CONTENTS Editor's Preface vii Author's Preface xi Abbreviations xiii Introduction 1. Approaches to the Letter of James 1 2. Text and Canonicity 6 3. Genre and Purpose 10 4. Author and Date 16 Evidence in the New Testament 16 Evidence from Beyond the New Testament Writings 20 Evidence from the Letter of James 21 Conclusion: James of Jerusalem as Author 24 5. Addressees and Context of the Letter 25 6. Structure of the Letter 28 7. Theological Vision 29 Faith 30 God 31 Christ 33 Eschatology 34 Prayer 36 A Theology of Social Concern 37 8.

Outline of the Letter of James 38 9. General Bibliography 39 Translation, Notes, Interpretation 1. Greetings (1:1) 49 Excursus 1: To the Twelve Tribes in the Dispersion (1:1) 53 2. Testing, Wisdom, and the Lowly (1:2-11) 56 Excursus 2: James and the Heritage of Israel (Perfection and Purity [1:2-4]) 71 Excursus 3: The Wisdom of James (The Gift of Wisdom [1:5-8]) 75 Excursus 4: James and the Heritage of Jesus (James's Use of the Jesus Traditions [1:9-11]) 81 3. Testing, Hearers and Doers of the Word (1:12-27) 88 Excursus 5: The Perfect Law of Liberty (1:25) 111 4. Do Not Show Favoritism (2:1-13) 116 Excursus 6: Honor and Shame, Patronage and Grace (Cultural Scripts behind the Letter of James) 140 5. Doers of the Word/Faith and Works (2:14-26) 149 Excursus 7: Faith and Works in James and Paul 163 6. The Tongue and Speech (3:1-12) 172 7.

Call to Friendship with God (3:13-4:10) 190 8. Speaking Evil against Another (4:11-12) 217 9. Judgment on the Rich Because of Friendship with the World (4:13-5:6) 223 10. Call to Patient Endurance (5:7-11) 240 11. Call to Avoid Taking Oaths (5:12) 257 12. Prayer (5:13-18) 264 13. The Great Commission (5:19-20) 282 Indexes Scriptural Index 291 Index of Ancient Writings 309 Author Index 316 Supplementary Bibliography 320.