James

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Description

Class: 
Introduction to the New Testament: Romans to Revelation
Lecture label: 
NT512-12

The book of James emphasizes that people demonstrate that they have true faith in Christ by their good works.

INTERACT WITH OTHERS IN THE FORUM FOR THIS CLASS.

Outline

General Letters

Part1

I. James – Faith Without Works is Dead

A. The Setting of James

1. Author is Jesus' half-brother and key early church leader

2. Probably the earliest New Testament document, not consciously using Paul's language

3. Addressed to largely poor, Jewish-Christian congregations in Syria or Palestine, ironically discriminating in favor of the rich

4. Oppressed by rich absentee landlords, causing internal squabbling

B. Catchwords in James 1:2-7

1. Trials/testing (vv. 2, 3)

2. Perseverance (vv. 3, 4)

3. Not lacking/lacking (vv. 4, 5)

4. Ask (vv. 5, 6)

5. Doubt (vv. 6, 7)

C. A Chiastic Outline of James

1. Intro (1:1)

2. 3 Key themes: statement 1

a. Trials (1:2-4)

b. Wisdom (1:5-8)

c. Riches/poverty (1:9-11)

3. 3 Key themes: statement 2

a. Temptation (1:12-18)

b. Speech (1:19-26)

c. The dispossessed (1:27)

4. Expansion of theme (a)

5. Expansion of theme (1)

6. Expansion of theme i)

7. Conclusion (5:19-20)

D. Key Exegetical Issues in James 1-2

1. 1:2: How can I be joyful in trials?

2. 1:5-6: Is this a blank check, if I have enough faith?

3. 1:9-11, 2:1-4, 4:13-17, 5:1-6: Are any of the rich Christian?

4. 1:13: Christ's temptation, the Lord's Prayer, and the devil's role

5. 1:25: The perfect law of liberty

6. 1:27: Social ethics and holy separation in balance

7. 2:5: What is God's preferential option for the poor?

E. James on Faith and Works (2:14-26)

1. Faith

a. James – Jewish

b. Paul – Christian

2. Works

a. James – Christian

b. Paul – Jewish

F. Key Exegetical Issues in James 3-4

1. 3:1: Not condemnation, but accountability

2. 3:13: Competence, content and character!

3. 4:4: As the thesis of the letter

4. 4:13-17: planning and the Lord's will

G. James on Prayer

1. God's will

a. Unconditional

i. We pray [+]

ii. We don't pray [+]

b. Conditional

i. We pray [+]

ii. We don't pray [–]

2. Not God's will

a. We pray [–]

b. We don't pray [–]

H. James' "Militant Patience" (5:10-11)

1. Militance: Zealots – revolutionary violence

2. Militant Patience

a. Old Testament prophets – Prophetic option

b. Jesus – Denunciatory rhetoric

c. James – Prayer as "rebelling against the status quo"

3. Patience: Essenes – Passivist, Monasticism

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