11. Divine_Identity_in_James.mp4
11. James_The_Lord_of_Glory.m4a
This academic topic, titled "Divine Identity Christology in the Epistle of James," argues for the presence of an early, high Christology within the Epistle of James, countering the historical tendency of scholars like Martin Luther and Martin Dibelius to downplay its theological significance. The author situates this argument by first surveying the broader field of New Testament Christology, particularly contrasting theories of Late Hellenistic Origins with evidence supporting Early Jewish Origins for the understanding of Jesus's divinity. The core of the paper demonstrates that James integrates Jesus within the unique divine identity of the one God of Israel, rather than just viewing him through lesser mediatorial categories, with a close exegetical focus on James 2:1, which refers to "our Lord Jesus Christ, the glory." Ultimately, the text concludes that James provides a crucial, early testament to Christ's divine status, grounded in a reciprocal exegesis of Scripture and the disciples' revelatory experiences.
For centuries, the Epistle of James has suffered from a serious image problem. Martin Luther, the great Protestant Reformer, famously dismissed it as an "epistle of straw," lacking the theological weight of books like Romans or Galatians. More recently, the influential scholar Martin Dibelius doubled down on this sentiment, claiming the letter "has no theology."
Luther's assessment, in particular, has been like a "tin can tied to the tail of James" that has "echoed over the centuries," causing generations of readers to see it as a disjointed collection of ethical commands, largely disconnected from the central figure of the Christian faith. But this long-standing misunderstanding has caused us to miss something profound. Hidden in plain sight, within one of the earliest documents of the Christian faith, is a startlingly high view of Jesus that challenges many modern assumptions about the origins of Christianity.
The "Epistle of Straw" Is a Theological Goldmine
For too long, James has been overshadowed, known more for its "omissions than for its affirmations." The central historical error, especially since the 16th century, has been to read James almost exclusively against the backdrop of Paul. Judged within this "Pauline matrix," the letter was inevitably found wanting for what it wasn't, rather than appreciated for what it was. Its theological voice was muted by the assumption that its practical, wisdom-focused form couldn't possibly carry deep theological freight.
However, modern scholarship is now recognizing this as a profound error. Rather than being theologically barren, James is now seen as "virgin territory" for theological discourse. A careful reading reveals a deeply embedded and powerful Christology—a view of Jesus's identity and significance—that is so foundational to the author and his audience that it requires no lengthy explanation. The historical baggage that has long silenced the text is finally being shed.
As a result, James has “struggled for its theological voice to be heard”...
Belief in Jesus's Divinity Is an Early, Jewish Idea—Not a Late, Greek One
A common assumption, sometimes called the "Late Hellenistic Origins" view, is that a "high Christology"—a belief in Jesus's full divinity—was a late development. The theory goes that as Christianity moved out of its Jewish homeland and into the polytheistic Greco-Roman world, it was only then, under pagan influence, that Jesus began to be seen as a divine figure.