James 1:1-2:26 KJV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - James 1:1

We have here the inscription of this epistle, which consists of three principal parts. I. The character by which our author desires to be known: James, a servant of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was a prime-minister in Christ's kingdom, yet he styles himself only a servant. Note hence, Those who are highest in office or attainments in the church of Christ are but servants. They should not therefore act as masters, but as ministers. Further, Though James is called by the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 1:1

1:1 James, the slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greetings to the twelve tribes who are scattered throughout the world. At the very beginning of his letter James describes himself by the title wherein lies his only honour and his only glory, the slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. With the exception of Jude he is the only New Testament writer to describe himself by that term (doulos, Greek #1401 ) without any qualification. Paul describes himself as the slave of... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 1:1

The letter is addressed to the twelve tribes who are scattered abroad. Literally the greeting is to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora ( Greek #1290 ), the technical word for the Jews who lived outside Palestine. All the millions of Jews who were, for one reason or another, outside the Promised Land were the Diaspora ( Greek #1290 ). This dispersal of the Jews throughout the world was of the very greatest importance for the spread of Christianity, because it meant that all over the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 1:1

James writes to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora. Who has he in his mind's eye as he writes? The twelve tribes in the Diaspora could equally well mean any of three things. (i) It could stand for all the Jews outside of Palestine. We have seen that they were numbered by the million. There were actually far more Jews scattered throughout Syria and Egypt and Greece and Rome and Asia Minor and all the Mediterranean lands and far off Babylon than there were in Palestine. Under the conditions of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:1

James, a servant of God ,.... That is, of God the Father; not by creation only, as every man is; nor merely by calling grace, as is every regenerate person; but by office, as a preacher of the Gospel, being one that served God in the Gospel of his Son, and was an apostle of Christ; nor is this any sufficient objection to his being one, since others of the apostles so style themselves: and of the Lord Jesus Christ ; the Ethiopic version reads this in connection with the former clause,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 1:1

James, a servant of God - For an account of this person, or rather for the conjectures concerning him, see the preface. He neither calls himself an apostle, nor does he say that he was the brother of Christ, or bishop of Jerusalem; whether he was James the elder, son of Zebedee, or James the less, called our Lord's brother, or some other person of the same name, we know not. The assertions of writers concerning these points are worthy of no regard. The Church has always received him as an... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - James 1:1

Verse 1 1To the twelve tribes. When the ten tribes were banished, the Assyrian king placed them in different parts. Afterwards, as it usually happens in the revolutions of kingdoms (such as then took place,) it is very probable that they moved here and there in all directions. And the Jews had been scattered almost unto all quarters of the world. He then wrote and exhorted all those whom he could not personally address, because they had been scattered far and wide. But that he speaks not of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - James 1:1

SALUTATION . James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. (On the person who thus describes himself, see the Introduction) It is noteworthy that he keeps entirely out of sight his natural relationship to our Lord, and styles himself simply "a bond-servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ." That, and that alone, gave him a right to speak and a claim to be heard. δοῦλος is similarly used by St. Paul in Romans 1:1 ; Philippians 1:1 ; Titus 1:1 by St. Peter in 2 Peter... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - James 1:1

The writer and his work. Our business to identify writer, trace life and character, consider special aim in Epistle, and note its main characteristics. (See especially Plumptre) I. IDENTIFY WRITER . Four men of this name come before us in New Testament: So far as writer's description of himself goes, he might have been any one of the four. Therefore evidence must be sought elsewhere. As to James the son of Zebedee, never seriously maintained till lately, and on grounds by no... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - James 1:1-4

A joyful salutation for a time of adversity. James, in the opening sentence of his letter, "wisheth joy" to the Christian Jews who were scattered over the Roman world (verse 1). He knew that they were environed with adversity; they suffered from the persecution of the heathen, and from the upbraidings of their unbelieving countrymen. Yet his loving, sympathetic heart wishes them joy even in all time of their tribulation. I. THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD REJOICE AMIDST TRIALS .... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - James 1:1

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 1:1

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 1:1

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 1:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 1:1

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - James 1:1

The Pulpit Commentary - James 1:1

The Pulpit Commentary - James 1:1

The Pulpit Commentary - James 1:1-4

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