NEW TESTAMENT
JAMES
The General Epistles
§ By the 4th Century, the seven letters that follow Hebrews (James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John,
Jude) were known as the _______________ (universal) or _______________Epistles
§ Unlike the Pauline Epistles, they appeared to be addressed to the church in general
rather than to a single congregation
§ Modern scholars argue that each of the letters was written to a
_______________congregation or to a _______________and delimited area
INTRODUCTION
§ _______________of references to Jesus and _______________of references to the Holy
Spirit
§ Augments Paul's doctrine of _______________by grace through faith
§ Martin Luther relegated it to the _______________of Scripture – "a right strawy
epistle"
§ Represents an early form of _______________Christianity that is firmly grounded in
Jewish wisdom ethics
AUTHORSHIP
§ "James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ"
§ At Least Four Options
1. James the Son of _______________- brother of John, one of the Twelve (Mark
1.19; 5.37; 9.2; 10.35; 14.33)
2. James the Son of _______________- one of the Twelve (Mark 3.18)
3. James the father of _______________ (Luke 6.16; Acts 1.13)
4. James the brother of the _______________- played a leading role in the
Jerusalem church (Acts 12.17; 15.13; 21.18)
AUTHORSHIP
§ James "the Brother of the Lord" (Best Option)
§ Relationship to Jesus
§ Half-brother, named _______________ (Mk 6:3, Jn 7:2-8)
§ Shared family's _______________ (Mk 3.21), but changed by
_______________appearance (1 Cor 15.7)
§ Early Church
§ With the disciples prior to _______________ (Acts 1.14)
§ Leader in _______________and known as "James the _______________"
(Acts 12.17)
§ Played a key role in the Jerusalem _______________ (Acts 15)
§ Stoned to death in _______________by the high priest, Ananus
(Josephus, Ant 20.9.1)
CANONIZATION
, § Slow Process
§ Not until the _______________century when the letter was recognized by both
the eastern and western churches
§ _______________classified it among the antilegomena (disputed works)
§ _______________said it gained acceptance "little by little"
§ _______________– the dominance of _______________rather than
doctrinal character; the audience limited to _______________Christians;
the mistake that James doctrine of works _______________Paul’s
doctrine of faith
DATE
§ AD _______________– Possibly the _______________NT book to be written
§ If James the Just is the author, then prior to AD 62
§ No ____________________controversy suggests prior to AD 49
§ No _______________arguments (no heresy yet)
§ _______________church discipline and organization
§ Still meeting in _______________
§ Economic conditions seem _______________
§ "Twelve Tribes" address seems early, i.e., minus Gentiles
PROVENANCE
§ Officially _______________
§ Possible - _______________and _______________in particular
§ James associated with church in Jerusalem
§ Possible - _______________
§ Teachings show similarities to Matthew, especially the Sermon on the
Mount
§ Manuscript evidence does not provide provenance
AUDIENCE
§ "Twelve Tribes in the Dispersion"
§ Metaphor for Jews, Jewish Christians (Best Option), or all believers?
§ _______________worship (2.2), _______________applicable (2:8-13;
4:11-12)
§ Phrases – "Abraham our father" (2:21)
§ Use of the _______________in quotations and allusions
§ Resemblance to Jewish _______________literature
§ _______________tone
AUDIENCE
§ Geographical Location?
§ Jewish Christians Living in _______________
§ Merchants, rich farmers = pre-war socioeconomic setting
§ James' writings would have been collected and published
JAMES
The General Epistles
§ By the 4th Century, the seven letters that follow Hebrews (James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John,
Jude) were known as the _______________ (universal) or _______________Epistles
§ Unlike the Pauline Epistles, they appeared to be addressed to the church in general
rather than to a single congregation
§ Modern scholars argue that each of the letters was written to a
_______________congregation or to a _______________and delimited area
INTRODUCTION
§ _______________of references to Jesus and _______________of references to the Holy
Spirit
§ Augments Paul's doctrine of _______________by grace through faith
§ Martin Luther relegated it to the _______________of Scripture – "a right strawy
epistle"
§ Represents an early form of _______________Christianity that is firmly grounded in
Jewish wisdom ethics
AUTHORSHIP
§ "James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ"
§ At Least Four Options
1. James the Son of _______________- brother of John, one of the Twelve (Mark
1.19; 5.37; 9.2; 10.35; 14.33)
2. James the Son of _______________- one of the Twelve (Mark 3.18)
3. James the father of _______________ (Luke 6.16; Acts 1.13)
4. James the brother of the _______________- played a leading role in the
Jerusalem church (Acts 12.17; 15.13; 21.18)
AUTHORSHIP
§ James "the Brother of the Lord" (Best Option)
§ Relationship to Jesus
§ Half-brother, named _______________ (Mk 6:3, Jn 7:2-8)
§ Shared family's _______________ (Mk 3.21), but changed by
_______________appearance (1 Cor 15.7)
§ Early Church
§ With the disciples prior to _______________ (Acts 1.14)
§ Leader in _______________and known as "James the _______________"
(Acts 12.17)
§ Played a key role in the Jerusalem _______________ (Acts 15)
§ Stoned to death in _______________by the high priest, Ananus
(Josephus, Ant 20.9.1)
CANONIZATION
, § Slow Process
§ Not until the _______________century when the letter was recognized by both
the eastern and western churches
§ _______________classified it among the antilegomena (disputed works)
§ _______________said it gained acceptance "little by little"
§ _______________– the dominance of _______________rather than
doctrinal character; the audience limited to _______________Christians;
the mistake that James doctrine of works _______________Paul’s
doctrine of faith
DATE
§ AD _______________– Possibly the _______________NT book to be written
§ If James the Just is the author, then prior to AD 62
§ No ____________________controversy suggests prior to AD 49
§ No _______________arguments (no heresy yet)
§ _______________church discipline and organization
§ Still meeting in _______________
§ Economic conditions seem _______________
§ "Twelve Tribes" address seems early, i.e., minus Gentiles
PROVENANCE
§ Officially _______________
§ Possible - _______________and _______________in particular
§ James associated with church in Jerusalem
§ Possible - _______________
§ Teachings show similarities to Matthew, especially the Sermon on the
Mount
§ Manuscript evidence does not provide provenance
AUDIENCE
§ "Twelve Tribes in the Dispersion"
§ Metaphor for Jews, Jewish Christians (Best Option), or all believers?
§ _______________worship (2.2), _______________applicable (2:8-13;
4:11-12)
§ Phrases – "Abraham our father" (2:21)
§ Use of the _______________in quotations and allusions
§ Resemblance to Jewish _______________literature
§ _______________tone
AUDIENCE
§ Geographical Location?
§ Jewish Christians Living in _______________
§ Merchants, rich farmers = pre-war socioeconomic setting
§ James' writings would have been collected and published
