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Why You Should Read More than the Bible Part 3: James 5:10-11 and Second Temple Texts
In James 5:10 the word ὑπόδειγμα hypodeigma, which translates example, model or copy, is found only two other times in the New Testament. An examination of its root δείκνυμι deiknymi, which translates to 'show', and its lexical field, the word group it exists within Greek, along with these other occurrences (Jn 13:15, 2 Pe 2:6) reveals that we are mainly able to translate it based upon its context and in relation to outside usage. A cross examination of Sirach 44:16 and 2 Maccabees 6:28 makes the translation of "example" with the meaning of "pattern/model" for our present text clear. Furthermore, Josephus, J.W. 6.2.1 gives even further attestation to the usage of this term that we find within the New Testament. Similarly, the tyrant Antiochus exhorts his troops using the example or model of the Maccabees, " For the tyrant Antiochus, when he saw the courage of their virtue and their endurance under the tortures, proclaimed them to his soldiers as an example (hypodeigma) for their own endurance" (4 Macc. 17:23); “Therefore, tyrant, put us to the test; and if you take our lives because of our religion, do not suppose that you can injure us by torturing us. For we through this severe suffering and endurance, shall have the prize of virtue and shall be with God, on whose account we suffer” (4 Macc. 9:8). Thus, the prophets were an example that form the basis of how we are to model our lives of faith. They show us the pattern we are meant to follow in Christ.
Our present term reflects the Maccabean tradition of the heroic example of the Jewish martyrs. In fact, the Greek itself parallels the Maccabean passage 4 Macc 9:8 "tēs kakopatheias kai hypomonēs." The phrase thus rendered "example of suffering" would refer to the prophet’s willingness to undergo persecution for the sake of the call of God, and those aware of the tradition would place the weight of the Maccabean suffering patiently for God’s sake on this dialogue as well.
This helps us to see why we need resources outside of the Bible, not only to translate the biblical text into English, but also to interpret those words correctly within their given contexts. This example does not end there, however, for verse 11 provides us with something all the more intriguing.
In v. 11 it states, "…You have heard of the longsuffering and patience of Job" (BE).[1] The word for "longsuffering and patience" is ὑπομονή hypomonē and it carries both of the meanings the Bible for Everyone uses above along with "expectation". The strange thing is that for anyone of us who has read the story of Job, "patience" and "longsuffering" (slow to anger) are not necessarily attributes of Job the reader is struck with even from the beginning of the story. However, the idea of these attributes being something applied to Job seems to be a striking echo of the apocryphal writing, the Testament of Job 1:5 which reads,
"I am your father Job, fully engaged in endurance. But you are a chosen and honored race from the seed of Jacob, the father of your mother."
Of course, if you read to the end of the story, Job does "endure". However, our present word does not simply imply endurance but also these other attributes we have discussed earlier. And in this tradition, along with others (see Aristeas the Exegete and Testament of Abraham), we find where the ideas come from, This helps us to better follow along with the reasoning of James’ argument in fusing together the imagery of Job, the Maccabean martyrs, and the prophets to teach us what the model of living for God really looks like, thus teaching us how we might live the way we should in accordance with our faith.
In going through this example, we have not only demonstrated why translators, and those who want to be sure of their exegesis, need texts outside the Bible, but also why the one who is reading the texts and trying to follow the argumentation through might need this information to follow the logic through completely as well. However, we would also like to point out that, as our ending note indicates, those who are not trained in the languages or skilled in finding parallels themselves, or who might not have the time, would benefit from secondary sources. Sources like theological dictionaries, commentaries, and encyclopedias, composed by those who have been given to the task of finding such parallels and expounding upon them, will aid you in your study. Therefore, when trying to understand the Scriptures, such resources can be invaluable to coming to correct final views of the text. This is why we should use original sources and the secondary material to aid us in our Bible study.
For more on this topic see "The Testament of Job: Job Becomes an Example of Patient Endurance" in deSilva, David A. The Jewish Teachers of Jesus, James, and Jude: What Early Christians Learned from the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha page 237.
Footnotes -
Goldingay, J., & Wright, T. (2018). The Bible for Everyone: A New Translation (Jas 5:10). London: SPCK.
Charlesworth, J. H. (1983). The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (Vol. 1, p. 839). New York; London: Yale University Press.