Vjera autora i naslovnika Jakovljeve poslanice
FAITH OF THE WRITER AND RECIPIENTS OF THE LETTER OF JAMES

Summary/Abstract: In his introduction, the author points out that the faith described in James is fides quae and fides qua and states that the historical recipients accepted this letter as the work of James “the brother” of the Lord Jesus who, according to Paul and Acts, was a respected elder in Jerusalem up to his martyr’s death in Jerusalem in AD 62. Relying on James 1:1,17-18; 2:12,21-23; 4:4,11-12, 5:1-4,11 he concludes that the writer and the recipients of the letter believed in God the Creator and giver of bounty who is the Father of all humans. God revealed himself to Abraham and spoke through the Prophets and will be the supreme judge of all humans. This is the faith of Israel as a covenanted people of God. In addition to this body of faith, the writer and the recipients of the letter believed in Jesus as Christ, as Lord, which is the credal formula of the first Christians and assumes a knowledge of the Easter event (1:1; 2:1). Pistis Kyriou: this exegete takes as objective genitive – faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The writer and recipients disagree on the practical range of faith in the God who protects orphans and in the glorified Christ who will be supreme judge of all humans. According to 2:1-13, integral faith also includes helping the poor within the believing community. In 2:14-26 the principle “Faith without works is dead” (V. 17 and 26) should be explained in the light of 1:26-27 as its hermeneutical key. Such a faith encourages and inspires social activity in the Church and in the world. In presenting Abraham as a model of active faith, James reflects not only the tradition of Genesis but also of several apocryphal Jewish works written in Greek. Like the Old Testament prophets who criticized fellow Jews for taking part in liturgical ceremonies without living their faith in everyday life and assisting the marginal members of their society, James in 1:26-27 and 2:1-26 asserts that true religiosity involves personal and communal social engagement – in James’ time and today

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