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George Haydock's Catholic Commentary

James 4:1

Whence are wars [1] and contentions, in all kinds, but from your lusts and disorderly passions, coveting to have and enjoy what you have not, as to pleasures, riches, honours, &c. (Witham)

[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Unde bella et lites? Greek: polemoi kai machai, as also ver. 2, litigatis et belligeratis, Greek: machesthe, kai polemeite. I see no reason to translate it, by lawsuits and pleadings, as Mr. N.

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See also James 4:1 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER IV. _The origin of wars and contentions, and the wretched lot of_ _those who are engaged in them_, 1, 2. _Why so little heavenly good is obtained_, 3. _The friendship of the world is enmit...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FROM WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU? - Margin, “brawlings.” The reference is to strifes and contentions of all kinds; and the question, then, as it is now, was an important one, what was the...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    IV. FURTHER EXHORTATIONS TO RIGHT LIVING CHAPTER 4 _ 1. Fightings and worldliness rebuked (James 4:1)_ 2. The Godly walk (James 4:7) James 4:1 A strong rebuke follows the statements concerning the...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    The climax of the last paragraph leads to a diagnosis of the disease that poisoned quarrelsome Jewish communities. Faction fights were the logical outcome of unbridled passions; they campaign against...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Whence come feuds and whence come fights among you? Is this not their source--do they not arise because of these desires for pleasures which carry on their constant warring campaign within your member...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    MAN'S PLEASURE OR GOD'S WILL? (James 4:1-3)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WARS. Greek. _polemos._ See Matthew 24:6. AND. The texts add "whence". FIGHTINGS. Greek. _mache._ See 2 Corinthians 7:5. AMONG. App-104. LUSTS. pleasures. Greek. _hedone_. See...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    James 4:1-7. God's giving and the World's getting 1. _whence come wars and fightings among you?_ One source of discord had been touched in the "Be not many masters" of Chap. James 3:1. Sectarianism an...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΠΌΘΕΝ ΠΌΛΕΜΟΙ ΚΑῚ ΠΌΘΕΝ ΜΆΧΑΙ ἘΝ ὙΜΙ͂Ν; The transition to this paragraph is immediately suggested by εἰρήνην (James 3:18). But the thought follows naturally on the whole preceding section, especially...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    CH. 4:1–12. THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH WHICH ARE THE CAUSE OF EVIL CONTENTION...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _DO NOT BE FILLED WITH PRIDE -- JAMES 4:1-5 :_ Here James deals with the source or origin of altercations among brethren. He listed as causes of these wars and fightings: (1) a lust after worldly thin...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΠΌΘΕΝ (G4159) где, откуда, ΠΌΛΕΜΟΣ (G4171) война, ΜΆΧΑΙ _пот. pl. от_ ΜΆΧΗ (G3163) битва, сражение. Первое слово обозначает хроническое состояние военных действий, военную кампанию, а второе — отдел...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU?— Dr. Benson is of opinion, that St. James could here intend no reference to the unbelieving Jews at this time in theirdispersions; but that what he condemned...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER VIII _CAUSE AND REMEDY OF STRIFE_ James 4:1-12 _Introduction_ Can it be possible that the church of Jesus Christ could descend to the sins mentioned here so soon after Pentecost? In less th...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    SELFISH PLEASURE A SOURCE OF TROUBLE _Text 4:1-3_ James 4:1 Whence come wars, and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members? James 4:12....

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? WHENCE. The cause of quarrels is often sought in external circumstances: internal l...

  • Commentary on the Minor Epistles by Caton

    VERSE 1 FROM WHENCE COME WARS? The question is unambiguous. It is especially pointed, and just as bold as it is plain. Without waiting for either believing or unbelieving Jew to respond, the writer o...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    20 The case of Abraham is most helpful in further defining the distinct viewpoints of Paul and James. The former refers us to the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, the latter to the twenty-second. In the...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    4:1 pleasures, (g-16) Lit. 'pleasures,' not 'lusts;' there is an additional idea, the satisfaction the heart feels in satisfying, or rather gratifying, lust. see Titus 3:3 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DENUNCIATION OF GREED AND LOVE OF PLEASURE 1. Lusts] better, 'pleasures.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    WHAT *FAITH SHOULD DO JAMES _IAN MACKERVOY_ The word list at the end explains words with a *star by them. CHAPTER 4 DESIRES AND DIVISIONS 4:1-10 V1 You know where all the fights and quarrels...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    FROM WHENCE COME WARS...? — More correctly thus. _Whence are wars, and whence fightings among you_? The perfect peace above, capable, moreover, in some ways, of commencement here below, dwelt upon at...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 18 ST. JAMES AND PLATO ON LUSTS AS THE CAUSES OF STRIFE; THEIR EFFECT ON PRAYER. James 4:1 THE change from the close of the third chapter to the beginning of the fourth is startling. St. Jam...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ff. These verses reveal an appalling state of moral depravity in these _Diaspora_ congregations; strife, self-indulgence, lust, murder, covetousness, adultery, envy, pride and slander are rife; the co...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “DRAW NIGH TO GOD” James 4:1 The Apostle returns to “the jealousy and faction” of the previous chapter, James 3:14, and says that these evils are traceable to _lust_, that is, to inordinate desire. T...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The writer now dealt with the effect of faith on character. Everything depends on desire. To attempt to satisfy a natural desire without reference to God is futile, and issues in internal conflict and...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    From (1) whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members? (1) He advances the same argument, condemning certain other causes of wars a...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS The same Subject of Exhortation is continued in this Chapter as in the former. Several striking Expressions are made use of, to enforce what the Apostle is recommending,...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (2) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    To the reader who enters on the consideration of the epistle of James from the epistles of Paul, the change is great and sudden, and by no means least of all from the epistle to the Hebrews, which, in...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1_From whence come wars_. As he had spoken of peace, and had reminded them that vices are to be exterminated in such a way as to preserve peace, he now comes to their contentions, by which they create...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In all that follows we have still the judgment of unbridled nature, of will in its different forms: contentions that arise from the lusts of the natural heart; request made to God proceeding from the...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FROM WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU?.... Which are to be understood, not of public and national wars, such as might be between the Jews and other nations at this time; for the apostle is not...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    From whence _come_ wars and fightings among you? _come they_ not hence, _even_ of your lusts that war in your members? Ver. 1. _From whence come wars_] That is, word wars, needless and endless strife...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The crimes condemned in this and the following chapter were so atrocious, and of so public a nature, that we can hardly suppose them to have been committed by any who bore the name of _Christians._ Wh...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    A large part of this and the following chapter is addressed to that portion of the Jewish Christian community who had departed from "the doctrine that is according to godliness," and become conformed,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    CAUTION AGAINST WORLDLY-MINDEDNESS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. Against a lustful, quarrelsome disposition:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    FROM WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU? COME THEY NOT HENCE, EVEN OF YOUR LUSTS THAT WAR IN YOUR MEMBERS?...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    This chapter, to the end of v.6, continues the subject begun in Ch.3:13. Sensual. devilish wisdom was accompanied by wars and fightings: but this proceeded from the lusts of the flesh active within th...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER FOUR (The question numbers refer to the verse number.) 1. Why do nations fight wars? Does this passage refer to personal “wars” and fighting? Could this verse refer...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    FIGHTINGS: Or, brawling LUSTS: Or, pleasures...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?"What is the source" -"from what source, brought about or given by whom, born of...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-10 Since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in the members. Wordly and fleshly lusts are distempers, which will not allo...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    JAMES CHAPTER 4 JAMES 4:1 Our evil lusts and passions tend to breed quarrels among ourselves, and to set us at enmity with God. JAMES 4:7 The way to overcome them, and recover God's favour. JAMES 4:11...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    James 4:1 Where G4159 wars G4171 and G2532 fights G3163 among G1722 you G5213 G1782 not G3756 from...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    IN CONTRAST TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE ARE THOSE WHO YIELD TO THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND SEEK TO BE FRIENDS OF A WORLD WHICH IGNORES CHRIST (JAMES 4:1). Having spoken o...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘From where come wars and from where come squabblings among you? Do they not come from there, even from your pleasures that war in your members?' He considers their wars and their squabbling and their...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    James 4:1-12. St. James warns his readers against those evil passions which gave rise to wars and fightings among them. They must moderate their desires, and guard against self-gratification. If they...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    James 4:1. FROM WHENCE COME WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMONG YOU? Other manuscripts read, Whence wars and whence fightings among you? The connection is as follows: St. James had been reproving his readers for...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    WHENCE (ποθεν). This old interrogative adverb (here twice) asks for the origin of wars and fights. James is full of interrogatives, like all diatribes.WARS (πολεμο)--FIGHTINGS (μαχα).WAR (πολε...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    James 4:1. _From whence come wars and fightings among you?_ Whether between nations, or parties or individuals,-if there be wars and fightings, whence do they come? James 4:1. _Come they not hence,...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Rebuke of worldliness and exhortation to humility before God. CHARACTERS: God, Satan. CONCLUSION: Worldly and fleshly lusts are the distemper which will not allow contentment or satisfacti...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    James 4:1. _From whence come wars and fightings among you?_ St. James saw in the Spirit the bloody and cruel wars which would rise among christian powers, much the same as among the heathen. He had a...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    WHERE DO? "What is the source of all the fights and quarrels which take place both among you Christians and against the non-Christians?" THEY COME FROM. The crimes which James condemns were so horribl...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _From whence come wars and fightings?_ WARS AND FIGHTING--WHENCE THEY PROCEED I. THE QUESTION PROPOSED (James 4:1). We have no very particular information as to the nature of these contests, the part...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 4:1 PASSIONS. Self-centered desires cause these people to make WAR against each other in the church. Here “war” is a metaphor for the traumatic effect of bitter hostility....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    THE LOWER AND THE HIGHER LIFE _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ James 4:1. LUSTS.—Pleasures, but viewed on their evil side. _Desires_ that are ill regulated. Compare 1 Peter 2:11; Romans 7:23. Evidentl...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JAMES 4:1 REBUKE OF QUARRELS ARISING FROM PRIDE AND GREED. A terribly sadden transition from the "peace" with which James 3:1. closed....

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    This chapter could be entitled how to win friends and influence people. Guard your tongue, bring your tongue under control, use it for good, use it to encourage to build up, don't use it to tear down,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 John 2:15; 1 Peter 1:14; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 Peter 4:2; 1 Peter 4:3;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Lusts [η δ ο ν ω ν]. Lit., pleasures, as Rev. Properly, sensual pleasures. The sinful pleasures are the outgrowths of the lusts, ver. 2. That war [σ τ ρ α τ ε υ ο μ ε ν ω ν]. The thought of wars and f...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    From whence come wars and fightings — Quarrels and wars among you, quite opposite to this peace? Is it not from your pleasures — Your desires of earthly pleasures. Which war — Against your souls. In y...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    The Jews, to whom St. James directed this epistle, had at that time great wars and fightings, not only with their neighbours, but even among themselves: in every city there were WARS AND FIGHTINGS AMO...

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