James 1:17-27, the Second Reading appointed for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Mark, is part of that book Luther called "the book of straw." Luther's view of the book of James was so low he reportedly recommended deleting it from the accepted Scriptural canon of his day. This is understandable given the proverb-like character of much of the book. Having said that, in this passage, there is a bit of Gospel; it will be the preacher's task to proclaim this good news along with the exhortations that follow.
(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but are best used in conjunction with other fine sets of questions that have other concerns. These questions attempt to get at the function of the Word in the text, a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers. For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)
1. How does the Word function in the text? In the opening verse, "the Father of lights" is the central actor, the source of "every generous act of giving" and "every perfect gift." "In fulfillment of [God's] own purpose, [God] gave us birth by the word of truth." Other translations of this verse make clear the good news nature of this announcement: "It was a happy day for him when he gave us our new lives;" (Living Bible), "Of his set purpose, by declaring the truth, he gave us birth." (New English Bible). This is the Word functioning as gospel.
2. How is the Word not functioning in the text? The Word functioning as law, that is to say, exposing our need for Christ, is not front-and-center in this text. Perhaps the closest we get to Law is at the end of the passage when James declares what worthless religion looks like. Even this passage is done in the context of exhortation.
3. With whom are you identifying in the text? We are those to whom this letter is written. We are the ones being exhorted and those receiving the good news.
4. What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text? As is typical of James, calls to obedience are common in this text. The call to obedience is the Word functioning to invite us to live our lives in a certain way in response to God's "implanted word." In this passage the call is to "be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger," to rid ourselves of "all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness," to "be doers of the word, and not merely hearers," and finally "to care for orphans and widows in their distress." All these are calls to obedience.
5. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text? Looking to the opening gospel verses we might imagine several couplets: in poverty/generously provided for; dead/alive; non-existent/birthed.
6. Exegetical work: Both Augustine and Luther were clear in highlighting the gospel announcement in this passage. Augustine, in his letters said, "Man's merit is a free gift, and no one deserves to receive anything from the Father of lights, from whom every good gift comes down, except by receiving what he does not deserve." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XI, p. 15). Luther, in his commentary on Romans, went further: "Therefore we must always pray and work so that grace and the Spirit may increase but the body of sin decrease and be destroyed and our old nature become weak. For God has not yet justified us, that is, He has not made us perfectly righteous or declared our righteousness perfect, but He has made a beginning in order that He might make us perfect. Hence we read in James 1:18: "That we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures." (Luther's Works, vol. 25, "Lectures on Romans", p. 245). Pheme Perkins, in her contemporary commentary, begins by reminding us of God's gift of the "implanted word" and then goes on to explain James' strategy: "Lest the previous reference to the 'implanted word' (v. 21) suggest that Christianity dispenses believers from the practice of virtue, James warns that they must practice what they hear." (Interpretation Series, First and Second Peter, James, and Jude, p. 105). She goes on to say that other commentators observe that "James involves all parts of the body in the schema of perfection... By working together references to all parts of the body, James presents a picture of "the implanted Word" governing all our activities. (Ibid., p. 106).
7. How does the Crossings Community model work with this text? Jerry Bruce, in an appealing and inventive analysis, brings to light the "worthless" religion that James talks about, introducing us to Ernie and Emma Ernest, both lost in their own self-righteousness. Through the master "caterer" they are fed and nourished unto eternal life. Go to crossings.org/text-study for the whole analysis, archived under its reference.
Blessings on your proclamation!
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