1. Why James Doesn't Mention Jesus
Who wrote the epistle of James? The fact that the author of this letter states only that he was "James" – without telling his audience which James he was – indicates, just as early Christian tradition affirms, that he was James the brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55). This was the James who, after his conversion, became chief apostle of the New Testament Church in Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; 15:13-21; 21:17-19; etc.). But some critics have claimed that because Jesus is not mentioned anywhere in this epistle beyond its initial greeting, it could hardly have been produced by Jesus' own brother.
Ultimately, if we believe in the inspiration of the Bible, it does not really matter which James wrote this letter, but the idea that it could not have been written by Jesus' brother is based on a lack of understanding of the epistle itself. The fact that its author is clearly an important figure in the early Church, but one who modestly avoids a direct statement of which of the numerous individuals named James he was, suggests the likelihood of his relation to Jesus, and the epistle's avoidance of mentioning Jesus directly can be seen from this same perspective.
In any case, although Jesus is not named specifically throughout the letter, his presence is clear within the epistle, nonetheless. James presents his readers with some 60 requirements for right behavior in the space of the 108 verses in his short letter – more than one moral principle for every two verses. Where do these exhortations come from? Almost all of them come directly from the teachings of Jesus himself.
Interestingly, James focuses most on the teachings Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount. Almost half the material in his epistle shows similarities with almost half the verses in Jesus' mountaintop sermon. Consider the clear similarities in the following statements by Jesus and by James (ESV cited throughout):
Oaths Jesus: "… I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King… Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil" (Matthew 5:34-37). James: "… do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your 'yes' be yes and your 'no' be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation" (James 5:12). Fruits Jesus: "You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" (Matthew 7:16). James: "Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? …" (James 3:12). Trials Jesus: "Blessed are those who are persecuted … Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12). James: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" (James 1:2). Gifts Jesus: "Ask, and it will be given to you… If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7-11).
James: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him… Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" (James 1:5, 17). Treasures Jesus: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal" (Matthew 6:19). James: "Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded … You have laid up treasure in the last days…" (James 5:2-3). These few examples show the amazing level to which the words of Jesus are found in the epistle of James. But we should notice that not a single one of the examples we have given has identical wording that would show direct borrowing from the Gospel accounts of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) or the parallel Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17-49). Rather, the words of Jesus in James indicate the reporting of someone who knew Jesus and his teachings well, but who – as would be the case with James the brother of Jesus – was not present to hear the Sermon on the Mount itself (John 7:5).
Far from not being found in the epistle of James, the presence of Jesus is seen throughout this important letter in the words and core teachings of Christ that James knew and recorded.