MBS128 The Book of James

MBS 128 - The Book of James by Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum

There are five epistles called the Messianic Jewish Epistles that were written especially to deal with the needs and specific issues Jewish believers faced. While these needs and issues are applicable to all believers, they deal with unique issues among Jewish believers. These Messianic Jewish Epistles are: Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude. They were written to instruct believers by letter rather than by personal instruction and were meant to be circulated among the congregations.

In the wider historical background, the first century Messianic Jewish community was faced with two major problems: first, persecution and secondly, false doctrine. Persecution took place within the Land of Israel and also among the believers of the Dispersion or the Diaspora.

To deal with persecution in the Dispersion, James and 1 Peter were written. The Book of James was written by someone in the Land to Jewish believers in the Dispersion.