Year of the Bible
James 1
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Commentary on the Letter of St. James, Chapter 1:
James, in writing this letter, builds on ideas taught by Jesus and found in Old Testament Wisdom Literature (e.g. Proverbs, Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, Sirach) to explain there are two ways to live: the way that leads to God and life, and the way that leads to sin and death. James exhorts his audience to faithful discipleship by choosing always for God, no matter the pressures imposed by society or temptation. He admits there will be trials and tests, but, to those who are steadfast, God will provide wisdom to navigate the external challenges and the internal temptations. Using the image of waves on a sea, James explains that if we are not grounded in our faith and relationship with God, we are double-minded, unanchored, and tossed about. He reminds us that God’s Word of truth comes from above, not from this world with its desires that lead to sin and death. Our faith must infuse our lives so that we do not merely hear God’s Word, but we do it, we live it. James provides concrete examples of what being a “doer of the word” means. Several of his admonitions ask us to examine our words to ensure they align with God’s Word.
The Letter of St. James, Chapter 1:
Salutation
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greeting.
Faith and Wisdom
2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7, 8 For that person must not suppose that a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord.
Poverty and Riches
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like the flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Trial and Temptation
12 Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; 14 but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
19 Know this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing.
26 If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is vain. 27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Dear Jesus, you inspired your servant James to tell me to consider it all joy when I encounter trials, to persevere in temptation, to be a doer of your word, and to keep myself unstained by the world. Please, Lord, show me how these may be best accomplished in this day, in this moment with you.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
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1Santiago, siervo de Dios y del Señor Jesucristo,
a las doce tribus de la diáspora:
saludos.
2Hermanos míos: considerad una
gran alegría el estar cercados por toda
clase de pruebas, 3sabiendo que vuestra
fe probada produce la paciencia. 4Pero
la paciencia tiene que ejercitarse hasta el
final, para que seáis perfectos e íntegros,
sin defecto alguno.
5Si alguno de vosotros carece de sabiduría,
que la pida a Dios –que da a
todos abundantemente y sin echarlo
en cara–, y se la concederá. 6Pero que
la pida con fe, sin vacilar; pues quien
vacila es como el oleaje del mar, movido
por el viento y llevado de un lado
a otro. 7Que no piense que va a recibir
nada del Señor un hombre así, 8un
hombre vacilante, inconstante en todos
sus caminos.
9Que el hermano de condición humilde
se gloríe en su exaltación, 10y el
rico en su humillación, porque pasará
como la flor del heno. 11Porque el sol
sale con ardor y seca el heno, y su flor
cae, y se pierde la hermosura de su aspecto.
Así también el rico se marchitará
en sus afanes. 12Bienaventurado el hombre
que soporta con paciencia la adversidad,
porque, una vez probado, recibirá
como corona la vida que Dios prometió
a los que le aman.
13Nadie, cuando sea tentado, diga:
«Es Dios quien me tienta»; porque Dios
ni es tentado al mal ni tienta a nadie,
14sino que cada uno es tentado por su
propia concupiscencia, que le atrae y le
seduce. 15Después, la concupiscencia,
cuando ha concebido, da a luz el pecado,
y éste, una vez consumado, engendra
la muerte.
16No os engañéis, hermanos míos
queridísimos. 17Toda dádiva generosa
y todo don perfecto vienen de lo alto
y descienden del Padre de las luces, en
quien no hay cambio ni sombra de mudanza.
18Por libre decisión nos engendró
con la palabra de la verdad, para
que fuésemos como primicias de sus
criaturas.
19Bien lo sabéis, hermanos míos queridísimos.
Que cada uno sea diligente
para escuchar, lento para hablar y lento
para la ira; 20porque la ira del hombre no
hace lo que es justo ante Dios.
21Por eso, apartad toda inmundicia
y todo resto de maldad, y recibid con
mansedumbre la palabra sembrada en
vosotros, capaz de salvar vuestras almas.
22Pero tenéis que ponerla en práctica
y no sólo escucharla engañándoos
a vosotros mismos. 23Porque quien se
contenta con oír la palabra, sin ponerla
en práctica, es como un hombre que
contempla la figura de su rostro en un
espejo: 24se mira, se va e inmediatamente
se olvida de cómo era. 25En cambio,
quien considera atentamente la ley perfecta
de la libertad y persevera en ella –
no como quien la oye y luego se olvida,
sino como quien la pone por obra– ése
será bienaventurado al llevarla a la práctica.
26Si alguno se considera hombre religioso
y no refrena su lengua, sino que
engaña a su corazón, su religiosidad es
vana. 27La religiosidad pura e intachable
ante Dios Padre es ésta: visitar a los
huérfanos y a las viudas en su tribulación
y guardarse incontaminado de este
mundo.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
Querido Jesús, tú inspiraste a tu siervo Santiago para que me dijera que considerara todo un gozo cuando encontrara pruebas, que perseverara en la tentación, que fuera un cumplidor de tu palabra y que me mantuviera sin mancha del mundo. Por favor, Señor, muéstrame cómo se pueden lograr mejor estas cosas en este día, en este momento contigo.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).