James, Chapter One, A Translation From the Greek New Testament
Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent for 2024. As is my habit, I am working through some of the Greek New Testament during this season of devotional and anticipation. In the past, I have translated texts from the lectionary that are so prevalent during Advent. This year, though, I zigged a bit. Instead of the more traditional passages, I opted to work through the Epistle of James. His writing style is far different from the evangelists or from Paul. It feels very much more like one to three line proverbs that are thematically connected together but there is very little of unity for a whole chapter.
I have given you, though, something different from my usual pattern. I have translated it twice, so to speak. Below are two different approaches, the first is Chapter One of James in what might are called a ‘straight’ approach. The second is Chapter One in with a more expansive and dynamic equivalent approach. Behind that, I have written a note or two for your consideration.
I will publish the other four chapters throughout this season.
James, Chapter One (regular approach)
1. To the twelve tribes in the diaspora, ‘Hello’ from James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Messiah.
2. My brothers and sisters, consider it a joy whenever you might fall into any kind of trouble.
3. For you know tests of your faith result in patience.
4. Let patience work all the way through, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking nothing.
5. But, if anyone among you lacks wisdom, he or she must ask God, who gives to everyone freely and without belittling; it will be given to him or her.
6. But he must ask in faith, not doubting. The person who doubts is like the surf of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind.
7. That kind of person must stop thinking that way, for the he or she will receive nothing from the Lord.
8. Such a person is double-minded, unstable on all pathways.
9. But the brother or sister who is humble must boast in his high position.
10. Yet the rich (must boast) in his or her humility, for they shall die just like a wildflower.
11. For the grass and the flower withers when the sun rises with the dry wind; it fades away, and the beauty of its countenance (face) is destroyed. Thus, the rich person’s journey wastes away.
12. Blessed is the person who endures trials. A person so proven will receive the crown of life promised to those who love him.
13. No one being tempted should say, ‘God is tempting me,’ for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.
14. Yet, all people are tempted, drawn away, and enticed by their own desires.
15. The temptation conceives, gives birth to sin, and then grows up to give birth to death.
16. Make no mistake my beloved brothers and sisters,
17. all good and perfect gifts come down from the Father of Lights, for there is no change or moving shadows.
18. He gave birth to the word of truth in us, wishing that we be among the firstfruits of creation.
19. Know this, my beloved brothers and sisters: every person should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
20. For a person’s anger does not accomplish the justice of God.
21. Therefore cast of all filthiness and evil that remains, then, with gentleness. Welcome the word planted in you, which is the power to save your souls.
22. Become a doer of the word, and don’t mislead yourself by being a hearer only.
23. Because anyone who hears the word and does not do it is like someone who studies their natural face in a mirror,
24. thoroughly examines themselves, then goes off and immediately forgets what he or she looks like.
25. Those people who peer into the complete law, the law of liberty, and persevere without having become a forgetful hearer but rather being an active doer, will be blessed in their doing.
26. If anyone appears to be religious but does not control the tongue, they deceive their heart. Their religion is futile.
27. This is pure and undefiled religion before God the Father: to helpfully visit the orphans and widows in their distress and to keep yourselves unstained by the world.
James Chapter One (Expansive)
The servant of God and the Lord Jesus who is Messiah, James, says, ‘Hi,’ to the twelve tribes scattered around the world. My family – think of it as a happy thing when you find yourself in trouble. You know how it goes, when your faith is tested, it pays off in patience. Allow the patience to soak in, so you can be a total person, not missing anything.
Should someone come up short in the ability to navigate life well, they must ask God who will freely help without making you feel like a fool. He will just give it to you. But that person has to ask believing, not doubting anything. The kind of person who doubts everything is like the ups and downs of the sea, thrown around by the ever-changing winds. That kind of doubting person must stop this wrongheadedness, because Lord will not give him or her anything. Such people can’t make up their mind and is wobbly wherever they go.
By contrast, the poor members of the family should brag about how blessed it is to be poor, and the rich in their brokenness, for they will wither like a weed; just as grass and flowers wilt in the hot sun and the dry wind, he or she fades in old age, and the beauty of her face is destroyed and so the journey of life for the wealthy crumbles.
Happy are those who endure trials, being so hardened by this world they will receive the crown of life guaranteed to those who love him.
Nobody going through temptation should say, ‘God tempts me.’ God is above temptation and he doesn’t tempt anybody. Though all are tempted, sucked in by the thrill of their own desires. Temptation then becomes pregnant, delivers sin, which grows up to likewise get pregnant and gives birth to death. Death is the child, sin is the parent, and the grandparent is temptation, where it all started.
Hey family, don’t be wrong about this, because the good things, the great gifts all come drifting down from the Father above the lights in the sky for there is no changing season or moving shadows of day from him. He gave birth to the truth, to the word in us, desiring that we be among the first of creation to be born.
My lovely family, learn this – everybody should be in a hurry to listen, slow to speak, and slower still to get angry. God’s justice doesn’t come from an angry man or woman. Get rid of all dirty living and lagging evil. Then gently welcome the implanted word inside you which is has the power to save your soul.
Do the word. Don’t lie to yourself and end up only hearing. People who hear the world and neglect the doing of it end up like someone who sees their God-given face in the mirror and knows every part of it but then walks out of the room and immediately forgets what they look like. The people who look not into a mirror but into the complete law, the law of freedom, and who stick with it and don’t become neglectful of what is heard because they are so busy doing, will be happy in their actions.
People who look religious but who say horrible things deceive their heart. Their religion is a waste of time. To God the Father pure religion that is righteous is to do something to help orphans and widows in need, and to keep the stink of this polluted world off you.
Now I have a just a couple of notes.
James’ favorite device is the comparison — everything is like something or as something else – flowers, the sea, a mirror. He is always reaching for (and achieving) the perfect analogy. The words about the rich in verse 10 remind me of Psalm 103:15. James is certainly thinking of that beautiful and haunting summary of life.Likewise, in verse 9, ‘humble’ is the word that is used but it clearly means poor — of humble means — contrasted with wealth. I am baffled by the oddest synonym for God, ‘Father of Lights’ in v. 17. It seems to imply that God our Father is the giver of light and that is good, and as the giver there is no shadow or moving of the sun. It is, therefore, best understood as his constancy. He doesn’t change. This is certainly how the old hymn, ‘Great is Thy Faithfulness’ understands the idea. ‘Blessed’ (makarios) appears in this chapter in v. 12 and v. 25. I genuinely prefer the word ‘happy’ as I think that is the proper understanding of what the word conveys — happiness in this world rather than a blessedness in the nowafter. Verse 13 and after feels very much to me like a kind of commentary on Jesus’ trial in the wilderness by Satan. To be honest, the more I study the New Testament the more I believe that time period of Jesus’ ministry was viewed as foundational and key by the early church. Pastorally I read James with an eye toward congregational life. As such, James is confronting impatience, poor theology about blessings, tension between the rich and the poor in the Body of Christ, and people who have no evident life change in them.
