62 Huub van de Sandt wording was inspired by the major transgression in Did 3,3. James’ discussion is based less on the supposed activities of his addressees than on his intensification of the argument in the teknon section. By equating the gravity of major legal transgressions and an obviously minor offence, he established a higher standard of liability for his readers (66). James’ instruction is even more rigorous than the supra-legal conduct prevalent in the pious environment of the Hassidim and the teaching in Did 3,1-6. In the Derekh Erets the basic rule of avoiding minor offences is meant to prevent a person from indulging in major transgressions, thereby eliminating the root cause of murder and adultery, respectively. James starts from the other side. By stressing the major transgressions he makes clear that perpetrating major sins equals all attitudes and actions which potentially lead to such acts. In James’ moral approach to the law, armed conflict, murder and adultery happen among his readers because they allow desire to entice them into minor offences (67). Department of Theology Huub VAN DE SANDT and Religious Studies Tilburg University P.O. Box 90153 NL-5000 LE Tilburg (66) There are obvious agreements with the statements of principle (5,17-20) plus the so-called antitheses (5,21-48) in the Gospel of Matthew; see VAN DE SANDT – FLUSSER, The Didache, 193-237. Because a comparison between James and Matthew in this respect would exceed the scope of this contribution, this subject will be dealt with elsewhere. (67) Other major points at which James exceeds the Two Ways imagery — and especially that of the teknon section — are the following. First, unlike the procedure in Did 3,1-6, mentioning each specific minor transgression and the major wrongdoing it gives birth to, James focuses on ejpiqumiva as the ultimate vice responsible. For James it is “desire”, the internal, psychological temptation, that comes first. Second, James emphasizes the God-given ability of a transformed heart to discern and to carry out God’s will. One cannot master the right road without God’s help. The Torah is internalised by the gift of wisdom. As the “implanted word” (1,21), wisdom brings regeneration and rebirth. James distinguishes true and false wisdom, the one “from above” and the other “from the world” (3,13-18). Throughout the letter, and particularly in 4,1-6, he emphasizes God’s role as the source of good things. The humble person is the one who trusts God and divine control of his life. It is not by way of sating one’s own desires (to; ejpiqumei'n), but by simply asking (to; aijtei'sqai) that one can go about “having” or “obtaining” things (Jas 4,3). One must depend humbly, simply and wholly upon God.