Table of Contents
Foreword ix
Preface xi
Abbreviations and Bibliography xiii
Introduction 1
I Authorship and Date 2
1 The Major Historic Positions 2
2 Direct Claims 5
3 External Evidence 7
4 Internal Evidence 9
II Form and Structure 22
III A Possible Sitz Im Leben 28
IV Theology 34
1 Suffering/Testing 35
2 Eschatology 38
3 Christology 39
4 Poverty-Piety 41
5 Law, Grace, and Faith 47
6 Wisdom 51
7 Prayer 56
V Language and Text 57
1 Language and Style 57
2 Text 59
Commentary 63
I Epistolary Introduction 63
II Opening Statement 65
1 First Segment: Testing, Wisdom, Wealth 65
2 Second Segment: Testing, Speech, Generosity 78
III The Excellence of Poverty and Generosity 105
1 No Partiality Is Allowable 105
2 Generosity Is Necessary 119
IV The Demand for Pure Speech 135
1 Pure Speech Has No Anger 135
2 Pure Speech Comes from Wisdom 149
3 Pure Prayer Is Without Anger/in Trust 155
4 Pure Speech Is Uncondemning 168
V Testing Through Wealth 171
1 The Test of Wealth 171
2 The Test by the Wealthy 174
VI Closing Statement 181
1 Endurance in the Test 181
2 Rejection of Oaths 188
3 Helping One Another through Prayer/Forgiveness 191
4 Closing Encouragement 198
Indexes (Compiled by Peter Davids) 202
Authors 202
Subjects 206
Greek Words Discussed 208
Aramaic-Hebrew Words and Phrases 210
Works Cited 211
