Biblical Covenantalism and the Book of James

          The Epistle of James begins with a sentence that again may rattle the cages:

James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. – James 1:1.

          The principal addressees of this epistle then are Jews.  To state the contrary is in my opinion to indulge in flagrant misinterpretation.  Why would the leader of the Church in Jerusalem address Gentiles in such a way?  This is especially true because along with many other writers I believe that the book of James, written by the Lord’s brother is one of the earliest books of the NT[1], written probably in the 40’s A.D.[2]  At such an early date it is decidedly unlikely that the phrase “to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” would mean anything else but to the Jewish Diaspora.

Like the book of Hebrews, James has suffered somewhat from what Luke Timothy Johnson called “the Pauline fixation.”[3]  This is where Paul’s categories are read into other inspired authors with the outcome that those non-Pauline writings are not understood first as discrete works.  While it may be pointed out that Scripture does not contradict and so little harm is done, that is a little naïve, especially for Dispensationalist interpreters.  No intelligent reader would claim that the whole Bible is addressed directly to the NT Church.  Further, no intelligent premillennialist would claim that everything in the Synoptic Gospels or the book of Revelation is directed at the Church in the way Paul’s epistles are.  These works must be read for what they are and then compared with Paul.  This is precisely what ought to be done with Hebrews and the General Epistles. 

While the emphases in Hebrews may have a peculiarly important in helping Tribulation saints; think of its stress on vigilance, striving, practical faith, and waiting for the Kingdom, something similar might be said in the case of James, even though I do not see James as matching Hebrews’ theological intent.  I do believe that James’s admonitions are relevant to both epochs, Church and Tribulation[4], since it is largely concerned with practical living. 

          The structural relationship of James to the Sermon on the Mount^[5] enhances its concern with doing the word not just hearing it (Jam. 1:22-25).  He wants to see works accompanying a profession of faith (Jam. 2:14-26).  As such James is written to the saints, not to unbelievers.  He inveighs against the wealthy several times (Jam. 1:10-11; 2:1-9; 5:1-6), warns about taming the tongue (Jan. 1:26; 3:1- 12), and promotes true wisdom as over against false (Jam. 3:13-18).[6]  He pulls no punches.  The strife in the world is mainly caused by pride (Jam. 4:1-6) and would be massively reduced if men would learn humility (Ja. 4:7-10, 13-16).  He advocates for the great power of prayer (Jam. 5:13-18).

          The most noteworthy passage as far as this biblical theology is concerned comes in James 5. 

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.  You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.  Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned.  Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!  My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.  Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.  – James 5:7-11.

          James cannot close his letter without speaking about the second coming.  He represents it as a patient wait between the first and second advents.  Nevertheless, “the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (Jam. 5:8), with “the Judge” (Jesus Christ) “standing at the door.” (Jam. 5:9). 

          Of course, we understand that the time gap between the first and second advents is very lengthy in human terms.  It is therefore a little surprising that this kind of language crops up numerous times in the NT.  Paul exclaims that God will soon crush Satan under the saints’ feet (Rom. 16:20).  John ends the book of Revelation by saying that the things he wrote about “must shortly take place” (Rev. 22:6. Cf. 1:3).  Someone reading these claims nearly two thousand years ago might well have thought that the Lord’s coming would occur in their lifetime.  I do not claim to know why there has been such a long wait for the second coming, other than to say that many of the things that John wrote about could not have been fulfilled even in the recent past.  I believe we live in the days when literal fulfillment of these prophecies is a possibility.  Peter, of course, helps with this somewhat by reminding us that with the Lord “one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (1 Pet. 3:8).  From His standpoint it is nothing, even though two thousand years is a fair chunk of earth history.

          But it is possible that James 5:8-9 is a veiled reference to the imminence of the rapture of the Church.  Certainly, good arguments have been adduced in its favor.[7]

          What is clearer is that the admonition to persevere befits the lives of many of the Lord’s people both now and in the coming Tribulation.  And it is perhaps worth taking note of the fact that James says that Elijah sealed up heaven for “three years and six months” (Jam. 5:17).  That number will be worth remembering when we look at Revelation 11. 

          Before moving on there is one more verse that I need to call to your attention:     

But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment. – James 5:12.

          This verse recalls the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:37.  It applies to normal day-to-day situations and not to judicial circumstances where an oath to tell the whole truth is appropriate.  I bring it up just to point out that if anyone does not need to swear an oath it would be the One who cannot lie (Tit. 1:2), whose word is truth (Jn. 17:17), and whose words establish the very laws of thought and integrity which we live by (Psa. 119:130).  And yet God makes covenants!  He swears oaths!  He does this out of a gracious disposition towards us.  He knows that “very man is a liar” (Rom. 3:4).  And if this grace is not to be lost and forgotten the question must be asked, “Why does God make covenants?” And the reply must be that He does not make them about unimportant or tangential matters, but about the most important things.  We therefore are duty-bound to pay heed to the oaths that God has sworn, for God is true (Rom. 3:4) and He will bring to pass the very things He has sworn to do. 

[1] See Craig L. Blomberg, A New Testament Theology, 137.  He thinks Jude is also early.  

[2] Despite its early date it is notable for the quality of its Greek.  See Herbert W. Bateman & William C. Varner, James: An Exegetical Guide for Preaching and Teaching, Big Greek Idea Series, Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2022, 44-48.

[3] As cited by James D. G. Dunn, Beginning From Jerusalem, 1123 n.89.

[4] This assumes, of course, that the pretribulation removal of the Church is correct.  If it is not the point is moot.

[5] See, for example, Virgil V. Porter Jr., “The Sermon on the Mount in the Book of James, Part 1,” Bibliotheca Sacra 162.647 (July 2005), and Idem., “The Sermon on the Mount in the Book of James, Part 2,” Bibliotheca Sacra (Oct. 2005).  Davids writes of the “high degree of intertextuality between James and the Matthean form of the teaching of Jesus, and in particular, the Sermon of the Mount.” – Peter H. Davids, A Theology of James, Peter, and Jude, Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 2014, 43.

[6] The book of James is often included within the genre of Wisdom literature.  See James D. G. Dunn, Beginning From Jerusalem, 1131.

[7] Earl D. Radmacher, “The Imminent Return of the Lord,” CTSJ 04:3 (Jul 1998), esp. 16. Also, John F. MacArthur, Jr., “Is Christ’s Return Imminent?” TMSJ 11:1 (Spring 2000).