Introduction
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
James 1:1
Welcome to this 31-day reading through the book of James. This book of the Bible has been a favorite for centuries mainly because of its honesty, practicality, and direct nature. James didn't pull any punches or hold back from speaking reasonably and logically about what the Christian life should look like. In a world of lukewarm Christians and compromised beliefs (both then and now), the book of James stands out as a clear call to live for Jesus fully and accurately. Each daily devotional within this book will end with a prayer point, a specific idea or topic from that day's lesson we hope you will take the time to meditate on and pray about. Before we get into the book of James, it's important to first have some background context that will help you to better understand what you are reading.
There are several men named James mentioned in the New Testament, such as James, the brother of John and son of Zebedee, also known as James the less, who was the first of Jesus' disciples to be martyred. There was also James, the son of Alphaeus, another of the twelve disciples. But reliable tradition credits the book of James to the one called James the Just, the half-brother of Jesus, who led the church in Jerusalem during its formative years. The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:7 that Jesus made a special appearance to James after his resurrection. This miraculous appearance and the unrecorded conversation between the two was most likely the cause of his dramatic conversion because, up to that time, the brothers of Jesus seemed unsupportive of His message and mission.
After James' conversion and initiation into this newly formed Jesus sect, he followed with great devotion. Early written histories of the church tell us that James was such a man of prayer that his knees had large and thick calluses, making them look like the knees of a camel. He lived the 2nd half of his life as a faithful servant of Christ, which is how he introduced himself in verse one of his book. Knowing that this James was the half-brother of Jesus makes his self-introduction even more significant. He did not proclaim himself “the brother of Jesus” or leader of the church, which he was, but only a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was far more than James’ brother in his eyes. Much more importantly, Jesus was his Lord. For James to claim to be a servant, or in some translations, a bondservant of Jesus is a significant use of words. It translates from the ancient Greek word Doulos, and is probably better translated as slave. Think about that for a moment; James declares himself a slave of Christ. For James to refer to his brother as Lord is also significant. The word used translates from the ancient Greek word Kurios. It simply means the master of a Doulos, and in this context, it means that James considered Jesus God. James lived in humility towards his brother because he came to a deep and profound recognition that Jesus was not simply a good teacher or an enlightened prophet. Jesus was God.
James' book was really a long letter written to the twelve tribes. What James meant by this reference to the twelve tribes is difficult to understand. The question is whether James wrote a letter to only Christians from a Jewish background, or to all Christians. Certainly, his letter applies to all Christians, then and even today; yet James probably wrote his letter before many Gentiles were brought into the church. At that time, the twelve tribes was a Jewish figure of speech that sometimes referred to the Jewish people as a whole. Paul even referred to our twelve tribes in his speech before King Agrippa. The concept of the “twelve tribes” identity among the Jewish people was still strong, even though they had not lived in their tribal allotments for many centuries. At this point in the timeline of the vast Roman empire, the Jewish people were greatly scattered and there was also a Christian presence among most Jewish communities throughout the Roman-controlled regions. Regarding the extent of the dispersion, the Jewish historian Josephus later wrote: “There is no city, no tribe, whether Greek or barbarian, in which Jewish law and Jewish customs had not taken root.”
Early church historical documents tell us that James was later martyred in Jerusalem by being pushed from a high point of the temple. Yet the fall did not kill him, and on the ground, he was beaten to death with clubs, even as he prayed for his attackers. His life on this earth ended full of faith, boldness, spirit-filled prayer, and a hopeful expectation of a coming reunion with Jesus... his brother, and his Lord.
James 1:1
Welcome to this 31-day reading through the book of James. This book of the Bible has been a favorite for centuries mainly because of its honesty, practicality, and direct nature. James didn't pull any punches or hold back from speaking reasonably and logically about what the Christian life should look like. In a world of lukewarm Christians and compromised beliefs (both then and now), the book of James stands out as a clear call to live for Jesus fully and accurately. Each daily devotional within this book will end with a prayer point, a specific idea or topic from that day's lesson we hope you will take the time to meditate on and pray about. Before we get into the book of James, it's important to first have some background context that will help you to better understand what you are reading.
There are several men named James mentioned in the New Testament, such as James, the brother of John and son of Zebedee, also known as James the less, who was the first of Jesus' disciples to be martyred. There was also James, the son of Alphaeus, another of the twelve disciples. But reliable tradition credits the book of James to the one called James the Just, the half-brother of Jesus, who led the church in Jerusalem during its formative years. The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:7 that Jesus made a special appearance to James after his resurrection. This miraculous appearance and the unrecorded conversation between the two was most likely the cause of his dramatic conversion because, up to that time, the brothers of Jesus seemed unsupportive of His message and mission.
After James' conversion and initiation into this newly formed Jesus sect, he followed with great devotion. Early written histories of the church tell us that James was such a man of prayer that his knees had large and thick calluses, making them look like the knees of a camel. He lived the 2nd half of his life as a faithful servant of Christ, which is how he introduced himself in verse one of his book. Knowing that this James was the half-brother of Jesus makes his self-introduction even more significant. He did not proclaim himself “the brother of Jesus” or leader of the church, which he was, but only a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was far more than James’ brother in his eyes. Much more importantly, Jesus was his Lord. For James to claim to be a servant, or in some translations, a bondservant of Jesus is a significant use of words. It translates from the ancient Greek word Doulos, and is probably better translated as slave. Think about that for a moment; James declares himself a slave of Christ. For James to refer to his brother as Lord is also significant. The word used translates from the ancient Greek word Kurios. It simply means the master of a Doulos, and in this context, it means that James considered Jesus God. James lived in humility towards his brother because he came to a deep and profound recognition that Jesus was not simply a good teacher or an enlightened prophet. Jesus was God.
James' book was really a long letter written to the twelve tribes. What James meant by this reference to the twelve tribes is difficult to understand. The question is whether James wrote a letter to only Christians from a Jewish background, or to all Christians. Certainly, his letter applies to all Christians, then and even today; yet James probably wrote his letter before many Gentiles were brought into the church. At that time, the twelve tribes was a Jewish figure of speech that sometimes referred to the Jewish people as a whole. Paul even referred to our twelve tribes in his speech before King Agrippa. The concept of the “twelve tribes” identity among the Jewish people was still strong, even though they had not lived in their tribal allotments for many centuries. At this point in the timeline of the vast Roman empire, the Jewish people were greatly scattered and there was also a Christian presence among most Jewish communities throughout the Roman-controlled regions. Regarding the extent of the dispersion, the Jewish historian Josephus later wrote: “There is no city, no tribe, whether Greek or barbarian, in which Jewish law and Jewish customs had not taken root.”
Early church historical documents tell us that James was later martyred in Jerusalem by being pushed from a high point of the temple. Yet the fall did not kill him, and on the ground, he was beaten to death with clubs, even as he prayed for his attackers. His life on this earth ended full of faith, boldness, spirit-filled prayer, and a hopeful expectation of a coming reunion with Jesus... his brother, and his Lord.
Daily Challenge
We pray that this devotional is more than just a to do list item but that it allows you to refine the habit of spending time with God.
Dwell on the scriptures.
Allow God to speak as you meditate on his Word.
Reflect on each entry. Take time to write down what God is saying and how it can be applied to your life.
Go to God in prayer. Thank Him for all He has done and ask Him to continue to refine and strengthen you through the power of the Holy Spirit.