The first chapter of James introduces many themes that James will repeat in the letter. Scholars who see James as a Wisdom text, and those who argue it should be read as an eschatological text see verses 1-11 or 1-12 as an Introduction. Elsa Tamez find the beginnings of the themes of oppression and hope in verses 1-4 and 9-12, and of praxis in verse 2-4, and especially 19-27. When we read James as a guide for spiritual perfection, verse 5-8 are central to the opening chapter. James 1:13-18 begins the theme of contrasting God's way and the way of the world. The concluding verses are all about action: James emphasis on our call to be doers, not merely hearers of the word.

Study Chapter One
James 1:2-12 Oppression | James 1:13-27 Praxis | Top of Page

Guided Bible Study
Using the Guided Bible Study | Introduction
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

1. James and Oppression (estimated time: 1 hour)
James is clearly concerned with who is rich and who is poor. Where do we fit in this view? Pamela Sparr provides several exercises to illustrate poverty in the United States and in the world. This exercise looks at poverty in the world. Order her study guide.

Supplies
Print out of UN statistics of world per capita income.
Glass liquid measuring cup
At least 36 ounces of beverage.
7 clear glasses that hold 20 ounces each (1 for each group, with 2 for group #1)
OR 5 juice glasses (4-6 ounces), and one huge glass holding 22 ounces or more.
OR 1 small glass for each person, with a 22 ounce glass for each person in group#1
Commentary on James 1:2-12 for each group or for each person.
Print out of Word Study Telios

Experiential Activity
“Before you do this exercise, ask everyone these questions:” (5 minutes)
1. “What is your guess as to how the average income a person in the United States compares with those in ‘medium’ development nations like China or Mexico?
2. What is your guess as to how the average income of a person in the United States compares with someone in Haiti or Bangladesh” (S123)?

“Instruct people to count off in sixes. Identify each group as follows: #1, the wealthiest billion in the world; #2, the second wealthiest billion, and so on with #6 as the poorest billion people” (S122). If you have less than six people, have one person represent Group #6 and one Group #1. The others can represent the medium human development nations, groups #2 through 5.

“Give each person in groups #1 through #6 the following amounts of beverage:
Group #6: slightly less than 1 ounce of beverage (low human development nations)
Group #5: 2 ounces of beverage (represents people of India)
Group #4: 3 ounces of beverage (represent people of China)
Group #3: 3 ½ ounces of beverage (other medium human development nations)
Group #2: 3 ½ ounces of beverage (other medium human development nations)
Group #1: 22 ounces of beverage (high human development nations)” (S123).

Read or Handout the background information for this representation.
“There are roughly 6 billion people in the world. One-third live in two countries: 1.3 billion in China and almost 1 billion in India. The UN categorizes forty-six nations as ‘high human development.’ In this group the United States ranks no. 3, behind Canada and Norway. Slightly more than 1 billion people live in these countries enjoying a per capita income of $21,799. The UN labels ninety-three countries as ‘medium human development’ (e.g. Costa Rica, the Philippines, Mexico, China, Egypt, India, Kenya, Zimbabwe). There are more than 4 billion people in this group, with a per capital income average of $3,458). (Note: China’s per capita is $3,105 and India’s is $2,077). In the ‘low income development group’ there are thirty-seven nations (e.g., Haiti, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Nepal, Senegal, Yemen) with about 700 million people living on an average per capita income of $994” (Sparr 122).
(Statistics are from the UN Developments Program’s Human Development Report 2000.)

“Discuss why and how this situation has come to exist. Some people may not feel much personal guilt, while others may be angry and overwhelmed by it.

• How can we be aware of the institutions, policies and processes that create inequalities and poverty and maintain or exacerbate them?
• Do we understand (as US residents) how we participate personally and collectively in structures or systems of sinfulness?
• In what ways are we oppressors or do we benefit from economic oppression?
• In what ways do we lose or get hurt by economic oppression?
• How do we use our power and position collectively to make a difference?” (S124).

Share the beverage equally when done! (25 minutes)

Study the Text
Break into groups of at about six people, with a leader for each group. Ask your group to listen as you read James 1:2-12 aloud. Tell them to look for one word or phrase that stands out for them. Allow a minute of silence before asking for responses. Don’t discuss sharing at this time, and allow for anyone to “pass” rather than reply.

Read the text again, or have someone else in the group read it aloud. Allow a minute of silence, and then ask if something new stands out this time. (15 minutes.)

Have a group leader summarize the following information about James 1:2-12, or hand it out for each person to read.

James’ use of Inclusive Language:
James uses the term adelphos, or brother 17 times, starting with verse 2. It is clear from studies of first century Judaism and paganism that the term refers to “fellow members of the same religion (M53). NRSV has used brothers and sisters, or, in some cases, believers as an accurate translation of James’ use of the term. Similarly, James seems to use aner, which is literally man or husband, and anthropos, meaning people, or humankind, interchangeably. For example in 1:7 he uses anthropos and in 1:8 aner, despite the fact that the subject of both phrases is clearly the doubter mentioned in verse 6. It seems likely that James’ intended audience is a community of believers, male and female, and that our translations most accurate when they reflect that understanding.

James Chapter 1
James is hard to read. Especially in chapter 1 the subject seems to jump from topic to topic, Tamez comments that it is “quite dense, difficult, and even incoherent” (T10). With closer scrutiny we will find that the chapter introduces the entire content of the letter. This introduction sets out the “ethical and religious dualism that structures the composition as a whole” (J187). That is, we are seeing the beginnings of James’ basic premise: we can live in God’s reality, or in the world’s.

James 1:2-12
How are we to understand God’s reality? As a community we bring our faith to perfection through endurance of trials, and through prayer (J187). Temptations and trials, oppression and poverty are themes we will see again and again. Joy is the result of our endurance, for it is in endurance that we live in God’s way. Mature is probably too gentle a translation for telios, James is calling us to strive for God’s perfection. See a word study on the use of telios.

If we can’t find the way to perfection, James 1:5 suggests that we ask. Compare this verse with Matthew 7:7 and with Proverbs 2:6 or 2:6-10. The translation that God gives generously certainly fits the Matthew text. But the word haplos, used only by James, also means sincerely or simply and is derived from haplous which means single (T49, M59). James will continue the contrast of God’s single-mindedness with the world’s double-mindedness later in the letter.

It is the single-minded brothers and sisters in faith, enduring trials, and living humbly who are lifted up in verse 9. The rich person in verse 10 is subject to continuing debate. Surely if James understands this rich person as one of the believers, it is with irony that he should boast at withering away. Moo leans slightly to the view that the rich person is a believer, encouraged to humble themselves in Christian community (M68), while Johnson leans slightly to the view that the rich person is the oppressor of the poor Christian community, condemned by God (J188). Tamez is more strident. The rich “do not belong to the Christian community or at least the author does not think they should belong to it” (T25).

Read the text one more time. This time discuss what James meant in this text, and what it means to us to hear it today. Take about 15 minutes for discussion.

• What is James telling us?
• Who is James' audience?
• Is James’ message applicable today?
• What does James 1:2-12 tell us today?

Resources (Link to full Bibliography for web site)
Luke Timothy Johnson, The Letter of James in The New Interpreter's Bible Volume XII, Leander E. Keck et al, editors. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000).

Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James in The Pillar New Testament Commentary, DA Carson, general editor. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000).

Pamela Sparr, Study Guide for Elsa Tamez, The Scandalous Message of James: Faith Without Works Is Dead. John Eagleson, translator. (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 2002)

Elsa Tamez, The Scandalous Message of James: Faith Without Works Is Dead. John Eagleson, translator. With Study Guide by Pamela Sparr. (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 2002).

Study Chapter One
James 1:2-12 and Oppression | James 1:13-27 Praxis | Top of Page

Guided Bible Study
Using the Guided Bible Study | Introduction
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

2. James and Praxis (estimated time 50 minutes)

Supplies
Hand out of James text for each person or each group
Hand out of Commentary for each person or each group
Chart paper and markers

Experiential Activity
Divide into groups of five or more people. Read aloud James 1:22.

Each group should spend about 10-15 minutes working together to create a living sculpture that represents Doers of the Word. The sculpture is made with the members of the group interacting with one another. If you like, allow props such as chairs, tables, or coats to be included in the sculpture. The sculpture should not include any talking, but body movement is encouraged. The main point is the discussion each group will have as they attempt to determine, and represent, the idea of Doing Christianity.

Allow each group a minute to show their sculpture to the whole group, and perhaps to explain the finished work. Take about 5 minutes. The discussion will naturally continue in the study.

You might choose to repeat the activity by representing what it looks like if a community is made up of hearers who deceive themselves. (Add an additional 15 minutes to the time)

Study the Text
Use the same groups to look at the text. Look first at the text of James 1:13-27. Ask the groups to discuss these questions:

• Who is God
• Who are we?
• What is James calling us to do as Christians?

After about 15 minutes hand out the commentary below and continue the discussion for another 15 minutes.

In the large group, focus on being doers of the word. What is it that we are called to do as Christians? Make a list on chart paper and keep it posted for the remainder of the study. Encourage your group to add ideas as they think of them in the next weeks.

Chapter 1:13-27
There is little agreement on how to look at the second half of James 1. Wall’s analysis of James as Wisdom literature suggests that verses 12-21 make up a second introduction to the letter, and combines the rest of the chapter with all of chapter 2. Penner ends the introduction with verse 12 when using the lens of eschatology to look at the text. The majority of modern scholars do find a break after verse 12; grouping verses 13-18 as a single message. It is a bit more difficult to pull out the strands of verses 19-27. And you will find Tamez’ images of oppression, hope, and praxis throughout each part of the chapter.

James 1:13-18
There are two contrasting ideas presented in James 1:13-18. In connection with the verse 12, in the previous paragraph, verses 13, 17 and 18 can be read as a description of God (J189). People are described in verses 14-16; people who give in to desire and thus find sin.

We see that sin, and therefore death, is the consequence of human actions. God, on the other hand, gives us not trials, but rather every perfect gift. The Greek in verse 17 is most accurately every good thing given and every perfect gift… (M78), somewhat awkward language in English, but clearly promising that God will provide what we need so that we can do what is right. The term Father of lights is found only in James, but the language implies a common Old Testament theme—that God created all that there is. The heavenly lights are the sun, moon, and stars (M78).

The creation motif continues in verse 18, with the most perfect of gifts: to be the first fruits of his creatures. The term first fruits is commonly used by the early church to refer Christians, see 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and Romans 16:5; The phrase word of truth refers to the good news in Ephesians 1:13 (M79). The image of God giving birth connects verse 18 to the parent language in 17, but also to verse 15, where desire conceives and then gives birth to sin.

Sin, then, is of human making, not the result of a test or trial from God. James 1:2 and 1:12 use the word peirasmos, which is temptation or trial. The implication is that the trial is an external force, like oppression, or poverty. In verse 13 and 14 James switches to peirazo, or test (M51). In English we can use temptation here, however this in an internal threat, not an external one. It is our own desire that tests us, and when we fail that test sin is conceived and born. James 1:16 then links the two contrasting parts of the text together—do not be deceived, either by the threat of desire, nor by thinking this test is from God (M76).

James 1:18-27
It is clear that James is now turning to his main point. It is what we do in our community that will bring God’s blessing. Note that faith is still important—in verse 18 it is the word of truth that makes us the first fruits. The word is mentioned in James 1:21, 22, 23, and then transitions to the law in verse 25. The movement is that accepting the word must lead to doing the law.

The perfect law, the law of liberty is the subject of much discussion. Many scholars link the perfect law with Torah, although James doesn’t mention any of the intricacies of Torah observance in the letter (Moo 94). The law of liberty brings to mind Jeremiah 31:31-34, and the law that is written on our hearts. In James 2:8 the law is to love your neighbor as yourself.

And so James begins with an insistence that we should not be angry, for anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Moo argues that James 1:19-22 should be read as one wisdom saying. This not an absolute rule against all anger, but rather a generalization, or proverbial point (M84). Proverbs 17:27-28 makes the same point. Sordid, wicked anger is not right; James calls us to take action rather than getting angry. In verse 21 the NRSV uses rank growth of wickedness, NIV calls it prevalent. The Greek is abundant, or surplus (M86); the point to rid ourselves of the excess wickedness.

James 1:23-25 uses a common image of the mirror as a way to know ourselves. A first century mirror is a sheet of finely polished metal; if we look into it and forget what we see, what have we gained? We are to look instead into the law and act on that (J189). What is in the law? James 1:26-27 says it is holding our tongues, caring for the orphans and widows, and staying separate from the values of the world.

Resources (Link to full Bibliography for web site)
Luke Timothy Johnson, The Letter of James in The New Interpreter's Bible Volume XII, Leander E. Keck et al, editors. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000).

Douglas J. Moo, The Letter of James in The Pillar New Testament Commentary, DA Carson, general editor. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000).

Elsa Tamez, The Scandalous Message of James: Faith Without Works Is Dead. John Eagleson, translator. With Study Guide by Pamela Sparr. (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 2002).

Study Chapter One
James 1:2-12 and Oppression | James 1:13-27 Praxis | Top of Page

Guided Bible Study
Using the Guided Bible Study | Introduction
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5