JAMES

John F. Hart

This short epistle has become famous for its supposed conflict with Paul’s teaching of justification by faith. In light of its themes on wealth and worldliness, James may be the most relevant NT book for the church of the 21st century, especially the Western church.

Author. The author says nothing of himself other than that he is "James [lit., "Jacob," Iakobos; "James" is an anglicized form of the name], a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ." Only two men had sufficient prominence to have commanded the authority necessary for writing the epistle. (1) The apostle James, son of Zebedee and brother of the apostle John (Mt 4:21; 10:2; Ac 1:13a), can be considered only if the book was written before his death in AD 44. (2) The book is usually attributed to James, the Lord’s half-brother (Mk 6:3), since he gained distinction as the leader of the church in Jerusalem (Ac 12:17; 15:13; 21:18). Early church leaders largely support this opinion (e.g., Eusebius, Origen).

James appears to be the oldest of four half-brothers born to Mary and Joseph (Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3). He did not believe in Jesus as the Christ until after the resurrection (Ac 1:14). Some hold that he is the James to whom the Lord made a special resurrection appearance (1Co 15:7).

Date. If the Lord’s half-brother wrote the book, it must have been written before his death in AD 62 (the date given by Josephus, Ant. XX.9.1). An early date is supported by the lack of any mention of a Jewish/Gentile controversy as found in Acts (Ac 15) or the Epistles (e.g., Galatians). If the book was written before the Jerusalem Council (AD 49), the date of writing could be as early as AD 45–48 (most evangelicals). If the dispersion in 1:1 refers to the scattering of Jewish believers in Ac 8:1, dated at about AD 34, the book could have been written as early as AD 35–36. James is probably the first NT book written.

James, like a few other lesser-known letters (2 Peter, 2-3 John, Jude), was not widely accepted as Scripture until late in the fourth century. This was because the early church focused first on the Gospels and the letters of Paul. Since James did not have apostolic authorship, it remained less widely received at first.

Recipients. Numerous details best fit a Mediterranean location for the readers (3:12; 5:7). Both Syrian Antioch (cf. Gl 2:12) and the land of Israel have been suggested. These Jewish believers had been displaced from their homes as the result of persecution (1:1). Some of the readers were being mistreated for their faith (2:7; 5:1–4). Financial difficulties tempted them to focus on wealth (4:13), envy the rich (2:2), and become worldly (4:4).

The author is sufficiently aware of his specific Jewish-Christian readers (see commentary at 1:1) to understand their life situation. While the readers perceived themselves as having wisdom, they actually lacked it. Anyone lacking wisdom could receive it through prayer since God is a generous giver (1:4). But the readers suffered from prayerlessness (4:2). They thought of God as miserly (1:16–17) and unmerciful (5:11). As a result, they became unmerciful like the God they envisioned (2:6, 15–16). Since they were financially tight, their trials deceived them into thinking God was tempting them (1:13, 16). Because they responded wrongly to their trials, the outcome was a divisive and judgmental spirit (4:1, 11; 5:9), arrogance (4:6, 16), and hypocrisy (1:26; 3:17).

James corrected these errors by showing that perseverance in trials is essential so that one might be mature (Gk. teleios) and complete (1:4). Abraham added works to his faith, and his faith was made complete (i.e., matured; Gk. teleioo, 2:22). Anyone who controls his tongue is a perfect or mature (teleios, 3:2) person. The Christians who will rule in the world to come will be those who are "rich in faith" (2:5).

The author never questioned the sincerity of the readers’ faith. He addressed the readers as "brothers," "beloved brothers," or "my beloved brothers," a total of 19 times. The dominating themes of maturity and "rich faith" help define the readers’ "faith" as an immature (but genuine) faith (see commentary at 2:17). The readers needed to become mature Christians, combining faith and works.

Themes. Major subjects include the believer’s response to trials, temptation, and suffering; the need for works to be added to faith for spiritual growth; the value of controlling the tongue; a biblical perspective on wealth, worldly possessions, and the poor; the significance of faith in prayer; and a biblical understanding of wisdom. The book is united around the themes of trials and prayer that begin and end the book like literary "brackets" (1:2–12; 5:10–17). Eschatology (prophecy) contributes to James’s theme as well (1:12; 2:5; 5:1–3, 7–9). Simply stated, James teaches that a joyful endurance of trials can mature faith so that believers may be rewarded by Christ at His return.

Imperatives permeate the epistle. The letter alludes frequently to the teachings of Jesus. Numerous parallels exist, especially with the Sermon on the Mount (see sidebar). Familiar Jewish heroes are cited, such as Abraham, Job, and Elijah.

1:1. James (see Introduction: Author) is God’s bond-servant (doulos, "slave"), a term used of Christ’s willing submission to the Father (Php 2:7). He wrote to Jewish Christians (twelve tribes; cf. Lk 22:30) who were dispersed abroad, a likely reference to the scattering of Ac 8:1. Greetings (chairo) also means "rejoice" (cf. v. 2).

1:2–3. The readers are to consider their trials with all (not some) joy. Trials are unpredictable (encounter means "fall into") and not all the same (various). The testing of … faith is designed to reveal the quality of one’s faith and to produce stamina. Testing could also be translated "the approved part" of one’s faith. It is not just the tested faith that produces endurance; it is the approved or genuine part of one’s faith that produces maturity.

1:4–8. Believers must cooperate with God and let endurance have its beneficial outcome. The words perfect [two times, teleios] and complete introduce the theme of maturity (see Introduction). In maturity, believers are lacking in nothing spiritually (cf. 1Co 2:15; Heb 5:14). In trials the believer often lacks wisdom, or "skill for living" (v. 5). "Wisdom" is not primarily knowledge, but godly behavior in difficult situations (cf. 3:15). The solution is to ask … God for it. The readers may have viewed God as miserly and critical, but God gives to all generously and without reproach. The prayer for skill for dealing with trials is answered liberally and willingly. Requests must be offered in faith without any doubting (v. 6), since in the NT doubting is usually treated as sin and that which opposes faith (cf. Mt 14:31; Rm 14:23). The imagery of the surf of the sea that is tossed by the wind depicts the instability of the immature. The man who doubts ought not to expect that he will receive anything of wisdom from the Lord (v. 7), since he is double-minded (cf. 4:8). Caught between following Christ and the world (1:27; 4:4), the doubter becomes unstable in all his ways.

1:9–11. Joy is dependent on how believers "consider" (v. 2) their circumstances. The follower of Christ who is poor (brother of humble circumstances) needs to glory or boast in his trials because God is lovingly developing his character through trials. This is a high position. The rich man (v. 10) is to glory in his humiliation, i.e., his mortality. The rich are no different from beautiful, but temporary, flowering grass. James probably had in mind physical death for the rich person, which might come suddenly, even in the midst of one’s pursuits. At that time, wealth is of no advantage.

1:12. Blessed means "to be richly rewarded by God" both in this world (referring esp. to the development of character through trials, 1:4) and in the next (Mt 5:11–12). The believer who perseveres under trial and is finally approved at the final evaluation before God receives the crown of life. The crown of life is a future reward given to faithful Christians (cf. Rv 2:10), i.e., those who love Him (cf. 2:5). This reward is an enriched and enhanced eternal life, bestowed upon those who have persevered, following either death or the rapture. "While heaven is entirely a gift of grace, it admits of degrees of felicity, and that these are dependent upon how faithfully we have built a structure of character and service upon the foundation of Christ" (Michael Green, The Second Epistle of Peter and the Epistle of Jude, TNTC [Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1968], 76.)

1:13. The phrase let no one say subtly introduces the theme of the tongue (see 3:1–12). God cannot be tempted by evil can be translated, "God must not be put to the test by evil people." Jewish Christians would recall how Israel was judged for putting God to the test (Nm 14:22; Ps 78:18).

1:14–15. Satan tempts all believers. But each one is ultimately tempted when he is … enticed by his own lust. A temptation is not sin unless it is conceived and gives birth. That sin is accomplished means sin has become "full-grown" (NIV, ESV). Any sin by an unbeliever brings eternal death (hell). But "full-grown" sin brings early physical death (Pr 10:27; Eph 6:2–3).

1:16–17. Temptation is not from God but every perfect gift is. God is the Father or creator of lights such as the sun (Gn 1:14–16; Ps 136:7). Stars may have variation or shifting shadow, but God does not (Heb 13:8). He never solicits anyone to sin.

1:18. The most perfect of all gifts (v. 16; Rm 6:23) is new birth (He brought us forth). It begins sovereignly with the exercise of His will. As the first fruits, Christians are the initial harvest that anticipates creation’s redemption (Rm 8:20–21).

1:19–20. The maxim lists the three essential character qualities in trials and summarizes the body of the epistle (see Introduction). Quick to hear (see 1:22–2:26) counteracts sluggishness to obey God; slow to speak (see 3:1–18) corrects sins of the tongue; and slow to anger (see 4:1–5:12) evades outbursts in trials. Human anger, customarily sinful (Mt 5:22), does not achieve God’s righteousness (cf. 3:18; 5:6, 16), either in oneself or in others.

1:21. Verse 21 begins the body of the letter. Holiness ("righteousness," v. 20) is developed by putting aside all … wickedness. The goal of sanctification is to save your souls (cf. 5:20), better translated "save your life (lives)." In the OT (LXX), the phrase means deliverance from physical death (e.g., Gn 19:17; 1Sm 19:11). Jesus used this sense (Mk 3:4; Lk 6:9) but added a spiritual meaning: by submission to Christ, the believer delivers his life from worldliness (see the comments on Rm 6:15–23), enables him to experience the abundant Christian life, and preserves it for eternal reward (Mt 16:24–27; Mk 8:34–38). James uses both concepts: sanctification can save believers’ lives from early physical death (vv. 10–11, 14–15) and bring future reward (v. 12; 2:12–13).

1:22–25. To "receive the word" (v. 21) is now clarified as prove yourselves doers of the word. Believers who are merely hearers of biblical truth are self-deceived (cf. v. 7; Gl 6:3; 1Jn 1:8). A believer who does not act on truth is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror (v. 23). James has just referred to our spiritual birth (v. 18) and will allude to our new self in the "law of liberty (v. 25). So natural face, which is literally "the face of one’s birth," corresponds to the believer’s spiritual birth. The Christian looks in the mirror of God’s Word (2Co 3:18 NASB) at his new self, transformed by new birth (v. 18). But the Christian who has gone away from the mirror (v. 24) has tragically forgotten what kind of person he is in Christ (v. 24; cf. 2Pt 1:9). The law of liberty (v. 25) is the "law" or "principle" by which God frees believers from sin (Gl 2:4; 5:1, 13; 1Pt 2:16), namely, the gospel, creating in them new selves (2Co 5:17; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). For blessed, see v. 12.

1:26–27. Pious devotion is worthless or empty if it does not curb a person’s tongue or meet practical needs. To visit orphans and widows (v. 27; cf. Dt 10:18; Ps 146:9) means to "look after" them (NIV). Providing for the unfortunate is linked to the command to keep oneself unstained by the world. Our hearts follow our treasures (Mt 6:21). So the one who gives financially to help others guards her or his heart from the blemish of worldly, monetary values.

2:1–4. The maxim in 1:19 contains the injunction to be "quick to hear." In this passage, being "quick to hear" God’s Word means, among other things, refusing to show favoritism to the rich. James pointed out that true religion consists in showing kindness to the disadvantaged (1:27), and the related idea is that of refusing to cater to the rich (2:1–13). These readers would be especially susceptible to such partiality in light of their oppressive circumstances (cf. 1:1–12)—that is, they might be tempted to show partiality to the rich in the hope of gaining financial assistance from them. Discrimination is one of the worldly stains to avoid (1:27). Showing favoritism or honor to anyone other than Christ disregards the exclusive glory that belongs to Him (our glorious Lord). James illustrates partiality with a rich man who comes into the reader’s assembly or church meeting (vv. 2–4; cf. 1Co 14:23–25) and is given special attention. Money, prestige, or the need for financial security may have driven their evil motives, an understandable but unacceptable impulse even during hard times.

2:5. The rich rely on their money (Mt 19:23), but the poor of this world become wealthy or rich in faith. To be heirs of the kingdom may be equivalent to entering and enjoying the kingdom at the end of the age. Others understand the phrase to mean that faithful believers will receive a position of authority in the future world (Lk 12:43–44; Ac 20:32; Col 3:24; Rv 2:26). For those who love Him, see 1:12.

2:6–7. James asked how the readers could have dishonored the poor since (1) God Himself honors the poor (1:6), (2) the rich force believers into court with false charges, and (3) the rich blaspheme the fair name of Jesus (1:1; 2:1) held so dear by Christians.

2:8–9. Jesus made love your neighbor (Lv 19:18, 34) a foremost command (Mt 22:39; Mk 12:31). This is the royal law because of its preeminence and because it was sanctioned by the King, the Lord Jesus. The OT command to love one’s neighbor (v. 8; Lv 19:18) prohibited partiality (v. 9), particularly against the poor (Lv 19:15).

2:10–13. The Mosaic law is an indivisible unit. Breaking one command incurs the same penalty for breaking the whole law. Please note that although the law is a unit, this does not mean that all commandments are equal. Jesus referred to both the greatest commandments (Mt 22:36–40) and the "weightier provisions" of the law (Mt 23:23). The word guilty does not refer to feelings of blame but to God’s judicial indictment. God is "one" (cf. Jms 2:19) and spoke against both adultery and murder (v. 11). To violate either one makes a person a transgressor of the law. The sin of partiality is elevated to the sins of adultery and murder. Christians must speak and act (v. 12) out of the forgiveness they have received. For the law of liberty, see the commentary at 1:25. The evaluation or judgment (v. 13) of Christians who have shown no mercy will be exacting (cf. 3:1). For those who treat others with mercy, mercy triumphs (wins out) over a stern evaluation (cf. Mt 5:7, 12). This judgment is limited to believers since the verse forms an inclusio with 3:1, where the judgment is on James and all Christian teachers. For God’s evaluation of Christians in the future, see the comments on Rm 14:10–12; 1Co 3:10–17.

2:14. For James, being "quick to hear" (1:19) meant to be prompt to obey God’s command to do good deeds that benefit others. But the readers had neglected good works, content to claim their justification before God by faith alone. James agreed that justification before God was by faith alone. But believers must add works to their faith to develop maturity. Then they will be justified (called righteous) by their works in the eyes of other people (cf. Mt 5:16). A person who says he has faith finds it easy to talk his faith while lacking useful deeds. Bible teachers may be in mind (cf. 3:1–12). The question Can ["that" is not in Gk.] faith save him? demands a negative answer in Greek ("Faith cannot save him, can it?") and appears to contradict justification by faith alone (Rm 3:27–28; 4:4–5; Gl 2:16; Eph 2:8–9). But James’s use of the Greek verb "save" (soizo) is flexible. This is evident in 5:15, where James uses the word in a way that does not mean "delivered from eternal judgment." Contextually, "save" in v. 14 is equivalent to the believer’s triumph over a stern evaluation ("judgment") by God mentioned in 2:13 and 3:1 (an inclusio). (Also see comments on "save" at 1:21.) So the phrase, "Can faith [alone] save him?" asks if a believer without acts of mercy will be able to escape a strict evaluation at the believer’s final performance review.

2:15–16. What if a Christian brother or sister has life-threatening conditions such as lack of clothing and need of daily food? Well-wishing words cannot provide any meaningful assistance for them. So it is if one has genuine faith, but does not activate it during times of trial. What use is that? suggests especially that when saving faith is connected with action, there is great benefit in this life.

2:17. The conclusion (even so) is that faith, without works, is dead. Faith is all by itself and lacks vibrancy. A "dead faith" is a weak, lethargic (immature, but nevertheless present) faith (cf. "sin is dead," Rm 7:8; also see "Introduction: Recipients"). James’s point appears to be that if one has true faith in Christ, it does one no practical good in this life of trials if it is not put into action. Neither does a "dead faith" "save one’s life" (see the comments on 1:21).

2:18–19. The words someone may … say introduce an imaginary opponent ("well" is not in the Gk. text). In two other NT passages introducing an imaginary objector, the response of the inspired author begins with a remark of his opponent’s foolishness (cf. Rm 9:19–20; 1Co 15:35–36). This makes it likely that the objector’s words to James continue through v. 19 (cf. Richard Francis Weymouth, The New Testament in Modern Speech, ed. Ernest Hampden-Cook (Boston: Pilgrim Press), 1903) and James’s response begins in v. 20 with "you foolish fellow." The opponent challenges: Show me your faith by [some Gk. texts read without] your works, and I will show you by my works my faith [the order of the Gk. words is given]. The opponent insists that faith cannot be seen through works. One may start by naming a doctrine and then try to show the work that will always come from that belief ("show me your faith by your works"). Or one could do the reverse. He could name a good work and try to demonstrate the doctrine that must be behind it ("and I will show you by my works my faith"). The opponent thinks both are impossible. Suppose James starts with a doctrine: "I believe God is a God of love (doctrine). So I treat others with sacrificial love (a good work)." The objector would answer, "Ha! I know lots of people who love others sacrificially and don’t even believe in God. So works don’t show what you believe!" The objector is so confident in his argument that he answers for James: "James, you believe that God is one [a doctrine], and you do well, i.e., you do good works. But the demons also believe God is one [a doctrine], but do no good works. They just shudder in fear of judgment." With this argument, the objector rests his case.

2:20. James’s response now begins (vv. 18–19 are the objector’s thoughts). The opponent’s words are foolish and lack wisdom (1:5; 3:13–17). Often Christian teachers (3:1) have an unteachable spirit. Likewise, James questions if his opponent is willing to recognize the truth: faith without works secures eternal life but is useless to meet the practical needs of others, to experience blessings for one’s self in this life, or to gain eternal rewards.

2:21–23. Abraham initially believed God and was justified before God by faith alone (Gn 15:6; Rm 4:1–5, 9–12; Gl 3:1–6). His faith was in a God who could resurrect the dead (Rm 4:17–21). In Gn 22, 30 years after his initial faith for which God counted him righteous, Abraham offered up Isaac his son on the altar (Gn 22:1; Heb 11:19). You see (second person singular) corrects the objector’s contention that faith cannot be seen in works. Abraham’s faith is unmistakably visible. Being justified by works is not before God (Rm 3:20; Gl 3:11) but before people (cf. Mt 5:16).

In addition, justified sometimes means "to demonstrate that one is in the right" (cf. Lk 7:29, 35; Rm 3:4; 1Tm 3:16) and does not always have the Pauline sense of "God’s declaration that one is innocent of the charge that he is a sinner" and is given eternal life. Abraham’s faith was cooperating or working with his works, so that faith might be perfected (teleioo), i.e., matured. Abraham’s works brought added depth in a practical sense to the faith he possessed inasmuch as it enabled him to experience the blessings of a fresh encounter with God (cf. Gn 22:15–19), and he gained an extraordinary reputation among men (he was called the friend of God, v. 23; cf. 2Ch 20:7; Is 41:8). A believer combines faith with good works, not so that he can attain heaven, but so that he may gain spiritual blessings in this life and honor from the Father in the world to come.

2:24. You see (second person plural) now addresses the readers. The word alone (monon) modifies the verb justified, not the words by faith: "You see that a man is justified [i.e., demonstrates to others that he is righteous or holy; see the comments on "justified" for v. 21 above] by works, and not only [monon] by faith." James was calling attention to two ways of justification: by faith before God, and by works before people. While one is justified (declared righteous) before God by faith alone, one is justified (demonstrates his godliness) before people by his or her works.

2:25. By faith (Heb 11:31) Rahab the harlot received the Jewish spies and hid them in her house (Jos 2:1–24). She could have betrayed the spies, but she sent them out by another way, adding works to her new faith. Rahab had faith in the God of Israel (Jos 2:11), yet if she had not acted on that faith, she would have perished when Jericho was destroyed (see comment on 1:21 on "save your souls"). Instead, she activated the faith she had, hid the spies, was spared, and experienced God’s blessings among the Jewish people.

2:26. For a body to be active and alive, it must have a spirit. So also faith in Christ must have works added to it since works give vitality and energy to faith. On dead faith, see 2:17.

3:1. Chapter 3 introduces James’s second division of the body of his epistle (see 1:19). In trials, the tongue can veer out of control, evidencing pride, anger, and false wisdom. The tongue has positive (vv. 2–5b) and negative qualities (vv. 5b–12). Many of the Jewish Christian readers longed to become Bible teachers. James was a Bible teacher and knew that he, along with all teachers, would incur a stricter judgment at the judgment seat of Christ (see commentary on 1:12, 20; 2:12–13).

3:2. We (James includes himself) all stumble or sin in many ways (Pr 10:19). To be a perfect person (teleios) means to be "mature." If one can bridle the tongue (1:26), the most insubordinate body part, he will be able to control the rest of his body as well.

3:3–4. Small things can control much larger objects, like bits in horses’ mouths or a very small rudder in a large ship. Inclination (Gk. horme) carries the nuance of "impulse." Like the whim of a ship’s pilot, impulsive words can shipwreck one’s life.

3:5–6. The tongue boasts of great beneficial things, such as encouraging others (Pr 10:21; 12:18). Negatively, the power of the tongue is like a small fire that has set aflame and destroyed an immense forest. One rumor can destroy numerous churches. Since most sins are initiated by speech, the tongue is the very world of iniquity (v. 6). It sets on fire the course of our life, such as provoking a broken marriage.

3:7–8. From earth to heaven, every species of beasts and birds has been tamed. From the ground to the sea, every variety of reptiles and creatures of the sea has been subdued by the human race. James is surely speaking hyperbolically. There may be some species not yet tamed. His main point is that, in contrast to domesticating the animal kingdom, no one can tame the tongue. It can be caged (controlled), yet it is always restless. Believers dare not let the tongue out of the cage.

3:9–10. With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father in church or private prayer. Moments later believers may curse people, all of whom have been made in the likeness of God (Gn 1:26–27; 9:6). This is hypocritical and radically illogical. God is blessed, but one with God’s image is cursed. This passage teaches that sin has not destroyed the image of God in people, including the unbeliever. Therefore, every person is to be treated with respect.

3:11–12. Nature itself demonstrates the absurdity of a forked tongue. A fig tree and a vine produce just one kind of fruit. God determined that productivity would be after its kind (Gn 1:11–12, 24–25). Just as there is consistency in nature about what trees, plants, or springs produce, so God’s people must learn to speak with consistent goodness.

3:13–14. James continued his warning about the tongue and described how true godly wisdom ("skill for living and applying God’s Word") will help curtail its destructiveness in the context of a church. Wisdom is best expressed in actions (vv. 13–18), not speech (3:1–12). A person who is wise will show this wisdom by his good behavior. Gentleness (prautes, "being kindhearted in attitude and behavior without any harshness") recalls Christ’s character (praus, Mt 11:29). Sins like bitter jealousy (jealousy is "powerful feelings of antagonism and hostility") and selfish ambition ("antipathy flowing from harsh rivalry") (v. 14) can be covered up hypocritically so as to lie against the truth.

3:15–16. The "wisdom" of selfish ambition (v. 14) is (1) earthly, limited by human understanding; (2) natural or "soulish" (psychikos), a term emphasizing both strictly human values and characteristics, and the absence of the Spirit (1Co 2:14; Jd 19); and (3) demonic (the work of Satan).

3:17–18. Heavenly wisdom is first pure ("free from moral defect or stain"; in this context, promoting harmony and countering hypocrisy), then peaceable, gentle, reasonable (necessary for unity; cf. 4:1). James illustrates the growth of righteousness in the church with the sowing of seed in a field. If the fruit desired is righteousness (v. 18), the seed must be sown under the proper conditions, i.e., in peace. Anger cannot "grow" God’s righteousness (cf. 1:20). Therefore, the ones who sow the seed must be peacemakers.

4:1. Chapter 4 addresses "slow to get angry," the complement to seeking peace (3:18). This is the last of the three qualities ("quick to obey," "slow to speak") for handling trials given in James’s maxim (see 1:19). The source of … conflicts among these believers was the worldly pleasures that wage war in their members, i.e., parts of the physical body (Rm 6:13, 19; 7:23).

4:2–3. The readers’ lust or coveting was for material things. Since hatred is tantamount to murder (Mt 5:21–22; 1Jn 3:15), "murder" need not be literal. Believers can destroy each other with their words. Nevertheless it is possible for believers to kill someone because of covetousness. If believers cannot obtain their desires, they should not fight and quarrel for them but pray for them. Unfulfilled desires may result from prayerlessness or prayers with wrong motives (v. 3).

4:4. The readers were spiritual adulterers (cf. Jr 3:8–9; Hs 1:2), i.e., they were being unfaithful to God and having a "spiritual affair" with the world as they sought to satisfy their own cravings at the expense of church harmony. Whoever wishes [boulomai, "the wish to possess or experience something, and planning to gain it"] to be a friend of the world cannot be God’s friend (cf. 2:23). A Christian’s worldliness makes him an enemy of God in the sense that he loses spiritual intimacy (friendship) with Christ (Jn 15:1–8) and shifts his loyalty to the world away from the Father.

4:5. The readers thought that Scripture speaks without a purpose and that God would not discipline their disobedience. James paraphrases Ex 20:5. The last clause is better translated, "the Spirit He has caused to live in us [by regeneration] yearns jealously [for our fidelity to God]."

4:6–10. But (v. 6) introduces how self-centered believers can change. Whatever pleasures the world offers (vv. 1–3), God’s greater grace provides the power to resist them. "Grace" means "the practical bestowment of good will by God," here manifested as the capacity from Him to live godly lives (cf. Eph 4:29). God is opposed to and may even punish the proud. But divine favor and personal motivation (grace) are given to the humble (Pr 3:34).

4:7–10. Worldly Christians need to submit themselves to God by determining to be faithful and obedient only to Him. Then they can resist the devil (cf. 1Pt 5:9) and he will eventually flee from them (Lk 4:13). The solution to worldliness and its disruptive effects in the church is to draw near to God (v. 8). He will reciprocate and draw near to believers. Cleanse your hands points to believers ridding themselves of selfish and sinful acts (Is 1:16), and purify your hearts denotes the cleansing of impure, self-seeking motives (Ps 73:13). For double-minded, see 1:8. Brokenness over sin should cause Christ followers to mourn and weep (v. 9; cf. Mt 5:4). Worldly laughter and joy that come when one "gets his way" at the expense of others are inappropriate in a Christian setting, and one should instead mourn and weep over such tendencies. To grieve over sin, believers must humble themselves (v. 10) before the Lord. God promises that He will exalt the humble (v. 10), in this life and/or the next (cf. 1Pt 5:6). When a believer humbly sets aside his own quest to satisfy his cravings at the expense of others, and determines to serve others (the sense of being humble), God will cause him to be valued in the body of Christ.

4:11–12. James continued his warning about the need to control one’s anger in trials and its destructiveness in the body of Christ. If a Christian judges his Christian brother, he indirectly speaks against the royal law of love (Lv 19:16–18; Mt 22:39), love being the essence of the "law of Christ" (cf. Gl 6:2; for the royal law, see 2:8, 9). He also judges the law of Christ (1Co 9:21; Gl 6:2), supposing Christ’s commands to love are below him, or that he has sufficient authority to set aside "the royal law" (Jms 2:8). Only one has such power (4:12). As Judge, God is able to save and to destroy, i.e., to preserve one’s physical life or to take it in death (Mk 3:4; Lk 6:9) as a discipline. Part of the humility that promotes accord in the church is the willingness to submit to and obey the royal law.

4:13–17. James had been discussing how selfish and worldly desires caused disruption in the church, especially through words. But such carnal preoccupations can also manifest themselves through presumptuous business practices as well, and James turns to that topic in these verses. The self-assured plan to go to a foreign city, to engage in business, and make a profit (v. 13) was a presumptuous and world-like plan. A Christian’s wages are for more than selfish pleasures (Eph 4:28). To project the future confidently but not know what life will be like tomorrow (v. 14) is foolish (Lk 12:16–21). Life is brief, like a fleeting vapor. By saying If the Lord wills (v. 15; Ac 18:21; 1Co 16:7), one recognizes and depends upon God’s sovereignty, and thereby avoids the world’s way for doing business. Entrepreneurial plans that exclude God (vv. 13–15) make believers boast in their arrogance (v. 16), as if they have the ability to make themselves profitable. People may boast in the Lord (1:9; Gl 6:13–14), but all such boasting about themselves is evil. If a person knows the right thing to do (v. 17; such as saying, "If the Lord wills," v. 15) and yet does not do it, to him it is sin. This failure is often called the "sin of omission."

5:1–3. James addressed worldliness and selfishness in the church. But in 5:1–6 he described the fate of the unbelieving rich who are likewise worldly. As believers listen in on the judgment to come on the unbelieving rich, worldly desires that have fueled their anger toward others will be transformed and anger will subside. While believers are addressed in chap. 4 (note the uses of "brethren/brother" (4:11) and the assumption that they comprehend God’s sovereignty, 4:15), here there is no clear indication James is addressing rich believers—though some of the actions of the rich in this passage could be true of more worldly believers (esp. 5:4). With come now, James takes on the character of an OT prophet. As a group, the unbelieving rich live unrighteously and carry out social injustices. Great miseries will come on these unjust rich unbelievers in the future day of the Lord (cf. Is 13:6; Ezk 30:2–3). Consume your flesh like fire (v. 3) alludes to the judgments immediately preceding and following the second coming of Christ (Rv 17:16; 18:3–19). The term last days (pl.) involves the entire Church Age leading up to Christ’s return (2Tm 3:1; 2Pt 3:3).

5:4–6. Sabaoth (v. 4) is a transliterated Hebrew word for "armies." The unbelieving rich are like animals that have fattened their hearts (through materialism), awaiting the slaughter. Armageddon will be a day of slaughter when Christ and His heavenly armies destroy the wicked (Rv 19:11–21). The rich may have condemned and put to death (v. 6) poor believers by withholding their wages or by using the legal systems to falsely accuse the righteous believer, leading to his execution.

5:7–8. With v. 7, James began his conclusion and returned to his central theme of endurance in trials. Brethren addresses the Christian readers again to encourage those who might be facing abuse from the unrighteous rich. In Israel, the early autumn and late spring rains were needed for a successful harvest. God’s harvest of people (the precious produce of the soil) is not yet complete. But James’s point here seems to be that the steadfastness of these believers in the midst of hardship will result in great rewards (on rewards, see the comments on 1Co 3:14).

5:9–11. Believers must not complain (v. 9) or grumble against another brother lest they be judged (Rm 14:10–12; see commentary on 1:12; 2:12). The Judge is standing right at the door symbolizes the imminent return of Christ in the rapture (see commentary on 1Th 4:13–5:11). Believers need an example of how to endure suffering and how to respond in patience (v. 10). Most of the OT prophets (Heb 11:32–38) suffered patiently as they spoke God’s message. For blessed (v. 11) see commentary on 1:12. The outcome of the Lord’s dealings with Job was that his suffering was removed and his family and possessions were restored (Jb 42:10–17).

5:12. In trials, one might rashly take an oath, or swear by lesser things such as by heaven or by earth to disguise the truth. Words by themselves must be truthful (your yes is to be yes). On the one hand, oaths themselves are not prohibited; on the other, a believer should not be forced to take an oath in order to tell the truth. Unrepentant deception will cause the believer to fall under God’s judgment (discipline) now, and bring disapproval at the judgment seat of Christ (see 2:12, 13).

5:13–16. Along with thinking about future rewards for steadfastness in hard times (v. 11), James presented another practice to help believers bear up when suffering (cf. the theme of suffering in vv. 10–11), namely, asking the elders to pray for them. Anyone suffering should pray in faith (cf. 1:6). Anyone free from suffering can be cheerful and sing praises (cf. Eph 5:18–19). Sick (astheneo) can mean "physically sick" (see, e.g., Jn 5:3; 2Tm 4:20), but it sometimes refers to spiritual, ethical, emotional, or moral weakness (e.g., see Rm 4:19; 1Co 8:11–12; 2Co 11:29; 1Th 5:14), and that is probably the better sense in this passage for reasons that will be argued below (cf. Daniel R. Hayden, "Calling the Elders to Pray," Bib Sac 138 (1982): 258–66). The spiritually weak believer should call for the elders of the church to pray over him (cf. Ac 20:35). Anointing with oil was sometimes used in calling God to heal one physically (Mk 6:13), but it also symbolized joy, was used for celebrative purposes, and provided refreshment (Ps 23:5; Lk 7:38, 46; Jn 12:3). The latter sense is preferred here. A simple prayer offered in faith (v. 15; cf. 1:5–7) by the elders will restore [lit., soizo, "save" or perhaps better "rescue, deliver"] the one who is spiritually or emotionally sick (kamno, used in Heb 12:3 for "growing weary," not for physical disease). The Lord will raise him up was offered by James with no qualification (such as, "If it is the Lord’s will" or "If he has enough faith," etc.), likely indicating a reference to spiritual and moral restoration for those who have suffered rather than for the physical healing of disease. The prayer of faith by the elders may not always be answered absolutely in the strengthening of the discouraged believer, however. Perhaps the person has sinned and even though he calls for the elders of the church and they pray in faith, he does not respond to the Lord following their prayer. If the passage deals with a spiritual healing rather than a physical healing, it seems like the faith of the "weak" believer has some role in his deliverance. So there could be exceptions in which the weakened believer is not "delivered." This may be a "general promise" like those in the book of Proverbs. For example, usually "a gentle answer turns away wrath" (Pr 15:1), and much in James is similar to Proverbs.

5:15–16. If one’s spiritual weakness was due to the commission of sins, those sins will be forgiven him (v. 15) as he seeks the spiritual restoration through the elders’ prayers. This does not indicate that all physical illness is caused by sin, but the mention of the forgiveness of sins here does support the understanding that James is discussing spiritual, emotional, or moral restoration. To confess your sins to one another (v. 16) is not necessarily done in public (Mt 5:23–24), but here it does seem to be a part of the restoration process involving the elders. Healed (iaomai) is sometimes used for physical healing (e.g., Lk 5:17; Jn 4:47; Ac 9:34), but it is also used metaphorically for spiritual restoration (Mt 13:15; Jn 12:40; Ac 28:27; Heb 12:13; 1Pt 2:24), the metaphorical sense being preferred in light of James’s apparent emphasis on spiritual strengthening.

5:17–18. Elijah was a prophet (v. 10) but had a nature like ours (Gk. homoiopathes is literally "of similar suffering"). The prayers of Elijah about the rain were to restore Israel from idolatry (1Kg 18:37; cf. Jms 4:4–5). Once again, the reference to this episode suggests that James’s point is about the power of prayer by church leaders to help restore one who is morally weak due to suffering. If this passage were about physical healing, James might have noted the raising of the widow of Zarephath’s son back to life (1Kg 17:17–24) as a supreme example of physical healing (Hayden, "Calling the Elders to Pray," 265). Instead he focused on the power of Elijah’s prayer to bring about great good, and thereby drew the parallel with the effectiveness of the prayer of elders to help restore one who is weak.

5:19–20. The letter ends with a call for mercy (2:13; 3:17). Any among you shows that James is concerned about restoring a wayward believer. One turns him back indicates one believer lovingly confronting another who has strayed into sin, so as to help restore him spiritually. Save his soul from death (see commentary on 1:21) refers to physical, not eternal, death. Death may also include the idea of moral corruption, hardship, and the lack of the abundant Christian life that come upon a believer as consequences of sin (see the comments on Rm 6:15–23). Will cover a multitude of sins alludes to Pr 10:12 (cf. 1Pt 4:8), where love brings God’s forgiveness.