The writer identified himself for the original recipients of this epistle and greeted them to introduce himself to his readers.
James (lit. Jacob) was probably the half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ who evidently became a believer late in Jesus' earthly ministry (cf. John 7:5; 1 Cor. 15:7). He became the leader of the church in Jerusalem early in its history (Gal. 2:9; Acts 15:13-21).
"Apart from Paul and Peter, no figure in the church of the first days plays a more substantial part upon the historic and legendary stage than James, first Bishop of Jerusalem."14
He described himself simply as a bond-servant (Gr. doulos) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only he and Jude, another half-brother of the Lord, described themselves simply as bond-servants in their epistles. This probably indicates that they were so well known in the early church that they did not need to describe themselves in more detail.15James did not refer to himself as Jesus' brother or the church's leader. He evidently purposed not to know Jesus "after the flesh"(2 Cor. 5:16) by only as his Lord and God. Being a bond-servant of God was his most important relationship (cf. Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:1; Jude 1; Rev. 1:1). He placed Jesus equal with God by saying he was the bond-servant of both God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The term bond-servant did not carry the degrading connotation in the first century that it does today. In the Septuagint doulosdescribed Israel's great leaders who occupied positions of privilege and honor (e.g., Moses [Deut. 34:5; et al.]; David [2 Sam. 7:5; et al]; and the prophets [Jer. 7:25; 44:4; Amos 3:7]). By using this word James was proudly asserting that he belonged to God and to Jesus Christ body and soul.16
"It is only his servanthood to the Lord Jesus Christ that matters to him here, for this is the theme of his letter: How shall we live as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ?"17
The 12 tribes (cf. Matt. 19:28; Acts 26:7) scattered abroad most naturally refer to Jewish Christians of the Diaspora, those who were living outside Palestine.18They were very likely members of the Jerusalem church who had left Jerusalem shortly after Stephen's martyrdom (cf. Acts 8:1, 4; 11:19-20).19What James wrote them as a fellow Jewish Christian is normative for both Jewish and Gentile Christians since both are one in Christ. It is unnatural to take the 12 tribes as descriptive of the so-called "new Israel,"the church, as some interpreters do.20"Israel"can and does always refer to the physical descendants of Abraham whenever it occurs in the New Testament just as it does in the Old Testament. Furthermore there is no other revelation that the church consists of 12 parts as the nation of Israel did.
James wrote in very good Greek; his grammar, syntax, and word choice were excellent. "Greetings"was a common Greek salutation familiar to his readers.21
"In the epistle of James, the Holy Spirit has given the church a commentary on Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and Sermon on the Plain, a commentary that is rich in applications for daily life."79
The similarities appear both in subject matter and in structure. Note the parallels between Matthew 7:1-27 and James 2:1-26 below.80
The final practical problem James addressed involves money. He wrote these instructions to appraise his readers of a danger, to inform them of the ramifications of the problem, and to exhort them to deal with the situation appropriately. This is his third reference to the rich and the poor (cf. 1:9-11; 2:1-12).175
James concluded this section and his entire epistle by explaining how a brother who had erred could return to fellowship with God and could resume living by faith. These instructions apply directly to what James just explained in chapter 5. However they also show the way back to any who may have stumbled in the other errors James dealt with in this book.
5:19 This verse also ties in with what James just said about the privilege and duty of prayer. Any believer, not just the elders, can help a brother back into the right way (v. 14; cf. Ezek. 33:1-9).
5:20 The soul saved from death is that of the backslider to whom also belongs the multitude of sins. We should probably understand the "soul"to represent the whole person here as well as elsewhere in James' epistle (cf. 1:21).227Death represents the temporal destruction of the person, not his or her eternal damnation (cf. 1 Cor. 15:30; 1 John 5:16). The repentance of the reclaimed sinning believer results in the forgiveness (covering) of his or her sins. This description of forgiveness harks back to Old Testament usage where the biblical writers described sin as covered when forgiven. Such usage was understandable for James who was a Jewish believer writing to other Jews primarily (1:1; cf. Matt. 7:1-5; Gal. 6:1-5). His description does not contradict other New Testament revelation concerning forgiveness.
This epistle deals with five practical problems that every believer, immature or mature, encounters as he or she seeks to live by faith and the issues underlying these problems. As a skillful physician, James not only identified the problems. He also uncovered their sources, pointed out complicating factors, and prescribed treatment to overcome them with a view to his readers' becoming more mature spiritually. The problems and James' method of dealing with them account for the popularity of this epistle throughout church history and for its perennial value in ministry. If you preach and teach this book faithfully you can count on people getting immediate help from it.
