CHAPTER 4 THE PERSONS ADDRESSED IN THE EPISTLE: THE JEWS OF THE DISPERSION. "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are of the Dispersion, greeting." - James 1:2 THESE words appear to be both simple and plain. At first sight there would seem to be not much... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 5 THE RELATION OF THIS EPISTLE TO THE WRITINGS OF ST. PAUL AND OF ST. PETER - THE DATE OF THE EPISTLE - THE DOCTRINE OF JOY IN TEMPTATION. James 1:2 THIS passage at once raises the question of the relation of this Epistle to other writings in the New Testament. Did the writer of it know a... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 6 THE RELATION OF THIS EPISTLE TO THE BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTICUS AND OF THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON-THE VALUE OF THE APOCRYPHA, AND THE MISCHIEF OF NEGLECTING IT. James 1:5 THE previous section led us to the question as to the relation of this Epistle to certain Christian writings, and in particul... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 7 THE EXALTATION OF THE LOWLY AND THE FADING AWAY OF THE RICH-THE METAPHORS OF ST. JAMES AND THE PARABLES OF CHRIST. James 1:9 IN this section St. James returns to what is the main thought of the first chapter, and one of the main thoughts of the whole Epistle, viz., the blessedness of en... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 8 THE SOURCE OF TEMPTATIONS AND THE REALITY OF SIN THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE DETERMINIST. James 1:12 AFTER the slight digression respecting the short-lived glory of the rich man, St. James returns once more to the subject with which the letter opens-the blessing of trials and temptations as... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 9 THE DELUSION OF HEARING WITHOUT DOING-THE MIRROR OF GOD'S WORD. James 1:22 HERE we reach what on the whole seems to be the main thought of the Epistle - the all-importance of Christian activity and service. The essential thing, without which other things, however good in themselves, beco... [ Continue Reading ]