Is the teaching of Jesus before His crucifixion only for Jews?

[lenna]

Actually, Hebrews is addressed to the Jews living in the last days before the return of Christ.

do you have any proof of that? of course not because that is incorrect

James was writing to Jewish Christians IN the 12 tribes.

doesn't it occur to you that there would be no reason to write to unbelievers (those not in Christ) as they believed they were still under the OT ordinances. you must have stopped reading at chapter 1 v.1


James 2:1
2 1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

obviously, to most of us I would hope, brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ means converts to Christianity

James is writing to CHRISTIANS, not unbelieving Jews and he is writing instructions on how believers should conduct themselves

there is absolutely nothing in the letter to corroborate your insistence otherwise

nonetheless, there is plenty in the NT besides James that directly addresses how a Christian should behave, so while you are all hung up on the book of James and misdirecting this thread, there is still NO EXCUSE for anyone to think lip service only is salvation.

 

[lenna]

regarding the book of James

Purpose of Writing: Some think that this epistle was written in response to an overzealous interpretation of Paul’s teaching regarding faith. This extreme view, called antinomianism, held that through faith in Christ one is completely free from all Old Testament law, all legalism, all secular law, and all the morality of a society. The Book of James is directed to Jewish Christians scattered among all the nations (James 1:1). While Pauline teachings concentrate on our justification with God, James’ teachings concentrate on the works that exemplify that justification. James was writing to Jews to encourage them to continue growing in this new Christian faith. James emphasizes that good actions will naturally flow from those who are filled with the Spirit and questions whether someone may or may not have a saving faith if the fruits of the Spirit cannot be seen, much as Paul describes in Galatians 5:22-23.

We see in the Book of James a challenge to faithful followers of Jesus Christ to not just “talk the talk,” but to “walk the walk.” While our faith walk, to be certain, requires a growth of knowledge about the Word, James exhorts us to not stop there. Many Christians will find this epistle challenging as James presents 60 obligations in only 108 verses. He focuses on the truths of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount and motivates us to act upon what He taught.

The Book of James is the ultimate description of the relationship between faith and works.

synopsis from

 

[jb]

Well, the New Testament does not begin until the death of the testator. The Jews before the cross had no clue about the cross. Why? It was not being taught.

The Christian of today would say that you "cherry pick" Scriptures, however Peter uses another expression for people like you in 2Peter 3v16...

 

[Guojing]

This verse is confronting people who claim they have faith but are hearers only not doers

They have no works period

Romans 4:5 made it clear that works are not necessary for salvation in the body of Christ

 

[Guojing]

There always has been one salvation plan. It started in gen 3

But it’s only now that you could approach God in faith by not doing works of any kind.

God commands it now Romans 4:5.

In previous time periods, you need to do a work to show that you have faith in God, as Hebrews 11 listed

 

[John146]

Purpose of Writing: Some think that this epistle was written in response to an overzealous interpretation of Paul’s teaching regarding faith.

The only problem with this is James was written before Paul’s epistles.

 

[John146]

Romans 4:5 made it clear that works are not necessary for salvation in the body of Christ

What’s funny is how the phrase “twelve tribes“ all throughout Scripture always refers to the nation of Israel as a whole, but when its used in James, it’s used to describe Jewish Christians. Later, in Revelation, it goes back to meaning the nation of Israel again.

 

[Nehemiah6]

...but when its used in James, it’s used to describe Jewish Christians...

And that's because James was a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (James 1:1)

Shortly after the church was established in Jerusalem, there was tremendous persecution of believing Jews by unbelieving Jews. Hence the twelve tribes were scattered abroad at that time, and those are the Christians addressed by James.

 

[Guojing]

What’s funny is how the phrase “twelve tribes“ all throughout Scripture always refers to the nation of Israel as a whole, but when its used in James, it’s used to describe Jewish Christians. Later, in Revelation, it goes back to meaning the nation of Israel again.

I suspect many churches teach a form of replacement theology, that all of us in the body of Christ are now part of spiritual Israel

So in this view, all that was written to “Israel” apply to the body of Christ, whether is it James or revelation

 

[Guojing]

And that's because James was a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (James 1:1)

Shortly after the church was established in Jerusalem, there was tremendous persecution of believing Jews by unbelieving Jews. Hence the twelve tribes were scattered abroad at that time, and those are the Christians addressed by James.

The Jews were scattered in acts 8, which was the time period James likely wrote that letter

It was still all Judaism then. In fact it was called “the way”.

The term Christian to describe followers of the way, only appeared later at acts, in Antioch

 

[John146]

And that's because James was a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (James 1:1)

Shortly after the church was established in Jerusalem, there was tremendous persecution of believing Jews by unbelieving Jews. Hence the twelve tribes were scattered abroad at that time, and those are the Christians addressed by James.

Unbelieving jews were part of the twelve tribes as well. They would be included in the address. But I believe the book of James fits chronologically in the Bible after Paul’s epistles to the body of Christ. The twelve tribes will be scattered abroad in the last days before the return of Jesus.

 

[Jackson123]

I suspect many churches teach a form of replacement theology, that all of us in the body of Christ are now part of spiritual Israel

So in this view, all that was written to “Israel” apply to the body of Christ, whether is it James or revelation

James was wrote to Christian, not to non Christian

James 2:1

1" My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

Did non Christian Jews call Jesus Lord Jesus Christ?

 

[Blik]

I do not think that God ever in all scripture thought of the Jews and gentiles as needing to know any of His principles in a different way. God used the Jews for the sake of all people, including the idol worshipping gentiles as they were in the day God created the Hebrew. The purpose of the Hebrew race is to include all people into one people, into God's people.
Scripture tells us now "Jew first", that is because God gave the Jew a joosto leading us to Him.

 

[John146]

James was wrote to Christian, not to non Christian

James 2:1

1" My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

Did non Christian Jews call Jesus Lord Jesus Christ?

At least part of the audience had not received the word and their souls were not saved.

1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

 

[Jackson123]

Unbelieving jews were part of the twelve tribes as well. They would be included in the address. But I believe the book of James fits chronologically in the Bible after Paul’s epistles to the body of Christ. The twelve tribes will be scattered abroad in the last days before the return of Jesus.

The twelve tribe was scattered before Jesus first come

Quote

The first exile was the Assyrian exile, the expulsion from the Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) begun by Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria in 733 BCE. This process was completed by Sargon II with the destruction of the kingdom in 722 BCE, concluding a three-year siege of Samaria begun by Shalmaneser V. The next experience of exile was the Babylonian captivity, in which portions of the population of the Kingdom of Judah were deported in 597 BCE and again in 586 BCE by the Neo-Babylonian Empire under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar II.

End quote

 

[Guojing]

James was wrote to Christian, not to non Christian

James 2:1

1" My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.

Did non Christian Jews call Jesus Lord Jesus Christ?

If you recall how peter responded to Cornelius on their first meeting in acts 10, it was against the law for Jews to associate with gentiles

So James would not have been referring to gentile believers in that term brother and sisters. A gentile had to become a Jew then, in order to be saved.

 

[Jackson123]

At least part of the audience had not received the word and their souls were not saved.

1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Compare to When Paul wrote a letter to the Christian church of Corinth.

1 cor 5

5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? 3 For my part, even


though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who

 

[Nehemiah6]

So James would not have been referring to gentile believers in that term brother and sisters. A gentile had to become a Jew then, in order to be saved.

You are quite confused. Since James fully understood the Gospel as well as the fact that Gentiles were also a part of the Church (see Acts 15) he would not have been excluding Gentiles as you suggest, or promoting the false idea that Gentiles must become Jews in order to be saved.

James also knew that the majority of churches where the believing Jews were present would also have Gentile Christians. But his focus was on Hebrew Christians.

 

[Jackson123]

If you recall how peter responded to Cornelius on their first meeting in acts 10, it was against the law for Jews to associate with gentiles

So James would not have been referring to gentile believers in that term brother and sisters. A gentile had to become a Jew then, in order to be saved.

So you believe James wrote to Christian Jews or non Christian Jews?

 

[John146]

The twelve tribe was scattered before Jesus first come

Quote

The first exile was the Assyrian exile, the expulsion from the Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) begun by Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria in 733 BCE. This process was completed by Sargon II with the destruction of the kingdom in 722 BCE, concluding a three-year siege of Samaria begun by Shalmaneser V. The next experience of exile was the Babylonian captivity, in which portions of the population of the Kingdom of Judah were deported in 597 BCE and again in 586 BCE by the Neo-Babylonian Empire under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar II.

End quote

And they will be scattered again before the coming of the Lord.