4Q417 1 i lines 1-9 and 4Q417 1 i lines 13b-18 are crucial for the study of revelation in 4QInstruction (cf. §4.2). The first passage includes a description of
the scope of meaning of the היהנ זר, and similarly, reasonable inferences can be
made about the וגהה ןוזח in the second passage.6 James, on the other hand, does
not contain any explicit descriptions of the nature of revelation, but an analysis of how revelation functions and what it enables its recipients to do may provide insights. In this way, it may be possible to say something substantial about what is at the core of this revelation.
James 1:5 reads: “If any of you is lacking in wisdom [ὑµῶν λείπεται
σοφίας], ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudingly [αἰτείτω παρὰ
6 A thorough discussion of 4QInstruction’s revelation and the meaning of היהנ זר and וגהה ןוזח is
τοῦ διδόντος θεοῦ πᾶσιν7ἁπλῶς8καὶ µὴ ὀνειδίζοντος], and it will be given to
you [καὶ δοθήσεται αὐτῷ].”9 James 1:5 makes clear that it is God who gives
wisdom. This idea of the “giving” of wisdom brings Argall’s earlier evaluation of the phrase “to give wisdom” being a technical expression for Enoch’s
revelation to mind.10 James 1:5 may then be understood as emphasizing that it is
God who gives/reveals wisdom. Similarly, Mariam Kamell Kovalishyn argues that James 1:5 “shows influence of the apocalyptic genre, wherein the visionary would be plead for God’s revelation, and in response to their fervency, a vision
would be granted”11
The heavenly origins of God’s giving of wisdom are affirmed in James 1:17: “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above [ἂνωθένἐστιν], coming down from the Father of Lights, with whom there is no
variation or shadow due to change.”12 Kamell Kovalishyn argues that the
connection between σοφία and 1:17 is supported by the three uses of ἂνωθεν in
7 πᾶσιν is not to be understood as univeral, it refers to those who ask in faith (cf. Jas 1:6-8). Cf.
Allison, James, 173.
8 The word ἁπλῶς has provoked much discussion. Dibelius shows that it can have two meanings:
(1) in/with kindness or (2) unreservedly. He opts for latter translation, as does Davids. See Dibelius, James, 77-79; Davids, The Epislte of James, 72. Cf. Hartin, James and the Q Sayings of Jesus, 87.
9 James 1:5 reminds a number of scholars of LXX 2 Chron 1:7-13 as three key words run
throughout both: σοφία, αἰτέω and δίδωµι. For Kloppenborg, for example, the similarities between James 1:5 and LXX 2 Chron 1:7-13 suffice that the author of James “has constructed the ethos of the speaker by invoking the figure of Solomon, who stands behind ‘James’ and whose virtues James evinces: he, like Solomon, knows how to obtain wisdom-by prayer to a god who rewards ungrudgingly; he, like Solomon, shows an abiding concern for the poor and he understands that justice involves defending the poor against rich aggressors; and he, besting the Deuteronomist’s Solomon, is insistent that wisdom must always be practiced in the context of Torah observance.” Kloppenborg, “Discourse Analysis,” 265.
10 Argall, 1 Enoch and Sirach, 33-35.
11 Mariam J. Kamell Kovalishyn, “James and Apocalyptic Wisdom,” in The Jewish Apocalyptic Tradition and the Shaping of New Testament Thought (eds. Benjamin E. Reynolds and Loren T. Stuckenbruck; Minneapolis: Fortress, 2017), 293-306, 295.
12 Davids argues that, in James, a parallel is present between desire’s actions leading to death and
God’s actions leading to life. This is similar to Romans 7-8 where evil seems to function as the counterforce to the evil yetzer and to produce life where death once reigned. Davids, James, 55. See Chapter Six.
James; she notes that it first appears in connection with the good gifts in 1:17,
while in both 3:15 and 3:17 the adverb is paired with wisdom (i.e. σοφία
ἂνωθεν).13 That this wisdom has been revealed and its otherworldly origins have been established in turn indicates that the apocalyptic topos of revelation is interwoven into the discussion. James’ participation in the apocalyptic sphere is thus affirmed.
For Bauckham, the wisdom of James is “a creative development of the Jewish wisdom tradition decisively inspired and shaped by the wisdom of Jesus”,14 but notes that the idea of having to ask for wisdom (i.e. 1:5), breaks
with convention.15 Traditional Jewish literature typically emphasizes a long and
intensive search for wisdom (e.g, Prov 2:1-5; 8:34; Sir 6:18-37; 39:1-7; Wis 6:9-
16), whereas this is not the case in James.16 For now, it is interesting to signpost
a difference between James and 4QInstruction; that is to say, the two writings
differ on this point because the addressee of 4QInstruction is exhorted to
continually pursue the היהנ זר. The former instruction may be seen in terms of
being more representative of this long and intensive search for wisdom.
However, as will be established, other dimensions of 4QInstruction’s portrayal
of wisdom are far from what one comes to expect of the realm of traditional wisdom literature.
13 Kamell Kovalishyn, “James and Apocalyptic Wisdom,” 296.
14 Bauckham describes his aim as establishing whether James’ wisdom has been decisively
shaped by the distinctive character and emphasis of Jesus. He concludes: “our account of the way James’ wisdom corresponds to the major characteristics and points of focus and emphasis which give the Synoptic teaching of Jesus its distinctiveness has included virtually every significant topic and concern in the letter of James.” See Bauckham, James, 107. However, in the case of Jas 1:5, Allison argues that it represents a separation from the Jesus tradition. Jas 1:5 is similar to Matt 7:7-8 and Luke 11:9-10, and Allison therefore asks why, in Jas 1:5, did the author not write “’If any of you lacks in wisdom, let him, as our Lord Jesus taught, ask God, who gives to all men generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given to you’? Maybe James did not appeal to Jesus as an authority for his sentences because Jesus was not an authority recognized by all of his audience.” Dale C. Allison, “The Audience of James and the Sayings of Jesus,” in James, 1&2 Peter and Early Jesus Traditions (eds. Alicia Batten and John S. Kloppenborg; London: Bloomsbury, 2014), 58-77, 77. See §5.1.1.
15 Bauckham, James, 111.
Similarly, Hartin argues that the portrayal of wisdom being a gift from
God in 1:5 is consistent with the Jewish wisdom tradition,17 and hence he
considers 1:5 as bolstering the view that “God is always committed to his people
and they can always be confident in approaching him.”18 Penner’s analysis
focuses on the occurrence of 1:5 and what precedes it. According to Penner, it can be reasonably inferred from 1:2-4 that the double-minded who request wisdom will be denied as this group is unrighteous and underserving of God’s
wisdom.19 While Penner’s argument is supportable, it is surprising that,
considering the focus his monograph places on eschatology, he does not engage with the revelatory nature of this wisdom.
Kamell Kovalishyn’s contribution was mentioned above, and in this present context, it may be considered especially significant because she is one of the few scholars who seriously engages with the apocalyptic dimension of 1:5. Already noted is her reasoning that the idea of having to ask for wisdom, which is present in James 1:5, conveys an apocalyptic genre influence, but equally noteworthy is her argument that while wisdom cannot be directly identified with the intermediaries of apocalyptic literature, “it is significant that James very
clearly highlights that one cannot understand God’s will and ways without his
wisdom, which only comes from his presence.”20 For Kamell Kovalishyn then,
wisdom in James is a medium of transformation and thus takes on the role of an
otherworldly mediator.21 Therefore, when discussing the wisdom present in
James, she refers to it as “apocalyptic wisdom.”
As such, a person can come to know and follow the path of righteousness through the revelation that is offered in 1:5. While James makes clear that one asks for wisdom, nowhere in the writing are we informed how wisdom is received, that is, by what means God gives wisdom. Despite this ambiguity James leaves the reader with the impression that God can somehow instruct the
17 See Sir 1:1. 26, 17:11; 24:2; 39:6; Wis 7:7, 15; 8:21; 9:4. 18 Hartin, James and the Q Sayings of Jesus, 87.
19 Penner, James and Eschatology, 203. See §6.4.
20 Kamell Kovalishyn, “James and Apocalyptic Wisdom,” 298. 21 Kamell Kovalishyn, “James and Apocalyptic Wisdom,” 298.
faithful.22 A similar theme is encountered in the Hebrew Bible where this idea
develops into an eschatological expectation.23
Kamell Kovalishyn’s contributions remind us that, in James, the exhortation to ask for wisdom occurs immediately after the mention of ongoing trials (1:2-4), which seems to imply that this wisdom provides an antidote to such trials.24 Therefore, James 1:5 is best interpreted in relation to its surrounding verses, contra Dibelius who argues that any connection between 1:2-4 and 1:5-8
is purely superficial.25 Allison maintains that while “vv.2-4 culminate in talk of
‘perfection’ (ἔργον τέλειον, τέλειοι), vv. 5-8 close in talk of being ‘double-
minded’ (δίψυχος), and the latter is, in James, the opposite of the former.’26 To
be “perfect” is to be “complete”, “whole”, and “undivided”, while the opposite to this is being “double-minded” and suffering divided faith and/or loyalties. 1:2-4 and 1:5-8 may thus be considered as portraying the contrasting traits and personalities of those among James’ audience. 1:2-4 sets up the ethical and eschatological goal, while 1:6-8 warns of all that stands in the way of reaching this goal.27
Understood in the above terms, it is reasonable to suggest that 1:5 is the most important verse within this pericope because it refers to the means as to how one may become/remain “complete” and avoid being “double-minded”. People of divided loyalties will not be included among God’s righteous community (cf. §6.2.2.). James 1:2-8 speaks of testing and trials, but enduring these trials and remaining steadfast is made possible through the revelation of
1:5.28 Successfully enduring these tests and trials demonstrates an unwavering
22 Philo displays a similar thinking. See Philo, Cher, 127-128. Cf. Allison, James, 177. 23 E.g. see Isa 2:2-4; 3-:20-21; Jer 31:31-34.
24 See §6.2.
25 Allison, James, 77. 26 Allison, James, 166. 27 Cf. Allison, James, 166.
28 A number of scholars have speculated as to whether James 1:2-8 is responding to a particular
situation. Macknight, for example, suggests these verses are referring to “those Jews who were not resolved whether they would adhere to the law or the gospel”, while Martin supposes that “the readers are facing real problems arising from persecution”. See James Macknight, A New Literal Translation from the Original Greek of all the Apostolical Epistles (Grand Rapids: Baker Books House, 1841), 587; Ralph P. Martin, James (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers,1988),
loyalty to God on the part of the recipient,29 and leads to a “perfected work” (cf.
1:22-25).30 Allison’s description of the wisdom of 1:5 is worth noting; he
describes it as “a gift, enabling one, notwithstanding circumstances, to know and,
above all, to do God’s will.”31 Therefore, in James, wisdom is a gift from God
(cf. 1:17), and may also be viewed as an intermediary to reveal his will and character. The revelation of James 1:5 does more than provide information; on
the contrary, it encourages action in terms of doing the logos and enables wise
living.
Throughout James there is an emphasis on doing: revelation enables one to live wisely, and in this sense, revelation may be considered ongoing. 1:22-25 makes clear that acting in accordance with this revelation is more important than
hearing it (i.e., it credits doers who act and condemns hearers who forget).32
Similar to 1:2-8, in 1:22-25 two types of people are being compared.33 The
author is clear that being a doer is the favoured option.34 Allison argues that the
central point of these verses is to teach “that knowledge without corresponding action is worthless.”35 It is thus credible to suggest that the revelation of 1:5 provides the recipient with a fuller understanding of the importance of the required corresponding actions, while also providing a better understanding of
17, respectively. Cf. Allison, James, 166. It needs to be noted that such suggestions remain guesswork.
29 Arguing James 1:2-4, 12 is representative of the opening of the main body of James, Penner
suggests the overall theme of the epistle is summarized in these verses; the writer is concerned with the end time trials in which the readers find themselves in. If the believer endures the trials, then steadfast results; testing takes place to affirm one is loyal to what has been revealed by God (cf. Deut 8:2; Jer 12:3; Prov 17:3). In James and Eschatology, 200, he writes: “The testing is intended to prove (δοκίµιον, δόκιµος) that the faith of the individual is pure and unfaltering so that the believer may be saved at the judgment which is soon to take place.” Similar themes are also encountered in the second chapter of Sirach, but a fundamental difference exists, in Sirach the vindication of the righteous is portrayed as occurring in this-worldly terms, whereas in James these themes are placed in an eschatological context (e.g. see Jas 1:12).
30 Cf. Allison, James, 156. 31 Allison, James, 170.
32 Cf. Matt 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49; Rom 2:13.
33 Moo regards 1:22 to be “the best known verse in the letter.” Moo, The Letter of James, 89. 34 Cf. Davids, The Epistle of James, 98.
this external knowledge (3:13). In other words, the revelation appears to have a cosmological dimension and is not abstract. The knowledge that this revelation offers may include some kind of information concerning ethical and moral instructions, but also seems to extend beyond this. Being aware of and informing one’s actions in light of these moral instructions will result in the addressees
receiving eschatological rewards (cf. 1:12),36 and being included in God’s
righteous community.37
The emphasis James places on action is noteworthy. This suggests that revelation in James is interwoven with positive action. This is an important point
of comparison with 4QInstruction because, as we shall see (in §4.2.3.),
revelation in 4QInstruction is also linked with distinguishing between good and
evil, and with living wisely. Hence, in 4QInstruction, the idea of action is also
key (e.g. 4Q417 1 i lines 6-8). Therefore, at this point we can tentatively argue that living a wise life is portrayed by both of these authors, but especially by James, as being achieved by ethical actions that are informed by God’s revelation. If revelation is understood in this way then this does not necessarily mean that this revelation only contains some kind of knowledge per se; while it seems to be the case that this revelation provides knowledge that enables one to discern between right and wrong and act accordingly, it is equally possible that the request for revelation in 1:5 also conveys a genuine request on the part of a recipient asking for God’s assistance to live wisely. The exact form that this assistance takes on remains somewhat ambiguous, but its presence is nonetheless affirmed.