_James, a servant of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Some have doubted whether the author of this epistle was St. James, the apostle, because he does not call himself an apostle. By the same weak argument we might reject all the three epistles of St. John and his Apocalypse, and the epistle of St... [ Continue Reading ]
_Into divers temptations. The word temptations, in this epistle, is sometimes taken for trials by afflictions or persecutions, as in this place; sometimes for a tempting, enticing, or drawing others into sin. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_The trying of your faith worketh patience. St. Paul seems to assert the reverse: (Romans v. 3.) when he says, patience worketh a trial. They are easily reconciled. Here St. James teacheth us, that patience is occasionally obtained, and strengthened by sufferings, the meaning of St. Paul is, that pa... [ Continue Reading ]
_And upbraideth not. That is, God does not think much, nor reproach us with the multitude of his benefits and favours: and if he puts sinners in mind of their repeated ingratitude, it is for their good and conversion. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let not that man think that he shall receive. He that has not a lively faith and firm hope, wavering with a distrust of God's power or goodness, must not imagine to receive what he so faintly asks. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Such a one, is as it were a _double-minded man, [2] divided betwixt God and the world, halting betwixt two, and becomes inconstant in all his ways, always rising and falling, beginning and relapsing. (Witham)_ [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Duplex animo, _Greek: aner dipsuchos, quasi habens duas animas, dubius, i... [ Continue Reading ]
[BIBLIOGRAPHY] Humilis, and in humilitate, _Greek: tapeinos, tapeinosei. See Luke i. 48._... [ Continue Reading ]
_The brother of low condition. Literally, humble. [3] See Luke i. 48. The sense is, that a Christian, of never so low and poor a condition, may glory, and rejoice even in his poverty, that he is not only the servant, but even the adoptive son of God. But the rich, in his being low. Some word must be... [ Continue Reading ]
[BIBLIOGRAPHY] Decor vultus ejus,_ Greek: euprepeia tou prosopou; the Hebrew says, faciem, c\'9cli, terræ, gladii, &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
_God is not a tempter [5] of evils, and he tempteth no man. Here to tempt, is to draw and entice another to the evil of sin, which God cannot do. The Greek may also signify, he neither can be tempted, nor tempt any one. But every one is thus tempted by the evil desires of his corrupt nature, which i... [ Continue Reading ]
When concupiscence hath conceived, (man's free will yielding to it) it bringeth [6] forth sin, our perverse inclinations become sinful, and when any grievous sin is completed, or even consented to, it begetteth death, it maketh the soul guilty of eternal death. It may not be amiss here to observe wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Do not err, nor deceive yourselves by yielding to temptation; beg God his supporting grace, for every good gift is from him. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_By the word of truth. Some, with St. Athanasius, understand the eternal word made man. Others commonly understand the word of the gospel, by which we have been called to the true faith, &c. --- Some beginning [7] of his creatures, (or as the Greek signifies) such a beginning as are the first-fruits... [ Continue Reading ]
You know, or you are sufficiently instructed in these things. --- Let every man be swift to hear the word of God, but slow, or cautious in speaking, especially slow to anger, or to that rash passion of anger, which is never excusable, unless it be through a zeal for God's honour, and against sin. (W... [ Continue Reading ]
_The anger of man, &c. Let us not then be angry with each other on the way to eternal life, but rather march on with the troop of our companions and brethren meekly, peaceably, and lovingly; nay, I say to you absolutely and without exception, be not angry at all, if it be possible, and admit no pret... [ Continue Reading ]
_All uncleanness. [8] The Greek shews that hereby is meant a sordid, filthy uncleanness, infecting and defiling the soul. --- The engrafted [9] word. The word and doctrine of Christ, by the labours of his preachers, and chiefly by his divine grace engrafted and fixed in your souls. (Witham)_ [BIBLI... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shall be compared to a man, &c. The sense is, that it is not enough for a man to examine and look into his interior, and the state of his conscience in a negligent and superficial manner, no more than one that goes to a looking-glass, but does not take care to take away the dirt or spots which h... [ Continue Reading ]
The law of Christ, called here _the perfect law of liberty, as it is distinguished from the Jewish law of fear and slavery, is as it were a looking-glass, which may make us know ourselves, and discover and correct our failings. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_If any man think, &c. He here blames those hot disputes, which seem to have been frequent amongst the converted Jews, concerning the necessity of observing the legal rites. In vain, says he, do you pique yourselves upon the rigorous observance of the law, and your zeal to unite its ceremonial rites... [ Continue Reading ]
_Religion pure and unspotted, &c. St. James may use the word pure, as a proper admonition to the Jews, who were generally mostly solicitous to avoid legal uncleanness, such as were incurred by eating meats forbidden in their law as unclean, by touching a dead body, &c. He therefore tells them that t... [ Continue Reading ]