Editing Epistle of James (section)

=== Traditional authorship ===
[[File:Fülep_Lajos_Baja.JPG|thumb|Memorial to [[Lajos Fülep]], quoting James 3:17, "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."]]
[[File:Bible beasts and birds - a new edition of illustrations of scripture by an animal painter (1886) (14727352766).jpg|thumb|1886 drawing by [[Jemima Blackburn]], quoting James 3:3–6]]
The link between James the brother of Jesus and the epistle continued to strengthen, and is now considered the traditional view on the authorship of the work. The traditional view can be divided into at least three further positions that relate also to the date of the epistle:<ref>{{Cite book |last=McCartney |first=Dan |title=James, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament |publisher=Baker Academic |year=2009 |isbn=978-0801026768 |location=Michigan |pages=14–18}}</ref>

# The historical James wrote the letter prior to the Galatians controversy (Galatians 2:11–14), and prior to the Jerusalem council (Acts 15);
# The historical James wrote the letter in response to Paulinism of some sort;
# The historical James wrote his letter after the events recorded in Galatians and Acts, but is not in dialogue with Paul or Paulinism.

Many who affirm traditional authorship think James had a sufficient proficiency in Greek education to write the letter himself.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bauckham |first=Richard |title=James: Wisdom of James, disciple of Jesus the sage |publisher=Routledge |year=1999 |isbn=9780415103701 |location=London |pages=24}}</ref> Some argue that James the brother of Jesus made use of an [[amanuensis]], which explains the quality of Greek in the letter. Dan McCartney notes this position has garnered little support.<ref>McCartney, ''James'', 28-29.</ref> Others have advocated for a two-stage composition theory, in which many sayings in the epistle originate with James the brother of Jesus. They were collected by James' disciples and redacted into the current form of the letter.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Davids |first=P. H. |title=The Brother of Jesus: James the Just and His Mission |publisher=John Knox Press |year=2001 |isbn=0664222994 |veditors= |location=Kentucky |pages=66–67 |chapter=James's Message: The Literary Record}}</ref>

[[John Calvin]] and others suggested that the author was the James, son of Alphaeus, who is referred to as James the Less (often identified as James the "brother" of Jesus). The Protestant reformer [[Martin Luther]] denied it was the work of an [[Twelve apostles|apostle]] and termed it an "epistle of straw".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/history/7_ch04.htm|title=HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH*|website=www.ccel.org}}</ref>

The [[Sacred tradition|Holy Tradition]] of the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] teaches that the Book of James was "written not by either of the apostles, but by the 'brother of the Lord' who was the first bishop of the Church in Jerusalem."<ref name="OCA" />