James was a holy-person (a sanctified-person, Christian, saint, a child of the only true God) with a Judean/Israeli background.
He was Jesus’ half-brother because Mary was his mother also, but Joseph was his father (Matthew 12:46 and 13:55; John 12:5). He was not one of the twelve whom Jesus had chosen to be his apostles. James had become a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1) through the appearance to him of the risen Christ (I Corinthians 15:7); then within a short amount of time he became a prominent figure in the church in Jerusalem (Acts 12:17, 15:13-21, 21:18, and Galatians 1:19, 2:9 and 12).
James 1:1:
1:1James, a slave of God and (the) Lord Jesus Christ – to the twelve tribes, the (twelve tribes) in the scattering; (may you have) joy.
James begins this letter (epistle) by first identifying himself by name: James (Jacob). Then he identifies himself by 'job-title' or 'work-function' relative-to his working/service relationship with God and with the Lord Jesus Christ: slave.
He writes that he is a slave belonging to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He was bound to serve them. This service as a slave meant that his whole being was at-the-service-of or in-service-to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. James carried-out his service by his own freedom of will. Wherever James was and whatever he was doing he was to behave as a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, not a slave serving anybody or anything else. At the time of his writing this letter, James believed and obeyed God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and he took his instructions from them. During Biblical times, a master was obligated to take-care of his slave (bond servant) and the slave was obligated to do all his master would ask of him. It was a mutually-beneficial relationship between the master and his slave.
God is the First, Superior or Ultimate One, the One Who has power, executes judgment, and emanates what He is, His power and light; He is the only true God. The name of God refers to the fullness of everything involved with Himself, all that He is and will continue to be, all of His authoritative-power, ability, workings, etc, His distinguishing and distinctive constitution, character, and quality.
Next, let us look at what the name "Lord Jesus Christ" involves. A name is a word or phrase given to a person, etc, to be called and known-by, in order to designate and describe the distinguishing and distinctive constitution, character, quality, workings, etc. The name “Lord Jesus Christ” incorporates the fullness of everything involved with him; it includes all that:
…represent and stand-for – together.
1) The word "Lord" refers to a master or an owner, one who has the authority (authoritative power), the one from whom the directions and instructions are given and who is to be obeyed, the one who has the dominion over and exercises his lordship in relation to that-which his title of "Lord" or "Master" is being associated (refer to Acts 2:36).
2) The word "Jesus" is explained in Matthew 1:21 by the Angel Gabriel when he spoke to Joseph:
Matthew 1:21:
.21She [Mary] will bring-forth a son and you [Joseph] will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
"Jesus" means "God saves / Jehovah (Yahweh) the Savior," and the Lord Jesus Christ was given that name "Jesus" because he is the one who carried-out God's will to make it available for people to be saved, to be made-safe. It is by means of Jesus, the Christ, that people are able to be saved and thereby have a true and vital spiritual relationship with the only true God. Jesus Christ is God's son – he is alive today! He is now at God's right-hand side, second-in-command to God his Father.
3) The word "Christ" means the "anointed-one" or "Messiah." In the lands and during the time-period of the writing of the Bible, holy oil was poured on the high priest of God to begin his ministry for God, and it was also used to anoint kings. Many people and things were anointed with holy oil to signify their making holy or sanctified for a specific purpose, etc, which can be read about in many scriptures in the Bible (refer to Exodus 30:22-33; Acts 2:36, 4:27, and 10:38).
Re-reading James chapter 1, verse 1:
James 1:1:
1:1James, a slave of God and (the) Lord Jesus Christ – to the twelve tribes, the (twelve tribes) in the scattering; (may you have) joy.
James addressed this letter to…
…may you have joy (rejoice).
[Reference: Genesis 35:22-25, 49:1-28; Exodus 39:14; Ezekiel 48:31-35; Matthew 13:55, 19:28; John 7:35; Acts chapter 2, 7:8, 8:1 and 4, 11:19, 12:17, 15:13-29, 23:26, 26:6-8; Romans 1:1, 10:8-10, and chapter 11; Galatians 1:19, 2:9; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1; Hebrews 11:21; I Peter 1:1; Jude 1:1; Revelation 7:4-8, 21:12.]
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True Bible Study - James and Jude
