Augustus Neander began his religious studies in speculative theory, but his changing interests led him to the study of church history. As he became more invested in his historical studies, he embarked on a mission to put together a substantial work of practical commentaries on a selection of books from the Bible. His Epistle of James Practically Explained is one part of this larger project. In his commentary on James' epistle, Neander shows us James' personality as well as the nature of the churches he worked with. Little is known about the specific church to which James' epistle is addressed, but Neander explains that the Christians were of exclusively Jewish descent. As a result of their firm roots in Jewish theology, several confusions were generated about the truth of the Messiah amongst these Jewish converts. It was James' aim in his epistle to share the nature of true religion with his correspondents. Through his systematic commentary, Neander is able to help readers discover new meaning in the message of James' epistle.

Emmalon Davis
CCEL Staff Writer