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The Epistle of James speaks about wisdom in two places, 1:5 and 3:13-18, whereby the second place is a kind of treatise on wisdom, although this whole New Testament book is embroidered with sapiential elements. By using primarily rhetoric and semantic analysis, the author focuses on those two places in James's epistle in order to cast light on James's understanding of wisdom, i.e., to try to discern what is wisdom for the writer of James's epistle, where does it come from, what it consists of, and what is its purpose. The first part discusses wisdom as a gift of God (Jas 1:5): wisdom is essentially related to temptations and faith, as discussed in the introductory part of the epistle (Jas 1:2-12), and one has to ask God for it with faith and without hesitation (1:5-8). Although this is not entirely evident, the relation between temptations, perseverance, and perfection in faith (1:2-4), on the one hand, and seeking wisdom from God (1:5-8), on the other hand, is not only literal but also essential: as one has to persevere in temptations and striving towards perfection without hesitation and doubting, so it is with seeking wisdom from God, whereby seeking is constantly in the state of temptation, consisting of thinking that one has already achieved wisdom. Those who lack wisdom, i.e., everybody, have to seek it from God - the only source of true wisdom - who will give it to those who seek with confidence and without doubt, because God »gives generously to all without findingfault« (1:5). In the second part of the article, the author analyses James's treatise on wisdom (Jas 3:13-18), i.e., his subtle differentiation between wisdom from above and wisdom from below. Criteria of wisdom and a precise description of characteristics of true (from above) and fake (from below) wisdom clearly point to what wisdom is for James, what it consists of, and what is its purpose, i.e., why is it so important for the harmonious life of the Christian community, i.e., for righteousness and peace. In his analysis, the author is paying special attention to unusual and sometimes unclear linguistic expressions used in James's epistle to describe these two mutually opposed wisdoms - whereby wisdom from below is not a true but pseudo-wisdom - in order to cast light on James's discourse on wisdom, whose importance overshadows his work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is one of the papers on Biblical anthropology presented at the symposium of Croatian Biblical scholars that was held in Zagreb on October 26-27, 2018. Along with most recent commentators, the author accepts that the core of the Epistle of Jakob has been written by historical Jakob, who died as a martyr in Jerusalem around the year 62. The Epistle was later edited for Jews and Christians in diaspora by one of Jakob's associates who was well-familiarised with the Greek language and rhetorics. The Epistle is essentially a wisdom writing of the New Testament, in which the inspired author has been influenced by Sirach and other wisdom writings of the Old Testament, but also shows awareness of Jesus's teaching on the greatest commandment and on God's fondness for the poor. The author analyses Jakob's faith and teaching on human beings as God's free creations who need to be patient in hardships of life and seek strength for perseverance in prayer, in three parts: a) created in the image of God, supported by the law of freedom (3:9-10; 1:17), b) as creatures dependent on God, human beings are called to perseverance in temptations, to mastering their lust, and to seeking wisdom from above (1:9-11; 1:2-4.13-15; 1:5-7; 3:13-17); c) in life's hardships patient, in illness dependent of the community (5:7-11.13-16). Jakob's sapiential anthropology is a continuation of the teaching of the Old Testament sages and a contribution to ethical living of the »tribes of diaspora« among their predominantly pagan co-citizens of the Roman Empire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]