What James gets right and Paul gets wrong

09/01/24 • 15 min

Intertwined - faith • community • ecology

Where does generosity come from? Is there enough for everyone? Did James barely make it into the Bible? What do we know that Paul didn't?
"What James gets right and Paul gets wrong" is based on James 1:17-27.
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave birth to us by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
But be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing.
If any think they are religious and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Works Referenced

Johnson, Luke Timothy. “The Letter of James.” In New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume X. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2015.

“Martin Luther.” Wikipedia. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther

Moore-Keish, Martha L. James. (BELIEF: A Theological Commentary on the Bible). Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2019.

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Johnson, Luke Timothy. “The Letter of James.” In New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume X. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2015.

“Martin Luther.” Wikipedia. Accessed August 29, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther

Moore-Keish, Martha L. James. (BELIEF: A Theological Commentary on the Bible). Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2019.

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Previous Episode

Oh, by the way

What gift did King Solomon have? Was he a perfect king? What is wisdom? Which Bible verses are most important?
"Oh, by the way..." is based on 1 Kings 2 & 3
Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.
Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”
References
Alter, Robert. The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary. New York City: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc, 2019, Kindle edition.
Legends of Avantris and Glenn Carreau. “How to Roll Stats: Best Ways to Generate Ability Scores in D&D 5e.” WikiHow, accessed August 17, 2024. https://www.wikihow.com/Roll-for-Stats-5e.
Seow, Choon-Leong. “The First and Second Books of Kings.” In New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume II. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2015.
Zevit, Ziony. “1 Kings.” In The Jewish Study Bible: Second Edition, edited by Adele Berlin and Marc Zvi Brettler. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.

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Next Episode

Ashamed of Jesus?

Was Jesus a manly man? Does that matter? Is there a temptation to make Jesus who we want him to be? What does it mean to be ashamed of Jesus?
"Ashamed of Jesus?" is based on Mark 8:27-38
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi, and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”, And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
He called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Works Referenced

Carter, Warren. Mark (Wisdom Commentary Series Book 42). Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2019. Kindle Edition.

Conway, Colleen M. “Was Jesus a Manly Man? On Reading Masculinity in the New Testament.” Word & World Vol. 36, No. 1 (Winter 2016): 15-23.

Partridge, Dale. “The Masculinity of Christ in the Face of Effeminate Christianity.” Relearn. March 21, 2022. Accessed September 13, 2024. https://relearn.org/the-masculinity-of-christ-in-the-face-of-effeminate-christianity/

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