Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

James 4:2

2 and 3. These two verses are among the examples of poetical form in this epistle: ζηλοῦτε is an advance on ἐπιθυμεῖτε as οὐ δύνασθε ἐπιτυχεῖν is an advance on οὐκ ἔχετε.

2. ἐπιθυμεῖτε, καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε. The zealot’s aims are disappointed; his means, murder, perverted zeal, quarrels and contentions, lead to nothing. With οὐκ ἔχετε the argument is resumed and expanded by an explanation. Mere desire (ἐπιθυμία) without prayer achieves nothing. There is a kind of asking (αἰτεῖτε) which is not true prayer because its object is perverted. For effectiveness of prayer the desire must be rightly directed, otherwise granted prayer will be no blessing. There is such a thing as “to know the anguish of the granted prayer.”

φονεύετε καὶ ζηλοῦτε, equivalent to a single term. The ζῆλος involved the φόνος.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

James 4:2

Old Testament

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