James - Introduction, April 26, 2014

April 26, 2014                                     Book of James    

Introduction - Part 1 

Jas 1:1-12 NKJV  James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.  (2)  My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  (3)  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  (4)  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  (5)  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  (6)  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  (7)  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;  (8)  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.  (9)  Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,  (10)  but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.  (11)  For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.  (12)  Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 

This is an Epistle written by James or as know by the name of Jacob. 

James name in Greek is Jacobos, Jacob in Hebrew  

James who wrote the Book of James is the brother of our Lord and Creator. 

Considered by the early church as a son of Mary and Joseph.  (Early Church Writers)  

Matt 12:46-47 NKJV  While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.  (47)  Then one said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You." 

Matt 13:55 NKJV  Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas (Jude)? 

Notice, James is the first one mention.  Jesus might have been only a couple of years older than James. Jesus was around 33 when He died and James was probably around 31 at the time.  Jude was Jesus younger brother. 

Mark 6:3 NKJV  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?"  

          Order is just a little different, but the same, even now with 2 or more sisters. 

See Luke 8:19-20, same as Matt 12  NKJV  Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  (20)  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You." 

James was an Unbeliever before the resurrection:  

John 7:5 NKJV  For even His brothers did not believe in Him. 

His step brothers, who lived with them for almost 30 years did not believe Jesus during His ministry.  Too close to him. 

The Apostle Paul said:  Did James have a wife. 

1Cor 9:5 NKJV  Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 

Wondering, we only have a record of James and Jude Believing, were they the ones that was married?  

Lord appeared to James:   Paul said: 

1Cor 15:7 NKJV  After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 

The Apostle Paul said he saw James, the Lord’s brother 

Gal 1:18-19 NKJV  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.  (19)  But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's brother. 

Those going to other churches founded by Paul are said to have come from James 

Gal 2:11-12 NKJV  Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;  (12)  for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 

James was intensely Jewish: his advice to Paul when he came to Jerusalem bringing alms for his nation; James suggested that Paul should be at charges for some brethren who were about to complete their Nazarite vow. 

Act 21:18 NKJV  On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 

Act 21:23-24 NKJV  Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow.  (24)  Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law. 

James was a man of great authority within the Body and leader of the Jerusalem council. 

James gives advice in this letter to help his readers live for Christ.

 

Paul called him a Pillar of the church. 

Gal 2:9 NKJV  and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 

Pillar:  4769. stulos, stoo'-los; a post, support 

When was the Book of James written? 

The Book of James was written somewhere between 60 to 62 A.D, what almost 30 years after the resurrection of Jesus. James was probably in his early 60’s by now.  Following the reign of Festus (60-62 A.D.), there was a brief lull in Roman authority before the new Roman governor, Claudius Albinus, took full control.  

This Epistle was probably one of the earliest New Testament books.  Some think it might have been written in the 50’s. 

How did James, the brother of the Lord died 

James was known as an unusually good man and was surnamed, the Just, by his countrymen and well thought of by the Jews and Romans. 

In this brief period a conspiracy led by Annas the Younger, the son of the high priest Annas, illegally arranged for the execution of James in A.D. 62. [Hegesippus’ account recorded by Eusebius (Historia Ecclesiastica, II.230 and Josephus, Antiquities, XX.9.1).] 

The authority for execution was taken away from the Jewish Leadership as was the custom of the Romans. 

Many historians thought the execution of the popular James may have been a major key event in the circumstances that led up to the rebellion and its squelching by the Romans in 66-70 A.D.  

Hegesippus also, who flourished nearest the days of the apostles, in the fifth book of his Commentaries gives the most accurate account of him, thus:   

But James, the brother of the Lord, who, as there were many of this name, was surnamed the Just by all from the days of our Lord until now, received the government of the church with the apostles.  This apostle was consecrated from his mother’s womb.  He drank neither wine nor fermented liquors, and abstained from animal food.  A razor never came upon his head, he never anointed with oil, and never used a bath.   

He alone was allowed to enter the sanctuary.  He never wore woolen, but linen garments.  He was in the habit of entering the temple alone and was often found upon his bended knees and interceding for the forgiveness of the people; so that his knees became as hard as camel’s, in consequence of his habitual supplication and kneeling before God. 

And indeed, on the account of his exceeding great piety, he was called the Just which signifies justice and protection of the people. 

Going up therefore on a wing of the Temple, they cast down the just man, saying to one another, Let us stone James the Just.  And they were stoning him…..And one of them, a fuller, beat out the brains of Justus with the club that he used to beat out clothes. 

Thus he suffered martyrdom, and they buried him on the spot where his tombstone is still remaining, by the temple…. Immediately after this, Vespasian invaded and took Judea….The wiser part of the Jews were of opinion that this was the cause of the immediate siege of Jerusalem, which happened to them for no other reason than the crime against him. 

Josephus also said, These things, says he, happened to the Jews to avenge James the Just, who was the brother of him that is called Christ, and whom the Jews had slain, notwithstanding his pre-eminent justice.

Did you notice, that James spent so much time on his knees in Prayer that they became hard and callous like a camel’s knees.

Stop here, continue next week.