James 1:12-15

Temptation, and its history

12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation The mode of teaching by Beatitudes reminds us at once of the Sermon on the Mount, with which, it will be seen afterwards, the Epistle has so many points of contact. Stress is laid on "enduring" as distinct from simply "suffering," and the "temptation" is prominently, as in James 1:2, that of suffering coming from without.

for when he is tried Better, when he has stood the trial, the Greek adjective being applied, as in Romans 14:18; Romans 16:10, to one who has been tested and approved.

the crown of life The image of the "crown" or wreath of the conqueror for the reward of the righteous is common both to St Peter who speaks of "the crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:4) and to St Paul who speaks of "the crown of righteousness" (2 Timothy 4:8). The "crown of life," i. e. of eternal life, which isthe crown, is, however, peculiar to St James. The figurative use of the word is characteristic of the Son of Sirach (Sir 1:11; Sir 1:16; Sir 1:18; Sir 25:6), and of the LXX. of Proverbs (James 1:9; James 4:9). In Wis 5:16, we have, in the Greek, the kindred word "diadem."

which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Here again it is a question whether "the Lord" is to be taken in its special New Testament sense, or generally of God. As before (see Note on James 1:7) the balance turns in favour of the former, and the tense of the verb ("which the Lord promised"), as if referring to some special utterance, may lead us to think of such words as those of John 14:21; John 14:23. A more general promise of the same kind to those that love the Lord is found in Sir 34:16.