1st October 2024

1st October 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (James 1v1)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


In a recent Bible study we considered the question of how we received the books contained within the Old & New Testament. The Old Testament is much less controversial than the New, with many scratching their heads over who wrote Hebrews and what happened to Paul’s other Corinthians letters. Another book which has caused no little amount of discussion is that of James.


Some see James as proclaiming a Gospel of works with Martin Luther famously describing the letter as an “epistle of straw”. Was he right? Is James only good for feeding the animals? By no means! We’ll be considering James over the next few months and by the grace of God it will be a blessing to our souls.


But first things first, who was James? This is a disputed question with several potential candidates. Perhaps the most famous of these is James the son of Zebedee. He was one of the Disciples, brother to John and described by Jesus as one of the “Sons of Thunder”. James the son of Zebedee wasn’t the only Disciple named James, there was also James the son of Alphaeus. This James was referred to as “James the Little” probably because he was shorter than James the son of Zebedee.


Finally, the other major candidate is a man called “James the Just”. He was named as a sibling of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 13v55) and quickly became a major figure in the Jerusalem Church (Acts 12v17). It is said that he became known as “the man with camel’s knees” because he knelt so much to pray for his fellow Christians.


So is this letter from one of the Apostles, James the brother of Jesus or perhaps another more obscure James that history has forgotten? Common thought says that the book of James can be attributed to the Lord’s brother James the Just. Why? James the son of Zebedee was the first Apostle to be murdered for his faith in 44AD by Herod Agrippa. This early date more than likely rules him out as the author of the letter. James the son of Alphaeus was certainly an Apostle but is largely missing from the pages of Scripture. He is considered too obscure to be the letter writer.


That leaves the one final credible candidate which is James the brother of the Lord, although he begins by simply calling himself “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (v1a). This is a similar introduction to that of Jude who was also the brother of Jesus and James (Jude 1v1). Both men could have boasted about their family links but instead walked the path of servant humility. 


Who did James write to? He sent greetings “To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion” (v1b). What does this mean? James was writing to an audience scattered or dispersed throughout the known world. These men and women had come to believe in Christ and had left their homes under the threat of persecution.


As we read today, James’ letter was and is for Christians who are never really at home on this side of glory. Brothers and sisters, as you journey into Autumn and Winter may the ancient voice of James bring nourishment to your weary soul. He doesn’t urge us to believe another Gospel of works based righteousness. Instead he reminds us of the Gospel of grace at work in our lives. God’s Word never returns void and so may it produce good fruit in our lives as we become both hearers and doers of the Word.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q104 What do we pray for in the fourth petition? In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread,” we pray, that of God’s free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them.
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