Who is James? Why did he call himself "a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ"? Should every Christian make this declaration of themselves? How does someone become a bondservant? What are the characteristics of a bondservant? Are these characteristics true of you? These and other questions are addressed in this study in James 1:1.

2. An Operator’s Manual for
Practical Christian Living.

3. James, a bondservant of God and of
the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve
tribes which are scattered abroad:
Greetings.

4. Who was James?
1) James the son of Alphaeus – Matt. 10; Lk. 1
2) James the father of Judas – Lk. 6:16
3) James the son of Zebedee – Matt. 4:17-22;
Acts 12:2
4) James the brother of our Lord – Gal. 1:19; 2:9
• Mark 2:14 Levi the son of Alphaeus
sitting at the tax office.

5. Who was James?
Mark 6:3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of
Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and
Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So
they were offended at Him. (cf. Matt. 13:55)
Mark 3:33 But He answered them, saying, “Who
is My mother, or My brothers?” (cf. Matt. 12:46-
48; Lk. 8:19; Jn. 2:12)

6. Who was James?
John 7:3–5 His brothers therefore said to Him,
“Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your
disciples also may see the works that You are
doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while
he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do
these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For
even His brothers did not believe in Him.

7. Who was James?
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in
prayer and supplication, with the women and
Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers
(i.e., Judas, Joseph, Simon and James).

8. Who was James?
1 Corinthians 15:6–7 After that He was seen by
over five hundred brethren at once, of whom
the greater part remain to the present, but some
have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by
James, then by all the apostles.

9. Who was James?
Acts 12:16-17 Now Peter continued knocking;
and when they opened the door and saw him,
they were astonished. But motioning to them
with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them
how the Lord had brought him out of the prison.
And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and
to the brethren.” And he departed and went to
another place.

10. Who was James?
Acts 15:12–13 Then all the multitude kept silent
and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how
many miracles and wonders God had worked
through them among the Gentiles. 13 And after
they had become silent, James answered, saying,
“Men and brethren, listen to me:

11. Who was James?
Acts 21:17–18 And when we had come to
Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. 18 On
the following day Paul went in with us to James,
and all the elders were present.

12. How does James identify himself?
“a bondservant” δοῦλος (doulos)
Exodus 21:5 …if the servant plainly says, ‘I love
my master, my wife, and my children; I will not
go out free,’
• Paul – “a bondservant of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 1:1)
• Paul & Timothy – “bondservants of Jesus Christ”
(Phil. 1:1)
• Jude – “a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother
of James” (Jude 1)

13. Who Am I?
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Who am I? They often tell me
I would step from my cell's confinement
calmly, cheerfully, firmly,
like a squire from his country house.
Who am I? They often tell me
I would talk to my warders
freely and friendly and clearly,
as though it were mine to command.
Who am I? They also tell me
I would bear the days of misfortune
equably, smilingly, proudly,
like one accustomed to win.

14. Who Am I?
Am I then really all that which other men tell of?
Or am I only what I know of myself,
restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,
struggling for breath,
as though hands were compressing my throat,
yearning for colors, for flowers, for the voices of birds,
thirsting for words of kindness, for neighborliness,
trembling with anger at despotisms and petty humiliation,
tossing in expectation of great events,
powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance,
weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making,
faint, and ready to say farewell to it all?

15. Who Am I?
Who am I? This or the other?
Am I one person today, and tomorrow another? Am I both
at once? A hypocrite before others, and before myself a
contemptibly woebegone weakling? Or is something
within me still like a beaten army, fleeing in disorder
from victory already achieved?
Who am I? They mock me,
these lonely questions of mine.
Testament of Freedom, pp. 347-348

16. How do YOU identify yourself?
“a bondservant” δοῦλος (doulos)?
Exodus 21:5–6 But if the servant
plainly says, ‘I love my master, my
wife, and my children; I will not go
out free,’ 6 then his master shall
bring him to the judges. He shall
also bring him to the door, or to
the doorpost, and his master shall
pierce his ear with an awl; and he
shall serve him forever.

17. Traits of “a bondservant”
1. A Bondservant of Christ is emptied of self, and
walks in humility (Phil. 2:5-8; Luke 1:38)
2. A Bondservant of Christ has a deep and genuine
concern for the welfare of others. (Phil. 2:20-21;
Col. 4:14-13)
3. A Bondservant of Christ seeks to encourage,
comfort and strengthen others. (Col. 4:7- 8)
4. A Bondservant of Christ strives to do the will of his
Master, to please Him only, and has abandoned
seeking after the praise of men. (Gal. 1:10; II Cor.
5:9)
Why does James identify himself
in this manner?

18. Traits of “a bondservant”
5. A Bondservant of Christ does not promote or exalt
self but promotes and exalts Christ as Lord of all,
and views self as a bondslave of others to fulfill
the call of Christ. (II Cor. 4:5)
6. A Bondservant of Christ is not quarrelsome, but
kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
gently correcting those who are in opposition. (II
Tim. 2:24-25)
7. A Bondservant of Christ sees his/her life of service
as a grateful, dutiful, and loving response to God
(Luke 17:7-10; Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 6:5-8)
Why does James identify himself
in this manner?

19. Why does James differentiate
God and the Lord Jesus Christ?
Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters;
for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or else he will be loyal to the one and
despise the other. You cannot serve God and
mammon. (cf. Lk. 16:13)

20. Why does James differentiate
God and the Lord Jesus Christ?
1 Corinthians 8:6 yet for us there is one God, the
Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him;
and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all
things, and through whom we live.
Ephesians 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is
above all, and through all, and in you all.
1 Timothy 2:5 there is one God and one Mediator
between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

21. To Whom is the book of James
Addressed?
1b …to the twelve tribes….
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for
everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for
the Greek.
Romans 2:9–11 tribulation and anguish, on every
soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of
the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone
who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to
the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.

22. To Whom is the book of James
Addressed?
1b …to the twelve tribes which are
scattered abroad….
Greek word: “diaspora” = Dispersion
Josephus: “There is no city, no tribe, whether Greek
or barbarian, in which Jewish law and Jewish
customs have not taken root.”
Joseph Bickersteth Mayor, Epistle of St. James: The Greek
Text with Introduction, Notes and Comments (Macmillan,
1897 ), page cxiv

24. To Whom is the book of James
Addressed?
2 My brethren…

25. What is the Message of James?
χαίρω (chairō) = rejoice, be glad, be delighted
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,
for great is your reward in heaven, for so they
persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the
Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which
are scattered abroad:

26. 2nd Message in the series of studies based on:
James 1:2-4

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