James (Ιακωβος). Grecised form (nominative absolute) of the Hebrew Ιακωβ (so LXX). Common name among the Jews, and this man in Josephus (Ant. XX.9.1) and three others of this name in Josephus also.

Servant (δουλος). Bond-servant or slave as Paul (Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1).

Of the Lord Jesus Christ (κυριου Ιησου Χριστου). Here on a par with God (θεου) and calls himself not αδελφος (brother) of Jesus, but δουλος. The three terms here as in James 2:1 have their full significance: Jesus is the Messiah and Lord. James is not an Ebionite. He accepts the deity of Jesus his brother, difficult as it was for him to do so. The word κυριος is frequent in the LXX for Elohim and Jahweh as the Romans applied it to the emperor in their emperor worship. See 1 Corinthians 12:3 for Κυριος Ιησους and Philippians 2:11 for Κυριος Ιησους Χριστος.

To the twelve tribes (ταις δωδεκα φυλαις). Dative case. The expression means "Israel in its fulness and completeness" (Hort), regarded as a unity (Acts 26:7) with no conception of any "lost" tribes.

Which are of the Dispersion (ταις εν τη διασπορα). "Those in the Dispersion" (repeated article). The term appears in Deuteronomy 28:25 (LXX) and comes from διασπειρω, to scatter (sow) abroad. In its literal sense we have it in John 7:34, but here and in 1 Peter 1:1 Christian Jews are chiefly, if not wholly, in view. The Jews at this period were roughly divided into Palestinian Jews (chiefly agriculturists) and Jews of the Dispersion (dwellers in cities and mainly traders). In Palestine Aramaic was spoken as a rule, while in the Western Diaspora the language was Greek (Koine, LXX), though the Eastern Diaspora spoke Aramaic and Syriac. The Jews of the Diaspora were compelled to compare their religion with the various cults around them (comparative religion) and had a wider outlook on life. James writes thus in cultural Koine but in the Hebraic tone.

Greeting (χαιρειν). Absolute infinitive (present active of χαιρω) as in Acts 15:23 (the Epistle to Antioch and the churches of Syria and Galatia). It is the usual idiom in the thousands of papyri letters known to us, but in no other New Testament letter. But note χαιρειν λεγετε in 2 John 1:10; 2 John 1:11.