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Matthew and James

9/8/2023

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9/8/23
Scholarly Observations

Zangenberg, Jürgen. "Chapter Six: Matthew and James." in Sim, David C., and Repschinski, Boris (editors). Matthew and His Christian Contemporaries. London: T&T Clark, 2008, 104-122.

Zangenberg observes that though there seem to be connections between Matthew and James, the works do not make specific and clear cross-references (Zangenberg 2008, 104). This, however, is also the case in many works from the same general period, which may be closely related to one another. It is frequently more productive to consider evidence of material clearly drawing on similar source matter or of it having similar vocabulary or style. Zangenberg briefly lists some similarities which will influence his analysis (Zangenberg 2008, 105). Both texts were written at a time when most of Christianity existed in a predominantly Jewish context. Though there are different factions within Christianity and Judaism at the time, these texts do not attempt to sort out these differences.

Matthew and James are both ascribed to particular authors, though Matthew's ascription is external rather han internal (Zangenberg 2008, 105-106). Identification of the James claimed as the author of the leter is a bit more difficult. He is not clearly identified in the letter. However, we may well take him to be the person who was the lead elder in Jerusalem for many years (Zangenberg 2008, 107). Matthew, though not identified clearly as the author in the body of the Gospel, is referred to by Papias and others relatively early (Zangenberg 2008, 108). 

We know relatively little about the community in which James wrote. Zangenberg notes the letter is addressed as a circular letter to the twelve tribes, yet they are not "of Israel" and they are all scattered, with none remaining in Palestine (Zangenberg 2008, 109). James speaks of a variety of leaders, but does not reference apostles. He also doesn't make statements about different subgroups, such as nationalities (Zangenberg 2008, 110).

Matthew shows interest in teachers but also speaks clearly about "apostles" and "disciples" (Zangenberg 2008, 110). Matthew is much more specific than James about the types of doctrinal differences among groups, as well as different religious practices. James paints a more unified picture (Zangenberg 2008, 111). Matthew shows a tension with Judaism, but Zangenberg considers it unclear what specific type of Judaim is in his mind (Zangenberg 2008, 112). Matthew also makes it clear that there are differences between Christianity and Roman culture. However, the type of differences are not shown clearly.

Zangenberg goes on to discuss the content and terminology found in Matthew and in James. Matthew and James both take a high view of the Law, urging not only hearing, but also active obedience (Zangenberg 2008, 113). This is common in many early Christian texts. While Matthew speaks clearly about ritual regulations for purity, James does not. Matthew's emphasis is based on Jesus' commands; James' motivation is based on broader, more typically Jewish logic (Zangenberg 2008, 114). James gives us more Jesus traditions than are found in any other writings except the canonical Gospels. James, however, never uses context found in Matthew, restraining himself to individual sayings. James has an oblique way of developing his Christology. While not mentioning the birth, death, or resurrection of Jesus or using Messianic titles, he clearly shows Jesus as the lord and returning judge (Zangenberg 2008, 115-116). Matthew grounds his Christology in all the elements which James chooses not to mention.

Zangenberg thinks James shows a close kinship to 1 Peter, with common traditions and similar community situations (Zangenberg 2008, 117). Matthew fits similarly into the context with James and 1 Peter. The alleged controversy between James and Paul may be overblown. There seems to be relatively little contact in topics or settings (Zangenberg 2008, 118). Paul and James both consider God's law as essential and expect people to hear and obey. Both pursue love as the way of fulfilling the law, and recognize that we live by faith. Paul has a greater expectation of the work of the Holy Spirit to bring forth works than does James (Zangenberg 2008, 119). The two authors are dealing with different situations and go about them in slightly different ways. 

Zangenberg concludes that Matthew and James have a close relationship. Though there is diversity in their literary outlook and use of other material, they draw on the same thought world as one another (Zangenberg 2008, 120). For that matter, the world of Paul and John are clearly within the same tradition as well (Zangenberg 2008, 121).

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Purity in Matthew, James, and the Didache

8/31/2023

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8/31/23
Scholarly Reflections
Repschinski, Boris. "Chapter Seventeen: Purity in Matthew, James, and the Didache." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 379-395.

Repschinski observes that purity codes have existed within Judaism and many other cultures, and that they tended to provide a good deal of social cohesion (Repschinski 2008, 379). Within Israel, purity codes related to Torah assist in defining a means by which we can be holy as God is holy (Repschinski 2008, 380).

Matthew's Gospel presents the idea of purity in terms of Jesus' work to bring forgiveness of sins (Repschinski 2008, 381). Jesus is presented as the one whose baptism and forgiveness actually takes away sins. He is the one who cleanses the unrighteous from the temple and who asserts the temple as the place of God's presence (Repschinski 2008, 383). For this reason, when Jesus leaves the temple, it signals the departure of God's presence. Jesus' presence, in Matthew's Gospel, remains in the Last Supper as the Passover is re-enacted (Repschinski 2008, 384). This, again, is a rite of purification. Jesus serves as the replacement of the temple. Repschinski notes that Matthew signals the extent of Jesus' replacement of a purity code by describing Jesus' interactions with Gentiles who would not be accepted in the temple culture (Repschinski 2008, 385). Matthew's orientation is that Jesus is held as the contrast to those who would violate the principles and spirit of Torah (Repschinski 2008, 386).

James, in contrast to Matthew, does not pursue issues of purity to a great extent (Repschinski 2008, 388). Ritual purity is absent from James' argument, though there are references to drawing near to God (Repschinski 2008, 389). There are multiple statements indicating a need to be in community with one another and with God. These are often made through descriptive metaphors (Repschinski 2008, 390).

The Didache teaches clearly that there is an expected code of purity. However, Repschinski observes a compromise. While all are expected to keep Torah, Gentiles are merely to do as well as they can (Repschinski 2008, 393). The purity in mind is not so much a ritual purity which guards worship, but a moral purity which breaks down barriers between people. Failure to pursue this moral purity can result in quarrels which, in turn, defile the ritual of the eucharist described in Didache 14 (Repschinski 2008, 394). ​
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Oaths and Vows in James, Matthew, and the Didache

8/30/2023

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8/30/23
Scholarly Reflections
Vahrenhorst, Martin. "Chapter Sixteen: The Presence and Absence of a Prohibition of Oath in James, Matthew, and the Didache and Its significance for Contextualization." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 361-377.

Vahrenhorst notes the scholarly opinions about Matthew shifting toward the writing coming from a community which is first Christian but with Jewish elements, rather than one which is first Jewish but with Christian elements (Vahrenhorst 2008, 362). Just the same, he sees in Matthew, especially 5:17-20, a solid allegiance to the Torah, with a typical rabbinic desire to apply the principles to everyday life.

The nature of oaths and vows in different Jewish contexts is a matter of substantial debate (Vahrenhorst 2008, 365). Because of this, Vahrenhorst considers a study of oaths in Matthew, James, and the Didache likely to be fruitful. The prohibition of swearing an oath using God's name serves to guard against asserting wrong values to God or claiming He is responsible for our failure to keep a promise (Vahrenhorst 2008, 365). Yet it is necessary to make firm promises. Therefore, Jewish writings tend to suggest promises, calling upon parents or other authorities (Vahrenhorst 2008, 366). Vahrenhorst notes that there was a distinction made between swearing an oath and making a vow, which would still express a commitment to an action but would avoid profaning God's name (Vahrenhorst 2008, 366-367).

Matthew has three significant passages regarding oaths. In 5:33-37, Matthew records Jesus as teaching that vows made to the Lord are binding (Vahrenhorst 2008, 368). To avoid breaking a vow, one should avoid making vows. In effect, the logical implication of involving God in a vow is that God will keep the promise if the promiser fails to do so. The same counsel appears in Matthew 23:16-22, where the Jewish leaders are identified as "blind" (Vahrenhorst 2008, 369). In the other, brief, passage, Peter denies knowing Jesus, using an oath. This is clearly seen as a negative response.

The Didache contains only one saying, in 2:2, about oaths, prohibiting those which are false (Vahrenhorst 2008, 371). However, the Torah is not mentioned specifically as an authority for the moral views of the Didache. Just the same, the moral authority seems to be drawn from Old Testament passages (Vahrenhorst 2008, 372). There are widely recognized halakhic elements in the Didache, which show a positive relationship with Jewish thought (Vahrenhorst 2008, 373).

James 5:12 makes a clear prohibition of oaths, but with no explanation (Vahrenhorst 2008, 375). This is consistent with the concern James shows with the ethics surrounding speech. One's life is to be consistent, including a confluence of speech and actions.

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Instruction and Baptism in Matthew, James, and the Didache

8/29/2023

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8/29/23
Scholarly Reflections
Stewart-Sykes, Alistair. "Chapter Fifteen: Ἀποκύησις λόγῳ ἀληθείας: Paraenesis and Baptism in Matthew, James, and the Didache." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 341-359.

Stewart-Sykes considers the paraenetic content of Matthew, James, and the Didache as regards baptism (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 341). He is particularly interested in the specific pre-baptismal instruction specified in the Didache. Following Pseudo-Isocrates (Ad Demonicum), Stewart-Sykes suggests a distinction between paraenesis, or ethical advice, and exhortation (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 342). There is certainly an element of exhortation, but the primary goal is giving advice. Stewart-Sykes goes on to cite a variety of scholarly opinions further identifying what would be meant by paraenesis (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 343-345).

The Two Ways material in the Didache, taken in context, is ethical instruction intended to prepare one for baptism (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 345). Matthew 5-7 is another example of paraenesis. Stewart- Sykes considers that, in light of the command to baptize and teach, from Matthew 28, that the instruction in chapters 5-7 should be viewed in light of pre-baptismal instruction (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 345-346). James, as a whole, can readily be understood as paraenetic in nature (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 346). It is marked by extensive ethical content. The context, however, is not that of prebaptismal instruction.

Stewart-Sykes begins an analysis of the meaning of baptism with James, who views baptism as the point of rebirth, a gift of God (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 348). This is accompanied by a "word of truth," which would likely be either words spoken at the baptism or as teaching beforehand. Matthew's Gospel ties baptism to an eschatological hope. The baptized person has an immediate hope in Christ as well as a hope at the end of the world (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 349).

Stewart-Sykes discusses the understanding of baptism as either in the name of the Trinity (Matthew and Didache) or in the name of Jesus (James) (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 350ff). By the early third century we have more extensive baptismal rites, though without a specific formula spoken. There are some assumptions that a development in thought occurred, resulting in a clear Trinitarian confession and act, but this is nowhere clearly stated in antiquity (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 351).

Stewart-Sykes returns to the question of pre-baptismal instruction in James. The concept is not stated clearly in James, but there may be allusions to it (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 353). He finds this to be the case in James 1:19-21, where there is exhortation, apparently repeated for those who have already been taught, to pursue life consistent with that in Matthew 5:21-23 and in the Didache's Way of Life (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 354). Stewart-Sykes goes on to identify a number of instances where James calls readers to a life consistent with the Didache's Way of Life.

In conclusion, Stewart-Sykes finds the three documents all speak to the reality of pre-baptismal instruction, and that those instructions guide the candidate for baptism into a particular mode of life which also includes an eschatological hope (Stewart-Sykes 2008, 356-357).

​
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Law and Ethics in Matthew and James

8/28/2023

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8/28/23
Scholarly Reflections
Van de Sandt, Huub. "Chapter Fourteen: Law and Ethics in Matthew's Antitheses and James's Letter: A Reorientation of Halakhah in Line with the Jewish Two Ways 3:1-6." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 315-338.

Van de Sandt observes the common opinion that Matthew 5:17-48 bears a strong similarity to the thought world of James (Van de Sandt 2008, 315). Their view of the Mosaic law, the goal of righteousness, and the concept of righteousness based on careful observance of the law are quite similar. Rather than posit a dependence between Matthew and James, Van de Sandt proposes that both texts are strongly oriented toward the Jewish Two Ways material found, among other witnesses, in Didache 3.1-6 (Van de Sandt 2008, 136). This material probably antedated the Didache, as evidenced by its inclusion in different variations in other early documents (Van de Sandt 2008, 317).

Van de Sandt breaks the text of Didache 3:1-6 into its component clauses, analyzing the overall structure. He observes that the bulk is divided into parallel couplets of a sin we would consider less serious leading to one we would see as more serious (Van de Sandt 2008, 319). The pattern, as Van de Sandt illustrates, is relatively common in rabbinic thought.

Though Matthew 5:17-48, and the surrounding passages, bear a resemblance to Luke 6:20-49, leading to much consensus that both authors relied on a Q source, Van de Sandt finds significant connections of Matthew 5 to the passage in Didache 3 (Van de Sandt 2008, 324). The underlying structure, with the "minor" offense followed by the "major" offense is alike, though in Matthew there is further elaboration. Both texts roundly affirm the necessity of the Law (Van de Sandt 2008, 327). Both the least and the greatest commands are valid. Matthew and the Didache both build the argument on precepts from the Decalogue (Van de Sandt 2008, 329). The topical arrangement is also significant, as the lighter command comes first and the heavier second (Van de Sandt 2008, 330).

Van de Sandt also compares James with Didache 3:1-6. In particular, he finds James 1:13-15 and 1:19-21 to correspond to the Didache's ethical material (Van de Sandt 2008, 331). In James, the desire leads to sin, which leads to death. The minor offense leads to the more serious one. Both documents describe the progression in terms of giving birth. As with Matthew and the Didache, James advocates a careful obedience to God's law (Van de Sandt 2008, 332). All of life is to be an expression of the command of God to love one another (Van de Sandt 2008, 333).

Van de Sandt observes a possible development of thought between that of Didache 3 and Matthew 5. In Matthew 5, the existing commands are intensified, while in Didache 3 existing commands are simply serialized (Van de Sandt 2008, 335). The same may be said of James, where a "small" sin becomes equated with murder, war, or adultery (Van de Sandt 2008, 336). ​
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Ethics in James, Matthew, and the Didache

8/25/2023

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8/25/23
Scholarly Reflections
Hartin, Patrick J. "Chapter Thirteen: Ethics in the letter of James, the Gospel of Matthew, and the Didache: Their Place in Early Christian literature." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 289-314.

Hartin considers the relationship of the ethical world of Israel and of Christianity, as addressed in James, the Didache, and Matthew, taking them in that order, which he thinks is the order of composition (Hartin 2008, 289). The ethical world is important as it largely provides a means to identify a particular group (Hartin 2008, 290).

James, addressing people of Israel who are dispersed, roots their identity in belonging to Israel (Hartin 2008, 291). There is an eschatological hope of restoration. They are pictured as rooted in the Torah, God's law (Hartin 2008, 292). The Law creates the identity of the people by describing how God has dealt with His people (Hartin 2008, 292). This socializes them in a particular way.

Matthew's Gospel is also rooted in the historical people of Israel (Hartin 2008, 293). Jesus' ministry and that of his disciples primarily focuses on Israel, not the Gentiles. Jesus specifically denies coming to do away with Torah, but affirms it and fulfills it (Hartin 2008, 294).

Hartin further finds the Didache to be rooted in Israelite identity (Hartin 2008, 295). However, unlike Matthew and James, it clearly has a concern for Gentiles. The ethic of the Torah is applied to the Gentile community as well as those from a Jewish background. This, again, is a means of socializing the people and creating one recognizable community.

In James, Hartin finds perfection as an important ethical marker (Hartin 2008, 297). The intention is that the people should be blameless, as the lamb offered to God was without blemish. Matthew also has a concept of perfection, which occurs as we imitate God in His concern for both good and bad (Hartin 2008, 299). Perfection in the Didache is also based on keeping Torah, and especially the Way of Life (Hartin 2008, 300). The people are to maintain purity above all. This creates their identity as people in a living relationship with God (Hartin 2008, 301). Hartin concludes that James, Matthew, and the Didache are alike in their call to perfection. However, while Matthew roots perfection in imitation of God, James focuses on the just works of care for others (Hartin 2008, 302). The Didache prescribes actions, but does not elaborate on them (Hartin 2008, 303). However, the actions are similar to the actions of God. This, says Hartin, is the standard for all three documents. The Christian is to be consistent, of a single mind (Hartin 2008, 305).

The twofold love command is also an important element in all three texts (Hartin 2008, 305). However, Hartin notes it is used in a different way in each. In James, the relationship of faith and works requires a conclusion that love for others must be practiced diligently. This is the predominant law of God's kingdom. In Matthew's Gospel, loving God and the neighbor is the means of fulfilling the Law and the prophets (Hartin 2008, 307). This embodies perfection, but based on the Scripture, as opposed to the more abstract concept of "kingdom" from James. In contrast, the Didache describes loving God and the neighbor in terms of remaining on the path of life (Hartin 2008, 307). The path of death, conversely, involves the lack of mercy.

Hartin next considers how the three documents fit into the context of the growing body of Christian literature. James works mostly with the conceptual world of the Septuagint and sayings of Jesus (Hartin 2008, 309). He takes them as harmonious and complementary. Matthew, though he uses sayings of Jesus extensively, uses them differently than James. "He preserves the character of the saying and transforms it only slightly to accord with other traditional material at his disposal and his theological vision" (Hartin 2008, 309). The Didache uses Jesus traditions less frequently, and, in Hartin's opinion, tends not to adjust the sayings (Hartin 2008, 310). Hartin notes that the Letter of Barnabas has a two ways section which likely derives from the same source used for the Didache (Hartin 2008, 310-311). Paul's conceptual framework may be contrasted to that of James. While Paul is more concerned with Jesus' work to complete salvation, James is more concerned that the Christian should actively live out the faith (Hartin 2008, 311). Counter to Paul, Matthew does not speak of slavery to sin or why we would not carry out God's law (Hartin 2008, 311-312). Matthew tends to focus on actions. Hartin observes that John gives few ethical instructions other than the need to love (Hartin 2008, 312).

Hartin concludes that Matthew, James, and the Didache each provides an ethical framework but that they differ in nature due to the time and context of their composition. He places James first, writing to communities which are essentially Israelite (Hartin 2008, 313). Matthew he sees next, in a context which welcomes and incorporates gentiles into the community (Hartin 2008, 314). Finally, the Didache, a few decades later, but from the same community as Matthew, reflects a more robust gentile Christian community.
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"Love" in Matthew, James, and the Didache

8/24/2023

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8/24/23
Scholarly Reflections
Konradt, Matthias. "Chapter Twelve: The Love Command in Matthew, James, and the Didache." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 271-288.

Konradt notes that the command to love is such a common trait of Christianity that an evaluation of it in Matthew, James, and the Didache would seem unlikely to yield any useful results (Konradt 2008, 271). Yet he proceeds to highlight some of the similarities before showing the marks which make the three documents fit the same milieu (Konradt 2008, 272).

Matthew uses the command to love the neighbor specifically three times (Konradt 2008, 272). Loving the neighbor, or, for that matter, loving the enemy, sets people up to be sons of God (Konradt 2008, 273). Love for the neighbor, in Matthew 19:20-21, involves giving to the poor (Konradt 2008, 275). Love for the neighbor is seen as the means of fulfilling the Law (Konradt 2008, 278). 

James makes it clear that the love command is highly important. However, Konradt observes the function of that command is a matter of dispute (Konradt 2008, 278). He takes it to be intended as the command which sums up everything else and holds an ethical life together. Love is not held in the abstract in James. In 2:13 love results in showing mercy to the poor, particularly orphans and widows. Konradt notes this is not merely giving alms, but also showing respect (Konradt 2008, 279). The law does not consist of love. In fact, it goes much farther because that love is to be worked out in our various interactions with others (Konradt 2008, 281).

The Didache opens the "Way of Life" with the love command and a negative version of the Golden Rule (Konradt 2008, 282). Konradt notes that the two elements also seem to summarize the law in Matthew (Konradt 2008, 283). The similarities of James and the Didache are less clear. Perfection in the Didache is related to a love for the neighbor, but also the enemy, and to turning the other cheek (Konradt 2008, 285). It may also be tied to keeping the whole Torah, though that may not be as clearly discerned (Konradt 2008, 285-286).

Konradt finally asks whether the three documents represent the same branch of Christianity. The use of the love command is a common element which regularly shows continuity with an interpretation of the Torah (Konradt 2008, 286). The love command is seen in all as central to the law, but not as a reduction of the law. Rather, it motivates ethical behavior and attitudes which are consonant with the law.

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Pluralism in Matthew, James, and the Didache

8/23/2023

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8/23/23
Scholarly Reflections
Overman, J. Andrew. "Chapter Eleven: Problems with Pluralism in Second Temple Judaism: Matthew, James, and the Didache in their Jewish-Roman Milieu." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 259-270.

Overman observes a growing awareness in scholarly discussion that the Jewish and Christian traditions in ante-Nicene Roman contexts are difficult to separate. It took several hundred years for them to become clearly distinguished from one another (Overman 2008, 259). This may well have been related to the rather significant tolerance of the Roman administration, which allowed an extensive collection of fragmentary groups to exist, all being tolerated as varieties of Judaism (Overman 2008, 260). In fact, in Overman's opinion, these groups would have been indistinguishable to a Roman. Overman describes, using Matthew, the Didache, and James, the distinctions which set three groups apart from one another.

Matthew holds that the orthodox Christian community is centered around Jesus' teachings of a right view of Torah (Overman 2008, 261). Other teachers have brought trouble on the people (Overman 2008, 262). Several of the parables of Jesus illustrate the damage caused to the society by unjust client and lordship relations and abuse of tax and charitable policies.

The Didache has a different way of identifying the Christian community. Overman takes it possibly to distinguish between ὁ κύριος and Jesus, with Jesus being mentioned only rarely (Overman 2008, 264). The church, which is seen as larger than a local organization, is loyal to "the Lord." Structure and order of the community is an important element. The ethic articulated is similar to that of Matthew, creating a kinship between the documents (Overman 2008, 265). This, rather than a Christology, would define the group.

James, by contrast to Matthew and the Didache, shows considerable influence of thought rooted in both Hellenism and an allegiance to Jesus (Overman 2008, 266). Overman finds it philosophically sophisticated, with elements of Stoic philosophy present (Overman 2008, 267). The tension over economic diversity is present both in the Didache and James. The community is to embrace humility, which will move them to correct this tension.

Overman estimates that of the three types of Christianity represented by Matthew, the Didache, and James, it is the vision of James that would be able to engage the Roman culture in a long-lasting manner (Overman 2008, 269).
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Jesus Traditions in Matthew, James, and the Didache

8/22/2023

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8/22/23
Scholarly Reflections
Schröter, Jens. "Chapter Ten: Jesus Tradition in Matthew, James, and the Didache: Searching for Characteristic Emphases." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 233-255.

Schröter, while acknowledging Matthew, James, and the Didache as arising from and speaking initially to particular contexts, also finds "sound evidence that they are not, or at least not exclusively, addressed to a specific community, but to 'all Christians'" (Schröter 2008, 2334). They also show distinct concepts of divergence from Judaism.

In Matthew, while Jesus clearly affirms the law, he is critical of the defects in the righteousness of the Pharisees (Schröter 2008, 234-235). The Jewish identity as evidenced in synagogue life is therefore less important. The ideal community is centered on Jesus' interpretation of the law and contains both Jews and Gentiles.

In the Didache, Schröter considers that Christianity was distancing itself from both Jewish and Gentile identities (Schröter 2008, 235). Analysis of this trend is made more difficult due to the composite nature of the document. Schröter finds that some passages show a separation from Judaism more clearly than others (Schröter 2008, 236).

In regard to the relationship with Judaism, James is more complex. James creates a view of the perfect life in relation to God's gift (Jas 1:17) (Schröter 2008, 236). There is a strong element of Jewish wisdom tradition, but simultaneously an ethic which is distinct from an actual Jewish identity.

Schröter's discussion of "Jesus tradition" begins with an attempt at definition of the term. He does not consider much of what we would identify as Jesus tradition as actually coming from Jesus himself, but as concepts which were ascribed to him by others (Schröter 2008, 237). Further, it may have been quite common for ideas to be articulated by authors, taking them as those of Jesus, but with no attribution (Schröter 2008, 238). Schröter's assumption that the author of James was not present with Jesus draws him to conclude that "it is by no means self-evident that James had access to traditions that originated with Jesus himself" (Schröter 2008, 238).

The Didache makes several references to "the Lord" or to "the Gospel" as an authority (Schröter 2008, 238). Schröter details a number of passages, assigning them to a redactor who did not seem to be referencing a written Gospel (Schröter 2008, 239). 

Schröter concludes that the only way we can clearly discern traditions in James or the Didache as Jesus traditions is through our knowledge of the Synoptic Gospels (Schröter 2008, 240). Matthew singularly assigned the teachings in his Gospel to Jesus, describing them as what we would call "Jesus traditions."

The three documents do all have a clearly discernible call for "perfection" (Schröter 2008, 241). Additionally, the three documents share significant elements in their ethic.

In James, gaining wisdom is a means of approaching perfection (Schröter 2008, 242). Enduring trials is seen as a catalyst for gaining wisdom. The trials produce endurance, which leads to wisdom. Schröter relates James to 1 Peter and the Pauline epistles, as they also tend to speak of trials as leading to growth in divine wisdom (Schröter 2008, 243-244). The concept is related to a Synoptic tradition in which one is given rewards from God in conjunction with humility (Schröter 2008, 244-245).

Matthew describes perfection in terms of the perfect nature of God the Father (Schröter 2008, 246). Schröter considers Matthew to describe this perfection as being achieved through a fulfilling of God's law. Counter to James' view of perfection through wisdom, Matthew emphasizes obedience. This is done through association with Jesus (Schröter 2008, 247).

On the three occasions that perfection is mentioned in the Didache, Schröter notes it is tied to holding to the teaching presented (Schröter 2008, 249). The teaching leads to a lifestyle of obedience, in which people participate in the liturgy of baptism, prayer, and Eucharist. These all have elements of mercy, forgiveness, and humility. The prayer and fasting rituals have a close affinity to Jewish customs, as part of the liturgy of life (Schröter 2008, 252).

Schröter concludes that in Matthew, James, and the Didache, there is considerable continuity with Judaism, but a subtle shift in the locus of authority (Matthew), the emphasis on ethic rather than ritual (James), and an introduction of Chrsitian liturgy (Didache) shows a distinct Christian point of view (Schröter 2008, 254).
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Poverty and Piety in Early Christianity

8/21/2023

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8/21/23
Scholarly Reflections
Kloppenborg, John S. "Chapter Nine: Poverty and Piety in Matthew, James, and the Didache." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 201-232.

Kloppenborg observes that poverty and piety were often associated with each other prior to the first century, and that in a way the poor were considered recipients of God's special favor, which supported them in their trials (Kloppenborg 2008,201). They, after all, were the humble before God. By that token, all who humbled themselves before God could be considered as the poor, and thus be recognized as among the pious (Kloppenborg 2008,202). This has often been recognized as a correlation in James. The value expressed in James is not necessarily that of becoming economically impoverished, but of adopting the humility characteristic of poor people (Kloppenborg 2008, 204).

Just treatment, and generous care for the poor is a common theme in biblical and other ancient Near Eastern writings (Kloppenborg 2008, 205). Care for the poor is a positive value, which sets wisdom apart from foolishness. Poverty itself is not a mark of wisdom, though it does place one into a position of receiving God's care (Kloppenborg 2008, 206). Kloppenborg notes that while poverty was not considered a virtue, the piety which was often found to accompany poverty was considered exemplary (Kloppenborg 2008, 208). The actual definition of "poor" is challenging, as Kloppenborg illustrates. Scholarly opinion is uncertain what financial criteria may have been in mind when "the poor" are discussed in biblical texts. Piety, however, was normally viewed in internal terms, not related to income or assets (Kloppenborg 2008, 211). 

The relationship of poverty and piety continues in later Jewish literature. Kloppenborg illustrates the relationship with citations from the Qumran literature (Kloppenborg 2008, 214ff).

Kloppenborg notes the difficulty in distinguishing among words for poverty, as a variety of words appear in Matthew, James, and the Didache (Kloppenborg 2008, 216-217). Kloppenborg approaches the issue by considering that the words are essentially synonymous but that in general there are more and less severe levels of poverty indicated (Kloppenborg 2008, 218). He does not find a clear connection between poverty and piety in the Didache, except that charity to the poor is considered an act of piety. The poor become pious as they receive Christian instruction, not as a result of their poverty (Kloppenborg 2008, 222).

As with the Didache, Kloppenborg finds Matthew's concern for the poor to indicate they should receive charitable care (Kloppenborg 2008, 222). This charity is a means by which God's favor may be passed on to the poor (Kloppenborg 2008, 223).

Likewise, James is concerned with the poor, but Kloppenborg does not find his description to suggest an inherent piety. Rather, it suggests a humility which would dispose them to receive teaching (Kloppenborg 2008, 225-226). The pious could be rich or poor, but must be of a humble spirit (Kloppenborg 2008, 228).

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Ideal Christianity in Matthew, James, and the Didache

8/18/2023

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8/18/23
Scholarly Reflections
Weren, Wim J.C. "Chapter Eight: The Ideal Community according to Matthew, James, and the Didache." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 177-200.

Weren observes a similarity among Matthew, James, and the Didache in that all three documents make an attempt to define what a community should be (Weren 2008, 177). He evaluates this attempt at self-definition through the community's self-references, their concept of a relationship with God, and their idea of perfection. Weren conducts his evaluation using several key words.

First, all three documents use the term ἐκκλησία (Weren 2008, 178). Matthew distinguishes between ἐκκλησία and συναγωγή, with the former term referring only to disciples of Jesus, while the latter refers to specifically Jewish assemblies (Weren 2008, 178). In James 5:14, the elders are related to the ἐκκλησία (Weren 2008, 180). Unlike Matthew's use, the one time συναγωγή is used in James (2:2), it also may refer to the Christian assembly. The Didache uses ἐκκλησία to refer to the assembled Christians locally as well as around the world (Weren 2008, 181). The communities thus refer to themselves using the distinctive term ἐκκλησία to refer to a particular gathering of Christians. 

Matthew identifies the community in terms of being led by God's revelation in Christ, making the community members children of God (Weren 2008, 182). James expresses a very strong relationship between the people and God the Father (Weren 2008, 184). In contrast, Weren finds that James makes little reference to Jesus as the Christ or God the Son. He is mentioned twice and referred to as the Lord, but Weren finds the mentions to be less important than those of God the Father (Weren 2008, 185). The Didache also asserts a close, important relationship between God and the community (Weren 2008, 185). Jesus is referred to by name in Didache 9.2, 3, and 10.2, always as the "servant" of God (Weren 2008, 185). There is a need to do activities in the name of "the Lord" and the people look forward to a final coming of the Lord. Weren takes this normally to refer to Jesus (Weren 2008, 186).

To evaluate the concept of perfection, Weren reviews the semantic usage of the adjective τέλειος as used in Matthew, James, and the Didache. The term describes "the ideal behavior of the community" in all three documents (Weren 2008, 186). In Matthew there is a particular emphasis on being perfect as God is perfect. Weren takes this particularly to signify right discernment of good and evil, with fair and generous treatment of others, especially those within the community (Weren 2008, 187). Torah is to be kept fully, without neglect of any of the points. It is also necessary, unlike the Pharisees, to recognize the values underlying the Torah (Weren 2008, 188).

In James, τέλειος is connected directly with nouns such as work, law, or wisdom (Weren 2008, 190). While wisdom is an important feature of life, Weren considers it crucial to James that the focus must be on God. This is where perfection will be found. Weren notes that in James there is a way of life and a way of death, but there is no assumption that reality is deterministic (Weren 2008, 191). Weren describes the two ways in some detail. The law of God, embodied in His word, is decidedly a good thing (Weren 2008, 193). The overall problem presented in James is that people do not actually have the attitude required in the Law (Weren 2008, 194).

The view of perfection in the Didache is a bit different. The τελει___ word group appears relatively infrequently, with only four usages (Weren 2008, 196). Weren notes credible suggestions that two of the instances are redactional in nature. Keeping of Torah is clearly important, yet there may well be two groups within the community, one of which habitually keeps Torah as a matter of cultural custom and another which is encouraged but not required to do so (Weren 2008, 197).

Weren concludes that Matthew and James tend to follow similar patterns in terms of discussing perfection, while the Didache has a different pattern of discussion, though the same long-run expectation (Weren 2008, 198). In all three documents the Christian community is clearly distinct from society as a whole. There is always an expectation that people will mature to some sort of perfection which is related to keeping Torah and its underlying values.
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James - Social and Religious Milieu

8/10/2023

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8/10/23
Scholarly Reflections
Wischmeyer, Oda. "Chapter Two: Reconstructing the Social and Religious Milieu of James: Methods, Sources, and Possible Results." in Van de Sandt, Huub & Zangenberg, Jürgen K. (editors). Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in their Jewish and Christian Settings." Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2008, 33-41.

Wischmeyer describes "milieu" as an overarching category into which a wide variety of factors can be gathered (Wischmeyer 2008, 33). A difficulty of considering a social and religious milieu is that there is some assumed homogeneous category, but that within the diversity of a social group it is stable enough to be identified. Finding the appropriate characteristics is challenging at best (Wischmeyer 2008, 34). In studies of James this has involved analysis of vocabulary used to describe groups and of the way readers are addressed. Wischmeyer lists a number of terms he thinks important in James, largely addressing people who are in a community, dispersed from Jerusalem but existing as a recognizable community which interacts and assembles (Wischmeyer 2008, 35). The actual group in mind is not clearly identified. They come from various walks of life and different economic backgrounds. The author addresses them as an outsider, looking into their community. There is an ethical tone underlying the community, but not a specific problem. The author seeks to deal with the ethic which undergirds any present problems (Wischmeyer 2008, 36).

Wischmeyer moves on to discuss the nature of a religious milieu (Wischmeyer 2008, 37). While he could look for information about particular rites and ritual behavior, he rather chooses to ask why James would speak about religious markers to any extent. The religious markers Wischmeyer focuses on are the Old Testament theme of where sin comes from and how God brings people to life using truth from above (Wischmeyer 2008, 38). The religious and mythic language is focused on concepts from the Septuagint, not from elsewhere. There is no development of an overall Christology, presumably because the author and readers are assumed to be united by a Christianity on which they agree (Wischmeyer 2008, 39).

Of note to Wischmeyer is the fact that the only religious practice James speaks of as reserved for elders is that of anointing the sick, a practice mentioned elsewhere only in Mark 6:13 (Wischmeyer 2008, 40). In sum, Wischmeyer takes James to be intended primarily to reinforce an ethic, rather than to develop ritual practice or a Christology. The author bears authority, but he does not make clear what his authority is (Wischmeyer 2008, 41). The assumption is that everyone recognizes it, as well as many other features of theology they hold in common.

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James 1:1-12 - Lectionary for James of Jerusalem

10/6/2021

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10/6/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

We love James 1:9 and hate James 1:10. What two-faced people we are! In verse nine, James says, "Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation" (ESV). We love that, especially when we are the lowly brother and God elevates us in some way. We even like to see those who are lowly in comparison to us receive promotion from the Lord.

Then again, we become a little more hesitant about it all if the lowly person is about as unimportant as we are, then is suddenly better off than we are. We'd rather we had that promotion, that honor, or that windfall. But all things considered, we like verse nine.

We aren't as excited about verse ten, especially when it happens to us. Here the rich brother is to boast in his humiliation. We may well prefer that other people, who are richer or more important than we are, should be humbled. But us? We would rather that never happened.

In the end, all who trust in Christ receive untold riches, as we are made heirs of God's eternal kingdom. There's nothing we can have on this earth that will compare with that. Rich or poor, it is all alike. We look forward to our eternal reward.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Is James Drawn from the Didache?

3/26/2021

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3/26/21
Friday's Orality/Rhetoric Lesson

van de Sandt, Huub. "Jems 4,1-4 in the Light of the Jewish Two Ways Tradition 3,1-6." Biblica 88 (2007), 38-63.

Van de Sandt and Flusser in 2002 worked on a reconstruction of the Two Ways material which may have served as a common source for Didache 1-6, Barnabas 18-20, and Doctrina Apostolorum. Here, van de Sandt analyzes the material as found in the Didache, except fo the portions which he considers Christianized (van de Sandt 2007, 38). The material in the Didache is used as a prelude to baptism, the setting van de Sandt takes to inform the letter of James as well. He reaches that conclusion due to similarities between James 1:21 and 1 Peter 2:1, which is clearly related to baptism (van de Sandt 2007, 39).

Van de Sandt identifies three primary interpretive challenges found in James 4:1-4 (van de Sandt 2007, 40). First, van de Sandt sees the words about wars and battles to be perplexing. Second, the statement about murder seems very forceful. Third, the shift to a feminine word for adultery in 4:4 seems abrupt, though Israel is periodically referred to as adulterous (van de Sandt 2007, 41).

Van de Sandt thinks the difficulties can be resolved by considering James as constructed from materials found in other sources, including the Didache (van de Sandt 2007, 42). 

James 4:1-6 seems to van de Sandt to be closely parallelled by James 1:13-21, which, in turn, he finds closely related to Didache 3:1-6 (van de Sandt 2007, 43). This material, in turn, may be closely related to a portion of the Derekh Erets tracts, which can show an association with James' view of the Law and moral tradition. 

James 4:1-6 is a call to conversion. It is predicated on a distinction between peace and conflict (van de Sandt 2007, 43). The life of conflict is portrayed as a life which pursues illicit pleasures. On the contrary, the life at peace asks for God's gifts (van de Sandt 2007, 44). With this in mind, van de Sandt turns his attention to chapter one of James, which summarizes the discussions made in the rest of the letter. There, in 1:13-15, God is responsible for man's internal strife (van de Sandt 2007, 45). In the verses which follow, God gives good things to his people, as the beloved ones who are not to be consumed by anger (van de Sandt 2007, 46). Therefore, anger and wrath are to be "put away," an idea common to 1 Peter 1:23-2:22 (van de Sandt 2007, 47).

Van de Sandt sees the overall concept to be a reflection of Didache 3:1-6 (van de Sandt 2007, 47-48). That material in the Didache warns against lesser sins which lead to greater sins. The same progression can be seen in James. While such a progression is not uncommon in such literature, van de Sandt finds substantial grammatical parallels in the way James 1:9 states the idea and the way Didache 3:2 addresses it (van de Sandt 2007, 50). The same expression is found in 1 Peter 2:1, but here van de Sandt considers it to have been reworked and refined (van de Sandt 2007, 51). n James and in the Didache, virtue and vice are contrasted with each other following a remarkably similar patter.

This parallelism leads van de Sandt to analyze the material in light of James 4:1-4 (van de Sandt 2007, 52). The presupposition he finds at work is a distinction, common to Jewish thought, between major commands and those which would seem relatively minor (van de Sandt 2007, 53). James may well be expressing this in chapter four. This is, in turn, similar to the emphasis found in Didache 3:1. Van de Sandt sees this as consistent with early second century rabbinic catechetical work as found in the Derekh Erets literature (van de Sandt 2007, 54).

This line of inquiry brings van de Sandt to the main passage on the Law from James 2:8-11. Here, James describes various transgressions of the law of God, all of which center in showing partiality (van de Sandt 2007, 56). James' corrective to this is that we must live in a kind of love which fulfills all God's commands (van de Sandt 2007, 57). This is consistent with James 4:11-12 and its prohibition of slander.

Van de Sandt next turns to interpreting James 4:1-4 in light of Didache 3:1-6. Here, though there are strong similarities, van de Sandt considers James to "surpass the Two Ways imagery" (van de Sandt 2007, 59). The arrangement used by James shows a cause and a result. Desire leads to murder. Jealousy leads to warfare (van de Sandt 2007, 59). As in Didache 3, the lesser sin leads to the greater (van de Sandt 2007, 60). For this reason, van de Sandt considers James to have been modeled on the Didache or  similar text. The greater sins also indicate a warning against radicalism. We might consider this a slippery slope argument (van de Sandt 2007, 61). Van de Sandt thus sees James as a commentary on and expansion of the material in Didache 3:1-6.

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James 1:22-27 - Lectionary for Easter 6

5/13/2020

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5/13/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

James 1:22-27 are sometimes thought to be in conflict with the apostle Paul’s emphasis on salvation by grace alone through faith alone. After all, James certainly here tells us to do the things of God’s Word. We are told to practice our religion by visiting those who are less fortunate and by living a holy life, in verse 27. What do we do with the passage?

In verses 23-24 the person who hears God’s word and doesn’t do it is compared to someone who forgets what his face looks like, after looking in a mirror. This concept is key to understanding the passage.

The Christian, when he looks at God’s Word, sees what the Christ is, and also what he himself is like. God’s Word shows what a person who has been purchased from bondage by Christ looks like. It shows what God delights in. It shows how God and His people can love and serve their neighbors. It shows us our identity, which is as a child of the Lord, adopted and ready to inherit his kingdom. It shows us what our Father’s attitude is toward us and toward our neighbor.

If we walk away from the Word of God and ignore all it has just told us about who we are, who God is, and what our neighbor needs, we have forgotten ourselves. There’s something wrong with our Chrsitian faith when we reject God’s care and love for our world. 

Does that mean we are not Christians? Not at all. The realization of our sin should call us to repentance, to receive God’s forgiveness, and to get busy about living as the people God has called us to be.

How should the Christian respond to the person who attempts to force us into particular behaviors or values which we don’t think are primary to our calling in Christ? We need to weigh the claims carefully against God’s Word. This happens frequently in matters of politics and social programs. For instance, the Christian will be told by others that if we really loved our neighbors we would have a national policy of open borders so as to let our neighbors who come from other countries receive the help they could only get in our country. Is that God’s call? In fact, the Bible doesn’t clearly affirm open borders as the primary way to love neighbors. It also doesn’t clearly reject the idea. 

I am going to love and serve my neighbor in ways that the Scripture makes clear are in accord with God’s care for my neighbor. That means some people will be disappointed. Some will even try to use this passage of Scripture to tell me that I need to do things which I know not to be God’s will. In the end, the Christian is judged by the Word of God and the gracious Lord who gave us His living Word to make atonement for our sins. As he has loved me, so I will love others.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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James 1:16-21 - Lectionary for Easter 5

5/6/2020

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5/6/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

James 1:19-21 points out to us in no uncertain terms that we are called to a righteous peace before God and before one another. We are ready to hear both from other humans and from God’s Word. We are slow to speak, as we need to take time to understand others well. We are slow to anger. After all, how might I have sinned against others and provoked them to anger rightly? 

In a world characterized by increasingly violent and sexually explicit language use, and a world in which people increasingly use their platforms of power to assault others, regularly shutting down actual productive discourse by shows of rage or launching into screaming tantrums, we are told that “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires” (James 1:20, NKJV). 

Sometimes we are told that the ideas of dignity and morality, as well as respectful speech and actions, are a throwback to the 1950s, some sort of a standard which should no longer apply and which we have superimposed upon the time of the New Testament. Yet this is not the case at all. We can read in the second through fourth century Christian writers that Christianity stood in stark contrast to the greater culture in these specific ways. Christians would refrain from murder, from slander, from using their power to oppress others, from engaging in financial dealings which would bring harm to others, all the kind of things which were PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE IN THE BROADER SOCIETY (yes, I was yelling that). 

Christians stand in contrast to their world. And we stand apart from the world in ways that are decidedly good for our world. What if this lifestyle according to God’s Word is rejected by our community? It is still good. Through it we receive the implanted Word, which is able to save our souls.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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James 5:13-20 - Lectionary for Pentecost 19B

9/26/2018

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9/26/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our passage from James speaks volumes about the nature of fellowship in Christ. The Church is to be a place of togetherness where we all look to the Lord as the one who is able to nurture and sustain us. When we are struggling we turn to one another but not merely for human company. We look for divine intervention as we bring our prayers to the Lord. Why would we doubt? After all, the Lord is still supernatural. Prayer stil communicates with God. And God in Christ is still the eternal savior.

Yet we prefer to tell people we will pray, rather than going ahead and praying. Why do we doubt? Why do we defer God’s resources until later? As I write this, it strikes me that I am not reliably going to remember to pray for a need later. I’d better do it right away, as I did for a complete stranger at a bus stop earlier today. She asked for prayer, so I asked her if we cold pray then. Yes, God can hear us when we pray t the bus stop.

What is the hope here? After all, many of us doubt we would be able to do any great spiritual works. What do we see in James 5:19-20? If we have the opportunity to draw someone from error into truth, we save the person’s soul from death and cover countless sins. If may not be flashy, but it sure is good! Let’s go pray for each other.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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James 3:13-4:10 - Lectionary for Pentecost 18B

9/19/2018

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9/19/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Some parts of our reading from James 3-4 are popular in the secular culture as well. It’s rare that a week goes by without giving me a chance to observe some well-meaning non-Christian person virtue signaling on social media by saying that real Christians should be humble, that real Christians would pursue peace, or that we all need to get rid of those selfish ambitions.

It’s telling, though, that those same individuals who think they are doing better than Christians, therefore deserve praise, are so hesitant to do things like submitting to God, drawing near to God, or seeking wisdom which comes from God rather than wisdom which comes from man. In short, they make a claim which often rightly says Christians don’t do well enough at some parts of the Christian walk, but are not willing to take on that Christian walk themselves and model what it really looks like.

This in itself is a sort of arrogant pride. It seeks to exalt itself rather than allowing God to do the exaltation. It is not going to be eternally satisfying. As a Christian, my response is fairly straightforward. It’s found right in James 3:13. I show that my works are doing in the wisdom of God by doing gentle good works. And the idea of “gentle” is important. Much of Christian service is done more or less in secret. Not wishing to draw attention to themselves or to the terrible plight of those they are helping, Christians will often carry on works of mercy and charity without any fanfare. I know one person who is very active with homeless people. These activities won’t be displayed on social media. The homeless people receiving assistance don’t want their needs to be broadcast. They just want to have help and resources to get through a tough time. I know several people who work intensively with victims of abuse. Do they really want the abusers to find out where their victims are? Do the victims really want to be portrayed as victims, rather than as people who have worked through their pasts and are more stable now? Not at all. So the work of the Christian is gentle and quiet, caring for the needy, healing the sick, bringing hope to the hopless, and then doing it all over again.

What’s the motivation for all this? It’s in the passage as well. We humble ourselves before God and let him do good works through us. It’s God’s love for others which can motivate us to all that we try to do. This is not social media shaming or re-education at the hands of a powerful secular society. It’s an expression of God’s care for the least of those living in his world.

Time to go, love and serve our neighbors, and trust the Lord’s mercy.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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James 3:1-12 - Lectionary for Pentecost 17B

9/12/2018

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9/12/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

A few years ago I wanted to get some pointers on how to make a simple cheese. Like many in this day and age, I turned to the Internet. I found many videos which I hoped would prove instructional. I bet you’ve seen some of these videos also. “I wanted to ______ so here’s what I did. I never did it before but it came out pretty well. Now you know how to do it also.” Yes, indeed, in a pile of cheesemaking videos, there were a few experts who knew what they were doing and a huge pile of people who had, at best, done it once before.

Our reading from James chapter 3 counsels Christians not to desire to be teachers. They will be held to a stricter standard of judgment. It then goes on to talk about how difficult it is to control the tongue, which has the power to cause harm like nothing else in this world. How should we deal with this passage?

First, I think it’s important that we recognize James chapter three doesn’t say the Scripture is uniformly difficult to understand and that interpretation should be left to the experts. That is decidedly not what James is saying. If you have any inclination to read and study the Bible, you should do it. Read with an open mind and heart, expecting God to instruct you through His infallible word!

Here’s what James is warning against, though. What about all those teachers who are looking for something new, something powerful, some sort of insight that will suddenly change the world? There have been several influential teachers in the past who have said that they found out how we should really understand the Bible, and that it is different from everything all the generations before them thought. Really? Do you actually want to say that every theologian before you got it all wrong?

When I was exploring Lutheranism I wrote a series of blog posts about the liturgy, about Law and Gospel, and about the sovereign grace of God. I was testing the water. They were tentative posts. I was hoping for correction and interaction. In general, the interaction I received was affirmation from people who had more experience with Lutheran doctrine. They were saying, “That’s right, you’ve understood what we have been saying.” It’s a very good thing to recognize that some teachers, throughout history, have gotten things very right, and that we can understand them. That’s different from the attitude we see so often. Someone has a religious opinion, maybe a move from one theological camp to another, and sets himself up as an expert. After all, he was wrong before but is right now, so it’s time to set the rest of the world right also.

This is very much like making the instructional video of how to make cheese when you have done it successfully yourself exactly once before. Premature. And, in a way, it is more dangerous. If I learn to make cheese wrong, I get bad cheese. No big problem. If I learn to do Christian theology wrong, I bring eternal condemnation to myself and possibly others. Big problem.

Let’s try to improve ourselves as teachers before we spend too much time teaching anything revolutionary. There’s a great deal to be gained from the counsel of others. Let’s guard our tongues as well as our keyboards, and seek to be good and right before God.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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James 2:1-10, 14-18 - Lectionary for Pentecost 16B

9/5/2018

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9/5/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

The letter of James in the New Testament gets a lot of bad press. Theologicans of a more literal bent like to portray it as contradictory to Paul’s writings. After all, they say, James teaches a dependence on works, while Paul asserts that salvation is by grace through faith alone. What’s more, they say, pointing the skewer straight at a Lutheran, Luther didn’t really trust James. Ha! Take that!

Let’s unpack this situation for a moment. James was one of the writings which was slower than some to be recognized by Christians. That was not due to any concerns about the content. On the contrary, because the name “James” was very common, and because the letter was not altogether well identified, it was slow to be adopted. It became recognized as canonical on the strength of the content, rather than becaue of a known author.

What about Luther, then? Granted, Martil Luther was on the forefront, the cutting edge, of the Reformation. He didn’t use James very much, but he was very familiar with the text. There’s no doubt about it. He translated it carefully into German. Luther’s hesitation, again, was not due to the content but due to the fact that the author was unidentified.

How about the alleged argument between James and Paul? Please read Ephesians 2:8-10 and note that verse 10 follows immediately on the heels of verses 8-9. Christians are saved by grace through faith, with the intent that they will do good works. After all, God, the one who is good, likes good works since they are good.

How does that reconcile with James? James never asserts salvation by works. But in chapter 2 verse 18 he says he is unable to show his faith apart from works. So he does good works. After all, they are good. They are used to care for our neighbor and our world.

What will we do, then? We hold to faith in Jesus. That living faith expresses itself in good works toward our neighbor. The Scripture is consistent.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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James

8/16/2018

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Thursdays are for the New Testament
8/16/18
Carson, D.A., and Douglas Moo An Introduction to the New Testament - Second Edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. "New Testament Letters" Carson & Moo pp. 331-353
“James” Carson & Moo pp. 619-635

James is considered the first of the “catholic” epistles - those written to the whole church as opposed to a single congregation. Rather than speaking to a specific issue in a specific congregation, James has a body arranged around four main themes: trials and maturity, Christian faith resulting in works, dealing with dissensions, and what a Christian view of the world implies. The author is poorly identified, simply as “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1.1). Since James is a very common name it is difficult to decide who could have written the lettter. Carson and Moo suggest James the son of Zebedee, James “the Lord’s brother,” James the son of Alphaeus, and James the father of Judas. Of those, the one identified as “the Lord’s brother” is, in Carson and Moo’s estimation, the best candidate.

As with the author, it is also very difficult to determine where the letter was written or when. There may be some wisdom in suggesting that the letter was written fairly early, possibly before Paul’s writings were well known, as James seems to look at the relationship of faith and works in a slightly different way than Paul, but does not address any of Paul’s statements directly. The addressees are Jewish Christians (the twelve tribes) who are scattered. Again, we do not know the nature of this scattering. The letter is in a fairly clear, generally Attic style, addressing its topics in a straightforward manner, though using metaphors freely.

James may have had an influence on some late first century works. Though the letter was well known, it was not cited as Scripture until Origen. By the time of Eusebius the book seems to be considered Scripture, but was still apparently disputed.

In recent study scholars have found themes of liberation theology and a social gospel particularly focused on the hard work of showing our faith. Yet Carson and Moo observe that it is inappropriate to say that James views salvation as being by works while Paul views works in a negative light. Rather, the two authors both see salvation being by grace through faith, but James has a greater emphasis on showing our faith by our good works.

​
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James 1:12-18 - Lectionary for Lent 1B

2/14/2018

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2/14/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

I frequently find myself talking with people who are enduring trials. Sometimes they are suffering, and suffering very badly. Life is tough. Often we wonder why we are suffering, why life is so rough on us, why it could be possible for a good and loving God to allow such hardship.  Our reading from James 1:12-18 gives us a very helpful commentary.

First, we notice that the harships of our life serve to prepare us for our eternal reward in Christ. Through hardship we develop a longing for that which is good. Through facing our failure, the sin of others, and the generally difficult conditions of this world, we find ourselves less and less willing to submit to a life under the curse of sin.

Second, we realize that our hardship, our temptation, is not from God, but is from our own sinful desires. Why is it so hard for me to avoid entering into sin? It’s not because God likes sin, but because I like sin. I become familiar with my own nature and realize that I am not to be trusted. I can then look at God’s nature and realize that he is the only one any reasonable person would ever trust.

Finally, we recognize that the good things we desire are ultimately a gift of God. By his nature God is good. All his gifts are good. Are we ready to recognize those good gifts of God as what they are? Or are we going to continue to be entrapped by our own evil desire? When we consider God’s love and mercy shown to this world in Christ, who gave his own life to suffer the penalty for sin which we deserved, then we are ready to look for the Lord’s coming in grace. The hardships of this life point us to the grace and mercy of God.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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James 5:7-11 - Lectionary for Advent 3 A

12/7/2016

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12/7/16
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our Epistle for this week, from James 5:7-11, reminds us that we can wait for the Lord’s coming. The farmer waits for crops to grow. The prophets spoke of the coming Christ and never saw him. There is a certain steadfast way of living the Christian life. It understands that there are hardships along the way. It grasps the idea of waiting. Yet that waiting is not desolate.

The farmer waiting for the crops to grow knows what is planted and has a reasonable expectation of a harvest. The prophet who speaks of the coming Christ knows that Christ will come for him as well. The Christian knows that Jesus has promised to come back for his own children.

In this time of Advent I think we can learn a good deal by occupying ourselves with waiting. We wait actively. We sing the songs of the season, looking forward to Christ’s coming. We read the readings which are full of hope and promise. And we wait. As we are waiting, we might decorate a bit, we might be preparing presents for our family and friends. We might even be making my favorite, a fruitcake, which needs to age for a while before eating. We prepare ourselves in the sure hope of Christ’s coming. And then, at the end of Advent, we are well prepared to celebrate Christmas - not just a day, but a twelve day festival. Yet, for now, we wait in hope.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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