Texts in Conversation
James urges care for orphans and widows, echoing traditions from Sirach, Deuteronomy, and Exodus. In all of these, faith is demonstrated through action rather than words. James follows this pattern and similarly emphasizes that faith is proven by what one does, not just by belief.
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Sirach 35:15
Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon
13 For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold. 14 Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it; 15 and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice; for the Lord is the judge, and with him there is no partiality. 16 He will not show partiality to the poor; but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged. 17 He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan, or the widow when she pours out her complaint. 18 Do not the tears of the widow run down her cheek 19 as she cries out against the one who causes them to fall?
Date: 195-175 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
James 1:27
New Testament
25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does. 26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their adversity and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Date: 80-90 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... the text of James echoes texts like Deuteronomy 10:17-18 and Sirach 35:10-15 ... Sophie Laws is right: "James is not here concerned with the definition of Christology [which the theophanic view emphasizes] but with the relation between faith and behavior" ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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