Daily Bible Study Tips: Comments on James and I Peter
Overview of the General Epistles
Comments on Hebrews
James 1
James 3:1-12
1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11
Comments on I John 1 and 2
Comments on I John 3 - 5
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James 1
Some commentators have suggested that James is just a string of pearls, with no outline. It is true that James is a string of pearls, each more beautiful and useful than the last; however, the pearls are strung on a well-defined outline: "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger" (1:19). James talks about quickness of hearing in 1:21-2:26; slowness of speech in Chapter 3, and slowness to anger in 4:1-5:6. The introduction and the summary talk about trials. I love the book of James.
James 3:1-12
I love the book of James. I can't read it without being convicted of my sins, and it gives good practical advice on how to stop committing them (not that I'm successful in following the advice). James has a number of scary statements, and we see today one of them in vs. 3:1. Did your mom ever say to you, "Why did you do that? You should have known better!" You got a spanking, and your younger sibling, who didn't know any better, got off scott free. Probably you got an extra whack for getting your sibling into trouble. Preachers and Bible teachers are supposed to know better – and we are supposed to keep anyone who listens to us out of trouble, as well. That's why I keep telling you, "Don't listen to me! Read the Bible for yourself!"
1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11
I'm always a little concerned when I hear "prosperity theology." You know the kind of thing – tithe and get rich, or turn your life over to God and everything that happens to you will be wonderful. Unfortunately, the scripture says almost exactly the opposite. Not only will bad things happen to you, but many of these bad things will happen precisely because you are a Christian. Christians aren't persecuted in this country, but certainly in many other parts of the world today people are jailed, interrogated, beaten, and sometimes even executed for being Christians. So when some minor travail or even some terrible crisis comes upon you, stand firm in the faith, "knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."
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2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 by Regina L. Hunter. All rights reserved.
Opinions expressed on this page are solely those of the
author, Regina Hunter, and may or may not be shared by the sponsors or the
Bible-study participants. Thanks to the
Holy Spirit for any useful ideas presented here, and thanks to all the readers
for their support and enthusiasm. All
errors are, of course, the sole responsibility of the author.
Opinions expressed on this page are solely those of the
author, Regina Hunter, and may or may not be shared by the sponsors or the
Bible-study participants. Thanks to the
Holy Spirit for any useful ideas presented here, and thanks to all the readers
for their support and enthusiasm. All
errors are, of course, the sole responsibility of the author.
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