Monday, January 30, 2023

Luke Leuk Cheung on James 1:2-11

  

[Jas] 1:2–11 does reflect a number of thematic parallels with 1:12–18. Semantically, 1:2–4 and 1:12–15 are linked together by the words πειρασμός-πειράζειν, δοκίμιος-δόκιμος and ὑπομονή-ὑπομένειν, and the theme of endurance in face of testing explicated in the two sub-sections. In 1:5, God is described as the one ‘who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly.’ This is further developed in 1:17 that ‘every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above (ἄνωθέν), coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.’ God is the God who gives (1:5/1:17). The wisdom for which one should ask is ‘wisdom from above’ (ἡ ἄνωθεν σοφία, 3:17). This matches the ‘word of truth’ (λόγος ἀληθείας, 1:18) which gives life to people. In contrast to those who receive wisdom from God through prayers of faith, the doubters cannot expect to receive anything from the Lord. Those described as ‘double-souled persons’ (ἀνὴρ δίψυχος, 1:8) are also sinners, as the parallel address in 4:8 indicates. Such description is not far from that of 1:13–15 where people are tempted to sin. In addition, in 1:5–8, those who have wisdom from God through prayer of faith are set in sharp contrast with ‘those who doubt’=‘double-souled.’ Such contrast also matches that of 1:13–18 where those who are tempted to sin by their evil desire resulting in death are set in contrast to those who receive life through the word of truth. (Luke Leuk Cheung, The Genre, Composition and Hermeneutics of the Epistle of James [Paternoster Biblical and Theological Monographs; Milton Keynes: Paternoster Press, 2003], 62–63.)