<p>1:16 <i>Be not deceived, my beloved brothers</i>- See on :15. This suggests there was some kind of &lsquo;deception&rsquo; circling around which the readership needed to be aware of. And surely it refers to the Judaist false teaching and the &ldquo;evil woman&rdquo; of the temple cult plaguing the Jewish converts to whom James is writing. The same word is used of &ldquo;them that seduce you&rdquo;, again in a Judaist context (see on 1 Jn. 2:26). So often there is the appeal by Paul and Peter to not be deceived, to resist the seduction of the Judaists. This was a major problem in the early Jewish churches. And James gives an interesting window onto that seduction, by portraying it was actually appealing to the flesh. The idea of ritualistic obedience, thereby freeing us up to act how we like in other areas, is terribly appealing. It explains why religion <i>per se</i> is so popular. But true Jesus-based spirituality is not like that.</p>