Introduction: A Letter to Jewish Believers in Jesus
James, the earthly brother of Jesus, addresses this powerful letter to fellow Jewish followers of Christ scattered throughout the world. Raised in a devout Jewish home, James would have grown up immersed in the Torah, observing the feasts and traditions of Israel, and regularly attending synagogue. Yet, life in his household would have been anything but ordinary—especially with Jesus as his older brother.
Imagine the dynamic of growing up with someone who never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). When Jesus began His public ministry—teaching with divine authority, healing the sick, and casting out demons—many were amazed, but not all believed. Some in His own hometown were offended by Him (Mark 6:3), and even His family, including James, struggled to understand or accept His mission. At one point, they tried to intervene, thinking He had lost His senses (Mark 3:21).
James himself did not initially believe in Jesus as the Messiah (John 7:5). But everything changed after the resurrection. Jesus appeared personally to James (1 Corinthians 15:7), and from that moment, his heart and mind were transformed. James became a pillar of the early Church (Galatians 2:9), eventually leading the congregation in Jerusalem with wisdom and deep devotion.
When a major question arose about how Gentile believers should be received into what had been a Jewish movement, James brought clarity and grace to the issue. Standing with the apostles, he declared, “Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God” (Acts 15:19, NKJV). With this statement, James affirmed that salvation is by grace through faith—not by works of the Law—and helped pave the way for the gospel to reach the nations.
In this epistle, James writes with pastoral concern and spiritual urgency. Though rooted in Jewish tradition, his words call believers—both then and now—to a genuine, lived-out faith. For James, Christianity was not a new religion, but the fulfillment of God’s promises through the Messiah, Jesus. His message is simple yet powerful: true faith will always bear fruit in action. As he writes, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22, NKJV).
