Study of the Book of James
I was reading my notes and past entries trying to decide if I should write anything more when I read the following paragraph in my first post on the book of James: In my folder of notes on the letter of James is one heavily marked-up outline at the top […] Read more
One of the things I’ve noticed during my years in school both as a student and as a teacher is that most teachers are skilled at breaking a subject into little pieces so that it becomes easier to understand. But I’ve also noticed that there are very few teachers able […] Read more
If you have read Paul’s letters you may know that Paul often concludes with greetings to people in the church and some version of the phrase “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.” But James does no such thing. His last words make his letter feel less like […] Read more
This week’s passage, James’s second-to-last layer of his letter, revisits a topic he initially discussed back in James 1:2-8. A quick read of that passage will remind you that was where James first introduced the subject of suffering and told his readers to remain steadfast in their seeking of God’s […] Read more
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little […] Read more
An argument could be made that James should have ended his letter after he wrote, “And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 4:12). He presented the problem with the tongue (3:1-12) and then offered the solution (4:1-12): God’s wisdom from above purifies […] Read more
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down […] Read more
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole […] Read more
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? I suppose this would be a good time to address the debate that seems to rage between these words of James and Paul’s words in Galatians regarding faith […] Read more
If anyone thinks he is religious… James 1:26a Religion has often gotten a bad reputation, and it is sometimes well-deserved given the frequent hypocrisy riddling the headlines. But this is nothing new. The world has long been full of people who call themselves religious but who, upon closer inspection, reek […] Read more