Douglas Jacoby Podcast

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 5:19-20 Why does the letter end this way? It is likely people were leaving the fellowship—not persevering, or perhaps discouraged because of prejudice. Wandering "from the truth" us about lifestyle more than doctrinal confusion. A correction about "falling away" and "restoration." Unfortunate terminology Falling away: Heb 6:4-6; ...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 5:13-18 Prayer 7x in this passage "You must pray with all your might. That does not mean saying your prayers, or sitting gazing about in church or chapel with eyes wide open while someone else says them for you. It means fervent, effectual, untiring wrestling with God. You can be sure that this kind of prayer the devil and the wo...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 5:12 Not referring to profanity Similar to 3rd commandment – context of oath-taking. Not that we should throw around the words Jesus or God carelessly. Note connection with the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5). Frequent references to SOM material in James. Based on these passages, some Christians refuse to take oaths. Their word is t...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 5:10-11 Why patient endurance is needed Socioeconomic disparities Oppression And (maybe) because the Lord's return has not yet taken place. Regular opposition from the world Prophets—why they needed to be patient To honor the covenant Didn't pile on new doctrines, or extra rules. Generally poor response Called people to Torah Dis...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 5:7-9 More about the Zealots In the Jewish War, they took revenge on the rich, according to Josephus. Rooted in the 2nd century BC: Revolution (Judas Maccabaeus) The ensuing Hasmonean dynasty becomes corrupt The Zealots targeted corrupt Hasmoneans – even assassinating a high priest. Later they targeted Romans.  = dagger-bearers....

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 5:1-6 Last time: In "Wannabe Rich Fools," James speaks of entrepreneurs who fail to take God into account. This time: of actual rich fools who fail to take God into account. A prophetic woe! Their corrupt wealth will "testify" against them. That is, their unjust actions demand a verdict. The rich are hoarding grain, garments, gol...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. Next: Rich Fools – James will wax fiery hot, like the prophet Amos!

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 4:13-17 The brevity of life: we are mists. If it is the Lord’s will – adding “we shall live…”  This is much more than “inshállah.” Verse 17 is about how we go about making our plans. It’s not simply a passage about acting against our conscience. We can identify several social groups in the community James addresses. The poor incl...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. ."Humble Yourself in the Sight of the Lord" (our previous reflection)—great passage, and great song. True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that—it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth. – Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892) It is because of the hasty and superficia...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 4:9-10   We can’t be merely academic or ethereal about our sin. An emotional response to God’s Word and God’s holiness is in order. "Blessed are those who mourn" (Matt 5:4)—is a passage often interpreted in the early church as mourning for one’s sins. Mourning and wailing are signs of repentance, not substitutes for it. “And he w...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 4:7-8 Review: James 4:4 is a passage that most churches don’t teach: Stepping on toes – consumerism.. Challenging specific sins from the pulpit Warning members against the dangers / ugly side of politics Rejecting nationalism, thinking instead of our global community Caring genuinely (and knowing about) the needs of the poor and...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 4:4-6 The adultery referred to in James 4:4 refers to the marriage between YHWH and his people (Isa 54:1-6; Jer 2:2). OT condemnations of spiritual infidelity: Isa 1:21; 50:1; 57:3; Jer 3:7-10, 20; 13:27; Ezek 16:23-26, 38; 23:45; Hos 1-3; 9:1. NT condemnations: Matt 12:39; 16:4; Mark 8:38; 2 Cor 11:1-2; Eph 5:22-23; Rev 19:7; 21...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 4:1-3 Context: link with chapter 3 – peaceful vs. violent approaches to the problems in our world. The peace, shalom, of which James speaks is more than peace in our hearts, or harmony in the church.  It's not difficult to imagine there were quarrels within the church—but killing? Some spiritualize the word – killing = hating (Ma...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. To appreciate James and the logical flow of the letter, it is vital to understand the political background of Palestine in the New Testament period. These were troubled times: oppression under the Romans and those richer Jews who acted as their pawns, exorbitant taxes and food shortages and, with them, rioting and anti-Roman nationalis...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 3:17-19 In 1st-century Palestine, James was a force for unity and peace. “James is burdened with a desire for communal unity, but unfortunately the inevitable result of unruly tongues, unholy zeal, and unchecked party spirit is chaos and division.” He had a sterling reputation (among the Jews and the Christians of his day). He wa...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 3:13-16 Intro In our next 2 reflections, James considers two types of wisdom. The Greek of James is so fine that some scholars deny that he could have penned this letter! See Greek text below (Jas 3:13-16). See also papyrus copy of James 1 (below, R). Whether these are James’ original words or they have been recorded by a scribe...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 3:9-12 So many images in this chapter: (tongue), bit, rudder, spark, taming (animals), poison, spring, fig tree… which bring to life the importance of the topic. Common illustrations from the ancient world Or from Jesus, like Matt 7:15-20. The focus: the misuse of tongue in worship “The good set of mind does not talk from both si...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. Reminders: All of chapter 3 addresses the tongue, and has special relevance for and application to church leaders. The influence of the tongue may be enormous, despite its minuscule size (like a rudder, bit, or spark). The body of Christ can be significantly influenced—for better or worse—through the words of a single person. James wan...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. .Review: "The Tongue of the Teacher: (no. 16) James 3:1 applies to all Christian leaders, at least those who speak, teach, preach—which is pretty much everybody. Reading between the lines, we realize that unspiritual teachers were a threat to the communities that James oversaw. As we will continue to see, it is broad applications for a...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. James 3:1-2 What is the context of James's warning? James is the most influential person in the Jerusalem church. 3:1 applies to him. What’s the leadership model in the communities James is addressing? Teachers & elders (3:1; 5:16)—no mention in this epistle of prophets, evangelists, or other leadership roles involving speaking. Actual...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. Next: We begin James 3—with important insights on spiritual leadership.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. Luther’s translation of the N.T. (1522) Separated 4 books from the other books of the N.T.—almost an appendix. Other books he removed to the end were Heb, Jude, Rev—but at least he included them in the translation. He also made a tweak to Rom. 3:28 ( allein durch den Glauben—adding the word "alone"). He could not accept Jas 2:24. At le...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. Further comments on Jas 2:14-26: Re: deeds (v.14): Jesus frequently emphasizes deeds, both in the gospels and in Revelation. For “I know your deeds,” see Rev 2:2, 19, 23; 3:1-2, 8, 15. We need to be comfortable talking about the way of Christ. It is not a good sign when we prefer vagueness in our conversation or fellowship to actual ob...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. Notes on James 2:14-26: The word “deeds” is more palatable for many religious people than “works,” with is association with trying to earn our salvation. Vs.14-16 seem to address a real situation among the believers to whom James is writing.  See also 1 John 3:16-18, Matt 25:31-46, and Gal 6:10. Keep in mind also the likely famine cond...

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website. Why is this a “royal" law? It's the Law of the kingdom, law of king for his people. It's "Love your neighbor as yourself." James's readers / hearers are called to stop showing partiality. This is not mere suggestion, but a law! It’s a law of love, the perfect law of freedom. It dictates the sort of people we are, and how we treat one a...