1. Lesson 1 Background and introduction
THE BOOK OF JAMES
Lesson 1
Background and introduction

2. Background and Introduction
Pick a James…Any James
James the father of Judas?
James, son of Alphaeus?
James the Apostle?
James, the oldest brother of Jesus?
Or, no real James at all?

3. Background and Introduction
Written when?
Probably mid 40s but could be as late as 62AD
Written from?
Jerusalem (If authorship stands)
Written to whom?
Jews scattered by the beginning persecution
Why
To answer the question; “What does faith looks like and how does it live in the world?”

4. Background and Introduction
Distinctives of the book
Canonization slow to come partly due to James’ assumed views on faith and works
Does not seem to follow a single train of thought very long
“The New Testament Book of Proverbs”
‘Sermon on the Mount’ style and source material
Does not seem to have much in the way of ‘Theology’ (or does it?)
(Character of God, Justification , Eschatology, Living)

5. Background and Introduction
James 1:1 (NASB95)
James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.
This is the James who heads the mother church at Jerusalem, is the chief of its elders, the “brother of the Lord”, the associate of the Twelve Apostles, is in dignity and standing almost apostolic, whom the Lord made himself a witness of His resurrection(1 Cor. 15:7) by a special appearance to him alone, the man who presided at the Apostolic Conference a few years after this letter. He was so well known that in the early days of the church’s history his name ‘James’ was enough to identify him in Jerusalem (Acts 12:17) - R.C.H. Lenski ; Commentary on the NT- James

6. Background and Introduction
Why a slave and not a brother?
Not an attempt to identify him as him but him as part of them.
Philippians 2:5–8 (NASB95)
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

7. Background and Introduction
Why a slave and not a brother?
Not an attempt to identify him as him but him as part of them.
1 Corinthians 9:20–23 (NASB95)
To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

8. Background and Introduction
Why a servant and not a brother?
Spiritual relationships are more important
1 Corinthians 3:21–4:1 (NASB95)
So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.
Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

9. Background and Introduction
Why a servant and not a brother?
Servants step toward opportunity to bring relief
Mark 10:45 (NASB95)
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Galatians 5:13–14 (NASB95)
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”