Page 4 - book_james

important than human relationships or merit. James was a famous man, yet he claims only
to be a servant.
1) Physical heritage from David to his parents, Mary and Joseph (Matthew 1, John
3) did not give James any physical or spiritual advantage.
2) Physical talents do not give us any advantage with the Lord.
3) Physical birth, even in the family of Jesus, did not mean James automatically received the
new birth. He had to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior for himself.
4) James could have begun his letter with “James, the brother of the Lord Jesus
Christ, born into the line of Jewish aristocracy from David through Solomon and
Nathan,” but he did not.
c) He did not even call himself an apostle, but a servant of the Lord Jesus. As believers, we are,
first of all, servants to God the Father and the Lord Jesus.
d) God’s grace provides for everything but excludes human birth and merit. Human birth and
merit are different for each individual. Some have a great ancestry, and some do not. Equality
does not come through human birth but through the new birth. We all have different parents
in human birth. We all have one Father in the new birth.

JAMES: MINISTER TO SCATTERED JEWISH BELIEVERS

. . . to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad (diaspora: dispersed as seed) greetings (chairo:
rejoice).

Many have been dispersed by persecution (Acts 8:6). “Greetings” in the Greek is the word for “have joy.”
This will be the theme of chapter 1, having supernatural joy and rejoicing in the midst of trouble and
testing.

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

My brethren (adelphos) . . .

This is the new race, believers in the Lord Jesus, not just his Jewish friends.

COUNT IT ALL JOY (2‐18)
The demonstration of joy and the development of patience and endurance are key to a successful
Christian life. James reminds his congregation that both the rich and the poor are alike in God’s eyes, that
God never tempts with evil, and that, although people and circumstances change, God never changes.

FAITH TESTED IN TRIALS

. . .count (aggeomai: conclude after facts, calculate). . .
This conclusion comes from the facts of the Word of God. Trouble comes because of the Word (Mark
4:17) and deliverance from trouble comes from the same Word of God. This is application of God’s
promises. No one can make you do this. It is something you must do yourself.

. . . it all (the entirety) joy (chara) . . .