The book of James is traditionally considered to be written by James, the brother of Jesus. (The author of this book is not to be confused with the disciple James, the brother of John, who were both disciples of Jesus.)
There is a tendency to misunderstand the book of James as setting aside following Jesus by faith and instead earning his favor through good deeds (sometimes referred to as “works”).
This is not the case, as he clearly explains in the second chapter (James 2:14-26).
The purpose of this book is to combat the false understanding (heresy) that faith is merely an intellectual exercise and is not connected with a change in behavior.
James contains many practical ideas of wisdom, paralleling the wisdom literature of the Old Testament and much of Jesus’s teaching in the four Gospels.
In James and Jude Bible Study, uncover practical truths from two oft-overlooked books of the Bible.
Learn about two brothers who knew Jesus longer than anyone. Then listen to what they have to say.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.