Professor James’ Contemporary History Concerning Jesus and His Kingdom
Introduction:
Professor James writes a contemporary history concerning Jewish converts to Jesus’ new Way, who had many incorrect actions and thoughts that need to be reformed to ‘the Faith’ of Jesus’ Kingdom. The errors were generated by the cultural leaders of the Jewish faith, that seemingly converted. These Jewish practices were not in accord with Jesus’ new Way. Professor James is reported to be Jesus’ half-brother. He was not a disciple of Jesus during Jesus’ work on Earth. He, his siblings, and his mother, Mary (Marian) were converted after Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus appeared to James, and possibly to the family (Joseph was apparently deceased), who became a part of the group (disciples) in Jerusalem. James stayed and worked in the Jerusalem area for the remainder of his life. James was one of the leaders (but never an Apostle) in the congregation of Jesus’ Kingdom there. He was famous for his time spent praying for the Jewish nation at the Temple, by christians and Jews alike. In AD 62, 32 years after the beginning of Jesus’ Kingdom in Jerusalem, a group of Jewish zealots threw him off the high Temple walls, then, stoned him until he was dead.
His Letter is written to Jewish christians that were, during the early years, still attempting to use Moses Law as their ‘standard’, instead of the Holy Spirit’s present inspiration (‘implanted Message’). He, in this Letter to be distributed among them everywhere Jews accept Jesus as the Son of God/Messiah/King, has much to say about their lack of Truth in their teachings, their actions, their thinking, and their motives. They are not living in “the Faith”, which the Holy Spirit has generously taught them. They reject ‘reforming’ to this ‘new Way’ of Jesus’ Kingdom and continue to hold to and teach the Pharisee’s denominational errors. Watch for Prof. James’ chiding of these Jewish christians throughout this Letter and what is required for them to have correct and good works of God under this ‘new Way’ (reforming to Jesus’ New Covenant is not only a necessity to please Him, it is what all christians agree to do prior to their being immersed-reform their minds and lives-, or the Lord will not ‘add’ them to Jesus’ Kingdom, forgive their sins, nor seal them for an eternal home with Him by the Holy Spirit). Thus, because they had all committed to that, they are now needing to stop the craziness and begin the works Jesus wants of them or they will fall out of Grace, which is exactly what the 2nd earliest Letter, which was by Dr. Paul, is about to the Galatian congregations (They were under these false teacher’s evil teachings, also. This was learned when Dr. Paul and Barnabas were in Jerusalem and written about, then, in the inspired note from the Jerusalem leaders to Antioch.)
Note: There will be several notations to assist in your English study of this koine Greek Text written by Prof. James, as a contemporary historian of Jesus and His Kingdom in the 1st century AD. This is the 2nd Letter (Acts 15:23-29 is the 1st) written by the Holy Spirit and was preserved in that century for all centuries until Jesus returns, as a part of Jesus’ New Covenant.
“Must” is used 50+ times with its Greek power, which most translators neglect in their interpretations. In their language ‘must’ means: ‘it is imperative’ or ‘it ought to be done, no matter what interferes’!
Phrases like: ‘the Faith’, Law of Liberty, implanted Word, and ‘the Truth’ are all references to the new Way or New Covenant of Jesus, that these Jewish brethren were excluding, though they had received It from the Holy Spirit, due to the years of the Pharisee’s teachings and influence. Many had become part of the Jerusalem congregation of Jesus Kingdom and had stealth-fully taken on inclusions of the old Law of Moses, as interpreted by the Phariees, into the ‘Law of Liberty’ of Jesus (also called ‘the Faith’ throughout the New Covenant Text by Its inspired writers.) They rejected many of the Holy Spirit’s new Covenant Way, too; which they had then begun to spread into many areas, beginning in Jerusalem (the “Note” to Antioch indicates that they had also spread this error throughout Syria and Cilicia, beyond Antioch. Dr. Paul and Silas will soon leave to challenge their errors in those congregations with the Antioch “Note”). This error is handled by the Holy Spirit and several inspired leaders of Jesus’ Kingdom.
Date: A.D. 46ish
Text:
(1st) James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes of the dispersion: Greeting! {1:1}
(2nd) My brothers, consider it all joy when you fall into various trials, understanding that the testing of ‘the Faith’ of you all, produces endurance; and you must let It have Its complete work, that you may be [1] complete and [2] entire, [3] lacking in nothing. If anyone among you lacks wisdom, he ‘must’ ask of God, Who gives generously to all, and does not rebuke, and it will be given to him. But he ‘must’ ask in faith, doubting nothing, because one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, tossed about and wind-blown. That man ‘must’ not think that he will receive anything from the Lord. An undecided man is unstable in all his ways. {1:8}
The lowly brother ‘ought to’ rejoice in his exaltation, but the rich in his lowliness, because he will pass away as the flower of the grass. The sun arises with scorching heat, and withers the grass, and its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. [Job 14:2a; Is.40:6-8] In this manner the rich man will fade away in his ways. {1:11}
(3rd) Incredibly happy is the ‘man’ who endures trials, because when he has been tested, he will receive the ‘crown of life’, which He has promised to the ones who love Him. No one ‘ought to’ say, who is tempted, “I am tempted by God!” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself tempts no one. Each one is tempted when he is lured by his own desires and enticed. When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is full-grown, it bears death. You must not allow yourselves to be deceived, my beloved brothers. {1:16}
Every good and complete gift is from above, coming down from the ‘Father of lights’, who does not change, and with Whom there is no shadow of turning. [Num.23:19] According to His Plan, He has brought us into being through the ‘Message of Truth’, that we might be a certain first-fruits [Jewish] of His creatures. You know this, my beloved brothers! {1:19a}
(4th) Everyone ‘must’ understand: quick to listen, [Prov.10:19] slow to speak, [Prov.17:27] slow to anger, as human anger does not produce God’s righteousness. [Prov.14:29, 15:18, 16:32] Therefore, you all having put away all impurity and excess of evil, you yourselves humbly ‘must’ receive [x, mid, retain] the ‘implanted Message’ [from only Holy Spirit], which is able to save your souls. But it ‘is imperative’ that you all be doers of the Message, not hearers only, misleading yourselves; because if anyone is a hearer of the Message, and not a doer, he is like a man looking at himself in a mirror: he looks at himself, leaves, and right away forgets how he looked! But he who looks into the complete ‘Law of Liberty’, and continues in It, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of work, this one will be happy in his doing. {1:25}
If anyone considers himself to be religious but does not control his tongue (deceiving his heart), his religion is perverted. Pure and unstained religion before God, even the Father, is this: [1] to care for the needs of orphans and [2] widows in their trouble, [Is17] and [3] to keep himself unspotted from the world. [Is.1:17b] {1:27}
My brothers, in showing partiality, you do not hold ‘the Faith’ of our glorious Lord, Jesus Christ. If a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothes enters your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothes also enters, and you care about the one wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You ‘ought to’ sit here in a place of honor.”, but say to the poor man, “You ‘must’ stand there, or sit under my footstool.”; are you not discriminating among yourselves, and have you not become judges with evil thoughts? {2:4}
You all ‘must’ listen, my beloved brothers! Has not God chosen the poor in the world [1] to be rich in faith and [2] heirs of the Kingdom, [3] which He has promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor. Do not the rich oppress you, and drag you to court? Do they not slander the honorable Name by which you are called? If you keep the royal Law according to the Scripture, “You will love your neighbor as yourself,” {Lv.19:18} you do well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin, and are condemned by the Law as transgressors [Deut1:17]; for he who keeps the whole Law, but stumbles in one part, has sinned against all of It. [Deut27:26] He Who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” {Ex.20:13,14} Now if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you have become a transgressor of the Law. So, you all ‘must’ speak and act in such a manner as those who are going to be judged by a ‘Law of Liberty’; for judgment is merciless to the one who does not show mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. {2:13}
(5th) What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but he does not have works? Can ‘the Faith’ save him? If a brother or sister needs clothes, or lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “You ‘must’ go in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give to them the things necessary for the body, what good is it? In this same way, unless ‘the Faith’ has works, it is dead by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” You ‘must’ show me ‘the Faith’ of you without works, and I will show you by the works of me, ‘the Faith’.” Do you have faith that there is one God? You do well. The demons also have faith, and tremble with fear. Are you ready to recognize, foolish man, that ‘the Faith’ without works is worthless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? [Gen.22:9f] You see that ‘the Faith’ cooperated with his works, and ‘the Faith’ was made complete by works. The Scripture was fulfilled which said, “Abraham had faith in God, and it was accounted to him unto righteousness,” [Gen.15:6f, 22:15f] and he was called God’s friend. [Is.41:8; 2Ch.20:7] You ‘must’ see that a man is justified by works, and not out of faith only. Likewise, also, was not Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the spies, and sent them out by a different road? [Josh.2:1f, 6:1f] As the body without a spirit is dead [Zech112:1; Eccl12:7], so also ‘the Faith’ without works is dead. {2:26}
(6th) Many of you ‘must’ not become teachers, my brothers, knowing we will be judged more strictly, for in much we all stumble. If anyone does not stumble with his words, he is full-grown, and can bridle, indeed, his whole body. Behold! [1] We put bits into horses’ mouths, that they may obey us, and [2] we turn about their whole body. [3] You all ‘must’ consider, also, the great ships, though driven by strong winds, are turned about by the smallest rudder, where the pilot wishes. [4] In the same way, the tongue also is a little member, and boasts great things.
You all ‘must’ listen! A very small fire kindles a large forest, and the tongue is a fire. Among our members the tongue is a world of wrongdoing, which stains the whole body and inflames the course of nature and is inflamed by hell! All nature (beasts, birds, reptiles, and fish) is subdued and has been subdued by mankind; but no one among men can subdue the tongue, because it is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. [A] We praise the Lord and Father with it, and [B]with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. [C] Blessing and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things ‘ought not to be’ so. [1] Does a fountain give sweet and bitter water from the same opening? [2] My brothers, can a fig tree produce olives, or a vine, figs? Neither can saltwater yield sweet.
Who is wise and understanding among you? He ‘must’ show by honorable behavior his works in gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, you ‘must’ not boast, and must not lie against the Truth. This wisdom is not coming down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, diabolical. Where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there are disorder and every evil deed. But the Wisdom which is from above is, indeed, first [a] pure, then [b] peaceful, [c] considerate, [d] willing to yield, [e] full of mercy and [f] good fruits, [g] impartial and [h] sincere. The fruit of righteousness is peaceably sown by those who make peace. {3:18}
(7th) What is the source of the conflicts and quarrels among you? [a] Do they not come from your pleasures, which war in your members? [b] You desire, but you do not have. [c] You kill and [d] you covet, but you do not obtain. [e] You quarrel and [f] fight. [1] You do not have, because you do not ask. [2] You ask, and you do not receive, because you ask with an evil purpose, that you may spend on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship of the world is hatred of God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself God’s enemy! Do you think that the Scripture speaks emptily? Does the Spirit, living in us, lust to envy? Instead, He gives greater Grace, and said, “God opposes the proud, but gives Grace to the lowly.” [Prov.3:34-LXX] It ‘is imperative’ that you be submissive, therefore, to God! You ‘must’ resist the devil, and he will flee from you. You ‘must’ draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. {4:8}
Sinners, you ‘must’ cleanse your hands. Double-minded, you ‘must’ purify your hearts. You ‘must’: lament and mourn and weep! Your laughter ‘must’ be turned to mourning, and your joy into gloom. It ‘is imperative’ that you all humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.
You ‘must’ not speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against his brother, or judges his brother, speaks against law, and judges law. If you judge law, you are not a doer of law, but a judge. There is one Lawgiver and Judge, the One able to save and destroy. Who are you to judge your neighbor? {4:12}
(8th) You ‘must’ listen now! You who are saying, “Today or tomorrow we will go to a certain city and spend a year there; we will trade and make a profit.” You do not understand what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? You are a vapor which briefly appears, and then vanishes. Instead, you ‘ought to’ say, “If the Lord Wills, we will live, and do this or that.” But now you are boasting in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, knowing to do good, and not doing it, is sin.
You ‘must’ listen now! You who are rich, you ‘must’ [a] weep and [b]wail because of the calamities, which are coming upon you. Your riches [1] are molded, and [2] your clothes are moth-eaten; [3] your gold and silver are tarnished, and their tarnish will be a testimony against you, eating your flesh as fire. You have laid up treasures for the last days? Hear this! [1] The wages of the workers who have mowed your fields, which have been kept back by you, cry out; and [2] the cries of the harvesters have entered into the ears of the Lord of armies. [3] You have indulged yourselves on the Earth, and have lived in luxury; [4] you have pampered yourselves with choice foods; [5] you have wronged and [6] murdered the righteous, who do not resist you.
Therefore, brothers, you ‘must’ wait patiently until the coming of the Lord. Behold! The farmer expects the earth’s precious fruit, waiting patiently for it, until he receives the early and late rains. You, too, ‘must’ wait patiently, and ‘must’ strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near. You ‘must’ not complain against one another, so that you will not be condemned. Behold! The Judge stands before the doors!
My brothers, you all ‘must’ take the prophets (who have spoken in the Lord’s Name) as an example of suffering and of waiting patiently. Behold! We consider happy those who endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance [Job1:20-22], and you have seen that in the outcome, the Lord is deeply sympathetic and merciful. [Job42:10f]
Above all things, my brothers, you ‘must’ not swear, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath; but ‘must’ let your “yes” be yes, and your “no” no, that you do not fall under condemnation. {5:12}
(9th) Is any among you suffering evil treatment? He himself ‘must’ pray. Is any happy? He ‘must’ sing praise. Is any sick? He himself ‘must’ invite the congregation’s elders, and they themselves ‘must’ pray over him, having anointed him with oil in the Lord’s Name. The prayer of ‘the Faith’ will cure the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, you yourselves ‘must’ confess the sins to one another [to elders], and pray for one another [to elders], so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous {masc.} man has powerful results. Elijah was a man whose nature was like ours, and he prayed that it would not rain, and it did not for three and a half years; and he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. [I Kg17-18]
My brothers, if any one among you is led astray from the Truth, and someone turns him back, he ‘must’ understand, that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way, will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.