Why is the Epistle of James, the "Straw Epistle?"

Answer:  Martin Luther identified the Book of James as the "Straw Epistle."  Luther was certainly right.  The Book of James, is certainly the "Straw Epistle."

And here is why:

James was the brother of Jesus Christ Himself.  So, in the early Church James was held in very high regard, as a close person to Jesus Christ.  Without any doubt, James in his life absorbed many of the Teachings of Jesus and many of them are truly and honestly reflected in the Book of James. This is why Luther would not exclude the book of James from the Bible.

However, unfortunately, James did not really have a very good knowledge or Authority in the Word as did people like St. Paul (and also I would say, Luther)  who were actually given more insight into the Word than was James.

You see, here is why.

The first flaw that you will see in the Book of James is this:

In the Book of James it teaches:  "'But some one will say, 'You have faith and I have works.'  Show me your faith apart from works, and I by my works will show you my faith.  You believe that God is one; you do well.  Even the demons believe -- and shudder,  Do you want to be shown, you foolish fellow that faith apart from works is barren?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the Alter?  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works,   "You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone."  (James 2:18-24)  And then James refers to Rahab the harlot as an example of where faith was completed by works.

Here we see that James did not really understand this issue, and that is why the Book of James is the "Straw Epistle."  James really did mean well, because he wished to reinforce in Christianity the importance of Works.  It is a truly great cause, but he just didn't quite have the understanding.  Works always have to be emphasized in the correct way.   

In Truth, Justification comes only from Faith in Jesus Christ.  There is no other Way.  It is Faith in Jesus Christ or Nothing.  I am sorry.  That is it.  This is the One and Only source for Justification as St. Paul says:  "For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law."  (Romans 3:28)  This is actually, the passage in the Bible that set Martin Luther on the Way to the Reformation and the end of the Papacy of the Middle Ages.

A child born yesterday, who is Baptized into Jesus Christ is as Justified and Righteous in God's sight as is a Saint such as St. Peter or St. Paul.  What James was not able to quite distinguish is the difference between "Justification" and the "Works of Faith."

The understanding of these things needs to be kept totally separate.  The Roman Catholic Church has often quoted the Book of James for the support to the argument that a Christian does not only need faith, but also works, in order to be justified.  Quite honestly, this teaching is simply wrong.  There is no other way to be Justified, except through Faith in Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ did the Work for all of mankind for Justification.

This does not in any way minimize the importance of works, but puts it in to perspective.  Works are the natural fruit and outcome of Faith.  We have a fuller analysis of this at our Introduction to the Bible at www.holywordofgod.org.

Luther said that he would give "his doctor's cap" to anyone who could reconcile James with the rest of the Bible, and that is the main reason he identified the Book of James as the "Straw Epistle."  It has to be rejected as a work on the order of the other Epistles, and yet, still left in the Bible.

This is not the only reason that the Book of James should be considered the "Straw Epistle."

James truly undermines his own authority when he says:  "Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we sho teach shall be judged with greater strictness.  For we all make many mistakes, and if any one makes no mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also."  (James 3:1-2)

This is really so very very interesting.  Immediately after he makes this mistake about confusing Justification and Works, he makes this statement about how "we all make many mistakes."  This is a very honest straight forward admission.  But the problem here is this:  If James were really inspired by the Holy Spirit and was Recording the Word for mankind, as were the Apostles, he never, ever would have put himself in the same category as a teacher who "makes many mistakes."  St. Paul, for example would never have said this, because he would undermine his authority.  When the Holy Spirit working through the Apostles and Saints, reveals His Word, there are no mistakes, it is Perfect.

However, when we ordinary Christians seek to understand and explain God's Word, we "make mistakes" because we are not directly being given the Revelation from God, but trying to understand and explain the Word.  In this sense it is true that ordinary Christians do make "many mistakes."   But someone inspired by the Holy Spirit directly and given the Word as was St. Paul, St. John, and St. Peter would never ever put himself in this category, because he would be undermining the Revelation that God has given.

So therefore, actually James himself puts himself in a category below someone such as an Apostle.

But there is so much in James that is good, that it should continue to be included in the Bible.

There are other reasons, and maybe we can analyze them in a future study.

(TO BE CONTINUED)