JAMES—NOTE ON 1:1 Greeting. Jesus chose 12 disciples to symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel. Thus he identified the church as the new Israel (see Matt. 10:1). James reminds these Jewish Christians of their spiritual heritage as God’s people, gathered by Jesus the Messiah. in the Dispersion. The tribes of Israel were scattered throughout the world by the Assyrians and Babylonians. They looked forward to being regathered as a people (Jer. 31:7–14; Ezek. 37:15–28). James implies that the true Israel is also away from its heavenly homeland and oppressed, but they are assured of their final gathering to the Lord.
Up until the first century A.D., mirrors in the Near East were made of polished bronze or other metals. With the invention of glass in Lebanon, new techniques could be used to create more reflective surfaces. James compares God’s Word to a mirror in which people can see themselves in the light of God’s truth (1:22–25).
1:2–18 The Testing of Faith. Trials are part of God’s “good gifts” (v. 17) to his people, to strengthen them in their faith.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:2 Trials are “tests” designed to strengthen one’s faith (vv. 2–5). When trials occur, one should count it all joy. God is sovereign over all things, including trials.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:3 testing of your faith. Just as Jesus was “tested” in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1–13), believers are tested to make their faith “genuine” (1 Pet. 1:7).
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:4 Believers are growing in holiness but are not yet perfected in it. This perfection will come only when Jesus returns.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:5 wisdom. As in the OT, wisdom is a God-given and God-centered understanding of the practical issues in life. without reproach. God knows that his people need to grow in wisdom, and he is willing to give it.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:6 faith. A settled trust and confidence in God, based on his character and promises revealed in Scripture (see Heb. 11:1). doubting. Being torn between trusting God or trusting the world or one’s own natural abilities. a wave of the sea. A picture of instability and constant change.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:7–8 A person who doubts is a double-minded man. He has “two minds,” torn between God and the world (compare v. 6).
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:9–11 Given the context, James seems to be saying that the challenges of both poverty and wealth may be among the greatest “trials” for Christians (see v. 12).
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:12 James returns to the theme introduced in v. 2. crown of life. The laurel wreath given to winners in athletic games (1 Cor. 9:25) and to victorious emperors. The reward for faithful endurance is eternal life and its blessings (see Rev. 2:10).
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:13–18 James turns to the other side of trials, when testing becomes temptation.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:13 God tests his people (e.g., Abraham, Genesis 22; Israel, Ex. 16:4; Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32:31) to strengthen their character, but he never tempts them (never lures them into sin). Tempted is the verb form of the noun translated “trial” in James 1:12, but the context shows that different senses of the word are intended (see note on Heb. 4:15).
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:14 lured and enticed. A fishing metaphor for drawing prey away from shelter.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:15 The picture changes to a birth/rebirth metaphor.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:17 Nothing in this world is truly good unless it comes from above, heaven, down from the Father of lights (see Ps. 74:16; 136:7–9). God’s character never changes. He always gives good gifts. This contrasts with the variation of the night changing to day or the shifting shadow caused by the sun or moon.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:18 Brought us forth by the word of truth speaks of spiritual salvation. “Us” refers to believers. The “word of truth” is the gospel. Being “brought . . . forth” (from the womb) is a metaphor for the new birth. The firstfruits of the harvest (compare Ex. 23:16–19; Lev. 23:9–14) are the early Christians.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:19–27 Hearing and Doing the Word. This section focuses on living as a Christian directed by “the word of truth,” the gospel (v. 18). Christian living includes both “hearing” and “doing” the truth. Obedience is the mark of the true child of God.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:19 James echoes Proverbs on the misuse of speech and the anger that can result (see Prov. 10:19; 11:12; 15:1; 17:28). Christians should be slow to anger, as God is (see Ex. 34:6).
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:20 Not all human anger is sinful (see Eph. 4:26). However, the quick-tempered, selfish anger of man shows a lack of trust in God and a lack of love for others. Even when directed against wrongdoing, anger cannot change another person’s heart. Thus it does not produce the righteousness of God. “Righteousness” here means conducting one’s life by the will of God, according to his standards (see Isa. 61:3; Matt. 5:6, 10, 20; 6:1, 33).
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:21 Put away all filthiness pictures taking off dirty clothes (compare Rom. 13:12; Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:8). The person wants nothing to do with the dirt (moral evil) ever again. In place of filthy behavior, the implanted word must take root in God’s people (see Deut. 30:14; Jer. 31:33). Save your souls refers here to progressive sanctification and the completion of God’s saving work on judgment day.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:23–24 It is useless for a man to look intently at his natural face in a mirror and then forget what he was like. This shows the foolishness of examining oneself in God’s “mirror,” the “implanted word” (v. 21), but not changing one’s behavior based on what one sees there (v. 22).
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:25 the law of liberty. In James, the “law” and the “word” are two ways of describing the same thing. The “law” here refers to the OT as it has been interpreted and fulfilled in Christ. Together with the power of the Holy Spirit, it can change hearts. See note on 2:12.
JAMES—NOTE ON 1:27 Orphans and widows were particularly helpless in ancient culture, usually lacking anyone to support them (see Deut. 10:18; Isa. 1:17; Jer. 7:5–7). unstained from the world. James uses the sacrificial language of “the lamb without blemish” (Ex. 12:5; 1 Pet. 1:19) to describe the pure religious person.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:1–13 The Sin of Favoritism. The problem of the poor and the rich, already emphasized in 1:9–11, 27, now comes into focus. James warns about discriminating against the poor in favor of the wealthy in the church.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:1 Partiality refers to favoritism based on social status.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:2–4 Assembly probably refers to a Christian house church. Sit down at my feet. The place of a servant. judges with evil thoughts. Christians are not to “judge” each other harshly and unfairly (Matt. 7:1–5; Rom. 14:4). To do so can only mean one’s mind is full of evil thoughts.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:5 chosen . . . to be rich in faith. The poor have a special place in God’s “economy” of salvation. They are rich in an eternal sense because they are heirs of the kingdom (compare Matt. 5:3).
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:6–7 Oppress you reflects terrible social injustices in the first century. Merchants and landowners were taking land and possessions from the poor (see 5:1–6). drag you into court. As frequently criticized in the OT, the wealthy often used the court system to steal from the poor (Amos 4:1; Hab. 1:4; Mal. 3:5). This situation was the primary reason for the revolts in Galilee that led to the war against Rome in A.D. 66–70.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:8 Royal law refers to God’s decree in Lev. 19:18 (“love your neighbor”; compare Matt. 22:34–40) as the most important kingdom rule for ethical conduct. See Rom. 13:8–10.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:9 partiality. Favoring the rich breaks the OT commands to treat the poor fairly (Lev. 19:15; Job 34:19).
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:10–11 accountable for all of it. The law was considered an interdependent whole. Breaking any law meant breaking the whole law.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:12 the law of liberty. The law of Christ provides freedom from sin.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. This common saying summarizes vv. 1–12 and leads into the “faith without works” discussion in vv. 14–26. Mercy triumphs over judgment. Because they have been shown mercy, Christians show mercy to others (e.g., by caring for the poor and hurting). This marks them as believers (Mic. 6:8; Zech. 7:9–10; Matt. 5:7; 6:15; 18:32–35).
2:14–26 Faith without Works Is Dead. James continues the theme that hearing/faith must lead to doing/works. It may seem that James contradicts Paul’s “by grace you have been saved through faith . . . not a result of works” (Eph. 2:8–9). In reality there is no contradiction between faith and works. Paul and James agree that the basis of salvation is grace alone through faith. Works are not the basis of salvation but the necessary result (Eph. 2:10).
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:14 What good . . . ? Can that faith save him? Negative answers (“no good” and “no”) are expected. If someone says he has faith but he does not have works, he should question whether he has been saved.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:15–16 Go in peace, be warmed and filled. An example of faith without works. The person seems to be expressing concern for the poor, but in reality he refuses to help.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:17 dead. Useless, with no life at all. It cannot lead to salvation (v. 14). True faith will produce works.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:18 But someone will say. James anticipates questions about this teaching.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:19 God is one. This affirmation that there is only one true and living God comes from Deut. 6:4 (see Mark 12:29; Rom. 3:30). But James notes that even the demons believe this, and they shudder. Mere mental assent to the Christian faith does not save anyone. True commitment to Christ is needed.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:21 Abraham . . . justified by works. James may seem to contradict Paul here (compare Rom. 4:2–3). However, while Paul cites Gen. 15:6 to show that Abraham was justified by faith, James bases his claim on Gen. 22:9–10, where Abraham was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Thus James apparently has a different sense of the word “justify” in mind here. Paul uses “justify” to express being declared righteous by God through faith, on the basis of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice (Rom. 3:24–26). James seems to use “justify” to stress the way in which works demonstrate that someone has been justified (compare Matt. 12:33–37). Paul emphasizes how one is justified; James focuses on what justification looks like in practice.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:22 faith was completed by his works. James does not disagree that faith alone saves (Rom. 3:28). “Completed” often means “bring to maturity.” Full-grown and genuine faith is seen in the good deeds it produces.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:23 James uses Gen. 15:6 in a way that complements rather than contradicts Paul (Rom. 4:1–9; Gal. 3:6). James sees Gen. 15:6 as having been fulfilled (see James 2:22) in Abraham’s offering of Isaac (Genesis 22). James focuses on Abraham’s act of obedience, while Paul highlights God’s declaration of Abraham’s righteousness. See note on James 2:21.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:24 not by faith alone. James again seems at first to contradict Paul’s teaching that one is justified by faith alone (Rom. 3:28), but the two are compatible. Here “faith alone” means mere intellectual agreement without genuine personal trust in Christ that bears fruit in one’s life. On justified, see note on James 2:21.
JAMES—NOTE ON 2:25 Rahab the prostitute believed the stories of God’s saving work for the Hebrews (Josh. 2:8–11). So, at some personal risk, she hid the Jewish spies from her own people and then helped them escape (Josh. 2:15). Thus she became a model of faith completed in works.
Rahab is a remarkable example of the fact that God can use whomever he chooses to accomplish his will (1 Cor. 1:26–31). Though a prostitute and a Gentile, Rahab is listed in the genealogy of Jesus (Matt. 1:5). She is remembered as a model of faith completed in works (James 2:25) and is listed among the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.
JAMES—NOTE ON 3:1–4:12 The Sin of Dissension in the Community. This section is the longest in the letter. It discusses the problems people cause with their speech (3:1–12; 4:1–12) and the solution to these problems (“wisdom from above”; 3:13–18). James is concerned about division (4:1) and slander (3:9; 4:11). This trouble may have begun with the leaders/teachers (3:1), but it now involves the whole “body” of the church (3:6).
JAMES—NOTE ON 3:1 Teachers were important in the early church (Acts 2:42; Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11). Ambitious people wanted to be teachers for selfish reasons. Greater responsibility includes greater expectations by God (Luke 12:48; Heb. 13:17).
JAMES—NOTE ON 3:2 in what he says. A person’s words reflect his character. stumble. A metaphor for sinning. perfect man. Such perfection will be permanent only in heaven. Still, believers should always seek to grow in holiness.
JAMES—NOTE ON 3:3–4 Bits in a horse’s mouth and the small rudder on a ship are examples of very small things that control large objects.
JAMES—NOTE ON 3:5–6 The tongue, one of the smaller parts of the body, is like the bit or rudder (vv. 3–4). It has a similar control over a person. boasts of great things. Pride is a major cause of sinful talk. A great forest fire starts with a small fire. In the same way, a lot of problems begin with a proud “boast” or other careless use of the tongue. a world of unrighteousness. The tongue expresses all the wickedness of the world. The entire course of life likely means the “ups and downs” of life. Sinful speech can damage every aspect of individual and community life. set on fire by hell. Evil speech destroys because it comes from Satan himself.
Familiar word pictures. The images James uses to describe the power of the tongue (3:1–12) were well chosen to communicate to his original readers. The Greek playwright Sophocles spoke of wild horses being tamed by a small bit in the mouth. The Jewish philosopher Philo compared one’s senses to a helmsman steering a boat. And the Roman historian Plutarch compared a loose tongue to a blazing forest fire.
JAMES—NOTE ON 3:13 meekness of wisdom. Meekness (translated “gentleness” in Gal. 5:23) does not come from cowardice or passivity. It comes from trusting God. This frees a person from anxious self-promotion.
JAMES—NOTE ON 3:16 Disorder describes the chaotic frenzy of fighting in the church (see 4:1). The related adjective means “unstable” in 1:8 and “restless” in 3:8.
JAMES—NOTE ON 3:17 The answer to the “disorder” of v. 16 is to seek wisdom from above. Wisdom produces strong character (compare Gal. 5:22–23). first pure, then. Purity (blamelessness) is the primary virtue. The other qualities result from this moral purity.
JAMES—NOTE ON 3:18 harvest of righteousness. The righteous conduct that God will bless (see note on 1:20).
| James | Teaching | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| 1:2 | joy amid trials | 5:10–12 |
| 1:4 | exhortation to be perfect | 5:48 |
| 1:5 | asking God for good things | 7:7–11 |
| 1:17 | God the giver of good | 7:11 |
| 1:20 | against anger | 5:22 |
| 1:22 | hearers and doers of the word | 7:24–27 |
| 2:5 | poor inherit the kingdom | 5:3, 5 |
| 2:10 | keeping the whole law | 5:19 |
| 2:13 | merciful receive mercy | 5:7 |
| 3:12 | know them by their fruits | 7:16 |
| 3:18 | blessings of peacemakers | 5:9 |
| 4:2–3 | ask and you will receive | 7:7–8 |
| 4:4 | serving God vs. friendship with the world | 6:24 |
| 4:9–10 | consolation for mourners | 5:4 |
| 4:11–12 | against judging others | 7:1–5 |
| 4:13–14 | living for today | 6:34 |
| 5:2–5 | moth and rust spoiling earthly treasures | 6:19 |
| 5:10 | prophets as examples and patterns | 5:12 |
| 5:12 | against oaths | 5:33–37 |
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:1 passions. Self-centered desires cause these people to make war against each other in the church. Here “war” is a metaphor for the traumatic effect of bitter hostility.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:2 People desire and covet (“jealousy,” 3:14), which leads to the terrible fighting in the church. You do not have, because you do not ask. Believers should ask God for what they need, rather than fighting each other. Bringing requests before God can have a purifying influence on one’s desires.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:3 you ask wrongly. They focus on satisfying self-centered passions rather than honoring God and advancing his kingdom purposes.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:4 adulterous people. Old Testament prophets used this language to describe Israel’s unfaithfulness to God (Jer. 2:20; 3:6–10; Hos. 1:2). friendship with the world. Loving this world’s beliefs and pleasures more than God.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:5 He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us. God wants to protect what is rightfully his. He created mankind with a “spirit,” and he deeply desires that our spirits worship him (see John 4:23–24). He has redeemed us. He deserves our worship and friendship.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:6 God’s grace will be extended to those who are humble before him (see v. 10; also Prov. 3:34; Luke 1:52; 1 Pet. 5:5–6). God opposes means he resists and sends judgment.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:7–8a The only way to resist the devil is by submitting and drawing near to God (compare 1 Cor. 10:13).
What does it mean to submit? Submission means that one has willingly placed himself or herself under the authority of another. It means humility and obedience, rather than rebellion. Submission to God means that the believer has surrendered to God’s will and embraced the Lord’s rule in his or her life (4:7).
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:8b–9 Cleanse and purify are OT terms for ritual purity and ethical purity. Laughter shows how casually James’s readers were treating their sin. The only proper reaction to God’s coming judgment is to be wretched and mourn and weep (see Isa. 15:2; 22:4; Jer. 6:26).
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:10 See note on v. 6.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:11 James restates the basic problem behind the issues discussed in 3:1–4:10: the misuse of speech to speak evil or to slander others. Such conduct is rejected in the OT (Lev. 19:16; Jer. 6:28) and NT (Rom. 1:30; 2 Cor. 12:20; 1 Pet. 2:1). judges the law. The “law” likely refers to OT laws against slander, particularly Lev. 19:16, 18. Yet it also includes Jesus’ kingdom laws regarding love for neighbor (Matt. 22:39) and for one another (John 13:34–35). See note on James 2:2–4.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:12 When a person begins to “judge the law,” he rebels against the one lawgiver and judge. God alone gave the law. He alone is judge of all (Ps. 9:19; Isa. 2:4; Joel 3:12). to save and to destroy. Possibly a warning of future judgment to the divisive boasters.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:13–5:12 The Sins of the Wealthy. James condemns the sins of the wealthy (pride, 4:13–17; and robbing the poor, 5:1–6). He then calls for patience in suffering (5:7–11).
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:13 trade and make a profit. On the surface this sounds like good business sense. But it masks a secular outlook that ignores God. These people are probably Christians belonging to the wealthy merchant class.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:14 you. These business people think they control events. They fail to recognize God’s authority and the temporary nature of life. Planning and investing are not wrong, but arrogant self-confidence and boasting are.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:15 The key to vv. 13–17 is if the Lord wills. “Lord” refers to Yahweh as Creator. He sustains the universe and controls all that happens. Every business decision must be based on submission to God’s will.
JAMES—NOTE ON 4:17 Fails to do it describes the good acts that people do not do. This is as important to God as the sinful acts that they do.
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:1–6 The rich people mentioned here are probably not believers (compare 2:6–7).
| Leviticus 19 | James | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| v. 12 | “You shall not swear” | 5:12 | “do not swear” |
| v. 13 | “The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night” | 5:4 | “Behold, the wages of the laborers . . . which you kept back by fraud” |
| v. 15 | “You shall not be partial” | 2:1, 9 | “My brothers, show no partiality” |
| v. 16 | “You shall not go around as a slanderer” | 4:11 | “Do not speak evil against one another” |
| v. 18a | “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge” | 5:9 | “Do not grumble against one another” |
| v. 18b | “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” | 2:8 | “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” |
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:1 weep and howl. Prophetic language describing the response of those God will punish on judgment day (Isa. 13:6; 15:3; Hos. 7:14; Amos 8:3). Miseries that are coming refers to final judgment, not present troubles.
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:2–3 Riches, garments, and gold summarize the materialistic lifestyle of these landowners. These possessions will be lost forever. They will also be evidence at the landowners’ final trial before God. They will feed the flames of the lake of fire where their owners will spend eternity (Rev. 20:11–15).
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:4 The Lord of hosts (“Lord of heaven’s armies”) pictures God as a warrior going into battle (1 Sam. 17:45; Rev. 17:14; 19:14).
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:5 fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. The rich feed on luxuries and fail to realize that they are headed for death (see Jer. 12:3; Rev. 19:17–21).
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:6 Righteous person may have a double meaning. He is both “one of God’s forgiven people” and “a person who is innocent” of the death sentence that the wealthy have given him. He does not resist. The righteous person was powerless to stop the wicked. This makes the sin even worse. See Matt. 5:38–42.
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:7 The righteous are to wait until the coming of the Lord (see 1 Thess. 4:15). At that time God will make things right. the early and the late rains. Autumn rains occurred just after planting and the spring rains come just before harvest (Jer. 5:24; Joel 2:23). These two rains were the most important for the crop.
There are two rainy seasons in Palestine (5:7). The “early rains” come during the fall. Rain during this time is crucial to farmers, because it helps seeds germinate. “Late rains” come in early spring and help the seedlings turn into mature plants.
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:10 The example of the prophets is that they suffered and died (see Heb. 11:32–38) for speaking in the name of the Lord.
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:11 The theme of enduring trials recalls 1:2–4, 12.
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:12 It is not entirely clear how do not swear is connected to vv. 7–11. Above all may begin a three-part conclusion to the letter (vv. 12, 13–18, 19–20). Yet it could also refer back to the sins of the tongue and the grumbling of v. 9. Oaths were allowed in Israel, but the person was required to fulfill them. This was especially so because they often involved swearing by God’s name (see Lev. 19:12; Jer. 5:2). James’s ban on oaths builds on Jesus’ in Matt. 5:33–37 (see also Matt. 23:16–22). The point in both cases is that a believer’s word should be enough. This does not mean all oaths (e.g., official oaths) are prohibited.
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:13–18 The Prayer of Faith. Speaking mainly of prayer, James restates some of the letter’s key themes. These include trials and misuse of the tongue. The ultimate way to “tame” one’s tongue (3:8) is to “pray for one another” (5:16).
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:13–14 There is a pattern in these verses. James begins with those suffering, then addresses the cheerful, and concludes with those who are sick. As used here, “sick” probably refers to physical illness. Elders were pastors and overseers (see Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5, 7; 1 Pet. 5:1–2). They were leaders in the churches. The wording here suggests that there were multiple elders in the churches to which James was writing. anointing . . . with oil. A symbol representing the healing power of the Holy Spirit to come upon the sick person. in the name of the Lord. It is God, not the oil, that heals.
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:15 the prayer of faith. Not the faith of the sick person, but the faith of those praying. James does not require the sick person to exercise faith. The sick person simply asks for the elders to pray. Will save perhaps carries a double meaning: (1) the sick person will be physically healed, and/or (2) the sick person may also experience spiritual salvation, or growth in the blessings of salvation (sins . . . forgiven). This is similar to many of Jesus’ healings in the Gospels. James is not teaching that all illnesses will be healed if people would simply call on the elders, or try to make themselves have enough faith, or pray with enough conviction. Healing, when it happens, is always a gift from God. He is sovereign over all circumstances. Some interpreters suggest that James refers to the promise of the resurrection rather than physical healing. If, in the phrase “if he has committed sins,” implies that not all sickness is connected to specific sins. James seems to expect, though, that some sickness is the result of sin (compare 1 Cor. 11:30).
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:16 confess your sins to one another. Sometimes confession in the community is needed before healing can take place, since sin may be the cause of the illness (compare 1 Cor. 11:29–30). Pray for one another is directed to all the readers of James’s letter. He did not expect prayer for healing to be limited to the elders (James 5:14).
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:17–18 Elijah illustrates how a man with a nature like ours could have a powerful prayer life. The drought recorded in 1 Kings 17–18 was punishment on King Ahab and Israel for idolatry. The three years and six months is probably taken from “in the third year” (1 Kings 18:1) as symbolic of judgment (half of seven; see Dan. 7:25; 12:7).
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:19–20 Concluding Admonition. James’s style is abrupt. There is no concluding greeting as in most NT letters. Instead, James calls the community to help those who have fallen into the moral faults described in the book. This closing section acts as a summary of various sins and their solutions.
JAMES—NOTE ON 5:20 save his soul from death. Not physical death (see 1 Cor. 11:30) but spiritual death (compare 1 John 5:16–17). Timely help from other believers (see Gal. 6:1; Heb. 3:13) will “save his soul” and bring forgiveness from God if he repents. The one who encourages repentance will cover the many sins of the one who had strayed, because God will forgive someone who repents.