Good morning,
The next six weeks we will be studying the Book of James. This week we will look at a summary of the book, author, date, recipients, distinctive characteristics, and outline.
Date
Some date the letter in the early 60s. There are indications, however, that it was written before a.d. 50:
- Its distinctively Jewish nature suggests that it was composed when the church was still predominantly Jewish.
- It reflects a simple church order — officers of the church are called “elders” (5:14) and “teachers” (3:1).
- No reference is made to the controversy over Gentile circumcision.
- The Greek term synagogue (“synagogue” or “meeting”) is used to designate the meeting or meeting place of the church (2:2).
If this early dating is correct, this letter is the earliest of all the NT writings — with the possible exception of Galatians.
Recipients
The recipients are identified explicitly only in 1:1: “the twelve tribes scattered abroad.” Some hold that this expression refers to Christians in general, but the term “twelve tribes” would more naturally apply to Jewish Christians. Furthermore, a Jewish audience would be more in keeping with the obviously Jewish nature of the letter (e.g., the use of the Hebrew title for God, kyrios sabaoth, “Lord Almighty,” 5:4). That the recipients were Christians is clear from 2:1; 5:7-8. It has been plausibly suggested that these were believers from the early Jerusalem church who, after Stephen’s death, were scattered as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Syrian Antioch (see Acts 8:1; 11:19). This would account for James’s references to trials and oppression, his intimate knowledge of the readers and the authoritative nature of the letter. As leader of the Jerusalem church, James wrote as pastor to instruct and encourage his dispersed people in the face of their difficulties.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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