The letter of James /
Douglas J. Moo.
- Second edition. First editionpublished in 2000.
- Grand Rapids, Mich. : Eerdmans : (c)2021. Apollos, (c)2021. Apollos, (c)2021.
- The Pillar New Testament commentary .
- Pillar New Testament commentary. .
Includes bibliographies and index.
Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Series Preface -- Preface to the Second Edition -- Preface to the First Edition -- Texts and Translations -- Abbreviations -- Bibliography -- Introduction -- I. The Letter in the Church -- II. Nature and Genre -- III. Author -- A. The Case for James of Jerusalem as the Author -- B. The Challenge to the Traditional View -- C. Final Assessment -- IV. Occasion and Date -- A. The Readers and Their Situation -- B. Date -- V. Context of Thought and Theology -- A. Cognitive Environment -- B. James and "Theology" -- C. God -- D. Eschatology -- E. The Law / the Word of God -- F. Wisdom -- G. Poverty and Wealth -- H. The Christian Life -- I. Faith, Works, and Justification -- VI. Structure and Theme -- Commentary -- Outline of James -- Commentary on James -- I. Letter Opening: Overview of Pastoral Concerns (1:1-27) -- A. Address and Greeting (1:1) -- B. The Pursuit of Spiritual Wholeness (1:2-18) -- 1. Trials and Spiritual Wholeness (1:2-4) -- 2. Wisdom, Faith, and Spiritual Wholeness (1:5-8) -- 3. Encouraging the Poor, Challenging the Rich (1:9-11) -- 4. Reward for Enduring Trials (1:12) -- 5. Trials and Temptations (1:13-15) -- 6. God's Good and Consistent Giving (1:16-18) -- C. Characteristics of Spiritual Wholeness (1:19-27) -- 1. Warning about Hasty Speech and Anger (1:19-20) -- 2. The Right Response to God's Word (1:21-25) -- 3. Marks of Pure and Faultless Religion (1:26-27) -- II. Letter Body: Development of Pastoral Concerns (2:1-5:11) -- A. Discrimination against the Poor and the "Royal Law" (2:1-13) -- 1. Rebuke for Discriminating against the Poor (2:1-7) -- 2. Discrimination and the Kingdom Law of Love (2:8-13) -- B. The Faith That Saves (2:14-26) -- C. Spiritual Wholeness, Speech, and Community Harmony (3:1-4:12) -- 1. The Harmful Effects of the Uncontrolled Tongue (3:1-12). -- 2. The Fruit of True Wisdom: Peace (3:13-4:3) -- 3. A Summons to Spiritual Wholeness (4:4-10) -- 4. A Final Rebuke of Sinful Speech (4:11-12) -- D. Arrogance, the Abuse of Wealth, and the Christian Response (4:13-5:11) -- 1. Rebuke of Arrogant Planning (4:13-17) -- 2. Rebuke of the Abuse of Wealth (5:1-6) -- 3. Patient Endurance in Light of the Lord's Return (5:7-11) -- III. Letter Closing: Final Pastoral Concerns (5:12-20) -- A. Oaths and Truthfulness (5:12) -- B. Prayer and Healing (5:13-18) -- C.A Concluding Summons to Action (5:19-20).
Few New Testament books have been as controversial and misunderstood as The Letter of James. Its place in the canon was contested by some early Christians, and the reformer Martin Luther called it an "epistle of straw". The sometimes negative view of the letter among modern theologians, however, is not shared by ordinary believers. Few books in the New Testament are better known or more often quoted, and because James is so concise, so intensely practical, and so filled with memorable metaphors and illustrations, it has become one of the two or three most popular New Testament books in the church. The highly original commentary on James by respected New Testament scholar Douglas Moo combines penetrating scholarship with the simplicity of style and pastoral tone characteristic of James itself. After discussing such background issues as authorship, genre, purpose, structure, and theology, Moo provides a verse-by-verse exposition of the text that leads readers to the heart of James's message - wholehearted commitment to Christ. In addition to expounding the meaning of James, Moo also takes care to provide practical insights for applying the meaning in the church today. A number of years in the making, interacting with the best and most recent works on James, and written for readers at all levels, this volume will quickly become a standard commentary on James. --