Redating James
The Proof is in the Parallel

James (Ya'aqov) chapter 2 - RSV dates it at about 90 AD, thirty years after Ya'aqov was dead and 35 years after Galatians.  The following parallel makes it clear that Ya'aqov was actually written before 55 AD, certainly before Ya'aqov died in 62, possibly from an original source. 

Paul to the Galatians chapter 3 - RSV dates it at 55 AD -- we agree with this date.  Ya'aqov is still alive at this time.  It is obvious that Paul was following the text of Ya'aqov, which would strongly indicate a much earlier date for Ya'aqov's letter.

5. Listen, my beloved brethren. Has not Elohim chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those who love him? 

..

Make your own conclusions


 

Ya'aqov speaking of Paul:

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. But you have dishonored the poor man. 

4. But because of false brethren secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom which we have in the Anointed  Y'shua, that they might bring us into bondage 5. to them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 


 Paul speaks of Ya'aqov here as among the 'reputed':

 

6. And from those who were reputed to be something (what they were makes no difference to me; Elohim shows no partiality)--those, I say, who were of repute added nothing to me; 7. but on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8. (for he who worked through Peter for the mission to the circumcised worked through me also for the Gentiles, 
9. and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, Ya'aqov and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised; 10. only they would have us remember the poor, which very thing I was eager to do. 

Is it not the rich who oppress you, is it not they who drag you into court? 

Josephus and Clement make it clear that Paul was rich. 7. Is it not they who blaspheme the honorable name which was invoked over you? 8. If you really fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well. 9. But if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 

11. But when Cephas came to Antioch I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12. For before certain men came from Ya'aqov, he ate with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13. And with him the rest of the Jews acted insincerely, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their insincerity. 

10. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," said also, "Do not kill." If you do not commit adultery but do kill, you have become a transgressor of the law. 

12. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of freedom. 13. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy; yet mercy triumphs over judgment. 14. What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith save him? 

16. yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Y'shua the Anointed , even we have believed in the Anointed  Y'shua, in order to be justified by faith in the Anointed One, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. 17. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in the Anointed One, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is the Anointed One then an agent of sin? Certainly not! 18. But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. 

19. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to Elohim. 

20. Do you want to be shown, you shallow man, 

1. O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Y'shua the Anointed One was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? 3. Are you so foolish? Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4. Did you experience so many things in vain?-if it really is in vain. 

that faith apart from works is barren? 

5. Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? 

21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar? 22. You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works, 23. and the scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed Elohim, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness"; and he was called the friend of Elohim. 

6. Thus Abraham "believed Elohim, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 7. So you see that it is men of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8. And the scripture, foreseeing that Elohim would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." 9. So then, those who are men of faith are blessed with Abraham who had faith. 

24. You see that a man is justified by works  

10. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, and do them." 11. Now it is evident that no man is justified before Elohim by the law; for "He who through faith is righteous shall live"; 12. but the law does not rest on faith, for "He who does them shall live by them." 13. the Anointed One redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us-for it is written, "Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree"-- 

and not by faith alone.

14. that in the Anointed One Y'shua the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 

25. And in the same way was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 

15. To give a human example, brethren: no one annuls even a man's will, or adds to it, once it has been ratified. 

26. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead. 

24. So that the law was our custodian until the Anointed One came, that we might be justified by faith.

More Astounding Similarities

3:1. Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, 

6:6. Let him who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches. 

2. for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness. 

7. Do not be deceived; Elohim is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 

5. So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!

4. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 

13. Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 

10. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. 

14. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 
15. This wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 
16. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 

19. Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 
20. idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 
21. envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of Elohim. 

17. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. 

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23. gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. 24. And those who belong to the Anointed Y'shua have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 
25. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another. 

18. And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

9. And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. 

Chapter LXVIII: The Rule of Faith

“These sayings of Gamali-El did not much please Kayafa; and holding him in suspicion, as it seemed, he began to insinuate himself cunningly into the discussions: for, smiling at what Gamali-El had said, the chief of the kohenim asked of Ya’akov, the chief Mebakker, that the discourse concerning Moshiach should not be drawn but from the Scriptures; ‘that we may know,’ said he, ‘whether Y’shua be the very Moshiach or no.’ Then said Ya’akov, ‘We must first inquire from what Scriptures we are especially to derive our discussion.’ Then he, with difficulty, at length overcome by reason, answered, that it must be derived from Torah; and afterwards he made mention also of the naviïm.


Chapter LXIX: Two Comings of Moshiach

“To him our Ya’akov began to show, that whatsoever things the naviïm say they have taken from Torah, and what they have spoken is in accordance with Torah. He also made some statements respecting the scrolls of the Kings: in what way, and when, and by whom they were written, and how they ought to be used. And when he had discussed most fully concerning Torah, and had, by a most clear exposition, brought into light whatever things are in it concerning Moshiach, he showed by most abundant proofs that Y’shua is the Moshiach, and that in Him are fulfilled all the prophecies that related to His humble coming. For he showed that two comings of Him are foretold: one in humiliation, which He has accomplished; the other in glory, which is hoped for to be accomplished, when He will come to give the malkuth to those who believe in Him, and who observe all things that He has commanded. And when he had plainly taught the people concerning these things, he added this also: That unless a man be immersed in water, in the name of Y’shua, as Y’shua taught, he can neither receive remission of sins nor enter into the Malkuth Shamayim; and he declared that this is the prescription of the unbegotten Elohim. To which he added this also: ‘Do not think that we speak of two unbegotten Elohim, or that one is divided into two, or that the same is made male and female. But we speak of the only-begotten Son of YHWH, not sprung from another source, but born from YHWH’s bosom; and in like manner we speak of the Ruach.’ But when he had spoken some things also concerning mikvah, through seven successive days he persuaded all the people and the Kohen haGadol that they should hasten straightway to receive mikvah.


Chapter LXX: Tumult Raised by Shaul

“And when matters were at that point that they should come and be immersed, some one of our enemies, entering the Hekel with a few men, began to cry out, and to say, ‘What mean you, O men of Yisrael? Why are you so easily hurried on? Why are you led headlong by most miserable men, who are deceived by Shimon, a magician?’ While he was thus speaking, and adding more to the same effect, and while Ya’akov the Mebakker was refuting him, he began to excite the people and to raise a tumult, so that the people might not be able to hear what was said. Therefore he began to drive all into confusion with shouting, and to undo what had been arranged with much labor, and at the same time to reproach the kohenim, and to enrage them with revilings and abuse, and, like a madman, to excite every one to murder, saying, ‘What do you? Why do you hesitate? O sluggish and inert, why do we not lay hands upon them, and pull all these fellows to pieces?’ When he had said this, he first, seizing a strong brand from the altar, set the example of smiting. Then others also, seeing him, were carried away with like readiness. Then ensued a tumult on either side - of the beating and the beaten. Much blood is shed; there is a confused flight, in the midst of which that enemy attacked Ya’akov, and threw him headlong from the top of the steps; and supposing him to be dead, he cared not to inflict further violence upon him.


Chapter LXXI: Flight to Yericho

“But our friends lifted him up, for they were both more numerous and more powerful than the others; but, from their fear of YHWH, they rather suffered themselves to be killed by an inferior force, than they would kill others. But when the evening came the kohenim shut up the Hekel, and we returned to the house of Ya’akov, and spent the night there in prayer. Then before daylight we went down to Yericho, to the number of 5000 men. Then after three days one of the brethren came to us from Gamali-El, whom we mentioned before, bringing to us secret tidings that that enemy had received a commission from Kayafa, the Kohen haGadol, that he should arrest all who believed in Y’shua, and should go to Dameshek with his letters, and that there also, employing the help of the unbelievers, he should make havoc among the faithful; and that he was hastening to Dameshek chiefly on this account, because he believed that Kefa had fled thither. And about thirty days thereafter he stopped on his way while passing through Yericho going to Dameshek. At that time we were absent, having gone out to the sepulchers of two brethren that were whitened of themselves every year, by which miracle the fury of many against us was restrained, because they saw that our brethren were held in remembrance before YHWH.

 

The martyrdom of James, who was called the bar Mara

Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, pp. 75ff

BUT the Jews, after Paul had appealed to Caesar, and had been sent by Festus to Rome, frustrated in their hope of entrapping him by the snares they had laid, turn themselves against Ya'aqov, the brother of the Master, to whom the episcopal (mevaqqre's) seat at Jerusalem was committed by the apostles. The following were their nefarious measures also against him. Conducting him into a public place, they demanded that he should renounce the faith of the Anointed One before all the people; but contrary to the sentiments of all, with a firm voice, and much beyond their expectation, he declared himself fully before the whole multitude, and confessed that Y'shua the Anointed One was the Son of Elohim, our Savior and Lord. Unable to bear any longer the testimony of the man, who, on account of his elevated virtue and piety was deemed the most just of men, they seized the opportunity of licentiousness afforded by the prevailing anarchy, and slew him. For as Festus died about this time in Judea, the province was without a governor and head. But, as to the manner of Ya'aqov's death, it has been already stated in the words of Clement, that he was thrown from a wing of the temple, and beaten to death with a club. Hegesippus also, who flourished nearest the days of the apostles, in the fifth book of his Commentaries gives the most accurate account of him, thus:

   "But Ya'aqov, the brother of the Master, who, as there were many of this name, was surnamed the Just by all, from the days of our Lord until now, received the government of the church with the apostles. This apostle was consecrated from his mother's womb. He drank neither wine nor fermented liquors, and abstained from animal food. A razor never came upon his head; he never anointed with oil, and never used a bath. He alone was allowed to enter the sanctuary. He never wore woolen, but linen garments. He was in the habit of entering the temple alone, and was often found upon his bended knees, and interceding for the forgiveness of the people; so that his knees became as hard as camel's, in consequence of his habitual supplication and kneeling before Elohim. And indeed, on account of his exceeding great piety, he was called the Just, and Oblias (or Zaddick and Ozlcam), which signifies justice and protection of the people; as the prophets declare concerning him. 

   “Some of the seven sects, therefore, of the people, mentioned by me above in my Commentaries, asked him what was the door to Y'shua? and he answered, 'that he was the Savior.' From which, some believed that Y'shua is the Anointed One. But the aforesaid heresies did not believe either a resurrection, or that he was coming to give to every one according to his works; as many however, as did believe did so on account of Ya'aqov. As there were many therefore of the rulers that believed, there arose a tumult among the Jews, Scribes, and Pharisees, saying that there was danger, that the people would now expect Y'shua as the Messiah. They came therefore together, and said to Ya'aqov,

‘We entreat thee, restrain the people, who are led astray after Y'shua, as if he were the Anointed One. We entreat thee to persuade all that are coming to the feast of the passover rightly concerning Y'shua; for we all have confidence in thee. For we and all the people bear the testimony that thou art just, and thou respectest not persons. Persuade therefore the people not to be led astray by Y'shua, for we and all the people have great confidence in thee. Stand therefore upon a wing of the temple, that thou mayest be conspicuous on high, and thy words may be easily heard by all the people; for all the tribes have come together on account of the passover, with some of the Gentiles also.’

   “The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees, therefore, placed Ya'aqov upon a wing of the temple, and cried out to him, 'O thou just man, whom we ought all to believe, since the people arc led astray after Y'shua that was crucified, declare to us what is the door to Y'shua that was crucified.'

   “And he answered with a loud voice, ' Why do ye ask me respecting Y'shua the Son of Man? He is now sitting in the heavens, on the right hand of great Power, and is about to come on the clouds of heaven.' And as many were confirmed, and gloried in this testimony of Ya'aqov, and said, ‘Hosanna to the son of David,’ these same priests and Pharisees said to one another, 'We have done badly in affording such testimony to Y'shua, but let us go up and cast him down, that they may dread to believe in him.’”

   “And they cried out, 'Oil, oil, Justus himself is deceived,' and they fulfilled that which is written in Isaiah, 'Let us take away the just, because he is offensive to us; wherefore they shall cat the fruit of their doings.' Is. iii.  Going up therefore, they cast down the just man, saying to one another, 'Let us stone Ya'aqov the Just.' And they began to stone him, as he did not die immediately when cast down; but turning round, he knelt down saying, ' I entreat thee, O Yahweh Elohim and Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'

   “Thus they were stoning him, when one of the priests of the sons of Rechab, a son of the Rechabites, spoken of by Jeremiah the prophet, cried out saying, 'Cease, what are you doing? Justus is praying for you.' And one of them, a fuller, beat out the brains of Justus with the club that he used to beat out clothes. Thus he suffered martyrdom, and they buried him on the spot where his tombstone is still remaining, by the temple. He became a faithful witness, both to the Jews and Greeks, that Y'shua is the Anointed One. Immediately after this, Vespasian invaded and took Judea."

   Such is the more ample testimony of Hegesippus, in which he fully coincides with Clement. So admirable a man indeed was Ya'aqov, and so celebrated among all for his justice, that even the wiser part of the Jews were of opinion that this was the cause of the immediate siege of Jerusalem, which happened to them for no other reason than the crime against him. Josephus also has not hesitated to superadd this testimony in his works:

“These things," says he, "happened to the Jews to avenge Ya'aqov the Just, who was the brother of him that is called the Anointed One, and whom the Jews had slain, notwithstanding his pre-eminent justice."

   The same writer also relates his death, in the twentieth book of his Antiquities, in the following words:

"But Cesar having learned the death of Festus, sends Albinus as governor of Judea. But the younger Ananus, whom we mentioned before as obtaining the priesthood, was particularly rash and daring in his disposition. He was also of the sect of the Sadducees, which are the most unmerciful of all the Jews in the execution of judgment, as we have already shown. Ananus, therefore, being of this character, and supposing that he had a suitable opportunity, in consequence of the death of Festus, and Albinus being yet on the way, calls an assembly of the judges; and bringing thither the brother of Y'shua who is called the Anointed One, whose name was Ya'aqov, with some others, he presented an accusation against them, as if they had violated the law, and committed them to be stoned as criminals.

   “But those of the city that seemed most moderate and most accurate in observing the law, were greatly offended at this, and secretly sent to the king, entreating him to send to Ananus with the request not to do these things, saying that he had not acted legally even before. Some also went out to meet him as he came from Alexandria, and inform him that it was not lawful for Ananus to summon the sanhedrim without his knowledge. Albinus, induced by this account, writes to Ananus in a rage, and threatening that he would call him to an account. But king Agrippa, for the same reason, took from him the priesthood, after he had held it three months, and appointed Y'shua the son of Dammaeus his successor.”

   These accounts are given respecting Ya'aqov, who is said to have written the first of the epistles general, (catholic) but it is to be observed that it is considered spurious. Not many indeed of the ancients have mentioned it, and not even that called the epistle of Jude, which is also one of the seven called catholic epistles. Nevertheless we know, that these, with the rest, are publicly used in most of the churches.