We’ve been looking at the Epistle of James for the past few weeks, and I thought it might be interesting to list some of the important facts that surround this unique and somewhat controversial epistle.
- James is considered to be the half-brother of Jesus.
- James was not one of the original 12 Disciples. There are 2 other James’s listed as Disciples —James, the son of Zebedee, the brother of John, and James, the son of Alphaeus.
- James was the first head of the church in Jerusalem.
- He, along with Peter and Paul, was a key leader of the early church movement.
- It was James who settled the dispute between Peter and Paul over the issue of the acceptance of Gentiles into the church.
- The Book of James was the last book accepted in the canon of the New Testament.
- It is quite possible the Letter of James could be the earliest of all the New Testament writings. Some scholars place this letter as being written as early as 44 ACE.
- Prior to Jesus’ death, James was skeptical and did not believe, but after being an eyewitness to the post-resurrection of Jesus Christ, he became a devoted follower of Christ.
- He had a zeal for the Law of God and was extremely devoted to prayer. (He was said to have callouses on his knees that resembled those of a camel.)
- He died 62 ACE (recorded by Josephus). A Bishop of the 2nd Century named Eusebius reported that James was beaten to death after being thrown from the temple parapet.
The letter of James encourages us that by hearing the word of God, we should be inspired to do the work of the Lord. A saving faith is one where an individual is inspired to use their talents and abilities for the Glory of God.
The Lord has blessed us so that we may abound in good works. Let us put our faith into action — to give willingly, to serve abundantly and to proclaim the good news throughout the world.
Pastor Mark