James 5:1-6
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:1 The rich people mentioned here are probably not believers (compare James 2:6). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:1 The rich people mentioned here are probably not believers (compare James 2:6). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:2 RICHES, GARMENTS, and GOLD summarize the materialistic lifestyle of these landowners. These possessions will be lost forever. They will also be EVIDENCE at the landowners’ final trial before God. They will feed the flames of the lake of FIRE where their owners will spend eter... [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:4 THE LORD OF HOSTS (“Lord of heaven’s armies”) pictures God as a warrior going into battle (1 Samuel 17:45; Revelation 17:14; Revelation 19:14). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getEleme [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:5 FATTENED YOUR HEARTS IN A DAY OF SLAUGHTER. The rich feed on luxuries and fail to realize that they are headed for death (see Jeremiah 12:3; Revelation 19:17). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:6 RIGHTEOUS PERSON may have a double meaning. He is both “one of God’s forgiven people” and “a person who is innocent” of the death sentence that the wealthy have given him. HE DOES NOT RESIST. The righteous person was powerless to stop the wicked. This makes the sin even worse... [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:7 The righteous are to wait UNTIL THE COMING OF THE LORD (see 1 Thessalonians 4:15). At that time God will make things right. THE EARLY AND THE LATE RAINS. Autumn rains occurred just after planting and the spring rains come just before harvest (Jeremiah 5:24; Joel 2:23). These... [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:10 The EXAMPLE of the PROPHETS is that they suffered and died (see Hebrews 11:32) for speaking IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:11 The theme of enduring trials recalls James 1:2, James 1:12. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:12 It is not entirely clear how DO NOT SWEAR is connected to vv. James 5:7. ABOVE ALL may begin a three-part conclusion to the letter (vv. James 5:12, James 5:13, James 5:19). Yet it could also refer back to the sins of the tongue and the grumbling of v. James 5:9. Oaths were a... [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:13 The Prayer of Faith. Speaking mainly of prayer, James restates some of the letter’s key themes. These include trials and misuse of the tongue. The ultimate way to “tame” one’s tongue (James 3:8) is to “pray for one another” (James 5:16). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getEleme... [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:15 THE PRAYER OF FAITH. Not the faith of the sick person, but the faith of those praying. James does not require the sick person to exercise faith. The sick person simply asks for the elders to pray. WILL SAVE perhaps carries a double meaning: (1) the sick person will be physic... [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:16 CONFESS YOUR SINS TO ONE ANOTHER. Sometimes confession in the community is needed before healing can take place, since sin may be the cause of the illness (compare 1 Corinthians 11:29). PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER is directed to all the readers of James’s letter. He did not expect... [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:17 ELIJAH illustrates how a MAN WITH A NATURE LIKE OURS could have a powerful prayer life. The drought recorded in 1 Kings 17:1 was punishment on King Ahab and Israel for idolatry. The THREE YEARS AND SIX MONTHS is probably taken from “in the third year” (1 Kings 18:1) as symbo... [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:19 Concluding Admonition. James’s style is abrupt. There is no concluding greeting as in most NT letters. Instead, James calls the community to help those who have fallen into the moral faults described in the book. This closing section acts as a summary of various sins and the... [ Continue Reading ]
JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 5:20 SAVE HIS SOUL FROM DEATH. Not physical death (see 1 Corinthians 11:30) but spiritual death (compare 1 John 5:16). Timely help from other believers (see Galatians 6:1; Hebrews 3:13) will “save his soul” and bring forgiveness from God if he repents. The one who encourages repe... [ Continue Reading ]