Meet James
The Book of James was written between A.D. 44 and 49. Is it found in the Old or New Testament?
New Testament
A.D. means Anno Domini, a Latin phrase meaning “in the year of our Lord.”
According to James 3:13, should a wise person show good works or bad works?
Good works.
According to verses 13 & 17, if you want to show wisdom, should you be kind or mean to others?
Kind
According to James 3:17, does wisdom from above come from God or from selfishness?
It comes from above, from God.
Your friend makes a mistake, and the other children start laughing. How can you show wisdom?
I can be kind, refuse to join in the laughter, and help or encourage my friend.
Jesus's half-brother wrote the book we are studying today. Who is this author?
James
What does James 3:13 say should accompany wisdom: pride or meekness (humility)?
Meekness.
According to James 3:17, is wisdom from above full of mercy or cruelty?
Mercy.
According to James 3:18, what does a person who makes peace sow?
The fruit of righteousness.
Your brother or sister gets praised for doing something well, and you feel jealous. What would a wise person do?
A wise person would not allow jealousy to control their behavior. They could congratulate their brother or sister, ask God to help them with their feelings, and choose to show love.
James 3:13 connects wisdom with knowledge. According to the verse, what must accompany a person's knowledge to demonstrate true wisdom?
Good conduct and works performed with the meekness of wisdom.
According to James 3:14–15, what does James say about boasting and lying against the truth when bitter envy and strife are present?
We should not glory or boast in such attitudes or lie against the truth. James explains that this kind of wisdom does not come from above but is earthly, sensual, and devilish.
Based on verse 17, name any three qualities of the wisdom that comes from above.
Any three of the following:
According to James 3:15, where does the wisdom described as earthly, sensual, and devilish come from?
It does not come from above; James describes it as earthly, sensual, and devilish
Your friends want you to join them in spreading an embarrassing story about another student. You know it could hurt that person's feelings. What would showing wisdom look like in this situation?
I would refuse to spread the story, avoid joining in hurtful talk, and choose to treat the student with kindness and respect. Wisdom from above is peaceable, gentle, and full of mercy.
How can we tell the difference between someone who knows the Word of God and someone who is allowing the Word to change their life?
We look at their conduct, attitude, treatment of others, humility, and willingness to live according to God's Word.
Based on verses 13-18, can a person do the right thing for the wrong reason? Yes or no, and explain your answer.
Yes. A person may serve, give, or help others while seeking attention, recognition, or personal advantage. Godly wisdom calls us to examine not only what we do but also why we do it
James 3:17 describes wisdom from above as being “easy to be entreated.” What does this mean in practical terms?
It means being reasonable, approachable, and willing to listen. A person who demonstrates godly wisdom is not stubbornly unwilling to hear correction or consider a sound explanation.
Compare the results of bitter envy and strife in James 3:16 with the results of wisdom from above in James 3:17–18.
Bitter envy and strife lead to confusion and every evil work. Wisdom from above produces purity, peace, gentleness, mercy, and good fruit. Peacemakers who sow in peace help produce the fruit of righteousness.
You discover that someone who criticized you has been speaking negatively about you to others. You have an opportunity to expose their faults publicly. How can James 3:13–18 help you decide what to do?
I should examine my motives before responding. Am I seeking what is right, or am I trying to embarrass the other person and get even? James teaches me to demonstrate meekness, gentleness, mercy, and peace. That does not mean ignoring wrongdoing or avoiding necessary accountability. It means addressing the situation truthfully and appropriately without allowing bitterness, pride, or revenge to control my response.
A person knows many Scriptures and can explain the Bible well, but often speaks harshly to others and refuses correction. Based on James 3:13, what might be missing from that person's demonstration of wisdom?
The person may have knowledge but is not demonstrating true wisdom through godly conduct and meekness. Knowing the Word should influence how we live and treat others.
You serve in church, and someone else gets recognition for something you believe you could have done better. You continue serving, but inside you feel jealous and resentful. According to James 3:14–16, why should you examine your heart, even if your outward actions appear good?
Outward service does not automatically mean our hearts are right. Bitter envy and strife can exist beneath a person's actions and interfere with godly wisdom. We must examine our motives, surrender jealousy to God, and learn to rejoice when others are blessed.
Two church members disagree about how a ministry should operate. One insists on doing things their way, while the other listens, speaks gently, and considers everyone's concerns. Using James 3:17–18, what qualities of godly wisdom should guide their disagreement, and why?
They should demonstrate purity, peace, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy, and fairness. Godly wisdom does not require us to agree on everything, but it calls us to handle disagreements in a way that honors God. The goal should be to seek what is right, preserve peace where possible, and produce good fruit rather than division.
A ministry leader claims that God has given them wisdom, but their decisions repeatedly create confusion, competition, jealousy, and division among members. According to James 3:14–18, what questions should the leader and the congregation consider before accepting that claim?
(Sample answer) They should examine the motives behind the decisions and compare the resulting conduct with the qualities of wisdom described in Scripture. Is there bitter envy, selfish ambition, or a desire for personal recognition? Or is there purity, gentleness, mercy, fairness, and a genuine desire for peace? James teaches us to evaluate wisdom by its character and fruit, not merely by someone's position, confidence, or claim to spiritual authority.
Think about your home, workplace, church, or relationships. Sometimes we believe we are the wisest person in the room because we have more experience, know more Scripture, or have held a position for many years. According to James 3:13–18, how can we determine whether we are truly demonstrating godly wisdom? What might we need to change if our knowledge and experience are not producing peace, mercy, gentleness, and good fruit?
We must examine both our conduct and our hearts. James teaches that true wisdom is demonstrated through good works and meekness, not through pride, self-promotion, or the need to prove that we are right. We should ask ourselves whether our words and decisions reflect purity, peace, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy, fairness, and sincerity.
If our behavior repeatedly produces jealousy, confusion, resentment, or division, we should honestly examine our motives and seek God's help to change. This does not mean that godly wisdom always avoids difficult conversations or that keeping peace requires tolerating wrongdoing. Rather, it means handling difficult situations in a way that reflects God's character.