The Aims of James
There is a cultural trend today where people self-identify in a variety of unique ways. Some people understand themselves through identities that fall both inside and outside familiar social categories. From furries to felines to females, whichever of these identities is assumed, these forms of self‑understanding are not adopted lightly. They are genuine and purposeful attempts to name something essential within themselves that they feel intrinsically identifies them. In essence, they aim to name their identity. So, they self-identify!
For many, the simple act of being recognized in their designated identity, they claim, carries profound value for them. It affirms their internal reality and allows them to participate in community without feeling misunderstood or dismissed. Their self-identification aims at saying, “my experience is valid.” And receiving cultural acknowledgment for that identity can be the difference between acceptance and rejection.
Self-identification is nothing new. When it comes to biblical authors, self-identification has been around for a very long time. Characteristic of most Pauline introductions, Paul uses the initial sentence in his letters to not only self-identify but also as a tool to introduce the theme of his letters to his readers. By self-identifying at the outset of his letters, he aims to be seen and heard. He aims to validate himself from the very first verse.
As we have noticed in previous blogs, in both Romans and Galatians, Paul identifies himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ” and “an apostle, called by God.”
Paul immediately, from the very first sentence of those two letters, directs his readers’ mind down a specific road - the Damascus Road. It was on that road that his face-to-face experience with the resurrected Jesus occurred. It was also on that very road where Paul received his identity as an apostle and a servant of Jesus.
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle… Rom 1:1.
Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead Gal 1:1.
It is in Romans and Galatians where Paul defends his servitude to Jesus and his apostleship from God, and the truth of the gospel against those who would seek to undermine his authority and distort the truth of the gospel he preached. Paul wanted the gospel he preached to be accepted by all.
The first sentence in many of his letters establishes the fact that Paul is indeed an apostle, and that indeed Jesus is the resurrected Messiah. He wants people to know that he received his apostleship from Jesus whom he now serves. He identifies as an apostle and servant of Jesus so that the gospel that he preaches is accepted by both Jews and Gentiles.
So, it becomes evident that the first sentence in most of Paul’s letters serves a monumental purpose each time he introduces himself to his readers.
And now, in similar fashion, in the letter that James writes, we see that the aims of James is also to self-identify in order that he and his message are also accepted and not rejected by his readers. James aims to borrow from Paul’s introduction-tradition and likewise self-identify as a bond-servant. Like Paul’s letters it is imperative to grasp the importance of James’ self-identification aim in the context of his letter.
But there is one grammatical feature just as important to notice before we get to the context of James' letter.
The way James has grammatically constructed his opening sentence is striking to his Greek readers. He identifies himself as "James" and then claims to be a "bond-servant.” Notice that there is no definite article (“the”) accompanying that “bond-servant” noun. He does not say “James, the bond-servant of Jesus”… He simply says, “James, bond-servant of Jesus…”. A non-articled noun signifies that James wants his readers to know that the essential quality and nature of a bond-servant is being highlighted and not a specific person who is the bondservant of Jesus.
A free translation would read, "James, whose essential identity, character, and nature toward Jesus is bond-servant-like" rather than, "James, the bond-servant of Jesus".
James aims to claim to his readers that his given name, “James” is synonymous with “bond-servant.” Grammatically, James is identifying himself with his full name as James Bond-Servant. So, whatever a bond-servant is, James in essence self-identifies as one. And like Paul, he uses this self-identification term to introduce the theme of his letter. (To read more how James connects his self—identification as James Bond-Servant to the theme of his letter, see my blog titled “James Bond-Servant.”)
In today’s world in which anyone can identify as anything, James identifies as a “bond-servant of Jesus” who, by definition of the word, is voluntarily and non-negotiably bound to Jesus. And much unlike many people today, James places great value in identifying as a “bond-servant of Jesus.” James knew that to be great in the Kingdom of God, one must be the servant of all, the first and foremost of whom is the living, resurrected Jesus.
For everyone who wants to be great in God's Kingdom must not only be the servant of all but also must first find their identity in the Servant of all. The encouragement the writer of Hebrews gives us as a starting point for searching for that identity is aim at Jesus.
“Let us fix our eyes on (aim at) Jesus, because He is the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” - (Hebrews 12:2).
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