James, a bond slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes of the Dispersion, salutation. (James 1:1)
James B. Adamson begins his commentary with the assumption that James is the brother of Jesus. He argues this point in detail in his introduction. I have chosen not to include that detail because I prefer to start right away with the text of the Epistle and Adamson’s related commentary. However, if anyone is interested in the arguments presented in the introduction, please let me know and I will write about them. Alternatively, readers can order the commentary.
Considering the Term ‘The Twelve Tribes of the Dispersion
Adamson addresses the term ‘the twelve tribes of the dispersion’ with the belief that it was stated by ‘James the Lord’s brother’. He argues that this term could not refer figuratively to the whole multiracial Christian Church because the Epistle reflects the earliest stage of the teaching of the gospel. That would imply the most Jewish milieu. Therefore, it seems clear that James was not addressing Christianity’s ‘spiritual catholicity’. James’s theology and eschatology is that of a Jew who, like Jesus, focused on his own people.
To continue the argument, if James was implying a new spiritual meaning for the twelve tribes, he would not have added ‘of the Dispersion’, which gives it the historical application. ‘Of the Dispersion’ implies ‘the ancient, restricted, physical and national privileges of the Jews under the Covenant. Nor did James refer to non-Palestinian Jewish Christians, as the rabbis believed the Palestinian Jews represented all the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Bond Slave of God and Jesus
This is one of the places where I believe seeing James as the brother of Jesus adds interest to Adamson’s commentary. As far as I can tell, this identification of James as Jesus’s brother is not a controversial position even though Adamson’s approach is unique. That said, it seems to me that it has at least one controversial implication as Adamson explains below. It has to do with James identifying himself as the bond slave of God and Jesus. Adamson argues that James uses this term in a spirit of loyalty and devoted service to both God and Jesus. He explains that Paul also uses this term in an opening, in his Epistle to Titus. The concept is Hebrew (‘ebed) rather than Greek.
It is used in loyalty and respect toward prophets and rabbis, e.g. Gamaliel, Johanan b. Zakkai, and here toward God and our Lord Jesus Christ, as in the (non-Pauline) Epistle to the Hebrews…
Since proverbially no man can be the servant of two masters, it may be that James, in order to obviate any possible offense to the cherished monotheism of orthodox Jewry, is here emphasizing that service to Christ is also service to God, since they are both One (John 5:17; 9:4; 17:4), but we doubt whether such subtlety in the opening is truly in keeping with the character of this Epistle.
We hold that James, the Lord’s brother, is here writing as a Jew–not ‘a Jewish Christian’…, but a Christian Jew–to Jews, and that he was writing with full hope that the Jews as a whole would turn to Christ…
Adamson looks ahead in the Epistle to the verses in which James will preach both aspects of the Christian religion, faith and works. He tells us that James will stress both aspects to the Jews as descendants and heirs of Abraham. However James is not teaching the same concept as Paul in Gal. 3:7.
Realize then that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham.
Paul is concentrating on one aspect of Christian duty and the same aspect of God’s Fatherhood, the spiritual aspect. In this sense, Abraham’s fatherhood of the Jews is only symbolic. In James, however, prominence is given to God without prejudice to Christ. James understands that Jesus did not come to supplant but to supplement the Father. He did not come to supersede God’s Old Testament lessons to the Jews, but to reinforce them and extend them to the Gentiles.
To James, therefore, Christianity is not a new religion but the consummation of the old; and we shall never see Old Testament and New Testament as an intrinsic unity unless we grasp this fundamental truth enshrined in our Epistle.
Verses Given to God Without Prejudice to Christ
Adamson lists the following verses in which James gives prominence to God without prejudice to Christ: 1:1, 5-8, 12-15, 16-21, 26, 27.
James Then Reverts to Full Faith in Christ
James reverts to full faith in Christ in 2:1.
And Finally, James Gives the Following Verses to God
And James reverts to God in 2:19-25; 5:1-6 (esp. v. 5), and in the prophetic tone of the whole passage 5:7-8, 9-11, 14-15, and in the example of Elijah in 5:16-18.
Adamson’s View of Who James Was Addressing
So, in the View of Adamson, James addresses his Epistle both to Christian and non-Christian Jews, outside and within Palestine:
see Paul’s practice in Acts 17:1-4 (esp. v. 2, ‘as his manner was’); also Gamaliel’s attitude (Acts 5:34-40). To Christian Jews Jesus is peculiarly the fulfillment of their eternal hope of ultimate restoration from the Dispersion (see 2 Esdras 13:40; Tobit 13:3-5, 15-18; and Rev. 21:10-21. On that note James opens his Epistle, the note of suffering but hopeful brotherhood.
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