James 5:7-11

A Call To Patient Endurance In The Light Of The Lord's Coming (James 5:7).

James now turns back to those who are true ‘brothers' and exhorts them to patient endurance, and to watch their tongues, in the light of the Lord's imminent coming. This is parallel to James 1:2; James 1:12 where he speaks of patient endurance and of the Crown of Life promised to all who love Him. ‘The Lord' here clearly means ‘the Lord, Jesus Christ' (James 1:1; James 2:1). They are to wait patiently like a farmer waits patiently for his harvest, awaiting the first initial rain which enables sowing, and the later rain which helps to ripen the grain, and are to patiently endure, being careful to watch their tongues. For they must remember that the Lord is full of pity and merciful to those who remain faithful to Him.

Analysis.

a Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord (James 5:7 a).

b Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain (James 5:7 b).

c You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand (James 5:8).

d Do not murmur, brothers, one against another, that you be not judged. Behold, the judge stands before the doors (James 5:9).

c Take, brothers, for an example of suffering and of patient endurance, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord (James 5:10).

b Behold, we call them blessed who endured (James 5:11 a).

a You have heard of the patient endurance of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful (James 5:11 b).

Note that in ‘a' we have the call to patience and in the parallel the example of the patience of Job. In ‘b' we have a ‘Behold', and the farmer is called on to wait patiently, and in the parallel another ‘Behold', and a pronouncement of blessing on those who wait patiently and endure. In ‘c' they are called on to patient endurance because the coming of the Lord is at hand, and in the parallel they are to look for an example of patient endurance to those who spoke in the name of the Lord. Centrally in ‘d' they are to watch their tongues lest they be judged, because the Judge stands at the doors.