Volume IV
The General Epistle of James.
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. IV, p. 480
James wrote this epistle to his Hebrew brethren of the twelve tribes, who were dispersed in the several provinces of the Roman empire; many of whom had been converted to the Christian faith. The scope thereof is to stir them up to manifest their faith by their good works;—to bear their trials with cheerfulness and patience;—maintain honourable thoughts of God;—watch over their turbulent passions;—receive the word of God with meekness, and put it into practice, ch. i.:— conduct themselves impartially to the rich and kindly to the poor, ch. ii.: to guard against reviling, censorious, and imperious language, ch. iii.: and a litigious, proud, worldly, and envious spirit, and overlooking of God's providence, ch. iv.: and against luxury, injustice, and profane swearing;—and to patience, mutual confession of faults, fervent prayer, and a diligent study to promote one another's spiritual welfare, ch. v.
[James the son of Alpheus, the brother of Jude, and the near relation of our Lord—called also James the Less, Mar. 15. 40, either on account of inferiority in stature or age to James the son of Zebedee—is generally esteemed the writer of this epistle. Ecclesiastical history, confirmed by the Acts of the Apostles, ch. 12. 17; 15. 13; 21. 13; and some of the Epistles, 1 Co. 15. 7; Ga. 1. 19; 2. 9, 12, represents him as residing generally at Jerusalem superintending the churches, till the time of his martyrdom, A.D. 62. This epistle is found in the ancient Syriac version, which was completed in the end of the first or beginning of the second century. It is alluded to by Clemens Romanus, Hermas, and Ignatius, and directly cited by Origen, Jerome, and Athanasius, which allusions and citations concur with its internal evidence, to attest its inspired character. It is called general, because not addressed to any particular church, but 'to the twelve tribes scattered abroad.' It contains references to Ge. 15. 6; 20. 17; 22. 9-12; De. 9. 18-20; Jos. 2. 1; 1 Ki. 3. 9, 11, 12; 8. 46; 17. 1; 18. 42-45; Job 1. 21, 22; 42. 10; Ps. 94. 12; Is. 41. 8; Je. 29. 12, 13; Mal. 3. 6. C.
I am led by a close examination of evidence to the conviction, that James, the son of Alpheus, and James who is styled in Ga. 1. 19 'the brother of the Lord,' were different persons (see Jn. 7. 3; Mat. 13. 55). The former was an apostle; the latter does not seem even to have been a believer in Christ at all till after the resurrection. Immediately on his joining the little Christian church, however, he took a prominent position, being president of the council at Jerusalem. It is my opinion, from the statements made in Scripture, that James was son of Joseph and Mary; and consequently, as stated by Paul, 'the brother of our Lord.' He was the author of this epistle. James' usual place of residence was Jerusalem, and there are several incidental allusions in the epistle which show that it was written in Palestine, ch. 3. 12; 1. 6; 5. 17, 18. Its date cannot be definitely fixed, but probably it was written at a comparatively early period—not later than A.D. 50. P.]