A Strategy for a Metaphorical Reading of the Epistle of James

This study examines how metaphorical concepts hold together the epistle of James and how these concepts communicate meaning and present argument to the reader. The author looks at five strategies involved with the use of metaphors: (1) how the metaphors form the thematic or argumentative core of the text; (2) how they reflect the writer’s argument; (3) how they take advantage of the audience’s background; (4) how they are created by the use of intentional statements; and finally, (5) how metaphors create unity within various sections and how the pattern of metaphors provides a unity between various sections. A Strategy for a Metaphorical Reading of the Epistle of James provides a new view of the epistle by emphasizing the need to see the big picture.
This thorough and thought-provoking analysis is an excellent tool to be used alongside linguistic, historical and exegetical scrutiny of the epistle. It is highly appropriate for classes in biblical criticism or the Epistle of James, as well as classes on metaphoric criticism and textual criticism.