The subjects which are introduced in this chapter are the following: I. An address to rich men, and a severe condemnation of the manner in which they lived, James 5:1. There have been various opinions in regard to the persons here referred to. (1) Some have supposed that the address is to unbeliev... [ Continue Reading ]
GO TO NOW - Notes, James 4:13. YE RICH MEN - Not all rich men, but only that class of them who are specified as unjust and oppressive. There is no sin in merely being rich; where sin exists peculiarly among the rich, it arises from the manner in which wealth is acquired, the spirit which it tends t... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR RICHES ARE CORRUPTED - The word here rendered “corrupted” (σήπω sēpō) does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It means, to cause to rot, to corrupt, to destroy. The reference here is to their hoarded treasures; and the idea is, that they had accumulated more than they needed for their... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR GOLD AND SILVER IS CANKERED - That is, that you have heaped together, by injustice and fraud, a large amount, and have kept it from those to whom it is due, James 5:4, until it has become corroded. The word rendered is “cankered” (κατίωται katiōtai,) does not occur elsewhere in the New Testam... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE HIRE OF THE LABOURERS WHO HAVE REAPED DOWN YOUR FIELDS - In the previous verses the form of the sin which the apostle specified was that they had hoarded their property. He now states another form of their guilt, that, while doing this, they had withheld what was due from the very labore... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE LIVED IN PLEASURE ON THE EARTH - One of the things to which the rich are peculiarly addicted. Their wealth is supposed to be of value, because it furnishes them the means of doing it. Compare Luke 12:19; Luke 16:19. The word translated “lived in pleasure, (τρυφάω truphaō) occurs only here... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE CONDEMNED AND KILLED THE JUST - τὸν δίκαιον ton dikaion - “the just one,” or “the just man” - for the word used is in the singular number. This may either refer to the condemnation and crucifixion of Christ - meaning that their conduct towards his people had been similar to the treatment o... [ Continue Reading ]
BE PATIENT THEREFORE, BRETHREN - That is, under such wrongs as the apostle had described in the previous verses. Those whom he addressed were doubtless suffering under those oppressions, and his object was to induce them to bear their wrongs without murmuring and without resistance. One of the metho... [ Continue Reading ]
BE YE ALSO PATIENT - As the farmer is. In due time, as he expects the return of the rain, so you may anticipate deliverance from your trials. STABLISH YOUR HEARTS - Let your purposes and your faith be firm and unwavering. Do not become weary and fretful; but bear with constancy all that is laid upo... [ Continue Reading ]
GRUDGE NOT ONE AGAINST ANOTHER - Margin, “groan, grieve.” The Greek word (στενάζω stenazō) means, “to sigh, to groan,” as of persons in distress, Romans 8:23; and then to sigh or groan through impatience, fretfulness, ill-humor; and hence “to murmur, to find fault, to complain.” The exact idea her... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE, MY BRETHREN, THE PROPHETS - That is, in your trials and persecutions. To encourage them to the exercise of patience, he points them to the example of those who had trod the same thorny path before them. The prophets were in general a much persecuted race of men; and the argument on which the a... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, WE COUNT THEM HAPPY WHICH ENDURE - The word rendered “we count them happy” (μακαρίζομεν makarizomen,) occurs only here and in Luke 1:48, where it is rendered “shall call me blessed.” The word μακάριος makarios (blessed, or happy,) however, occurs often. See Matthew 5:3; Matthew 11:6; Matth... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ABOVE ALL THINGS - That is be especially careful on this point; whatever else is done, let not this be. The manner in which James speaks of the practice referred to here, shows that he regarded it as a sin of a very heinous nature; one that was by all means to be avoided by those whom he address... [ Continue Reading ]
IS ANY AMONG YOU AFFLICTED? - By sickness, bereavement, disappointment, persecutions, loss of health or property. The word used here refers to suffering evil of any kind, (κακοπαθεῖ kakopathei.) LET HIM PRAY - That is, prayer is appropriate to trial. The mind naturally resorts to it, and in every w... [ Continue Reading ]
IS ANY SICK AMONG YOU? - In the previous verse the reference was to affliction in general, and the duty there urged was one that was applicable to all forms of trial. The subject of sickness, however, is so important, since it so often occurs, that a specific direction was desirable. That direction... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRAYER OF FAITH - The prayer offered in faith, or in the exercise of confidence in God. It is not said that the particular form of the faith exercised shall be that the sick man will certainly recover; but there is to be unwavering confidence in God, a belief that he will do what is best, an... [ Continue Reading ]
CONFESS YOUR FAULTS ONE TO ANOTHER - This seems primarily to refer to those who were sick, since it is added, “that ye may be healed.” The fair interpretation is, that it might be supposed that such confession would contribute to a restoration to health. The case supposed all along here (see James 5... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIAS - The common way of writing the word “Elijah” in the New Testament, Matthew 11:14; Matthew 16:14; Matthew 17:3, etc. WAS A MAN SUBJECT TO LIKE PASSIONS AS WE ARE - This does not mean that Elijah was passionate in the sense in which that word is now commonly used; that is, that he was excitable... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE PRAYED AGAIN - The allusion here seems to be to 1 Kings 18:42, 1 Kings 18:45, though it is not expressly said there that he prayed. Perhaps it might be fairly gathered from the narrative that he did pray, or at least that would be the presumption, for he put himself into a natural attitude of... [ Continue Reading ]
BRETHREN, IF ANY OF YOU DO ERR FROM THE TRUTH - Either doctrinally and speculatively, by embracing error; or practically, by falling into sinful practices. Either of these may be called “erring from the truth,” because they are contrary to what the truth teaches and requires. What is here said does... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIM KNOW - Let him who converts the other know for his encouragement. THAT HE WHICH CONVERTETH THE SINNER FROM THE ERROR OF HIS WAY - Any sinner; anyone who has done wrong. This is a general principle, applicable to this case and to all others of the same kind. It is a universal truth that he wh... [ Continue Reading ]