Day 12: Review and Integration Reviewing the Notes of the Previous 11 Days Context: Looking back over James’ letter, how do the various themes work together to address the needs of early Christians facing persecution and social pressures? The twelve tribes scattered across the Empire are at risk of succumbing to the pressures outside and […]
Read More WIWO: James The Last Day 12: Review and IntegrationDay 11: The Power of Prayer Read James 5:13-20 Context: How does James’ teaching about prayer serve as both a climax to his letter and a practical response to the various challenges he has addressed? What is James’ teaching on prayer? It’s something we do when we’re suffering. It’s something done for the one who […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 11: The Power of PrayerDay 9: The Danger of Presumptuous Planning Read James 4:13-5:6 Context: What attitude towards the future and material success is James confronting in both the merchants (4:13-17) and the wealthy landowners (5:1-6)? We should get the idea by now that James isn’t plucking random issues out of thin air. He has been making it clear […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 9: The Danger of Presumptuous PlanningDay 7: Two Kinds of Wisdom Read James 3:13-18 Context: How does James’ teaching about two kinds of wisdom connect with his previous discussions about trials, faith, and the tongue? By this stage, we should be very familiar with what James has outlined in terms of distinctions. There is asking in faith vs wavering. There […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 7: Two Kinds of WisdomDay 5: Faith That Works Read James 2:14-26 Context: Why does James feel compelled to address the relationship between faith and works so emphatically in this section? In a way, he’s been building up to this. He’s had to tell the listeners to ask for wisdom to get through trials and ask for it properly, […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 5: Faith That WorksDay 4: The Sin of Favouritism Read James 2:1-13 Context: What social and economic tensions within the early church might have prompted James to address favouritism so directly? From what James writes both before, in terms of various trials, and here, in terms of the treatment of the poor by the rich, it appears that […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 4: The Sin of FavouritismDay 3: Temptation vs Pure Religion Read James 1:12-27 Context: How does James’ teaching about temptation (verses 12-18) connect with his earlier discussion of trials? James is all about the distinctions. Trials are an opportunity to practice the steadfast nature of God. As we ask God for wisdom to endure those trials, we gotta be […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 3: Temptation vs Pure ReligionDay 2: Trials and Divine Wisdom Read James 1:1-11 Context: Why might James immediately address the topic of trials to believers who are “scattered among the nations”? Being scattered, they are not at home and so do not enjoy the security that home offers for one’s identity and religious expression. Add to that the aspect […]
Read More WIWO: James Day 2: Trials and Divine WisdomDay 1: Setting the Foundation Read James straight through Background Focus: James, the half-brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem church, writes to Jewish Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire. His letter reads more like a sermon than typical apostolic correspondence, filled with practical wisdom reminiscent of Old Testament wisdom literature and Jesus’ Sermon […]
Read More WIWO: James First Day: Setting the Foundation
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