Overview Article
Can we be loyal friends of God like Abraham? Can we resist the pressures of the world, our rebellious instincts, and the devil's influence? Can Christians live in peace while solving life's problems? James discusses these issues in his letter. He intends to motivate Christians to develop a mature and consistent faith. He also shows how Christians should live in their relationship with God and each other.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 10
Places 1
Themes
The Coming of the Lord as Judge 26 The Bible tells us there will be a day of judgment. The book of James provides followers of Jesus with a warning and a promise about that day. James announces the Lord's future coming as Judge ( 5:7–9 ; see also Isaia... Faith and Good Deeds 14 Jesus did not teach that we are saved by doing good things ("works"). Instead, he taught that we need to be changed on the inside. This change (or conversion) happens when God works in us through his grace. When God c... Pride and Humility 3 Pride is a feeling people naturally have when they succeed or achieve something. Many people in the world value being recognized and famous (see 1 John 2:16 ). However, pride comes from thinking too much about yoursel... Endurance 3 When Jesus was about to suffer and die, he told his followers they would also experience great difficulties (see Matthew 24:9 ). He emphasized the importance of endurance: “The one who perseveres to the end will be sa... Material Reward 3 Some people in the Old Testament period believed that righteous people would usually prosper in material ways. They treated the wisdom sayings found in books like Proverbs as general rules for life. Other biblical boo... Wisdom 3 Wisdom helps us know how to speak and act in various situations. It allows us to avoid problems and manage them when they happen. Wisdom is more than just intelligence. Proverbs mentions that even animals like ants, r... Complaints 3 The Bible teaches that complaining is often wrong. For example, God judged the Israelites for complaining about their difficulties in the wilderness ( Numbers 14:27–37 ). The Job complained a lot and received God's re...
See all (20)
By Faith 2 Faith is a key theme in Scripture, but many misunderstand it. Some think faith means any kind of spirituality, like saying someone is a "person of faith." Others think it means a strong belief that good things will ha... Concern for the Poor 2 God instructed Israel to care for its people's well-being. Israel's covenant (special agreement) with God and its view of itself as a large family helped prevent claims to privilege. A family should support members in... Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility 2 The Bible shows that everything is under God's control. In other words, God is sovereign over everything. For example, rain falls on both good and bad people as part of God's plan ( Matthew 5:45 ). God is not responsi... Enjoying God’s Gifts 2 The Teacher (the main speaker) in Ecclesiastes often concludes that we should enjoy life because it is a gift from God (see Ecclesiastes 2:24–25 ; 3:12–13 , 22 ; 5:18 ; 6:9 ; 8:15 ; 9:7–9 ; 11:7–10 ). Even when life s... Religious Hypocrisy 2 Religious hypocrisy happens when people selectively obey rules and only pretend to follow God's law without real change in their motives and lives. Those who boast about their religious commitment often lack a true de... Symbolic Numbers 2 Numbers in Scripture have often led people to strange conclusions. Understanding ancient number symbolism can help us interpret the Scriptures better. Yet, this symbolism is not precise. We must be careful when using... Anger 2 Wise people do not get angry quickly. “ A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly ” ( Proverbs 14:29 ). Anger can cause bad judgment, so wise people think before they act ( 14:16 )... Little Faith 2 The Greek term translated as "little faith" and related terms appear five times in the Gospel of Matthew ( Matthew 6:30 ; 8:26 ; 14:31 ; 16:8 ; 17:20 ). It also appears once in Luke ( Luke 12:28 ; compare James 1:6–7... Speaking 2 Some people think words do not cause harm. Scripture offers a different perspective. Words hold the power of "life and death" ( Proverbs 18:21 ). Proverbs lists many things we say that cause harm: Social Justice 1 In the Old Testament, prophets often challenged evil in society and called for social justice (fair treatment of all people, especially the poor and vulnerable). An early example is the prophet Elijah's response to Na... “Belief” in the Gospel of John 1 The theme of "belief" is central in John’s Gospel. John does not use the noun faith found often in the New Testament (for example, see Matthew 8:8–10 ; Mark 11:22 ; Acts 20:21 ; Romans 1:17 ; 3:27 – 31 ; 4:3–5 ; Hebre... All Is “Vapor” 1 A key word in the book of Ecclesiastes is the Hebrew term hebel. This word means "vapor." Often it is translated as "meaningless." This word captures the main view about life in this world of the Teacher. The Teacher,... Christian Suffering 1 We should not be surprised when we experience suffering ( 1 Peter 4:12 ). Christians who live differently by obeying God should expect the culture to respond with hostility. We should expect mockery, bad treatment, fa...
Related Articles
Outline
Greetings 1:1–1
Facing troubles 1:2–5
Listening to the word of God and doing what it says 1:19–2:26
The power of words 3:1–5
Wisdom and being humble 3:13–4:17
Being fair and patient 5:1–11
Powerful words and prayers 5:12
Use of the Old Testament in James
8 quotations from 6 Old Testament books
Total quotations 8
Connected books 6
Most-connected book Exodus 2
All References
| James | OT Passage | Compare |
|---|---|---|
| James 1:11 | Isaiah 40:6–7 | Compare |
| James 2:8 | Leviticus 19:18 | Compare |
| James 2:11 | Exodus 20:13 | Compare |
| James 2:11 | Exodus 20:14 | Compare |
| James 2:11 | Deuteronomy 5:17 | Compare |
| James 2:11 | Deuteronomy 5:18 | Compare |
| James 2:23 | Genesis 15:6 | Compare |
| James 4:6 | Proverbs 3:34 | Compare |
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