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James 1:1
1 James [Iakobos], a servant [doulos] of God [theos] and [kai] of the Lord [kurios] Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos], to the twelve [dodeka] tribes [phule] which [en] are scattered abroad [diaspora], greeting [chairo]. KJV-Interlinear
1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad, greetings. NASB
From the fall, to the Assyrians, of the Northern Kingdom, also called Israel in its day, where the northern ten tribes disappeared forever from history, to the fall of Judah to the Babylonian Empire, to the final dispersion of Judah at the hand of Rome in 70 A.D., even to our present day, the Jewish people have lived and established permanent residences, in foreign lands all across the planet.
At the time of this writing, which we presume to be around 45 A.D., and prior to the Roman sacking of Jerusalem and the cities of Judah in 70 A.D., here James writes to Jewish peoples who have lived continually in foreign lands, for centuries.
There were originally thirteen tribes, but remember that the Tribe of Levi did not possess any territory as they were a Priesthood and responsible for the maintenance of the scriptures.
We have several references to the Jews living in foreign lands. Even as early as the book of Esther under a king of Persia, the Jewish peoples lived in diverse places from Ethiopia to India.
Ezek. 11:16
16 'Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord God,' Though I had removed them far away among the nations, and though I had scattered them among the countries, yet I was a sanctuary for them a little while in the countries where they had gone. '' NASB
Est. 3:8
8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, 'There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people, and they do not observe the king's laws, so it is not in the king's interest to let them remain. NASB
Acts 2:5
5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven. NASB
Not all Jewish people who had been disbursed in wars and such, returned to Judah, when the opportunity presented itself.
Many of these were the faithful, who carried with them copies of the scriptures. Copies in whatever form they had in their day, for dissemination to people. They were Jews who looked to the coming savior, but were not present in Judah when that time in history arrived.
There are two kinds of Jews. The first are those who have believed in the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. People who believe that He is the promised Messiah and has already come. Then there are those who have rejected Christ, and are still waiting for Him to come.
The first group are of course Christians and saved.
The latter group still pursue Judaism, and the many regulations it imposes on its followers. They are still waiting for a savior to come and not necessarily to save them, but to redeem them for their pursuit of their human effort by keeping the law and the many moral codes contained within Judaism. These are unbelievers and have missed the whole point of the Old Testament scriptures.
Though all Jews may be genetic descendants from Abraham, however salvation and the family and nation of God is not genetic, but spiritual. Faith in Christ enters you into that family and nation, not physical human birth.
Many if not most of these Jewish peoples, have lived lives under oppression and prejudice, and have been persecuted during their lives. And it is to these folks that this book is primarily addressed, but likewise, since the book is addressed to all believers who may or will be exposed to suffering, it is addressed to all of us as well.
James addresses God the Father, and Christ, who are both God. The former, the Father, who is acknowledged by all Jewish peoples, but specifically to the Lord, who is the only means of access to the Father.
