The Letter of James

There is some debate about the identity of both the author and audience of the letter of James. The author could be James the Lord's brother, James the son of Zebedee and brother of John - one of the 'sons of thunder' - or possibly some other James. Ultimately, one's view on this doesn't make a huge difference to the message one takes from the letter, but it's an interesting thought that the fiery language used here and there coupled with the emphasis on patience and the tongue would fit nicely with the 'thunderous' James the son of Zebedee. The letter is written 'to the twelve tribes scattered abroad' which suggests the Jews of the diaspora, scattered throughout the Roman empire. James was writing to encourage people to be doers of God's Word, disciples who would be eager to fulfil the Royal Law of Christ. For such, James has an abundance of practical advice.

Q: Is there a contradiction between James' emphasis on works and Paul's emphasis on faith?

A: Answer coming soon!

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