James: the Lynchpin of Our Faith — Chapter 19

A few weeks ago, I had a rather embarrassing experience. My wife handed me the telephone, saying, “It’s Josh.” Josh is my youngest son.

For some reason my wife’s comment did not register in my brain. My mind had been on my oldest son Tim. For the next five minutes, our phone conversation continued with me convinced that I was talking to Tim. It was only when some life circumstances did not align that I realized I was speaking to Josh. I felt truly em-barrassed. I had trouble distinguishing between my sons’ voices!

The plain truth of the matter is that brothers’ voices sound similar. There is something in the genetic make-up of the vocal cords and the oral structures that result in a similar sounding voice. Audiologists will tell you that every person’s voiceprint is unique, but there are vocal and speech pattern similarities within families. These develop not just because of genetics, but because they spend so much time speaking to each other.

In the same way writers have a voice. Each author has a distinctive way of writing. If you are familiar with an author’s writing style, you can often identify an unfamiliar piece of his or her writing by style alone. Just as each of us has unique fingerprints and voiceprints, we also have a unique way of writing—a writing voice.

When we examine the Epistle of James, we see a writing style—syntax, word choice, and sentence structure—that is unique to James. The other New Testament epistle writers—Peter, Paul, John, and Jude—each have a unique voice, a unique way they use written language to express their ideas.

What truly sets James apart is his brotherhood with Jesus. Since Jesus and James are brothers, can we find Jesus’ voice reflected in the Epistle of James? More specifically can we hear the voice, core values, and tone of Jesus through the written words of James? If these two men are really brothers, raised in the same household, exposed to the same values, then it logically follows that their voice would align in many respects.

It would seem only natural that Jesus and the regenerate James would have the same interests and ideals. Are these reflected in the Epistle of James? Is James animated by the same issues and concerns that animated the life of Jesus?

Jesus was not a writer; he has left us with no written text. Fortunately, the Gospels provide us with many direct quotations. But if Jesus wrote an epistle, would the voice in that epistle sound more like Paul or more like James? There are ample grounds to believe such an epistle would read a lot like James.

If you read the Epistle of James with your ear attuned for the voice and tone of Jesus, the epistle comes alive in a whole new way. The character of this epistle is reflective of the character of Jesus like no other piece of Christian literature.

With these questions in mind, let’s examine the Epistle of James to try and find the voice of Jesus in its text. The intent is not to provide a verse-by-verse commentary on the epistle. There are several fine commentaries on the market that do just that. Instead, this chapter provides an overview of the epistle, with a focus on indicators of James’ brotherhood with Jesus.

Discerning the actual structure of this epistle has been a problem for many Bible scholars. The letter appears to be series of vivid observations coupled with commands for righteous living.

Because it is filled with short, pithy sayings, some have compared the Epistle of James to the Book of Proverbs. To an extent the comparison is valid, since wisdom for living is one of James’ central themes, but the epistle is much more than a collection of proverbs.

A careful reading of the Epistle of James reveals a prevailing pattern. In the first chapter James introduces a series of topics or themes. Then over the next four chapters, he returns to each of these themes again and again. It’s as though he is driving in a nail. In the first chapter or occasion, this master carpenter sets the nail and gives it that initial penetrating tap, but then over the next four chapters he returns again and again to that same theme as he drives home his point.

This can be best illustrated by looking at a specific example. One of the dominant themes throughout the epistle is the injustice of the wealthy, how that contrasts with the poor, and ultimately how God will judge the rich. James introduces this theme with these words:

Any of God’s people who are poor should be glad that he thinks so highly of them. But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. That is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business. (James 1:9–11, CEV)

In chapter two James touches on this theme again when he deals with how the rich should be treated when they come to a Christian meeting:

My friends, if you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, you won’t treat some people better than others. Suppose a rich person wearing fancy clothes and a gold ring comes to one of your meetings. And suppose a poor person dressed in worn-out clothes also comes. You must not give the best seat to the one in fancy clothes and tell the one who is poor to stand at the side or sit on the floor. That is the same as saying that some people are better than others, and you would be acting like a crooked judge.

My dear friends, pay attention. God has given a lot of faith to the poor people in this world. He has also promised them a share in his kingdom that he will give to everyone who loves him. You mistreat the poor. But isn’t it the rich who boss you around and drag you off to court? Aren’t they the ones who make fun of your Lord? (James 2:1–7, CEV)
Finally, in chapter five James concludes by driving the nail home with his indictment against the rich:

You rich people should cry and weep! Terrible things are going to happen to you. Your treasures have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes. Your money has rusted and the rust will be evidence against you, as it burns your body like fire. Yet you keep on storing up wealth in these last days. You refused to pay the people who worked in your fields and now their unpaid wages are shouting out against you. The Lord All-Powerful has surely heard the cries of the workers who harvested your crops.

While here on earth, you have thought only of filling your own stomachs and having a good time. But now you are like fat cattle on their way to be butchered. You have con-demned and murdered innocent people, who couldn’t even fight back. (James 5:1–6, CEV)

James uses the same approach as he addresses other themes or topics. He introduces the theme of faith early in his epistle with this passage:

But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you
anything at all. (James 1:6–8, CEV)

This is followed by the major faith/works discourse already cited earlier, where he discusses and contrasts the faith of Abraham and of demons (James 2:14–26).

Then in chapter five he drives the nail of faith deeper with these words:

If you are sick, ask the church leaders to come and pray for you. Ask them to put olive oil on you in the name of the Lord. If you have faith when you pray for sick people, they will get well. The Lord will heal them, and if they have sinned, he will forgive them. (James 5:14–15, CEV)

He delivers the final blow on this theme by using the illustration of Elijah’s prayer of faith:

The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot. Elijah was just as human as we are, and for three and a half years his prayers kept the rain from falling. But when he did pray for rain, it fell from the skies and made the crops grow. (James 5:16b–18, CEV)

This pattern of introducing a theme and then returning again and again to drive it home is a feature that is unique to James’ writing style. But this pattern of repetition was also used by Jesus when he was teaching. Jesus did not give us one parable about the kingdom of God. In the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, he presents seven kingdom parables in a single teaching session.

Similarly, Jesus did not tell just one story to illustrate the truth of God’s love for a lost soul: he gave us three. In Luke 15 he gave us the story of the prodigal, the lost coin, and the lost sheep. This propensity for repetition, and for examining a truth from various angles, is a brotherly trait that James carried through into his writing.

Another pervasive style element that we have already touched on is James’ frequent use of the imperative. Jon Mark Ruthven pointed out that there are 52 commands in the 104 verses of James’ epistle. James makes far greater use of the imperative form than any other New Testament epistle writer. He writes as one having authority. This is only fitting since he served as the head of the mother church in Jerusalem.

But James’ authoritative tone also reflects the tone that Jesus projected. After completing his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus drew this reaction:

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. (Matthew 7:28–29)

In this important respect, the voice of Jesus and the written voice of James are remarkably similar. Like his older brother, James calls his readers to action. There is nothing tentative or uncertain about the notes he sounds. His letter is a clarion call for right living and bold faith. As with Jesus, it’s this boldness that demands respect.

Here is a list of the major themes that James sequentially drives home with this authoritative writing style:

• Perseverance during times of testing (James 1:2–4, 1:12, 5:7–11)
• Wisdom for living right (James 1:5, 3:13–18)
• Faith applied in action and prayer (James 1:6–8, 1:27, 2:14–26, 5:14–18)
• Controlling the tongue (James 1:19–21, 1:26, 3:1–12, 4:11–12, 5:12)
• The injustice of wealth and poverty (James 1:9–11, 2:1–7, 5:1–6)
• Overcoming temptation (James 1:12–15, 4:1–9, 4:17, 5:16)
• The need for humility (James 1:21, 3:13, 4:6–10)
• Obeying God’s word (James 1:22–25, 2:8–13)
• The Lord’s return and eternal judgement (James 1:12, 2:12–13, 4:11–12, 5:7–9)
• Repentance and confession (James 4:7–9, 5:16)
• God’s opposition to pride and boasting (James 4:6, 4:13–17)

Some of these themes overlap and are interconnected as James builds his argument for right living by putting practical Christian faith into action. As he addresses each theme, this master carpenter is building a house on the solid rock of Christ’s teachings (Matthew 7:24–27).

Many commentators on the Epistle of James have noted a striking similarity in the style and content of this epistle and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In particular, the epistle reflects the values set forth in the Be-atitudes.

Adding credence to this position, Tasker provides us with this observation:

The authorship of James the brother of the Lord is not only consonant with the note of authority which sounds throughout the epistle, and with the possible echoes of the speech of James at the council of Jerusalem, but also with the extent to which the writer has obviously been profoundly impressed by the teaching of Jesus as we know it today in the Sermon on the Mount. (1)

An author—any author—begins with a blank page, but what he chooses to write reflects his character and the thinking and values that occupy his mind. Keeping this statement in mind, why did James choose to focus on the major themes that he selected for his epistle?

It appears that he chose these themes because they were at the heart of Jesus’ teachings. As Tasker states, in his thinking James was “profoundly impressed by the teaching of Jesus.” Every aspect of his epistle reflects this.

Why does James identify himself with the poor and heap condemnation on the rich? Because Jesus did just that. The first Beatitude is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Throughout his ministry, Jesus identified with the poor and took a skewer to the rich and powerful. His story of the rich man and Lazarus is a fine example of this (Luke 16:19–31).

James’ attack on the excesses and injustice of the wealthy in James 5:1-6 bears a remarkable resemblance to Jesus’ attack on the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and teachers of the law in Matthew 23. The tone is virtually identical. None of the other New Testament writers take such a direct and confrontational approach. Furthermore, it is hard to ignore the current relevance of James’ words. With the world economy dominated and controlled by oligarchs and corporate greed, James pens an indictment worthy of his older brother.

Why does James define faith as he does? Why is his definition linked with actions Again, Jesus defined faith in terms of actions or deeds. In every instance where Jesus called for faith, he was not expecting mere intellectual acknowledgement. For Jesus faith is directly linked to words and actions.

When the tax collector Zacchaeus repents, Jesus declares, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9). He makes this statement after Zacchaeus announces, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount” (Luke 19:8). For Jesus faith, deeds, and salvation form a seamless whole.

The Pauline approach to faith, deeds, and salvation is quite different. Faith, deeds, and salvation are treated as separate entities or components of a believer’s life experience. For Jesus and James these form a single package. For these brothers, faith, deeds, and salvation are integral to one another.

For both James and Jesus, active faith is not only called for but expected. Jesus repeatedly upbraided his disciples for their lack of faith. James exhibits the same character trait. He has the same high expectation of his readers.

But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all. (James 1:6–8, CEV)

The words of James on this topic run parallel to the words of Jesus:

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)

There is no room for doubt in the brothers’ approach to faith. They demand a full throttle commitment. James asserts, “The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up” (James 5:15). There is no hesitation or equivocating in that statement. Faith will bring results. Bold, audacious faith brought results in Jesus’ ministry—and James leaves no room for doubt that a similar application of faith brought the same results in his own ministry. Furthermore, he expects results from his readers as they exercise their faith by heeding his words.

But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all. (James 1:6–8, CEV)

The words of James on this topic run parallel to the words of Jesus:

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)

There is no room for doubt in the brothers’ approach to faith. They demand a full throttle commitment. James asserts, “The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up” (James 5:15). There is no hesitation or equivocating in that statement. Faith will bring results. Bold, audacious faith brought results in Jesus’ ministry—and James leaves no room for doubt that a similar application of faith brought the same results in his own ministry. Furthermore, he expects results from his readers as they exercise their faith by heeding his words.

Words—yes, words—are at the very core of faith and life for these two men. The power of the tongue for good or evil is central to the Epistle of James. Perhaps no author has harnessed the written word quite as effectively as James in describing the havoc inflicted by the tongue. (See James 3:1–12.)

In his condemnation of the restless tongue, James was simply reflecting the words and thoughts of his brother:

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. (Matthew 12:34–35)

Again, this theme of the power of the tongue is central to James’ epistle because it was central to Jesus’ ministry. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus insisted that his followers not swear oaths. He taught, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33–37). James essentially repeats the same admonition in James 5:12.

This profound emphasis on the spoken word is only fitting, since according to the scriptures Jesus is the living Word. He is the Word—the spoken Word—by which the heavens and the earth were formed (John 1:1-5). In his earthly ministry, he brought sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and health to the crippled body with a word. With his words he brought forgiveness and spiritual rebirth.

James affirms that the born-again experience comes through the word: “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (James 1:18).

It’s the power of the “word of truth” that James is lifting up throughout his epistle. He does that most effectively by systematically focusing on the core teachings of Jesus, as recorded in the Sermon on the Mount.

How can the “word of truth” be exalted by believers who have a careless or malicious tongue? That would be impossible, so James methodically builds his case for self-control of that most unruly member of the body.

On the flip side, though the tongue can be destructive, it also has creative power when it comes under the influence of God. As James points out, the prayer of faith can heal the sick. In addition, he states, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). It logically follows that when that most unruly member is tamed and harnessed by the Lord, great things are possible.

So then, if Jesus sent a letter to the church, how would that epistle read? There are many reasons to believe such an epistle would sound a lot like the Epistle of James. This would be so because James patterned his letter on the teachings of Jesus, and because James understood and knew his brother intimately, like no other man.

The voice and tone of Jesus are heard throughout this epistle because when the resurrected Christ broke through to the stubborn heart of James, the transformation made James even more like his brother. The brothers sound alike, because they are alike.

With his conversion James took on the character of Christ. Through his epistle he urges us to do the same.

(1) Tasker, The General Epistle of James, p. 28.

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