James 1:1-8 – Trials and Wisdom

 James 1:1-8 – Trials and Wisdom

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials on many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one you doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such is person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

The majority of scholars consider the author of this letter to be the James, the brother of Jesus. There is significance is how he opened his letter. James was not one of the twelve disciples and not a follower during Jesus’ ministry on earth. (The James who was one of the twelve was the son of Zebedee.) James, the author of this letter came to follow his brother after the resurrection of Jesus. In the opening of his letter, he called himself a servant – a servant of his brother. When the author identified himself, he also presented a picture of humility, yet without boasting about it. He recognized, that although Jesus was his earthly brother, he was now his heavenly brother – his Lord. This took humility.

James continued the opening with an address to the “twelve tribes.” This phrase once referred to the actual Twelve Tribes of Israel – God’s chosen nation. But ten of the tribes were scattered centuries prior – along with the other two. However, the former are unaccounted for. The point, or parallel, that James is making is that the current followers of Jesus who have been scattered (from Jerusalem), due to persecution from Rome as well as religious leaders, are like the original Twelve Tribes when scattered centuries prior. It is now a reference to the new nation, the Kingdom of God. This is important in that the followers (Christians), of the First Century were of Jewish and non-Jewish (Gentile), heritage. Now, their heritage is one in Jesus – the shared bond the Apostle Paul describes in his letter to the church in Ephesus (see Ephesians 4:1-13).

After the opening salutation, James immediately provides encouragement (verses 2-4). Before examining his support it is important to understand further the magnitude of the cultural setting. For over one-hundred years the Roman Empire had taxed Jewish farmers to a point that many of them had to mortgage their land just to pay the totalitarian government. And that was not enough, which resulted in many farmers driven to poverty as they lost their land. Those who lived outside the city walls and within Jerusalem were not affected as severe, but the financial pressures caused many to live in substandard and stressed means. In addition, many religious leaders continued to burden and distress Christians which included a life-threatening environment. This oppressive rule and atmosphere continued into the early first century, when Jesus was on earth, and into the mid-first century when James wrote his letter.

Therefore, when the Christians read the opening words: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials on many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything, …” there was an immense depth of meaning. Many of them had been alive during the time Jesus was crucified. His faith to God the Father is what brought them salvation and assured hope in the eternal promise of which their Messiah had spoken. Jesus completed his task on the Cross. James encouraged the believers of the day to “… let perseverance finish its work so that [they] may be mature and complete …”

Many times when this passage has been read by modern preachers and teachers, the first-century aspect seems to be overlooked and is read from a democratic free-world point of view – where the high majority of Christians do not face the persecution that was prevalent in the first century. But – it should be viewed from a global point of view – and more so from a Kingdom point of view. Yes, any trial endured – whether health, finances, education, vocation, etc. – is important to God, because he is the loving God. These trials, through faith, can also produce perseverance. But James wrote of direct persecution for a person’s faith in Jesus. So then, the question for the modern Christian who lives in a free society is: how does this passage directly relate? The letter to the Ephesians provides the answer. As one body, one church and united in one Kingdom through Jesus, any Christian throughout the world suffers when one or a group of our brothers and sisters are directly persecuted in a nation – or nations – that oppress(es) Christians. Thousands upon thousands of Christians are tortured and executed for their faith each year. This should cause believers throughout the world and in a free society to mourn and pray. And as Jesus taught, we are to “love [our] enemies and pray for them that persecute [us].” (Matthew 5:44) Also, believers have a connection with Jesus that is eternal. It is this connection which gives the believer joy. Since Jesus suffered and was persecuted, the believer should considered it a joy to share in the same or similar.

Though the modern Christian does not face physical persecution in places of religious freedom, there are currently pressures from governments, corporations and places of education to subdue our faith. To speak of our faith in some work-places is frowned upon even to the point of disciplinary action. The indoctrination of certain world-views and lifestyles contrary to what the Bible teaches are taught in schools despite the opposition of Christian parents. In parts of the U.S., police and fire chaplains have been ordered not to end a prayer “in Jesus name,” or face termination. Therefore, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials on many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

James completes the phrase, “… so that [they] may be mature and complete,” with “… not lacking anything.” He reveals one aspect of the anything in the next sentence. And since it was just one, it seems reasonable to conclude it is the most important – wisdom. He wrote, “If any of you lacks wisdom you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.” This added further encouragement to the Christians of the time and should as well currently – this is straight-forward. The clause “without finding fault” seems to either elude to or reference the mercy and grace God provides as he sees the Christian through the lens of Jesus – no fault (see Ephesians 1:7-10). Or it could mean the fault is doubt as the passage added, “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt. (Or it could be both.) The latter brings to memory Mark 9:14-29 when a man with a possessed son asked him to heal his son, but then asked to help him in his unbelief – in his doubt. God is so generous, that even if we doubt he can gives us the faith to then ask for wisdom. James emphasized the importance of wisdom with imagery a first century person would find compelling. He states that, “because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” Two images come to mind. One, when Jesus calms the storms after the disciples fear for their lives and doubt (see Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25). Jesus told them they were to go to the other side of the lake – but they doubted. In the first and subsequent centuries the sea – especially a storm – was equivalent to chaos. When the Apostle John wrote in Revelation, “… and there was no more sea,” he used the same imagery – one day there will be no more chaos (see Revelation 21:1). To the first century Christians, being told that doubt equates to chaos would have sunk deeply into their hearts in a convicting manner. James continued, “That person would not receive anything from the Lord.” Chaos and order cannot exist at the same time; therefore, James wrote, “Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” We need the wisdom of God in order to navigate through the chaos of this world. We need his wisdom to persevere in times of trouble and persecution. We need his wisdom to stand up for our faith in the same way Jesus remained on the cross for our iniquities. Thank the Lord for his wisdom, mercy and grace.

(This devotion is not exhaustive but I believe touches the major points of this passage.)

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