James 1:1

Verse 1. A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The expression is not identical with those of the apostle Paul to be found in his Epistle to the Romans, wherein he called himself a servant of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:1), and the one to the Philippians, wherein he designates himself and Timothy servants of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:1). The similarity, however, appears in his letter to Titus, where this expression occurs: "Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ" (Titus 1:1). In either case no difficulty appears in fully comprehending the meaning of the sacred text, and the only object I have in making a pause at this point is to call special attention to the peculiar language of the Holy Spirit, "James, a servant of God." If he is this, why add "and of the Lord Jesus Christ"? Would not this follow? Christians of the present day might so conclude, but a Jew in the days of the writer might not be so impressed. An unconverted Jew, should one such become a reader of the Epistle, would hereby understand that the writer was the servant of both equally, and that he recognized and acknowledged allegiance to both.

To the twelve tribes.

Speculation has arisen on this language of the sacred text, some persons claiming that it refers to the spiritual tribes. Under the Christian economy all are the children of Abraham by faith in Jesus Christ, and, to further strengthen this idea, the mistaken Bible view of the lost ten tribes of Israel is suggested. This I regard as a far-fetched theory, for which no necessity arises. I think it may be safely claimed that the Bible fails to disclose any loss occurring as to the tribes of Israel. They are= simply dispersed among the nations of earth as God by the mouth of his servant Moses had foretold in case of their failure to obey his commands. Many of these Jews were converts to the faith in Christ, and to these members of all the tribes James addresses this Epistle. Proof that the twelve tribes were in existence in that day may be found in Acts 26:7, where the apostle Paul, defending himself before King Agrippa, boldly asserted such to be the fact.

Greeting.

This is his salutation to the dispersed. It would seem that it was a characteristic method of salutation by this writer. The decrees of the Jerusalem council, supposed to be dictated by the same author, contain the same salutation. (Acts 15:1-41) It signifies simply that he wishes health, he wishes them joy.