A Theology of James

Wisdom for God’s People

Christopher W. Morgan

PUBLISHING

p.o. box 817 • phillipsburg • new jersey 08865-0817

© 2010 by Christopher W. Morgan

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—except for brief quotations for the purpose of review or comment, without the prior permission of the publisher, P&R Publishing Company, P.O. Box 817, Phillipsburg, New Jersey 08865-0817.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from ESV Bible ® (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Italics within Scripture quotations indicate emphasis added.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Morgan, Christopher W., 1971–

A theology of James: wisdom for God’s people / Christopher W. Morgan.

p. cm. -- (Explorations in biblical theology)

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN 978-1-59638-084-4 (pbk.)

1. Bible. N.T. James--Theology. I. Title.

BS2785.52.M67 2010

227’.9106--dc22

2010039772

Explorations in Biblical Theology

Robert A. Peterson, series editor

To my loving and joyful daughter Chelsey,

a precious gift from the Lord

Contents

Series Introduction

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. James in Context

2. Influences on James’s Thought

3. James’s Pastoral Burden: Wisdom for Consistency in the Community

4. Wisdom

5. Consistency

6. Suffering

7. The Poor

8. Words

9. God’s Word and Law

10. James and Paul

11. A Sketch of James’s Theology

12. Theology at Work

13. James for the Twenty-first-Century Church

Questions for Study and Reflection

Select Resources on James’s Theology

Index of Scripture

Index of Subjects and Names

Series Introduction

Believers today need quality literature that attracts them to good theology and builds them up in their faith. Currently, readers may find several sets of lengthy—and rather technical—books on Reformed theology, as well as some that are helpful and semipopular. Explorations in Biblical Theology takes a more midrange approach, seeking to offer readers the substantial content of the more lengthy books, on the one hand, while striving for the readability of the semipopular books, on the other.

The series includes two types of books: (1) some treating biblical themes and (2) others treating the theology of specific biblical books. The volumes dealing with biblical themes seek to cover the whole range of Christian theology, from the doctrine of God to last things. Representative early offerings in the series focus on the empowering of the Holy Spirit, justification, the presence of God, preservation and apostasy, and substitutionary atonement. Works dealing with the theology of specific biblical books include volumes on 1 and 2 Samuel, the Psalms, and Isaiah in the Old Testament, and Mark, Romans, and James ...