James

James – An Overview

The letter of James takes its name from the attribution of authorship in 1.1; the letter itself does not otherwise identify its author. Some scholars suggest that the author is the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13.55; Mark 6.3) and the head of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 12.17; 15.13-21; Galatians 1.19). If this is correct, then the letter would have to have been written prior to 62 AD, when James was executed (Antiquities 20.9.1; Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 2.23)

The excellent Greek of the text makes it so that many Biblical scholars doubt whether James the brother of Jesus could have written it. They argue that a rural Galilean would be incapable of writing such a text as James. Defenders of James have made the case that the text contains actual arguments from James’ own mouth, but that perhaps these words were reworked by a later follower who knew Greek and packaged James’ words in the way they come to us now in the text. The text addresses “the 12 tribes in the diaspora” – suggesting that the readers of James identified with Judaism and were Jewish followers of Jesus.

Content and Structure

This document seems to be a response to the letters of Paul, specifically as it relates to salvation by faith. There was an early division in the church regarding how salvation worked exactly. Paul was very contentious with Jews that believed that in order to follow Jesus, you had to follow the laws of Torah. Paul believed that since the Savior performed the great and last sacrifice, that he, being Savior, made it so that the laws of Judaism were no longer necessary. James seems to be a response to some of these views, specifically teaching the idea that in order to follow Jesus, we do need to do certain things. Those who follow Jesus must keep laws. In scholarship today this disagreement is sometimes called the battle between Jamesian and Pauline Christianity. 1

We see this battle played out in the story of the Reformation. Martin Luther took the Pauline position, that we are saved by faith. The Roman Catholic tradition emphasized sacraments, and the word faith was a word that meant “believing” certain things, especially the laws and rules of the church. To Luther, “faith” became a mental assertion that Jesus was Lord, and once a Christian understood and believed that Jesus was their Savior, they had “faith.” Both positions missed the critical nuance of the Greek 1^st century understanding of faith or pistis. Faith was, in the world of 1^st century Greece, more nuanced than this. It was about trust, about relationships. We see this way of understanding faith played out in Hebrews 11. In each of the cases of faith in Hebrews 11, it is this relational trust that is expressed, rather than a mental assertion of a certain belief.

James stressed the virtues of self discipline and a disdain for wealth, the importance of prayer, as well as repentance of sin. Themes shared with Jewish sources are contained throughout the text. James is conversant with the Torah as well as Wisdom literature and this work shows readers elements from the Hebrew scriptures as well as Greek works in the apocryphal realm. This letter of James is termed a “catholic” or universal letter, sometimes called a “general epistle” because it was addressed to the early church generally and not to a specific person or community. 

This text is very similar to other Jewish texts, particularly Jeremiah 29:1–23 and the apocryphal works The Epistle of Jeremiah, 2 Maccabees 1:1–2:18, and 2 Apocalypse of Baruch 78–86. 2

James – who was he? What his “real” name James?

James 1.1 – Ἰάκωβος This is the Greek rendering of Jacob. It was translated as James. John Wycliffe translated Ἰάκωβος as James when he made his English translation (1382-1395), but made sure to call Jacob by that name in the Old Testament translation. The name sure stuck, especially after the 1611 King James Translation was made.

Religious tradition has preserved some precious details about James’ life and death:

“Ancient tradition, preserved for us by Eusebius, a Christian historian who lived about A.D. 300, states that James became bishop of the church at Jerusalem and was called James the Just, respected by Jews and Christians as being the most just man alive. It is said that he prayed so often and so long for the people that his knees became as hard as camel knees.” 3

“Eusebius quotes Hegesippus, a second-century Jewish Christian, who told the following details concerning James’s death: Jewish leaders waited for retribution against James, the brother of the Lord. Deeply respected in the Jewish community for his godly and prayerful life, the Apostle was called ‘James the just.’ But he lost civil protection when the Roman governor died. Jewish leaders then forced James to stand on a temple wall at Passover and demanded that he deny Jesus before the massed pilgrims. Instead, James bore a powerful testimony of Christ and was thrown to the ground and stoned. He died while praying that his persecutors would be forgiven.” 4

James 1.2 Divers temptations

N. Eldon Tanner

“Someone asked me the other day why we have all these temptations, and why the Lord has given us the desires such as appetites and passions, and why we have to be tempted and tested.

“One reason is to help us develop and grow through the schooling we receive in the experiences we encounter in mortal life. Brigham Young said: ‘I am happy … for the privilege of having temptations.’ (Journal of Discourses, volume 3, p. 195.) Temptations are necessary for our advancement and our development. ‘When temptations come to you, be humble and prayerful, and determined that you will overcome, and you will receive a deliverance and continue faithful, having the promise of receiving blessings.’ (Journal of Discourses, volume 16, p. 164.)

“All of these temptations-these appetites and passions-are for our good and enjoyment if we will but let wisdom’s voice control. Temptations come to all, but long before we are faced with them, we and our children must have determined what our course will be. It is too late if we wait until the moment of temptation before making our decision. If we have been taught and determined always to choose the right and resist evil, we will have the strength to overcome.” 5

James 1.3 Trying of your faith worketh patience

Neal A. Maxwell

“James stressed the importance of patience when our faith is being tried, because those grueling experiences ‘worketh patience’; he said, in what was almost a sigh of the soul, ‘let patience have her perfect work.’ (James 1:3-4.)

“To Joseph Smith, the Lord described patience as having a special finishing or concluding role, for ‘these things remain to be overcome through patience, that such may receive an exceeding and eternal weight of glory.’ (D&C 63:66.) A patient disciple will not be surprised or undone when the Church is misrepresented.

“Peter, being toughminded as well as tender, made the test of our patience even more precise and demanding when he said, ‘For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.’ (1 Peter 2:20.) The dues of discipleship are high indeed, and how much we can take so often determines how much we can then give!” 6

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God

Bruce R. McConkie

“This single verse of scripture has had a greater impact and a more far reaching effect upon mankind than any other single sentence ever recorded by any prophet in any age. It might well be said that the crowning act of the ministry of James was not his martyrdom for the testimony of Jesus, but his recitation, as guided by the Holy Ghost, of these simple words which led to the opening of the heavens in modern times.

“And it might well be added that every investigator of revealed truth stands, at some time in the course of his search, in the place where Joseph Smith stood. He must turn to the Almighty and gain wisdom from God by revelation if he is to gain a place on that strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life.” 7

Ezra Taft Benson

“Take time to meditate. Meditation on a passage of scripture-James 1:5-led a young boy into a grove of trees to commune with his Heavenly Father. That is what opened the heavens in this dispensation.” 8

Joseph Fielding McConkie

God stands revealed or forever remains unknown. (I have personally heard Joseph Fielding McConkie teach this several times. This phrase was clearly taught to him by his father Bruce R. McConkie, who publicly taught this. See here and here.)

James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways

Joseph B. Wirthlin

“Indecision can immobilize or paralyze us, hindering our preparation in mortality. We can become like the people of Nineveh whom the Lord described to Jonah as ‘persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand.’ The Apostle James observed that ‘a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.’

“An old Swiss saying describes such indecision in these words:

With one foot in,

with one foot out,

You can’t be in,

you can’t be out-

Not warm, not cold,

not square, not round,

More poor than poor

and always bound.

For such a man

will never know

where to begin

or where to go.

“We cannot be double minded in our relationships with husband or wife, parents or children. Are we going to savor the enjoyment of our children after they are a little older and we are not so busy? What about the valued friendships that fade because of the thoughtful, lengthy letters we plan to write but never finish and send? Are we faithful in going to our temples regularly? Consider the books we are going to read, the impulses to kindness we are going to act upon, and the good causes we are going to espouse. Are we always packing our bags with the things we value most in life but never leave on the trip? Does tomorrow never come? Let us resolve to begin to live today-not tomorrow, but today-this hour while we yet have time.” 9

Sterling W. Sill

“James pointed out that ‘a double minded man is unstable in all his ways’ (James 1:8). There are also some triple-minded and quadruple-minded individuals-people who have not tuned out enough of their distractions. The secret of success is to limit the scope, narrow the vision, and concentrate the effort with a finer focus on a single objective.” 10

James 2.10 Offend in one point of the law, you are guilty of all

Compare this to Matthew 5.19 – “19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Joseph Fielding Smith

“James did not mean that a man who stole was guilty of murder, or that one who lied was guilty of unchastity. He was endeavoring to impress upon the minds of the members that the kingdom of God is one. Its laws are perfect. No unclean person can enter there. Since it is a perfect kingdom, its laws must be obeyed. There can be no disunity, no opposition in that kingdom. Being an immortal kingdom with laws that have been proved through the eternities, they are perfect, therefore there is no room for varied opinions in relation to its government, such as we find in human man-made governments. These laws cannot be changed… They are based on justice and mercy with the perfect love of God. Therefore each who enters the kingdom must of his own free will accept all of the laws and be obedient to them, finding himself in complete accord with all. Anything short of this would cause confusion. Therefore the words of James are true. Unless a man can abide strictly in complete accord, he cannot enter there, and in the words of James, he is guilty of all.” 11

James 2.14-18 Faith and Works

Faith was relational. The word is pistis πίστις – a word which has changed in meaning over time. Originally, in its early Greek context, it represented faithfulness, the foundation for any state. The Latin term is fidelia, fides and fiscus – faithfulness, trust, and confidence. All these words connote binding influences of knowledge, persuasion, faithfulness, and trust as reciprocal aspects of relationships with things or individuals.

Aristotle commented that there “is no stable friendship without fidelity (aneu pisteos), and fidelity (pistis) comes with time.” Eud. Eth. 7.2.39 1237b 12-13

By the time of Augustine (356-430), the meaning of the word pistis changed, especially in his writings. Augustine had a major influence on the ideas and meanings of words, especially to Christians. By the time of Augustine, faith became a word that changed in meaning – it went from a word associated with a relationship and trust to one that meant an assent to the doctrines taught by the church. It became “the faith which is believed” (Fides quae creditor) – and this is the meaning used by most Christians even today. Augustine hijacked the word for faith and it has changed ever since!

James 2:17 faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone

“In the letter of James, it is clear that the Apostle was contending against incorrect ideas concerning the nature of faith in relation to Christian works. His corrective words include ‘For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.’ (James 2:26.) An under emphasis of the works of the gospel is perhaps not the kind of problem that would bring all of Christianity to ruin, and James gave us no hint that he expected wholesale apostasy because of it. Yet those who were guilty of disregarding the importance of works had a ‘dead’ religion, to use James’s word, and a ‘dead’ religion certainly has no power to save.” 12

“The issue was never faith or works, but faith with works. (James 2:14-26.) More to the point, it was the right faith with the right works” 13

Lehi

And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my firstborn in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren. Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain. Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men. (2 Nephi 2.1-3)

Lehi knows who and what it is that saves us. He knows that Jacob is redeemed, not because Jacob is a good guy, but because Jacob has a relationship with Christ. He has relational faith, and because of his faith in Jesus Christ, Lehi knows that the Savior, who has all power and owns the “rights of mercy” (Moroni 7.27) will redeem him.

James 2.19 “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe – and shudder.” (Jewish  Annotated New Testament) – this is a direct quotation of Deuteronomy 6.4

James 3.1 Not everyone should teach

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. NIV translation

James 3.2-12 The importance of guarding speech

Lots of Jewish wisdom literature speaks of being careful with the words that we use!

James 4.3 Ask not amiss

Neal A. Maxwell

We are told by God that we receive no blessings except by obedience to the laws upon which those blessings are predicated (see D&C 130:20-21), prayer is required as part of that process of learning to ask for what is right. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14; see also 3 Nephi 18:20; James 4:3; 2 Nephi 4:35).

We cannot expect the blessings of prayer unless we submit sincerely, meekly, and fully to the process of prayer.

Granted, finite minds do not fully understand the infinite mind of God. We are not fully comprehending when our agency brushes against His divinity. Yet we should trust Him as our provincial petitions meet His universal omniscience…

It is necessary for us thus to place our desires and needs genuinely and unselfishly before God in prayer. It is in this process of placing our desires before Him, to a greater extent than we usually do, that we can listen and learn concerning His will. Such could not be done if we were ritualistically submissive or only partially involved.

Of course, after we place our petitions before Him we are to be submissive: “Thy will be done.” But this is the last part of the process of petition, not the first.

Learning to pray is, therefore, the work of a lifetime. If we keep on praying, we will keep on discovering. 14

Neal A. Maxwell

Clearly, when our prayers are uninspired, we petition for things we should not ask for, even though we do so innocently. This is, in effect, what we do when we pray and “ask amiss.” (James 4:3.)

When we ask amiss, God, being perfect, must reject our petitions: “And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.” (3 Nephi 18:20. Italics added.)

The task is to draw close enough to the Lord that we progress to the point where we petition Him according to His will, not ours. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” (1 John 5:14.) In modern revelations the Lord has declared His willingness to grant us the requests contained in our petitions if what we ask for is expedient for us. (D&C 88:64-65.) 15

Hugh Nibley

We live in Vanity Fair today, and the temple represents the one sober spot in the world where we can really be serious and consider these things. It is my testimony that the gospel has been restored, and the Lord intends to fulfill his purposes in these days. And whatever we ask him for, he will give us. This I tell my family without any reservation whatever. I have never asked the Lord for anything that he didn’t give to me. Well, you say, in that case, you surely didn’t ask for much. No, I didn’t; I was very careful not to ask for much. We don’t want to be spoiled brats, do we? We ask for what we need, for what we can’t get ourselves, and the Lord will give it to us. Don’t worry. But he also wants us to get in and dig for the rest. So I pray and hope that the Lord may inspire and help us all to become more engaged—more involved—in the work of these latter days and visit the temple often and become wiser all the time, because he intends to give us more revelations through that instrumentality. 16

James 4.13-16 is an extended paraphrase of Proverbs 27.1 – “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

Notes

1. Paul is sometimes referred to as antinomian, or against the law. See: Antinomiansim.
2. For more information on the Jewish texts quoted in the book of James, see The Annotated Jewish New Testament.
3. Gerald N. Lund, Jesus Christ, Key to the Plan of Salvation, Deseret Book, 1991, 50.
4. Richard Lloyd Anderson, “The First Presidency of the Early Church: Their Lives and Epistles,” Ensign, Aug. 1988, 18.
5. “Where Art Thou,” Ensign, Dec. 1971, 34.
6. Notwithstanding My Weakness, Deseret Book, 1981, 62-63.
7. Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. Bookcraft, 1965-1973, 3: 247.
8. “Seek the Spirit of the Lord,” Ensign, Apr. 1988, 2.
9. “The Time to Prepare,” Ensign, May 1998, 16.
10. “The Strait Gate,” Ensign, July 1980, 6.
11. Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 1957-1966, 3: 26.
12. Kent P. Jackson, “Early Signs of the Apostasy,” Ensign, Dec. 1984, 11.
13. Rodney Turner, Studies in Scripture, Vol. 6: Acts to Revelation, 1987, 112-113.
14. Neal A. Maxwell, That Ye May Believe, 1992, 179.
15. All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, 1979, 94.
16. Hugh Nibley, “The Meaning of the Temple,” in Temple and Cosmos: Beyond This Ignorant Present (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book and FARMS, 1992), 38.