STUDY OF THE EPISTLE OF JAMES 3. Date of the book The book was probably written by James before the Jerusalem Council in CE 49. One of the most compelling indications for an early date is James' silence in the Epistle regarding any reference to the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), which debated whether or not Gentile believers must observe the Mosaic law. Luke recounts (Acts 15) the council and its focus on how the gospel should be presented to the Gentiles without imposing unnecessary regulations on them. During the council, James declared, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” (Acts 15:19). An early date for James' composition, between AD 44 and 49, is supported by the council's scheduling. According to Jam 2:2, the church was still holding meetings in the synagogues, where "assembly" is sunagogen. Interestingly, James appears to embody a version of Christianity that was still centred around the Jewish synagogue culture entirely. Its worldview, vocabulary, and concerns suggest that it was the early state of formation of the church. In the book of James, there is no reference to the Jew-Gentile issue conflict. His leadership role in the early church has been well known. It was written before Paul's main missionary journey. All these suggest the date of writing of the Epistle of James to be around CE 44-49. #BibleStudy #EpistleOfJames #Scripture #Church