closely 1 Peter and 1 John, both of which are also directed to wide audiences. James is therefore more a “literary” than a personal letter; the closest parallel to it in the NT is perhaps 1 John.15 Turning to the positive, then, four key features of James need to be considered when identifying its form and nature. First and most prominent (as we noted above) is the strong tone of pastoral exhortation. His purpose is clearly not so much to inform as to command, exhort, and encourage. Yet James issues