Good Word Lessons

Synopsis: Escaping from James to Find the Gospel? The official study guide reveals, perhaps unintentionally, how powerful Luther’s argument against the book of James as been. Instead of dividing James into 13 sections, the editors...

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Synopsis: Restoration of the Sick and the Lost As James draws his book to a close, his final section deals with restoration, first of the sick (5:13-18) through the prayers of the righteous, then of...

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Synopsis: Patience and Swearing After firmly condemning the rich, James then turns to his readers/listeners and admonishes them to be patient. After nearly inciting them to riot by condemning the rich landowners (or so it...

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Synopsis: James 5:1-6 is the third frontal attack on the rich in the book, and this one the most brutal. Here the oppressive rich are the wealthy landowners who abuse their workers. In short, they...

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Synopsis: Judging and Boasting This week’s passage from James actually brings together two items that don’t really mesh very well. A warning against the dangers of judging (4:11-12) is followed by a section which warns...

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Synopsis: Yearning for the Good Wisdom from Above James gives us a wonderful description of heavenly wisdom in 3:17. But he gives us very little help in knowing how to acquire it. Exploring that practical...

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Synopsis: The Tongue In 1:26 James dropped a small bombshell against the unbridled tongue. Now in 3:1-12 he drops a large one, a blistering attack against the tongue. He does not really explain why this...

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Synopsis: Faith and Works, James and Paul The most highly visible passage in James involves the apparent tension between Paul and James on the question of faith and works. The most striking “contradiction” is between...

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Synopsis: Partiality and the Royal Law This week’s passage from James (2:1-13) presents an impassioned plea against favoritism. Showing partiality to the rich dishonors the poor (2:6). As one should come to expect in James,...

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Synopsis: Doing, Not Just Hearing In James 1:22-27, our focus for this week’s discussion, James prepares the way for much of the content yet to come in his book. When he admonishes his listeners to...

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Synopsis: Temptation and Anger This week’s passage from James (1:12-21) focuses on two notable tensions within human experience: 1) the origin and role of temptation; 2) the proper role of anger. Both tensions involve the...

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Relevant Verses: James 1:2-11 Synopsis: The Challenge of Perfectionism Taking its cue from the KJV of James 1:4, this week’s lesson points to the “perfecting” of our faith. The KJV reads: “Let patience have her perfect...

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