Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

James 4:2

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, because ye do not pray. Worldly good is your god; ye leave no stone unturned in order to get it; and as ye ask nothing from God but to consume it upon your evil desires and propensities, your prayers are not heard.

Continues after advertising

See also James 4:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    YE LUST, AND HAVE NOT - That is, you wish to have something which you do not now possess, and to which you have no just claim, and this prompts to the effort to obtain it by force. You desire extensio...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    IV. FURTHER EXHORTATIONS TO RIGHT LIVING CHAPTER 4 _ 1. Fightings and worldliness rebuked (James 4:1)_ 2. The Godly walk (James 4:7) James 4:1 A strong rebuke follows the statements concerning the...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    The climax of the last paragraph leads to a diagnosis of the disease that poisoned quarrelsome Jewish communities. Faction fights were the logical outcome of unbridled passions; they campaign against...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Whence come feuds and whence come fights among you? Is this not their source--do they not arise because of these desires for pleasures which carry on their constant warring campaign within your member...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    MAN'S PLEASURE OR GOD'S WILL? (James 4:1-3)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    DESIRE TO HAVE. covet earnestly. Greek. _zeloo._ See Acts 7:9. CANNOT. are not (App-105) able to. OBTAIN. See Romans 11:7. FIGHT. Greek. _machomai._ See Acts 7:26. WAR. Greek. polemeo.

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Ye lust and have not_ The _genesis_of evil is traced somewhat in the same way as in ch. James 1:15. The germ is found in desire for what we have not, as e. g. in the sins of David (2 Samuel 11:1) and...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    CH. 4:1–12. THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH WHICH ARE THE CAUSE OF EVIL CONTENTION...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    2 and 3. These two verses are among the examples of poetical form in this epistle: ζηλοῦτε is an advance on ἐπιθυμεῖτε as οὐ δύνασθε ἐπιτυχεῖν is an advance on οὐκ ἔχετε. 2. ἘΠΙΘΥΜΕΙ͂ΤΕ, ΚΑῚ ΟΥ̓Κ ἜΧΕΤ...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _DO NOT BE FILLED WITH PRIDE -- JAMES 4:1-5 :_ Here James deals with the source or origin of altercations among brethren. He listed as causes of these wars and fightings: (1) a lust after worldly thin...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΕΠΙΘΥΜΕΊΤΕ _praes. ind. act. от_ ΈΠΙΘΥΜΈΩ (G1937) желать, стремиться, ΈΧΕΤΕ _praes. ind. act. от_ ΈΧ (G2192) иметь; здесь: обладать, ΦΟΝΕΎΕΤΕ _praes. ind. act. от_ ΦΟΝΕΎΩ (G5407) убивать, ΖΗΛΟΎΤΕ _...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    YE KILL, AND DESIRE TO HAVE,— We must take the word φονευετε, _ye kill,_ in a softer sense than the common meaning of the word. As _wars_ and _fightings,_ in the first verse, are interpreted _quarrels...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER VIII _CAUSE AND REMEDY OF STRIFE_ James 4:1-12 _Introduction_ Can it be possible that the church of Jesus Christ could descend to the sins mentioned here so soon after Pentecost? In less th...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    SELFISH PLEASURE A SOURCE OF TROUBLE _Text 4:1-3_ James 4:1 Whence come wars, and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members? James 4:12....

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. YE LUST, [ epithumeite (G1937)] - a different word from James 4:1; ye...

  • Commentary on the Minor Epistles by Caton

    VERSE 2 YE LUST, AND HAVE NOT. That is, ye covet, and fail to obtain what you desire. YE FIGHT AND WAR, YET YE HAVE NOT. Possibly you kill the heathen, desiring to make proselytes, but you fail in...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    20 The case of Abraham is most helpful in further defining the distinct viewpoints of Paul and James. The former refers us to the fifteenth chapter of Genesis, the latter to the twenty-second. In the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    'You eagerly desire something which another has and you have not. This unregulated desire may lead to hate and even murder (cp. Ahab, 1 Kings 21), but even so your covetous desires go on; they grow by...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DENUNCIATION OF GREED AND LOVE OF PLEASURE 1. Lusts] better, 'pleasures.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    WHAT *FAITH SHOULD DO JAMES _IAN MACKERVOY_ The word list at the end explains words with a *star by them. CHAPTER 4 DESIRES AND DIVISIONS 4:1-10 V1 You know where all the fights and quarrels...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    YE LUST, AND HAVE NOT... — Better thus: _Ye desire, and have not; ye kill, and envy, and cannot obtain; ye fight and make war; ye have not, because ye ask not; ye ask and receive not, because ye ask t...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 18 ST. JAMES AND PLATO ON LUSTS AS THE CAUSES OF STRIFE; THEIR EFFECT ON PRAYER. James 4:1 THE change from the close of the third chapter to the beginning of the fourth is startling. St. Jam...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἐπιθυμεῖτε καὶ οὐκ ἔχετε …: It must be confessed that these verses are very difficult to understand; we have, on the one hand, lusting and coveting, murdering and fighting; and, on the other hand, pra...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “DRAW NIGH TO GOD” James 4:1 The Apostle returns to “the jealousy and faction” of the previous chapter, James 3:14, and says that these evils are traceable to _lust_, that is, to inordinate desire. T...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The writer now dealt with the effect of faith on character. Everything depends on desire. To attempt to satisfy a natural desire without reference to God is futile, and issues in internal conflict and...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    SEEKING TO PLEASE SELF"Lust" is a strong desire for a thing. Certainly, it has caused others to do wicked things. David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed to satisfy...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, (2) because ye ask not. (2) He reprehends them by name, who are not ashamed to make God the m...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _You covet, and have not. Though God has promised that whosoever asks shall receive, (Matthew vii. 8.) yet no wonder you receive not, because you ask amiss, by asking such temporal things as would be...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (2) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    To the reader who enters on the consideration of the epistle of James from the epistles of Paul, the change is great and sudden, and by no means least of all from the epistle to the Hebrews, which, in...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    2_Ye lust, _or _covet, and have not_. He seems to intimate that the soul of man is insatiable, when he indulges wicked lusts; and truly it is so; for he who suffers his sinful propensities to rule unc...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In all that follows we have still the judgment of unbridled nature, of will in its different forms: contentions that arise from the lusts of the natural heart; request made to God proceeding from the...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    YE LUST, AND HAVE NOT,.... The apostle proceeds to show the unsuccessfulness of many in their desires and pursuits after worldly things; some might be like the sluggard, whose soul desireth all good t...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ver. 2. _Ye lust and have not_] viz. To the satisfying of your lusts; for...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Ye lust_ Επιθυμειτε, _ye covet_, or eagerly desire; _and have not_ What you desire; you are, some way or other, hindered from attaining that of which you are so greedy; _ye kill_ In your heart; _for...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    HAVE NOT; real satisfying enjoyment, because you do not seek it in the right things or in the right way. Wars are the fruit of human wickedness. Let all men be at peace with God, and obey the command,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    CAUTION AGAINST WORLDLY-MINDEDNESS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. Against a lustful, quarrelsome disposition:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    YE LUST AND HAVE NOT; YE KILL, AND DESIRE TO HAVE, AND CANNOT OBTAIN; YE FIGHT AND WAR, YET YE HAVE NOT, BECAUSE YE ASK NOT....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    This chapter, to the end of v.6, continues the subject begun in Ch.3:13. Sensual. devilish wisdom was accompanied by wars and fightings: but this proceeded from the lusts of the flesh active within th...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    Does lust always lead to obtaining? Why are murder and covet mentioned? Give a simple definition of “covet” in the New Testament. Why do we fight? Discuss: You do not have because you do not ask. Are...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask."You lust and do not have" -present tense, "to...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-10 Since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in the members. Wordly and fleshly lusts are distempers, which will not allo...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    YE LUST; passionately and greedily desire. AND HAVE NOT; either soon lose, or rather cannot get, what ye so lust after. YE KILL; some copies have it, ye envy, and many suppose that to be the better re...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    James 4:2 lust G1937 (G5719) and G2532 not G3756 have G2192 (G5719) murder G5407 (G5719) and...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘You desire, and have not. You kill, and envy, and cannot obtain. You fight and war; you have not, because you ask not.' He then builds up a picture which reveals how they go about obtaining what they...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    IN CONTRAST TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE WISDOM THAT IS FROM ABOVE ARE THOSE WHO YIELD TO THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH AND SEEK TO BE FRIENDS OF A WORLD WHICH IGNORES CHRIST (JAMES 4:1). Having spoken o...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    James 4:2. YE LUST AND HAVE NOT. This verse further describes the origin or genesis of these external strifes. First, then, is the evil desire; then this desire, being ungratified, leads to hatred and...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    James 4:1-12. St. James warns his readers against those evil passions which gave rise to wars and fightings among them. They must moderate their desires, and guard against self-gratification. If they...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    YE LUST (επιθυμειτε). Present active indicative of επιθυμεω, old word (from επι, θυμος, yearning passion for), not necessarily evil as clearly not in Luke 22:15 of Christ, but usually so in the N.T...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    James 4:1. _From whence come wars and fightings among you?_ Whether between nations, or parties or individuals,-if there be wars and fightings, whence do they come? James 4:1. _Come they not hence,...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Rebuke of worldliness and exhortation to humility before God. CHARACTERS: God, Satan. CONCLUSION: Worldly and fleshly lusts are the distemper which will not allow contentment or satisfacti...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    James 4:1. _From whence come wars and fightings among you?_ St. James saw in the Spirit the bloody and cruel wars which would rise among christian powers, much the same as among the heathen. He had a...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    YOU WANT THINGS. The _Expositor's Greek Testament_ says: "It must be confessed that these verses are very difficult to understand." Yet I think _MacKnight_ gives the _key_ by viewing James as a _unity...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _From whence come wars and fightings?_ WARS AND FIGHTING--WHENCE THEY PROCEED I. THE QUESTION PROPOSED (James 4:1). We have no very particular information as to the nature of these contests, the part...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JAMES—NOTE ON JAMES 4:2 People DESIRE and COVET (“jealousy,” James 3:14), which leads to the terrible fighting in the church....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    THE LOWER AND THE HIGHER LIFE _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ James 4:1. LUSTS.—Pleasures, but viewed on their evil side. _Desires_ that are ill regulated. Compare 1 Peter 2:11; Romans 7:23. Evidentl...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JAMES 4:1 REBUKE OF QUARRELS ARISING FROM PRIDE AND GREED. A terribly sadden transition from the "peace" with which James 3:1. closed....

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    This chapter could be entitled how to win friends and influence people. Guard your tongue, bring your tongue under control, use it for good, use it to encourage to build up, don't use it to tear down,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Timothy 6:10; 1 Timothy 6:9; Ecclesiastes 4:8; Habakkuk 2:5; Isai

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Ye lust. See on desire, 1 Peter 1:12; Mark 4:19. Desire to have [ζ η λ ο υ τ ε]. Rev., covet, and are jealous, in margin. See on ch. James 3:14....

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Ye kill — In your heart, for "he that hateth his brother is a murderer." Ye fight and war — That is, furiously strive and contend. Ye ask not — And no marvel; for a man full of evil desire, of envy or...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    The Jews, at the writing of this epistle to them, did vehemently lust after liberty, and freedom from the Roman yoke, and for dominion and government over other nations; believing that their Messiah w...

Continues after advertising