The writing of James is very much involved with the matter of dispensation. But his view was not clear concerning God’s dispensation. By dispensation here we mean God’s New Testament economy. “Economy” is an anglicized form of the Greek oikonomia, a word that means household arrangement and refers to God’s management.
James was born of Mary, who was also the mother of the Lord Jesus. If you read Mary’s praise recorded in chapter two of the Gospel of Luke, you will see that it contains many quotations from the Old Testament. This indicates that Mary was very godly, much like the parents of John the Baptist. As a godly person, Mary was knowledgeable concerning God’s word in the Old Testament. James, therefore, was raised by a godly mother. No doubt, Mary’s godliness was in the Old Testament dispensation, and certainly she taught her children to be godly in this Old Testament way. However, Mary may never have seen God’s New Testament economy.
Eventually, James believed in the Lord Jesus. This, no doubt, was a great turn for him to make. But before James believed in the Lord, he may already have been godly in an Old Testament sense.
We may compare this James with Peter, James, and John. John and James were brothers and also cousins to the James who wrote this Epistle, for their mother was a sister of Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus and this James. Like Peter, John and James were uncultured Galilean fisherman. The Lord Jesus even called the brothers James and John “sons of thunder.” After the Lord’s resurrection, this James became one of the apostles (Gal. 1:19). Eventually, he became the leading elder in the church at Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; 15:2, 13; 21:18). By comparison, James may have been more godly and cultured than Peter, John, and James. He knew the Old Testament, probably the book of Proverbs especially, very well. Those in Jerusalem regarded James highly, and he became the most influential person among the believers there.
The fact that James was the most influential believer in Jerusalem is proved by what is recorded in Galatians 2:11 and 12. Here we see that before certain ones came from James, Peter ate with the Gentiles. (Paul does not say that they came from Jerusalem, but that they came from James). After the ones came from James, Peter was afraid, shrank back, and separated himself. This indicates that even Peter was afraid of James and also proves that James was the top influence in Jerusalem. Chapter fifteen of Acts also proves that the influence of James was prevailing. Furthermore, in Acts 21 we are told that when Paul went the last time to Jerusalem, he went to see James. Acts 21 does not say that Paul went to the elders, but that he went to James, where all the elders were assembled. James, therefore, was the center of the eldership. He was prevailing, and the entire situation was under his influence.
In Acts 21 we can see what James’ influence was. James pointed out to Paul that in Jerusalem tens of thousands believed in the Lord Jesus and were zealous for the law. Therefore, James encouraged Paul to go to the temple with certain men who had a vow on them. James’ word in Acts 21 gives us a view of the intrinsic contents of his writing.
James definitely believed in the Lord Jesus. Several points in his Epistle prove this. First, James says that we have been begotten by the Father of lights by the word of truth (1:17-18). This is New Testament regeneration. James also speaks of receiving with meekness the implanted word (1:21). This also is a New Testament matter. Then James goes on to speak of the perfect law, the law of freedom (1:25), and of the indwelling Spirit (4:5). In chapter five he refers to the church when he mentions the elders of the church. In addition, in 2:1 James speaks of “the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ of glory.”
However, along with these positive matters concerning God’s New Testament economy, James brings in things of the Old Testament. For example, he speaks of the synagogue. He also indicates that for him keeping the perfect law is a matter of visiting orphans and widows. This word is full of the Old Testament flavor. James does not speak of living Christ, of walking in the Spirit, or of having a life for the building up of the Body of Christ. Rather, his illustrations are from the Old Testament or have an Old Testament flavor. Even James’ way of praying is according to Elijah’s way. James charges the elders to pray for the sick according to the way Elijah prayed in the Old Testament. In a similar way, he charges us to wait for the Lord’s coming back in a way that is similar to Job’s endurance and to the longsuffering of the prophets. Again, both examples are drawn from the Old Testament. Therefore, what we have in the Epistle of James is a mixture of the things of the Old Testament with God’s New Testament economy.
Although we have all the Life-study messages on the writings of Paul and although we may have seen the central focus of the divine revelation in the New Testament, we still may be in a cloudy atmosphere. We may think that to have good character means that we are godly. We may also have a natural understanding or religious understanding of what godliness is. Our view of godliness may not be according to the New Testament economy of God. Once again we see the need for a clear vision of God’s New Testament economy.