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James, Revised Edition (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries | TNTC) is unavailable, but you can change that!

The letter of James has often been defined in terms of moral earnestness, repentance and consistent social action, leading many to argue that it is not theological. This separation between theology and practice, Douglas J. Moo observes, can all too easily lead people to read Scripture as a book to be analyzed rather than a message to be obeyed—the very mindset against which James inveighs. Moo’s...

A clear and systematic progression of thought is difficult to find in the letter of James. He prefers to move from topic to topic, sometimes joining them with a loose connection in subject matter, sometimes using a play on words to make the transition. Chapter 1:2–18 contains two of these wordplays. ‘Greetings’ (chairein) in 1:1 is picked up by ‘joy’ (chara) in 1:2, and the verb ‘lack’ (leipō) connects 1:4 and 1:5. Other verbal contacts indicate continuity
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