James opens like a letter, but much of the text reads more like Old Testament wisdom literature. The genre wisdom includes such familiar books as Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs, along with many Psalms. Job is also considered wisdom, along with apocryphal books such as the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, and Baruch. Modern scholars label a number of New Testament writings as wisdom literature, including Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20 and John 1. Others would include all of Matthew and John’s Gospels. Many identify James as a wisdom text. Robert Wall argues that wisdom is the orienting theme of the James (Wall19), Douglas Moo, on the other hand, says it is not really a wisdom text at all (M34).

Related Links
James and the Beatitudes | Word Studies: Blessing and Perfect

What makes a book wisdom literature? In biblical studies the word wisdom can refer to texts that mention the figure of the divine (SF23), or texts that intend to teach us wise living. Wisdom is the most democratic of ways of knowing—it is not so much a function of education as of having learned life’s lessons; it is the work of sages, but also of folk sayings and wit (SF23). Growing in wisdom is also connected to human wholeness, and thus the study of James as wisdom and James as a search for spiritual perfection are intimately linked.

What makes a book wisdom? James uses the word wisdom only in verses 1:5 and 3:13-18, yet the entire letter has a style similar to that of Proverbs (M33). More than half the verses of James are moral exhortations (Johnson 179); they declare how we should behave. Beatitudes and woes are common to wisdom literature (Hartin 43-44), as are sayings that seem to have grown out of anonymous experience, passed down for the ages (W247). Jewish wisdom material often includes examples of the virtuous life (Wall18)—James uses Rahab, Abraham, Elijah and Job. The letter relies on traditional materials, makes general statements to the community as a whole, and presumes the audience is familiar with the rules, all traits of wisdom texts (W237). While Paul’s letters are developing theological arguments, we can see that James is simply laying down the rules for wise living.

Yet James guidance for wise living is also different from traditional wisdom texts. He focuses only on morals, not on manners or polite society. Addressed to a community rather than to individuals, James’ rules are for building a congregation, not a household. Traditional wisdom literature considers wealth a sign of God’s favor and encourages wise people to pay attention to status. James, however, is strongly egalitarian (J179-180) and condemns the wealthy as oppressors of the community.

Outside of James’ condemnation of the wealthy much of James can be found in Sirach. (Sirach is in the apocrypha; also called Ecclesiasticus or Ben Sira.) The letter alludes to Proverbs and Psalms throughout. Wisdom of Solomon 7:7-8 sounds just like James 1:5. Supporters of James as a wisdom text note that James overarching concern is that we seek wisdom to know how to live well. And Wisdom comes not from nature, nor from the world, but from God (W245). Wisdom is behavior (M33), right behavior, and clearly the Letter of James is about right behavior.

When viewed as a wisdom text, we see that James’ goal is to create a strong community in 4:11 and 5:9. The call is to good works, and the resulting good life in 2:14 and 3:13-18. James is not telling the story of Jesus life, death, or resurrection, nor calling us to proclaim the good news. Rather, he is calling us to wise community, separate from the defiled world (W245-6). James knows the tradition of Jesus, and indeed, assumes the readers know that tradition. But he uses that tradition to call us to become a wise community, living out the Law (W241). His audience is wavering in their faith in the face of persecution, he is reminding them of the tradition that will support them (W237). That tradition is one of developing insight into God’s way. Spiritual maturity develops as we know God more fully (M33).

When we use wisdom as the lens for reading James we find that it is in seeking wisdom that we find spiritual wholeness, patience, endurance, and eventually, the crown of life. The fruit of God’s wisdom is peaceable, gentle, and full of mercy (James 3:17). The point of the Letter of James is that we must seek that wisdom: we must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

OUTLINE OF JAMES

• Introduction 1:1-11, 12-21
  • Wisdom: Quick to Hear 1:22-2:26
  • Wisdom: Slow to Speak 3:1-8
  • Wisdom: Slow to Anger 4:1-5:6
• Conclusion 5:7-12, 13-20

James’ letter is to a congregation that is being persecuted. The external forces are leading to internal strife; double-mindedness and conflict are tearing the congregation apart. The solution is to seek the single-minded wisdom of God. The letter of James exhorts all Christians to search for that wisdom.

Related Links
James and the Beatitudes | Word Studies: Blessing and Perfect

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).

Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Wisdom Ways Introducing Feminist Biblical Interpretation. (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1970).

Robert W. Wall, Community of the Wise: The Letter of James (Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press International, 1997).

Ben Witherington III, Jesus the Sage: The Pilgrimage of Wisdom (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1994).