Book of James Quiz

1. Who is the author of the book of James, and to whom is it addressed?

1. James of Jerusalem, to the Gentile converts who were struggling with the relationship between faith and the Mosaic law
2. James the Less, a minor apostle, to Jewish Christians who were abandoning their faith under Roman persecution
3. James the son of Zebedee and brother of John, to the churches of Asia Minor
4. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations

2. James 1:2-4 opens with a counter-intuitive command about trials. What does James tell his readers to do when they face trials?

1. Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds — because testing produces perseverance which must finish its work to make you mature and complete
2. Endure trials patiently, trusting that God will eventually deliver you from them
3. Pray without ceasing and God will either remove the trial or give you the strength to bear it
4. Stand firm in trials, knowing that God will not allow you to be tested beyond what you can bear

3. If anyone lacks wisdom during trials, James gives a specific instruction. What is it, and what conditions does he attach?

1. Ask God for wisdom — he gives generously to all without finding fault — but ask in faith, without doubting, not like a wave of the sea driven by the wind
2. Fast and pray until God reveals his purpose — perseverance in prayer brings wisdom
3. Read the scriptures diligently and wisdom will come through meditation on God's word
4. Seek wisdom from the elders of the church who have experience of suffering

4. James 1:9-11 addresses both rich and poor believers. What does he say about each?

1. Believers in humble circumstances should take pride in their high position; the rich should take pride in their humiliation, for the rich will fade away like a wild flower
2. God has no favourites — rich and poor are equally valued and equally accountable before him
3. The poor are more blessed in God's sight and will receive their reward; the rich must give away their wealth to prove their faith
4. The poor should be content and the rich should be generous — both attitudes are required by the gospel

5. James 1:13-14 addresses the origin of temptation. What does James say is NOT the source of temptation, and what IS?

1. God tests us but does not tempt us — testing is from God but temptation is from Satan who uses our weaknesses
2. Temptation comes from the world around us — not from God who is holy and cannot tempt anyone
3. Temptation does not come from God — when tempted, no one should say God is tempting me. Each person is tempted by their own evil desire, which drags them away and entices them
4. Temptation does not come from Satan — it comes from our own desires which entice and drag us away

6. James 1:17 contains a beautiful description of God's character. What does it say about him?

1. 'Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows'
2. 'God is faithful — he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, and with every trial he provides a way out'
3. 'God is love — and this love never changes, never fails and never ends, for he is the same yesterday, today and forever'
4. 'The Father of lights gives wisdom to all who ask — he is not stingy with his gifts to those who trust him'

7. James 1:19 gives three famous practical commands about communication and anger. What are they?

1. Be truthful in all your speech, be slow to judge, and be quick to forgive
2. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry
3. Listen more than you speak, speak truth in love, and let anger lead you to prayer not retaliation
4. Speak only when spoken to, think before you answer, and never let the sun go down on your anger

8. James uses a mirror analogy in 1:23-25 to describe someone who hears the word but does not act on it. What does he say?

1. Anyone who hears the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like
2. They are like a lamp put under a bowl — the light is there but hidden and useless to others
3. They are like a man who builds a house on sand — it looks good from the outside but collapses when tested
4. They are like a vine that produces leaves but no fruit — impressive in appearance but empty of what matters

9. James 1:26-27 gives a striking definition of religion that God considers 'pure and faultless.' What is it?

1. Acceptable worship is offering your body as a living sacrifice — holy and pleasing to God
2. Pure and faultless religion is to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world
3. True religion is keeping the commandments, attending worship and giving to the poor
4. True religion is loving God with all your heart and your neighbour as yourself — everything else flows from this

10. James 2:1-4 addresses favouritism in the church assembly. What scenario does he describe to illustrate the problem?

1. A man with gold rings and fine clothes is shown to the best seat while a poor man in shabby clothes is told to stand or sit on the floor
2. A wealthy church member sits at the front while a poor widow is told there is no room for her in the building
3. Certain members are greeted warmly while those with disabilities or unfashionable appearance are avoided
4. Wealthy members are invited to speak while poor members' contributions to the discussion are ignored or interrupted

11. James 2:10 states a principle about the relationship between different laws. What does he say?

1. 'Breaking any commandment is a serious matter but breaking the royal law of love is the greatest sin'
2. 'For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it'
3. 'The greatest commandments encompass all others — love fulfils the whole law'
4. No commandment is more important than another — they are all equally binding on God's people

12. James 2:14-26 is the famous passage on faith and works. What is James's central argument about faith without deeds?

1. 'What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead'
2. Faith without works is incomplete — a believer who lacks works needs more teaching to grow
3. Faith without works reflects an immature faith — it will eventually produce fruit if nurtured correctly
4. Works are the evidence of faith but not its cause — the absence of works may indicate a faith under stress, not a dead faith

13. James uses two Old Testament examples to demonstrate that faith expresses itself in action. Who are they?

1. Abraham and Rahab — Abraham was considered righteous when he offered Isaac; Rahab was considered righteous when she hid the spies
2. David and Daniel — David faced Goliath in faith; Daniel refused to stop praying in faith
3. Moses and Elijah — Moses obeyed God at the Red Sea; Elijah obeyed God on Mount Carmel
4. Noah and Gideon — Noah built the ark by faith; Gideon attacked Midian with three hundred men in faith

14. James 3:1 contains a warning about teaching. What does he say?

1. 'Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly'
2. 'The teacher of God's word bears a heavy responsibility — they shape the faith of those who hear them'
3. 'Those who teach are held to a higher standard — be sure your life matches your words before you teach others'
4. Do not rush to become a teacher — the teacher's calling is the most demanding of all Christian ministries

15. James 3:3-5 uses two vivid analogies to describe the power of the tongue. What are they?

1. A bit in a horse's mouth that controls the whole animal, and a small rudder that turns a large ship in the wind — then: just so the tongue, a small part, makes great boasts
2. A compass that steers a ship and a spark that starts a fire — small instruments that control large outcomes
3. A seed that grows into a tree and a leaven that works through the whole dough — small beginnings with large consequences
4. An arrow once loosed cannot be recalled, and fire once started cannot be controlled — both illustrate why the tongue must be restrained

16. James 3:6 makes a shocking statement about the tongue. What does he say it is?

1. A double-edged sword that can save or destroy — handle it only with the greatest care
2. A reservoir of the heart's content — what comes out of the mouth reveals what is stored within
3. A world of evil among the parts of the body — it corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell
4. An untameable beast that poisons every relationship it touches and cannot be safely unleashed

17. James 3:7-8 points out the unique problem with the tongue compared to wild animals. What is it?

1. 'A wild animal attacks only when cornered — the tongue strikes at any moment without warning or reason'
2. 'All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison'
3. 'Animals are predictable once you know their nature — the tongue cannot be predicted even by the one who owns it'
4. Animals can be domesticated by training but the tongue becomes more dangerous with age

18. James 3:9-12 points out a fundamental inconsistency in how people use the tongue. What contradiction does he identify?

1. 'We speak kindly to those who can benefit us and harshly to those who cannot — this inconsistency reveals what we truly value'
2. 'We speak of love for God but hatred for our neighbour — our theology and our ethics are completely disconnected'
3. 'With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be'
4. People speak blessings in worship but complaints at home — the same tongue serves two masters

19. James 3:13 introduces the theme of wisdom. What question does he open with, and what does he say genuine wisdom looks like?

1. 'Is wisdom found in age or in experience? Let your life answer the question — wisdom that does not transform the liver is not wisdom at all'
2. 'Where does true wisdom come from? From God alone — and those who possess it are known by their peace and their purity'
3. 'Who among you is truly wise? Wisdom is not demonstrated by words but by understanding the deep things of God'
4. 'Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom'

20. James 3:17 lists the qualities of the wisdom that comes from above. Which of these qualities is NOT in James's list?

1. Bold, courageous and willing to confront sin
2. Full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere
3. Peace-loving, considerate, submissive
4. Pure

21. James 4:1-2 diagnoses the root cause of fights and quarrels among believers. What does he say causes them?

1. Economic inequality in the church — those with more always oppress those with less
2. Pride and the refusal to admit when you are wrong — fights continue because neither party will humble themselves
3. Theological disagreements and differing interpretations of the law
4. Your desires that battle within you — you want something but don't get it. You kill and covet but cannot have what you want, so you quarrel and fight

22. James says that even when people do pray, they don't receive. What reason does he give?

1. 'When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures'
2. They are not praying in accordance with God's will — self-directed prayer achieves nothing
3. They have not yet made peace with those they have wronged — unreconciled relationships block prayer
4. They pray with doubt — not trusting that God will answer their requests

23. James 4:4 makes a stark either/or claim. What does he say about friendship with the world?

1. 'You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God'
2. Love of the world crowds out love for God — you cannot serve two masters
3. The world and God are in opposition — those who are friends of both end up loyal to neither
4. The worldly person and the godly person cannot truly be friends — their values will always ultimately divide them

24. James 4:6-10 contains a rapid series of commands about humility. Which of these is NOT one of them?

1. Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other
2. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you
3. Resist the devil and he will flee from you
4. Submit yourselves to God

25. James 4:7 says 'Resist the devil and he will flee from you.' What must come before this in the same verse?

1. 'Be alert and of sober mind — your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion'
2. 'Pray without ceasing — it is prayer that gives you strength to resist'
3. 'Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes'
4. 'Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you'

26. James 4:11-12 warns against speaking against fellow believers. What specific wrong does he identify in such speech?

1. Criticism of fellow believers is a form of pride — it assumes your own righteousness and their sinfulness
2. Slander destroys the reputation of God's image-bearers and damages the witness of the church to the world
3. Speaking against others is a form of idolatry — you are placing your own opinions above God's word
4. When you judge the law and speak against a fellow believer, you are not keeping the law but sitting in judgment on it — and there is only one Lawgiver and Judge

27. James 4:13-17 rebukes a specific attitude about the future. What attitude is he addressing, and what does he say is the appropriate response?

1. Anxiety about the future — worry shows a lack of faith; trusting God means releasing tomorrow to his care
2. Boasting about future plans ('Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business') — instead say 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that'
3. Planning for old age instead of investing in God's kingdom — James calls this faithless worldliness
4. Saving money for the future as a substitute for trusting God — the parable of the rich fool applies here

28. James 4:17 closes the section with a memorable statement about sin by omission. What does it say?

1. 'If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them'
2. 'Neglecting the poor is as serious before God as committing active violence against them'
3. 'The sin you plan in secret is no less sinful than the sin you commit publicly'
4. 'To know the truth and not live by it is the greatest form of hypocrisy'

29. James 5:1-6 contains a fierce prophecy against wealthy oppressors. What does he say has happened to their wealth?

1. 'Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days'
2. Their treasuries have been emptied by the very servants they cheated, as God's justice works through natural means
3. Their wealth has attracted foreign invaders who have plundered them — it is the prophesied judgment of God
4. Their wealth has been swept away in divine judgment and they cannot recover it

30. What specific crimes does James accuse the rich landowners of committing in James 5:4-6?

1. Bribery and corruption of the legal system, selling inferior goods at premium prices
2. Forcing workers into debt bondage, charging excessive interest and taking houses as collateral
3. Hoarding food during famine while the poor starved, and using political influence to avoid taxation
4. Withholding wages from their workers, living in luxury and self-indulgence, and condemning and murdering the innocent who are not resisting them

31. James 5:7-11 urges patience while waiting for the Lord's coming. What agricultural analogy does he use?

1. A farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains
2. A farmer who plants his field in spring, tends it through summer heat, and waits patiently for the harvest rains
3. A gardener who prunes the vine in winter, trusting that the spring will bring fresh growth and abundant fruit
4. A shepherd who waits through winter for the spring grass so his flock can graze after months of hardship

32. James 5:10-11 gives two Old Testament examples of patience. Who are they?

1. Abraham and Moses — both waited decades for God's promises to be fulfilled
2. David and Elijah — both suffered deeply before God delivered them
3. Joseph and Jeremiah — both were imprisoned and rejected before being vindicated by God
4. The prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord, and Job — whose perseverance we have heard about and seen the Lord's outcome

33. James 5:12 gives a short but important command about oaths. What does he say?

1. 'Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear — not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple yes or no. Otherwise you will be condemned'
2. 'Let your yes be yes and your no be no — anything more comes from the evil one'
3. Make oaths carefully and keep them faithfully — a broken oath is a serious sin before God
4. Oaths are forbidden in the kingdom — speak the truth and no oath should be necessary

34. James 5:13-14 gives instructions for prayer in different circumstances. What does he say for those who are in trouble, those who are happy, and those who are sick?

1. All three should pray — but the sick should also call the elders and confess their sins, while the troubled should seek a brother to pray with them
2. James does not distinguish — all circumstances require prayer and he treats them as one principle
3. The troubled should cry out to God; the happy should give thanks; the sick should pray for healing and trust God's will
4. The troubled should fast and pray; the happy should praise God publicly; the sick should call the church elders to pray over them and anoint them with oil

35. James 5:15 makes a bold promise about the prayer of faith. What does it say?

1. 'And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven'
2. 'Pray and anoint with oil, trusting God's will — he may heal in this life or in the life to come'
3. 'The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective — God will hear and respond to genuine faith'
4. 'Whatever you ask in my name will be given — claim the healing in faith and it will be yours'

36. James 5:16 contains the famous command about mutual confession. What does it say?

1. 'Confess your sins before the congregation so that the church can hold you accountable and pray for your restoration'
2. 'Do not hide your sin — bring it to light by confessing it to a trusted brother or sister who will pray with you'
3. 'Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective'
4. Confess your sins to God through a priest or elder — for God has given them authority to pronounce absolution

37. James uses Elijah to illustrate the power of prayer. What remarkable fact does he note about Elijah?

1. 'Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain'
2. Elijah prayed under a juniper tree in total despair — and God answered his prayer for death with a meal and a new commission
3. Elijah was the greatest prophet of Israel — his prayer was effective because of his unique spiritual standing before God
4. Elijah's prayer on Mount Carmel called down fire from heaven — this is the model for praying with bold faith

38. James 5:19-20 closes the letter with a focus on restoring a wandering believer. What does James say the one who brings back a sinner from wandering accomplishes?

1. 'Remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins'
2. They demonstrate the kind of faith James has been describing throughout the letter — faith that acts
3. They fulfil the law of love and earn a reward in the coming kingdom
4. They reflect the character of the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep

39. The letter of James ends with no personal greeting or farewell — it closes abruptly with verse 20. What does this suggest about its literary form?

1. James died before finishing the letter and it was completed by a disciple who used his notes
2. James was writing a sermon or homily in letter form — the absence of a farewell section is consistent with a document intended as a general exhortation rather than a personal correspondence
3. The abrupt ending is intentional — James wants the last thought (restoring wanderers) to be the reader's final impression
4. The ending was lost in transmission — the original letter had a conventional Pauline-style closing

40. Martin Luther famously called James an 'epistle of straw.' Why, and how do most scholars respond to his concern?

1. Luther doubted James's apostolic authorship — most scholars respond that the letter's early date and Palestinian context strongly support James the brother of Jesus as the author
2. Luther thought James contradicted Paul's teaching on justification by faith — most scholars respond that James and Paul are addressing different problems: Paul combats earning salvation through works; James combats a false claim to faith that produces no transformation
3. Luther thought James overemphasised community over individual salvation — scholars argue James is addressing corporate responsibility, not denying personal faith
4. Luther thought James was poorly written — scholars today disagree and rank it among the most literary books of the New Testament