(A.D. 140) and Theophilus[4] (A.D. 180).

[Sidenote: When and where written.]

We have already seen that Palestine is the most likely place, and as
St. James lived at Jerusalem, the Epistle was probably written there.
The date has always been a hopeless problem to those who reject the
authenticity of the Epistle. That it was written by a heretic in
Palestine about A.D. 70, or by a Catholic at Rome about A.D. 90, or
that it represents a "Catholicized Paulinism" of A.D. 140, or that it
is a patchwork of homilies written soon after A.D. 120, are guesses
which have been made but not substantiated. The fact that it was
written before A.D. 62 is {231} self-evident if we admit that it was
written by St. James. But it is also corroborated by the fact that 1
Peter, written about A.D. 64, seems to show a knowledge of this
Epistle. Far more complicated is the question as to whether St. James
shows any knowledge of St. Paul's Epistles. He insists so pointedly on
the need of being justified _by works_ that some writers have thought
that he is attacking St. Paul's doctrine of justification _by faith_.
The idea must be dismissed. Such a masterly writer would not have
attacked what an apostle did not really hold. St. James, in attacking
a theory of justification by faith, is condemning a faith which means
only orthodox intellectual assent. St. Paul, in defending his doctrine
of justification by faith, is upholding a faith which implies energetic
and loving service. The two doctrines simply supplement one another.
When Luther called the Epistle to the Galatians his "wife" and called
the Epistle of St. James an "Epistle of straw," he simply showed that
he understood neither. St. James is not only not criticizing St. Paul;
he is perhaps not even criticizing a popular perversion of St. Paul's
doctrine. The question of the justification of Abraham was a favourite
subject of discussion among the Jews, and the teaching of our Lord had
shown the superiority of a living faith over dead works. There is no
difficulty in supposing that some Jewish believers were confused with
regard to these great matters before they had read a word of St. Paul's
letters. And to such men the Epistle of St. James might be of the
highest value.

In spite of this, there often seems to be a verbal connection between
this Epistle and those of St. Paul. The connection is admitted by
critics of the most different schools. Moreover, some are of opinion
t