Douglas Jacoby Podcast

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Intro

• Was Jesus a "carpenter" (Mark 6:3, Matt 13:55)? Tekton = builder. "Carpenter,” esp. in our culture, has a certain prestige. But not so much when someone tells you, “I’m in construction. I’m a manual laborer.”
• Jesus was more likely a stonemason. Wood is not the usual building material in Palestine – stone is much more common. As a builder he would have worked with others. He also may not have been as well-off as we might think. (After all, consider how few possessions he had at the end of his life.)
• He was not born into privilege; he had to work for a living. James wasn't wealthy, either. If anything, he stood on the side of the underprivileged.

James 2:5-7

• James urges us not to privilege the rich. Often they are rich only because they are underpaying, entrapping, or otherwise exploiting the poor.
• Of course not all poor people will be saved, and not all rich people will be condemned.
• But the Scriptures heavily favor the needy, pity the plight of the poor, and call us all to take responsibility.
• Irony: cozying up to the very people who are exploiting you!
• The rich typically use the law to gain wealth, keep it, and make it grow—and keep it away from others.

Further:

• Q&A 1616: “Are James's remains in the church of Santiago de Compostela in Spain?”
• N.T. Character Study on James, the brother of the Lord.
• A book on the ossuary of James, by Hershel Shanks and Ben Witherington III, The Brother of Jesus: The Dramatic Story and Meaning of the First Archaeological Link to Jesus and His Family (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 2003).

Next: The Royal Law

Note: For days 11-40 of the series, you will need to log in (with username and password), even if you are a paid subscriber. If you are not currently a subscriber, you can sign up here.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

• Might we have a wrong view of religion – could our religion be “worthless” (Jas 1:26)? Do I excuse myself with the thought, "Perhaps I don’t need to worry about orphans and widows. After all, I’m not that wealthy. I’m just middle class." 
• James himself was not a wealthy man (the implication of 1 Cor 9:5). Nor was Jesus. Nor was the Lord's family well-to-do, even after his earthly ministry. (The story of Jude's grandsons, called to appear before the emperor Domitian [81-96 AD].) There was no elite "Jesus dynasty."

James 2:1-4

• The meeting (v.2) may be a regular church gathering, or a special church "court" (see 1 Cor 6:1-8); it doesn't matter which is the case.
• Two men walk in at the same time, one obviously wealthy, the other dirt poor. The community is guilty of favoritism.
• James challenges snobbery and partiality—and as we will see in the next reflection, a few verses later, those showing this sort of favoritism are undermining their own best interests.
• How about us? Do we show special attention to the rich? Are we afraid to offend them?
• I have observed that church leaders often treat them deferentially, holding back from preaching the truth lest they be offended. Further, church leaders tend to treat them preferentially, esp. since they hope to benefit from their donations.
• Further, there are implications for servant leadership. Jesus criticized the Pharisees for always wanting the best seats (Matt 23:6). Many Christian leaders are the ones with the fine clothes. And in many churches the pastor is the wealthiest person in the entire congregation!
• Have we become judges with evil thoughts? Are we guilty of favoritism and elitism? Are some of our attitudes towards wealth and power identical to those of the world?

Next: Oppressors & Oppressed

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

• Interesting facts about James
  • James appears immediately after Acts in many early NTs.
  • Some scholars think James was the first NT document to be written (sometime in the 40s). (Many conservative scholars believe Galatians is the oldest, penned in 48.) Note: James the brother of the Lord was executed in 62.
  • James has 108 verses—about the same length as Philippians, 1 Timothy, 1 Peter, and 1 John. (The Sermon on the Mount, by way of comparison, is 111 verses in length.)
  • The first-century Jewish writer and statesman Josephus devotes more of his history to James than to Jesus.
  • James eventually overtook Peter as the most influential leader in the Jerusalem church community (evident in Acts 15).
• The recording features the translation of British N.T. scholar Ralph P. Martin, as found in The Word Biblical Commentary 48: James (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1988), 3-217. (That's why I call this version "RPM.")

Next in 40 Days in James: "The Chair and the Floor"

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

There are five important themes in the latter part of James 1 (vs.19-27), the first three of which we examined in the previous reflection:

1. Restraint of hasty desire

1. Practical obedience to God’s Word
2. Reception of the Word with humility
3. Concern for defenseless members of the community
4. Turning from the ways of the world

1:26-27

• Profanity, gossip, slander, lying, perjury, babbling—and talking about obeying God but not actually doing it.
• "Worthless" – 1:26 parallels 2:26.
• Religion is “the celebration of God and the discovery of his will for our lives” (Richard Holloway).
• Concern for defenseless members of the community connected with turning from the ways of the world, as in Ezekiel 16:49.
• Pollution.
• What is the evidence most churches ignore 1:26-27?
  • The fellowship isn't stratified – we tend to be one social or economic class. We may help the needy, but how close are we to them?
  • General apathy re: the vulnerable.
  • Ignorance of the strong OT mandate to care for orphans and widows (Exod 22:21; Deut 10:18; 14:28; 16:11, 14; 24:17-21; 26:12-13; 27:19; Ps 68:5; Isa 1:17; Jer 5:28; Ezek 22:7; Zech 7:10)—plus aliens!
  • General lack of compassion towards refugees.
  • Aloofness from dire issues (human trafficking, famine, civil wars, poverty—the list is endless). We tend to give lip service rather than getting involved in a costly, relational, and meaningful way.
  • We spend plenty of money on worldly purchases (homes, cars, vacations, nice clothes…), but nearly 0% to help the needy.
  • We may donate for disaster relief, or support solid Christian charities, but are we bringing the poor into the fellowship?
  • Most churches give a minuscule percentage of their budget to assist the weak and vulnerable—but spend large amounts on salaries and buildings.
  • Do we realize that the poor / working class / slaves were the majority in the early church? The NT church collected money as necessary for the needy—this was by far the primary item in their "budget" (if they had one).
  • I don’t mean to paint every congregation with the same brush. Certainly there are numerous exemplary exceptions. But looking at Christendom worldwide, I think this is a fair criticism. (Do you?)

Summary (Jas 1:19-25 and 1:26-27)

• Trust in God > the power of human will (anger)
• Let’s look into the Word and be honest about what we see
• Let’s humbly receive the implanted word, which can save us
• Get rid of all moral filth
• Careless speech is not a matter of indifference to our God
• Nor is caring for the needy optional
• Mere talk about the needy makes our religion worthless.
• Let's be champions for the powerless, for the vulnerable
• This will rewrite rejecting the world and its anti-God values
• Freedom comes with obedience

Next time: James 1-5 read in the RPM version

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

The next two sections in James (today’s offering plus tomorrow’s) introduce 5 key themes in swift succession:

• Restraint of hasty desire
• Practical obedience to God’s Word
• Reception of the Word with humility
• Concern for defenseless members of the community
• Turning from the ways of the world

1:19-21

• “There are four types of disciples: swift to hear and swift to lose—his gain is canceled by his loss; slow to hear and slow to lose—his loss is canceled by his gain; swift to hear and slow to lose—this is a happy lot; slow to hear and swift to lose—this is an evil lot” (’Avot 5:12).
• Not seeking justice through politically motivated violence (v.20).
  • “Impostors and demagogues, under the guise of divine inspiration, provoked revolutionary actions and impelled the masses to act like madmen” (Josephus, Jewish War 259).
  • There were numerous first century revolutionaries, e.g. the Samaritan who led a band of followers up Mt. Gerizim; Theudas, who put himself forward as a second Moses; and the Jewish prophet who portrayed himself as a second Joshua, prophesying the collapse of Jerusalem’s walls.
  • Such revolutionaries, and those who sided with them, constituted an implicit threat to the Sadducees. (They would not have appreciated James.)
• “Put off” (v.21) – baptismal context (clothes).

• The implanted word – see Jer 31:33. God’s word is powerful; it changes lives.

1:22-25

• James is Wisdom Literature.
• Mirror analogy: 
  • Many do not spend time in the Scriptures because they don’t like the image of themselves they see there. Of course the Word makes us look better—not in external appearance, but at the heart level.
  • Perhaps the mirror is connected with seeing ourselves as the image of God. Our look into the mirror requires more than a cursory look. Slow down, let the truth sink in.
• Doers – this word appears several times in James. Obedience.
• He who knows not and knows not that he knows not—he is a fool; avoid him / He who knows not and knows that he knows not—he is simple; instruct him / He who knows and knows not that he knows—he is asleep; awaken him / He who knows and knows that he knows—he is wise; follow him (an old Arab proverb).
• Teleios 5x in James…. Suggests character, not mere actions
• Why the “perfect law that gives freedom” probably isn’t the N.T.:
  • See Ps 1:2; 19:7-11; 40:6-8; 119.
  • Rebirth through the Word (1:18).
  • The perfect law seems to be the same thing as “the implanted word” (v.21).
  • In James, Gospel and "law" are more or less interchangeable.
  • Perfect / mature – 1:4; 3:2, 17-18.
  • 2:8—Perfect law is recast as “the sovereign law” of love to one’s neighbor.
  • This is certainly not the New Testament—which wasn’t even written yet. (James died in 62; by that time, the only parts of the NT already written would have been 15 or 18 of the epistles.)
  • Thus there is no direct  connection with 1 Cor 13 (“when the perfect comes”).
• Freedom
  • Not political freedom, nor economic freedom, but spiritual freedom.
  • God’s perfect law brings freedom – obedience (think RR tracks).

Next reflection: Pure Religion

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Reflection 5, "God's Perfect Gifts," unpacks James 1:16-18.

1. Don’t be deceived. Don’t crack and crumble under the pressure of trials – don’t cave in!
2. This requires us to think correctly about reality, about God.
3. God is not fickle. He is good, and gives good gifts.
4. He created the light(s), and he gave us new birth through the Word (see also 1 Pet 1:23; Eph 5:26).
5. This birth contrasts with the “birth” of v.15!
6. The life that we live requires sincere dedication to Him.

Next: Listening & Looking

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

1.  
   1. The trials of chapter 1 probably refer to persecution.
   2. Don’t give up! When we give up, we are letting our lives be defined by our particular temptations and sins.
   3. In Christ we can overcome
   4. Note: temptations are not sins. The sin is what we decide to do about the temptation. As Martin Luther was fond of saying, “You can’t stop a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep him from building a nest in your hair”!
   5. In ancient religions the gods were often blamed for human temptations. The Bible roundly rejects this notion.
   6. James likens the process of temptation to biological growth: conception, pregnancy, delivery, growth and maturity.
   7. Yes, life is messy (trials, suffering, perseverance), yet it is not so hard that we are without hope—provided we have the right perspective (not thinking too highly of ourselves, nor too lowly), relying on the one who fits us for the life to which he has called us.

APPLICATION 

• Don’t cave in. Don’t give in to temptation. Gen 4.
• We are all laden with different temptations (anger, temper; lust; alcoholism, other chem dependencies; envy, jealousy; gossip, slander; taking false credit; ungracious speech...) Let's not let these define us. Rather, through Christ we can rise above the fleshly (animal) level to the spiritual.
• Do I take responsibility when under pressure, or do I excuse myself? Is my tendency to look for someone else to blame, or do I own up to my own failures?
• Do I have the sense of God’s guiding hand, his purifying presence, his wisdom as I go through my day? God is in control!
• God doesn’t work in our lives (through testing) to ruin us, but to prove and improve us.

Next: God’s Perfect gifts

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

The man James

1.  
   1. In the NT, James is by far the most significant (half-)brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3, Acts 1:14).
   2. Notice: “servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:1)—similar humility in Jude, also penned by a brother of Christ. His is a humble stance
   3. James’ conversion
      1. We see early in the gospel of Mark that Mary and her sons did not appreciate Jesus’ identity and mission (Mark 3:20-21, 31). They would not (or could not) go into the meeting; instead they sent a messenger to fetch Jesus, whom they think has gone over the top!
      2. But after Jesus' death, his brothers join the apostles in prayer (Acts 1:14).
      3. By Acts 15 James is a significant leader in Jerusalem.
      4. Note: he is not the apostle James, son of Zebedee (Acts 12:2). He did, however, become a major voice in the Jerusalem church, eclipsing Peter, probably due to Peter’s responsibilities outside Jerusalem (see Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; Galatians 1:19; 2:9, 12), and left us with the epistle of James (James 1:1).
      5. Galatians 1:19 possibly indicates he was recognized as an apostle.
      6. According to Josephus, the Jewish historian, James was stoned to death by the Jews in 62 AD. “Festus was now dead, and Albinus was on the road; so he assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought them the brother of Jesus who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others. And when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned: but as for those who seemed the most equitable of the citizens, and such as were the most uneasy at the breach of the laws, they disliked what was done; they also sent to the King [Agrippa] desiring him to send to Ananus that he should act so no more…"

.
James 1:9-12

• James puts the material world in perspective. Poor people can please God, and so can rich people (see 1 Timothy 6), but both need to watch their step.
• Hillel (c. 20 BC) wrote "My humiliation is my exaltation, my exaltation is my humiliation."
• The scorching wind may well be the scirocco ("a hot wind, often dusty or rainy, blowing from North Africa across the Mediterranean to southern Europe).
• If we keep our head and our faith, and keep away from the perils of materialism, we will one day receive the “crown of life.”
• This crown is received neither quickly nor cheaply. The price is high, the reward infinite.
• We can persevere under trial, or we can frown and get a bad attitude. Yet we should never blame God. He is always fair. This ties in to 1:13-15—our next reflection.
• If I'm more dependent on rationalizations for why I don't push myself—why I don't persevere—than I am on God, I will always manage to find a reason why I can't persevere. But if I love him and am convinced God loves me (v.12), through his grace I will move through trial after trial—and even count them as pure joy (1:2).

The next reflection, from James 1:13-15, is "Victors, not Victims"

1. James and the other brothers are Jesus’ would-be advisers in John 7:1-5. They seem skeptical about their older brother.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

• 1:1—the 12 Tribes = Christians (see Gal 6:16), probably from a Jewish background.
• If James is like Ephesians (a circular letter) then it's possible the original letter or material was adapted after James's death for a broader Jewish-Christian audience (in the diaspora).
• The nature of James: A letter? A sermon? A collection or compendium? Or Wisdom Literature?
• Date: Could be as early as 45 AD, but in 50s and 60s the social unrest suggested by the later chapters of James is a better fit.
• 1:2ff—Trials are God's plan for growth. See Rom 5:3-4 and Romans 8 for parallel material.
• Sometimes we need wisdom to cope with our trials. God generously provides! More about wisdom in chapter 3.
• There's a connection between unhealthy doubt and joy. Double-mindedness is draining—making it harder to experience joy. Consider also the rabbinic comment on Deut 26:16: “When you make your prayer to God, do not have two hearts, one for God and one for something else” (Ta'an 23b).

.In the next reflection, we will learn about James as a person, and explore James 1:9-12, "Pride vs. Humility."

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

1.  Resonance:
   1. Sermon on Mount (man phrases, and at least 6 points of connection)
   2. OT – a number of quotes, plus numerous allusions
   3. The impression of an OT prophet (notice how he challenges entrepreneurs and the wealthy)
   4. [the Jewish Apocryphal tradition]
2. Listen closely!

In the next two reflections, we will begin to explore chapter 1, learn a little about James as a person, and ask the question: What exactly is James? A letter, a sermon, a compendium….?