Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

James 1:10

ὡς ἄνθος χόρτου. Comp. πᾶσα σὰρξ χόρτος, καὶ πᾶσα δόξα�· ἐξηράνθη ὅ χὁρτος καὶ τὸ ἄνθος ἐξέπεσεν. Isaiah 40:7-8. ὥσπερ ἄνθες�, Job 14:2. ἄνθρωπος ὡσεὶ χόρτος αἱ ἁμέραι αὐτοῦ, ὡσεὶ ἄνθος τοῦ�, Psalms 103:14. See also Psalms 37:2. The whole Psalm is parallel in thought to this passage.

χόρτος. See note on St Matthew 6:30 in this series. The first meaning of the word is (1) an enclosed place, especially for feeding cattle: αὐλῆς ἐν χόρτῳ Hom. Il. XI. 774. Hence (2) provender, hay, θηρῶν ὁρείων χόρτεν οὐχ ἵππων λέγεις Eur. Alc. 495. Then (3) vegetation generally, flowers and grass, and even brushwood, which when dried are used for fuel in the East. Matthew 6:31. In this sense χόρτος is not classical. The derivation is from a root meaning ‘to seize,’ hence ‘to enclose’; it is cognate with χορός, ‘an enclosed place for dancing’; hortus, ‘garden,’ ‘yard,’ &c. Curtius, Gk Etym. § 200. Skeat, Etym. Dict., under ‘Yard.’

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

James 1:10

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