The Epistle of James to the Twelve Tribes of the Diaspora

Transcription

1 James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Over the last two weeks we have dealt with important issues concerning the letter of James to the Twelve Tribes of the Diaspora. We talked about the author, the audience, life in the synagogue, the outline, and some key words. We must ensure that the context of this letter is a large part of deciding on an interpretation (single understanding). We do this in primarily two ways. First, we do not conclude as to any interpretation without considering how the audience would understand what is written. Second, we must remember that James is writing to mature believers; James is not telling them how to grow or how to be spiritual but is challenging them to live in alignment with what they believe. Method of Understanding: Observation 1. Verify text and translation This is next, with a translation into our vernacular 2. Understand background and context Covered, but needs to be continued and fully considered 3. Identify structural keys 4. Identify grammatical and syntactical keys 5. Identify lexical keys 3-5 This is where we need to consider the outline and ensure that the text in question is understood as part of the whole. 6. Identify Biblical context 7. Identify theological context Biblical and Theological content need to be evaluated against what we know and ensure that we understand the passage appropriately. My translation: My brothers deem everything joy when you perhaps may fall into various temptations, being ones who know that the positive result of a testing of your (the) faith works accomplishes perseverance. Continually, let the perseverance have completed work so that you would be complete and whole, being ones who lack in nothing.

2 Exegetical Analysis: Πᾶσαν χαρὰν ἡγήσασθε πᾶς pas χαρά chara ἡγέομαι hēgeomai All joy deem. The subject of the sentence is my brethren. The imperative ἡγέομαι hēgeomai is a command to think in a certain way. This word also means to lead (a leader in participle form), but the figurative usage indicates to engage in an intellectual process (2Thess 3:15; 1Tim 6:1; 2Pet 3:15). The text does not include a comparative adverb (as). The point is that encountering various temptations is not to be thought of as joy. The command is to understand what it is and think of the situation for what it really is and be happy about it. All joy The term with the adjective all is infrequent. Romans 15:13 May God fill you with all joy. Philippians 2:29 Epaphroditus is to be received with all joy. James does not tell the readers to be happy in their sad circumstance, but rather to look past the circumstance and see the eternal perspective. The readership is expected to evaluate the circumstance and come to the same conclusion that God has. God sees the situation as an opportunity to pass the test. We see the struggle; God sees the results of a positive outcome. God s desire is that we pass the test. Why? So that He has cause to reward. The details in this letter are areas where the readership has not passed the test. How do we know that? If they had passed the test, then there would be no occasion for James to write about it. Since we see the problem, we often look at the intended audience with a shameful scorn. What we need to realize is that we are to learn from the mistakes of others and not have to learn from our own failures. Being that this is very early in church history and the entire mental attitude of being a believer in Christ is not fully revealed by Paul, I consider this letter similar to the Hebrew Scripture accounts of the failings of the nation of Israel (1 st Corinthians 10:6-13). ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσητε ποικίλοις whenever temptations you should fall into various. The conjunction ὅταν hotan is a compound word, combining the word for when with an added particle that adds the concept of uncertainty. This is not when but whenever. Furthermore, the verb is in the subjective (typical with ὅταν), which also draws out an understanding of uncertainty. Most expositors point out that the situation is not an if but a when. Although I agree that a situation is generally

3 inevitable, the implication in this verse is that the falling into the temptation is not determined. You may, or you may not, but whenever you do, realize the truth and be happy. The main word under consideration is the word translated trials in every major translation except the KJV. The KJV translates this as temptations, and as you have probably observed, I, too, translate this word as temptations. The word is πειρασμός peirasmos. According to Bauer there are two main definitions. The first is that which attempts to learn the nature or character of something, so the situation is called a test. The second is an attempt to make someone do something wrong, a temptation or enticement to sin. Within the English language and church lingo, we have adapted words that have lost significance. We call things a trial, a bad circumstance no matter what the cause. We say all the time that God is testing us in having us going through various circumstances. Car breaking down is that a trial or is that because we did not change the oil? Losing a job is that a trial or are you not performing, or is the place not making money? Therefore, we must be careful and honest about our circumstance. But more importantly we must identify what this verse is speaking about. The good news is that the text dictates this for us. In verse 12, we have the same word being used, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial. In verses 13-14, the verb form of this word is used four times with an alpha-negative adjective. The context makes this very clear that James is saying in verse 2, as well as verse 12-18, that temptation is brought about by an external enticement but is sourced from the internal nature of a person. Next is the word encounter, or as I translated it, perhaps may fall. The word is περιπίπτω peripiptō. This is a compound word, perí and piptō (fall into). The word is used three times in the New Testament (Luke 10:30; Acts 27:41). The word, in these references and most extra biblical writings, indicates a misfortune or falling into a negative predicament. In James, the context is temptations. The text indicates that this is not a current temptation but that you have already fallen into the temptation. This verb is in the aorist subjective. This indicates that it is a possible future event in which the readers have identified themselves as having fallen into temptation. The indication is that they are in sin, being in a situation that is considered a failure. Of course, the temptations are in general noted by the adjective various (or diverse).

4 The understanding of temptations is consistent throughout chapter 1 and must be understood as the temptation from within that is an enticement to sin. The letter sets this up as being the circumstance. The failures (opportunities) in James are believers having succumbed to a temptation and are in sin. 1. Judgmental and partial to fellow man 2. Not controlling the tongue (blessings and curses) 3. Selfish ambition 4. Prideful in riches The context indicates that James is not dealing with a possible future, although the intention is that they no longer act in this manner, but they are being identified as ones who have already fallen into sin having fallen into temptation. This begs the question: Why would James instruct them to consider this situation as all joy? It is because identification of a problem is the first step to overcoming the temptation and thereby having success. Let us move this to a practical sense. I evaluate myself and I realize that I am in sin, having fallen into temptation. What is my response: defeatism, grief, anger, frustration? James is telling the readers, No, you look upon that situation and you think this is great and I am happy about it. Why? The why is found in verses 3-4. The instruction is in verse 2; the doctrine is verses 3-4. We need to realize the importance of James saying this here. James is going to identify several problems where the readers are likely to realize that they are in sin and have fallen into temptation. The desired outcome is not for them to give up, but to use the Word of God to not sin, to not fall into temptation, to properly pass the test. The reason that they are to deem it as all joy when falling into various temptations is because they know that the positive result of a test accomplishes endurance, and fully developed endurance is what makes someone complete and whole. The verb γινώσκω ginōskō is used here as a participle. This word identifies the readers as having already learned this through experience or training. Now, for us reading this letter, we may not know this, but it does make sense. The more we properly handle ourselves in this world using the Word of God the better we are at the process; the eventual outcome is that living a successful Christian life becomes easier.

5 Testing, proving is the noun δοκίμιον dokimion and the verb δοκιμάζω dokimazō and means to scrutinize, test, examine. The noun, then, is that which has been scrutinized, tested, or examined. The only other use of this noun is in 1 st Peter 1:7. Both James and Peter reflect a positive outcome. A test itself does not accomplish anything. Someone who takes a test and fails does not accomplish good. What failing does is inform the one who failed the test his area of need. But it is not until the person properly passes the test that one can determine a positive outcome. This term then indicates that which has been examined and has passed (by implication). So we have James telling the reader to deem it all joy when you find yourself in a failing situation because you know that the passing situation is what accomplishes wholeness in the believer. What is it that is being proved; what is being scrutinized? your faith. Literally this is your the faith. This phrase is in the genitive the subject is the positive result of a testing. This next phrase provides the content of the testing. This is not the testing of your confidence; this is the faith of yours. With the article, this absolutely becomes much more specific. As mature believers they would have known and believed many doctrines of God. These truths, promises, and desires of God are often tested in a believer s life in the form of choices. There are necessary observations in this letter that we need to make. There are very few overt moral sin issues (if any) mentioned. The falling into temptation primarily deals with knowing the right thing to do and not doing it (James 4:17). The clearest example of this is in James 2:1-4. They know that God is not partial; they know that we are to follow in the example of Jesus Christ and take on His character. Then opportunity arises for them to either perform in what they believe or be distracted by the desires of the flesh and show partiality to the one who they prefer. They knew the right thing to do and they did not do it. They fell into temptation and are in sin. What should their response be? Count it as joy, realizing that they have an opportunity to properly perform, passing the test, accomplishing endurance, becoming complete and whole, and pleasing the Lord, and receiving a crown.

6 With this understood we need to ensure that we have a proper handle on the believer s growth pattern 1. Grow to maturity (become strong in the doctrines of God), all the while, thinking spiritually. 2. Deal with the doctrines of God, creating a new way of thinking. 3. When given the opportunity, use the doctrines of God to do what is in accordance with God s Word. If that is done, then the act of using God s word to properly pass the test (opportunity) accomplishes perseverance. ὑπομονή hupomonē means to remain under. This is one of the chief character traits developed in Romans 5:1-4, Colossians 1:9-12, 1 st Timothy 6:11, 2 nd Timothy 3:10, and 2 nd Peter 1:5-9. This means to properly stay under the pressure, not complaining, but properly working. You persevere while the pressure is on. This is not passively waiting out a difficult situation but rather an active trait of doing what is right regardless of the pressure. Try not to think of this as the action, but the character trait of the person who did what was right in the face of opportunity. Now comes verse 4, Let the perseverance have perfect work. Simply, the perseverance cannot be a onetime success. The instruction is to let it have completion. When is it complete? The text does not specifically state this. The inference is that once the situation is no longer a temptation, there is a fully developed character. In the James 2:1-4 scenario, a person who is complete and whole in this is known for always, without fail, treating all persons with love without any personal preference. The character is fully developed in that doctrine. The beauty is that each doctrine that we learn has the potential of going through this same process. Can we see why this is the purpose statement of the letter? Having this understood and properly dealt with in our minds means that we can read this letter and avoid some of the common pitfalls that confuse many believers.

7 Is this counterintuitive? Does this make rational sense. This is where we rely upon the wisdom and truth of God more than our rational thinking. We have two sources of truth, God and everything else. The everything else is fashioned after man, that is after Satan. This can be rationalism, empiricism, pragmatism, or any other system you can think of. But we must be convinced that the wisdom from above is the only truth. What we determine as our source of truth is of the utmost importance. When we read a verse that seems to go against everything we think to be true, our job is to deal with the passage until we are convinced that God s truth is the truth.