Name
The title “James ” comes from the author James (1:1), the brother of Jesus.
Author
There are four men named James in the New Testament. Only James, the half-brother of Jesus, was alive at the time of writing the letter and in a position to direct activities and believers in the early church.
Genre
General Epistle
Literary Form
The epistle of James has the typical opening of a letter, but the letter itself does not strictly conform to the genre. It does not even contain the ending greetings and benediction common to a letter. The tone of the letter is authoritative, almost like a lecture. It has elements of wisdom literature, exhortation, and even some prophecy.
Time Frame
The historian, Flavius Josephus, recorded James being martyred in A.D. 62, so it had to be written before then. There is no mention of the Council of Jerusalem in A.D. 49 (James was the head of the church in Jerusalem), so it had to have been written before then. Most scholars agree a date between A.D. 45-48 is most likely.
Emphasis
James’ emphasis is on very practical matters of living a life in obedience to Christ. Paul’s writing showed believers how Christ met the demands of the Law and brought salvation to man. James, however, showed believers their obedience to God was a demonstration of their faith.
Outline
- Salutation (1:1)
- Facing trials and temptations (1:1-18)
- Faith at Work in the Christian Life (1:19-2:26)
- The importance of Wisdom (3:1-18)
- Peace with God and each other (4:1-17)
- The disciplined Christian life (5:1-20)
