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123
S.
(A.
David Hill,
University
of Sheffield.
The book is
translated for the eminent Hermeneia Series.
example of the well-informed and balanced exegesis which
typifies British New Testament scholarship.
was
fine
124
Resemblances
other docwnents place the epistle in its setting.
to rabbinic literature are of a very general kind: and the
differences between James and Qumran are more striking than any
likenesses.
Similarities between James and the Testaments of
the XII Patriarchs suggest only that each writer is developing
independently a. common and familiar theme. The striking
parallels with Matthew (especially Matt.5:33-37), when closely
examined, show differences in attitude and interest which make
it improbable that the two writers did more than drav upon a
similar tradition of the teaching of Jesus which they then
interpreted differently because Lhey were engaged in different
James argument abouc justification by faith or by
debates.
works must presuppose Pauls, but not as that was expounded by
the apostle in his letters: James had probably heard
(and was
reacting to) Pauls affirmation used as a slogan to dcfend pious
quietism. The remarkable parallels 1n argumentation and
language oetween James aad I Peter will permit only the
assertion that they are drawing on the common stock of Christian
ethical teaching not in the same specific situation but &dquo;as it
was presented in the same area or region of the church&dquo; (p.20).
On the basis of an interesting discussion of external
attestation (Hermas, Origen, etc.) Mrs. Laws puts forward the
&dquo;plausible, if not proveable, hypothesis&dquo; that the letter
originated in some part of the Roman Christian community, that
it fell into disuse because of the general character of its
contents, but that it retained special interest for the
Jerusalem church which, though a gentile church after A.D.13S,
was concerned to affirm its origins in the earliest conmunity
led by James, the brothcr of Jesus.
The letter is pseudonymous
and cannot be dated with any precision between A.D.62 and the
writing of the Shepherd of Hermas.
The chief interest of the letter, in Mrs. Laws view, lies
in the very distinctive type uf Christianity it reveals.
It
represents a form of the gentile mission independent of Pauls
and not involving a radical disjunction from Judaism.
It is not
charismatic, or sacramental. still less a Christianity with
gnostic tendencies. &dquo;Primarily, it is a way of life before
God, a moral code (cf. the definition of true religion in
1:27). Precepts for behaviour are backed by a notion of
salvation associated with conversion and baptism (1:18,21),
and with reclamation from sin (5:19f.), and also by an
expectation of judgement (2:12f., 4:12, 5:9,12)&dquo; (pp.33-4). In
the determining of this way of life the teaching of Jesus plays
a part, being adapted - a~ it preswnably was by the Gospel
writers also - to the authors own special interests. To
125
126
The translation
welcome features of this valuable commentary.
provided is excellent and this volume will definitely become
one of the standard works on the intriguing but difficult letter
of James.