INTRODUCTION AND
HOW A BELIEVER RECEIVES A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE
James 1:1-12
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. An introduction to the letter of James.
A. The author is James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ.
1. It was not James, the son of Zebedee, the apostle, the brother of John
(Matt. 4:18-22; Matt. 17:1-3). He was martyred in 44 A.D. which was too
early to have written this (Acts 12:1,2).
2. It was one of Jesus’ half-brothers who became the leading elder of the church
at Jerusalem (Mark 6:3; I Cor. 15:7; Gal. 2:12; Acts 15:13; Acts 21:17-25).
a. James had authority to make major decisions in his office in Jerusalem and
his speeches in Acts 15 and Acts 21 reveal this.
b. The letter of James uses similar Jewish and Old Testament phrasings and
quotes as the Acts passages. It also is written very authoritatively by using
46 imperatives or command-tenses.
c. Early church history confirms the description of “James the Just,” the half-
brother of Christ as the author (Hegisuppus, Eusebius, and others).
d. He was martyred according to Josephus in 62 A.D.
B. The letter was most likely written between 45 and 50 A.D.
1. This fits the persecution of Christians from the Jews and Roman Empire time
period (Acts 8:1-3; 12:1,2), and their Jerusalem church leader’s heart to
encourage the dispersed Jewish Christians (James 1:1).
2. This fits the Jewishness of the teachings from Old Testament writings
(ie. Proverbs, Isaiah) and Christ’s teachings (Sermon on the Mount).
3. This fits a simpler early church leadership of teachers (James 3:1) and elders
(James 5:14).
4. This fits a lack of discussion of Jewish legalizers which the Apostle Paul dealt
with after 50 A.D. (see Galatians, Acts 15 and 21).
C. The purpose and canonicity of the letter of James.
1. It was written to instruct, comfort, and encourage dispersed Jewish Christians
who had to leave Jerusalem because of Roman persecution (Acts 7:59 - 8:3;
Acts 12:2; James 1:1).
2. It was one of the letters that was scrutinized for two to three hundred years of
church history as whether it should be included in the New Testament Canon of
Scripture. The Church Council of Carthage finally settled the issue in 397 A.D.
II. How a believer receives a higher quality of life (James 1:1-12).
A. The writer of this letter identifies himself as a servant or slave (“doulos”) of God
and Yahweh Jesus the Christ (Messiah). He writes to the scattered, persecuted
Jewish Christians (James 1:1).
Thought: How does knowing that you are owned and directed by the God and Savior
of the universe help you?
B. Christians are instructed to look at trials and tests in a wise and scripturally
knowledgeable way (James 1:2-12).
1. Believers should look at the trial, which is something that tests how mature our
faith has become, as a source of joy and discipleship (James 1:2-4).
a. Through the trial we can grow up in our faith (vs 4; I John 4:12-18).
b. Through the trial, as we trust in God, we learn how to endure (“abide
under”)(vs 4).
c. Through the trial we can get out of our non-abiding state (not lacking
abiding)(vs 4).
2. Believers should realize that they are not in the trial alone (James 1:5-8).
a. God will supply for them His wisdom if they will ask in faith (vs 5,6;
I John 3:20-23; I John 5:14,15).
b. God desires to be with you in your trials in a generous and non-rebuking
way if you will believe. Don’t be a wavering, double thinking God
doubter! (vs 7,8; Heb. 13:5,6).
3. Believers should realize that this world’s trials can yield eternal reward
(James 1:9-12).
a. A Christian’s mortal life, whether with material wealth or material poverty,
is short compared to eternity. We need proper perspective (vs 9-11;
Isaiah 40:6-8).
b. The reward for enduring trial in faithful trust is not only a matured faith in
this life but eternal reward in the next life called the crown of life (vs 12;
I Cor. 9:25; I Thes. 2:19; 2 Tim. 4:8; I Peter 5:4).
