Digital Logos Edition
For over 100 years the International Critical Commentary has had a special place amongst works on the Bible. This new volume on James brings together all the relevant aids to exegesis—linguistic, textual, archaeological, historical, literary and theological—to enable the scholar to have a complete knowledge and understanding of this New Testament book. Allison incorporates new evidence available in the field and applies new methods of studies. No uniform theological or critical approach to the text is taken.
“Although James displays a knowledge of the Jesus tradition, the book shows no familiarity with Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. This is consistent with an early date.” (Page 7)
“To sum up the previous pages: although not all of the arguments marshaled to deny authorship by the brother of Jesus have merit, (ii)–(v), taken together, tip the scale. Hence this commentary adopts the thesis that James is a pseudepigraphon.” (Page 28)
“And so likewise, most suppose, is it with the simple Ἰάκωβος of Jas 1:1: the only James who could be introduced without further biographical specification, and who speaks with the authority that this writer does, must be the most famous James, which means the brother of Jesus.” (Page 5)
“The view of the present writer is that, since our letter, as we shall see, shows a likely knowledge of at least Romans and 1 Peter, it was likely not composed before 100. The inference is consistent with the lack of any firm first-century witnesses to our letter.159 If, however, Hermas knew James—an uncertain issue—we cannot push the latter too far into the second century. A date of 100–120 would seem to fit the bill.” (Page 29)
“Yet, if we are trying to weigh probabilities, it seems unlikely, all else being equal, that a letter purporting to come from James of Jerusalem would have suffered the widespread neglect that our writing did.” (Page 24)
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Jim Rudolph
12/12/2016
Raymond Sevilla
6/9/2015
Clifford B. Kvidahl
1/24/2015