7For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.
8But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, kfull of deadly poison.
9With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made lin the 6similitude of God.
10Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
11Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
12Can a mfig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? 7Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
Heavenly Versus Demonic Wisdom
13nWho is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
14But if you have obitter envy and 8self-seeking in your hearts, pdo not boast and lie against the truth.
15qThis wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
16For rwhere envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
17But sthe wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, twithout partiality uand without hypocrisy.
18vNow the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
James 4
Pride Promotes Strife
1Where do 1wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure athat war in your members?
2You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and 2war. 3Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
3bYou ask and do not receive, cbecause you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
44Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that dfriendship with the world is enmity with God? eWhoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, f“The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
6But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
g“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
Humility Cures Worldliness
7Therefore submit to God. hResist the devil and he will flee from you.
8iDraw near to God and He will draw near to you. jCleanse your hands, you sinners; and kpurify your hearts, you double-minded.
9lLament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
10mHumble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Do Not Judge a Brother
11nDo not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother oand 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.
12There is one 5Lawgiver, pwho is able to save and to destroy. qWho6 are you to judge 7another?
Do Not Boast About Tomorrow
13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow 8we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;
14whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? rIt is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
15Instead you ought to say, s“If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”
16But now you boast in your arrogance. tAll such boasting is evil.
17Therefore, uto him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
James 5
Rich Oppressors Will Be Judged
1Come now, you arich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
2Your briches 1are corrupted, and cyour garments are moth-eaten.
3Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. dYou have heaped up treasure in the last days.
4Indeed ethe wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and fthe cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of 2Sabaoth.
5You have lived on the earth in pleasure and 3luxury; you have 4fattened your hearts 5as in a day of slaughter.
6You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.
Be Patient and Persevering
7Therefore 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.
8You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord 6is at hand.
9Do not 7grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be 8condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
10gMy brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and hpatience.
11Indeed iwe count them blessed who jendure. You have heard of kthe perseverance of Job and seen lthe end intended by the Lord—that mthe Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
12But above all, my brethren, ndo 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 9judgment.
Meeting Specific Needs
(cf. 1 Kin. 18:41–46)
13Is anyone among you suffering? Let him opray. Is anyone cheerful? pLet him sing psalms.
14Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, qanointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. rAnd if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
1610Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. sThe effective, 11fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
17Elijah was a man twith a nature like ours, and uhe prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18And he prayed vagain, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Bring Back the Erring One
19Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone wturns him back,
20let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way xwill save 12a soul from death and ycover a multitude of sins.
James Commentaries
James 1
1:1 James. The half-brother of the Lord Jesus (see Introduction: Author and Date; cf. Gal. 1:19; 2:9). bondservant. See note on Rom. 1:1. twelve tribes. A common NT title for Jews (cf. Matt. 19:28; Acts 26:7; Rev. 7:4). When the kingdom split after Solomon’s reign, 10 tribes constituted the northern kingdom, called Israel, and Benjamin and Judah combined to form the southern kingdom, called Judah. After the fall and deportation of the northern kingdom to Assyria (722 B.C.), some of the remnant of those in the 10 northern tribes filtered down into Judah and came to Jerusalem to worship (2 Chr. 29, 30, 34), thus preserving all 12 tribes in Judah’s land. Although tribal identity could not be established with certainty after the southern kingdom was led captive by Babylon (586 B.C.), the prophets foresaw a time when God would reconstitute the whole nation and delineate each person’s tribal membership once again (cf. Is. 11:12, 13; Jer. 3:18; 50:4; Ezek. 37; Rev. 7:5–8). scattered abroad. The Gr. word diaspora, which lit. means “through a sowing” (cf. John 7:35), became a technical term referring to Jews living outside the land of Palestine (cf. 1 Pet. 1:1). Besides the expulsions from the land by the Assyrians (2 Kin. 17; 1 Chr. 5) and Babylonians (2 Kin. 24, 25; 2 Chr. 36), many Jews were taken to Rome as slaves when the Romans conquered them ca. 63 B.C. In addition, during the centuries leading up to Christ’s first coming, thousands of Jews drifted out of Israel and settled throughout the Mediterranean world (see notes on Acts 2:5–11). But James’ primary audience was those who were scattered because of persecution (see Introduction: Background and Setting).
1:2 bre
thren. Believing Jews among those scattered (cf. 1 Pet. 1:1, 2; see note on Acts 8:1). count it all joy. The Gr. word for “count” may also be translated “consider” or “evaluate.” The natural human response to trials is not to rejoice; therefore the believer must make a conscious commitment to face them with joy (see note on Phil. 3:1). trials. This Gr. word connotes trouble, or something that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy, and happiness in someone’s life. The verb form of this word means “to put someone or something to the test,” with the purpose of discovering that person’s nature or that thing’s quality. God brings such tests to prove—and increase—the strength and quality of one’s faith and to demonstrate its validity (vv. 2–12). Every trial becomes a test of faith designed to strengthen: if the believer fails the test by wrongly responding, that test then becomes a temptation, or a solicitation to evil (see notes on vv. 13–15).
1:3 testing. This means “proof,” or “proving” (see Introduction: Outline). patience. Better translated “endurance,” or “perseverance.” Through tests, a Christian will learn to withstand tenaciously the pressure of a trial until God removes it at His appointed time and even cherish the benefit. See notes on 2 Cor. 12:7–10.
1:4 perfect. Not a reference to sinless perfection (cf. 3:2), but to spiritual maturity (cf. 1 John 2:14). The testing of faith drives believers to deeper communion and greater trust in Christ—qualities that in turn produce a stable, godly, and righteous character (see note on 1 Pet. 5:10; cf. Gal. 4:19). complete. From a compound Gr. word that lit. means “all the portions whole.”
1:5 wisdom. James’ Jewish audience recognized this as the understanding and practical skill that was necessary to live life to God’s glory. It was not a wisdom of philosophical speculation, but the wisdom contained in the pure and peaceable absolutes of God’s will revealed in His Word (cf. 3:13, 17) and lived out. Only such divine wisdom enables believers to be joyous and submissive in the trials of life. ask of God. This command is a necessary part of the believer’s prayer life (cf. Job 28:12–23; Prov. 3:5–7; 1 Thess. 5:17). God intends that trials will drive believers to greater dependency on Him, by showing them their own inadequacy. As with all His riches (Eph. 1:7; 2:7; 3:8; Phil. 4:19), God has wisdom in abundance (Rom. 11:33) available for those who seek it. See notes on Prov. 2:1–8.
1:6 ask in faith. Prayer must be offered with confident trust in a sovereign God (see note on Heb. 11:1). with no doubting. This refers to having one’s thinking divided within himself, not merely because of mental indecision but an inner moral conflict or distrust in God (see note on v. 8). wave of the sea. The person who doubts God’s ability or willingness to provide this wisdom is like the billowing, restless sea, moving back and forth with its endless tides, never able to settle (cf. Josh. 24:15; 1 Kin. 18:21; Rev. 3:16).
1:8 double-minded man. A lit. translation of the Gr. expression that denotes having one’s mind or soul divided between God and the world (see note on 4:4). This man is a hypocrite, who occasionally believes in God but fails to trust Him when trials come, and thus receives nothing. The use of this expression in 4:8 makes it clear that it refers to an unbeliever. unstable. See notes on v. 6.
1:9, 10 lowly brother…the rich. Trials make all believers equally dependent on God and bring them to the same level with each other by keeping them from becoming preoccupied with earthly things. Poor Christians and wealthy ones can rejoice that God is no respecter of persons and that they both have the privilege of being identified with Christ.
1:9 glory. This word refers to the boasting of a privilege or possession; it is the joy of legitimate pride. Although having nothing in this world, the poor believer can rejoice in his high spiritual standing before God by grace and the hope which that brings (cf. Rom. 8:17, 18; 1 Pet. 1:4).
1:10 his humiliation. Refers to the rich believer’s being brought low by trials. Such experiences help him rejoice and realize that genuine happiness and contentment depend on the true riches of God’s grace, not earthly wealth.
1:11 grass…flower. A picture of Palestine’s flowers and flowering grasses, which colorfully flourish in Feb. and dry up by May. This is a clear allusion to Is. 40:6–8, which speaks of the scorching sirocco wind that burns and destroys plants in its path. This picture from nature illustrates how divinely wrought death and judgment can quickly end the wealthy person’s dependence on material possessions (see note on v. 10; cf. Prov. 27:24).
1:12 Blessed. See notes on Matt. 5:4, 10, 11. Believers who successfully endure trials are truly happy (cf. 5:11). endures. See note on v. 3. In this context, it also describes the passive, painful survival of a trial and focuses on the victorious outcome. Such a person never relinquishes his saving faith in God; thus this concept is closely related to the doctrine of eternal security and perseverance of the believer (see note on Matt. 24:13; cf. John 14:15, 23; 1 John 2:5, 6, 15, 19; 4:19; 1 Pet. 1:6–8). temptation. This is better translated “trials” (see note on v. 2). approved. Lit. “passed the test” (see note on v. 2, “trials”). The believer has successfully and victoriously gone through his trials, indicating he is genuine because his faith has endured like Job’s. crown of life. Best translated “the crown which is life.” “Crown” was the wreath put on the victor’s head after ancient Greek athletic events. Here, it denotes the believer’s ultimate reward, eternal life, which God has promised to him and will grant in full at death or at Christ’s coming (see notes on 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 2:10; cf. 1 Pet. 5:4).
1:13 The same Gr. word translated “trials” (vv. 2–12) is also translated “temptation” here. James’ point is that every difficult circumstance that enters a believer’s life can either strengthen him if he obeys God and remains confident in His care, or become a solicitation to evil if the believer chooses instead to doubt God and disobey His Word. God cannot be tempted. God by His holy nature has no capacity for evil, or vulnerability to it (Hab. 1:13; cf. Lev. 19:2; Is. 6:3; 1 Pet. 1:16). nor does He Himself tempt anyone. God purposes trials to occur and in them He allows temptation to happen, but He has promised not to allow more than believers can endure and never without a way to escape (1 Cor. 10:13). They choose whether to take the escape God provides or to give in (see note on v. 14; cf. 2 Sam. 24:1; 1 Chr. 21:1).
1:14 drawn away. This Gr. word was used to describe wild game being lured into traps. Just as animals can be drawn to their deaths by attractive baits, temptation promises people something good, which is actually harmful. his own desires. This refers to lust, the strong desire of the human soul to enjoy or acquire something to fulfill the flesh. Man’s fallen nature has the propensity to strongly desire whatever sin will satisfy it (see notes on Rom. 7:8–25). “His own” describes the individual nature of lust—it is different for each person as a result of inherited tendencies, environment, upbringing, and personal choices. The Gr. grammar also indicates that these “desires” are the direct agent or cause of one’s sinning. Cf. Matt. 15:18–20. enticed. A fishing term that means “to capture” or “to catch with bait” (cf. 2 Pet. 2:14, 18). It is a parallel to “drawn away.”
1:15 Sin is not merely a spontaneous act, but the result of a process. The Gr. words for “has conceived” and “brings forth” liken the process to physical conception and birth. Thus James personifies temptation and shows that it can follow a similar sequence and produce sin with all its deadly results. While sin does not result in spiritual death for the believer, it can lead to physical death (1 Cor. 11:30; 1 John 5:16).
1:16 Do not be deceived. The Gr. expression refers to erring, going astray, or wandering. Christians are not to make the mistake of blaming God rather than themselves for their sin.
1:17 Every good…perfect gift is from above. Two different Gr. words for “gift” emphasize the perfection and inclusiveness of God’s graciousness. The first denotes the act of giving, and the second is the object given. Everything related to divine giving is adequate, complete, and beneficial. Father of lights. An ancient Jewish expression for God as the Creator, with “lights” referring t
o the sun, moon, and stars (cf. Gen. 1:14–19). no variation or shadow of turning. From man’s perspective, the celestial bodies have different phases of movement and rotation, change from day to night, and vary in intensity and shadow. But God does not follow that pattern—He is changeless (cf. Mal. 3:6; 1 John 1:5).
1:18 Of His own will. This phrase translates a Gr. word that makes the point that regeneration is not just a wish, but an active expression of God’s will, which He always has the power to accomplish. This phrase occurs at the beginning of the Gr. sentence, which means James intends to emphasize that the sovereign will of God is the source of this new life. He brought us forth. The divine act of regeneration, or the new birth (see notes on John 3:3–8; 1 Pet. 1:23; cf. Ezek. 36:25–27; John 1:12, 13; Eph. 2:5, 6; 5:26). word of truth. Cf. John 17:17. Scripture, or the Word of God. He regenerates sinners through the power of that Word (cf. 2 Cor. 6:7; Col. 1:5; 1 Thess. 2:13; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:23–25). firstfruits. Originally an OT expression referring to the first and best harvest crops, which God expected as an offering (cf. Ex. 23:19; Lev. 23:9–14; Deut. 26:1–19). Giving God that initial crop was an act of faith that He would fulfill His promise of a full harvest to come (Prov. 3:9, 10). In the same way, Christians are the first evidence of God’s new creation that is to come (cf. 2 Pet. 3:10–13) and enjoy presently in their new life a foretaste of future glory (see notes on Rom. 8:19–23).
1:19 swift to hear, slow to speak. Believers are to respond positively to Scripture, and eagerly pursue every opportunity to know God’s Word and will better (cf. Ps. 119:11; 2 Tim. 2:15). But at the same time, they should be cautious about becoming a preacher or teacher too quickly (see notes on 3:1, 2; cf. Ezek. 3:17; 33:6, 7; 1 Tim. 3:6; 5:22).
1:20 wrath. From the Gr. word that describes a deep, internal resentment and rejection, in this context, of God’s Word (see notes on 4:1–3; cf. Gal. 4:16).
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 647
