Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

James 2:10

Regarded as a whole law is the expression of the divine will; therefore infraction of the law in one particular is transgression of the divine will, and so a transgression of the whole law. The instances cited are cases of transgressing the Mosaic law, but the principle is of universal application. It is a different principle from that taught in the Rabbinical schools, according to which each particular act of obedience to each law has its assigned reward. The law was not treated as a whole but as a series of separate enactments. “Whosoever fulfils only one law, good is appointed to him, his days are prolonged and he will inherit the land.” Kiddushin i. 10, quoted by Schürer, Gesch. des jüd. Volkes, II. § 28 (Eng. Trans. Div. II. Vol. II. p. 92).

On the other hand Wetstein ad loc. quotes sayings agreeing with St James’ teaching, e.g. Si faciat omnia unum vero omittat omnium et singuloram reus est, Sabbat. f. 70. 2; again R. Johanan dicit, omnis qui dicit: Totam legem ego in me recipio praeter verbum unum, hie sermonem Domini sprevit, et praecepta ejus irrita fecit. One false note destroys the harmony, and a broken link destroys the chain. For our Lord’s word on this see Matthew 5:19.

ὅστις … τηρήσῃ, πταίσῃ. In Classical Greek ὅστις ἄν would be usual. The omission of ἄν however removes the indeterminate character of the expression; it is conceived as an actual case. Comp. Hom. Od. VIII. 523 f. ὡς δὲ γυνὴ κλαίῃσι φίλον πόσιν� | ὅς τε ἑῆς πρόσθεν πόλιος λαῶν τε πέσῃσιν, Soph. Oed. Col. 395, γέροντα δʼ ὀρθοῦν φλαῦρον ὃς νέος πέσῃ, Ant. 1025, ἐπεὶ δʼ ἁμαρτῇ. So also in prose Thuc. IV. 17, ἐπιχώριον ὂν ἡμῖν οὖ μὲν βραχεῖς�. See Campbell, Soph., Essay on Lang. § 27 and Goodwin, § 62, n. 3.

πάντων ἔνοχος. Comp. ἔνοχος θανάτου, Matthew 26:66; ἔνοχος τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ κυρίου, 1 Corinthians 11:27. ἔνοχος bound or held, from ἐνέχεσθαι: πάντων is a genitive of cause. The construction follows that of verbs of prosecuting and sentencing: (Μιλτιάδεα) οἱ ἐχθροὶ ἐδίωξαν τυραννίδος τῆς ἐν Χερσονήσῳ, Hdt. VI. 104; οὐχ ἁλίσκεται ψευδομαρτυριῶν, Arist. Rhet. I. 15. 17, Jelf § 501. See also Winer (253) III. xxx. d who connects the construction with verbs of taking hold of &c., where the Greek idiom requires a genitive, as: τὰ κρείσσονα καὶ ἐχόμενα σωτηρίας, Hebrews 6:9.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

James 2:10

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