James Chapter 1

“James, a servant of God, etc.] That is, of God the Father; not by creation only, as every man is; nor merely by calling grace, as is every regenerate person; but by office, as a preacher of the Gospel, being one that served God in the Gospel of his Son, and was an apostle of Christ; nor is this any sufficient objection to his being one, since others of the apostles so style themselves: and of the Lord Jesus Christ; the Ethiopic version reads this in connection with the former clause, without the copulative “and”, “James, the servant of God, our Lord Jesus Christ”: and so some consider the copulative as…”

“INSCRIPTION: EXHORTATION ON HEARING, SPEAKING, AND WRATH. (Jam. 1:1-27) James--an apostle of the circumcision, with Peter and John, James in Jerusalem, Palestine, and Syria; Peter in Babylon and the East; John in Ephesus and Asia Minor. Peter addresses the dispersed Jews of Pontus, Galatia, and Cappadocia; James, the Israelites of the twelve tribes scattered abroad. servant of God--not that he was not an apostle; for Paul, an apostle, also calls himself so; but as addressing the Israelites generally, including even indirectly the unbelieving, he in humility omits the title "apostle"; so Paul in writing to the…”

“James, a servant of God - On the meaning of the word “servant” in this connection, see the note at Romans 1:1. Compare the note at Philemon 1:16. It is remarkable that James does not call himself an apostle; but this does not prove that the writer of the Epistle was not an apostle, for the same omission occurs in the Epistle of John, and in the Epistle of Paul to the Philippians, the Thessalonians, and to Philemon. It is remarkable, also, considering the relation which James is supposed to have borne to the Lord Jesus as his “brother” (Galatians 1:19; Introduction, 1). That he did not refer to that as…”

“A servant of Jesus Christ - Whose name the apostle mentions but once more in the whole epistle, Jam 2:1. And not at all in his whole discourse, Act 15:14, &c.; or Act 21:20-25. It might have seemed, if he mentioned him often, that he did it out of vanity, as being the brother of the Lord. To the twelve tribes - Of Israel; that is, those of them that believe. Which are scattered abroad - In various countries. Ten of the tribes were scattered ever since the reign of Hosea; and great part of the rest were now dispersed through the Roman empire: as was foretold, Deu 28:25, &c., Deu 30:4. Greeting - That is, all…”

“1:1 James: See “James, Brother of Jesus” Profile. • By identifying his readers as the “twelve tribes,” James affirms Christianity’s continuity with Israel’s heritage. The Exile had dispersed the twelve tribes, but Jewish interpreters looked forward to God reuniting them (see Psalms of Solomon 17:26-28; Testament of Benjamin 9:2; cp. Ezek 37:15-28; Matt 19:28). Christ has spiritually brought an end to Israel’s exile and reunited the tribes. • Jews scattered abroad (Greek diaspora) were living outside Palestine (John 7:35; Acts 2:5; 8:1; 11:19). • Greetings! (Greek chairein): This greeting is typical in…”

“James: Mat 10:3, Mat 13:55; Mar 3:18; Luk 6:15; Act 1:13, Act 12:17, Act 15:13, Act 21:18; Gal 1:19, Gal 2:9, Gal 2:12; Jde 1:1 a servant: Joh 12:26; Rom 1:1; Phi 1:1; Tit 1:1; Pe2 1:1 to: Exo 24:4, Exo 28:21, Exo 39:14; Kg1 18:31; Ezr 6:17; Mat 19:28; Act 26:7; Rev 7:4 scattered: Lev 26:33; Deu 4:27, Deu 28:64, Deu 30:3, Deu 32:26; Est 3:8; Eze 12:15; Joh 7:35; Act 2:5, Act 8:1, Act 15:21; Pe1 1:1 greeting: Act 15:23, Act 23:26; Ti2 4:21 James 1:2”