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James and 1, 2, and 3 John

  1. Lesson One
    Overview of James
    18 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  2. Lesson Two
    James and Scripture
    19 Activities
  3. Lesson Three
    1 John
    21 Activities
  4. Lesson Four
    2 and 3 John
    21 Activities
  5. Lesson Five
    Proto-Gnosticism
    13 Activities
  6. Course Wrap-up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

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James and 1, 2, and 3 John Overview of James In | Literary Forms, Part 1
Lesson 1, Activity 10

In | Literary Forms, Part 1

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James is saying many things that we have already heard in the Bible. He’s also speaking in a similar manner. We’ve noted different literary forms throughout the Bible, and James makes use of many that are common to different books and authors. 

A few common literary forms are described below.

Beatitudes: These are most associated with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, but they appear in many other places in Scripture. A beatitude is an exalted declaration of blessing. An example from Proverbs: 

Blessed are those who listen to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway. 
Proverbs 8:34 NIV

Paradoxical sayings: These are sayings that put an unexpected twist on things we think we know. They tend to reverse values or situations that we tend to think of in a different way. An example from the Gospels: 

Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. 
Luke 14:11 NIV

Synonymous pairings: These statements repeat an idea in two consecutive statements that have the same meaning, in order to reinforce a message. For example:

Be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. 
Ecclesiastes 11:9 NIV

Statements of reciprocity: These describe things like faith and judgment in terms of mutual dependence, or more simply, with the sense of the maxim: “What goes around comes around.” One example: 

For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 
Matthew 7:2 NIV

On the following pages, you’ll complete multiple-choice questions that give you a verse from James with the four literary forms above as possible answers. Review the forms above once more before going on to the questions.

Reference: Richard Bauckham, James: Wisdom of James, disciple of Jesus the Sage, 1999, pp. 35-47.

Assessments