Book Study: James

Book Overview

The book of James is a practical guide to living out faith through action. Written by James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church, it addresses Jewish Christians scattered abroad who were facing trials, poverty, and persecution. James emphasizes wisdom and ethical living. True faith must be demonstrated through works. Belief without works is “dead.” James encourages believers to endure hardship with patience, seek wisdom from God, control their tongue, reject favoritism, and live in submission to God. He calls for impartial love especially toward the poor, and highlights the importance of prayer and confession.

Brief Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1

James writes to the 12 tribes signifying a strong Jewish influence and audience. He encourages endurance and perseverance amidst trials. Those who desire wisdom should ask God in faith. It is not God but our own lusts that tempt us to sin. Be slow to anger and put off all wickedness. Be doers of the word and not hearers only. Tame your tongue and help orphans and widows in their distress.

Chapter 2

Favoritism in the church is rebuked incidentally referred to as how we “hold our faith.” Our Faith must be displayed in our works or that faith is useless. Like Abraham, it is our works that perfect or complete our faith.

Chapter 3

James commends the man who can tame is tongue. He teaches that the tongue is powerful to direct our lives and is a restless evil difficult to tame. He rebukes jealousy and selfish ambition as worldly and not from God. True wisdom brings righteousness and peace.

Chapter 4

James continues to discuss how our ambition and lust produce all sorts of evil and conflict. Rather we must submit to God our desires and resist the devil. We must not judge one another but let the law and God judge. James encourages a submissive attitude to God in our affairs understanding that God is ultimately in control and we must recognize this in all we do.

Chapter 5

James strongly rebukes those who are rich displaying God’s judgement that is coming on those who have lived luxuriously in this world. Jesus is coming soon, and we must be patient like Job and the prophets and not grumble while we wait for his justice. Sickness must be prayed for with faith knowing that God can do great things. He ends with a promise of a great reward for the one who turns a sinner from the err of his ways.

Key Verses

James 1:5

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.

James 1:13

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.

James 1:19

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

James 1:26–27

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 2:17

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

James 2:24

You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

James 3:6

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

James 4:4

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

James 4:7

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:17

If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:20

Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

‍