This week we
will study the entire Book of James in the New Testament.
Introduction:
1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2 and 3 John, Jude and the Book of James are classified in early church history as General Epistles, as they are not addressed to a single congregation. In the case of James, the author addresses the “Diaspora” — the twelve tribes scattered among the nations. The Book of James is believed to be one of the earliest epistles written when the majority of believers were still Jewish (note also the reference to the synagogue where Jewish Christians also attended during the early part of Christianity). While the Bible mentions several men named James, it is believed that the author of this epistle was none other than the brother of the Lord (Matt. 13:55, Gal. 1:19) who had become a very important and authoritative figure in the early church.
Because of the emphasis on “work” in this letter, some believe that James appeared to promote “salvation by work”, to the point that even Martin Luther called it an “epistle of straw”. He reluctantly included it in his version of Canon, leaving it to the very end.
This letter appears to be a loose collection of many thoughts, and it is hard to trace any continuous thread that links the various teachings in the letter. However, 1:26-27 seems to be the central thesis of the letter. What follows does fall into the two emphases of this central thesis of “true religion”, namely, the positive emphasis on caring for the needy, and the negative emphasis on keeping oneself from being polluted by the world and reining in one’s tongue. Hence, my suggested division of the book below is as follows:
1:1—Greetings
Trials and Temptations:
1:2-12—The Necessity of Faith being Tried
1:13-18—Proper Recognition of Temptations
1:19-25—Proper Response to Temptations and Trials
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1:26-27— What True Religion is:
2:1-13—Favoring the rich is sin 2:14-26—The Inseparability of Faith and Work 3:1-2—Tongue and perfection 3:3-8—Tongue as tool for destruction 3:9-12—Tongue and divisions: Curses 3:13-18—Tongue: Wisdom and peace 4:1-10—Tongue: Divisions and pride 4:11-12—Tongue: Slanders and judging 4:13-17—Tongue: Boasting and bragging 5:1-6—Warning to the rich |
Final Words
5:7-11—Patience in the midst of trials
5:12-20—No swearing, keep praying and restoring!
(1) How did James, the Lord’s brother address Him in his letter? What does this tell you about who Jesus is? (See Jn. 7:5)
(2) Why did James choose to address trials right away in his letter? (Read Acts 8:1 to get a sense of the persecution faced by the early church, especially in Jerusalem.)
(3) Apart from persecution, what kinds of trial might be common to Christians (including you)?
(4) James points out that “trials” have their purposes for Christians. What are they?
(5) Do trials necessarily achieve these purposes? Why or why not?
(6) How important is it to ask for wisdom, especially in times of trial?
(7) When we ask the Lord for wisdom, especially in times of trial, what must we believe? (1:6)
(8) In vv. 9-10, James talks about the trial presented by a change in one’s financial circumstance. What presents a greater trial: Going from poor to rich, or from rich to poor? Why?
(9) James encourages us to face trials from two aspects:
a. What is the negative aspect given in vv. 10-11?
b. What is the positive aspect given in v. 12?
(10) Which of the two aspects appeals more to you? Why?
(11) Can you honestly consider the trial(s) you face as “pure joy”? (v. 2) Why or why not?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) The Greek original uses the same word for “temptations” and “trials”. How can one determine whether a trial is also a temptation?
(2) In the trials of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, and of Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11, what defines them as temptations in terms of the source and the purpose?
(3) “When tempted”
(1:13) can be read in the “present middle” voice, which is reinforced by these
words, “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire” (v. 14). Try to use specific aspects of one recent temptation that you faced
(or are still facing) to remind yourself of the dangerous path of temptation.
a. You are "dragged away by ... [your] own evil desire and enticed". What was that desire? How did it come about? How did you allow it to drag you away and entice you?
b. The "desire has conceived": What does it mean that the desire becomes "pregnant" within you?
c. "It gives birth to sin": What is the sinful act that is being committed?
d. When sin is "full-grown": What does this mean? How does it manifest itself?
e. It "gives birth to death": Death obviously points to the loss of spiritual sensitivity, a cut-off of fellowship with God and more. What does “death” look like in your case?
(4) Why would anyone seek to blame God for their own demise? (vv. 13, 16) Have you?
(5) James associates the following with God: (a) Every good and perfect gift is from above, (b) He is the Father of the heavenly lights and (c) He is never changing. How may such a reminder help us in times of trial, including temptation?
(6) Two kinds of
birth are being mentioned here (v. 15 and v. 18). Contrast the two in the following terms:
a. How the birth comes about (in particular, in terms of conception)
b. What each gives birth to
(7) While death is conceived by evil desire, the first fruits (of new life) are conceived by the Word of God. Therefore, our attitude to the latter is of utmost importance.
a. It is certainly important that we “humbly accept the word planted” in us (v. 21): According to vv. 22-25, how may we allow the word to be (a) accepted, and (b) firmly planted in us?
b. How may you apply this to your reading of God’s word, especially to your daily devotion?
c. How may it help you get be rid of “all moral filth and evil”?
d. Between our attitude toward the word of God and the facing of temptations, James mentions the need to listen quickly and react slowly in speech and anger:
- Listening likely refers to God’s word (v. 18 and v. 21ff): What is meant by listening quickly?
- In times of trials (or being made angry), we are often tempted to react with angry words that we will regret later. How best can you “manage” your immediate reaction practically?
- Mull over v. 20 carefully. If I say, “When you burst out in anger, even if you are right, you are wrong already”, what is your response?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) According to 1:27, what are the marks of a “pure and faultless” religion?
(2) In contrast, according to 1:26, what is the mark of a “worthless” and “self-deceiving” religion?
(3) What is the message behind such a seemingly non-symmetrical contrast?
(4) While James is not trying to define what true religion is, he definitely has in mind certain important follies he seeks to correct in the church and among the believers. Read the following verses to get an idea of why he says that not keeping rein on one’s tongue amounts to a “worthless” religion: 1:20; 3:9;14; 4:11, 16; 5:12. Do you agree with his verdict?
(5) The care for orphans and widows is a much repeated admonition of the prophets which was grossly neglected by the people of God. Jesus also accused the Pharisees of the same sin (Matt. 23:14; Lk. 20:47). Both Acts 6:1 and 1 Timothy 5:9 show that there were numerous widows and caring for them was an important emphasis of the early church (and likely championed by James). What is the church’s attitude towards orphans and widows these days? What is your attitude toward them?
(6) The Diaspora Jewish Christians lived in a Greco-Roman world with customs that were not only paganistic but immoral; being polluted by the world was a real concern. How would you describe the world around you and what are the most challenging areas you face in terms of pollution of your faith?
(7) The orphans and the widows are
representatives of the poor among them, and James urges us to show the poor mercy (v. 13)
instead of favoritism (2:1). Consider the following questions knowing that favoritism even happens in the modern-day church:
a. What “evil thoughts” are being manifested by treating the rich differently in the church (v. 4)?
b. In a way, James is saying, in vv. 5-7, that we should be the last ones to discriminate against the poor. In what ways are his arguments valid? Does it mean that we should favor the poor? (See Exod. 23:3; Lev. 19:15)
c. Many believe that James proposes salvation by work, i.e. the keeping of the law. How does his argument in vv. 8-11 show that salvation by work is impossible?
d. How did Jesus demonstrate that “mercy triumphs over judgment”?
e. How then should we demonstrate that “mercy triumphs over judgment” in treating the poor, especially those we might consider “poor by choice”?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) Consider the example given about a brother or sister without clothes and daily food:
a. How would the self-claimed believer demonstrate that he might have faith?
b. How did he, at the same time, demonstrate that his faith is dead?
c. What is meant by “dead faith” is this case?
(2) James uses a hypothetical situation in v. 18 with a person saying, “You have faith and I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, I will show you…” How will you complete this statement as a direct contrast? How did James complete this statement? Why didn’t James complete the statement by saying, “I will show you my deeds without faith”?
(3) What kind of faith do the demons have? What kind of faith the demons do not have?
(4) What kind of faith is James against then?
(5) In supporting his argument, James uses Abraham as an example by quoting from both Genesis 15:6, “Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness”, and Genesis 22 in which Abraham obeyed God and was willing to offer his son Isaac on the altar:
a. What does he mean by saying that the credit of righteousness in Genesis 15:6 was “fulfilled” by the action in Genesis 22?
b. Based on this, what conclusion does James make concerning justification in v. 24?
(6) In trying to reinforce his point, James cites one more example with Rahab (Jos. 2):
a. What was the reason that Rahab chose to rescue the spies from Israel? (Jos. 2:11)
b. Which came first? Her faith in God or her action in hiding the spies?
c. What would you say is the relation between her faith and her action?
(7) James then draws his conclusion again in v. 26. In the analogy of the body and spirit to faith and deeds, what corresponds to the body? What corresponds to the spirit? Can a person’s body and spirit be separated when he or she is alive?
(8) Read
carefully Ephesians 2:8-9. What conclusion(s) can you make concerning these verses and today's passage?
a. James contradicts Paul’s teaching of salvation by grace through faith.
b. James clarifies Paul’s teaching in this respect.
c. James and Paul essentially are in agreement.
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
3:1-12—The tongue
(1) Desiring to be an “overseer” is a noble task (1 Tim. 3:1). Why then does James exhort us not to presume to be “teachers”? (A simpler rendering of the original Greek is, “not many teachers please!”)
(2) What is the common pitfall of one who loves to teach others? What reason does James give to warn teachers?
(3) Do you agree with his statement in v. 2? Why or why not?
(4) James backs up his statement in v. 2 with two analogies: A horse and its bits, and a ship and its rudder in vv. 3-4. What are the commonalities in both analogies? How do they support James’ claim in v.2?
(5) Then James uses a forest fire in the third analogy:
a. What are the main points he wishes to point out about our tongue?
b. Why does he say that the consequence of an evil tongue is a fire set on by hell?
(6) Do you agree that the tongue is harder to tame than any kind of moving living beings?
(7) In what ways are the tongue a “restless evil, full of deadly poison”?
(8) What other examples from nature does James use to exhort us not to praise God and yet curse men? Does it have anything to do with worthless religion?
3:13-18—Wisdom
(9) How should true wisdom be manifested? (v. 13)
(10) How is false wisdom manifested and what is its origin? (vv. 14-15)
(11) What are the Siamese twins of “envy and selfish ambition” according to v. 16?
(12) In emphasizing the source of true wisdom being from heaven, what are the marks associated with it?
(13) Which of the marks does James reiterate in v. 18 and why?
(14) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
vv. 1-6—The Problem
(1) Since this is a “general epistle” not addressed to any one particular congregation, why would James talk about “fights and quarrels” among believers as if he had a specific church in mind?
(2) Let’s try to understand what desires James is talking about:
a. How strong are the desires? (vv. 1-2)
b. How much do they covet? (v. 3a)
c. What is the final goal or purpose for their desires? (v. 3b)
(3) Why would such desires cause them to be “adulterous people”?
(4) How does James define their adultery in vv. 4-5?
(5) What is James’ advice by quoting from Proverbs 3:34?
vv. 7-10—The solution (which obviously is to be humble), mentioned twice (vv. 6 and 10)
(6) In exhorting them to humble themselves before the Lord, James lays down four aspects:
a. Submit to God: Within the context of fights and quarrels, what does it mean?
b. Resist the devil: What part does the devil play in fights and quarrels among believers? What will happen once we resist the devil?
c. Come near to God: How important is this advice and what is the promise being given here?
d. The above three steps appear not to be enough and James added the following. Why?
- Wash your hands: What does it mean?
- Purify your hearts: How important is it in being humble?
- Grieve, mourn and ... Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom: What do they point to in terms of dealing with sins and their grave, destructive consequences?
(7) The promise that “He will lift you up”: How does it point to the desires that have led to fights and quarrels in the first place?
vv. 11-12—The sins associated with fights and quarrels
(8) What is the most common tactic used in fights and quarrels as pointed out by James?
(9) What has “slandering” to do with “judging”?
(10) What is the basis in which we judge our brothers and sisters in Christ?
(11) How should we use the law (of God) according to James in v. 11b?
(12) There are two aspects to judging: (a) to form an opinion as to right or wrong, and (b) to pass sentence as to what such wrongs deserve. Which one do you think James is referring to? both?
(13) When does forming an opinion turn into “slandering” or “judging”?
vv. 13-17—About Tomorrow
(14) From what is being described in v. 13, the person is a rather responsible person in that he appears to have thought through his plan, counted the cost and mapped out his plan in detail. What then is wrong with him, as a believer?
(15) James is obviously not against planning, and so he gives us advice as to how we should make plans for tomorrow in v. 15. What does this advice entail and what is its underlying attitude towards God?
(16) According to v. 16b and v. 17, what if we plan for tomorrow without such an attitude?
(17) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
vv. 1-6—Warning the Rich
Since this is a letter addressed to the Diaspora Jewish Christians, it appears that some of them were rich people whose faith was not accompanied by any repentance:
(1) What is the particular sin James is accusing them of in vv. 2-3?
(2) How would you define the sin of hoarding?
(3) Why does living in “the last days” make the sin of hoarding even more wicked?
(4) The charges in vv. 4-6 are very severe indeed:
a. Is living in luxury necessarily a sin? In their case, what has made it a horrible sin?
b. Apart from the injustice of unpaid wages, James accuses them of also wrongful condemnation and murder of the innocent. Many scholars opine that James is accusing the filthy rich in society in general. However, if this were the case, he would have said something like, “Do not be like the rich in the world…”; also note that such crimes were punishable under the Roman Law. The main accusation, therefore, appears to be bullying the poor who had no means or recourse to oppose them legally. Can you think of similar situations in today’s society where powerful people or corporations take advantage of the working poor who have no means or recourse to protect themselves? How might Christians participate in such crimes knowingly or unknowingly?
vv. 7-11—Be Patient: As we see or suffer under the injustice of the rich, James exhorts us to be patient:
(5) What is the first point raised by James about patience?
(6) What has it to do with farmers waiting for seasonal rain?
(7) In times of injustice of whatever kind, it is most easy to grumble:
a. Why would we be judged for our grumbling?
b. How does Romans 12:19 echo James teaching in v. 9?
(8) James assures us of the compassion and mercy of God using examples from the prophets, in particular, the example of Job:
a. What kind of suffering did Job endure? (Job 1)
b. What was the final outcome of his patient waiting before the Lord? (Job 42:5, 12-17)
vv. 12-19—Final Words
(9) No swearing (v. 12)
a. What would prompt us to swear?
b. Instead of swearing, what are we to do? Why?
(10) The Christian’s proper response in trouble and in happiness (v. 13)
a. What are we most likely to do in trouble? What should we do?
b. What are we most likely to do in good times? What should we do?
(11) What we are to do in sickness (vv. 14-18)
a. What is the purpose of calling an elder to come, pray and anoint with oil?
b. Does it mean that we do not have to see doctors? Why or why not?
c. If sickness is related to sin, what should we do?
d. How does James assure us of the certainty and power of prayer?
e. Have you experienced the power of prayer?
(12) What are we to do with those who wander from the truth?
a. In dealing with those who wander from the truth, a confrontation is normally needed. Even if it is needed, what is its purpose?
- to nail (expose or discredit) the person
- to seek his restoration
b. Why?
(13) As we come to the end of the Book of James, spend some time going through your notes or journal, and highlight the main messages you may have learned. Translate your thoughts into a prayer of response.