The impact of the Hebrew Scriptures, and especially the Torah, on James’s thought, terminology and teaching (original) (raw)
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6 is moved to write informally some weighty words of counsel to them." 15 Also, he is certainly right in stating that "one of the most clearly marked features of the Epistle certainly is the stress which James lays on the absolute necessity of cultivating the Christian graces, of cultivating practical godliness." 16 Richard Bauckham is convinced that, although James cannot be accused of incoherence, the disposition of his letter's content does follow the common and expected fluency, and it seems hardly "arranged in entirely random order, [but] if this were the case, it would not necessarily impede James' overall goal in his work." 17 Recently, William Varner proposes "By applying the techniques of cohesion, prominence, peak, and grouping to the text of James … that James 3.13-18 is the peak of his discourse." 18 Varner arrives at that conclusion because in this particular passage "general dissimilarity from the co-text; rhetorical underlining; concentration of participants; heightened vividness; change of pace; and change of vantage point" 19 indicate that this is the peak of James's argumentation. He is admittedly following others before him such as Herman Cladder, 20 James M. Reese, 21 and, particularly, Patrick Hartin who argues that every other periscope of James orbits or is "forming and embracing around [James 3.13-18]." 22 James 3.13-18 does not seem to encapsulates the totality of James' argumentation. Despite the themes of "wisdom" and "two ways," which can be taken as James's clear emphasis throughout his letter, other obvious 15
Boundaries, Intersections, and the Parting of Ways in the Letter of James
Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and Theology, 2020
The letter of James reveals long embedded anti-Semitic elements at work in the articulation of the distinction between Judaism and Christianity. However, careful examination of the text and the history of the early synagogue and church challenges us to rethink how (and whether) Judaism and Christianity have parted ways. James’s use of biblical traditions is not simply an embrace of torah piety or “works righteousness,” but rather a careful juxtaposition of wisdom and prophetic traditions aimed to call the letter’s first readers, and us, to move toward the margins of our ecclesial, academic, and wider communities.
Hebrews, General Letters, and Revelation: An Introduction, 2016
Overview of the so-called Epistle of James, viewing questions of authorship, date, social context, literary features and characteristics, as well as key themes
An Introduction to the Epistle of James
Recent scholars describe the seeming paradoxes found in the Epistle of James, 20th in the New Testament canon and first of the catholic (general) epistles. Representative opinions comment on it as "among the most neglected books of the New Testament canon" yet a "complementary check and balance" to Paul's writings, an "oddity" of the Christian canon while at the same time "the most consistently ethical document in the New Testament." Yet part of the canon it is, preserved and attested by the early church, and thus part of God's witness to the church of every age. In order to begin to understand its message to the church today, this paper turns first to the historical setting of the Ancient Near East (ANE) in the first century A.D., followed by an examination of the epistle's more immediate historical and literary context and genre, social and cultural features, along with critical and theological issues.
Universal and Particular Law in the Letter of James and Early Judaism
In the letter of James, 'law' (νόμος) is mentioned in three passages: 1.21-25, 2.8-12 and 4.11-12. This article focuses on Jas 1.21-25 and the relationship of λόγος at the beginning of the passage (1.21-23) with νόμος at the end (1.25; cf. 2.12). The question asked is whether James reflects Stoic views or not by analyzing this passage alongside occurrences of the expression נהיה רז ('mystery of existence') in 4QInstruction, the Community Rule and 1QMysteries. The broader aim is to consider how this passage of James may be situated within both Jewish Hellenistic literature and sapiential traditions discovered at Qumran in order to challenge straightforward identifications of Jas 1.21-25 with Stoicism. In conclusion, it is not simply that James is seen to align with these Qumran discoveries over and against Stoic thought, but rather all of these traditions are operating with comparable bridging concepts.
The Jewish Setting of the Epistle of James
In die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi, 2015
Many older commentators understood the Epistle of James to address itself to Jews of the diaspora, whether Christian or not. Although few modern scholars have seriously reckoned with this possibility, much is to be said for the thesis. It makes sense for example of important features of the epistle that otherwise would remain unclear, such as its dearth of explicit Christology, its seeming lack of distinctive Christian sentiments, and its thoroughly Jewish orientation. The author was a Jewish Christian still hoping for a Christian place within the Jewish synagogue; he wished for irenic relations with those who did not confess Jesus to be the Messiah. He was thus intentionally quiescent about much for apologetical purposes, a strategy with clear parallels in other ancient Christian literature.Die Joodse agtergrond van die Jakobusbrief. Die Jakobusbrief is deur baie van die ouer kommentaarskrywers gesien as ’n selfverklarende geskrif aan die Jode van die diaspora – hetsy Christene of ...