Tool Beta
The Ancient World Behind the Text
Pick a passage anywhere in the New Testament. See the customs and ideas a first reader knew without being told.
James 1:1-18, To the twelve tribes scattered
James greets the twelve tribes scattered among the nations, tells them to count their trials as joy and to ask God for wisdom, warns that the rich will wither like a wildflower, and insists that God tempts no one but gives every good gift from above, as the Father of lights.
James 1:1-18, in every translation this tool compares.
James writes to the scattered people of God, whom he calls the twelve tribes. He tells them that trials met with joy build endurance, and that anyone short of wisdom should ask God with undivided trust. He turns ordinary status upside down, so the poor believer can boast of being raised and the rich of being humbled, and he insists that temptation grows from a person's own desires, never from God, who gives only good gifts. Who wrote the letter, when, and to whom are debated.
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/diaspora-jews\/","n":"Jews of the dispersion","s":"Most Jews of the first century lived outside the land, in cities from Parthia to Rome. They kept the law and their own synagogues, spoke Greek or Aramaic, and came up to Jerusalem for the feasts when they could.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/letters-and-letter-carriers\/","n":"Letters, scribes and carriers","s":"Letters were usually dictated to scribes, carried by trusted travelers because there was no public post, and read aloud to the people they were sent to.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/estates-and-laborers\/","n":"Estates, tenants and day laborers","s":"Wealthy owners, often living in town, let their land to tenant farmers for a share of the crop or hired day laborers in the marketplace and paid them a denarius at sundown.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/the-satan\/","n":"The satan, the tempter","s":"The accuser, tempter and deceiver of Jewish belief, seen as the power behind human and political evil. In the Gospels he tests Jesus and is the strong man Jesus binds, and John calls him the ruler of this world.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/fate-and-the-stars\/","n":"Fate and the stars","s":"Most people in Paul's world believed their lives were ruled by Fate, worked out through the stars, which many took to be heavenly beings. Few thought there was any escape, and cults that promised one drew followers.","r":""}
Author, date and readers are all open questions. Keener, the cultural backgrounds notes, the ESV and CSB Study Bibles and Carson, Moo and Morris favor the Lord's brother: "The lack of elaboration points to a well-known James". Wright's commentary, though the name was common, sees "a strong chance" of the brother, the Jerusalem church's leader. Wright and Bird report that many scholars reject him and date the letter late, some to the second century, while finding the evidence "marginally favours authenticity". Dates run from the early to mid-40s (the ESV Study Bible; Carson, Moo and Morris) to near his death about 62 (the Zondervan dictionary) or late in the century. The readers may be believers in Palestine (Keener), Jerusalem believers scattered after Stephen, so that James "must minister to his scattered flock by mail" (the cultural backgrounds notes; Carson, Moo and Morris), or the church across the world as a new Israel (the ESV Study Bible; Wright's commentary). Jewish texts held that God tests people to strengthen them while Satan tests them to make them fall (Keener). Father of lights could mean Creator of the stars, which many feared ruled their fate (the cultural backgrounds notes).
- Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, introduction to James (Authorship, James the Just, Genre, Situation, Audience), and on James 1:1, 1:9-11, 1:13-16 and 1:17
- NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Introduction to James (Authorship, Setting, Quick Glance), and notes on James 1:1, 1:11, 1:13 and 1:17
- ESV Study Bible, Introduction to James (Author and Title, Date), and study note on James 1:1
- N. T. Wright and Michael F. Bird, The New Testament in Its World, ch. 31, Letters by Jesus' Brothers: James and Jude (The origins of James; Date of James; Genre and purpose of James)
- CSB Study Bible, Introduction to James (Author)
- D. A. Carson, Douglas J. Moo and Leon Morris, An Introduction to the New Testament, ch. 18, James, Author, Date and Destination/Addressees
- J. D. Douglas and Merrill C. Tenney, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, entry James, Letter of
- N. T. Wright, Early Christian Letters for Everyone, comment on James 1:1-8
