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I wrote a paper on James 2:14-26 a few years back. Here's a link. TRANSLATION 14: What (is) the benefit, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? That faith is not able to save them (is it)? 15: Suppose a brother or a sister is naked and lacking of daily bread, 16: and someone from you (pl.) says to them, “Go ...

"Justified" has the same meaning in each verse. You have to look at those verses in the larger context to understand what the authors are referring to by "works" and how that relates to justification. James 2:14-26 makes the point that true faith always leads to works. The clearest statements are in verses 17 and 26: 17 Even so faith, if it has no ...

I think you have it right there in the difference between what you quoted - the Lord's Prayer doesn't say "do not tempt us" (and James agrees as to why) and James does not say "God does not allow people to be dragged away and enticed" (which would make the world a very different place). A prominent example of God explicitly allowing someone to be tempted is ...

It's a good question. Unfortunately the answer appears to be that it's just really unclear. We know what James is arguing, but exactly how is a little more problematic. Leading people to look at different ways of handling the "quote" James gives. Moo gives a nice little section in "James: An Introduction and Commentary" in Tyndale. But I think his ...

I believe that "brother" in this sense represents fellow believers - specifically he was writing to some Jewish believers. I understand this from "James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. " (Jas 1:1) The Church as a whole can apply this epistle to itself and it's members because we ...

Is he a brother? Yes However, he's not a brother in the sense of a "fellow believer", but merely in the sense of a "fellow man". Let me explain in full: Word choice There does seem to be some confusion with the wording here: James 1:9-10 (ESV)Emphasis added Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because ...

This fits right in with what Jesus said in Matthew 18:15 - If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. So it seems that James is basically saying that if a Christian sees a brother falling into sin and confronts the brother and that brother turns from his sin, ...

The key to understanding this very difficult verse in James, and therefore for providing a proposed clarifying translation, is found in Genesis 15:6, which alludes to Abraham's faith as the basis of righteousness. When we compare the citations of Genesis 15:6 to other places in the Bible where this verse is quoted, then we will be better able to understand ...

There are really two options here: James is telling the poor to take pride when they experience a reversal of material fortune. James is telling the poor to take pride in their exaltation in Christ. The first option would be difficult to accept, though, given the context. After all, James goes on right after to remind the rich that wealth quickly fades. ...

Having given this a good deal of thought, I've currently concluded that no, the rich man is not a brother. (Elsewhere I have essentially argued that when James uses "brother", he means a fellow believer. So this is what I mean, when I say he is not a brother.) When we look at verses 9-11 in isolation, one interpretation that seems to emerge is that James is ...