|
Read it Yourself
Should the Letter of James be in
the Canon or out? Read here what some theologians have to say
about the James. Are their concerns valid? Are they actually rejecting
James from the Canon? You decide! Eusebius
is a fourth century historian, Luther
a sixteenth century reformer, and John
Wesley the founder of the Methodist church.
Read
It Yourself
Eusebius | Luther |
Wesley | Top
of Page | Return to Canon Page
Background Pages
What's In A Word? | James
uses Biblical Texts | Paul and James
Will the REAL James Stand Up? | When
was James Written?
To Whom is James Sent? | Canon:
Is James IN or OUT?
Read it Yourself: Comments on James
in the Canon
Annotated Bibliography
Disputed
Book? Eusebius
"At this point it seems reasonable
to summarize the writings of the NT which have been quoted. In
the first place should be the holy tetrad of the Gospels. To them
follows the writing of the Acts of the Apostles. After this should
be reckoned the Epistles of Paul. Following them the Epistles
of John called the first, and in the same way should be recognized
the Epistle of Peter. In addition to these should be put, if it
seem desirable, the Revelation of John, the arguments concerning
which we will expound at the proper time. These belong to the
Recognized Books.
Of the Disputed Books which are nevertheless known to most are
the Epistle called James, that of Jude, the second Epistle of
John which may be the work of the evangelist or of some other
with the same name.
Among the books which are not genuine must be reckoned the Acts
of Paul, the work entitled the Shepherd, the Apocalypse of Peter,
and in addition to them the letter called of Barnabas and the
so-called teaching of the Apostles. And in addition, as I said,
the Revelation of John, if this view prevail. For, as I said,
some reject it, but others count it among the recognized books.
Some have also counted the Gospel according to the Hebrews in
which those of the Hebrews who have accepted Christ take a special
pleasure." -Ecclesiastical
History 3.25.1-5
Read
It Yourself
Eusebius | Luther |
Wesley | Top
of Page | Return to Canon Page
Background
Pages
Word Studies | James
uses other Biblical Resources | Paul
and James
Who Wrote James? | When
was James Written? | Written To
Whom?
Canon: Is James IN or OUT? | Original
Comments on Canon
Annotated Bibliography
Epistle
of Straw? Luther
"Saint John's gospel and St. Paul's epistles, especially
that to the Romans, and St. Peter's first epistle are the true
pit and marrow of all the books. They should justly be the first
books, and every Christian should be advised to read them first
and most, and by daily reading to make them as familiar to himself
as his daily bread.
In them you do not find described many works and miracles of Christ;
but you do find depicted in a masterly manner how faith in Christ
overcomes sin, death, and hell, and gives life, righteousness,
and salvation. This is the real nature of the Gospel …
These books show you Christ and teach you all that is necessary
and salutary for you to known even though you were never to see
or hear any other book or doctrine. Therefore St. James epistle
is really an epistle of straw compared to them, for it lacks this
evangelical character." (W-DB 6, 10 Plass
988)
and yet, about the new testament itself, Luther says
The New Testament is only the gospel preached: "This is nothing
else than the message by which the Spirit is offered to us and
grace for the forgiveness of sins, purchased for us by Christ
Crucified-and all entirely free, through the pure mercy of God
the Father, who thus favors us unworthy creatures, who deserve
damnation rather than anything else."
After the gospel preached is the exhortations, which are to "animate
those who have already been justified" so that they might
"Practice love in good works, and courageously to bear the
cross and all other tribulations of this world" (W 18, 692
in Plass 987-988).
and yet, again, Luther quotes James
His comments on Prayer-do not ever give up on prayer, "Let
us, therefore, pray boldly and confidently" supported by
James 5:16. (Plass 1097)
"So the question is asked: How can justification take place
without the works of the Law, and how can no justification take
place by the works of the Law even though James clearly says:
'Faith without works is dead' (2:26) and 'By works a man is justified'
(2:24), adducing the examples of Abraham and Rahab? And even Paul
says (Gal 5:6): 'Faith (which) worketh by love' and above (Rom
2:13): 'The doers of the Law shall be justified"? Answer:
the apostle distinguishes between the Law and faith, between the
letter and grace, and so also between their works. He calls those
works 'works of the Law' that are done without faith and grace,
by the Law, which forces them to be done through fear or through
the enticing promise of temporal advantages. But he calls these
'works of faith' which are done in the spirit of liberty, purely
out of love to God. And these can be done only by those who are
justified by faith. But the works of the Law contribute nothing
toward this justification, nay, they greatly hinder it, because
they will not let a man realize that he is unjust and in need
of justification. ...
"There when the blessed James and the apostle say that man
is justified by works, they are disputing the false conception
of those who contended that a faith without works would be sufficient.
However, the apostle does not say that faith is without its characteristic
works-for then there would be no faith at all since 'activity
reveals the nature of a thing' according to philosophers-but that
it justifies without the works of the Law. Therefore justification
does not require a living faith, which performs its works. (W
56, 248f in Plass 720-721).
Luther also uses James 1:14 to argue about sin that "the
great enticement is within you, and you must first run and flee
from yourself" (W 10 I, 1, in Plass
1302).
In James 2:26, Luther explains that before God, we are justified
by faith alone, without works, but "Before the people
and himself, he is justified through works, that is, he thereby
becomes known and certain himself that he honestly believes and
is pious" (W10 III, 287 f in Plass
1231).
James 4:7 "resist the devil" We should, in fact,
be afraid of sin and temptation, but "we should not stay
in terror; we should turn again to grace" (W-T 1, No. 407).
(p 1349)
Also in response to temptation, Luther exhorts us to call upon
God and pray (James 5:13)
(W-T 1, No. 956 in Plass
1350)
Ewald M. Plass, compiler, What Luther
Says: An Anthology Three Volumes. (St. Louis MO: Concordia
Publishing House, 1959).
W is the Weimar Edition of Luther's Works
W-Br is the Weimar Edition of Luther's Letters Briefe
W-DB is the Weimar Edition Deutsche Bibel
W-T is the Weimar Edition Tischreden
Read
It Yourself
Eusebius | Luther |
Wesley | Top
of Page | Return to Canon Page
Background
Pages
Word Studies | James
uses other Biblical Resources | Paul
and James
Who Wrote James? | When
was James Written? | Written To
Whom?
Canon: Is James IN or OUT? | Original
Comments on Canon
Annotated Bibliography
Faith
Without Works is Dead! John Wesley
Study on John Wesley
John Wesley, How
to Read Scripture
John Wesley preaches
James 1:4 On
patience
James 4:4 On
Friendship With the World
1 Timothy 6:9 The
Danger of Riches
Luke 16:9 The
Use of Money
Luke 16:31 The
Rich Man and Lazarus
Matthew 5:1-4 Sermon
on the Mount
Matthew 19:24 On
Riches
John Wesley preaches on The
Character of a Methodist
Read
It Yourself
Eusebius | Luther |
Wesley | Top
of Page | Return to Canon Page
Background
Pages
Word Studies | James
uses other Biblical Resources | Paul
and James
Who Wrote James? | When
was James Written? | Written To
Whom?
Canon: Is James IN or OUT? | Original
Comments on Canon
Annotated Bibliography
|
