Daily Bible Reading – 9.6.2021
James 1:1, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
James is the half-brother of Jesus and became an influential leader in the early church. James did not believe Jesus was the promised Messiah until Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection. He rose to the top church leadership in Jerusalem and was recognized as equal to Peter and Paul.
He played a key role in the Jerusalem Council, an early church debate as to whether non-Jews had to adopt Jewish practices in order to be considered Christians. James likely wrote his letter from Jerusalem around AD 50 after the beginning of Paul and Barnabas’s ministry in Antioch.
James’ wise leadership of the Jerusalem church and the good name he maintained even among Jews earned him the title “James the Just,” according to Jewish and Christian traditions.
James addressed his letter to the “twelve tribes scattered among the nations” which referred to a group of Jewish Christians who were dispersed throughout the Mediterranean region. If these Jewish Christians came from Jerusalem, it is understandable that their former spiritual leader, James, would send them a letter to encourage them to live faithful Christian lives in their challenging circumstances.
Question to Consider:
If the resurrection transformed James into a sold-out believer, what is influencing you to become a sold-out follower of Jesus?
Weekly Memory Verse:
James 1:2-3, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.