Henry Krabbendam - James - World Evangelical Alliance

plishes two things. First of all, he appears to say, “I meant business when I
brought the law of God in the picture earlier. However, now I aim to enlarge
on it by showing beyond a shadow of a doubt that wisdom and law, law and
wisdom, are correlative. In the worldwide web of trials/temptations, that no
one can avoid or escape, the perfect law of God makes even “the simple
wise” (Ps. 19:7). In fact, it makes specifically the simple wise, who refuse to
make any kind of end run around it in their would-be sophistication. The law
thrills their heart, as it first enlightens their eyes, then becomes an object of
their intense delight, and finally keeps them from errant conduct, hidden
faults and public sins (Ps. 19:8-13). But, as we already saw, for James this is
not all! He does not only extol the law as the substance of holiness. He also
models the way in which to apply the law in concrete circumstances, “You
must know the way in which the law of God can and should be applied from
case to case in everyday life.”
In short, by the time James is finished the readers should not only be
conscious of the fact that the law of God is indispensable for holiness as its
very substance. They should also be equipped to apply it throughout life in all
its fullness. James shows how to formulate new “case laws” in existing or
emerging situations, which are not explicitly covered in Scripture, on the basis
of the ageless OT as well as NT “Constitution” of the Decalogue and its
summary of love toward God and the neighbor. It is amazing how closely this
argument lines up with the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew emphasizes and
shows in general both the validity and the relevance of the Mosaic Law as it
is personified, that is, as it is expressed (word) and manifested (deed), in the
life and teachings of Jesus. James simply makes a specific application.
But there is still one additional item to mention! The theme of the wisdom
of the Word as particularized in the law appears fully integrated with its
early umbrella theme of trials/temptations (Jam. 1:2). We concluded already
that generically trials were a matter of either riches or poverty. Well, in the
present context the wisdom of the law is specifically applied to the areas of
both the rich and the poor. The tapestry of James is amazing in its intricate
finesse. It surely is a work of exquisite art!
In the second half of James 2 he enlarges on the faith required for the
type of prayer that is indispensable to receive the wisdom which is designed
to lead to perfection. It does not only seek God both in radical reliance to obtain
perfection, including any and all necessary means, and in total trust that
all will be forthcoming. It also functions as the inner dynamics of holiness. A
truly praying faith is at the same time a fully working faith! Both elements
can be distinguished. But they can never be separated. In fact, the former is
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