CHAPTER IV. _The origin of wars and contentions, and the wretched lot of_ _those who are engaged in them_, 1, 2. _Why so little heavenly good is obtained_, 3. _The friendship of the world is enmity with God_, 4, 5. _God resists the proud_, 6. _Men should submit to God, and pray_, 7, 8. _Shoul... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse James 4:2. _YE LUST, AND HAVE NOT_] Ye are ever covetous, and ever poor. _YE KILL, AND, DESIRE TO HAVE_] Ye are constantly engaged in insurrections and predatory wars, and never gain any advantage. _YE HAVE NOT, BECAUSE YE ASK NOT._] Ye get no especial blessing from God as your fathers did,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse James 4:3. _YE ASK, AND RECEIVE NOT_] Some think that this refers to their prayers for the conversion of the heathen; and on the pretence that they were not converted thus; they thought it lawful to extirpate them and possess their goods. _YE ASK AMISS_] κακως αιτεισθε. _Ye ask evilly, wicke... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse James 4:4. _YE ADULTERERS AND ADULTERESSES_] The Jews, because of their _covenant_ with God, are represented as being _espoused_ to him; and hence their idolatry, and their iniquity in general, are represented under the notion of _adultery_. And although they had not since the Babylonish capt... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 6. _BUT HE GIVETH MORE GRACE_] μειζονα χαριν, _A greater_ _benefit_, than all the goods that the world can bestow; for he gives genuine happiness, and this the world cannot confer. May this be St. James' meaning? _GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD_] αντιτασσεται. _Sets himself in battle_ _array_ agains... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 7. _SUBMIT - TO GOD_] Continue to bow to all his decisions, and to all his dispensations. _RESIST THE DEVIL_] He cannot conquer you if you continue to resist. Strong as he is, God never permits him to conquer the man who continues to resist him; he cannot _force_ the human will. He who, in th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 8. _DRAW NIGH TO GOD_] Approach HIM, in the name of Jesus, by faith and prayer, and _he will draw nigh to you_-he will _meet_ you at your coming. When a soul sets out to seek God, God sets out to meet that soul; so that while we are drawing near to him, he is drawing near to us. The _delicacy_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 9. _BE AFFLICTED, AND MOURN_] Without true and deep repentance ye cannot expect the mercy of God. _LET YOUR LAUGHTER BE TURNED TO MOURNING_] It appears most evidently that many of those to whom St. James addressed this epistle had lived a very _irregular_ and _dissolute life_. He had already... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 10. _HUMBLE YOURSELVES IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD_] In James 4:7 they were exhorted to _submit_ to God; here they are exhorted to _humble themselves in his sight_. Submission to God's authority will precede _humiliation_ of soul, and genuine repentance is performed as in the _sight_ of God; for... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 11. _SPEAK NOT EVIL ONE OF ANOTHER_] Perhaps this exhortation refers to evil speaking, slander, and backbiting in general, the writer having no particular persons in view. It may, however, refer to the _contentions_ among the _zealots_, and different _factions_ then prevailing among this wretc... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 12. _THERE IS ONE LAWGIVER_] και κριτης, _And judge_, is added here by AB, about _thirty_ others, with both the _Syriac_, Erpen's _Arabic_, the _Coptic, Armenian, AEthiopic, Slavonic,_ _Vulgate_, two copies of the _Itala, Cyril_ of Antioch, _Euthalius,_ _Theophylact_, and _Cassiodorus_. On thi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 13. _GO TO NOW_] αγε νυν. _Come now_, the same in meaning as the Hebrew הבה _habah, come_, Genesis 11:3; Genesis 11:4; Genesis 11:7. _Come_, and _hear what I have to say, ye that say_, c. _TO-DAY, OR TO-MORROW, WE WILL GO_] This presumption on a precarious life is here well reproved and the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _WHEREAS YE KNOW NOT_] This verse should be read in a parenthesis. It is not only impious, but grossly absurd, to speak thus concerning futurity, when ye know not what a day may bring forth. Life is utterly precarious; and God has not put it within the power of all the creatures he has mad... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _FOR THAT YE OUGHT TO SAY_] Αντι τοι λεγειν ὑμας· _Instead of saying_, or _instead of which ye should say_, _IF THE LORD WILL, WE SHALL LIVE_] I think St. James had another example from the rabbins in view, which is produced by _Drusius,_ _Gregory, Cartwright_, and _Schoettgen_, on this... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 16. _BUT NOW YE REJOICE IN YOUR BOASTINGS_] Ye glory in your proud and self-sufficient conduct, exulting that ye are free from the trammels of _superstition_, and that ye can live independently of God Almighty. _All such boasting is wicked_, πονηραεστιν, is impious. In an old English work, ent... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse James 4:17. _TO HIM THAT KNOWETH TO DO GOOD_] As if he had said: After this warning none of you can plead _ignorance_; if, therefore, any of you shall be found to act their ungodly part, not acknowledging the Divine providence, the uncertainty of life, and the necessity of standing every mome... [ Continue Reading ]