Annotations for James

1:1 Address and Greeting. The letter of James begins as NT letters usually do, with an identification of the sender and the recipients and a greeting.

1:1 James. See Introduction: Author. twelve tribes scattered among the nations. See Introduction: Recipients and Occasion.

1:2–18 Trials and Temptations. James moves quickly from one issue to another as he emphasizes that Christians must stand firm in the midst of trials (vv. 2–4, 12; cf. vv. 13–15).

1:2–12 Overcoming Trials. James frames this passage with an exhortation (vv. 2–3) and a promise (v. 12) that put trials in perspective.

1:2 As elsewhere in James, this exhortation may derive from Jesus himself (Matt 5:11–12). joy. Greek charan; it forges a literary link with v. 1, where “greetings” translates chairein. trials of many kinds. The difficulties of life, ranging from persecution (2:6–7) to physical illness (5:14) and financial hardship (1:9). Such hardships are a normal part of the Christian life.

1:3 because you know. Joy in trials is possible when believers consider how God works through those trials to build them up spiritually (cf. Rom 5:3–4; 1 Pet 1:6–7).

1:4–5 lacking . . . lacks. Another example of James linking words (see note on v. 2).

1:5 wisdom. Gives people the capacity to understand the world in light of God’s Word and purposes; believers need it to rejoice in trials. Wisdom is an important theme in James: although mentioned explicitly elsewhere only in 3:13–18, it is tied into some of James’s other themes (e.g., the tongue), and wisdom writings influence James’s style. generously. Or “single-mindedly,” in the sense that God’s single, undivided intent is to give us those gifts we need to please him. Such “single-mindedness” is a fundamental theme in James (v. 8; 4:4–10).

1:8 double-minded. James is not saying that our prayers will be answered only if we have a perfect faith that never entertains any kind of doubt. He condemns the believer who is trying to serve two masters at the same time (cf. Matt 6:24).

1:9 humble circumstances. Poverty and powerlessness in society, the “trial” that seems to have been the most difficult for James’s readers (v. 27; 2:1–7, 15–16; 5:1–6). high position. The spiritual “exaltation” they enjoy in Christ (4:10; 1 Pet 5:6).

1:10 the rich. Either rich Christians, who should focus not on their wealth but on their identification with Christ, who “humbled himself” (Phil 2:8; cf. Jas 4:10), or rich non-Christians, in which case James’s exhortation to them to “take pride in their humiliation” is ironic. pass away like a wild flower. Familiar biblical imagery for transience (Job 14:2; Ps 103:15–16; Isa 40:6–7; 1 Pet 1:24), referring either to the impermanent wealth of rich Christians or to the ultimate judgment of rich non-Christians.

1:12 perseveres under trial. A return to the theme at the beginning of this section (vv. 2–4). crown of life. The crown that consists of eternal life (cf. Rev 2:10). crown. The wreath placed on the head of a victorious athlete or military leader (1 Cor 9:25; 2 Tim 4:8).

1:13–18 The Source of Temptation. James warns about the consequences of giving in to one’s own sinful desire, and encourages his readers by reminding them of God’s good gift of the new birth.

1:13–14 tempted . . . tempting . . . cannot be tempted . . . tempt . . . tempted. Another wordplay: the Greek word for “trials” (v. 2) and “trial” (v. 12) shares the same root as the Greek for these words.

1:13 no one should say, “God is tempting me.” God brings trials into his people’s lives (e.g., Gen 22), but he never desires that believers fall to temptation. God cannot be tempted by evil. Because he is perfectly holy, God has nothing in his nature that is open to evil. By becoming fully human, Jesus was capable of being tempted (Matt 4:1–11), but he never yielded to that temptation (Heb 4:15).

1:14 their own evil desire. Temptation comes not from God but from within each person who, until their body is redeemed, has a bent toward evil.

1:15 gives birth to sin. Temptation is not itself sin; people often sin when they open themselves to temptation.

1:17 Every good and perfect gift. Far from enticing people to evil (v. 13), God showers blessings on his people. Father of the heavenly lights. The Creator of the universe and all the planets and stars that we see in the heavens above us (Ps 136:7–9).

1:18 give us birth. Spiritual birth, i.e., regeneration (John 3:3, 5, 7). through the word of truth. The gospel, “the power of God that brings salvation” (Rom 1:16; see 2 Cor 6:7; Eph 1:13; Col 1:5; 2 Tim 2:15). firstfruits of all he created. The spiritual birth of believers is the first stage in God’s cosmic plan to remake the entire universe.

1:19—2:26 Putting the Word Into Practice. This section of the letter focuses on the power of God’s Word and the need for believers to respond to it in obedience.

1:19–27 Listening and Doing. A general exhortation about talking and listening merges quickly into an important plea to do and not just listen to the Word of God.

1:19 James echoes popular wisdom teaching about the importance of careful listening and the danger of anger that leads to hasty and regrettable words (Prov 10:19; 15:1; 17:27–28).

1:20 righteousness that God desires. Behavior that pleases God. Anger produces sinful acts such as unwise speech (vv. 19, 26; 3:1–12) and violence (4:2–3; Matt 5:21–26).

1:21 word planted in you. Reflects the “new covenant” prophecy of Jer 31:31–34, where God promises his people, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.” save. Since James is writing to believers, the salvation here must refer to ultimate deliverance from sin and death in the last day (Rom 5:9–10; 13:14).

1:22 deceive yourselves. The deception is to think that they are destined for final salvation when they really are not.

1:25 perfect law that gives freedom. The Mosaic law is perfected in Christ, who brought the law to its true fulfillment (see notes on Matt 5:17; Rom 10:4). The “law” believers stand under is the “royal law” (2:8), the teaching of Jesus (and the apostles) about the true meaning and application of the law. The law brought bondage to humans, who were prevented by sin from fulfilling the law (Gal 3:22–24). But the law is written on the hearts of new covenant believers, setting them free from that bondage. James makes an important point about the unity of God’s Word, which is both the means of our new birth and salvation (vv. 18, 21) and a “law” that directs Christian conduct. God’s Word is both “gospel” and “law,” and Christians cannot rejoice in their liberation through the gospel if they do not at the same time seek, by divine enablement (v. 21), to live under God’s “royal” law.

1:27 orphans and widows. Represent all people who find themselves powerless and vulnerable in this world. God is himself “a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows” (Ps 68:5; see Exod 22:22–24) and expects his people to imitate his concern (Isa 1:10–17).

2:1–13 Favoritism Forbidden. James condemns favoritism in the church, a striking example of failing to “do” the Word of God.

2:1 glorious Lord Jesus Christ. James implicitly compares the glory that belongs to Christ alone with the “glory” that believers are giving to powerful, wealthy humans. favoritism. Judging people on the basis of their external appearance (see Rom 2:11; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25). Favoritism is prohibited in Lev 19:15, which is only three verses removed from the “love” command (Lev 19:18) that James quotes in v. 8.

2:2 meeting. Translates the Greek word from which we get “synagogue,” probably reflecting the early date and Jewish atmosphere shared by James and his readers. Believers were probably meeting in house churches. gold ring. A symbol of an upper-class Roman.

2:4 become judges. James might be referring to specific situations when believers sat in judgment over other believers, but he more likely is labeling discrimination against the poor in regular church meetings as judgmental.

2:5–13 Favoritism to the rich is wrong because (1) it contrasts with the attitude of God, who chooses poor people to belong to his kingdom (v. 5); (2) those very rich people are the ones persecuting the church (vv. 6–7); and (3) it violates the “royal law” of love (see v. 8 and note). So God condemns people guilty of it (vv. 8–13).

2:5 chosen those who are poor. God is especially concerned for the poor (Exod 23:11; 1 Sam 2:8; Ps 12:5; Luke 6:20; 1 Cor 1:26–28). inherit the kingdom. The kingdom of God was inaugurated when Jesus first came to earth (Matt 12:28), and believers, who enter it now by faith, anticipate being part of its final glorious manifestation (2 Pet 1:11).

2:6 dragging you into court. Rich unbelievers are using their power and influence to persecute believers, probably because they oppose the teaching about Jesus as Messiah and Lord.

2:7 noble name. See v. 1.

2:8 royal law. The law may be called “royal” because it refers to the “love” command, the supreme command in the OT (see Matt 22:34–40; Rom 13:8–10; Gal 5:13–14). But James probably refers to the entire OT law as “royal” in the sense that it is now, as summarized in the love command, the law for the kingdom that Jesus has inaugurated (see note on v. 5). Since many topics from the immediate context of Lev 19:18 come up in James, he may be focusing on this part of the OT law in particular.

2:10 guilty of breaking all of it. God’s law reflects the person of God himself (v. 11); to break any of its commands, therefore, is to fall short of God’s will.

2:12 those who are going to be judged. Believers who have been brought into relationship with God by faith must still face a day of judgment to come (4:11–12; 5:9). They confront this day with assurance rooted in their relationship to Christ, but they must also take seriously the scrutiny that their actions in this life will receive on that day (Rom 14:10–12; 2 Cor 5:10). law that gives freedom. See note on 1:25.

2:13 Mercy triumphs over judgment. People who display mercy toward others will not have to worry on the day of judgment (Matt 18:21–25).

2:14–26 Faith and Deeds. James reinforces the importance of Christian behavior in light of the coming day of judgment by insisting that “deeds,” or works, are the inevitable outcome of true faith.

2:14 faith . . . such faith. In Greek, “such faith” is simply “the faith,” but the article points back to the earlier mention of faith—the kind of faith that “has no deeds.” That kind of faith is not true biblical faith. Having genuine faith means also having God’s Spirit residing within us, a spiritual condition that cannot help but produce deeds pleasing to God (Gal 5:6). save. Deliver from God’s wrath on the day of judgment, as usually in James (1:21; 4:12; 5:20; in 5:15 the same Greek word probably refers to physical healing [“make . . . well”]).

2:17 faith . . . is dead. This is the counterfeit faith of v. 14.

2:18 You have faith; I have deeds. James quotes a dialogue partner to make his point. This person may be claiming that it is unreasonable to expect every believer to possess both faith and deeds. show you my faith by my deeds. Only when people “do” the Word (1:22) can other people see evidence of the faith that Christians claim to have.

2:19 there is one God. The basic Jewish confession drawn from Deut 6:4 (see note). Even the demons believe that. The kind of purely intellectual “faith” (v. 18) that demons have is far from the biblical faith that trusts God and results in obedience to him.

2:20 You foolish person. An ancient argumentative style, called the diatribe, which uses a hypothetical question-and-answer format to convey the author’s ideas. faith without deeds is useless. A recurrent refrain in the section (vv. 17, 26).

2:21 considered righteous. See note on v. 24. offered his son Isaac on the altar. See Gen 22.

2:22 his faith. James does not minimize the significance of Abraham’s faith; indeed, he takes Abraham’s faith for granted throughout vv. 21–26. James’s concern is to test the reality of faith by looking at the evidence that true faith produces. his faith was made complete. Doing and believing are two separate but intimately connected activities. Addressing people who were severing the connection between them, James insists that deeds of obedience to God are always the result, or fulfillment, of faith.

2:23 scripture was fulfilled. James follows Jewish teaching by connecting the declaration of Abraham’s righteous status before God in Gen 15:6 with his faithful response when God “tested” him by asking him to sacrifice his son: “Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness?” (1 Maccabees 2:52 in the Apocrypha [NRSV]). Paul quotes Gen 15:6 to demonstrate that Abraham’s faith came first and that God considered it the full measure of the “righteousness” he was looking for (Rom 4:3; Gal 3:6). James argues that Abraham’s faith highlighted in Gen 15:6 resulted in acts of obedience that demonstrated the reality of his faith. God’s friend. Genesis does not call Abraham this, but see 2 Chr 20:7 and Isa 41:8 (and Jewish tradition: OT pseudepigrapha, Jubilees 19:9; 30:20; Philo, Abraham 273).

2:24 This sentence is the basic theological point of the section, framed by parallel illustrations of the patriarch (v. 21) and prostitute (v. 25). considered righteous. Could also be translated “justified” (Greek dikaioō; also in vv. 21, 25). James’s insistence that a person is not “justified” by faith alone appears to conflict with Paul’s teaching as found, e.g., in Rom 3:28: “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” Both authors stress the importance of faith, but Paul seems to say that works are not involved in justification at all, while James seems to say that works must be involved. There are three main approaches to resolving this apparent contradiction. (1) Paul may be denying that a person can be justified by only certain kinds of works (such as adherence to characteristic Jewish practices); James insists that another kind of works, “good works,” are needed for justification. This view assumes an unlikely meaning of “works of the law” in Rom 3:20 (see note there). (2) Paul may be insisting that a person is declared righteous by faith alone, while James insists that a person demonstrates that they are righteous only by faith and works together (v. 18). In other words, James and Paul would be using the word dikaioō (“justify,” “declare righteous”) with different meanings. (3) Paul may be denying that justification can be based on human works, while James is insisting that justification will take into account human works. On this view, both Paul and James are using the verb “justify” (Greek dikaioō) to refer to God’s judicial verdict that a person is “right” before him. Paul insists that this divine verdict is a product of God’s grace alone and is therefore something humans can experience only by faith alone (Rom 4:4–5). James does not disagree but reminds us that “faith alone” does not mean “a faith that is alone.” True faith is always accompanied by works (as Paul himself insists; Gal 5:6). Those works, the necessary evidence of faith, will be taken into account when God confirms his verdict of justification at the end of our lives.

2:25 Rahab the prostitute. See Josh 2; cf. 6:25; Heb 11:31.

3:1—4:12 Words and Wisdom. The importance and challenge of controlling our speech frame this section (3:1–12; 4:11–12). “Wisdom that comes from heaven” (3:17) enables believers to tame the tongue and avoid quarrelling (3:13—4:3). Central to this section and to the letter as a whole is James’s call for a wholehearted and consistent commitment to God (4:4–10).

3:1–12 Taming the Tongue. James elaborates on his earlier point that people who are truly “religious” will “keep a tight rein on their tongues” (1:26). Our words are powerful, and it is difficult to keep them under control.

3:1 Not many of you should become teachers. The rabbi, or teacher, was an honored figure among the Jews, and perhaps some Christians were attracted to the prestige the position would bring them. James does not intend to dissuade those who are gifted and called from pursuing this ministry, but would-be teachers must consider that they “will be judged more strictly.” The significance of their ministry means that the Lord will scrutinize them especially carefully (Matt 5:19; Acts 20:26–27).

3:2 perfect. Because the tongue is so difficult to control (vv. 5–8), the person who never sins in their speech must be perfect in every way.

3:3–5 The three images that James uses in these verses—bits and horses, rudders and ships, sparks and forest fires—occur together in ancient literature (e.g., Philo, Allegorical Interpretation 3.223–224), and some of them even illustrate the power of speech (Plutarch, de garrulitate 10). The tongue has power that is quite out of proportion with its size relative to other parts of the human body.

3:6 world of evil. Our tongues reveal what is in our hearts (Matt 15:18), so they manifest all the worldliness that characterizes humans. whole course of one’s life. James makes contact with his readers by using a semitechnical phrase from current philosophy: “the wheel of existence.”

3:8 no human being. Emphatic. James might be implying that human beings, by their own resources, cannot tame the tongue; a task so difficult requires divine aid.

3:9 made in God’s likeness. God created human beings in his “likeness,” or “image” (Gen 1:26). That image, while marred because of the fall into sin, has not been eradicated. Human beings possess inherent worth because they continue to manifest that “image.”

3:10–12 James again touches on one of his key concerns: Christians failing to respond to God completely and consistently. It is just as incongruous for a Christian, whose heart God’s Spirit has transformed, to utter false and demeaning words as it is for a fig tree to bear olives; a grapevine, figs; or a salt spring, fresh water. James may again be reflecting the teaching of Jesus (see Matt 15:18–19).

3:13–18 Two Kinds of Wisdom. A common concern joins this section and the next paragraph (4:1–3): disunity within the church. True biblical wisdom manifests itself in virtues that foster peace rather than division.

3:13 wise and understanding. Perhaps referring especially to the teachers (v. 1). show it by their good life. People with intellectual gifts are too often characterized by pride in their own ideas that makes them difficult to get along with. The wisdom all believers should seek above all else (Prov 4:5–9; 8:10–11), by contrast, is inseparably connected to a godly lifestyle.

3:14 selfish ambition. Translates a Greek word that Aristotle used to describe the political factions that were convulsing Athens in his day (Politics 5.3.1302b; cf. Rom 2:8; 2 Cor 12:20; Gal 5:20; Phil 1:17; 2:3). do not boast about it. Do not brag about having wisdom when you are filled with selfishness. the truth. The “truth” of Christianity is something we must not simply understand but live (5:19; 1 John 1:6; 2 John 4) and obey (Gal 5:7; 1 Pet 1:22). When believers do not live in accordance with the gospel they profess, they in effect deny that truth (2 Pet 2:2).

3:15 unspiritual. The Greek word refers to being caught up in the life of this world in contrast to the realm of God and his kingdom (1 Cor 2:14; 15:44, 46; Jude 19).

3:16 selfish ambition. See note on v. 14.

3:17–18 James focuses on virtues that will foster harmony among Christians. The list of virtues that characterizes true wisdom is similar, in structure at least, to the list of the “fruit of the Spirit” in Gal 5:22–23. Ultimately, the Spirit produces these virtues.

3:18 harvest of righteousness. The harvest, or “fruit,” that peacemakers produce is community-wide conduct that pleases God (1:20): unity in place of disunity, concern for others in place of selfishness. Jesus pronounced a blessing on “peacemakers” (Matt 5:9).

4:1–12 Submit Yourselves to God. James continues to rebuke his readers for their quarrelsome attitudes (vv. 1–3) and then, expressing the heart of his concern in this letter, exhorts his readers to give themselves wholly to God (vv. 4–10). He concludes with yet another rebuke regarding speech (vv. 11–12).

4:1 fights and quarrels. The stress brought upon the believers by persecution (1:2–4; 2:6–7) may have exacerbated their infighting (5:9). desires that battle within you. James again spotlights inner dividedness as a basic issue (vv. 4–5; 1:10–11; 3:9–11).

4:2 kill. May refer to the physical violence to which zealous Jews in James’s day were resorting to defend the faith. More likely, however, James wants to turn his readers away from their argumentative attitudes by reminding them of the ultimate expression of unbridled passion and selfishness. The Jewish writing Testament of Simeon describes how “envy” (3:14, 16) led Simeon and his brothers to attempt to murder their brother Joseph (Gen 37:11, 20).

4:3 ask with wrong motives. God promises to give his people the wisdom they need to live faithful and other-oriented lives (1:5). But believers must ask with sincere faith (1:6–8), not with the desire to elevate themselves or satisfy themselves on pleasures.

4:4 You adulterous people. The form of the Greek word this translates is feminine. Picking up widespread OT imagery, James compares God’s people to God’s bride or spouse (e.g., Isa 54:5–6) and, as often in the OT, rebukes them for unfaithfulness (e.g., Hos 2:5–7; see also Isa 57:3; Jer 3:20; Ezek 16:38; 23:45).

4:5 Scripture. James probably has in mind the general OT teaching about God’s jealousy for his people (Exod 20:5). he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us. Could also be translated “the spirit he caused to dwell in us envies intensely” (see the first alternative in the NIV text note), in which case the Scripture would be OT teaching about the human propensity for envy (e.g., Prov 14:30). the spirit. Either the spirit that God placed in all human beings in creation (Gen 2:7) or the Holy Spirit who now indwells believers. If the latter is correct, then the Spirit could be either the subject of the sentence (see the second alternative in the NIV text note) or the object.

4:6 more grace. James’s focus here might be on (1) the grace that enables believers to fully meet the awesome demand that we be wholly devoted to our jealous God or (2) the grace that can overcome our strong human tendency to sinful envy. favor to the humble. Believers need humility in order to experience the full benefits of God’s grace (1 Pet 5:5).

4:7 Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. The exhortation and promise parallel 1 Pet 5:8–9, which may suggest that James is tapping into widespread early Christian teaching.

4:8 Wash your hands. An allusion to the OT priests who washed their hands before they ministered in the tabernacle (Exod 30:17–21). and purify your hearts. Ps 24:4 also brings together “clean hands and a pure heart.” double-minded. A key concern of James (1:8).

4:9 Grieve, mourn and wail. James uses language from the OT prophets to exhort his readers to repent sincerely for sin (e.g., Joel 2:12; cf. 1 Cor 5:2). joy to gloom. James is not denying that believers should “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4). He rebukes the false joy of believers who fail to take their sin seriously.

4:10 Humble yourselves. This exhortation parallels the call to “submit yourselves . . . to God” (v. 7) that began this series of commands. lift you up. See 1:9; Matt 23:12; Luke 14:11; 1 Pet 5:6.

4:11–12 These verses return to the issue of community dissension (3:13—4:3).

4:11 do not slander one another. James again brings up the problem of sinful speech (1:26; 3:1–12). speaks against the law and judges it. Believers who criticize each other ignore the law and, in effect, think they are superior to it. James probably refers again to the “royal law” (see 2:8 and note) since Lev 19:16 (just two verses away from the love command of Lev 19:18) prohibits slander.

4:12 neighbor. Again (see note on v. 11) connotes the love command.

4:13—5:12 A Christian Perspective on the World. The general theme that binds together 4:13–17 and 5:1–12 is the importance of allowing God and his values to shape Christian attitudes toward business and wealth.

4:13–17 Boasting About Tomorrow. James rebukes the arrogance that too often characterizes people involved in business, which is closely related to his more pointed rebuke of the rich in 5:1–6.

4:13 you who say. Probably believers (see v. 15).

4:14 mist. Cf. Job 7:7, 9, 16; Ps 39:5–6. James’s rebuke may again reflect the teaching of Jesus, who told a parable about a foolish rich man who made plans to earn more money while failing to reckon with the brevity of his own life (Luke 12:15–21).

4:15 If it is the Lord’s will. Whether verbalized or not, this sense of living within God’s will for all of life is basic to authentic Christian living.

4:17 Sin is not only doing what God forbids (sins of “commission”); it is also failing to do what God asks us to do (sins of “omission”).

5:1–6 Warning to Rich Oppressors. James uses the same form of address in both 4:13 and 5:1, indicating that these two paragraphs are related: both rebuke worldly arrogance and selfishness associated with wealth. But while 4:13–17 urges believers to repent, 5:1–6 condemns ungodly rich people since James pronounces doom with no hint that they can repent.

5:1 weep and wail. Typical descriptions of how evil people react to judgment in the day of the Lord (Isa 13:6; 15:3; Amos 8:3).

5:2 These rich people have not followed Jesus’ exhortation, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys” (Luke 12:33).

5:3 in the last days. The selfishness of the rich is all the worse since the Lord has already come to inaugurate the last days (Acts 2:17; 2 Tim 3:1; Heb 1:2; 2 Pet 3:3; Jude 18; see “The Consummation”).

5:4 wages you failed to pay the workers. Promptly paying workers was especially important in a society in which people lived “hand to mouth,” using daily wages to buy the necessities of life. James may once again have the “royal law” in view (see 2:8 and note): in the context of the love command (Lev 19:18), the Lord warns his people, “Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight” (Lev 19:13b; cf. Deut 24:14–15; Mal 3:5). crying out against you. Cf. Gen 4:10.

5:5 fattened yourselves. Vividly condemns the rich for selfishly using their resources on themselves and failing to share them with others (Ezek 16:49). day of slaughter. The judgment associated with the day of the Lord (Isa 30:25; Ezek 7:14–23; Rev 19:17–21). Now that “the last days” have dawned (v. 3), judgment is imminent (vv. 7–9). Yet these wicked rich people pursue their selfish lifestyle, fattening themselves like cattle unaware that they are about to be slaughtered.

5:6 the innocent one. Perhaps Jesus, the “innocent,” or “righteous,” one but probably a paradigmatic righteous person. The OT and Jewish writings regularly condemn rich people for exploiting and indirectly killing the poor (in the Aprocrypha [NRSV] see Sirach 34:26–27: “to take away a neighbor’s living is to commit murder; to deprive an employee of wages is to shed blood”; see also 2:5–7; Pss 10:8–9; 37:32; Amos 2:6; 5:12; Mic 2:2, 6–9; 3:1–3, 9–12; 6:9–16).

5:7–12 Patience in Suffering. Having warned selfish rich people about the judgment they can expect on the day when the Lord returns (vv. 1–6), James now instructs the people of God about how they must live in light of that coming day. The movement from judging those who oppress the poor to encouraging the righteous to wait patiently for God to vindicate them follows the sequence of Ps 37.

5:7 coming. Greek parousia. At Christ’s second coming, he will deliver the people of God and judge both their enemies and unbelievers (Matt 24:3—25:46; 1 Thess 4:13—5:11; 2 Thess 1:5–10; 2:1–12). autumn and spring rains. A good harvest in Israel depended on rain—either to soften the ground before sowing in the autumn or to water the crops prior to the harvest in the spring. The OT consistently uses this imagery to refer to the Lord’s faithfulness (Deut 11:14; Jer 5:24; Hos 6:3; Joel 2:23; Zech 10:1).

5:8–9 near . . . standing at the door. The NT consistently views Christ’s second coming as imminent (Rom 13:12; Heb 10:25; 1 Pet 4:7; Rev 22:20; cf. Mark 1:15). Now that Jesus’ first coming has inaugurated the “last days” (v. 3), the next event in salvation history will be Christ’s return in glory. So every generation of Christians looks expectantly yet patiently for that day to dawn (Titus 2:13).

5:9 Don’t grumble against one another. The pressure of difficult circumstances can lead believers to take their problems out on each other.

5:10 take the prophets. Cf. Matt 5:12; 23:31; Acts 7:52.

5:11 we count as blessed those who have persevered. James returns to a theme from the beginning of his letter (1:2–4, 12). Job’s perseverance. Job had plenty of questions to bring before God, but he stubbornly persisted in his faithfulness to God (Job 1:21; 2:10; 16:19–21; 19:25–27). what the Lord finally brought about. A difficult Greek phrase; can also be translated “the end [or goal] of the Lord.” The NIV takes it to refer to the blessings that God showers on Job at the end of the book (Job 42:10–17). The phrase could also refer to the “goal” of a virtuous and patient character that the Lord had in view in Job’s sufferings.

5:12 Prohibiting swearing and exhorting believers to let their simple word be enough are clear reiterations of Jesus’ teaching (Matt 5:33–37). swear. Refers to taking oaths, or vows, as a guarantee that a person will follow through on what they promised. Whether Jesus and James prohibit all such oaths or simply ones that might deceive is debated.

5:13–20 The Prayer of Faith. As in many NT letters, the closing refers to prayer—in this case prayer for those who are sick. The letter concludes, appropriately, by calling believers to intervene on behalf of brothers and sisters who might be straying from the path of righteousness.

5:14 elders of the church. The spiritual leaders of the Christian community (Acts 11:30; 14:23; 15:2; 20:17; 1 Tim 5:17; Titus 1:5). anoint them with oil. Oil was thought to have medicinal value in the ancient world (Luke 10:34), so James might be encouraging the elders to combine prayer with appropriate medical procedures. But anointing with oil more often symbolized setting apart someone for the Lord’s special attention (Exod 28:41; 40:15); kings and priests were appointed by being anointed (e.g., 2 Kgs 9:12; Ps 45:7)—hence the association of “the Anointed One” (Messiah) with kingship. Probably, then, the anointing is a way of assuring the sick person that they are being brought before the Lord for his merciful consideration (cf. Mark 6:13). The Roman Catholic Church has found the sacrament of extreme unction promulgated in this text. But the anointing in this passage is intended not to bring spiritual comfort to those who are dying (the focus of the Roman Catholic sacrament) or who are severely ill, but to set apart the sick person with a view to their being physically healed.

5:15 in faith. An important qualification: only those prayers for healing accompanied by genuine faith will be effective, and only where the Lord wills that healing will he inspire such faith. sick person. Since this Greek word could also be translated “one who is weary” (as in Heb 12:3), some think vv. 14–16 refer to a person who is spiritually depressed rather than one who is physically ill. But many of the words James uses in these verses occur in the stories of Jesus’ healings in the Gospels. If they have sinned. Illness or physical incapacity is not by any means always the result of sin (John 9:1–3), but God does sometimes use physical problems to discipline his children (1 Cor 11:30). So confessing sin is sometimes part of the healing process.

5:17 James cites Elijah not in his role as a prophet, specially chosen by God, but as a “human being, even as we are.” He was a righteous person (v. 16) whom God heard (1 Kgs 17:1; 18:41–46).

5:20 save them from death. Restored sinners who had been wandering from the truth (v. 19) will experience ultimate spiritual salvation (see note on 2:14). cover over a multitude of sins. The sins that are “covered” could also be the sins of the person who has wandered (v. 19), but it might be instead (or also) the sins of the person who has intervened on their behalf (Prov 10:12).