The Book of James - Chapter 1

Ya’aqob, a servant of Elohim and of the Master Yahusha Messiah, to the twelve tribes who are in the dispersion: Greetings.

The above verse is Ya’aqob opening words and he is addressing the 12 tribes of Israel – James 1:1.

Who is Ya’aqob or Yaakov? In the English scriptures we know him as James. But who was James and why do we have one short book written by him in scripture!

Firstly, Ya’aqob was Hebrew and therefore the name Ya’aqob (Jacob). Let’s look a bit on the history of Ya’aqob!

"Ya’akov HaTsaddik." Tsaddik or HaTzaddik is a term meaning "righteous one," in Engels “James the Just.”  Ya’akov was one of many children of Miriam & Yosef (Mary & Joseph) and half-brother of Messiah Yahusha (Jesus). Ya’akov was born after Messiah Yahusha.

The gospels tell us that Yahusha Messiah had four brothers, "James (Ya’akov), Joses(Yosi), Simon(Simeon), and Judas(Yahudah)" - (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3).

None of the brothers of Messiah were followers of Him until His death and resurrection. Then only did they believe He was the Messiah. According to Paul, after the Resurrection, Messiah appeared to Peter, all of the twelve, some 500 others, and to Ya’akov (James). (1 Corinthians 15:7) Only then did Ya’akov become a follower of Yahusha Messiah.

Ya’akov became the leader of the 12 apostles including the Jerusalem group of believers.

He was believed to have been a consecrated Nazirite ascetic, a familiar figure in the Temple, whose knees had grown “hard like a camel’s” through his constantly been on his knees intercession for the forgiveness of the people.

Ya’akov died in 62 AD, apparently as a result of conflicts with the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem. According to the historian Josephus, a Jewish council condemned him "on the charge of breaking the law," then had him executed by stoning. This is a short background or history of James. Please do your own research for further history. Let’s start with Chapter 1.

Ya’akov was addressing the 12 tribes (verse 1) and not just 10 tribes. Many tell us only the 10 tribes were scattered among the nations but clearly Ya’akov understood all 12 tribes were scattered at the time of his writing.

Verse 2-3, my brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the proving of your belief works endurance.

When you go through tough times (trials), don’t be depressed, take the trials as a learning curve. Trials test your belief in Messiah. Trials are proof that you believe and trust Yahuah.

Verse 4, and let endurance have a perfect work, so that you be perfect and complete, lacking in naught.

May you endure in these trials and may you learn and make perfect your walk with Messiah. The trials are ongoing and they are means of perfecting you in trusting the Almighty with everything not just certain things but all things. You do not become perfect overnight; it is ongoing, trial after trial after trial. If you say that you accepted the Messiah then you have to walk in His footsteps, not just sometimes but always till the end.

 

Verse 5, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of Elohim, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it shall be given to him.

Do you want to know Elohim; then ask! If you want wisdom, fear Yahuah first and you will receive. The fear of Yahuah is the beginning of wisdom – Proverbs 1:7 & Proverbs 2:5-6. Father wants to give to anyone that asks!

Verse 6-8, but he should ask in belief, not doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For that man should not think that he shall receive whatever from the Master – he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

When you ask Yahuah for something, you need to believe that He will give, not doubting. If you doubt Father giving, why then should He give you what you ask? If you ask for healing, believe and trust Him that you will be healed. If you doubt in Him healing you, don’t blame Father when you do not get healing. Doubting is like asking Messiah for healing but then going to a doctor for help because you doubt. I am not saying going to a doctor is wrong, what I am saying is if you ask Yahuah for healing then believe Him that He will heal you. Going to a doctor when you have flu, migraine or an infection is not wrong because a doctor has his place in supporting people. You may even ask Father to be with the doctor when examining you of your sickness and that fine.  Ask Him what you want or need and do not doubt! That person is a double minded, not knowing what is right or wrong. Saying you believe but your action shows that you do not believe. Your belief is unstable!

 

 Verse 9-11, and let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he shall pass away.  For the sun rose with burning heat, and withered the grass, and its flower fell, and its pretty appearance perished. So also the rich man shall fade away in his ways.

Always be humble / low in status and rise in happiness. But the rich/prideful will be embarrassed / shamed and will fall away just like a flower in spring time. The flower was full of color and pretty with everyone wanting to have it but after a few weeks in the heat of the sun, the flower fell off the branch and died. So will the rich and pride just disappear?

Verse 12, blessed is the man who does endure trial, for when he has been proved, he shall receive the crown of life which the Master has promised to those who love Him.

When you make it successfully through your trial, Elohim will know you love Him because you proved yourself by enduring through the trial/test. You passed it! To those who truly love Him, He promised blessings and a crown full of life. Is this not worth the struggles and all the trials. Does this not make our faith stronger?

Verse 13-15, let no one say when he is enticed, “I am enticed by Elohim,” for Elohim is not enticed by evil matters, and He entices no one. But each one is enticed when he is drawn away by his own desires and trapped. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, when it has been accomplished, brings forth death.

Have you been tempted? Tempted to do wrong, to take money from someone or tempted to do sin. Elohim does not tempt! He does not tempt anyone; it is not in His nature to tempt. When a believer is tempted by the things of the world (the flesh), the choice is to look passed the desires of the flesh or to fall into satan’s trap. If you cannot control your desires of the flesh of the world, that desire then becomes a reality and sin takes hold. Do not fall into the trap of blaming Elohim for the difficulties we bring on ourselves by falling to sin.  And we all know sin leads to death! Keep your eye, ears and mind on Yahuah, let Him lead you.

Verse 16, do not go astray, my beloved brothers.

Do not fall believer! Keep guard all the time as the devil is always on the look out to steal, lie and kill. Let us remind each other: Do not be deceived by the false promises of the world system or false religion.

Verse 17, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of turning.

All gifts, all creation comes from Yahuah. The gifts you have, to teach, to lead, to play music or write a book comes from Him. Yahuah gives good gifts to His children, not the evil consequences of our own wrong actions. Elohim does not change; He is the same yesterday, today and will still be the same in the future. Changing His mind is not in His ways. Malachi 3:6, “For I am Yahuah, I shall not change, and you, O sons of Jacob (Israel), shall not come to an end.” It is a promise! The only one that changes is the wicked one.

Verse 18, having purposed it, He brought us forth by the Word of truth, for us to be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures.

The Word of truth is Messiah Yahusha and we are His first-fruits! HalleluYah! He is the one who has willed that His people be given truth in this life, before others receive it, so that they will become “a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

Verse 19-20, so then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of Elohim.

Hear O Israel! Let’s hear Father’s voice and His Spirit! Do not be in a hurry to speak out, hear and learn before saying something. When someone says something bad about you or demands a quick answer, be patience and wait before you answer. Same with getting angry! Sometimes it is very difficult not to get angry but getting angry only makes you say something that you will regret later, so biting your tongue is the better option. What is Elohim’s ways? Think about it, how will He wants us to react! Human anger cannot produce godly righteousness. It is the Word of Yahuah that instructs us in right ways.

Verse 21, therefore put away all filthiness and overflow of evil, and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your lives.

Fall on your knees before Father and receive His Word which will save you. Partaking in sin only makes you unclean and uncleanness will keep you out of His kingdom.

Verse 22, and become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

What is a doer of the Word? When the Word says that stealing is wrong and must not be committed: are you going to hear the command but only think it is wrong or are you going to hear the command and then not steal? Same with adultery: are you going to think about it or are you going to not do adultery? If you are only hearing and not doing, you are deceived and you will not be saved. Knowing is not enough, we must act on what we know to be right.

Messiah tells us what a doer is in; Matthew 7:24- 27, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does them, shall be like a wise man who built his house on the rock, and the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not do them, shall be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat on that house, and it fell, and great was its fall.”

Luke 6: 46 “But why do you call Me ‘Master, Master,’ and do not do what I say?

Messiah’s family were doers; Luke 8:21, and He answering, said to them, “My mother and My brothers are those who are hearing the Word of Elohim and doing it.”

Romans 2:13, for not the hearers of the Torah are righteous in the sight of Elohim, but the doers of the law shall be declared right.

Revelation 22:14, “Blessed are those doing His commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the tree of life, and to enter through the gates into the city.

 

Verse 23-24, because if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror, for he looks at himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what he was like.

If you are a hearer only and not a doer, you are like someone looking at his image in the mirror, seeing what is wrong, and doing nothing to remedy what he finds. How many times have you heard someone say, “Yes” I know it is wrong, but walks off and does it anyway.

Verse 25, but he that looked into the perfect Torah, that of freedom, and continues in it, not becoming a hearer that forgets, but a doer of work, this one shall be blessed in his doing of the Torah.

If you are living the Torah, the Torah of freedom not the book of the Torah and doing what the Torah says, you will be blessed over and over.

Messiah tells us what freedom is in John 8:32-36, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are the seed of Abraham, and have been servants to no one at any time. How do you say, ‘You shall become free’?” Yahusha answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone doing sin is a servant of sin. “And the servant does not stay in the house forever – a son stays forever. “If, then, the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

Verse 26, if anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is worthless.

Very Important: If we say we follow Messiah truly but our tongue is out of control by talking bad behind someone’s back or saying cruel things about another believer, we are only deceiving ourselves in thinking we are doing what is right in Father’s eyes. What we actually doing is worthless in His eyes. We need both self-control and positive, outgoing action.

Verse 27, clean and undefiled religion before the Elohim and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

This is the definition of religion in the eyes of Yahuah: visit orphans and widows and give them aid, help, guidance, prayer, fellowship and Father’s Word. And for yourself: stay away from the world system and its entertainment. You have been made clean by the blood of Messiah Yahusha, do not stain His blood by being part of the world and its entertainment. Remember what Yahuah says anybody that is part of the world, He hates and they cannot be part of Him. What is this stained world system; it is anything that goes against Yahuah's Torah, anything against His will. Even if you are partaking little bit in the world system, you are going against Yahuah's will. Mixing with the world is known as been lukewarm and Messiah says the lukewarm will be shown away. You are in or you are out, you are in light or you are in darkness, nothing in between. The in-between are lukewarm not knowing where they want to be, called fence sitters. When the trouble comes, the persecution, the fence sitters will take the easy road out; they will go to the side of the luxury.

True believers that are unstained from the world which is part of the narrow path, the difficult path will be the doers of the Word.

Praise Yah