Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

James 1:8

δίψυχος. Not classical, and here only in N.T.; it does not occur in LXX.; possibly a word coined by St James himself. (In Psalms 119:113 the Hebr. for ‘them that are of a double mind’ is vaguely rendered παρανόμους in the LXX.) ψυχή is regarded as the seat of desires, volition; hence δίψυχος, one who is torn by conflicting desires. The word, elsewhere rare, is very frequent in Hermas’ Pastor, so much so that the treatise reads like an amplification of St James’ teaching. As one instance out of many bearing the impress of this passage, comp. ἆρον�, Herm. Past. M. 9. It is difficult to decide whether ἀνὴρ δίψυχος is to be taken as a subject with ἀκατάστατος as a predicate, or whether both are in apposition to ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος. On the whole the latter view seems preferable.

ἀκατάστατος. Here only in N.T. The noun ἀκαταστασία and the adjective are classical in the sense of political instability and confusion; in Polybius ἀκατάστατος is used of youthful fickleness: διά τε καὶ φύσει μὲν καὶ� [τὸ μειράκιον] ἔτι δὲ μᾶλλον ὑπʼ ἐκείνων τότε μετεωρισθέν, VIII. 4. 6. In this sense also Luke 21:9. See also 1 Corinthians 14:33.

The separation between ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος and ἀνὴρ δίψυχος gives emphasis to the words in apposition: comp. τὸ πάσχα ἡμῶν ἐτύθη Χριστός, 1 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 7:6.

ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ. Comp. infr. James 1:11 ἐν ταῖς πορείαις αὐτοῦ. The figure is so frequent in the O.T. as hardly to need illustration: διδάξει πραεῖς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ, Psalms 25:9. νομοθέτησόν με, κύριε, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου, Psalms 27:11. οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν, Jeremiah 16:17. Hence Christianity or the Church is preeminently ἡ ὀδός, Acts 19:9 κακολογοῦντες τῆν ὁδὸν and 23 τάραχος οὐκ ὀλίγος περὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

James 1:8

Old Testament

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