THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES
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The last seven
epistles of the New Testament are known as the general, or catholic, epistles,
being called catholic, universal, or circular, because they were not written to
any single congregation, city, or nation, but to believers everywhere.
"The early writers of the Church, who introduced the term, probably meant
it to indicate that these letters were more general in their contents and
purpose than those of Paul, who directed his epistles to certain named churches
or individuals, while Peter, John, James, and Jude addressed whole groups of
churches."
The author does
not definitely identify himself, at least not so far as people of a later age
are concerned, since he simply calls himself James, or Jacobus, a servant of
God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, chap. 1, 1. But although there are still some
doubts, yet the probability is generally admitted that the author is James the
Less, Mark 15, 40, the son of Alphaeus and Mary, Matt. 10, 3; Mark 3, 18; Luke
6, 15; Acts 1, 13; Matt. 27, 56. 61. Many commentators think that he is to be
identified with James, the brother of Jesus, surnamed the Just, Matt. 13, 55;
Mark 6, 3; Gal. 1, 19. The reason why this man is now generally believed to
have been the author is this, that he was the only man occupying a position of
authority such as is implied in this letter. Cp. Gal. 1, 18. 19; Acts 12, 17;
Gal. 2, 9. 12; Acts 15, 4-29; 1 Cor. 15, 7. The supposition is that James the
Less, after the death of the elder James, Acts 12, 2. 17, was the head of the
congregation in
The letter is
addressed "to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad," that is,
to the Jewish Christians in the Dispersion, who lived outside of
So far as
characteristic features of the letter are concerned, it differs in various ways
from the other epistles of the New Testament, often reminding the reader of the
proverb writings of the Old Testament. "The epistle is less doctrinal than
any other in the New Testament. The purpose of the writer is not so much to
instruct as to exhort and admonish. ‘This is the Epistle of Holy Living. Great
stress is laid upon works, not apart from faith, but as both the proof and
fruit of faith.’ The style of the epistle is sententious and forcible, passing
swiftly, and sometimes without any apparent logical formation, from one topic
to another. Boldly denouncing sin in strong terms and polished, poetical
language, St. James reminds us of one of the old Hebrew prophets."
The letter has
no definite outline, being a pastoral instruction more than a doctrinal
discussion. After the address we may distinguish eight groups of admonitions,
joined in a rather loose fashion, all presenting the topic: The Christian as he
should be, a perfect man of God: 1) An admonition to steadfastness in
temptations which test the faith. 2) An admonition to the readers to prove
themselves genuine doers of the Word. 3) A warning to the rich not to despise
the poor. 4) A warning against a dead, fruitless faith. 5) A warning against
sins of the tongue. 6) An exhortation to avoid quarrelsomeness. 7) An
admonition to humility and mercy. 8) An admonition to patience in view of the
second coming of the Lord and to willing love toward the brethren.
Many
Bible-students have been struck by an apparent discrepancy between the letters
of Paul and the present epistle, since it might appear that the doctrine of
James conflicts with that taught with such emphasis by Paul concerning justification
by faith alone. But there is no real conflict. Paul writes against the
self-righteous man, who does not want to be justified and saved by the grace of
God in Christ Jesus alone, but insists on good works as being necessary for
obtaining salvation, James writes against the vain, foolish man, who trusts for
salvation in a barren orthodoxy, imagining that a mere belief of the intellect
and a mere profession of the mouth without any works is saving faith.
Paul E. Kretzmann