There is a letter in the New Testament written by a "James"...ok...which James? Several men in the New Testament went by the name of James....
The letter written by "James" is an interesting letter no doubt. It seems obvious this letter was written to Christians who had been a part of the Jewish faith...and now many of these former Jewish people had left Israel and found homes in other lands (countries).
One thing historians do conclude: this letter was accepted and well known...which makes you believe which ever James wrote this letter was a definite leader in the Early Church.
There was a James the son of Zebedee...he was the brother of the apostle John. Yet, history writes that this James was killed by Herod the King around 42 A.D....and this letter in James was clearly written after this, perhaps 5 to 10 years later.
Most historians conclude this letter was written by James, the 1/2 brother of Jesus. This James was a prominent leader in the Early Church in Jerusalem and was involved with those who had committed their lives to Christ Jesus from the Jewish faith. In fact, in this letter written by James, there really is not mention of those who gave their hearts and lives to Christ...from Gentile(other beliefs outside the Jewish faith).
Christianity in it's beginning was considered another sect of the Jewish faith...just like there were Pharisees, Sadducees, etc. When other people began to follow Christ Jesus outside of the Jewish beliefs...this is when it became apparent Christianity was a totally different belief and way of life.
James himself did not follow Christ Jesus while He was on earth, rather, He converted shortly after the Resurrection when Christ appeared to James.
Although James is not "officially" mentioned as one of the Original 12, there has been speculation he might have been "James the Less"...because there were 2 different James that were part of the Original 12. "James the Less" phrase does not mean he was of less importance, it was signifying he was the younger in age of the 2 James recorded (the other was James the son of Zebedee...the brother of John).
There has been thought given that this letter was not intended to simply be a type of correspondence between parties, but rather a type of wisdom literature for the purpose of circulation.
Martin Luther, a founding father during the Protestant Reformation was not a proponent of this particular letter in the New Testament, at one point referring to this letter written by James as an "Epistle of Straw". Luther himself during his lifetime seemed to have hard feelings toward those of the Jewish faith.
James who wrote this letter is identified as a 1/2 brother of Jesus in the New Testament...in the Gospel of Mark for example...Mark 6:2-3. Jesus could only have had 1/2 brothers and sisters since His mother Mary conceived the Messiah through the power of the Holy Spirit...not Joseph. The passage in Mark 6:2-3 reads:
" On the next Sabbath, after returning to his hometown, He began to teach in the local synagogue...and He had brought His disciples along with Him. As He taught that day, many of the local folk that had known Jesus since He was a young child...were simply amazed and astonished with His ability to teach. The towns people had also heard about Jesus performing miracles and demonstrating power of God Himself in nearby areas like Capernaum.
Soon they began to ask one another: "Isn't He just a carpenter...a son of a carpenter? Isn't He the son of Mary...and has bothers named James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Are not His very sisters right here as well...sitting among us? Soon the local folk became offended with Jesus...for that is how they knew Him...and refused to acknowledge Him...as their Messiah."
James is spoken of by Saint Paul in Paul's letter to the Galatians. Paul had come to visit "The Original" apostles in Jerusalem....and Paul himself came to get acquainted with Peter. It is here that James is mentioned as a prominent leader in the early Christian church in Jerusalem. At that time, much discussion was being given to those of the Jewish faith who now had accepted Jesus the Messiah into their hearts and lives. The central question during Paul's visit was "Do Christians now need to follow the Jewish laws"? Paul gives his view with much emphasis..."No..it was not necessary to follow the older Jewish customs and laws once a person has received the Christ into their own hearts." Paul was accompanied by a couple of Christians...who were from a different religious background altogether...and had never followed...Jewish Law.
For myself, I like the letter written by James, and in chapter 5:16-18 James seems to "bring home" the fact....we are all flesh and blood...doing our best to allow Christ Jesus to make His Presence known...through our individual and daily lives.....
A Gleaning from James 5:16-18
" Here is the thing I highly suggest we do...weave this into your daily lifestyle...until it becomes a daily practice.
First...learn to "man-up". Face up and admit where you have done wrong...offending God whether it be in speech or action...or where you have offended a friend, a brother, or anyone you associate with. Along with this, don't be afraid to speak about this...to someone you know and trust.
Then, follow up your "confession" with prayer...including praying for those you have hurt or offended and are now in need of your prayers, this will enable you to find freedom as a Christian as well. In fact, when you do this, it "opens the door" for healing to come your way, and to the lives of those around you.
Our daily prayers are most effective when we pray from honest and innocent hearts...hearts that desire to live our lives that are pleasing to Him. When we pray in this manner, our prayers are able to take on a tremendous power with capabilities of producing some wondrous results. Our prayers become a "force to be reckoned with".
And don't think for a moment this can not happen. Look at the Old Testament prophet Elijah...he was just like we are now...human...just like us in every sense of the word. He had emotions and feelings just like us, he had thoughts just like us, and he had his good days and his bad days....just like us.
Yet, when Elijah prayed from an honest and innocent heart...things really did happen! One time he prayed to God for no rain to come into the region he lived in....and God heard and answered his prayer. It literally did not rain in the area Elijah lived in...for 3 and 1/2 years!
Then, Elijah prayed again from a honest and innocent heart...and asked God for it to rain in the very same area he had asked God for it to not rain for 3 and 1/2 years. And...sure enough...God again heard and answered his prayer...the rains came...the grass turned green once more...the flowers burst into bloom...and the crops brought forth a harvest.
It all goes back to one thing..."manning-up", confessing where you "missed it", seeking God in a prayer of repentance, and praying again...from an honest and innocent heart.
This my friends...is what makes you strong...in your Christian walk!"
The letter written by "James" is an interesting letter no doubt. It seems obvious this letter was written to Christians who had been a part of the Jewish faith...and now many of these former Jewish people had left Israel and found homes in other lands (countries).
One thing historians do conclude: this letter was accepted and well known...which makes you believe which ever James wrote this letter was a definite leader in the Early Church.
There was a James the son of Zebedee...he was the brother of the apostle John. Yet, history writes that this James was killed by Herod the King around 42 A.D....and this letter in James was clearly written after this, perhaps 5 to 10 years later.
Most historians conclude this letter was written by James, the 1/2 brother of Jesus. This James was a prominent leader in the Early Church in Jerusalem and was involved with those who had committed their lives to Christ Jesus from the Jewish faith. In fact, in this letter written by James, there really is not mention of those who gave their hearts and lives to Christ...from Gentile(other beliefs outside the Jewish faith).
Christianity in it's beginning was considered another sect of the Jewish faith...just like there were Pharisees, Sadducees, etc. When other people began to follow Christ Jesus outside of the Jewish beliefs...this is when it became apparent Christianity was a totally different belief and way of life.
James himself did not follow Christ Jesus while He was on earth, rather, He converted shortly after the Resurrection when Christ appeared to James.
Although James is not "officially" mentioned as one of the Original 12, there has been speculation he might have been "James the Less"...because there were 2 different James that were part of the Original 12. "James the Less" phrase does not mean he was of less importance, it was signifying he was the younger in age of the 2 James recorded (the other was James the son of Zebedee...the brother of John).
There has been thought given that this letter was not intended to simply be a type of correspondence between parties, but rather a type of wisdom literature for the purpose of circulation.
Martin Luther, a founding father during the Protestant Reformation was not a proponent of this particular letter in the New Testament, at one point referring to this letter written by James as an "Epistle of Straw". Luther himself during his lifetime seemed to have hard feelings toward those of the Jewish faith.
James who wrote this letter is identified as a 1/2 brother of Jesus in the New Testament...in the Gospel of Mark for example...Mark 6:2-3. Jesus could only have had 1/2 brothers and sisters since His mother Mary conceived the Messiah through the power of the Holy Spirit...not Joseph. The passage in Mark 6:2-3 reads:
" On the next Sabbath, after returning to his hometown, He began to teach in the local synagogue...and He had brought His disciples along with Him. As He taught that day, many of the local folk that had known Jesus since He was a young child...were simply amazed and astonished with His ability to teach. The towns people had also heard about Jesus performing miracles and demonstrating power of God Himself in nearby areas like Capernaum.
Soon they began to ask one another: "Isn't He just a carpenter...a son of a carpenter? Isn't He the son of Mary...and has bothers named James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Are not His very sisters right here as well...sitting among us? Soon the local folk became offended with Jesus...for that is how they knew Him...and refused to acknowledge Him...as their Messiah."
James is spoken of by Saint Paul in Paul's letter to the Galatians. Paul had come to visit "The Original" apostles in Jerusalem....and Paul himself came to get acquainted with Peter. It is here that James is mentioned as a prominent leader in the early Christian church in Jerusalem. At that time, much discussion was being given to those of the Jewish faith who now had accepted Jesus the Messiah into their hearts and lives. The central question during Paul's visit was "Do Christians now need to follow the Jewish laws"? Paul gives his view with much emphasis..."No..it was not necessary to follow the older Jewish customs and laws once a person has received the Christ into their own hearts." Paul was accompanied by a couple of Christians...who were from a different religious background altogether...and had never followed...Jewish Law.
For myself, I like the letter written by James, and in chapter 5:16-18 James seems to "bring home" the fact....we are all flesh and blood...doing our best to allow Christ Jesus to make His Presence known...through our individual and daily lives.....
A Gleaning from James 5:16-18
" Here is the thing I highly suggest we do...weave this into your daily lifestyle...until it becomes a daily practice.
First...learn to "man-up". Face up and admit where you have done wrong...offending God whether it be in speech or action...or where you have offended a friend, a brother, or anyone you associate with. Along with this, don't be afraid to speak about this...to someone you know and trust.
Then, follow up your "confession" with prayer...including praying for those you have hurt or offended and are now in need of your prayers, this will enable you to find freedom as a Christian as well. In fact, when you do this, it "opens the door" for healing to come your way, and to the lives of those around you.
Our daily prayers are most effective when we pray from honest and innocent hearts...hearts that desire to live our lives that are pleasing to Him. When we pray in this manner, our prayers are able to take on a tremendous power with capabilities of producing some wondrous results. Our prayers become a "force to be reckoned with".
And don't think for a moment this can not happen. Look at the Old Testament prophet Elijah...he was just like we are now...human...just like us in every sense of the word. He had emotions and feelings just like us, he had thoughts just like us, and he had his good days and his bad days....just like us.
Yet, when Elijah prayed from an honest and innocent heart...things really did happen! One time he prayed to God for no rain to come into the region he lived in....and God heard and answered his prayer. It literally did not rain in the area Elijah lived in...for 3 and 1/2 years!
Then, Elijah prayed again from a honest and innocent heart...and asked God for it to rain in the very same area he had asked God for it to not rain for 3 and 1/2 years. And...sure enough...God again heard and answered his prayer...the rains came...the grass turned green once more...the flowers burst into bloom...and the crops brought forth a harvest.
It all goes back to one thing..."manning-up", confessing where you "missed it", seeking God in a prayer of repentance, and praying again...from an honest and innocent heart.This my friends...is what makes you strong...in your Christian walk!"
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