James 1.1-4 - Book Intro and Trials - Carpenter Flock Sunday school

James 1

Segway:

What is God’s purpose for you?  Discussion time.
In Job 1, Satan came to God with the objective of shaking his faith in and loyalty to God.  Satan was relentless in his attack.
In Romans 8.28-29 the "good" is to conformed to the image of Christ so that he will be the firstborn among many brothern.  The work that God is doing in our life is to complete that work. 
The great question in our trials, whether  events or temptations can loosen your grip of faith.
 

I. Introduction

A. From:  James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

James was actually Jacob (Iakōbos). It is not certain why the English translators chose “James” rather than “Jacob.” “James,” “Jake,” and “Jacob” all come from the same root. Bible translations in other languages tend to utilize the transliterated name from the actual Hebrew “Jacob” (ya‘ăqōb). Could it be that King James desired to see his name in the English translation he authorized?^[1]

·         James, the brother of John and son of Zebedee: Martyred by Herod Agrippa I by AD 44 (Acts 12:2), the year Agrippa died.

·         James, the less (or younger) AND James, the father of the “other” apostle Judas (Luke 6:16).:  Probably did not have the prominence need to write a letter of this nature.

·         James, the brother of Jesus (James the Just) and lead elder of the church in Jerusalem in Acts 15: Most likely author  (1. Linguistic similarities between this book and the letter from the Apostolic Council in Acts 15.   2. Circumstances in the letter fit the date and situation from which James in Jerusalem would be writing.)

·         δοῦλος doulos obedience, humility, loyalty, greatness,

lit. man of servile condition

metaph., one who gives himself up to another's will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men

·         Why didn’t James mention is position in Jerusalem or that he was the physical half-brother to Jesus?

B. To:  To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:

·         Addressing Jewish Christians outside Israel. 

·         (ἐν τῇ διασπορᾷ). Lit., in the dispersion; on which see on 1 Pet 1:1. Rev., which are of the dispersion.^[2]

·         Probably the first book of the new testament -AD 45 (1. No allusions to concepts in Paul’s writings on the subject of faith.  2. No sign of the Acts 15 council having any influence on the book.)

C. Salutation:  Greetings. χαίρω chairō Note the similarity to joy χαρά chara in the Greek forms a link between the salutation and section on trials..

·         1) to rejoice, be glad  2) at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute

·          The idiom, Greetings, common in thousands of ancient papyri letters, does not stand alone in any other New Testament letter. This is the Greek salutation much like the English “Hello” or “Welcome.” (See comments on 2 John 10-11.) It is interesting that James did not add the Jewish salutation “Peace” (šālôm). Paul usually included both the Greek and Hebrew greetings, which are translated “grace and peace.” James undoubtedly sought to maintain a crisp style and the simple elegance of good Greek even though he wrote to fellow Jews. Furthermore, the play on words between “greetings” (chairein) in James 1:1 and “joy” (charan) in verse 2 is thus more evident.^[3]

II. Trials

1 Peter 1.6

⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, ⁸ whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, ⁹ receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

My brethren,  (Addresses like “friends,” “beloved” and “brothers” were common in ancient moral exhortation; “brothers” was used both for “fellow countrymen” and for “fellow religionists.”^[4])

A. Exhortation:  count it all joy

·   count ἡγέομαι hēgeomai 1) to lead 2) to consider, deem, account, think (reckon) 

It is a financial term, and it means “to evaluate.” Paul used it several times in Philippians 3. When Paul became a Christian, he evaluated his life and set new goals and priorities. Things that were once important to him became “garbage” in the light of his experience with Christ. When we face the trials of life, we must evaluate them in the light of what God is doing for us.^[5]

“James is not commanding how one should feel, but rather how one should think about one’s circumstances.” –Craig Bloomberg & Mariam Kamell in  Zondervan Exegetical C.onN.T.

But while we cannot will ourselves to be jovial rather than depressed, we can choose how we think—hence the verbs about considering and knowing in vv. 2-3.’ –Craig Bloomberg & Mariam Kamell in  Zondervan Exegetical C.onN.T.

·   all   Describes joy: “probably suggests intensity (complete and unalloyed joy) rather than exclusivity (nothing but joy)” –Douglas Moo in PillarNTC

·   joy   Combined with consider with this word makes it clear that it is not an emotional response.  “a state of mind”

1. Time: when you fall into various trials:

·         When, not if.  “Christianity does not shelter one from any adversity.” –Craig Bloomberg & Mariam Kamell in  Zondervan Exegetical C.onN.T.
1. It is implied that troubles and afflictions may be the lot of the best Christians^[6] 

·         We are not to seek troubles.  We should not be surprised by them. 

·         fall – “The experiences that come to the children of God are not by accident (Rom. 8:28).” ^[7]

·         various – God can work even through evil events to accomplish His good.
“Even when believers have largely themselves to blame for difficulties, God’s sovereignty is not thwarted and He still works to bring something good out of the situation.” –Craig Bloomberg & Mariam Kamell in  Zondervan Exegetical C.onN.T.

·   trials - πειρασμός peirasmos  1. an outward trial or process of “testing” (1 Peter 4:12) or 2. enticement to sin (James 1.1 Timothy 6:9) 

·   There will be the
test of the sorrows and the disappointments
test of the seductions which seek to lure us from the right way.
tests of the dangers, the sacrifices, the unpopularity which the Christian way must so often involve.

2. Reason: knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

·   Testing  δοκίμιον dokimion   – it is regarded by some as equivalent to dokimeion, "a crucible, a test;" as in 1 Peter 1.7 (“that the genuineness of your faith … though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor…”) –Vines Expository Dictionary

·   faith – without the article refers to the act of believing not what is believed.

·   patience ὑπομονή hypomonē  From ὑπό (G5259) under; and μένω (G3306) abide.  lit. to abide under -- 1. a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance  2. in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.

·   It isn’t so much the quality that helps you sit quietly in the doctor’s waiting room as it is the quality that helps you finish a marathon.  --Guzik

B. Exhortation: But let patience have its perfect work, (present, active, indicative)

·   patience ὑπομονή hypomonē  From ὑπό (G5259) under; and μένω (G3306) abide.  lit. to abide under -- 1. a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance  2. in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.

·   When we bear all that God appoints, and as long as he appoints, and with a humble obedient eye to him, and when we not only bear troubles, but rejoice in them, then patience hath its perfect work.^[8]

1.      Purpose: that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

What is God’s purpose in trials? It is the perfection of Christian character in His children. He wants His children to be mature (perfect), and maturity is developed only in the laboratory of life. Trials can produce patience (see Rom. 5:3), which means “endurance”; and endurance in turn leads the believer into deeper maturity in Christ. ^[9]

·   perfect  τέλειος teleios 1) brought to its end, finished;  2) wanting nothing necessary to completeness;   3) perfect

“It makes him perfect. The Greek is teleios (GSN5046) which usually has the meaning of perfection towards a given end. A sacrificial animal is teleios (GSN5046) if it is fit to offer to God. A scholar is teleios (GSN5046) if he is mature. A person is teleios (GSN5046) if he is full grown. This constancy born of testing well met makes a man teleios (GSN5046) in the sense of being fit for the task he was sent into the world to do. Here is a great thought. By the way in which we meet every experience in life we are either fitting or unfitting ourselves for the task which God meant us to do.” –William Barclay

2. In Paul’s writings perfection or maturity entails several ideas related to the concept of fulfillment, reaching a goal or attaining completion. The English word actualized captures an important nuance in Paul’s thinking on this subject: that which is perfect or mature has fulfilled its intended goal.^[10]

·   complete ὁλόκληρος holoklēros  complete in all its parts, in no part wanting or unsound, complete, entire, whole

It makes him complete. The Greek is holokleros (GSN3648) which means entire, perfect in every part. It is used of the animal which is fit to be offered to God and of the priest who is fit to serve him. It means that the animal or the person has no disfiguring and disqualifying blemishes. Gradually this unswerving constancy removes the weaknesses and the imperfections from a man's character. Daily it enables him to conquer old sins, to shed old blemishes and to gain new virtues, until in the end he becomes entirely fit for the service of God and of his fellow-men.  a totality, with special emphasis upon the entity as a whole—‘whole, entire.’ –William Barclay

καὶ ὁλόκληρον ὑμῶν τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἀμέμπτως … τηρηθείη ‘and may he keep … your entire being, spirit, soul, and body, without blame’ 1 Th 5:23. ^[11]

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The distinction then is plain. The ὁλόκληρος is one who has preserved, or who, having once lost, has now regained, his completeness: the τέλειος is one who has attained his moral end, that for which he was intended, namely, to be a man in Christ; however it may be true that, having reached this, other and higher ends will open out before him, to have… -- Richard C. Trench in Synonyms of the New Testament

lacking nothing   It makes him deficient in nothing. The Greek is leipesthai (GSN3007) and it is used of the defeat of an army, of the giving up of a struggle, of the failure to reach a standard that should have been reached.  –William Barclay

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^[1] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Jas 1:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Lit. Literally.

Rev. Revised Version of the New Testament.

^[2] Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Jas 1:1). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.

^[3] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Jas 1:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[4] Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Jas 1:3–4). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Jas 1:2). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[6] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (Jas 1:2–12). Peabody: Hendrickson.

^[7] Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (720). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[8] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (Jas 1:2–12). Peabody: Hendrickson.

^[9] Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (720). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[10] Dictionary of Paul and his letters. 1993 (G. F. Hawthorne, R. P. Martin & D. G. Reid, Ed.) (699). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^[11] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (596). New York: United Bible Societies.