(James 1:1 KJV) James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. God: 1:1,5-8,12-15,16-21, 26,27;  2:19-25; 5:1-6 (esp. v. 5)
LJC see 2:1
diaspora:
(John 7:35 KJV) Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
(James 1:2 KJV) My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;  
(James 1:3 KJV) Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. (James 1:3 NASB) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
(James 1:4 KJV) But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  
(James 1:5 KJV) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. "The wisdom God gives is not necessarily information on how to get out of trouble but rather insight on how to learn from one’s difficulties (see also Prov. 29:15). It is not more information about how to avoid times of testing but instead a new perspective on trials. The wisdom of God begins with a genuine reverence for the Almighty (see “the fear of the LORD” in Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10) and a steadfast confidence that God controls all circumstances, guiding them to His good purposes (Rom. 8:28)." (The Nelson NKJV Study Bible)
(James 1:6 KJV) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  
(James 1:7 KJV) For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. of the Lord see v. 5
(James 1:8 KJV) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  
(James 1:9 KJV) Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: Two other men
(James 1:10 KJV) But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. The rich have their carnal reward here
(Mat 6:5 KJV) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
(Mat 6:19 KJV) Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
(James 1:11 KJV) For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
(James 1:12 KJV) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.  
(James 1:13 KJV) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:  
(James 1:14 KJV) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. See 4:1&2
(James 1:15 KJV) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  
(James 1:16 KJV) Do not err, my beloved brethren.  
(James 1:17 KJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (Mat 5:14 KJV) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
(James 1:18 KJV) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (Jer 2:3 KJV) Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.
(John 1:12 KJV) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
(John 1:13 KJV) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
(James 1:19 KJV) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:  
(James 1:20 KJV) For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Wrath, from "orge" means violent passion or justifiable abhorance.
(James 1:21 KJV) Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  
(James 1:22 KJV) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  
(James 1:23 KJV) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  
(James 1:24 KJV) For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.  
(James 1:25 KJV) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.  
(James 1:26 KJV) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.  
(James 1:27 KJV) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.  
   

Additional comments

From:  "Jeremy Thomas" <j.thomas373@n...>
Date:  Sat Jan 4, 2003  2:10 pm
Subject:  Re: [Bible_Study_Methods] Temptation

Thomas, I've thought about this before, comparing James 1:13 (which you quoted)with:

Genesis 22:1
"And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham..."

Seems like a contradiction, doesn't it? Yet as I tell my friends and neighbours, there are no contradictions in the Bible. :-) That's always my starting point anyway, and my feeling is that it's up to us to try and
reconcile passages which appear at first sight to contradict.

I've just looked up the Hebrew word translated 'tempt' in Gen. 22:1, and the
idea nearly always seems to be to TEST. Here are a few examples where the same Hebrew word is used:

Exodus 16:4
"Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may *prove* them, whether they will walk in my law, or no."

1 Samuel 17:39
"And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not *proved* it..."

1 Kings 10:1
"And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to *prove* him with hard questions."

So that would make sense of what happened to Jesus in Matthew 4 - he was being tested at the beginning of his ministry. And he passed the test wonderfully, answering all his temptations by resorting the word of God.

So what about James 1?

If you look in an English dictionary, there are several meanings given for the word 'tempt'. Here are just two of the four in a dictionary in front of me now:

1. entice, incite esp. to sin...
3. ...make trial of, try the resolution of...

I'm told that there are the same distinct shades of meaning in New Testament Greek too. I've just checked this, and again here are a few examples of where the word translated 'tempted/tempteth" in James 1 is used elsewhere:

Matthew 22:17-18
"Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why *tempt* ye me, ye hypocrites?"

2 Corinthians 13:5
"*Examine* yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves...."

Revelation 2:2
"I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast *tried* them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:"

We would probably use three different words for complete avoidance of doubt in these passages (maybe 'entice', 'examine' and 'tested'?), but they are all the same Greek word. So it does seem right that there can be different ideas conveyed by the one word.

Therefore I think one answer to your question is, only by looking at the context will we be able to know which meaning is intended. To come back to James 1:13 again, God does bring times of testing into our lives, but He doesn't entice us into sin. If you supply the ellipsis from the previous clause, that seems to be the sense of the verse:

"..for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man [with evil]" - i.e., He doesn't try and trick us into sinning.

Does that help at all?

Sorry for the length of this mail, but I'd just like to share two more passages
which I came across while I was doing this little study (they both use the same
Greek word as James 1:13):

1 Corinthians 10:13
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Hebrews 4:15-16
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

Wonderful words of encouragement at the start of a new year!

Jeremy
Link to Original

 

"The word translated testing of your faith occurs only here and in 1 Pet. 1:7. The term, which means “tested” or “approved,” was used for coins that were genuine and not debased. The aim of testing is not to destroy or afflict, but to purge and refine. It is essential to Christian maturity, for even Abraham’s faith had to be tested (see Gen. 22:1–8). The meaning of patience transcends the idea of bearing affliction; it includes the idea of standing fast under pressure, with a staying power that turns adversities into opportunities." (The Nelson NKJV Study Bible)

"1:2-4 Trials faced with joy result in endurance, which leads to maturity (being perfect) and full (complete) development." (The Ryrie Study Bible)

"JAMES 1:3-4, 12 Election, Testing—Testing develops perseverance. Perseverance is victory over trial. Victory over trial presents the elect with the crown of life which God promises the elect who love Him." (Disciple's Study Bible)

"1:2 In this chapter (vv. 2, 12-14) is found the classic example of the biblical distinction between “trial” and “temptation.” “Trials” in v. 2 comes from (Gk.), which often means a “fiery trial” or a “proving,” tests which are for the purpose of building fortitude in the believer. The word translated “perfect” (, Gk., v. 4) means the “end” or “completeness” of a process or thing. The trials are designed to bring about spiritual maturity and completeness in the believer (v. 3). In vv. 12-14, James makes it clear that God never takes the initiative in “tempting” men. The general biblical teaching on this distinction is that whereas God allows men to be tested, He cannot by His very nature test men with evil intent (v. 13). Clearly when men are tempted to do evil, it is the consequence of yielding to Satan’s enticements because of their own fallen sinful natures (cf. Eph 2:1-3). “Brethren” is a key word in the epistle, used 15 times by James. It sometimes softens a harsh rebuke. James also uses it as a linguistic device to make transition to a new topic of discussion." (Believer's Study Bible)
 

(Luke 18:10 KJV) Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

(Luke 18:11 KJV) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

(Luke 18:12 KJV) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

(Luke 18:13 KJV) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

(Luke 18:14 KJV) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

 

 

Various James

 

Who was James?

>> The NT might identify 6 James' (a, son of Zebedee, b, James-the-less, c, James the brother of Joseph, d, James the brother of Joseph, e, James the brother of Jesus, f, James the father of Judas).

1.James, the oldest half-brother of Christ

(Mark 6:3 KJV) Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
(Mark 15:40 KJV) There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
(Mat 13:55 KJV) Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

Two Apostles - see Mt 10:2&3:

2. James the son of Zebedee, one of the twelve apostles. He was elder brother of the evangelist John. His mother’s name was Salome. We first hear of him in A.D. 27, (Mark 1:20) when at the call of the Master he left all, and became, one and forever, his disciple, in the spring of 28. (Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:14; Luke 6:13; Acts 1:13) The name of Boanerges was given to the sons of Zebedee. The "sons of thunder" had a burning and impetuous spirit, which twice exhibits itself. (Mark 10:37; Luke 9:54) On the night before the crucifixion James was present at the agony in the garden. On the day of the ascension he is mentioned as persevering with the rest of the apostles and disciples, in prayer. (Acts 1:13) Shortly before the day of the Passover, in the year 44, he was put to death by Herod Agrippa I. (Acts 12:1,2).

3.James the son of Alpheus, one of the twelve apostles. (Matthew 10:3)

And

4.James the father of Judas (Acts 1:13, Luk 6:16

 

Another Possibility

Matthew 27:55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from
Galilee, ministering unto him:
56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses,
and the mother of Zebedee's children.

Mark 15:40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene,
and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister,
Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

Mt. 27:55&56

  

Mary Magdalene

Mary the mother of James and Joses

the mother of Zebedee's children

Mk 15:40

  

Mary Magdalene

Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses

Salome

John 19:25

Jesus his mother

Mary Magdalene

Mary the wife of Cleophas

his mother's sister
         

This would make James (the greater) and John his brother first cousins of Jesus.

It's also possible that no. 3 (James the son of Alphaeus) and no. 4 (James the father of Judas) are the same person. In Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13, the KJV puts "the brother" in italics - the original seems just to be "Judas of James". This construction is sometimes used to indicate a father-son relationship. This would give two Jameses related to Jesus, both amongst his disciples.

* The James and Judas (Jude) mentioned in Matt. 13:55, Jesus' half-brother, are the writers of the New Testament epistles bearing their names
* The Alphaeus and the Cleophas mentioned above are the same person (I've been told they're two forms of the same name) - there is a very early tradition (2nd. century) that this Alphaeus was the brother of Joseph the husband of Mary, and therefore uncle of the Lord
* This could also be the same Alphaeus who was father of Matthew (compare Matt. 9:9 and Mark 2:14)
* Matthew (= Levi, meaning "joined") and Thomas (= Didymus, meaning "twin") might be twin brothers, sons of this Alphaeus and cousins of the Lord

Not all of this can be proven from Scripture of course, but it does paint a picture of a fairly tightly knit, family based group of disciples - though Jesus' own half brothers believed in him only after his resurrection (compare John 7:5 and Acts 1:14).