1) Who is the real James?

Son of Joseph & Mary, brother of Jesus

Matthew 13:55, “Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

Mark 6:3, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James & Joses and Judas (Jude 1:1) and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”

JAMES is the 2nd born in a family where the 1st born was perfect & never sinned.

James did not believe in Jesus - John 7:1-5

James through Jesus was crazy - Mark 3:20-21

James tried to interrupt Jesus - Matthew 12:46-50

James was NOT an apostle and he was not even a follower of Jesus. James didn’t even attend the funeral of Jesus!

So how did he get to write a book of the Bible?

James' Conversion - 1 Cor 15:3-7

James was invited to the Upper Room - Acts 1:13-14

James became the 1st Pastor of Jerusalem - Acts 12:17, Gal 1:18-19, Gal 2:9

Historians have found ancient writing referring to James as James “The Just” - Acts 15:13, Acts 21:17-18

This book is written between AD 48-62, most likely 48-52.

Hegesippus quoted by early church father Eusebius said, “James prayed so much; his knees were as hard as those on a camel – camel knees.”

James was martyred in 62 A.D. As he was dying, James prayed as did his Lord Jesus, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

2) What is the real message?

1:1-18 Unshakable Faith Endures

1:19-27 Unshakable Faith Does

2:1-13 Unshakable Faith Removes

3:1-18 Unshakable Faith Speaks

4:1-5:6 Unshakable Faith Produces

5:7-20 Unshakable Faith Triumphs