Today's episode covers just the first two words of verse 3, "Knowing that."

First we discuss the connection with the previous verse. We appreciate the attempts of the ESV and NIV to bring out the logical connection, however, we prefer the NASB, which properly treats "knowing" as a participle, and keeps the connection with "consider" from verse 2 in tact.

Next we discuss the Christian sense of "knowledge" as a conglomerate of moral and intellectual. We find it inappropriate to draw too sharp of a distinction between the two most common Greek words for knowledge. James employs both words throughout this letter interchangeably.

Then, with the word "that," we learn what the content of this knowledge is.

In the next episode we will finish off the verse and examine the first step in the "chain saying," which fleshes out the process God uses to shape us through trials which sums up the theological understanding that fills Christians with joy through suffering.

For more biblical studies you can always check out my blog In the Last Hour, or my other podcast The Informal Reformers.