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James 1:17-27
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• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
  • The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible -  KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • "Blessed the Womb," The Jesus Database, an online annotated inventory of the traditions concerning the life and teachings of Jesus. Dr. Gregory C. Jenks, FaithFutures Foundation.
  • Similitude II, Shepherd of Hermas. (c.145)
  • V.X.1, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
  • Chapter XV, De Corona, Tertullian (c. 211)
  • "Why Men Reject the Gospel," James 1:16-21, Martin Luther, c. 1525.
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "The sum is this: we must listen to the word of God most carefully and diligently, seeing it is the seed, through which God by his free favour and love has begotten us to himself, picking us out of the number of his creatures."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
    • "And if men would govern their tongues, they must govern their passions. The worst thing we can bring to any dispute, is anger."
  • From Wesley's Notes.
    • "St. James here guards us against misunderstanding what St. Paul says concerning the "yoke and bondage of the law." He who keeps the law of love is free, John 8:31, &c. He that does not, is not free, but a slave to sin, and a criminal before God, James 2:10."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
    • "...with meekness--in mildness towards one another [ALFORD], the opposite to "wrath" (Jas 1:20): answering to "as new-born babes" (1Pe 2:2). Meekness, I think, includes also a childlike, docile, humble, as well as an uncontentious, spirit (Ps 25:9; 45:4; Isa 66:2; Mt 5:5; 11:28-30; 18:3, 4; contrast Ro 2:8). On "receive," applied to ground receiving seed, compare Mr 4:20. Contrast Ac 17:11; 1Th 1:6 with 2Th 2:10."
  • From The People's New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
    • "An angry man will show forth something very different from God's righteousness."
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, James 1:17-27, A.K.M. Adam, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2015.
    • "Glib pieties do not suffice purify the heart of a believer; if one thinks oneself secure simply for praising the Lord and carping at sinners, one has not made spiritual progress but is half-heartedly trying to hold on both to God and to sinful desire."
  • Pulpit Fiction, plus podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2015.
  • "Help End Hunger: It's Within Your Reach," Greg Carey, ON Scripture, 2015. Discussion Questions. Video: God's Little Acre: Feeding the Hungry.
  • The Center for Excellence in Preaching, Stan Mast, resources from Calvin Theological Seminary: Comments & Observations, Textual Points, illustration ideas, 2015.
  • "Putting the Word into Practice," Commented Bible Passages from Taize, 2014.
  • Commentary, James 1:17-27, Sandra Hack Polaski, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
    • "Perhaps, if we as Christians were to follow James's precepts, we would do a lot less talking and a lot more listening."
  • "Ordinary Saints," David Lose, Working Preacher, 2012.
    • "Why do I find James -- at least in this instance -- so attractive? Because it reminds us of two incredibly important things: 1) faithfulness does not need to be heroic; 2) Sunday is not the most important day of the Christian week."
  • "Religious Faith: Worthless or Faultless?" The Journey with Jesus: Notes to Myself, Daniel B. Clendenin, Journey with Jesus Foundation, 2012.
    • "James warns us about the power of self-deception. We can also go to the opposite extreme of obsessive self-analysis. May the Spirit of God give us more self-understanding and less self-consciousness, for a life of faith that is more faultless and less worthless."
  • Radical Gratitude, lectionary-based stewardship, Northwest United Methodist Foundation. (.pdf)
  • "Cool It," Rick Morley, 2012.
    • "From my perspective, the first century community that James addresses in this epistle was dealing with infighting and anger over the very nature of ministry and the divisions between those who have the resources to serve others, and those poor enough that they needed served."
  • "Null and Void," Alan Brehm, The Waking Dreamer.
    • "...we are to humbly seek to understand and then put into practice the teachings we discern in our faith and in Scripture. When we do that, then we can hear the Word in a way that transforms our hearts and gets translated into the way we live our lives."
  • Really Listening to Others, Serving the Least of These, Prayer for the Faithful Use of Words, Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, 2012.
  • Commentary, James 1:17-27, Craig R. Koester, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
    • "To know that one is loved is the most freeing thing imaginable, even as this same love holds us in a relationship of love. This is where we see ourselves, James says. Look into the law of love. This is who God creates you to be."
  • Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • Commentary, James 1:26-27, Eric A. Johnson, The African American Lectionary, 2009.
    • "The challenge of this text is to make sure that our religion is more than concepts and pronouncements of piety. Pure religion includes earthly efforts and human compassion."
  • "First Thoughts on Passages on Year B Epistle Passages in the Lectionary," Pentecost 14, William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "True holiness is not so much absence of bad things, as presence of compassion, especially for the most needy in society..."
  • "Be Doers of the Word," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed textual notes.
  • Join the Feast, James 1:17-27, Jenny McDevitt, Union PSCE, 2009.
    • "James? emphasis on being ?doers? in this text, particularly regarding oppressed peoples, is part of what creates a big message within a short book. It?s a message that can make some of us a bit uncomfortable, precisely because it has the ability to reignite (or feed the continued flames of) a Christian commitment to social justice."
  • "God Gave Us Birth," study guide for adults, Robert B. Kruschwitz, (other resources at) "The Letter of James," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2012. Focus article: "James's Amazing Grace Gumbo," by Bert Montgomery.
  • "Seeing Ourselves in the Mirror of the Word," study guide for adults, Robert B. Kruschwitz, (other resources at) "The Letter of James," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2012. Focus article: "Seeing Ourselves in the Mirror of the Word," by C. Stephen Evans.
  • "The Wisdom of James," study guide, Robert B. Kruschwitz, (other resources at) "Where Wisdom is Found," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian Ethics at Baylor University, 2009. (James 1:1-5, 17-27) Focus article, "The Christian Way of Knowing," Robert W. Wall.
  • "The Wisdom of James," Robert W. Wall, Baylor University Christian Ethics, 2009. Section on this text, "Nature and Source of Wisdom," begins on p. 30.
  • "James 1," by Lehman Strauss at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
    • "From both personal experience and observation I think I know why James might have linked the two expressions ?slow to speak, slow to wrath.? We all are acquainted with the fact that words unfitly spoken often cause an outburst of temper. What starts out as a sincere and friendly discussion sometimes leads to an argument, with its resulting flare of anger. Among those things for which the Christian should seek wisdom (1:5), there is the ever-present need for a controlled tongue and a controlled temper. When we are ?swift to hear? the Word of truth, we will be slow to become angry. The same Word which is able to save the sinner is likewise able to sanctify the saint (John 17:17)."
• Recommended articles from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are linked below. ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices. Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
  • Allen, Joseph J., "Renewal of the Christian Community: A Challenge for the Pastoral Ministry," St Vladimir's Theological Quarterly, 1985.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Biermann, Joel, "Homiletical Helps on LW Series B," Concordia Journal, 2006. (Section on this text begins on p. 325)
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Denyer, Nicholas, "Mirrors in James 1:22-25 and Plato, Alcibiades 132c-133c," Tyndale Bulletin, 1999.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Garland, David E., "Severe Trials, Good Gifts, and Pure Religion: James 1," Review and Expositor, 1986.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Isaacs, Marie E., "Suffering in the Lives of Christians: James 1:2-19A," Review and Expositor, 2000.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Jenkins, C. Ryan, "Faith and Works in Paul and James," Bibliotheca Sacra, 2002.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Johnson, Luke Timothy, "The Mirror of Remembrance (James 1:22-25)," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 1988.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Lamkin, James E., "'Of Sails and Sudders': Song of Songs 2:8-13; James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23," Review and Expositor, 2008. (Sermon)
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Palmer, F.H., "James 1:18 and the Offering of First Fruits," Tyndale House Bulletin, 1957.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Porter, Virgil V., Jr., "The Sermon on the Mount in the Book of James, Part 1," Bibliotheca Sacra, 2005.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Porter, Virgil V., Jr., "The Sermon on the Mount in the Book of James, Part 2," Bibliotheca Sacra, 2005.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Talbert, Charles H., "James: Teaching Outlines and Selected Sermon Seeds," Review and Expositor, 2000.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Verseput, Donald J., "James 1:17 and the Jewish Morning Prayers," Novum Testamentum, 1997.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Whartenby, Tom, "James 1:17-27, Between Text & Sermon," Interpretation, 2009.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Ziglar, Toby, "When Words Get in the Way of True Religion," Review and Expositor, 2003.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
• Sermons:
  • "Looking in the Mirror," the Rev. Martha Sterne, Day 1, 2009.
  • "James, True Religion and the Real Thing," Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington.
• With Children:
  • Worshiping with Children, Proper 17B, 2015. Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2012.
  • "Storypath Lectionary Links: Connecting Children's Literature with our Faith Story," 2015, Union Presbyterian Seminary.
  • James 1:17, Memory Verse Coloring/Activity Page, MSSS.
  • "Turn to the Source," "What's Cooking?" and "Are You for Real?" Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com.
  • "Power from Above," Amanda Belue, sermons4kids.com.
  • "Remote Control," Jim Kerlin, ChildrenSermons.
• Drama:
  • "A Surprise Package," Christin Kuck, dramatix.
  • "Extreme Makeover," Melinda Cousins, dramatix.
• Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
  • James 1:21, James 1:27, Heartlight - Free Christian PowerPoint Backgrounds.
  • Commercial Site: "Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger," (James 1) Visual Liturgy/Film, The Work of the People.
• Hymns and Music:
  • “Be Doers of the Word of God” is Carolyn Winfrey Gillette’s hymn, based on the Letter of James, that calls Christians to care for the poor and to put faith into action.  Tune: ELLACOMBE 8.6.8.6 D (“I Sing the Mighty Power of God”).
  • “O Lord, May All We Say and Do” is Carolyn Winfrey Gillette’s hymn based on the themes found in the five chapters of the Letter of James. Tune: TALLIS' CANON 8.8.8.8 (“All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night”).  Published in Baylor University's Christian Reflection journal.
  • Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
  • Hymns with Scripture Allusions: James 1:17. The Cyber Hymnal.
• Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
• Movies with the following themes at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
  • Doers of the Word
• Study Links and Resources for the Book of James

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