V. The first six verses, condemnatory of the trust in riches, ought to follow James 4:17 without a break, and thus end the proper division of the Epistle. Our present arrangement of chapter and verse here, as in so many cases, tends to confusion rather than clearness.... [ Continue Reading ]
GO TO NOW, YE RICH. — As in James 4:3, it was “Woe to you, worldly,” so now “Woe to ye rich: weep, bewailing” — literally, _howling for your miseries coming upon you._ Comp. Isaiah 13:6; Isaiah 14:31; Isaiah 15:3, where (in the LXX.) the same term is used; — a picture word, imitating the cry of angu... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR RICHES ARE CORRUPTED... — As expanded in the eloquent gloss of Bishop Wordsworth, “Your wealth is mouldering in corruption, and your garments, stored up in vain superfluity, are become moth-eaten: although they may still glitter brightly in your eyes, and may dazzle men by their brilliance, yet... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR GOLD AND SILVER... — In like manner, the gold and silver are said to be “cankered,” or eaten up with rust. The precious metals themselves do not corrode, but the base alloy does, which has been mixed with them for worldly use and device. _The rust of them shall be a witness to you_: not merely... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THE HIRE OF THE LABOURERS. — Not merely the wrong of the poor, but the wages kept back from him by the niggardly master, contrary to the merciful Jewish law (Leviticus 19:13), which permitted no delay in payment whatever (comp. Jeremiah 22:13; Malachi 3:5). And the indignant remonstrance of... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE LIVED IN PLEASURE. — And what an indictment is this brought against them by the Apostle: — _Ye revelled upon earth, and wantoned; ye nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter._ The pleasure and wantonness wherein the rich had lived, the selfishness with which they had cared for their own h... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE CONDEMNED AND KILLED THE JUST. — Better thus: _Ye condemned, ye slew the just_ — as in the speech of Peter (Acts 3:14), or that of Stephen (Acts 7:52). Such a reference, however, has been disallowed by some commentators, as conveying too harsh an accusation against the whole Jewish people_;_... [ Continue Reading ]
BE PATIENT. — The third, and last, part of the Letter commences here with these exhortations towards endurance. THEREFORE — _i.e._, because of this your deep and abiding misery, be sure God’s help is nigh: — “The darkest hour is on the verge of day.” “Out of your stony griefs” build, like Jacob o... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMING OF THE LORD DRAWETH NIGH. — Read thus, _The presence of the Lord is nigh._ For the ancient belief in the nearness of Christ’s second advent, see Note above, in James 5:3. The word used by the Apostle to describe its closeness is the same as that used in Matthew 3:2, “The kingdom of heaven... [ Continue Reading ]
GRUDGE NOT. — Say in preference, _Murmur not._ “Grudge” has curiously changed its meaning from an outward murmur to an inward feeling. It has unfortunately been retained both here and in 1 Peter 4:9. See also Psalms 59:15, specially the Prayer Book version, “They will... _grudge_ if they be not sati... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AN EXAMPLE. — Another reason for endurance, _an example of affliction and patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord._ These are the bright ones in the cloud of witnesses, of whom the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 12:1) speaks, who, like Daniel, “stopped the mouths of lions”; lik... [ Continue Reading ]
WE COUNT THEM HAPPY WHICH ENDURE. — Rather read it, _we count them blessed which endure_; or, as some critics would have it, _endured._ (See Matthew 5:11, and 1 Peter 2:19.) The heathen philosopher Solon called no one “happy” upon earth; but, with the mystery of pain around him, cried sadly, “Look t... [ Continue Reading ]
The question of the lawfulness of oaths has oftentimes perplexed alike the doctors of the Church and its simpler hearers of God’s word. The text, taken as it stands, would support the views of the Essenes, and many of the Paulicians, and other ancient sectaries. With equal force it might be urged by... [ Continue Reading ]
We now pass on to advice of different kinds — to the heavy-laden or light-hearted, to the suffering and afflicted. Prayer is to be the refuge of one, praise the safeguard of another; the whole life is to revolve, as it were, around the throne of God, whether in the night of grief or day of joy. LET... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH — _i.e.,_ literally, _the presbyters._ The identity of “bishop” (_episcopus_) and “presbyter” in the language of the apostolic age seems conclusive. Such is the opinion of Lightfoot (_Epistle to the Philippians,_ 93-97; see also his _Dissertation on the Christian Ministry, i... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOINTING HIM WITH OIL. — Or, _unction._ The use of some precious and mysterious ointment, on solemn occasions, obtained in most of the ancient nations, specially the Eastern. The Jews themselves were by no means originators of the habit, although they carried it to its highest ceremonial and signif... [ Continue Reading ]
CONFESS YOUR FAULTS ONE TO ANOTHER. — The meaning attributed to the words of this verse by many devout Catholics cannot be established either from the opinion of antiquity, or a critical examination of the Greek text according to modern schools. “We have,” observes Alford, “_a general injunction_ ar... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIAS. — James supplies a lacuna in the story of Elijah. In 1 Kings 17:1, the prophet simply and sternly tells Ahab “there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.” Further on (1 Kings 18:41) “there is a sound of abundance of rain.” In our Epistle we read that Elias “prayed e... [ Continue Reading ]
BRETHREN. — _My brethren,_ it rather ought to be. The last, and, to some, the dearest of the wise Apostle’s remarks, is this on conversion; and it fitly closes his loving and plain-speaking Letter. IF ANY OF YOU DO ERR... — Better thus, _If one of you be led away from the truth, and one convert him.... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIM KNOW. — Or, as it rather seems to be, _Know ye_; be absolutely sure of this, in a knowledge better than all the Gnostic and Agnostic learning of the day. _He which turneth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death_ — the means thereto being given him by the Saviour of a... [ Continue Reading ]