Lesson 1 for October 4, 2014

“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…” (James 1:1)

There are four persons named James in the New Testament:

1. James, son of Zebedee. Mark 3:17. He was one of the twelve apostles. He was

beheaded in 44 AD. (Acts 12:2). He died too soon to be the author of this epistle.

2. James, son of Alphaeus. Mark 3:18. He was one of the twelve apostles. He was called

“the Less” (Mr. 15:40; Mt. 27:56). There is nothing documented on him after Pentecost.

3. James, father of Jude Thaddeus. Luke 6:16. There is no proof of him being a believer.

4. James, Jesus’ older brother. Mark 6:3. He didn’t believe in Jesus at first (Jn. 7:5), but he

became a pillar in the church in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:9). He wrote this epistle.

“For even His brothers did not believe in Him.” (John 7:5)

“What a support Christ would have found in His earthly relatives if they had believed in Him as one from heaven, and had co-operated with Him in doing the work of God! Their unbelief cast a shadow over the earthly life of Jesus. It was a part of the bitterness of that cup of woe which He drained for us…

They often saw Him full of grief; but instead of comforting Him, their spirit and words only wounded His heart. His sensitive nature was tortured, His motives were misunderstood, His work was uncomprehended…

Those who are called to suffer for Christ’s sake, who have to endure misapprehension and distrust, even in their own home, may find comfort in the thought that Jesus has endured the same.”

E.G.W. (The Desire of Ages, cp. 33, pg. 325-327)

““James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.abroad: Greetings.” ” (James 1:1)(James 1:1)

“James clearly identifies himself and his intended readers as Jews. He refers, for instance, to Abraham as “our father” (ch. 2:21) and to the “assembly [literally, “synagogue”]” (v. 2), the usual Jewish place for religious assembly (see Vol. V, pp. 56, 57). But the writer and the readers to whom the epistle was originally addressed were also Christians, as his repeated references to Jesus Christ as “Lord” make evident (see chs. 1:1, 7, 12; 2:1; 5:7, 11). Thus, in writing to the “twelve tribes” scattered abroad, James is addressing Jewish Christians living here and there throughout the Roman world (cf. 1 Peter 1:1)” (SDA Bible Commentary, on James 1:1)

“You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” (James 2:24)

Martin Luther mistakenly thought that James taught the salvation by works. He said, “St. James' Epistle is a perfect straw-epistle”, for “it has in it nothing of an evangelic kind.” (German translation of the New Testament, preface to the book of James, 1522)

James wrote about how we can live as Christians, not how we can become one. He explains what being a true believer involves, and states that we should always do what we say.

Other reformers (like the Wesley brothers) introduced the idea of the importance of holiness in the Christian life later. They brought the epistle of James back to its original message.

“Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation.” (James 1:9)

Maybe one of the greatest lessons James learnt from Jesus was “Learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart” (Mt. 11:29). He introduced himself as “a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” and he emphasized humbleness in his epistle.

James didn’t believe in Jesus at first. Nevertheless, everything he heard from Him during his childhood and youth stroke deep in his heart.

We can find some teachings of Jesus explained by Jams in his epistle.