The Epistle of
Author
The author of this letter identifies himself simply as James. The name was quite common; and the New Testament lists at least five men named James, two of whom were Jesus’ disciples and one of whom was His brother. Tradition has ascribed the book to the Lord’s brother, and there is no reason to question this view. Evidently the writer was well known, and James the brother of Jesus became the leader of the church in Jerusalem at an early date (Acts 12:17; 15:13–21; 21:18; Gal. 1:19; 2:9, 12). The language of the epistle is similar to James’s speech in Acts 15. James apparently was an unbeliever during the ministry of Jesus (John 7:3–5). A post-Resurrection appearance of Christ to him (1 Cor. 15:7) probably led to his conversion, for he is numbered with the believers in Acts 1:14.
Date
The Jewish historian Josephus indicates that James was stoned to death in the year A.D. 62, so if he is the author the letter was evidently written before that date. The contents of the book suggest that it may have been written as early as a date shortly before the church council of Acts 15, which convened about A.D. 49. We cannot be dogmatic, and can only conclude that the letter was likely written between A.D. 48 and 62.
Purpose
James is primarily practical and ethical, emphasizing duty rather than doctrine. The author wrote to rebuke the shameful neglect of certain Christian duties. In doing so, he analyzed the nature of genuine faith and urged his readers to demonstrate the validity of their experience with Christ. His supreme concern was reality in religion, and he set forth the practical claims of the gospel.
Content
Rather than speculating or debating on religious theories, James directs his readers toward godly living. From beginning to end the mood of his letter is imperative. In 108 verses, 54 clear commands are given, and 7 times James calls attention to his statements by using terms that are imperative in nature. This “bondservant of God” (1:1) writes as one supervising other slaves. The result is a statement of Christian ethics, which stands on a par with any such teaching in the New Testament.
Personal Application
The book’s call for ethical living based on the gospel provides its relevance. James gives a practical exposition of “pure and undefiled religion” (1:27). His two fundamental emphases are personal growth in the spiritual life and sensitivity in social relationships. Any faith that does not deal with both personal and social issues is a dead faith. The message of James speaks especially to those who are inclined to talk their way to heaven instead of walk their way there.
Christ Revealed
Beginning in the first verse and continuing throughout the letter, James recognizes the lordship of Jesus, referring to himself as the Lord’s “bondservant,” or slave. That term is applicable to all Christians, because all true disciples of Christ acknowledge His sovereignty over their lives and willingly commit themselves to His service. Christ is the object of our faith (2:1), the One in whose name and by whose power we perform our ministry (5:14, 15), the Rewarder of those who are steadfast in the midst of trials (1:12), and the Coming One for whom we patiently wait (5:7–9). James identifies Christ as the “glory” (2:1), referring to the Shekinah, the glorious manifestation of the presence of God among His people. Not only glorious Himself, He is the divine Glory, the presence of God on Earth (see Luke 2:30–32; John 1:14; Heb. 1:3).
Of considerable interest is the close parallel between the content of this letter and the teachings of Jesus, particularly the Sermon on the Mount. Although James does not quote any statement of Jesus exactly, there are more verbal reminiscences of the Lord’s teachings in this letter than in all the rest of the New Testament epistles combined. These allusions indicate a close association between James and Jesus and give evidence of the strong influence of the Lord in the author’s life.
The Holy Spirit at Work
The letter specifically mentions the Holy Spirit only in 4:5, which states the indwelling Spirit’s strong desire for our undivided loyalty, jealously brooking no rivals.
The activity of the Holy Spirit may be seen in the ministry to the sick described in 5:14–16. In light of other biblical terminology connecting anointing with the Spirit (see Is. 61:1; Luke 4:18; 1 John 2:20–27), anointing with oil is best understood as symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, in the Greek the definite article used with the word for “faith” in 5:15 particularizes this faith, suggesting that James is referring to the manifestation of the gift of faith (1 Cor. 12:9).
Outline of James
I. Salutation 1:1
II. Practical religion and trials 1:2–18
A. Outward adversities 1:2–12
B. Inward enticements 1:13–18
III. Practical religion and God’s Word 1:19–27
B. Receive the Word 1:21
C. Obey the Word 1:22–27
IV. Practical religion and human relationships 2:1–26
A. Negative partiality 2:1–13
B. Positive compassion 2:14–26
V. Practical religion and speech 3:1–18
VI. Practical religion and worldliness 4:1–12
VII. Practical religion and business affairs 4:13—5:6
VIII. Final appeals 5:7–20
A. For patience 5:7–11
B. For pure speech 5:12
C. For prayer 5:13–18
Greeting to the Twelve Tribes
1 JAMES, aa bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad:
Greetings.
Profiting from Trials
2 My brethren, acount it all joy bwhen you fall into various trials,
3 aknowing that the testing of your faith produces 1patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be 1perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 aIf any of you lacks *wisdom, blet him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and cit will be given to him.
6 aBut let him *ask in faith, with no *doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is aa double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
The Perspective of Rich and Poor
9 Let the *lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
10 but the rich in his humiliation, because aas a flower of the field he will pass away.
11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
Loving God Under Trials
12 aBlessed* is the man who *endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive bthe crown of life cwhich the Lord has *promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, awhen *desire has conceived, it gives birth to *sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, bbrings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 aEvery *good gift and every *perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, bwith whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18 aOf His own will He brought us forth by the bword of truth, cthat we might be a kind of firstfruits of His *creatures.
Qualities Needed in Trials
19 1So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, aslow to speak, bslow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Doers—Not Hearers Only
21 Therefore alay aside all filthiness and 1overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, bwhich is able to save your souls.
22 But abe doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For aif anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and *immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But ahe who looks into the perfect law of *liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, bthis one will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone 1among you thinks he is religious, and adoes not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is *useless.
27 aPure* and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: bto visit orphans and widows in their trouble, cand to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Beware of Personal Favoritism
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, athe Lord of glory, with bpartiality.*
2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in 1fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in 2filthy clothes,
3 and you 1pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,”
4 have you not 1shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil *thoughts?
5 Listen, my beloved brethren: aHas God not chosen the poor of this world to be brich in faith and heirs of the kingdom cwhich He promised to those who love Him?
6 But ayou have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you band drag you into the courts?
7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are acalled?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, a“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;
9 but if you 1show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as atransgressors.
10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet astumble in one point, bhe is guilty of all.
11 For He who said, a“Do not commit adultery,” also said, b“Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by athe law of *liberty.
13 For ajudgment* is without *mercy to the one who has shown bno cmercy. dMercy triumphs over judgment.
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 aWhat does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 aIf a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and aone of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and *filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” aShow me your faith without 1your works, band I will show you my faith by 2my works.
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is 1dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works awhen he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Do you see athat faith was working together with his works, and by bworks faith was made 1perfect?*
23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, a“Abraham believed God, and it was 1accounted* to him for righteousness.” And he was called bthe *friend of God.
24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, awas not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
The Untamable Tongue
1 My brethren, alet not many of you become teachers, bknowing that we shall receive a stricter *judgment.
2 For awe all stumble in many things. bIf anyone does not stumble in word, che is a 1perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
3 1Indeed, awe put bits in horses’ mouths that they may *obey us, and we turn their whole body.
4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.
5 Even so athe tongue is a little member and bboasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
6 And athe tongue is a fire, a world of 1iniquity.* The tongue is so set among our members that it bdefiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of 2nature; and it is set on fire by 3hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, afull of deadly poison.
9 With it we *bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made ain the 1similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
12 Can a afig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? 1Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom
13 aWho is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
14 But if you have abitter envy and 1self-seeking* in your hearts, bdo not boast and lie against the truth.
15 aThis wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
16 For awhere envy and *self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
17 But athe wisdom that is from above is first *pure, then peaceable, *gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, bwithout partiality cand *without hypocrisy.
18 aNow the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Pride Promotes Strife
1 Where do 1wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure athat war in your members?
2 You lust and do not have. You murder and *covet and cannot obtain. You fight and 1war. 2Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
3 aYou ask and do not receive, bbecause you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4 1Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that afriendship with the world is enmity with God? bWhoever therefore wants to be a *friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, a“The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
a“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the *humble.”
Humility Cures Worldliness
7 Therefore *submit to God. aResist* the devil and he will flee from you.
8 aDraw near to God and He will draw near to you. bCleanse your hands, you sinners; and cpurify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 aLament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to *mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 aHumble* yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Do Not Judge a Brother
11 aDo not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother band judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
12 There is one 1Lawgiver, awho is able to save and to destroy. bWho2 are you to judge 3another?
Do Not Boast About Tomorrow
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow 1we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;
14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? aIt is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
15 Instead you ought to say, a“If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
16 But now you boast in your arrogance. aAll such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, ato him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Rich Oppressors Will Be Judged
1 Come now, you arich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
2 Your ariches 1are corrupted, and byour garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a *witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. aYou have heaped up treasure in the last days.
4 Indeed athe *wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and bthe cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of 1Sabaoth.
5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and 1luxury; you have 2fattened your hearts 3as in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned, you have murdered the *just; he does not resist you.
Be Patient and Persevering
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the *coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.
8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord 1is at hand.
9 Do not 1grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be 2condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
10 aMy brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and bpatience.*
11 Indeed awe count them blessed who bendure. You have heard of cthe perseverance of Job and seen dthe end intended by the Lord—that ethe Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
12 But above all, my brethren, ado not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into 1judgment.*
Meeting Specific Needs
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him apray. Is anyone cheerful? bLet him sing psalms.
14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them *pray over him, aanointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. aAnd if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
16 1Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. aThe *effective, 2fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
17 Elijah was a man awith a nature like ours, and bhe prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed aagain, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Bring Back the Erring One
19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone aturns him back,
20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the *error of his way awill save 1a soul from death and bcover a multitude of sins.
1:1 James made no boast about his personal relationship to Jesus, nor did he identify himself as a church leader. His greatest honor was to be a bondservant of God. The twelve tribes designates the nation Israel, and scattered abroad translates a technical term (Greek diaspora) describing Jews scattered throughout Gentile lands. Thus, this letter is addressed to Jewish Christians living outside Palestine.
1:2, 3 Becoming a Christian does not automatically exclude a believer from difficulties (see John 15:20; 2 Tim. 3:12; 1 Pet. 1:6, 7; 4:12–19). The proper attitude in meeting adversity is to count it all joy, which is not an emotional reaction but a deliberate intelligent appraisal of the situation from God’s perspective, viewing trials as a means of moral and spiritual growth. We do not rejoice in the trials themselves, but in their possible results. Testing carries the idea of proving genuineness. Trials serve as a discipline to purge faith of dross, stripping away what is false. Patience is not a passive resignation to adverse circumstances, but a positive steadfastness that bravely endures.
1:2 See section 4 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
1:3 See section 4 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
1:4 See section 4 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
1:4 Perfect does not denote absolute sinlessness, but carries the idea of being fully developed or mature. Complete underscores the thought of fullness and wholeness.
1:5 See section 4 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
1:5 The wisdom which may be had by asking “in faith” (v. 6) is not intellectual knowledge or philosophical speculation, but spiritual understanding of the purpose of trials. When God grants a gift, He does so liberally and without reproach, that is, generously, not stintingly, condescendingly, or grudgingly.
1:8 A double-minded man is a person drawn in two opposite directions. His allegiance is divided and because of his lack of sincerity he vacillates between belief and disbelief, sometimes thinking that God will help him and at other times giving up all hope in Him. Such a person is unstable in all his ways, not only in his prayer life. The lack of consistency in his exercise of faith betrays his general character.
1:9–11 Both poverty and prosperity are concrete examples of trials that test our faith. Either may result in spiritual disaster. The Christian who is poor materially can rejoice in his high spiritual position as a child of God, while the rich person can rejoice in new values, realizing the temporal nature of earthly wealth as opposed to the eternal benefits of spiritual possessions. Fade away refers to the certain destruction of people who are rich only in temporal things.
1:12–16 See section 3 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
1:12 The crown of life references the fullness of eternal life, which will be received in the age to come by those who do not allow trials to cause them to recant their faith in Jesus. See Rev. 2:10.
1:13 Having discussed temptation in the form of outward difficulties (vv. 2–12), James now turns to temptation as enticement to evil. Many Scriptures reveal that God sometimes sends trials as a means of testing (see, for example, Gen. 22:1; Deut. 8:2; 2 Chr. 32:31), but James emphatically declares that God’s perfect holiness puts Him beyond the reach of temptation and that He does not solicit to sin.
1:14, 15 When inner desires respond to outward enticement, sin is spawned. James does not mention Satan’s role in temptation. His purpose is not to discuss the origin of sin but to explain that enticement to evil is not from God. In stressing the inward nature of temptation, James leaves sinners no excuse. Satan is indeed the external source of temptation, but no one can blame him for the roots of sinful deeds, which lie within the individual. See Mark 7:1–23.
1:17 See section 2 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
1:17 Not only is God not responsible for human sin, He is the source of all good. In contrast to the wandering heavenly bodies He created, God is unchangeable. He always keeps His promises.
1:18 God’s greatest gift to us is regeneration. By the exercise of His own will He brought us forth into new life. His instrument was the word of truth, which Paul identifies as “the gospel of … salvation” (Eph. 1:13). God’s purpose was to present believers as a kind of firstfruits, an OT allusion to the first part of the crop, which was a pledge of a greater harvest to come. As such, James and the other Christians of his generation were a foretaste of a great host of believers to come. The phrase of His creatures may indicate that believers are the first stage of the ultimate redemption of all creation, which is now under the divine curse since the Fall.
1:19, 20 See section 4 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
1:19, 20 The anger that springs from self-centeredness does not accomplish the righteousness of God, but is conducive only to malice and destruction.
1:21 Salvation comes not from the use of worldly methods, but from a meek, gentle acceptance of the implanted word, which God has caused to take root in the heart.
1:22 Salvation leads to service. It is self-deception to believe that God’s goal for church attendance is merely hearing the word, instead of experiencing a transformation of life that results in ministry.
1:23–25 The one who merely hears the word quickly forgets it; only the one who acts on the word and continues in it is blessed. God’s Word is the perfect law of liberty. It does not enslave us to the bondage of legalism, but rather frees us to keep its precepts by an inward compulsion.
1:26, 27 An uncontrolled tongue and a deceived heart are companions of an empty religion. True religion will issue in practical living, as exemplified in pure speech, pure love, and pure character. While James does not give an exhaustive list of the positive duties of genuine religion, he presents these as typical characteristics.
2:1–13 An empty religion will betray itself in relationships. To make superficial distinctions among people, preferring those of prestige and position, is incompatible with the faith of our Lord (v. 1), which excludes favoritism based on wealth or class.
2:1–8 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
2:2 Assembly is literally “synagogue,” possibly suggesting that the letter was written before Jewish Christians adopted a different name for their gatherings. On the other hand, the term may have been used interchangeably with the word “church” (see 5:14).
2:4 Those who fawn upon the rich, while despising the poor, determine the true value of a person by worldly standards and reveal evil thoughts, such as covetousness and pride.
2:6, 7 James is not speaking exhaustively, characterizing all rich people. He is obviously describing certain rich unbelievers who were exploiting the poor and blaspheming Jesus.
2:8 The royal law, commanding us to love, is the king of laws, comprehending all other commandments dealing with human relationships. See Gal. 5:7–15.
2:9 Believers cannot love their neighbors as themselves and show partiality, because the two are mutually exclusive. To show the favoritism described in this passage is to commit sin.
2:10–13 James does not teach that to commit one sin, such as murder or adultery, is to be guilty of every other individual sin listed in the law. He views the Law as an expression of God’s will, which is an unfragmented whole, so that breaking any part of the Law constitutes breaking the law as a whole. To disregard God’s will as revealed in the Law is not merely to break an isolated rule; it is to rebel against God Himself.
2:12 The law of liberty references the standards of divine love, which become the Christian’s ultimate standard of conduct (see Mark 12:31).
2:14–26 James does not set faith against works, but rather discusses two kinds of faith: a dead faith and a saving faith. Saving faith is not simply a profession or an empty claim (vv. 14–17), nor is it merely the acceptance of a creed (vv. 18–20). Saving faith is that which produces an obedient life (vv. 21–26). Paul’s emphasis on the Christian life at its inception (justification) is not antagonistic to James’s position, for Paul, too, believes in justification producing the fruit of works (Gal. 5:6).
2:14 The question is literally, “Can that kind of faith (the kind that does not issue in good works) save him?” The implied answer is, “No.”
2:18 See section 4 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
2:18 Our works show the genuineness of what we profess.
2:19 Intellectual assent to a creed is not saving faith.
2:21–24 God pronounced Abraham righteous the moment he believed (Gen. 15:4–6), but it was only by his later obedience that he demonstrated the reality of his righteousness.
2:22 Faith creates works, works perfect faith.
2:24 James and Paul do not contradict each other. Paul emphasizes that faith is not religious deeds without a born-again heart; James stresses that faith is not a born-again heart without deeds. Neither would agree to the validity of an empty creedal faith.
2:25 Abraham was an upright, founding patriarch while Rahab represents the average person at the other end of the social and moral scale. Both, however, were justified on the same basis.
3:1 Teachers are responsible not only for themselves but for all those they influence (see Matt. 23).
3:2–12 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
3:2–12 The tongue is a little member (v. 5), but its power and influence for good or bad are out of proportion to its size.
3:6–8 The true source of the unruly evil produced by the tongue is hell. At one end the tongue spits deadly poison; at the other end it is manipulated by wicked spirits. Therefore, no man can tame it.
3:9–12 James’s previous comment does not mean the tongue does not also speak good. It is notoriously inconsistent, and its propensity is to speak evil.
3:13–18 James continues his discussion of teaching with a contrast of demonic and divine wisdom (see Word Wealths at Is. 11:2; Acts 6:10).
3:14 A teacher who is motivated by selfish ambition will always lie against the truth.
3:16–18 See section 2 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
3:17 James describes practical, moral wisdom, not theoretical knowledge.
4:1–6 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
4:1, 2 In contrast to the heavenly wisdom that produces an atmosphere of peace, in which the seed of righteousness will grow (3:18), earthly wisdom causes chronic interpersonal warfare. The source is a contentious, selfish nature.
4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses are metaphorical terms in the OT for those who break their vows to love and serve God and follow idols instead. An illicit affair with worldliness results in estrangement and hostility with God.
4:4–10 Nevertheless, God will receive the adulterer who returns in humility, submitting to God and not the devil.
4:7 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
4:8–10 See section 3 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
4:8 A double-minded person attempts to hold to God and the world at the same time. See note on 1:8.
4:11, 12 Those who judge others in the sense of condemning them are guilty of assuming the prerogatives of God Himself.
4:11 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
4:13–16 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
4:13–16 A clear characteristic of having an affair with worldliness is making plans without consulting God. Such action is boasting, that is, a presumption that oneself, not God, is in control of the circumstances of life.
4:17 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
4:17 Sin is not only actively committing evil deeds; it is also passively failing to do what you know God wants you to do.
5:1–6 See section 1 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
5:1–6 See note on 1:9–11. When a rich person appears at the judgment of God, dishonestly gained wealth will not protect, but will attack. See 1 Tim. 6:17–19.
5:4 The Lord of Sabaoth is literally “the Lord of Hosts.” He is commander of the armies of heaven.
5:5 The rich oppressors are like fattened pampered animals that are unaware of their approaching day of slaughter.
5:6 The unjust rich controlled the courts through bribery or other forms of injustice, and their exploitation of the poor often had legal sanction.
5:7–11 Addressing the age-old question why the righteous suffer, James reminds us that there are times in which we can do little except be patient and determine not to give up (see Rom. 8:18–25). This does not mean we do not resist the destructive ploys of the Devil. However, ultimately God is sovereign and sometimes chooses not to relieve our suffering until the Parousia.
5:7, 8 See section 4 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
5:10 See Heb. 11 for the testimonies of the prophets.
5:11 Only by Job’s suffering could he intimately experience and comprehend the Lord as compassionate and merciful.
5:12 Originally, swearing was an attempt to involve the character and authority of God to support a claim or a promise (Lev. 19:12; Deut. 23:23). Then, as often is the case today, the Lord’s name was debased by using it to excessively emphasize a trivial point. James cites Jesus (Matt. 5:37), insisting that we should have integrity in what we utter, and that after a divine oath, failure to perform perfectly one’s word besmirches God’s holiness to observers.
5:14 See section 4 of Truth-In-Action at the end of James.
5:14 The initiative lies with the sick person in sending for the elders who are the officers of the church (see 1 Tim. 3:1–7; Titus 1:5–9) and whose faith the sick person is trusting to release healing. Their qualifications characterize them as men and women of personal uprightness and spiritual maturity, having special ability, particularly in the area of discernment. As overseers they hold positions of authority and presumably are people of faith and prayer. Anointing … with oil does not refer to a medicinal act (see Mark 6:13) or to a magic potion, but is symbolic of the consecration of the sick person and the joyous presence of the Holy Spirit, in this case to bring healing in response to the obedience and faith of the elders. James stresses God’s healing power through prayer that accompanies the anointing.
5:15 The prayer of faith in Greek is literally “the prayer of the faith,” referring to the gift of faith the Holy Spirit gives (see note on 1 Cor. 12:9). Here the faith is granted to one or more of the elders to believe for the healing. Save in this instance refers to physical restoration rather than to spiritual salvation. The healing of the sick person would indicate the forgiveness of any sins that may have been responsible for that particular illness. Not all sickness is caused by one’s sin, but in some cases there is a connection (see Mark 2:5–11; 1 Cor. 11:30).
5:16 Having spoken of the place of prayer in regard to sickness (vv. 13–15), James offers a summarizing inference (see marginal note, “therefore”) which illustrates the power of prayer. The trespasses James particularly has in mind may be those of the sick person, which could have been the root of his sickness, or they may be those of believers in general. Regardless, he does not enjoin a general public confession of all sins without any discretion whatever. Certainly, public wrongdoings that have tainted the whole church should be confessed before the church, but James especially refers to confessing sins to the individuals injured by them (see Matt. 5:23, 24). There is also a place for confidential confession to godly intercessors who will offer prevailing prayer for the offender and provide wise counsel to him. James stresses the effectual nature of the fervent prayer of a righteous man. Although a literal translation of the Greek phrase is awkward, and different versions vary in their translations, the basic idea is that of a supplication “having energy.” Effective prayer is characterized by earnestness, fervency, and energy to release results and is illustrated in the case study the following verses provide.
5:17 In spite of his greatness, Elijah was subject to the same feelings and liable to the same weaknesses we all experience. Effectual, that is, miracle-producing, prayer is not limited to a certain few, such as apostles or prophets. All believers can “pray for one another” (v. 16) with the same results. (Study the specifics for comparing Elijah’s prayer, which inaugurated and then ended the drought, 1 Kin. 17:1; 18:41–46).
5:19, 20 James turns from a discussion of physical affliction to spiritual sickness, urging the restoration of backsliders (see Gal. 6:1). The expression among you suggests that the erring one is a member of the church. In addition, the phrase turns … back is not necessarily limited to the original turning from sin to God, but to the subsequent experience of returning to God after a Christian has become involved in sin. A person may wander from the truth of the gospel (see 1:18; 3:14) in either belief or conduct or both. Whether doctrinal or moral, the straying is a serious departure from the Christian way of life, not merely a minor difference of theological opinion or trivial ethical inconsistency. Truth and error are mutually exclusive, and a person either walks in God’s truth or his own way (v. 20).
Since the straying individual is a Christian, the death is probably physical death as a result of his sins (see Deut. 34:4, 5; 1 Cor. 5:5; 11:29, 30). Cover is a Hebrew idiom meaning “forgive” or “overlook” (see Ps. 32:1; 85:2; Prov. 10:12; 1 Pet. 4:8). The soul and the sins covered are those of the one restored. By bringing the errant one to repentance and confession, forgiveness is procured.
CHAPTER 1
1 endurance or perseverance
1 mature
a [Mark 11:23, 24]; Acts 10:20
* See WW at Acts 11:12.
* See WW at 2 Cor. 7:6.
a Job 5:17; Luke 6:22; Heb. 10:36; James 5:11; [1 Pet. 3:14; 4:14]
b [1 Cor. 9:25]
* See WW at Matt. 24:13.
a Job 15:35; Ps. 7:14; Is. 59:4
* See WW at 2 Tim. 2:22.
b 2 Cor. 6:7; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 2:15; [1 Pet. 1:3, 23]
c [Eph. 1:12, 13]; Heb. 12:23; Rev. 14:4
b Prov. 14:17; 16:32; Eccl. 7:9
1 NU Know this or This you know
1 abundance
a Matt. 7:21–28; Luke 6:46–49; [Rom. 2:13; James 1:22–25; 2:14–20]
a [John 8:32; Rom. 8:2; 2 Cor. 3:17]; Gal. 2:4; 6:2; James 2:12; 1 Pet. 2:16
* See WW at 1 Cor. 10:29.
1 NU omits among you
* See WW at Acts 14:15.
CHAPTER 2
1 bright
2 vile
1 Lit. look upon
1 differentiated
a Job 34:19; John 7:48; 1 Cor. 1:27
b Luke 12:21; 1 Tim. 6:18; Rev. 2:9
1 Lit. receive the face
* See WW at 1 Cor. 10:29.
b Prov. 21:13; Matt. 18:32–35; [Luke 6:37]
* See WW at Matt. 5:22.
* See WW at 2 Tim. 1:16.
a [1 John 3:17, 18]
* See WW at Matt. 15:33.
a Col. 1:6; 1 Thess. 1:3; Heb. 6:10
b [Gal. 5:6]; James 3:13
1 NU omits your
2 NU omits my
1 NU useless
a [John 6:29]; Heb. 11:17
1 complete
* See WW at 1 John 2:5.
1 credited
* See WW at John 11:11.
CHAPTER 3
a [Matt. 23:8]; Rom. 2:21; 1 Tim. 1:7
c [Matt. 12:34–37; James 3:2–12]
1 mature
1 NU Now if
* See WW at 2 Thess. 3:4.
a Prov. 12:18; 15:2; James 1:26
b [Matt. 12:36; 15:11, 18]
1 unrighteousness
2 existence
3 Gr. Gehenna
a Ps. 140:3; Eccl. 10:11; Rom. 3:13
a Gen. 1:26; 5:1; 9:6; 1 Cor. 11:7
1 likeness
1 NU Neither can a salty spring produce fresh water.
1 selfish ambition
* See WW at Phil. 1:16.
* See WW at Phil. 1:16.
a 1 Cor. 2:6, 7
c Rom. 12:9; 2 Cor. 6:6; 1 Pet. 1:22
* See WW at 1 John 3:3.
* See WW at 1 Tim. 3:3.
* See WW at 1 Pet. 1:22.
a Prov. 11:18; Is. 32:17; Hos. 10:12; Amos 6:12; [Gal. 6:8; Phil. 1:11]
CHAPTER 4
a Rom. 7:23; [Gal. 5:17]; 1 Pet. 2:11
1 battles
1 battle
2 NU, M omit Yet
* See WW at 1 Cor. 14:1.
1 NU omits Adulterers and
* See WW at John 11:11.
a Job 22:29; Ps. 138:6; Prov. 3:34; Matt. 23:12; 1 Pet. 5:5
* See WW at 2 Cor. 7:6.
a [Eph. 4:27; 6:11]; 1 Pet. 5:8
* See WW at 1 Cor. 14:32.
a 2 Chr. 15:2; Zech. 1:3; Mal. 3:7; Heb. 7:19
b Job 17:9; Is. 1:16; 1 Tim. 2:8
c Jer. 4:14; James 3:17; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 3:3
* See WW at Rev. 18:11.
a Job 22:29; Luke 14:11; 18:14; 1 Pet. 5:6
* See WW at Matt. 18:4.
b [Matt. 7:1–5]
a [Matt. 10:28]
1 NU adds and Judge
2 NU, M But who
3 NU a neighbor
1 M let us
a [Luke 12:47]
CHAPTER 5
1 have rotted
1 Lit., in Heb., Hosts
* See WW at Rev. 22:12.
1 indulgence
2 Lit. nourished
3 NU omits as
* See WW at Matt. 1:19.
* See WW at 1 Cor. 15:23.
1 has drawn near
1 Lit. groan
2 NU, M judged
b [James 1:12]
1 M hypocrisy
1 NU Therefore confess your sins
2 supplication
* See WW at 1 Thess. 2:13.
a Rom. 11:14; 1 Cor. 1:21; James 1:21
1 NU his soul