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#7.
The scriptural relationship of the epistles of Paul
and the epistle of James considered
in preparation for the study of James 2:,
and its bearing upon justification by faith.
pp. 93 - 97
When quoting the Apostle in the preceding article, there were almost as many
occurrences of the words "justified" or "righteousness" as there were of the word we
were examining, namely "works". Had we attempted any notice of this at the time, it
would have confused the issues, but now we turn to the matter of justification, for that
also is a Truth in the Balance.
It is well known that Paul, when he uses Abraham as an example of justification by
faith, goes to Gen. 15:, where Abraham is said to have believed God, and where his faith
had been counted for righteousness. Paul rightly stresses the fact that, there, in Gen. 15:,
"works" were inadmissible. But there is another side to this truth, and one, alas, which
some of the best have misinterpreted. This other side is found in the epistle of James. It
is false to teach that James propounded one way of justification and Paul another. Unless
we maintain that the fruit on a tree "contradicts" the root in the soil, we cannot contend
that the teaching of James contradicts the teaching of Paul. James stress the "fruit"
aspect, the "good works", whereas in Rom. 1:-5: Paul emphasizes the "root" aspect and
leaves the fruit for subsequent teaching.
The reader is probably aware that there are two very divergent points of view
regarding the epistle of James. Luther's designation of it as "an epistle of straw" on
account of its alleged contradiction of Paul's doctrine of justification by faith, is probably
known to all readers, but few cite the famous dictum in its context, or remind the reader
of the atmosphere of conflict in which the words were uttered. Here it is:
"St. John's Gospel and first Epistle, the Epistles of St. Paul, especially those to the
Romans, Galatians and Ephesians, these are the books which set Christ before you, and
teach you every necessary thing for you to believe, though you never hear of any other
book or doctrine. Therefore the Epistle of James is quite an epistle of straw by the side of
these, for it has no true Evangelical character."
Seen in its context, this reference to James as an epistle of straw can be apprized at its
true worth. The expression is not used positively, but in comparison with those books of
the N.T. which are "Evangelical" in purpose and which "set Christ before" the reader.
We must remember that when Luther uttered these words he was engaged in his fight for
justification by faith without works, and knew that the epistle of James had been
perverted from its original intention, and had become the main prop of those who
combated Luther's distinctive doctrine. In such an atmosphere, the best of men are liable
to exaggeration, if only to counterbalance the exaggeration of their opponents.