This paper explores the functional relationship between James 1:1–27 and 2:1–13. The book of James is broadly recognized as a cousin or descendant of the wisdom literature. That being said, James will be viewed from the perspective of moral formation or ethical education through the vehicle of moral imagination. In her 2017 article, “Wisdom’s Imagination: Moral Reasoning and the Book of Proverbs,” Anne Stewart observes three pedagogical devices—prototypes, metaphors, and imaginative reasoning—at play in Proverbs. This paper will prove that not only are these pedagogical devices for moral formation present in James but also they shed new light on the functional relationship between James 1 and 2.
According to my analysis, Jas 1 is where a set of prototypical instructions are provided. These instructions are not closely bound to a particular audience’s context of situation. Instead, it has more general relevance to the first-century Jewish diaspora communities of faith. What the author is mainly doing in Jas 1 is to deliver moral principles through general and metaphorical language. Then, in Jas 2:1-13, the audiences are invited to practice these instructions in hypothetical situations. By employing imaginative reasoning, the consequences of favoritism are explored. In this way, Jas 1:1-27 and 2:1-13 can be most effectively comprehended through the lens of moral imagination, which allows James to instill moral principles within his audience.