Why didn't James, an apostle, write any epistles like Peter and John?

The New Testament contains many letters or epistles that were written by various apostles and early Christian leaders. Among these, the letters of Peter and John are well-known and widely read. However, one apostle who did not write any epistles is James, the brother of Jesus. So, why didn’t James write any epistles like Peter and John?

One possible reason why James did not write any epistles is that he was primarily focused on leading the church in Jerusalem. According to Acts 15, James played a key role in the decision to welcome Gentiles into the church without requiring them to follow Jewish customs. This decision was a significant one that had a major impact on the early Christian community, and it is possible that James felt that his time and energy were best spent on leading and guiding this community rather than writing letters.

Another possible reason why James did not write any epistles is that he was not a trained writer or scholar like Peter and John. While Peter and John were both literate and had a background in Jewish learning, James was a tradesman by profession and may not have had the same level of education or training. This could have made it more difficult for him to write letters that were scholarly and polished enough to be included in the canon of scripture.

Finally, it is possible that James did write letters that have simply not survived to the present day. While the letters of Peter and John are well-known and widely read, there are many other early Christian writings that have been lost or destroyed over time. It is possible that James wrote letters that were either lost or not preserved, and that the reason why we do not have any surviving letters from him is simply due to historical circumstances.