The Background of the Book of James

The Book of James, along with Hebrews, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, and Jude, is considered one of the General Epistles or Catholic Epistles because they are not addressed to specific recipients. The original readers of the Book of James were likely Jewish believers scattered throughout the Roman Empire. Around 722 BC, the northern kingdom of Israel was taken into exile by Assyria (2 Kings 17:23); around 586 BC, the southern kingdom of Judah was exiled to Babylon (2 Kings 25:21). In 63 BC, another group of Jews was taken to Rome as slaves by the Roman general Pompey. Many more Jews voluntarily left their homeland in search of a better life, settling in Syria (e.g., Antioch, Damascus), Egypt (e.g., Alexandria), Asia Minor, and other major cities along the Mediterranean coast. As a result, Jews were spread across the Roman Empire. The ancient Greek historian and geographer Strabo (64–23 BC) wrote, “It is difficult to find a single city in the whole world which has not received a portion of the Jews.” The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37–100 AD) also recorded that “there is not any city of the Greeks, nor any of the barbarians, where the Jewish laws and customs are not received by the multitude.” Through this miraculous arrangement by God, the gospel quickly spread throughout the Roman Empire via “the twelve tribes scattered abroad.”

The author of this letter, James, is most likely the biological brother of Jesus. He was a highly respected and prominent figure in the early church, revered among Jewish believers as the first “overseer” of the church in Jerusalem. James’s leadership role in the “mother church” of Jerusalem gave him the authority to exhort “the twelve tribes scattered abroad” (James 1:1). Around 62 AD, after the death of the Roman procurator Festus, the high priest Ananus II seized the opportunity to have James and others executed. Due to the massive public outcry, the new procurator, Albinus, upon his arrival, removed Ananus from the office of high priest.

The letter contains little systematic theological teaching, which suggests an early date of writing. Its strong Jewish flavor indicates that the church had not yet widely accepted Gentiles. It frequently references Old Testament and Jewish wisdom traditions; its style is like a collection of proverbs, quoting many Old Testament proverbs and more passages from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) than any other New Testament book, earning it the title “the Proverbs of the New Testament.” The place of church gatherings is called a “synagogue” (James 2:2); the church organization is simple, mentioning only elders (James 5:14) and teachers (James 3:1); and the central Jewish creed, “God is one,” is specifically mentioned (James 2:19). The letter also does not mention the dispute between Jews and Gentiles over ritual laws, so it was likely written before James presided over the Jerusalem Council in 49 AD (Acts 15:13), making it possibly the earliest written book in the New Testament.

A famine occurred in Judea around 46 AD (Acts 11:28), which gradually escalated into social, political, and religious turmoil, leading to the Jewish War of 66-70 AD. The Jewish revolts between 66-70 AD and 132-135 AD led to the destruction of the Jewish church in Judea. This may have caused the slow circulation of the Book of James, which was not accepted as canonical by both the Eastern and Western churches of the Roman Empire until the end of the fourth century.

During the Reformation, Martin Luther had doubts about the author’s apostolic status. He believed that the Book of James’s view on “justification by works” was at odds with other parts of the New Testament on “justification by faith,” and that it “tore the Bible apart and contradicted Paul and all of Scripture.” However, few other reformers agreed with Luther’s view. In fact, the teaching in this letter about “justification by works” (James 2:14-26) complements Paul’s teaching on “justification by faith” (Galatians 3:8, 24). One emphasizes the behavior that follows salvation, while the other emphasizes the faith that precedes it. One states that true faith will inevitably produce works, while the other states that works without faith cannot save a person. Paul emphasized “justification by faith,” but this faith is “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6), which is entirely consistent with James’s teaching.