Commentary of James' Epistle (1st draft)

The hermeneutics of James, and of the Scriptures

1. Must be interpreted in the light of Christ's Person, and Work of Salvation.
2. That Christ Himself is the fulfilment of the OT Scriptures.
3. That James would be obedient in carrying out the command of Jesus to 'make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you'.
4. The backdrop is always the message of the gospel - sinners are justified only in the finished work of Christ.
5. In the finished work of Christ, believers continuously struggle against the flesh, going to opposite extremes - the work of flesh in legalism, and the work of the flesh in antinomianism. In both cases, the flesh is the root and the source, going back to the old Adamic, fleshly and natural root and source, ultimately grounded in human pride, stained by sin of satan's influence, seeking to control apart from God.

In James 1, ver 3, faith is introduced. Trials test our faith. Since the outcome of the testing of our faith is endurance, we are to reckon testing with 'all joy'. However, James exhorts us to 'let endurance have its perfect work'. This perfect work leads to maturity and completion, bringing us to a state where we are 'lacking nothing'.

This idea and truth communicated by James to the dispersed Jewish brethren is so anti-intuitive that he advises these brethren to request for 'wisdom' to understand this truth.

Many times I have taken this verse - verse 5 - out of context as a standalone request for a situational 'wisdom', wherein we have a need for wisdom in a specific situation where our natural intelligence is insufficient. As we continue our reading and study of James, we are going to see that James does not agree or even intended for a 'situational' wisdom, as an appendage, or add-on for our natural, earthly intelligence or 'street smarts'.

As I read the opening verses of James, I am very slowly beginning to see that James is not departing from the usual structure and style of Paul and Peter, who would begin with a greeting, and then, begin their pastoral letter with a focus on the message of the gospel of Christ. This focus is on the work of Christ fulfilling our righteousness before God. The message of the gospel of Christ is that Christ took our sin, and we took His righteousness, all sourced from the grace we have in Christ, which God the Father provided through the power of His Spirit.

The gift of salvation is a whole and full package, with an unsearchable fullness of salvation in the eternal Christ which only an eternity would take to know.

In application thereof, our lives on earth is a constantly unravelling of the eternal Christ in a relationship of faith as He dwells in our heart, and by His Spirit, bringing forth fruits of righteousness unto His Father's glory.

Wisdom is to be asked 'in faith', nothing wavering. The testing of our faith produces full maturity. We need wisdom in the testing of our faith. Wisdom can be requested from God, and this request must be in faith, nothing wavering.

Comparison and analysis in the epistle of James. One who asks in faith, not wavering, and one who wavers like a wave driven by the wind and tossed. This wavering person should not even think that they will receive anything of the Lord.

So there is a beginning comparison in James' epistle between the person 'nothing wavering', and one who 'wavers like a wave'.

This person who 'wavers' is called a 'double-minded man', and James adds a characteristic to this man - he is 'unstable in all his ways'. Such a sweeping judgment by James. How the Arminian should be distressed by this epistle!

My proposed DMin thesis is that Arminian thinking, belief and practice is negatively correlated to living the 'abundant life' promised by our Savior.

This verse 8 in chapter 1 encapsulates my thesis claim that 'A double minded man is unstable in all his ways'.

James' statement in verse 9 can only be interpreted accurately by considering the teaching of the Lord in the sermon of the mount, 'Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of God'. And also, Jesus statement that it is harder for the camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. This verse needs to be accompanied by the verse in the apocalyptic book by apostle John about how rich believers were taking confidence in their richness and were not aware that they were naked and wretched!

Verse 14 introduces the real reason behind 'temptation' or trials - 'his own lust', and thereby enticed (entrapped, allure, beguile). This word 'lust' (longing, desire, from the Gk, epithumia) is the root of temptation and trials. This overwhelming desire, stirred up by the serpent within Eve's heart, brought forth sin, the rebellion against God's command. The end result of disobedience of sin, death. In all this, James does not depart even once from the teaching of Paul. In fact, it is almost identical to Paul's teaching in Romans chapter 5.

Luther's pride ran away with his rationality when he ascribed James' epistle to a 'strawny' one. Another reason why we must not allow men, however notable their spiritual accomplishments, to be put on a pedestal, and be thought infallible in their interpretations of Scripture.