Professional Documents
Culture Documents
• Traditionally attributed to have been written by James the Just, who is claimed to
be the brother of Jesus
o Died around 62CE
The best way to confirm authorship and date is to have a contemporary author mention
his name and the work, but this does not happen.
External Sources
The earliest that his letter is mentioned is in Origen (Christian theologian who lived
around 250 CE).
Internal Sources
The greetings and introductions are very simplistic, and there is a lack of exalted titles. A
pseudonymous author would very likely identify his James better, and stress his authority.
Anti-Pauline polemic 2:12-26, might mean that if James relies on Romans or Galatians to
refute them, then we must date James later than those, and give ample time for
circulations of R&G.
Conclusion. Material deeply embedded in the text of James refutes Jewish origin. Some
of the material suggests early date, b/c of things like lack of self-designation. However,
some things like the excellent greek and lack of external references until 250 C.E. favour
a later date.