WHO WROTE:  James.

 

 

WHAT TIME PERIOD IS COVERED:  44 A.D. - 63 A.D.?

 

 

WHEN WRITTEN:  Best estimates of the timing of the writing of this Epistle is around 44 A.D. to 49 A.D., which makes it the first Book to be written in New Testament times.  It must have been written before the martyrdom of James in the year 62 or 63 A.D., and at some time during his leadership (see below) over the Church at Jerusalem.  The reason I assign these date periods are these:

 

1) The elementary Church order reflected in the Epistle points to a very early date.

2) There are no bishops or deacons mentioned at all.

3) The meeting place of the Church is still in the “synagogue” (James 2:2, “assembly,” Greek, “sunagoge”).

4) The opinion of the ancient Church was also in keeping with an early date of the writing, for in their arrangement of the Books of the New Testament James is placed before the Pauline Epistles.

5) The obvious Jewish tone of the letter denotes a lack of acceptance of the Gentile converts.

6) The absence of developed Christian phraseology, such as Paul had.

7) The lack of elaborated Christian doctrine.

8) No mention at all of the later conflict between the Jewish demands upon the Gentiles within the Church or of circumcision or of the Jerusalem council of A.D. 49.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:  In the “Leipzig Debate” of 1519, Roman Catholic scholar Johann Eck used this Book to challenge Martin Luther’s view of “Justification by Faith Alone,” insisting that works needed to be added to the equation.  Luther, in response, eventually denied the Epistle’s inspired authorship, mainly on the mistaken claim that it taught “Justification by Works.”  In the introduction to his “1522 German translation of the New Testament,” Lutherindicated his preference for Books like John, First John, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, and First Peter, which reveal Christ and teach “everything that is needful and blessed . . . to know.”

 

Luther’s preface to the Book of James is even more negative.  In his work, “Werke,” XIV, 148, he called it really, “an Epistle of straw,” because it had “nothing of the nature of the Gospel about it.”  Although Luther never removed it from the Canon of Scripture, he separated it from what he considered the core of the Canon.  Luther thought it contradicted Paul and therefore banished it to the appendix of his Bible.  “James,” he says, “has aimed to refute those who relied on faith without works, and is too weak for his task in mind, understanding, and words, mutilates the Scriptures, and thus directly contradicts Paul and all Scriptures, seeking to accomplish by enforcing the Law what the apostles successfully effect by love.  Therefore, I will not place his Epistle in my Bible among the proper leadingbooks.”

 

Luther’s emphasis on Paul’s Epistles, especially Romans and Galatians, and his rejection of James for anything more than devotional value, has influenced a large segment of Christian thinking throughout the centuries.  By contrast, Melanchthon, Luther’s closest associate, believed that the writings of Paul and James were not in conflict.

 

As a carpenter’s son (Mat. 13:55; being also the brother of Jesus), James would have had more educational opportunities than would a common peasant.  His letter is among the best examples of literary Greek in the New Testament.  Most Bible Commentators agree that Its rich vocabulary, rhetorical flair, and command of the Old Testament are surpassed only by Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews.  Because his name appears first in the list of Jesus’ brothers (Mat. 13:55; Mark 6:3), James was probably the oldest son.  However, the fact that Jesus entrusted the care of His mother to John, the beloved disciple (John 19:26-27), suggests that His brothers were not Mary’s own children, but the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage.

 

In reading First Corinthians 15:5-7, apparently James had his own personal meeting with our Lord.  We know what affect such a meeting had upon Paul’s life on his way to Damascus.  Similarly, what must have been the affect upon James?  The writing of this Epistle is one.

 

According to Galatians 3:9 James is a “pillar” in the early Church, with Paul listing him first.  However, he also appears to be the leader of the Church according to Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; and especially Acts 15:19, where James makes the final “judgment” as to the proceedings of the Church.  See also Galatians 1:19, where Paul singles James out.  Galatians 2:12 even has Peter being sent out to minister to the Gentiles by the authority of James.

 

History bears out the pre-eminence of James:  “Clement of Alexandria says that Peter and James and John, who were the three apostles most honored of the Lord, chose James, the Lord’s brother, to be the bishop of Jerusalem after the Lord’s ascension.”  “Euseb.,” He, II, 1.

 

Hegesippus, in his work, “Euseb.,” He, II, 23, tells us “that he was holy from his mother’s womb.  He drank no wine nor strong drink.  He ate no flesh [Most likely this is incorrect as he would have partaken of the Passover as his parents did; Luke 2:41].  He alone was permitted to enter with the priests into the Holy Place, and he was found there frequently upon his knees begging forgiveness for the people, and his knees became hard like those of a camel in consequence of his constantly bending them in his worship of God and asking forgiveness for the people.”

 

From LP:208-209 we read:  “[208] On the day following Paul’s arrival, the elders of the Church, with James at their head. . . [209] one by one they laid at the feet of James the offerings.”

 

Regarding his death:  Josephus, in his work, “Ant.,” XX, ix, telling us that “Ananus the high priest had James stoned to death, and that the most equitable of the citizens immediately rose in revolt against such a lawless procedure, and Ananus was deposed after only three months’ rule.”

 

Hegesippus says that “James was first thrown from a pinnacle of the temple, and then they stoned him because he was not killed by the fall, and he was finally beaten over the head with a fuller’s club.”  “Euseb.,” He, II, 23.

 

Bear in mind that Catholic apologists often ran to the Book of James to defend the Roman Catholic church against the Protestants during the Reformation.  In turn, we should not use this Book to force people into believing.

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