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49 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
4 Differing Views of Authorship of James
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1) James the father of Judas (not Iscariot), one of 12
2) James, the son of Alphaeus, also one of 12 3) James, son of Zebedee, brother of John, one of 12 4) James the Just, half-brother of Jesus, leader of Jerusalem church. Not one of 12 |
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Authorship
Why/Why Not: James, son of Zebedee |
Major player in gospel accounts.
Acts 12:1-2= James was put to death by sword AD 44 Most scholars do not think he lived long enough |
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Authorship
Why/Why Not: James the Just |
Traditional View
1) Gospel of John 7 says James did not believe in Him during His ministry 2) Acts 1, Upper Room: James prayed with the apostles in the upper room 3) 1 Cor. 15: Jesus appeared to James in 1 Cor. 15:7 The resurrection sold James and Jesus commissions him as an apostle |
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Allusions to James in the Apostolic Fathers
Origen |
1) 1st explicit reference to James in the Church Fathers
2) Refers to James as Scripture, and as James the Just He was pastor, church father, died in 253. Alexandria, Egypt |
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Allusions to James in the Apostolic Fathers
1 Clement (AD 95) and Shepherd of Hermas (125 AD) |
Used similar language
1 Clement- Addressed to the church at Corinth, written from Rome. Shamed them for their divisions. Shepherd- Written from Rome. Similar language |
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Allusions to James in the Apostolic Fathers
What is important about 1 Clement and Shepherd of H? |
Provides evidence that book of James existed in 1st Century
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Why were the early Fathers worried about James?
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They were worried about lack of citation, not style or orthodoxy
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Canonical History of the Letter
Acceptance into NT Canon |
1) Among last to be received as canonical
2) Not about style or orthodoxy, fathers were worried about lack of citation 3) 325, Eusebius- Incredible library at Caesarea. First church history written. Quoted burned library material |
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Canonical History of the Letter
Eusebius |
Incredible library. Quoted burned library material. First church history written.
Listed all received NT books, included James and other 4 Fully accepted by end of century |
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Canonical History of the Letter
Athenacius |
Lists, in 367 AD, all books as accepted
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Reformation
Luther |
1:German monk who tried to earn salvation, hated James.
2: Saw justification by faith, in Romans 3: Brought him peace, until he read James (Faith + Works) 4: Placed James as an appendix, still used in his preaching |
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Reformation
Calvin |
1) Did not have the baggage that Luther had
2) Thought Paul and James could be reconciled fairly well |
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Similarities between Acts 15:13-21 and James
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1) Acts is compressed, not verbatim
2) Greek word for "greetings", Kyrine. Not used often, in 1:1 of James and Acts 15:23. Considered secular 3) "Brothers, listen to me". James 2:5 and Acts 15:13 |
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Evidence Supporting James the Just as Author
Simplicity of Author Designation |
1) Tendency in later pseudonyms to add authoritative titles, "brother of Jesus"
2) Lack of embellishment points to James the Just |
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Evidence Supporting James the Just as Author
Use of Oral Gospel Tradition |
1) James uses teachings of Jesus very often, mainly Sermon on the Mount from Matthew
2) Never verbatim to written gospel accounts. Points early rather than later, during oral transmission period |
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Evidence Supporting James the Just as Author
Overall Jewishness of the book |
1) Exudes a Jewish view of Christianity
2) Later the time, less Jewish it would be -Early Christianity was Jewish, Paul's missions made it more Gentile |
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Evidence Supporting James the Just as Author
Lack of explicit Christology |
1) Only mentions Jesus twice, in passing
2) Purpose of letter was meeting ethical needs 3) Pseudonymous author would have focused on issue of Christology 4) Points early, rather than later |
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Responses to Later Date Claims (Lack of Citation)
First Response |
Usage of James in 1 Clement and Shepherd of Hermas
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Responses to Later Date Claims (Lack of Citation)
#2: Influence of Ebionite Christianity |
1) Descendants of ultra-conservative Jewish Christians who claimed circumcision.
2) Claimed to from James, named as heretics later 3) Link between the two caused book to be seen as not from James |
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Responses to Later Date Claims (Lack of Citation)
#3: Palestinian Destination of Letter |
1) Constant upheaval, not stable with revolts where books and documents were burned.
2) Possible that many copies of letter were destroyed |
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Responses to Later Date Claims (Lack of Citation)
#4: Lack of Christology |
James would not provide any ammunition for Christology debate
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Responses to Later Date Claims (High Quality Greek)
#1: Hellenistic Influence in Palestine |
1) Palestine was thoroughly bi-lingual, particularly Galilee
2) Jews in Galilee would have been proficient in Greek |
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Responses to Later Date Claims (High Quality Greek)
#2: James' Leadership Role in the Church |
1) Book reflects a knowledge of Hellenistic Jewish literature
2) Had been a believer for a while 3) Not just a carpenter, but leader in the church 4) Traveled around and had new experiences |
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Responses to Later Date Claims (High Quality Greek)
#3: Possible Secretary Influence |
1) Some authors gave more leniency to scribes bc of a good relationship
2) Greek Style would be secretary, not James |
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Responses to Later Date Claims (View of Law)
James' View of Law |
He was a legalist with complete Torah compliance. Yet the book is silent about those so James cannot be the author.
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Responses to Later Date Claims (View of Law)
Response to James' View of Law |
1) The belief that James demanded complete adherence to all the law, even for Gentiles, is founded on unreliable second-century traditions and is inconsistent with the N.T. portrait of James
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Responses to Later Date Claims (View of Law)
New Testament Portrait of James |
1) Acts 15:24 portrays him in a different fashion
2) Galatians 2:12: Claim him, not sent by him 3) Acts 21:17-26= Paul's view of circumcision -Doesn't say James mandated these things |
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Responses to Later Date Claims (View of Law)
Hegesippus account of James' Death |
Guy interested in Christian origins.
Portrays James as a legalist Was a devout Jew |
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Responses to Later Date Claims (Just., Faith, Works)
Late Date proponents view of James on Just., faith, and works |
1) A direct response to Paul's writings.
2) This could only have happened after widespread circulation of copies of Romans and Galatians, which could not have happened prior to James death in 61, sine Romans was not written until 57. |
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Responses to Later Date Claims (Just., Faith, Works)
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1) Reflects Pauline terminology, but author seems unaware of what Paul meant by them.
2) James is not challenging Paul, but those Antinomians who misused and abused Paul's theology. |
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Conclusion on Authorship and Date
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1) Probably comes in the early period of Paul's preaching ministry before Paul and James had any extensive contact.
2) 44-48 is a good guess |
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Recipients
"twelve tribes dispersed around" |
OT language, Israel
Horn: Jewish orientation, Jewish-Christian communities north of Palestine Appeals to Abraham and Rahab |
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Recipients
Autumn and Spring Rains (5:7) |
Particular to Palestinian region
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Recipients
Agricultural Workers (5:1-6) |
Migrant workers, typical to Palestine
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Recipients
Conclusion |
Jewish Christians who live some distance from Jerusalem, but not out of reach. Poor agricultural workers facing poverty
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Occasion and Purpose
Topics |
Trials/Poverty, Faith shows itself in good works, no favoritism to the rich, uncontrolled tongue, True and False wisdom, Rich oppressing the poor, Patience, Prayer in hard times
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Occasion and Purpose
Overview |
Audience is experiencing trials, primarily poverty. Abuses by rich landholders not paying their laborers. Poverty is creating tension in the church, causing harsh words. Even hardening hearts to needs around them (widow/orphan).
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Occasion and Purpose
Overview: What is James teaching them? |
They are looking at their trials from a wrong perspective. Their own wordly passions are controlling their minds and behavior in the midst of the trial. Rather, they need to see their trials from God's perspective and see that his purpose for the trial is to test and strengthen their faith in all wisdom.
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Literary Context
Epistolary features |
1) Only really halfway an epistle
2) Lacks most of the features of NT letters |
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Literary Context
Structural Observations |
1) Lack of Structure, not linear like Romans
2) There is some continuity driven by historical situation |
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Literary Context
What does Horn call the book? |
A spiraling homily
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Literary Context
4 Choices for Genre of Book |
1) Diatribe
2) Paraenesis 3) Wisdom Literature 4) Synagogue Homily |
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Literary Context-Genre
Diatribe |
JH Ropes.
Dialogue with brief q&a, rhetorical ?, harsh speech, straw man. Developed by Stoic and Cynic philosophers. |
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Literary Context-Genre
Problem with Diatribe Genre |
Too much Jewish in the book of James
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Literary Context-Genre
Paraenesis |
Dibelius argued that James was paraenesis.
Short pithy statements put together like Romans 12. A list of good things |
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Literary Context-Genre
Problem with Paraenesis Genre |
Book doesn't look that random
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Literary Context-Genre
Synagogue Homily |
1) Horn's Choice.
2) Previous techniques applied to synagogue homilies, mainly diatribe. 3) Oral speech, put in writing. 4) Possibly a compendium of James' homilies. |
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Literary Context-Genre
Relationship to Sermon on the Mount |
James 5:12, Matthew 5:33-37
Oaths before God |
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Literary Context-Genre
Style of Greek |
1) Among better in NT, oral style originally preached
2) 570 distinct Greek words, 73 not found elsewhere 3) "Double-Minded" nowhere else in Greek writing |