James: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (BECNT) - Verse-by-Verse Evangelical Bible Study for Pastors, Teachers & Seminary Students - Perfect for Sermon Preparation & Biblical Research

Impressive that someone can write a 300 page book about a book that's five short chapters. McCartney does a terrific job providing and explaining reference to the original Greek as well as a thorough review of other commenters, both ancient and modern. That's one of the reasons for the Baker series and it's done well. He provides both the actual Greek, in Greek letters for those who are fond of it (a struggle for me), and a more accessible transliteration. So, at times this is a bit of a slog, but worth the effort.One short, and incomplete example from the classic "faith without works": "Another rhetorical question begins 2:20, this one addressed to the hypothetical interlocutor as 'vain human.' A certain play on words is evident in Greek because the word for 'vain' (Greek word, kenos) also means 'empty.' The one who claims to separate faith and works is an 'empty human' because he or she has an empty faith, just as a body without a spirit is empty (2:26)." (page 161)