Do you know what do the Bible books James and Jude have in common? They were both written by Jesus’ earthly siblings. The book of James was written by the brother of Jesus by the same name mentioned in Mark 6:3 and we also see him as one of the leaders in the early church (Acts 12:17 and 15: 13). The book of Jude was written by another brother of Jesus referred to more commonly as Judah or Judas (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3). They both were among the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 1: 14).
Let us now take a quick look at the books that these brothers wrote.
Firstly, the book of James, oft compared to the book of the Old Testament Proverbs, and it is exactly that. As much as I love the in depth truths and narratives in the Bible, sometimes it is so refreshing just to get a little bit of practical wisdom. At the very start, readers are encouraged to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5). This wisdom that one should seek is not limited to any single or specific area in life. It is applicable to all areas – life, home, workplace, church, relationships, social situations. What an incredible open invitation to ask and receive. And what is the only condition? Do not doubt (1:6-8).
Having laid that strong foundation for the source of true wisdom, James that quickly addresses several topics that range from handling personal trials, keeping guard over one’s tongue, matters of faith and actions, trusting the Lord, yielding to His will, not being proud, praying for sick. I cannot possibly even attempt to summarize them all here but these 5 chapters are well worth the complete read.
And while we take a look at this amazing book jam packed with nuggets of wisdom, we can secondly also look at what Jude has to say. This is a very short book that fits into just 23 verses but contains a powerful one-two punch. Apart from the opening greetings and the closing charge in the last few verses, Jude is primarily warning the readers against the power of the ungodly who have crept into their fold. And he does this using several references to the scripture to draw lessons from those examples. Definitely worth the read.
So what are you waiting for? Go ahead. Dig in and savor these two marvels this week.
Weekly Summary
One must seek godly wisdom and heed to the divine instruction that comes from it in order to live a life worthy of being a follower of Christ without getting swayed.
Weekly Reading Plan
And now here is the weekly plan for you to read through these books
Don’t forget to use the template I shared previously to help you on this journey. Also, check out my resources page where I explain this template a little more.
Digging Deeper
If you want to dig deeper here are some of my suggestions:
- Use the above schedule to read through all of the text
- Read Proverbs 1-9 and see what parallelisms you can draw with the words of wisdom there to the book of James.
- Look up each of the Old Testament references made in Jude to understand their true significance.
- Optional (if you want to really read through the Bible in a year): Read Psalm 138-141.
And that is it for week 47!
Happy Bible Learning!
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