4th Quarter 2014 Lesson 1 James the Lord's Brother

8/11/2019 4th Quarter 2014 Lesson 1 James the Lord's Brother

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Lesson 1 for October 4, 2014


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James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1)

There are four persons named James in theNew Testament:

1. James, son of Zebedee. Mark 3:17.

He was one of the twelve apostles. He was

beheaded in 44 AD. (Acts 12:2). He died too soon

to be the author of this epistle.2. James, son of Alphaeus. Mark 3:18.

He was one of the twelve apostles. He was called

the Less (Mr. 15:40; Mt. 27:56). There is nothing

documented on him after Pentecost.

3. James, father of Jude Thaddeus. Luke 6:16. There is no proof of him being a believer.

4. James, Jesus older brother. Mark 6:3.

He didnt believe in Jesus at first (Jn. 7:5), but he

became a pillar in the church in Jerusalem (Gal.

2:9). He wrote this epistle.


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For even His brothers did not believe in Him.(John 7:5)

When Jesus began His ministry, His brothers

thought He was crazy (Mr. 3:21). Nevertheless,they accepted Him as their Savior after His

death and resurrection (Acts 1:14)

Jesus met James alone after His resurrection(1Co. 15:7)

When Paul came to Jerusalem for the first time after his

conversion, he just met Peter and James. James was

already considered an apostle (Gal. 1:19)

James also presided over the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15).He was the main of the three early pillars of

Christianism: James, Cephas *Peter+ and John. (Gal. 2:9)

According to Flavius Josephus, James was stoned in 62

AD. The high priest Ananias ordered his stoning

(Antiquities of the Jews, xx.9.1)


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What a support Christ would have found in His

earthly relatives if they had believed in Him as

one from heaven, and had co-operated with Him

in doing the work of God! Their unbelief cast a

shadow over the earthly life of Jesus. It was a

part of the bitterness of that cup of woe which

He drained for us

They often saw Him full of grief; but instead of

comforting Him, their spirit and words onlywounded His heart. His sensitive nature was

tortured, His motives were misunderstood, His

work was uncomprehended

Those who are called to suffer for Christs sake,

who have to endure misapprehension anddistrust, even in their own home, may find

comfort in the thought that Jesus has endured

the same.

E.G.W. (The Desire of Ages, cp. 33, pg. 325-327)


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James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.(James 1:1)

James clearly identifies himself andhis intended readers as Jews. He

refers, for instance, to Abraham as

our father (ch. 2:21) and to the

assembly *literally, synagogue+ (v.

2), the usual Jewish place for religious

assembly (see Vol. V, pp. 56, 57). But

the writer and the readers to whom

the epistle was originally addressed

were also Christians, as his repeated

references to Jesus Christ as Lord

make evident (see chs. 1:1, 7, 12; 2:1;5:7, 11). Thus, in writing to the

twelve tribes scattered abroad,

James is addressing Jewish Christians

living here and there throughout the

Roman world (cf. 1 Peter 1:1)(SDA Bible Commentary, on James 1:1)


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You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faithonly. (James 2:24)

Martin Luther mistakenly thought that Jamestaught the salvation by works. He said, St.

James' Epistle is a perfect straw-epistle, for

it has in it nothing of an evangelic kind.(German translation of the New Testament, preface to the book of

James, 1522)

James wrote about how we can live as Christians, not how

we can become one. He explains what being a true

believer involves, and states that we should always dowhat we say.

Other reformers (like the Wesley

brothers) introduced the idea of

the importance of holiness in

the Christian life later. They

brought the epistle of Jamesback to its original message.


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Let the lowly brother glory in hisexaltation. (James 1:9)

Maybe one of the greatest

lessons James learnt from

Jesus was Learn from Me,

for I am gentle and lowly inheart (Mt. 11:29). He

introduced himself as a

bondservant of God and of

the Lord Jesus Christ and

he emphasized humbleness

in his epistle.

James didnt believe in Jesus at first.

Nevertheless, everything he heard from

Him during his childhood and youth

stroke deep in his heart.


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We can find some

teachings of Jesus

explained by Jams in hisepistle.

THE EPISTLE

OF JAMES

But be doers of theword, and not

hearers only,

deceiving yourselves.

(James 1:22)

Can a fig tree, mybrethren, bear olives,

or a grapevine bear

figs? Thus no spring

yields both salt water

and fresh.

(James 3:12)

There is one

Lawgiver, who is able

to save and to

destroy. Who are you

to judge another?

(James 4:12)

THE GOSPEL

OF JESUS

Therefore whoever

hears these sayings

of Mine, and doesthem, I will liken

him to a wise man

who built his houseon the rock.

(Matthew 7:24)

You will know

them by their fruits.

Do men gather

grapes from

thornbushes or figs

from thistles?

(Matthew 7:16)

Judge not, that you

be not judged.

(Matthew 7:1)

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4th Quarter 2014 Lesson 1 James the Lord's Brother