Insights on James, 1 & 2 Peter
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Each volume combines verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application. The newly updated volumes now include parallel presentations of the NLT and NASB before each section. This series is a must-have for pastors, teachers, and anyone else who is seeking a deeply practical resource for exploring God’s Word.
ISBN-13: 9781414393780
Media Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Publication Date: 12-01-2014
Pages: 384
Product Dimensions: 6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Series: Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary #13
Charles R. Swindoll has devoted his life to the clear, practical teaching and application of God's Word and His grace. A pastor at heart, Chuck has served as senior pastor to congregations in Texas, Massachusetts, and California. He currently pastors Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, but Chuck's listening audience extends far beyond a local church body. As a leading program in Christian broadcasting, "Insight for Living" airs in major Christian radio markets around the world, reaching people groups in languages they can understand. Chuck's extensive writing ministry has also served the body of Christ worldwide and his leadership as president and now chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary has helped prepare and equip a new generation for ministry. Chuck and Cynthia , his partner in life and ministry, have four grown children and ten grandchildren. Charles R. Swindoll es presidente del Dallas Theological Seminary, prepara la generación nueva para ministerio. También, él es el profesor de la Biblia para Insight for Living, un programa del radio que difusión internacional. Los libros más importante incluyendo Cómo vivir sobre el nivel de la mediocridad y Aliéntame.
JAMES INTRODUCTION We live in a world where politics rules the day. In this world, a person's public reputation too often drowns out the private reality. Who you know usually trumps what you know. Name-dropping often gets you farther than talent or skill. These cynical sayings not only apply to the political realm, where quid pro quo is the status quo. Unfortunately, the "good ol' boy" system also tends to corrupt most areas of business, academia, entertainment—and, yes, even the church. This is why the opening words of the book of James are so refreshing. Like a cool spring breeze blowing through a musty room, the unassuming nature of these first few words drives out arrogance, ego, and presumption. Written by a man who could have dropped the Name above all names, this simple, straightforward greeting sets the tone for a letter that assaults our natural human tendencies toward sin and selfishness with a radical message of authenticity and humility. IDENTIFICATION OF JAMES From the very first word, the name "James," this short letter presents us with a problem: Which "James" wrote this letter? His humble self-identification as "a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:1) doesn't get us far. And unless we were among those first recipients of the letter, we are left to some old fashioned sleuthing to find out which James penned these words. If you run through the New Testament, you'll come across four or—depending on how you count them—five different men with this name (see chart, "Five Named James"). It's fairly easy to rule out a couple of these. James, the father of Judas, never appears in the New Testament except in Luke 6:16. And James, the son of Alphaeus, probably the same as "James the Less," though one of the Twelve, disappears from the biblical account after the upper room experience on Pentecost (Acts 1:13). These two can be safely dismissed as unlikely candidates for authorship. This leaves James, the son of Zebedee and brother of the apostle John (#2), or James, the half brother of Jesus (#4). Though the first James, a "Son of Thunder," played a major leadership role in the infant church as one of Christ's inner three (Peter, James, and John), he was the first of the Twelve to suffer martyrdom under Herod Agrippa I. That occurred around AD 44 in a persecution that resulted in further scattering the Jewish Christians throughout the Roman world (Acts 12:2). Shortly after this persecution, Jesus' half brother James (#4) stepped in to lead the persecuted church in Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18). This James, reared with Jesus in the home of Joseph and Mary, likely penned the letter that bears this name. This identification of the author as the half brother of Jesus goes back to the earliest centuries of Christian history. Most conservative New Testament scholars agree. Both the tone and the content of the letter match the style one would expect from a well-known leader of the original Jewish Christian church. A REVIEW OF THE LIFE OF JAMES Having identified the author as James, the brother of Jesus, what do we know about him that will help us as we read his letter? Let's reconstruct a meaningful picture of James's life. No second-born son or daughter can possibly fathom what it must have been like to suffer second child syndrome with an older brother who never sinned. But James did. Can you even imagine? Jesus always came when His mother called Him the first time. He always washed His hands properly before supper. He always did His chores quickly and with delight. He always obeyed. Then there was James, born with a sinful nature like the rest of us, living in the shadow of a big brother who was God in the flesh. Being far from perfect, younger brother James had a built-in problem right from the start. I suppose James would have been happy to see Jesus leave home when He did. But then his already "strange" older brother came back to their home town claiming to be the long-awaited fulfillment of messianic promises (Luke 4:16-21). How do you think James felt toward his older brother then? We don't have to wonder. John 7:5 says, "Not even His brothers were believing in Him." And Mark 3:21 tells us that His family "went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, 'He has lost His senses.'" So, throughout the Gospels we see James in a state of unbelief and skepticism over his older brother. But things didn't stay that way. In 1 Corinthians 15:7, the apostle Paul gives us a brief glimpse at an otherwise unknown event—the appearance of the resurrected Jesus to James. We probably should avoid speculating about the nature of that visit, but I suspect it was different from Paul's much-needed Damascus encounter—the one that blinded him with brilliant glory (Acts 9:1-9). Rather, I picture Jesus putting His arms around His younger brother, whispering words of encouragement and love in his ear—words he had longed to hear all his life. In any case, when Jesus' disciples gathered in the upper room after their Lord's ascension into heaven, James sat among them (Acts 1:14). He experienced the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2) and the subsequent growth of the Jerusalem church in the midst of persecution (Acts 3–9). James was no doubt active in the Jerusalem church when Stephen was arrested and later martyred for his faith (Acts 6:8–8:2). So James would have been aware that a young, zealous rabbinical student known as Saul of Tarsus supported the brutal death of Stephen and had begun "ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women" to put in prison (Acts 8:3). Shortly after his conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-18, ad 32), Saul of Tarsus, now Paul the apostle, returned to Jerusalem to meet the leaders of the church he had once so viciously persecuted (ad 35). Acts 9:26-28 records the account of this visit: When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. The Jerusalem church accepted Barnabas's testimony and received Saul as a member of the Christian community, even welcoming him into the apostolic fellowship. It is noteworthy that Saul sought out James in that gathering (Gal. 1:19). Perhaps James recalled his own stubborn refusal to accept Jesus as the Messiah, even though he had lived with Jesus all his life. Like Saul of Tarsus, James had finally come around. God's work of grace had grabbed his heart and made him look at his brother Jesus in a whole new light. And so, about ten to fifteen years later, James wrote the very first book of the New Testament, the short, practical manual of Christian living we call "James." Around ad 49, a dispute erupted in the church that threatened to break the unity between Jews and Gentiles. Acts 15:1 tells us, "Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.'" Naturally, this addition of circumcision to the gospel troubled Paul and Barnabas, who had been preaching a simple message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone apart from works (Gal. 2:15-21). Wanting to set the record straight, Paul and Barnabas immediately went to Jerusalem to consult with the apostles and elders, including Peter and James. When Paul made his case to the leaders in Jerusalem, Peter concurred, reminding the council that God had saved the Gentiles strictly by faith when he preached the gospel to Cornelius and his household (Acts 15:7-11; see 10:1–11:18). So, after Paul and Barnabas reported on their miraculous ministry among the Gentiles (Acts 15:12), James himself stood up and supported Peter and Paul. "Brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 'After these things I will return, Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath." (Acts 15:13-21) James's wise and convincing words became the basis for the Jerusalem council's decision to affirm Paul's gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone. In agreement with Paul and Barnabas, the Jerusalem apostles and elders firmly rejected the addition of works to the gospel—and aren't we grateful! However, in order to maintain unity between the Jewish and Gentile believers, the Jerusalem council asked Gentile converts to avoid practices that Jews would find offensive (Acts 15:28-29; 21:25). Stated succinctly, James wanted to ensure that genuine faith was authenticated by God-honoring works. James appears again in the book of Acts about ten years later (ca. ad 58). Shortly before being arrested and sent to Rome, Paul arrived in Jerusalem from his third missionary journey and met with James, who was by then clearly the leader of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-19). In an attempt to exonerate Paul from charges that he had been encouraging Jews to abandon their customs after coming in faith to Christ, James and the other elders in Jerusalem encouraged Paul to participate in a purity ritual at the temple (Acts 21:23-24). From this we learn that James, a Jew living in Jerusalem and leading the Jewish believers, continued to keep the Law as a testimony to his fellow Jews. The last thing he wanted was for his genuine faith in Jesus as the Messiah to be maligned because he and his people abruptly turned their backs on the Law of Moses. Though the Law was never a means of salvation, for James and many Jewish believers, it was a means of testimony to unbelieving Jews that their faith empowered them to do good works. Ancient historians tell us that James continued to live and teach in Jerusalem, convincing many Jews and visitors to Jerusalem that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Greatly esteemed for his piety, he spent so much time in the temple kneeling in prayer that he was given the nickname "Camel Knees." Even his opponents, the scribes and Pharisees, could find no fault in him—except, of course, his "misguided" belief that Jesus is the Messiah. Nevertheless, James's authentic faith eventually became the death of him. His true faith in Christ—demonstrated through good works, strengthened through suffering, and seasoned with God-given wisdom—drew the ire of the increasingly zealous and jealous religious elite. His words and works attracted thousands of Jews to Christ, and the anti-Christian powers in Jerusalem eventually had enough of him. The ancient church historian, Eusebius, describes the events leading up to James's final confrontation with his opponents: But after Paul, in consequence of his appeal to Caesar, had been sent to Rome by Festus, the Jews, being frustrated in their hope of entrapping him by the snares which they had laid for him, turned against James, the brother of the Lord.... Leading him into their midst they demanded of him that he should renounce faith in Christ in the presence of all the people. But, contrary to the opinion of all, with a clear voice, and with greater boldness than they had anticipated, he spoke out before the whole multitude and confessed that our Savior and Lord Jesus is the Son of God. But they were unable to bear longer the testimony of the man who, on account of the excellence of ascetic virtue and of piety which he exhibited in his life, was esteemed by all as the most just of men, and consequently they slew him. Josephus reports that James was simply stoned, but Eusebius recounts that he was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple and then beaten to death with a club. Whatever the details of his brutal and unjust execution, James, the brother of Jesus, was martyred for his faith in ad 62. A PREVIEW OF THE LETTER OF JAMES In light of James's pedigree, position, kinship, and legacy, imagine how he could have started his letter: "James, of the tribe of Judah, of the house of David, of the royal line of the kings of Judah ..." or "James, the eldest of the brothers of Jesus, the incarnate Son of God ..." or "James, pastor of the First Christian Church of the world ..." or "James, long-time associate of Peter, James, John, Paul, and the rest of the apostles ..." Yes, James could have dropped all kinds of names, pulled rank, and impressed his readers with ego-inflating titles. But, as we will see when we unpack his letter, that kind of pride is one of the things he rails against. That may be the style of this me-first world, but that wasn't the style of James. Instead, he simply began his epistle, "James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:1). James was a bondservant (doulos [1401]), an indentured servant or slave—not a prized position in the class culture of the Roman world. But James did not regard his slavery to God and submission to Jesus Christ as a burden or curse, but a glorious honor. After introducing himself, James then addressed the letter to his audience, which was typical letter form at the time. To whom, then, was this letter written? "To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad" (1:1). Although most of the historical twelve tribes of Israel had lost their distinct identities centuries earlier in the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities, the term "twelve tribes of Israel" continued to be used as a figure of speech referring to all children of Israel throughout the world. The phrase "who are dispersed abroad" reinforces the fact that James was primarily addressing Jewish Christians, many of whom he had probably known in Jerusalem before they were scattered as a result of persecution of the church by the unbelieving Jewish authorities. Several times throughout the letter, James calls his readers "brethren," indicating that he is addressing fellow believers in Jesus, not merely all Jews spread throughout the Roman world. So, James was a Jewish believer writing to other Jewish believers in the first century who were "dispersed abroad" (diaspora [1290]), "scattered throughout" like seed sown throughout a field. When James wrote this letter, Jewish communities had already been established throughout the Roman world as a result of numerous exiles from the Holy Land. In addition, about this time, the Roman Emperor Claudius persecuted the Jews of Rome and drove them from the city. Jewish businesses were boycotted. Jewish children were mocked and thrown out of schools. Times were harsh and life was grim. So Jewish Christians, like the people to whom James wrote his letter, seem to have been living under a double diaspora. Not only were they subject to Roman ire because of their Jewishness; many had been driven out of the Jewish communities themselves because of their faith in the Messiah! More than any others, Jewish believers lived without roots and traveled outside Judea looking for a place to call home. Many of these men and women found themselves in a social and religious limbo. I do believe suffering purifies and matures, but I also believe that relentless, extreme suffering can confuse and crush. Many of these Jewish believers had begun to grow weary, tempted either to turn their backs on their Jewish roots or to defect from their faith in Christ. Many claimed that they believed the truth of God concerning the Lord Jesus, but because of the pressures of the day, they began to live a lie. In this context of suffering, confusion, and defection, it is not surprising that James writes a letter of strong exhortation. Remember, this letter was not a doctrinal treatise, not a defense of the gospel regarding the person and work of Christ, not a retelling of the Christian story. This letter assumed his readers already knew all those things. Instead, James penned a letter about authentic faith lived out in a hostile world. Read an Excerpt
Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary James, 1 & 2 Peter
By Charles R. Swindoll Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Copyright © 2014 Charles R. Swindoll, Inc.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4143-9378-0
CHAPTER 1
And I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has
fallen,
And I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will restore it,
So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,'
Says the Lord, who makes these things known from
long ago.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary James, 1 & 2 Peter by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2014 Charles R. Swindoll, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Author's Preface, vii,
The Strong's Numbering System, ix,
Introduction: James, 3,
Real Faith Produces Genuine Stability (James 1:1-27), 16,
Real Faith Produces Genuine Love (James 2:1–3:12), 44,
Real Faith Produces Genuine Humility (James 3:13–5:6), 74,
Real Faith Produces Genuine Patience (James 5:7-20), 111,
Introduction: 1 Peter, 139,
Our Living Hope (1 Peter 1:1–2:12), 151,
Our Strange Life (1 Peter 2:13–4:11), 189,
Our Fiery Ordeal (1 Peter 4:12–5:14), 245,
Introduction: 2 Peter, 281,
Exhortation to Spiritual Maturity (2 Peter 1:1-21), 290,
Denunciation of False Teachers (2 Peter 2:1-22), 313,
Anticipation of Christ's Return (2 Peter 3:1-18), 342,
Endnotes, 369,
List of Features and Images,
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