A perfect diamond is flawless on every facet and from every perspective that it is viewed. That does not necessarily mean that every perspective will always hold equal appeal in every setting. The bottom of a perfect diamond cut for an engagement solitaire will typically not have the same appeal as the side meant to be displayed. That does not make the diamond flawed or imperfect.
God’s Word is a diamond, perfect and flawless in every respect and from every possible perspective. That does not mean that every part of the perfect whole will hold equal appeal in every situation. While Jesus’ prolonged condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23 was absolutely appropriate and flawless, that’s probably not what crushed and repentant sinners long to hear. There are other facets of God’s diamond that bring peace and joy to the sinner’s heart. Yet for the Word to be perfect, the sinner must be shown both Law and Gospel.
Though Martin Luther clearly regarded God’s Word as perfect, he is often quoted as referring to the Epistle of James as “an epistle of straw.” What is seldom quoted is the phrase that follows: “compared to the others.” Luther was consumed with the struggle against Roman Catholicism and its heretical teaching that man is saved by his own works added to what Christ has done, and not through faith alone in the payment Christ made on Calvary’s cross. Twisting the message and quoting phrases of the Epistle out of context, Luther’s opponents frequently used the Epistle of James against him. Luther himself once lived under the torment of work-righteousness. Is it any wonder then that he longed to view a different facet of God’s diamond, the Gospel side that assured him that his debt of sin was paid in full by his Savior, not by what he himself must supply?
The author of the Epistle identifies himself as James. Evidence from God’s Word strongly suggests that this James was not only the brother of Jesus, but also the head of the church in Jerusalem. As the leader of such a large and disparate group, it is hard to fathom the magnitude of the problems James must have encountered. In his Epistle, James addresses several of those problems, chief among which was likely the notion that saving faith could exist in the absence of all fruits or works—which is something akin to saying that fire can exist without producing heat. As heat proves the existence of fire, so also works prove the existence of faith. As true fire will produce heat, so also true, saving faith will produce works. It is in this context that James wrote, “Faith apart from works is dead.” (James 2:26) Luther’s enemies accurately quoted James, but out of context, when they cited James 2:24, “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” James’ whole point was that true, saving faith is never “alone.” It always produces works. Our works do not save us, but they will be present.
Whether he recognized it or not, this “epistle of straw” helped to keep Luther from the opposite ditch into which at least one of his allies steered, opining that “good works are detrimental.” While his enemies insisted on the other ditch (that “good works are necessary for salvation”) James helped to steer Luther to the solid, Scriptural middle that “good works are necessary”—again, since the faith by which we are saved will always produce works.
Examine the myriad facets of this jewel (The Epistle of James) for yourself and you will learn about the power of prayer, how to gain wisdom, the dangers of the tongue and temptation, the value of listening, and more. If this Epistle is straw, it is priceless straw!
God’s Word is a diamond, perfect and flawless in every respect and from every possible perspective. That does not mean that every part of the perfect whole will hold equal appeal in every situation.
is pastor of Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Bismarck, North Dakota.