A. Calling the Jewish Believers "the Twelve Tribes"

James called the Jewish believers of the New Testament "the twelve tribes" (1:1). The twelve tribes belong to the Old Testament. This is like putting the hat of one person on another person's head. It is a mixture. James put the "hat" of Israel on the "head" of believers.

1. The Kingdom of God Being Taken Away
from the Jews and Given to the Church

The Lord Jesus told His Jewish disciples that the kingdom of God would be taken from the Jews and given to the church. In Matthew 21:43 the Lord told the Pharisees that from that day God would take His kingdom away from Israel. Israel became no longer the kingdom of God. God took the kingdom away from Israel and gave it to another people, the church.

2. The Church Being Separate from the Jews

According to God's economy in His New Testament dispensation, the church is separate from the Jews and also from the Gentiles. In 1 Corinthians 10:32 Paul spoke of the Jews, the Greeks, and the church of God, showing that there are three kinds of people today on earth. The Greeks represent the Gentiles. Those in the church are God's new people in the New Testament, but James mixed them with the Jews.

B. Calling the Meeting Place
of the Jewish Believers a "Synagogue"

James called the meeting place of the Jewish believers a "synagogue" (2:2).

1. The Meeting Place of the Scattered Jews

"Synagogue" is a particular designation used for the meeting place of the scattered Jews (Acts 6:9). This shows again that James lacked a clear vision of the distinction between God's chosen people of the Old Testament and the believers in Christ of the New Testament.

2. The Place Where the Jews
Persecuted the Believers

The synagogue was the place where the Jews persecuted the believers (Matt. 10:17; 23:34).