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Pillar New Testament Commentary
The Letter of James (The Pillar New Testament Commentary
Few New Testament books have been as controversial and misunderstood as the letter of James. Its place in the canon was contested by some early Christians, and the reformer Martin Luther called it an “epistle of straw.” The sometimes negative view of the letter among modern theologians, however, is not shared by ordinary believers. Well known and often quoted, James is concise, intensely practical, and filled with memorable metaphors and illustrations. As such, it has become one of the most popular New Testament books in the church. This highly original commentary on James by respected New Testament scholar Douglas Moo combines penetrating scholarship with the simplicity of style and pastoral tone characteristic of James itself. After discussing such background issues as authorship, genre, purpose, structure, and theology, Moo provides a verse-by-verse exposition of the text that leads readers to the heart of James’s message—wholehearted commitment to Christ. In addition to expounding the meaning of James, Moo also takes care to provide practical insights for applying that meaning in the church today. At once scholarly and accessible, this volume has become a standard commentary on James. The second edition is based upon the newest version of the NIV and incorporates the latest scholarship. It has been expanded, updated, and revised throughout.
383 pages, Hardcover
First published January 17, 1986
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About the author
Douglas J. Moo
100 books85 followersDouglas J. Moo (PhD, University of St. Andrews) is Kenneth T. Wessner Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College Graduate School in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the author of commentaries on Romans, James, 2 Peter and Jude, and Colossians and Philemon and coauthor of An Introduction to the New Testament. He also headed the committee on Bible translation for the NIV revision.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
January 5, 2024
I’ve been dabbling in this for the better part of a year while I read Spurgeon’s sermons on James in ‘An Authentic Faith.’
The exegesis is excellent and Moo’s treatment of James 2 vs Romans 4 was superb. Excellent commentary on the epistle of James.
The exegesis is excellent and Moo’s treatment of James 2 vs Romans 4 was superb. Excellent commentary on the epistle of James.
December 22, 2020
Very solid book. I have just finished studying James and preaching through the book of James. This book was invaluable and enormously helpful. Highest recommendation
July 24, 2014
Douglas Moo is a great Pauline scholar and a master of New Testament Greek. In this volume, he turns to the letter of James. It takes a certain level of presumption to find fault in the work of such a man, but I believe that my criticism is just.
Dr. Moo does a great job in his handling of matters of Greek grammar and syntax, as one would expect. However, I believe this commentary leads one to a false conclusion because Dr. Moo tries to read it as a Greek letter. For this reason, he sees it as a collection of mostly disjointed commands. To be fair, the majority of NT commentaries hold the same opinion. However, it seems to me that James is a letter written by a Jewish thinker in the Greek language. This letter is full of connections, but it is not written in Greek outline format. It is self-referential, going over a few key themes over and over and over. These connections are crucial to understanding the book, but Moo overlooks or discounts many of these connections. Many newer studies looking at this letter from a more literary angle find much more unity than Moo does.
Dr. Moo also focuses on the influence of Second Temple Judaism on the letter. However, it seems to me that the influence is exaggerated. Some concepts, for example, patience in suffering, naturally go together. This leads down some false trails, and it also leads one to under-emphasize the obvious dependence on the Old Testament. This also influences one's understanding of the text.
This is a book worth referencing, but, in my opinion, one should use it primarily for the analysis of the Greek and not for its analysis of the structure.
Dr. Moo does a great job in his handling of matters of Greek grammar and syntax, as one would expect. However, I believe this commentary leads one to a false conclusion because Dr. Moo tries to read it as a Greek letter. For this reason, he sees it as a collection of mostly disjointed commands. To be fair, the majority of NT commentaries hold the same opinion. However, it seems to me that James is a letter written by a Jewish thinker in the Greek language. This letter is full of connections, but it is not written in Greek outline format. It is self-referential, going over a few key themes over and over and over. These connections are crucial to understanding the book, but Moo overlooks or discounts many of these connections. Many newer studies looking at this letter from a more literary angle find much more unity than Moo does.
Dr. Moo also focuses on the influence of Second Temple Judaism on the letter. However, it seems to me that the influence is exaggerated. Some concepts, for example, patience in suffering, naturally go together. This leads down some false trails, and it also leads one to under-emphasize the obvious dependence on the Old Testament. This also influences one's understanding of the text.
This is a book worth referencing, but, in my opinion, one should use it primarily for the analysis of the Greek and not for its analysis of the structure.
November 1, 2024
A most useful tool when studying the Letter of James. Douglas Moo's commentary is a well written, short yet precise commentary that can answer most of the questions someone would have when tackling James' letter. His argumentation is sound when it comes to lexical issues, showing his extensive knowledge of Greek grammar, which does not scare of reader with too much technical information. On account of his usage of other texts, Moo, aside from drawing from the OT and NT, relies most often on the intertestamental Book of Sirach.
On a more critical note there is one instance, and a most important one regarding the theology behind the Letter of James, where Douglas Moo leaves a lot to be desired, and that is regarding the treatment of Jas 2:24. During the Introduction, Moo attributes to Paul the meaning of justification as a means by which 'a person is brought into relationship with God' and that 'it guarantees ultimate salvation'. In the exegesis of Jas 2:24 put in relationship with Rom 3:28, Douglas Moo states that Paul uses the word 'justify' to denote the declaration of a sinner's innocence before God, and attributing to James the meaning of 'justify' as referring to the ultimate declaration of innocence at the last judgment. Thus, Moo omits to refer back to his statement in his Introduction and creates an awkward situation that perhaps undermines Paul's theology of justification and also suggests, perhaps unintentionally, that James and Paul are talking about two different things, two justifications, an argument that does not have enough strength to be supported according to his assertions in his Introduction.
Overall, Moo's work on the Letter of James is a compact commentary, full of theological insights that can facilitate a better understanding of James' theology.
On a more critical note there is one instance, and a most important one regarding the theology behind the Letter of James, where Douglas Moo leaves a lot to be desired, and that is regarding the treatment of Jas 2:24. During the Introduction, Moo attributes to Paul the meaning of justification as a means by which 'a person is brought into relationship with God' and that 'it guarantees ultimate salvation'. In the exegesis of Jas 2:24 put in relationship with Rom 3:28, Douglas Moo states that Paul uses the word 'justify' to denote the declaration of a sinner's innocence before God, and attributing to James the meaning of 'justify' as referring to the ultimate declaration of innocence at the last judgment. Thus, Moo omits to refer back to his statement in his Introduction and creates an awkward situation that perhaps undermines Paul's theology of justification and also suggests, perhaps unintentionally, that James and Paul are talking about two different things, two justifications, an argument that does not have enough strength to be supported according to his assertions in his Introduction.
Overall, Moo's work on the Letter of James is a compact commentary, full of theological insights that can facilitate a better understanding of James' theology.
November 9, 2021
This is the first biblical commentary I have ever read all the way through and what an impact it had on my scripture reading! Easy to understand yet strong in its depth, Moo truly changed the way I read the Bible. Looking at "simple" passages like 5:14 that I would have passed over fairly quickly, but instead get like 4+ of commentary on, helped me look at scripture at from a more complex perspective than I've been approaching it. This was truly my jam! Can't wait to digger deeper into other books of the Bible through other commentaries!
October 17, 2024
I liked this commentary slightly more than NIGTC, but used less from this book than I was expecting. The explanations were always clear and fine, but seemed to lack connection, for some reason. I ended up using the pastoral commentaries a bit more, and for such a practical book (James), I suppose that makes sense.
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June 9, 2025Series: James
October 22, 2016
I read most of this commentary while preaching through the book of James, fall 2016.
Very impressed; excellent commentary! Moo does a great job of showing how James relies on the OT, especially Proverbs and Leviticus 19.
Very impressed; excellent commentary! Moo does a great job of showing how James relies on the OT, especially Proverbs and Leviticus 19.
August 24, 2019
Thoughtful and interesting...Throughout, Moo does a great job of considering various interpretations before landing on the one that he considers most faithful to the author's intent. I recommend this resource to anyone studying the book of James, and especially to pastors for use as a reference.
August 25, 2025
The Pillar New Testament Commentary” series is one of the gold standards for biblical study, and Moo’s volume on James lives up to that reputation. Like the rest of his work, this commentary is marked by careful attention to the Greek text, sensitivity to historical context, theological reflection that connects with everyday life, and clear writing that makes it accessible beyond the academy.
One of Moo’s central commitments is a traditional reading of this text. Moo argues that James, the brother of Jesus, really wrote the letter. It was fun reading some of the other GR reviews of this work before I wrote my own, because some reviewers find this conclusion too conservative. But Moo presents his case with both careful exegesis and awareness of the wider historical and literary issues. He sets James firmly within the world of early Christianity still shaped by Second Temple Judaism. This perspective is especially helpful, as Moo shows how Jewish wisdom traditions, prophetic rhetoric, and intertestamental writings influence the letter’s teaching.
Coming from a background where my reading of James was mostly shaped by a dispy approach, I found Moo’s treatment refreshing. He shows James not as a random collection of moral sayings, but as a unified word to the early church. Moo portrays the letter as speaking to Christians in transition, still deeply tied to Jewish identity yet distinctly marked by faith in Christ. This makes James less like a set of proverbs and more like a call to steady, faithful perseverance.
Another strength of this commentary is the way Moo uses Second Temple background material. Like most readers, I am not regularly engaging with non-canonical Jewish texts, but Moo does the heavy lifting, drawing out what matters for understanding James without overwhelming us. He manages to make this background both accessible and useful.
Do I agree with everything he writes? No, not entirely. But even where I disagreed, I found his reasoning clear and worth considering. And in the end, it was a joy to see a Pauline scholar like Moo produce such fine work on James. This commentary is not only a solid reference tool but also a resource that enriches both understanding and devotion.
One of Moo’s central commitments is a traditional reading of this text. Moo argues that James, the brother of Jesus, really wrote the letter. It was fun reading some of the other GR reviews of this work before I wrote my own, because some reviewers find this conclusion too conservative. But Moo presents his case with both careful exegesis and awareness of the wider historical and literary issues. He sets James firmly within the world of early Christianity still shaped by Second Temple Judaism. This perspective is especially helpful, as Moo shows how Jewish wisdom traditions, prophetic rhetoric, and intertestamental writings influence the letter’s teaching.
Coming from a background where my reading of James was mostly shaped by a dispy approach, I found Moo’s treatment refreshing. He shows James not as a random collection of moral sayings, but as a unified word to the early church. Moo portrays the letter as speaking to Christians in transition, still deeply tied to Jewish identity yet distinctly marked by faith in Christ. This makes James less like a set of proverbs and more like a call to steady, faithful perseverance.
Another strength of this commentary is the way Moo uses Second Temple background material. Like most readers, I am not regularly engaging with non-canonical Jewish texts, but Moo does the heavy lifting, drawing out what matters for understanding James without overwhelming us. He manages to make this background both accessible and useful.
Do I agree with everything he writes? No, not entirely. But even where I disagreed, I found his reasoning clear and worth considering. And in the end, it was a joy to see a Pauline scholar like Moo produce such fine work on James. This commentary is not only a solid reference tool but also a resource that enriches both understanding and devotion.
September 17, 2021
A great read! Main takeaways:
- evidence for traditional authorship is not as strong as other NT books, but there is data to support the traditional author which Douglas walks through
- easy to read discussion on historical context of the audience in terms of the rich and poor
- walks through each section with a surprising depth into greek verbs and manuscripts considering the size of the book
- relationship of the letter's themes with previous Wisdom traditions
- emphasis on actually living out your faith which is true to the heart of James
- discussion of the relationship between James 2 and the teachings of Paul. James is talking about final justification in the future, whereas Paul is talking about positional justification in the present. Douglas takes a different view here than others who would describe justification in James as showing someone to be righteous to others in the present.
- evidence for traditional authorship is not as strong as other NT books, but there is data to support the traditional author which Douglas walks through
- easy to read discussion on historical context of the audience in terms of the rich and poor
- walks through each section with a surprising depth into greek verbs and manuscripts considering the size of the book
- relationship of the letter's themes with previous Wisdom traditions
- emphasis on actually living out your faith which is true to the heart of James
- discussion of the relationship between James 2 and the teachings of Paul. James is talking about final justification in the future, whereas Paul is talking about positional justification in the present. Douglas takes a different view here than others who would describe justification in James as showing someone to be righteous to others in the present.
September 5, 2019
Many think this is the best modern commentary on James, and that’s probably true. I often found Moo’s insights and arguments convincing. I didn’t always agree with the way he structured the letter, but James is very hard to structure.
I’m giving it three stars because it majored on what James *does not* say instead of what he *does*- a typical problem with modern commentaries. In other commentaries by Moo, I felt that he avoided this tendency or at least balanced it quite well. Overall, I wasn’t as impressed with this commentary from Moo as his other (very excellent) ones.
If you’re preaching through James, you’ll probably still want to use Moo’s commentary because I’m not sure there’s a better modern one.
I’m giving it three stars because it majored on what James *does not* say instead of what he *does*- a typical problem with modern commentaries. In other commentaries by Moo, I felt that he avoided this tendency or at least balanced it quite well. Overall, I wasn’t as impressed with this commentary from Moo as his other (very excellent) ones.
If you’re preaching through James, you’ll probably still want to use Moo’s commentary because I’m not sure there’s a better modern one.
June 28, 2021
Overall, a good commentary. Moo does a good job helping us to see that the ideas in the book are not as disjointed as some claim them to be. He could have gone a little deeper on some of the verses, particularly in the closing section of chapter 5, which talks about the prayer of faith.
After reading this, I wouldn’t exactly put James in the category of wisdom literature. I agree with Moo that it’s closer to a sermon. James does not develop the theology behind his ideas, but that doesn’t mean the book is not theological. I’d say that he assumes his audience already possess that theology, or at least are familiar with it.
After reading this, I wouldn’t exactly put James in the category of wisdom literature. I agree with Moo that it’s closer to a sermon. James does not develop the theology behind his ideas, but that doesn’t mean the book is not theological. I’d say that he assumes his audience already possess that theology, or at least are familiar with it.
March 23, 2018
This is the best commentary on James I have found. Moo is deliberate and detailed without being too lengthy. He touches on the major controversies in the text and presents a balanced view with a fair amount of application. One of the things I like from a pastoral/preaching perspective is his willingness to be uncertain about places where the text is less clear rather than promote a theory that may be somewhat untrue to the text. This was my primary commentary when I preached through the book of James in 2017.
May 28, 2022
This is a very helpful commentary on James, taking seriously an early date. Moo sees James predating the 'Pauline big bang' so not directly debating with Paul, but illustrating Judean/ early Christianity. The series relies on the NIV but the author is not afraid to translate in other ways, and he has the habit of using transliterated Greek words where they might be helpful or interesting. On occasions he moves from the purely academic to make applications to the contemporary situation, but these are not intrusive, but helpful.
June 18, 2024
Very good overall – it's exegetically tight and pastorally helpful. Sadly though, while Moo sees the perfection/double-mindedness theme as central to the letter, he does little with it. In general, he's quite skeptical about structural connections and literary development, which is a shame. To my mind, he also misreads the end of the letter, despite marshalling some useful data to back his case.
August 27, 2019
This seems more like a classroom text book than a study guide/commentary. He includes so many cross-references and siting from other text that you can lose yourself from the original scripture he was commenting on. If scripture requires this much explanation its a wonder early Christians understood the Bible at all.
October 11, 2022
An amazingly packed commentary on James, can be a little technical with the grammar in some places but albeit necessary for those situations. Moo's awareness for historical context and hermeneutics is very well balanced or even succinct to the point where you will be able to read this commentary side-by-side while reading the Scriptures off your Bible.
May 22, 2023
This commentary is the best place to go for the book of James. It’s readable as a book because Moo does a great job focusing on the flow of the letter, showing how troubling sections actually inform the whole letter and are informed by its context. Moo also does a great job of incorporating James into the whole canon, specifically balancing the “James vs. Paul” debate.
August 5, 2023
Moo engages widely and thoroughly with scholars across the spectrum. He’s clear and insightful. I found the book to be academic, and yet not overbearingly so. Exactly what I was looking for, and helped me learn a ton while prepping to teach a study on James. Absolutely would recommend to those who teach, maybe seminary students as well.
September 21, 2018
What can I say? I think Douglas Moo has become my favorite modern commentator. Like his commentary on Romans, this one quickly became my favorite as I preached through James. I highly recommend it.
December 28, 2017
The commentary I used for preaching through James this fall. It was pretty good. James is not an overly technical book, however.
August 5, 2019
Approached this commentary to gain a balanced understanding of Justification. Finished with my soteriology significantly rocked.
June 2, 2020
Helpful
February 15, 2021
Excellent.
July 27, 2022
Finishing up preaching through James, and this was the best commentary I read by far.
September 6, 2022
Most useable exegetical commentary on James.
May 9, 2023
Very accessible for the average reader. If you’re leading a Bible study or preaching this is a very easy commentary to work with.
June 7, 2023
Great commentary. Readable but academic.
August 16, 2024
Probably the best mainstream evangelical commentary on James. I paired this with Meyers when preaching through James.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews