • James 1:1 – Greeting • James 1:2–18 - Trials and Temptations • James 1:19–27 - Listening and Doing • James 2:1–13 - Favouritism Forbidden • James 2:14–26 - Faith and Deeds • James 3:1–4:12 - The Sin of Dissension in the Community • James 4:13–5:12 - The Sins of the Wealthy

47. Outline • James 1:1 – Greeting • James 1:2–18 - Trials and Temptations • James 1:19–27 - Listening and Doing • James 2:1–13 - Favouritism Forbidden • James 2:14–26 - Faith and Deeds • James 3:1–4:12 - The Sin of Dissension in the Community • James 4:13–5:12 - The Sins of the Wealthy • James 5:13–20 - The Prayer of Faith

48. Luther on James • Luther does not accept it as apostolic.

49. Luther on James • Luther does not accept it as apostolic. • His main issue was the apparent difference between James and Paul on faith and works.

50. Luther on James • Luther does not accept it as apostolic. • His main issue was the apparent difference between James and Paul on faith and works. • Historically, it was accepted by the church and early ecclesiastical writers.