The Letter of James

The Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries

by Luke Timothy Johnson, James the Just

James is one of the most significant, yet generally overlooked, letters of the New Testament. Because Martin Luther, leader of the Protestant Reformation, disliked the book of James for its emphasis on good deeds, the book has come to be viewed in opposition to Paul's letters, which emphasize faith in God. To correct these and other misperceptions about James, Scripture scholar Luke Timothy Johnson embarks on a thorough history of the  interpretation of this pivotal letter, which highlights the  vast appreciation for James over the centuries.  With respect to the question of who wrote the letter  of James, Johnson boldly identifies the writer as  none other than James, the brother of Jesus  Christ. While modern skepticism casts doubt on this  conclusion, early textual witnesses, as well as saints  and scholars throughout the centuries, corroborate  Johnson's position. A thorough examination of the  original language texts and an explanation of the  literary context of James helps illuminate the  original meaning of the letter. In addition, Johnson  offers the general reader insights into the  letter's relevance for today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christianity, Biblical Studies, Theology, Reference

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Luke Timothy Johnson is an American New Testament scholar and historian of early Christianity. He is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Candler School of Theology and a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University.

Johnson's research interests encompass the Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts of early Christianity (particularly moral discourse), Luke-Acts, the Pastoral Epistles, and the Epistle of James.

Reviews

[Michael Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down the best commentary on James. Thorough in every aspect. Fair and even handed critique of other interpretations. His finding and tying together many thematic links is perhaps the most helpful thing about this commentary. Buy your own copy and be prepared to underline and annotate.

[Mallen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Epistle of James aka “James” is my favorite book in The Bible. Reza Aslan claims in his book, Zealot that its author is a blood relative of Mary and Joseph. Either way, the epistle’s guidance for living a good life inspires me in many ways both religious and non-religious!

[James Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best introduction on James. At 146 pages, it is thorough. The commentary is good but the price of the book is in the introductionary material.

[Henry]

I was a little wary of this given some things I’ve heard about the author. But I was pleasantly surprised by how helpful this. This really helps follow the flow of James’ argument.

[Ephrem Arcement · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything a great commentary should be! LTJ brings his original eye to the text and gifts us with a James that resounds with clarity and truth as never before...or since.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnson excelling, as usual. I suppose his thesis that the letter belongs to first generation Christianity is controversial, 'though he musters his arguments. If he is right, then presumably the letter was authorized directly by James (the brother of Jesus?). Given the rhetorical skill of the composition, this somewhat challenges my understanding of the social location of the family of Jesus and the earliest movement. Alas, I must move on to different books, different topics.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the few commentaries I know worth reading all the way through. He accomplishes exactly what I expect from an exegetical commentary--he makes the meaning and development of the text clear and vivid.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly technical and thorough commentary on the book of James, with a great respect for the text, its author, and the tradition that has passed it down to us. Recommended for in-depth, scholarly study of James.

[Sagely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely my go-to commentary for preaching James.