Introduction to the letter of James
The 59th book of the Bible, the 20th in the New Testament
The Epistle of James also differs from the other epistles in the New Testament.
There are no personal greetings at the end, and the sections do not flow into one another; rather, they are individual topics strung together.
Thus, the Epistle of James is more of a treatise on the practical life of a Christian.
And yet there is a common thread: faith in our Savior and the Judge of the world, Jesus Christ.
The author of the epistle is one of Jesus’ younger half-brothers (Mark 6:3).
As far as we know, he doubted his brother’s divinity during his brother’s life and ministry (John 7:3–10).
After the resurrection, however, Jesus appeared to him again, and James came to believe in the Messiah (Acts 1:13 and 1 Corinthians 15:7).
Afterward, James became a leading figure in the early Christian community in Jerusalem and also presided over the first Council of the Apostles.
His letter is among the oldest writings in the New Testament; it is addressed to the “12 tribes of Israel in the dispersion,” that is, Jewish Christians who had fled Israel because of persecution.
Although the content concerns every individual Christian regardless of their background, there is no mention of believers from the Gentile nations.
This suggests that his letter was written some time before the Council of Jerusalem (around A.D. 48).
That council focused on the relationship between Messianic Jews and Christians from the Gentile nations, and on what was expected of converted Gentiles with regard to Jewish customs (circumcision, dietary laws, etc.).
The main theme of James’s letter is that true faith will naturally lead to corresponding deeds.
It has often been argued that the Epistle of James contradicts Paul’s teaching, since faith in Jesus alone justifies us before God and good works can contribute nothing to this.
Indeed, the Epistle of James has even been misused to justify the necessity of offerings to the church as a means of attaining salvation.
But the opposite is true: James’ teaching merely prevents the abuse that arises from the misconception that faith alone justifies.
It prevents the misconception that we can continue to live our lives as Christians in a selfish and reckless manner according to our own will.
And Paul himself sharply contradicted this false conclusion, both in the Epistle to the Romans and in the Epistle to the Galatians.
James prompts us to examine ourselves and our own lifestyle.
How do we speak of and about other people?
Do we treat others differently because we might expect some benefit for ourselves?
How do we use our material abundance—do we think only of ourselves, or do we think of others as well?
All of this shapes our actions—and these “deeds” reveal whether our faith and our relationship with God are genuine!
Outline of the Epistle of James:
Chapter 1 – Being a Christian in temptation and trials; being not only hearers but also doers of the Word of God
Chapter 2 – Warning against favoritism; true faith is proven by works
Chapter 3 – The power of our speech; the difference between earthly and divine wisdom
Chapter 4 – Warnings against self-confidence, friendship with the world, and inconsistency in life
Chapter 5 – Judgment on the ungodly rich, exhortations regarding patience and responsibility toward others
Content of the letter of James:
James chapter 1
James chapter 2
James chapter 3
James chapter 4
James chapter 5