Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

James 1:5

James 1:5. If. The connection of this verse with the preceding is not very obvious. It may be as follows: You may by your trials be thrown into a state of perplexity; you may want wisdom; if so, ask it of God.

any of you lack wisdom, perhaps suggested by the previous expression ‘wanting or lacking nothing,' the verb in both verses being the same in the Greek. By wisdom here may be primarily meant wisdom or prudence in the present trying circumstances of the Jewish Christians; wisdom to bear their afflictions well. But the word is not to be confined to this; it denotes spiritual wisdom in general, not mere human wisdom or learning, but that ‘wisdom which cometh from above,' and which is an essential foundation of Christian conduct. James, in writing to Jewish converts, might well suppose them acquainted from their sacred books with the true nature of wisdom, which was regarded by them as almost synonymous with religion. Wisdom was especially necessary to Christians in their temptations, to convert them from being incitements to sin to be occasions of Christian perfection.

let him ask of God that giveth, or more literally, ‘of God, the Giver.'

to all men liberally. The word rendered ‘liberally' denotes simply, with simplicity, and intimates either that God gives from the pure love of giving, or without exacting any conditions. God does not give as man does, grudgingly and restricting His gifts, but simply, that is, freely and graciously.

and upbraideth not: without reproaches. Not as man who upbraids the petitioner on account of his unworthiness, or of his past misconduct, or of his abuse of former gifts. God in His giving upbraideth not; He does not reproach us with our past faults. ‘After thou hast given,' says the wise son of Sirach, ‘do not upbraid' (Sir 41:22) .

and it shall be given him, namely, wisdom, the object of his request (comp. 1 Kings 3:9-12).

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

James 1:5

Old Testament

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