“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.” James 1:1
This week we begin a multiple week series in the book of James. The book of James is addressed to Jewish Christians scattered abroad; “To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion.” This dispersion began shortly after Stephen was martyred for his faith (See Acts 8).
This letter seems to be written just as the Gentiles were coming into the Church since there is no discussion concerning the divide between the faithful and the Judaizers. Also, James makes reference to the meeting of the church as synagoguing/assembling (James 2:2). The fact that James calls a Christian meeting place a synagogue supports the thought that he wrote this before Gentiles were widely received into the church. This is the only place in the NT that the place where an assembly of Christians meets is called a synagogue, placing the writing of this book early—sometime before AD 49, the time of the Jerusalem Council.
But which James wrote this book, since the NT references many named James? There are three prominent men named James in the NT. One is James, the brother of John, who was martyred around AD 43 (Acts 12). But if this James wrote this book as the believers were being scattered, we would expect that he would have addressed it “James, an apostle of Jesus Christ” like the other apostles.
Another of Jesus’ apostles was “James, the son of Alphaeus.” While it is possible for him to have written it, two things cause us pause: (1) we don’t know much about him outside the Gospels; and (2) we would expect that he would address the book as an apostle as well.
Early church tradition says that the author of this book is James, the brother of Jude, and the half-brother of Jesus. This James—James the Just—was very prominent in the NT church, especially the Jerusalem church where he appears as the leader of the church. Scholars who study the writings of people compared James’ speech in Acts 15:13-29 and have come up with many similarities of language and phrasing that seem to point to James, the brother of Jesus.
He had grown up with Jesus and had been a chief skeptic (John 7:5) while Jesus was alive, but after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to James, and then to all the apostles. This appearance may have been the reason for his conversion and the reason that he doesn’t address himself as the brother of Jesus, but rather, “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…” James, the bond-slave of God and his Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is much more than his brother… James’ identity is found in His Lord and Savior.
Here at the beginning of this book we see his humility exhibited, an example of the humility that is being called for throughout this book. As Jews they had been taught that they were superior to all others, but now being in Christ, the call will be to humility in the scattered places and trust in their God that will be with them through trials of various kinds. Humility of spirit and trust in God is what will enable them to live as Christ has proclaimed, as well as make them into the witnesses needed to grow the church right where they have been planted by God.
This letter is for us as well. We have a pride within us that sometimes gets in the way of witness and ministry. James is only commanding his readers to live as Christ did: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:5-8) Humbling ourselves as Christ is an intentional thing only accomplished by the grace God pours into us moment by moment, making us more and more into the image of His glorious Son. Think and pray about this today!
God Bless y’all.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
