The Relationship in James between Faith and Works with Regard to Justification

An implication regarding James’ understanding of the role of faith and works (e.g., 2:17, 20, 26) is whether his statements related to justification (2:21, 24–25) are consistent with those of Paul, who asserts that “a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Rom 3:28; compare Rom 5:1; Gal 2:16; 3:11, 24). Seifrid describes this as “a test of the unity of the New Testament” (Seifrid, Righteousness, 178).

Luther exemplified a common, albeit extreme, approach to the relation of the teaching of James and Paul. He contended that James contradicts both Paul and the remainder of Scripture: James “is flatly against St. Paul and all the rest of Scripture in ascribing justification to works” (Luther, Works, 35:396; see also Dibelius-Greeven, James, 54–56; Laato, “Justification,” 43–45; and Chester, “Theology,” 3–5). Luther’s views regarding James were predicated on theological convictions rather than historical ones.

Centuries later, Baur (1792–1860) offered similar observations in his historical reconstruction of early Christianity organized along the lines of a history of early conflict between Jewish and Pauline branches of Christianity (Baur, Paul, 2:297–313). Baur commonly dated Pauline sources early when he observed direct conflict in them between these two branches (specifically Galatians, 1–2 Corinthians, and Romans, all of which he dated between ad 50–60). Despite seeing “a direct contradiction” between Jas 2:24 and Rom 3:28, Baur pushed James out into the middle second century (ca. 130–150; Baur, Paul, 2:297; see Harris, Tübingen, 237).

Calvin argues that James and Paul have different emphases and audiences, but that their respective views, while not identical, are nonetheless theologically complementary (e.g., Calvin, Institutes, III.17.11–12; see esp. Laato, “Justification,” 43–84).

To confirm his assertion that “that faith without works is useless” (Jas 2:20 NASB), James draws initially on the example of Abraham in the account of his binding of Isaac (Gen 22:1–18). James notes that in this incident, Abraham’s “faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works” (Jas 2:22 NRSV). James therefore sees in Abraham’s faithful response to God’s testing a fulfillment of the faith Abraham exemplified in Gen 15:6. There, in response to God’s promise to him of vast descendants, Abram (Abraham) “believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness” (NRSV). Abraham’s faithfulness in response to God’s testing in Gen 22 is celebrated in postbiblical Jewish literature. The following statement is found in 1 Maccabees, a second century bc Jewish writing: “Was not Abraham found faithful [πιστός (pistos)] when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?” (1 Macc 2:52; compare Heb 11:17–19). James’ further reference (at the end of Jas 2:23) to Abraham being called “a friend of God” (φίλος θεοῦ, philos theou) echoes passages like 2 Chr 20:7 and Isa 41:8. James therefore draws the following deduction based on Abraham’s faithfulness under testing and God’s approval of that faithfulness: “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” (Jas 2:24 NRSV).

James’ second example that faith and works belong together is Rahab (Josh 2:1–21 and 6:1–25, esp. 17, 22–25). James asks rhetorically, “Was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them by another road?” (Jas 2:25 NRSV). The background of this episode is God’s promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants (Gen 12:7; 15:7, 18–21; 24:6–7). Following the time of Egyptian bondage (Exod 1–11), God delivered the Israelites through the exodus under the leadership of Moses (Exod 12–14). After 40 years of the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings, the Israelites were east of the Jordan River to enter the land of Canaan as God had earlier promised—now under the leadership of Joshua (Josh 1). In preparation of the Israelites’ initial entry, Joshua sent two scouts across the Jordan into Jericho (Josh 2:1). The scouts lodged in the house of a prostitute by the name of Rahab, who hid them from the king’s men. In Josh 2:9–11, Rahab informs the Israelite scouts why she did this: “I know that the Lord has given you the land.… As soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no courage left in any of us because of you. The Lord your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below” (NRSV).

With two scriptural examples in place, James reiterates in 2:26b the same basic content of 2:17. The points of correspondence are evident:

James 2:20 further affirms that faith without works is “useless” (ἀργή, argē). James’ view about the necessity of keeping faith and works together is not elsewhere unattested—including in the Pauline Corpus (Phil 2:12–13; compare Eph 2:8–10). Chester observes, “In the end, the real danger in interpreting James … is not that we might promote a crude or naïve theology over against the profundity of Paul, but that we explain away or diminish the full force of James too easily” (Chester, “Theology,” 60).