,studies in the                         
,epistle of ,james                      
,first published as                     
,,practical ,,and ,,social ,,aspects    
,,of ,,christianity                     
,a4 ,t4 ,,robertson      ,late          
,professor of ,new ,testament           
,interpretation1 ,southern ,baptist     
,theological ,seminary1 ,louisville1    
,kentucky                               
,revised and ,edited by                 
,heber ,f4 ,peacock    ,illustration3   
,,broadman ,,press                      
,nashville1 ,tennessee                  
#dba-jfbcb               ,library of    
,congress catalog card number3 #ei-ehfa 
,printed in the ,united ,states of      
,america                                
#e4;,,at#eh,k4,s4,p4                    
,preface      ,in ,august1 #aiab1 it was
 my privilege to deliver a course of    
lectures at  the ,northfield ,bible     
,conference4 ,there were many requests  
for the  publication of the addresses4  
,i shall never forget the bright faces  

of  the hundreds who gathered in        
beautiful ,sage ,chapel at #h3cj on     
those  ,august mornings4 ,in ,august1   
#aiac1 the lectures were repeated at the
 ,new  ,york ,chautauqua and at the     
,winona ,bible ,conference4 ,there were 
renewed  appeals for publication1 but it
 was not possible to put the material   
into shape because of my work on ,a     
,grammar of the ,greek ,new ,testament  
in the ,light of ,historical ,research4 
,i have expanded the lectures a good    
deal and have added some  introductory  
discussion about ,james himself4 ,i have
 in mind ministers1  social workers1    
students of the ,bible1 ,sunday school  
teachers1 and all  lovers of the ,word  
of ,god and of rightness of life4       
,technical matters  are placed in       
parentheses or in footnotes so that the 
reader may go on  without these if he   
cares to do so4 ,there is a freshness in
 the ,greek  text not possible in the   
,english1 but those who do not know     
,greek may  still read this book with   

entire ease4    ,i do not claim that    
these addresses are a detailed          
commentary on the  ,epistle of ,james4  
,they are expository talks based1 ,i    
trust1 on sober1  up-to-date scholarship
 and applied to modern life4 ,it is the 
old gospel  in the new age that we need 
and must know how to use4 ,there is a   
wondrous charm in these words of the    
long ago from one who walked so  close  
by the side of the ,son of man1 who     
misunderstood him at first but  who came
 at last to rejoice in his ,brother in  
the flesh as the ,lord  ,jesus ,christ4 
,it is immensely worthwhile to listen to
 what ,james has to  say about          
,christianity and the problems of       
everyday life4 ,his words  throb with   
power today and strike a peculiarly     
modern note in the  emphasis upon social
 problems and reality in religion4 ,they
 have the  breath of heaven and the     
warmth of human sympathy and love4      
,except for a  few quotations from the  
,king ,james ,version1 ,scripture       

quotations follow  the ,american        
,standard ,version4                     
,preface to ,second ,edition      ,the  
welcome accorded this interpretation of 
the ,epistle of ,james makes a  new     
edition necessary4 ,opportunity is thus 
afforded for weeding out  misprints4    
,prof4 ,s4 ,l4 ,watson1 of ,rio de      
,janeiro1 ,brazil1 has kindly  verified 
all the references in the book4 ,the    
words of ,james strike a  peculiarly    
modern note during these days of war4   
,a4 ,t4 ,r4                             
,contents        ,i4 ,james1 a ,servant 
of ,god and of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ 
#a    ,,ii4 ,to the ,twelve ,tribes     
,which ,are of the ,dispersion          
#bh    ,,iii4 ,joy in ,trial            
#cc    ,,iv4 ,the ,way of ,temptation   
#dh    ,v4 ,the ,practice of the ,word  
of ,god                                 
#fj    ,,vi4 ,class ,prejudice          
#ge    ,,vii4 ,the ,appeal to ,life     
#ia    ,,viii4 ,the ,tongues of         
,teachers                               

#ajd    ,,ix4 ,the ,true ,wise ,man     
#abd    ,x4 ,the ,outer and the ,inner  
,life                                   
#adj    ,,xi4 ,god and ,business        
#aeh    ,,xii4 ,perseverance and ,prayer
                                        
#agg                                    
,i            ,james1 a ,servant of ,god
 and of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ        
,the ,brother of the ,lord    ,it will  
be well to put together the bits of     
information about ,james1 or  ,jacob1#a 
as he is called in the ,greek4 ,they are
 not very numerous1 and  yet it is      
possible to form a reasonably clear     
picture of his  personality4    ,it is  
here assumed that ,james the author of  
the epistle is ,james the  brother of   
the ,lord 7,gal4 #a3ai74 ,it is hardly  
conceivable that ,james the  brother of 
,john could have written the epistle1   
since he was put to  death as early as  
,a4,d4 #dd by ,herod ,agrippa ,i 7,acts 
#ab3b74 ,the matters  presented in the  
epistle were hardly acute in the ,jewish

 ,christian world  by that date1 and    
there is no evidence that this ,james   
had attained a  special position of     
leadership that justified a general     
appeal to ,jewish  ,christians4#b       
,the epistle belongs to the five        
8disputed0 epistles 7,james1 ,jude1 #b  
and  #c ,john1 #b ,peter7 and it        
circulated in the ,east before it did in
 the  ,west4 ,it occurs in the ,peshitta
 ,syriac ,version4 ,origen 7in ,johan4  
xix4  #f7 knows it as 8the ,epistle     
current as that of ,james0 and ,eusebius
 7,h4  ,e4 ,,iii4 xxv4 #c7 describes it 
with the other four as 8nevertheless    
well-known to most people40    ,there   
are many proofs#c that the epistle was  
written by the author of  the speech in 
,acts #ae3ac-ba--;delicate similarities 
of thought and style  too subtle for    
mere imitation or copying4 ,the same    
likeness appears  between the ,epistle  
of ,james and the letter to ,antioch1   
probably written  also by ,james 7,acts 
#ae3bc-bi74 ,there are1 besides1        

apparent  reminiscences of the ,sermon  
on the ,mount1 which ,james may have    
heard  personally or at least heard the 
substance of it4 ,there is the same     
vividness of imagery in the epistle that
 is so prominent a  characteristic of   
the teaching of ,jesus4    ,if it be    
urged that the author of the epistle1 if
 related to ,jesus1  would have said so1
 one may reply that a delicate sense of 
propriety may  have had precisely the   
opposite effect4 ,jesus had himself laid
 emphasis  on the fact of his spiritual 
kinship with all believers as more      
important 7,matt4 #ab3dh-ej74 ,the fact 
that ,james during the ministry of      
,jesus was not sympathetic with ,his    
work would also act as a restraining    
force upon him4 ,the brother of ,jesus  
7see also ,jude #a7 naturally would     
wish to make his appeal on the same     
plane as the other teachers of the      
gospel4 ,he rejoices in the title of    
8servant of ,god and of the ,lord       
,jesus ,christ10 just as ,paul did later

 7,rom4 #a3a2 ,phil4 #a3a2 ,titus #a3a7 
and as ,jude1 the brother of ,james1 did
 7,jude #a74    ,paul1 however1 added   
the term 8apostle0 in ,romans #a3a and  
,titus #a3a  which ,james and ,jude do  
not employ4 ,none of them were members  
of the  twelve1 although ,paul claimed  
apostleship on a par with the twelve 7#a
  ,cor4 #i3a f42 #ae3h2 #b ,cor4 #ab3aa 
f474 ,and yet ,paul implies 7,gal4      
#a3ai7  that ,james also is an apostle#d
 in a true sense of that term4 ,like    
,paul1 he had seen the risen ,lord 7#a  
,cor4 #ae3g74 ,but ,james1 though one of
  the pillars at ,jerusalem with ,peter 
and ,john 7,gal4 #b3i71 is content with 
the humbler word 8slave40 ,he is the    
bondsman of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ as 
well as of ,god and so is a ,christian  
in the full sense of the term4    ,he   
places ,jesus on a par with ,god and    
uses ,christ as a part of the name4  ,he
 identifies his brother ,jesus with the 
,messiah of the ,old ,testament  and the
 fulfilment of the hopes and aspirations

 of true ,judaism4 ,one  must perceive  
that the term 8,christ0 in the mouth of 
,james carries its  full content and is 
used deliberately4 ,he adds also        
8,lord10 which has  here the ,old       
,testament connotation of worship4 ,it  
is not a mere polite  term for station  
or courtesy4 ,the use of 8,lord0 by the 
side of 8,god0  places ,james           
unquestionably in the ranks of          
worshipers of ,jesus ,christ  as ,lord  
and ,saviour4 ,see also ,james #b3a1    
8faith of our ,lord ,jesus  ,christ40   
,i consider it settled that ,james was  
not the cousin of ,jesus1 the son of    
the sister of ,mary the mother of       
,jesus4 ,there is no doubt that the     
,greek  word for brother is used for    
members of a brotherhood in the current 
,greek of the first century ,a4,d41 just
 as we find it so frequently in the     
,new ,testament4 ,this usage does not   
apply to the brothers of ,jesus         
referred to in the ,gospels 7,john      
#b3ab2 ,mark #f3c2 ,matt4 #ac3ee2 ,john 

#g3c74  ,in ,matthew #ab3df1 #di we find
 both the literal and the figurative use
 of  8brother0 side by side4 ,in this   
looser sense anyone may be called       
8brother40    ,in ,leviticus #aj3d the  
first cousins of ,aaron are termed      
8brethren10 but  this instance does not 
justify the constant use of the word in 
the  ,gospels for a definite group of   
persons as brothers of ,jesus if they   
were only cousins4 ,besides1 they appear
 constantly with ,mary1 the mother  of  
,jesus1 as members of her family4 ,the  
use of 8sisters0 increases the  argument
 for the common use of the word 7,mark  
#f3c2 ,matt4 #ac3ef74 ,there  are many  
other difficulties in the way of this   
position1 such as the  fact of two      
sisters with the name of ,mary and the  
identification of  ,alphaeus and        
,clopas4    ,the theory that ,james and 
the other brothers and sisters were all 
children of ,joseph by a former marriage
 7step-brother theory7 is free  from the
 difficulty about the word 8brother0 and

 is not inconceivable in  itself4       
,unfortunately there are critical       
objections to it1 for ,jesus is  not    
called 8only begotten0 of ,mary but     
8firstborn0 in ,luke #b3g3 8,she        
brought forth her firstborn son40       
,jesus is 8only begotten0 of ,god 7,john
 #a3ah71 as the widow of ,nain had an   
only son 7,luke #g3ab7 and ,jairus an   
only daughter 7,luke #h3db74 ,but       
8firstborn0 occurs in the true sense all
 through the ,septuagint 7cf4  ,gen4    
#bg3ai1 #cb2 #dc3cc2 ,deut4 #ba3ae71    
where there were other children4  ,the  
inscriptions show it in the true sense4 
,the ,new ,testament instances  of      
8firstborn0 are all strictly correct    
from this standpoint1 even  ,colossians 
#a3ae and ,romans #h3bi4 8,firstborn0   
implies other children4  ,besides1 the  
natural meaning of ,matthew #a3be leads 
to the same  conclusion4    ,the theory 
7brother or half-brother theory7 that   
,jesus and ,james were  sons of the same
 mother1 ,mary1 may be said to hold the 

field against the  others4 ,in fact1 it 
is most likely that both of the other   
theories grew  out of the desire to     
secure a greater imaginary sanctity for 
,mary under  the impression that she was
 more holy if she bore only ,jesus and  
did not  live as wife with ,joseph4 ,but
 this is contrary to all ,jewish        
sentiment1  and certainly there is      
nothing in the ,gospels to countenance  
this notion  but much to contradict it4 
,we conclude1 therefore1 that ,james1   
the  author of the epistle1 is the      
brother of ,jesus4                      
,in the ,family ,circle at ,nazareth    
,in spite of ,origen's opinion 7,origen 
on ,matt4 #ac3ee7 that the sons and     
daughters of ,joseph were children of a 
former marriage1 an opinion more  than  
offset by the position of ,tertullian   
7de ,monog4 #h1 de ,virg4 ,vel4  #f71 we
 must think of the family circle at     
,nazareth as composed of five  brothers 
7,jesus1 ,james1 ,joses1 ,judas1 ,simon1
 as in ,mark #f3c1 but ,jesus1  ,james1 

,joseph1 ,simon1 ,judas in ,matt4       
#ac3ee7 and the 8sisters40 ,every       
implication is that they all passed as  
sons and daughters of ,joseph and  ,mary
 in the usual sense4 ,the order implies 
also that while ,jesus was the  eldest1 
,james came next among the brothers4    
,unfortunately1 the names of  the       
sisters are not given4    ,we are to    
think1 therefore1 of a large home circle
 in the humble  carpenter's house in    
,nazareth4 ,jesus1 the eldest1 followed 
the trade of  ,joseph1 the father of the
 family1 and came to be known as 8the   
carpenter0 7,mark #f3c74 ,certainly all 
the children must have learned to  work 
with their hands1 although we do not    
know whether ,james adopted  that trade 
or some other4 ,he would soon be called 
upon to help in the  support of the     
family1 as ,joseph seems to be dead when
 ,jesus enters upon  his ministry2 he is
 not mentioned with ,mary and the       
children in ,matthew  #ac3ee and ,mark  
#f3c4 ,joseph was probably older than   

,mary4 ,the family were  not peasants1  
and they probably had all the necessary 
comforts of the  simple primitive life  
of a workman in a small town in         
,galilee4    ,jewish boys usually       
started to school when six years old1   
but before  that the education of ,james
 had begun in the home4 8,james1        
together with  his brothers and sisters1
 was brought up in an atmosphere charged
 with  reverence for ,god and love for  
man1 with tenderness1 freedom1 and      
joy40#e ,the ,jewish parents did not    
shirk parental responsibility for  the  
religious training of the children1 and 
a large family was regarded  as a       
blessing from ,god4 ,the love of ,god   
was the first of all lessons  taught at 
home1 and this was followed by the      
simple elements of truth1  uprightness1 
mercy1 and beneficence4#f ,the ,jewish  
mother rejoiced in  her children1 and   
,james was fortunate in having such a   
mother as ,mary  and such a father as   
,joseph1 whose dedication to the things 

of their ,god  was sincere4    ,at      
school1 while religion was the main     
theme and portions of the ,old          
,testament the textbook1 there was      
abundant intellectual stimulus4 ,the    
quick-witted boy would be all alive to  
the great problems of faith and  duty4  
,the teacher would probably use the     
,aramaic dialect of ,galilee1  even if  
he had the ,old ,testament in ,hebrew4  
,but the boy would soon learn  to speak 
the ,koine also1 the current ,greek of  
the world1 the language  of commerce and
 of common intercourse everywhere4      
,simon ,peter1 the  fisherman1 knew and 
used ,greek1 as did ,john1 the apostle4 
,it was common  for people to know two  
languages4 ,paul probably knew ,aramaic 
and ,hebrew1  ,greek and ,latin4 ,jesus 
knew and spoke both ,aramaic and ,greek 
and  probably knew ,hebrew also4        
,james came to write ,greek with a great
 deal of ease and skill4 ,he was in  no 
sense a littrateur4 ,he was no ,atticist
 in his style and did not try  to       

imitate the classical ,greek writers1   
whom he probably never read4            
,deissmann#g does call the ,epistle of  
,james 8a little piece of  literature10 
but he means a product of popular       
literature4 ,certainly  there is nothing
 artificial in content and style4 ,is it
 mere fancy to  think that the same     
poetic beauty shown in ,mary's          
,magnificat 7,luke  #a3df-ee7 appears in
 the ,sermon on the ,mount and in the   
,epistle of ,james8  ,at least the rich 
acquaintance with the ,old ,testament   
exists in all  three4    ,the author of 
the epistle is gifted with imagination  
and shows knowledge  of the apocryphal  
books1 especially the wisdom literature 
of the ,jews4  ,but he is a thorough    
,jew in his outlook and literary        
method1#h so much  so indeed that it is 
contended by some that ,james wrote the 
epistle  originally in ,aramaic1#i an   
unlikely supposition4 ,the widespread   
diffusion of ,greek in ,palestine amply 
accounts for the author's grasp of  the 

language4#aj ,the epigrammatic and      
picturesque style is due to the         
writer's individuality1 his environment1
 and his reading4 ,his vocabulary  is   
rich in words about fishing1 husbandry1 
and domestic life1 as one  would        
expect4#aa ,a man of the force and      
position of ,james could easily  broaden
 his acquaintance with the ,greek tongue
 as the years went by4 ,the  ,greek is  
pure ,koine1 with few ,hebraisms1 though
 the tone is distinctly  that of the    
,old ,testament4#ab ,he speaks like a   
prophet of old in the  service of       
,christ4 ,there is no doubt that ,james 
came to be a man of  culture in a real  
sense4    ,he probably married early1 as
 it was the custom of the ,jews for men 
to  marry at the age of eighteen4#ac    
,paul expressly states that the         
brothers of the ,lord were married 7#a  
,cor4 #i3e74 ,we do not know1 of        
course1 the age of ,james when ,jesus   
began his ministry4 ,in all  probability
 he had already married and had a home  

of his own in  ,nazareth4 ,the sisters  
probably married and settled in         
,nazareth also  7,mark #f3c74    ,we    
have no mention of the rest of the      
children going to ,jerusalem when  the  
boy ,jesus was taken 7,luke #b3da-eb74  
,indeed1 it is rather implied  that they
 were not in the company1 but this does 
not mean that ,james did  not have his  
turn to go at the age of twelve and     
afterward4    ,there is no reason to    
believe that ,james grew up to be a     
,nazarite1 as  ,hegesippus quoted by    
,eusebius 7,h4 ,e4 ii4 #bc7 alleges3    
8,he is  distinguished from others of   
the same name by the title #8,just1'    
which  has been applied to him from the 
first4 ,he was holy from his mother's   
womb1 drank no wine or strong drink1 nor
 ate animal food2 no razor came  on his 
head1 nor did he anoint himself with oil
 nor use the bath4 ,to him  only was it 
permitted to enter the ,holy of         
,holies40 ,the evident  legendary       
details here deprive the statement of   

real value except as  witness to his    
genuine piety and to the esteem in which
 he was held by  the people generally4  
,hegesippus adds3 8,his knees became    
hard like a  camel's1 because he was    
always kneeling in the temple1 asking   
forgiveness for the people10 a          
description of his life in ,jerusalem   
after he became a ,christian4 ,at any   
rate1 like ,joseph his father1 he  grew 
up to be a just man and came to be known
 as ,james the ,just4                   
,a ,scoffer of ,jesus    ,we are left to
 conjecture what the brothers and       
sisters of ,jesus thought  when he went 
down to the ,jordan to meet the         
,baptist4 ,we know that 8,mary  kept all
 these sayings1 pondering them in her   
heart0 7,luke #b3ai74 ,mary  had seen   
the dawning messianic consciousness when
 ,jesus was only twelve  7,luke #b3di74 
,the reply of ,jesus to his mother's    
hint about the wine at  the wedding of  
,cana implies that they had talked over 
his messianic task  7,john #b3d74 ,but  

the brothers accompanied ,jesus1 his    
mother1 and the  small band of six      
disciples to ,capernaum after the       
miracle at ,cana1 and  the group        
remained together for some days 7,john  
#b3ab74 ,they may have met  at ,nazareth
 after the wedding at ,cana and thence  
proceeded to ,capernaum4    ,it is      
possible that the brothers1 not being at
 ,cana and not knowing the  secret      
between ,jesus and ,mary1 may not have  
grasped the significance of  the events 
connected with the baptism of ,jesus and
 his entrance upon his  messianic       
career4 ,the presence of the band of    
8disciples0 7learners at  the feet of   
the new ,rabbi7 argues that the brothers
 must have known  something about the   
wonderful claims of ,jesus1 their       
brother4 ,at any  rate1 it is pleasant  
to see them all here together in        
,capernaum in  fellowship and           
friendliness1 8a proof of the closeness 
of the ties  uniting our ,lord and them4
 ,no shadow of estrangement had as yet  

fallen  upon their relations40#ad ,godet
 thinks that ,mary and the brothers came
  on to ,capernaum1 eager for more      
miracles like the one at ,cana1 and may 
have been keenly disappointed because   
,jesus wrought none4 ,this is  possible 
but hardly as probable as the idea that 
it was a friendly group  in frank       
fellowship in ,capernaum4    ,we are    
left in the dark as to the real attitude
 of the brothers of ,jesus  when he     
began his great work4 ,they may have    
looked upon him as a sort of  irregular 
rabbi or a mild enthusiast carried away 
by the new teaching of  ,john the       
,baptist4 ,there would be natural pride 
in his work while it  succeeded1 without
 necessary belief in his claims4        
,certainly ,mary must  have had at first
 the utmost faith1 tremulous with       
expectation1 in the  messiahship of     
,jesus4 ,perhaps the brothers were at   
first only mildly  interested or even   
skeptical of the qualifications of one  
out of their  own family circle4 ,the   

brothers may not have been free from the
 jealousy  sometimes seen in home life4 
,it was not long before hostility toward
 ,jesus sprang up in ,nazareth  itself1 
according to the vivid narrative in     
,luke #d3af-ca2 it probably  was soon   
after the return of ,jesus from ,judea  
and ,samaria to ,galilee1  certainly    
after the miracle at ,capernaum 7,luke  
#d3bc71 as told in ,john  #d3df-ed4     
,james may have shared with the rest the
 first wonder at the  words of grace    
7,luke #d3bb7 and the quick flash of    
wrath as the pride of  the town was     
pricked 7,luke #d3bh74 ,henceforth in   
,nazareth1 despite his  growing fame    
elsewhere1 ,jesus was persona non grata4
 ,his brothers felt  this atmosphere of 
hostility very keenly4    ,the curtain  
falls on the family life in ,nazareth   
till toward the close  of the ,galilean 
ministry1 after the second general tour 
of ,galilee by  ,jesus 7,luke #h3a-c74  
,the tremendous work of ,jesus had      
created a wonderful  impression4 ,the   

multitudes in amazement asked if ,jesus 
were not the son  of ,david1 the        
,messiah 7,matt4 #ab3bc74 ,the          
,pharisees in anger and chagrin  replied
 that he was in league with ,beelzebub  
7,matt4 #ab3bd74 ,the  excitement was   
intense4 ,jesus could not eat 7,mark    
#c3bj74 ,news of all  this came to 8his 
friends0 7,mark #c3ba71 who are         
explained in ,mark #c3ca  as 8his mother
 and his brothers40    ,probably already
 vague rumors were afloat that ,jesus   
was out of his  head4 ,once people said 
of ,jesus that he was 8a gluttonous man1
 and a  winebibber0 7,luke #g3cd71 but  
now he is so queer6 ,in the inner circle
 at  ,nazareth ,mary had watched and    
heard it all4 ,what could it mean8      
,perhaps1  ,mary argued1 his reason has 
been temporarily dethroned by the strain
 and  the excitement4 ,she will go and  
bring him home where he can have quiet  
and rest4 ,it was easier for the        
brothers to see it so1 since they had   
not accepted him as ,messiah4 ,perhaps  

one may have said1 8,i told you so40    
,at any rate1 8they went out to lay hold
 on him3 for they said1 ,he is  beside  
himself0 7,mark #c3ba74    ,jesus is in 
a crowded house in ,galilee near the    
lake when they come  7,mark #c3ai7 and  
readily understands why they have come  
when he is told  that his mother and    
brothers are standing without and wish  
to speak with  him 7,mark #c3ca2 ,matt4 
#ab3df2 ,luke #h3ai f474 ,it is a       
tragedy of life1  pathetic beyond words4
 ,the ecclesiastics have long ago made  
issue with  him and are now violently   
assailing him4 ,many of the people are  
following the lead of the ,pharisees4   
,and now his own mother and brothers    
have come and wish to take him home so  
as to avoid the scandal and shame  of   
his further public ministry4 ,the       
,pharisees say he has a demon and is  in
 league with the devil4 ,the            
8charitable0 construction1 therefore1 is
  that he is a lunatic4 ,but ,jesus does
 not go out to meet his own mother  and 

brothers 7,james among them74 ,he had   
come to know one of the  bitterest of   
human sorrows1 a pang to the very       
heart--to be misunderstood  8among his  
own kin1 and in his own house0 7,mark   
#f3d74    ,it is not surprising1        
therefore1 that ,jesus found consolation
 in the  fact that many did understand  
him4 8,and looking round on them that   
sat  round about him0 7,mark #c3cd7 when
 the message came1 8he stretched forth  
his hand towards his disciples1 and     
said1 ,behold1 my mother and my         
brethren6 ,for whosoever shall do the   
will of my ,father who is in heaven1  he
 is my brother1 and sister1 and mother0 
7,matt4 #ab3di f474 ,mother and         
brothers and even his 8sisters0 7note   
8and sister07 had failed in the  crisis 
to comprehend ,jesus4 ,but the ,father  
in heaven had not veiled his  face from 
,jesus4 ,it is not clear that ,james    
heard this pathetic rebuke  from ,jesus1
 as he may have remained standing       
outside the house4 ,many  have come into

 spiritual fellowship with ,jesus who   
thus have the  peculiar privilege of    
taking the place made empty in his heart
 for the  time by mother and sister and 
brother4 ,with ,mary it was a temporary 
eclipse1 and she was loyal at the end as
 she stood by the cross 7,john  #ai3be74
    ,jesus made another and a last visit
 to ,nazareth 7,matt4 #ac3ed-eh2 ,mark  
#f3a-f74 ,there was a revival of        
interest in him which crystallized into 
hard skepticism1 so that ,jesus 8did not
 many mighty works there10 and  even    
8marvelled because of their unbelief40  
,he was a 8prophet without  honor0 in   
,nazareth as he left for the last time  
the city of his  childhood and early    
manhood4    ,the tide at last turned    
against ,jesus in ,capernaum 7,john     
#f3bb-ga7 and in  ,galilee generally4   
,for six months he remained away1 save  
for a brief  visit that met with the    
united hostility of ,pharisee and       
,sadducee 7,matt4  #ae3ci to #af3d2     
,mark #h3aj-ac74 ,the brothers of ,jesus

 meanwhile seemed to  grow in this      
spirit of dislike toward the elder      
brother4 ,six months  before the death  
of ,jesus they ridiculed him for his    
being a virtual  refugee from ,galilee  
and for his secretive methods1 quite    
inconsistent  with his claims of        
messiahship 7,john #g3b-e74 ,james as   
the oldest of the  brothers was probably
 the spokesman on this occasion4 ,the   
8advice0 was  of an extremely irritating
 nature1 with the implication that      
,jesus was  seeking to gain credit 8in  
public0 while doing his work 8in        
secret40 ,it  is not surprising1        
therefore1 that ,jesus did precisely the
 opposite1 for  he went up to           
,jerusalem1 8not publicly1 but as it    
were in secret0 7,john  #g3aj74    ,john
 explains the motive of the brothers    
7#g3d f471 8for even his  brethren did  
not believe on him40#ae ,they had       
reached the point when  they were       
willing to attack ,jesus4 ,they belonged
 to the world and did  not understand   

,jesus 7,john #g3f f474 ,it is not      
necessary to say that  ,james was       
actually a ,pharisee1 still less an     
,essene4 ,the use made of his  name by  
the ,judaizers in the controversy with  
,paul does not prove this  to be true   
7,gal4 #b3ab74 ,but certainly he was now
 in general sympathy  with the hostile  
attitude of the ecclesiastics from      
,jerusalem 7both  ,pharisee and         
,sadducee74 ,the cup that ,jesus must   
drink at ,jerusalem has  this added     
bitterness in it4    ,it is not         
particularly surprising1 when all things
 are considered1 that  at his death     
,jesus commended his mother to ,john1   
the beloved disciple1  rather than to   
any of his brothers or sisters4 ,they   
were all completely  out of sympathy    
with him and with her4 ,at such an hour 
sympathy counted  far more than blood   
relationship alone4 ,besides1 the       
brothers may not  have been in          
,jerusalem at this time1 for they still 
lived in ,nazareth4  ,it is possible1 of

 course1 that ,james may have been at   
the ,passover1  which was so generally  
attended by the ,jews4 ,certainly he was
 at  ,pentecost later 7,acts #a3ad74    
,we do not know whether ,jesus appeared 
to ,james in ,jerusalem or in  ,galilee 
7#a ,cor4 #ae3g71 though ,paul mentions 
it after the appearance to  the more    
than five hundred1 which was in         
,galilee4 ,mary needed immediate        
attention1 and ,jesus died upon the     
cross with ,james and all his brothers  
and sisters utterly out of touch with   
him4 8,doubtless their very  intimacy   
with our ,lord blinded them to his real 
greatness40#af                          
,seeing the ,risen ,christ    ,it is    
,paul who tells us of this most         
interesting event 7#a ,cor4  #ae3g74ag  
,as already stated1 we do not know where
 ,james was when the  risen ,jesus      
manifested himself to him4 ,broadus#ah  
locates the event in  ,jerusalem after  
the return from ,galilee and before the 
ascension4 ,as a  matter of fact1 it    

could have been in ,galilee perfectly   
well4 ,james may  have come to          
,jerusalem 7,acts #a3ad7 because he had 
been converted in  ,galilee4 ,at any    
rate1 8this appearance to ,james is the 
only one not made  to a known           
believer40#ai ,but ,dale#bj holds that  
,james had already been  converted      
before his ,brother appeared to him as a
 result of information  from his mother 
or from the apostles4 ,this is1 of      
course1 possible1 but  it cannot be     
insisted on as necessary on the ground  
that ,jesus appeared  to believers only4
 ,the case of ,saul refutes that        
position4    ,it is quite possible that 
,james may have heard of the report of  
the  resurrection of ,jesus and had thus
 some preparation for the great event   
when he saw ,jesus risen from the dead4 
,we are told nothing of what  passed    
between the two brothers1 but one may be
 sure that no harsh  reproof came from  
,jesus for the indifference and even    
scoffing of ,james4  ,the brothers of   

,jesus were children of their age1 which
 was a pharisaic  age in ,palestine4    
,the current expectation was for a      
political ,messiah1  not a ,saviour     
dying for the sins of the world4        
,even the twelve apostles had not risen 
to the conception of a spiritual        
,messiah1 and they had given up all hope
 upon the death of ,jesus and had  to be
 convinced themselves of the fact of the
 resurrection of ,jesus1 a  task of much
 difficulty1 particularly in the case of
 ,thomas1 though they  all at first     
scoffed at the stories of ,mary         
,magdalene and the other  women4 ,so1   
then1 the path of ,james toward faith   
was not an easy one1 but  he took it and
 came out boldly on the side of the     
disciples of ,christ4  ,it is more than 
likely that it was through ,james that  
the other three  brothers were led to   
faith in ,jesus as ,lord and ,saviour   
7,acts #a3ad74    ,the ,gospel of the   
,hebrews as quoted by ,jerome 7de ,viris
 ,illustribus  #b7 gives a story to the 

effect that ,james was already a        
disciple and  present at the last       
,passover with ,jesus and took a vow    
8that he would  not eat bread from that 
hour on which he had drunk the cup of   
the ,lord  till he saw him risen from   
the dead4 ,again1 a little afterward1   
the ,lord  says1 ,bring a table and     
bread4 ,immediately it is added3 ,he    
took bread1  and blessed1 and brake it1 
and gave it to ,james the ,just1 and    
said to  him1 ,my brother1 eat the      
bread2 for the ,son of ,man has risen   
from the  dead40 ,mayor#ba is inclined  
to credit this story in part1 but surely
 it  utterly misunderstands ,luke       
#bb3ah1 makes ,james one of the twelve1 
and is  impossible from any point of    
view1 since not even the twelve expected
  ,jesus to rise from the dead4         
,there are difficulties enough connected
 with the proof of the  resurrection of 
,jesus without burdening the narrative  
with this story4  ,but1 let me add1     
modern science has not made faith in the

 resurrection  of ,jesus impossible1 nor
 has modern research disposed of the    
value of  the ,gospel accounts of this  
tremendous event4 ,paul1 who testifies  
to  this experience of ,james1 is       
himself the chief witness to the reality
 of  the fact4 ,this is not the place to
 enter upon a discussion of this great  
question1 but modern men may and do     
still believe in the risen ,christ  with
 all simplicity and sincerity4#bb       
,in the ,upper ,room at ,pentecost      
,the simple statement in ,acts #a3ad is3
 8,these all 444 continued  stedfastly  
in prayer1 with the women1 and ,mary the
 mother of ,jesus1 and  with his        
brethren40 ,so then all four are now    
disciples and are admitted  to the      
inmost secrets of the circle of         
believers in ,jerusalem1 whither  they  
have now come4 ,certainly1 now that they
 have all come to believe in  their     
,brother as in reality the ,messiah of  
,israel risen from the dead1  they must 
come to ,jerusalem to be with their     

mother in her hour of  triumph and joy4 
,no one but a mother can understand the 
fulness of  satisfaction in ,mary's     
heart now4 ,the sword had pierced her   
own soul  7,luke #b3ce71 as old ,simeon 
had prophesied when he saw the ,babe in 
the  ,temple1 but now the wound has been
 healed and there is a new and richer   
,magnificat in her heart4 ,it was worth 
all that she had endured to wait  with  
the disciples and her other sons in the 
upper room for the ,promise  of the     
,father4 ,the breach in her family life 
had been healed4    ,it is clear that   
the heartiest of welcomes greeted the   
brothers of  ,jesus4 ,they were men of  
importance in themselves1 ,james in     
particular1  who from every standpoint  
is one of the first men of his day4 ,it 
is  possible that the coolness of ,james
 and the other brothers had injured  the
 work of ,jesus with a good many1 who   
used this fact against the  claims of   
,jesus4 ,now the accession of these     
brothers was of the utmost  value to the

 band of believers gathered in the upper
 room1 where ,jesus  had manifested     
himself before his ascension4    ,the   
presence of the brothers is mentioned by
 ,luke before the choice of  ,matthias  
to succeed ,judas4 ,one may naturally   
wonder why ,james was not  suggested by 
,peter1 since he undoubtedly was equal  
to the eleven in  ability and all other 
qualities save one4 ,but this one defect
 was fatal4  ,he had not been with the  
twelve during the ministry of ,jesus and
 so  could not be a firsthand witness to
 his words and teachings 7,acts #a3bb74 
,otherwise1 we may infer that ,james    
would have been a welcome addition to   
the twelve in the place of ,judas4#bc   
,but the significant fact is that ,james
 is present during the wonderful  days  
of this ,pentecost and is filled1 like  
the rest1 with the ,holy  ,spirit4 ,he  
enters upon the new task of world       
evangelization with the new  insight and
 the new influx of divine power4 ,he    
faces the new day with  the light of the

 sun in his face4                       
,leadership in the ,jerusalem ,church   
,if he was disqualified from being one  
of the twelve1 he was not debarred  from
 liberty to serve4 ,in fact1 he was a   
practical apostle in ,jerusalem  along  
with the rest4 ,the twelve kept no      
secrets from ,james4 ,he gradually  won 
his way to the love and confidence of   
all the great church in  ,jerusalem4    
,his importance in ,jerusalem is        
recognized by ,paul on the  occasion of 
his visit to ,jerusalem on his return   
from ,damascus1 for he  says3 8,other of
 the apostles saw ,i none1 save ,james  
the ,lord's brother0  7,gal4 #a3ai74    
,here ,paul treats him as an apostle and
 practically calls  him so4    ,james   
had probably seen ,paul before1 when he 
was the leader of the  persecution      
against the ,christians4 ,he doubtless  
was glad to see this  powerful addition 
to the forces of ,christianity1 but     
,james is probably  included in ,luke's 
statement of the reception of ,paul on  

this occasion4  8,and they were all     
afraid of him1 not believing that he was
 a disciple0  7,acts #i3bf74 ,barnabas  
alone had faith in ,paul and the courage
 to stand  by him4 ,if ,james was       
suspicious of the new convert1 so were  
all the  rest1 and not without reason4  
,it is clear from ,paul's reference in  
,galatians #a3ah that ,peter responded  
heartily to ,paul's advances after  once
 opening his heart to him4 ,they had a  
delightful fifteen days  together4 ,it  
is not likely1 as ,farrar#bd argues1    
that ,james1 being a  legalist1 held    
aloof from ,paul throughout4 ,this is   
wholly gratuitous4    ,james is not     
mentioned again in ,acts till #ab3ag1   
and in a most  significant manner4      
,james1 the brother of ,john1 has been  
killed by ,herod  ,agrippa ,i4 ,peter   
has been thrown into prison but has been
 released by  the angel of the ,lord in 
response to the prayers of the church   
assembled  in the home of ,mary1 mother 
of ,john ,mark 7#ab3ab74 ,peter goes to 

the  house and tells the astonished     
group3 8,tell these things unto ,james1 
and  to the brethren40 ,this is         
somewhere about ,a4,d4 #dd4 ,james now  
clearly  occupies a position of         
leadership in the church4 ,peter himself
  apparently leaves the city for the    
time being 7#ab3ag74 ,there are already 
8elders0 7#aa3cj7 in the church at      
,jerusalem4 ,we do not know what the    
position of ,james is1 but certainly it 
is one of great honor and  leadership4  
,the apostles1 since ,james could not be
 one of the twelve who  were charged    
with the general work of evangelization1
 may have been glad  for ,james to be in
 charge at ,jerusalem4 ,certainly he    
proved himself  fully equal to the task4
    ,james maintains the position of    
leadership in ,jerusalem throughout the 
narrative in ,acts4 ,he is evidently the
 president of the ,jerusalem            
,conference 7,acts #ae3ad-ba74 ,he is in
 charge of the church when ,paul  visits
 ,jerusalem the last time 7,acts        

#ba3ah73 8,paul went in with us unto    
,james2 and all the elders were         
present40 ,he possessed the confidence  
of  this great ,jewish church1 the      
mother church at ,jerusalem1 and had the
  ear of the non-,christian ,jewish     
world in a way hardly true of any other 
disciple of ,jesus4 ,jews would listen  
to ,james who would not heed ,simon     
,peter4                             ,the
 ,writing of the ,epistle    ,the       
,epistle of ,james probably was written 
shortly before the ,jerusalem           
,conference1 most likely just before1   
that is1 about ,a4,d4 #dh or #di4 ,there
  is no room here for an extended       
discussion of the proof of this         
statement4 ,in general ,i agree with the
 arguments of ,mayor on this  point4#be 
,plummer#bf is unable to decide between 
,a4,d4 #di and #ei4  ,writers like von  
,soden place it at the end of the       
century1 and ,bruckner  puts it in the  
second century4 ,spitta admits that     
,paul in ,romans alludes  to the        

,epistle of ,james1 but suggests that   
the present epistle is a  ,christian    
adaptation of a ,jewish book4    ,on the
 whole1 the weight of the argument is   
toward the conclusion that  ,james wrote
 the epistle before the ,conference and 
without reference to  the ,judaizing    
controversy4 ,paul in ,galatians and    
,romans may very well  have in mind a   
misuse of what ,james in chapter #b says
 about faith and  works1 which          
misapprehension he seeks to correct4    
,the epistle must be  placed either     
between ,a4,d4 #dj and #ej1 before the  
,judaizing controversy  arose1 or in the
 middle of the second century1 after it 
had died  down4#bg ,the early date has  
the best of it1 in my opinion4    ,if   
this date for the writing of the epistle
 is correct1 we have no  difficulty in  
seeing how ,james could have written it 
so early4 ,already  about ,a4,d4 #dd we 
saw his leadership in the ,jerusalem    
church 7,acts  #ab3ag74 ,no man in the  
apostolic circles at this period had the

 ear of  the ,jewish ,christians as did 
,james4 ,this is seen further in the    
fact  that he is asked to preside over  
the ,conference in ,jerusalem to settle 
the issues raised by the ,judaizers     
against the work of ,paul and ,barnabas 
among the ,gentiles4 ,the epistle1      
therefore1 seems to come in at this     
state of the career of ,james and is the
 chief expression left of his  mind and 
life4                         ,champion 
of ,paul at the ,conference    ,i cannot
 enter upon a formal discussion of the  
many questions in dispute  concerning   
this great event in the apostolic       
period4 ,i can only briefly  sketch my  
own interpretation of the part played by
 ,james on this  occasion4#bh ,in brief1
 it is here maintained that in          
,galatians #b3a-aj  ,paul gives a report
 of the private interview with the      
leaders in  ,jerusalem after the first  
public meeting 7,acts #ae3c f42 ,gal4   
#b3b7 was  adjourned because of the     
violent opposition of the ,judaizers    

7,acts  #ae3e74 ,in this private        
conference ,paul1 though anxious to win 
the public  support of ,james and       
,cephas and ,john1 8the reputed pillars0
 7,gal4 #b3i71  yet was not willing to  
compromise the great issue at stake1    
8our liberty  which we have in ,christ  
,jesus0 7#b3d7 and 8the truth of the    
gospel0  7#b3e74    ,paul reveals a     
certain amount of embarrassment in his  
references to the  three great leaders  
in ,jerusalem1 as is manifest in the    
long and broken  sentence in verses     
#f-aj4 ,he roundly asserts his          
independence of them and  affirms that  
they imparted nothing to him 7#b3f74 ,it
 seems clear that  some of the more     
timid brethren were quite disposed to   
surrender to the  ,judaizers for the    
sake of peace and in particular to agree
 that ,titus1 a  full-fledged ,greek    
convert in ,paul's company1 should be   
circumcised4 ,but  ,paul gave 8the      
pillars0 to understand that he would not
 have peace on  those terms4 ,it is     

quite possible that ,james1 here        
mentioned before  ,cephas 7,peter7 and  
,john as the real leader of the         
group1#bi had not  till now clearly     
understood ,paul's true position4       
,the ,judaizers had in all probability  
counted on ,james to take their side    
against ,paul1 8but contrariwise1 when  
they saw#cj that ,i had been  entrusted 
with the gospel of the uncircumcision1  
even as ,peter with the  gospel of the  
circumcision 444 they 444 gave to me and
 ,barnabas the  right hands of          
fellowship1 that we should go unto the  
,gentiles1 and they  unto the           
circumcision0 7#b3g-i74 ,it is much     
easier to think of ,james as  the author
 of chapter #b in his epistle before    
this event than after this  pact with   
,paul4 ,note also in verse #i1 8and when
 they perceived the grace  that was     
given unto me44440 ,now the coast is    
clear1 and ,paul is sure of  victory in 
the open ,conference4 ,the stipulation  
about the poor 7#b3aj7  was in harmony  

with ,paul's previous practice 7,acts   
#aa3bi f474    ,in the second meeting of
 the general ,conference ,james         
evidently presides  and sums up the     
situation in favor of ,paul1 after      
,peter 7,acts #ae3g-ab7  has shown how  
they had already agreed to ,gentile     
liberty in the case of  ,cornelius and  
his household4 ,james1 with due         
deliberation 7#ae3ac71  concludes       
7#ae3ab-ba7 with a pointed endorsement  
of ,simon ,peter's speech  and          
acceptance of the work at ,caesarea and 
among the ,gentiles generally  as a     
visitation of ,god4 ,he clinches the    
whole matter by showing that the        
prophets 7as ,amos #i3aa f47 agree with 
this position that the ,gentiles  are to
 be saved4 8,wherefore my judgment is10 
he says as the president of  the        
,conference1 practically offering a     
resolution for the vote of the          
,conference1 8that we trouble not them  
that from among the ,gentiles turn  to  
,god0 7,acts #ae3ai74 ,he has put the   

matter in a very happy form4 ,surely    
,jewish ,christians could but rejoice to
 see ,gentiles 8turn to ,god40    ,james
 proposes the writing of an epistle to  
the ,gentile ,christians to  this       
effect1 with the added warning 8that    
they abstain from the  pollution of     
idols1 and from fornication1 and from   
what is strangled1  and from blood40 ,it
 is at least open to question whether   
8what is  strangled0 is genuine here1   
since it is wanting in ,d 7,codex       
,bezae71  ,irenus1 ,tertullian1 and     
,cyprian1 as also in #ae3bh4 ,if so1 the
  prohibition is against idolatry 7idol 
feasts71 murder 7blood71 and  immorality
 7fornication71 the great vices of      
heathenism4 ,but with the  text as it   
stands1 8things strangled10 we seem to  
have a concession to  the ,jewish       
ceremonial law and to ,jewish prejudices
 on that point4 ,james  is not uneasy   
about ,moses1 for he is read in the     
synagogues every  sabbath 7,acts        
#ae3ba71 a reference to the habit of the

 ,christians still  to worship in the   
,jewish synagogues 7cf4 ,james #b3b74   
,the 8wisdom0 of ,james is manifest in  
this masterly address1 which held       
conviction to such an extent that the   
resolution of ,james was carried        
unanimously by the body of 8the apostles
 and the elders1 with the whole  church0
 7,acts #ae3bb71 a remarkable outcome   
when the bitterness of the  ,judaizers  
is considered and a distinct tribute to 
the influence of  ,james4 ,we may assume
 that the ,judaizers were silent1 since 
they saw that  they were hopelessly     
defeated4    ,the epistle which was sent
 to the church at ,antioch 7#ae3bc-bi7  
embodies  the ideas of ,james and was   
probably written by him1 since the style
 is  like that of his speech and the    
epistle that bears his name4 ,the letter
  expressly disclaims responsibility for
 the conduct of the ,judaizers at       
,antioch 7#ae3bd71 pointedly condemns   
their behavior1 commends 8our  beloved  
,barnabas and ,paul0 7vv4 #be f471      

refers to the messengers ,judas  and    
,silas1 claims the guidance of the ,holy
 ,spirit in the stand for  ,gentile     
freedom 7v4 #bh71 and repeats the       
stipulations in the speech of  ,james   
about the special ,gentile sins 7v4     
#bi74    ,there can be no question that 
,james here entered fully into sympathy 
with the contention of ,paul that the   
yoke of ,jewish ceremonialism should    
not be imposed upon the ,gentile        
,christians4 ,james is a champion of the
  ,pauline doctrine of grace as opposed 
to works4 ,it is interesting to note    
the phrase 8the perfect law of liberty0 
7,james #a3be74 ,it is difficult to  see
 how1 after this ,conference1 ,james and
 ,paul could misunderstand or  oppose   
each other4 ,as we shall see1 the real  
explanation of the apparent  conflict   
between ,james #b and ,romans #c is     
quite other than this  unnecessary      
hypothesis4 ,james has now given the    
great weight of his  character and      
influence among the ,jewish ,christians 

to the endorsement  of the work of ,paul
 among the ,gentiles4 ,james is a       
,jewish ,christian but  not a ,judaizer4
 ,he does not wish to impose the burden 
of the ,mosaic  ritual upon the         
,gentiles1 though he still observes it  
himself1 as do the  other ,jewish       
,christians1 including ,paul4           
,misuse of the ,name of ,james    ,in   
,galatians #b3aa ,paul speaks of a visit
 of ,peter to ,antioch1 apparently  some
 time after the events recorded in      
#b3a-aj4 ,if it were before the         
,conference1 ,peter's conduct at        
,antioch would be largely relieved of   
the  charge of cowardice4 ,but on the   
whole1 we must follow the order of time 
as given by ,paul4 ,we do not1 however1 
know whether this visit of ,peter  was  
before the breach between ,paul and     
,barnabas over ,john ,mark 7,acts       
#ae3cf-da7 or after the return of ,paul 
from the second tour 7,acts #ah3bb  f474
 ,if the latter is true1 ,barnabas had  
also come back to ,antioch 7,gal4       

#b3ac74 ,patrick#ca thinks that this    
visit was not long after the            
,conference1 probably before the breach 
with ,barnabas4 ,at any rate1 ,peter  at
 ,antioch practices social equality with
 the ,gentiles1 just as ,paul and       
,barnabas and the rest of the ,jewish   
,christians there did 7,gal4 #b3ac71    
and just as ,peter did in the house of  
,cornelius1 though he apologized  for   
the act then 7,acts #aj3bh71 and at     
,jerusalem when called to account  for  
it 7#aa3a-ah74 ,evidently the question  
of social equality was not  raised in   
the ,conference at ,jerusalem4          
8,certain came from ,james10 says ,paul 
7,gal4 #b3ab74 ,patrick#cb admits  that 
they had some connection with ,james and
 may have borne a commission  from      
,james1 though not to ,peter4 ,it is    
possible1 of course1 that rumors  of    
,peter's liberty in the matter of social
 intercourse may have reached           
,jerusalem 7cf4 ,acts #aa3a ff471 where 
the pharisaic element in the church  was

 very sensitive on this point4 ,it is   
difficult1 however1 to believe  that    
,james would have felt called upon to   
send a reprimand to ,peter on  the      
subject1 even granting that ,james      
opposed this conduct of ,peter4    ,the 
,judaizers at ,antioch seem to have     
claimed the sanction of ,james and  the 
rest at ,jerusalem in their opposition  
to ,paul and ,barnabas 7,acts  #ae3a1   
#bd f471 and it is entirely possible    
that on this occasion the  visitors from
 ,jerusalem claimed a connection with   
,james that was not  true4 ,hort#cc     
thinks it probable that ,james merely   
meant 8to send  cautions to ,peter10    
with no thought of a rebuke1 and that   
the messengers  proceeded to frighten   
,peter with threats of a report to      
,james about his  conduct at ,antioch4  
,it is undoubtedly true that the horizon
 of ,jerusalem was not that of  ,antioch
 and that ,paul would have less sympathy
 for what ,peter did under  fear of     
consequences at ,jerusalem than for     

,james in ,jerusalem1 who might  not    
fully comprehend developments at        
,antioch4 ,but the ,epistle of ,james   
and his speech at the ,conference make  
me slow to believe that he had  gone    
over to the position of the ,judaizers1 
as ,peter did at ,antioch4  ,paul boldly
 charged ,peter1 and even ,barnabas1 not
 with a change of  conviction but with  
hypocrisy 7,gal4 #b3ac f474             
,fortunately1 it was only a  temporary  
lapse1 and both stepped back to the side
 of ,paul in his  championship of a     
gospel of equality and freedom for all4 
,paul makes no formal charge against    
,james1 and under all the  circumstances
 ,i prefer to think that ,james has been
 misrepresented at  ,antioch by the     
visitors from ,jerusalem1 who dared to  
use his powerful  name to whip ,peter   
into line4 ,at any rate1 ,james1 not    
,peter1 seems to be  the master spirit  
at ,jerusalem1 as ,paul is at ,antioch4 
,befriending ,paul on ,his ,last ,visit 
,paul came to ,jerusalem for the last   

time in the spring 7probably #eg or     
#eh7 with a heavy heart4 ,he reveals his
 apprehensions in ,romans #ae3ca-cc  and
 in his address at ,miletus 7,acts      
#bj3ah-ce74 ,he has made a brave fight  
for liberty in ,christ almost all over  
the ,roman ,empire1 but the  ,judaizers 
have not ceased their attacks upon him4 
,in particular1 during  his long absence
 from ,jerusalem he has been grossly    
misrepresented  there4 ,he has been     
frequently warned of trouble if he came1
 but he is  determined to come in the   
hope of setting matters right in        
,jerusalem and  so preventing a schism  
in ,christianity4 ,he had won at the    
,conference at  ,jerusalem some seven or
 eight years before4    ,hort#cd thinks 
that ,paul entered the city 8with much  
precaution and  avoidance of            
observation0 under the shelter of       
,mnason 7,acts #ba3af74 ,at  any rate1  
the brethren received him gladly        
7#ba3ag71 and on the next day  ,paul    
made a formal call on 8,james2 and all  

the elders were present0  7#ba3ah74 ,so 
here ,james is still at the head of the 
work in ,jerusalem as  at the           
,conference4 ,the apostles were present 
then as they seem to be  absent now4    
,this is not a conference but merely a  
friendly meeting4  ,paul's rehearsal of 
his work among the ,gentiles meets with 
the most  cordial expressions of        
satisfaction 7#ba3bj74    ,paul is among
 his friends1 who tell him of a gross   
misrepresentation of  his position that 
is current among the ,jewish ,christians
 at ,jerusalem to  the effect that he   
teaches that ,jewish ,christians must   
forsake ,moses and  the customs of the  
law 7#ba3ba74ce ,they do not believe it 
themselves  and only wish to help ,paul 
clear up the matter without interfering 
at  all with the decision of the        
,conference about the freedom of the    
,gentiles 7#ba3bb-be74 ,they suggest    
that ,paul join with four men in a      
,nazarite vow1 pay the charges for their
 purification and for his own1  and let 

all the ,jewish ,christians see him in  
the act of worship and  ritual          
observance of the ceremonial law1 thus  
proving 8that thou thyself  also walkest
 orderly1 keeping the law0 7#ba3bd74    
,the matter seemed simple enough4 ,paul 
had not opposed the observance of  the  
law on the part of ,jewish ,christians4 
,galatians was written in  defense of   
,gentile liberty4 ,there was no effort  
to commit ,paul to the  necessity of the
 law for salvation4 ,as a matter of     
fact1 ,paul had kept  up his observance 
of the ,jewish customs save as they     
affected separation  from the ,gentiles4
 ,so ,paul accepted the advice and made 
the offering1  8purifying himself with  
them0 7#ba3bf74 ,apparently the plan    
succeeded in  setting ,paul right with  
the mass of the church in ,jerusalem4   
,the trouble that led to his arrest     
arose from the attack of some ,jews     
7not ,christians7 from ,ephesus1 who    
accused ,paul of defaming the ,temple   
while in the very act of doing worship  

in the ,temple4 ,we do not know  whether
 the plan of the elders was the plan of 
,james4 ,certainly if he  had           
disapproved he would have spoken out1 as
 the meeting was at his  house4 ,but it 
was all meant in the utmost kindness to 
,paul1 and it is  not possible to show  
that it was unwise4 ,the incident shows 
the greatest  friendliness between ,paul
 and ,james and the frankest recognition
 on  ,paul's part of the great worth and
 influence of ,james himself4 ,there is 
no other reference to ,james in the ,new
 ,testament unless it appears in        
,hebrews #ac3g1 #ag1 8them that have the
 rule over you40                        
,the ,story of ,his ,death    ,clement  
of ,alexandria#cf says that ,james the  
,just 8was thrown from the  gable of the
 temple1 and beaten to death by a fuller
 with a club40  ,hegesippus#cg gives a  
long and legendary account of the death 
of ,james  to the effect that the people
 of ,jerusalem who called ,james 8the   
,just0  were so enraged when he bore    

witness to ,jesus as the ,son of man    
that  they flung him down from the gable
 of the ,temple1 stoned him1 and a      
fuller clubbed him4 8,and they buried   
him on the spot by the temple1 and  his 
monument still remains by the temple40  
,but ,josephus#ch gives an entirely     
different and much more credible        
narrative of the death of ,james1       
placing it about ,a4,d4 #fb or #fc4 ,he 
charges the ,sadducees through the high 
priest ,ananus with the death of  ,james
 and adds3 8,ananus1 therefore1 as being
 a person of this character1  and       
thinking that he had a suitable         
opportunity1 through ,festus being      
dead1 and ,albinus still on his journey 
7to ,judaea71 assembles a  ,sanhedrin of
 judges2 and he brought before it the   
brother of ,jesus who  is called ,christ
 7his name was ,james7 and some others1 
and delivered  them to be stoned1 on a  
charge of being transgressors of the    
law40 ,so he  won a martyr's crown4 ,he 
was called 8the ,just40 ,he had accused 

the  wicked rich of killing 8the        
righteous one0 7,james #e3f74           
,,ii              ,to the ,twelve       
,tribes ,which ,are of the ,dispersion  
,simple ,address    ,the writer is      
wonderfully simple and direct in his    
greeting as compared  with ,paul in     
,romans #a3a-g1 for instance4 ,there is 
no principal verb1 and  the nominative  
absolute occurs with the infinitive1 as 
is so common in  the letters found in   
the papyri4 ,originally a word like     
8sends0 may have  been used also4 ,but  
this short address is in perfect keeping
 with the  business-like character of   
,james and the pointed1 pungent tone of 
the  epistle4                           
,the ,readers    ,they are evidently not
 a local church4 8,the twelve tribes    
which are of  the ,dispersion0 naturally
 refers to the ,jews who are scattered  
in the  ,gentile world outside of       
,palestine4 ,the technical term diaspora
 occurs  in only two other places in the
 ,new ,testament 7,john #g3ce2 #a ,peter

 #a3a74  ,in ,john the word has its     
usual significance4 ,the ,jewish leaders
 scoffed  at ,jesus as a failure in     
,palestine4 ,perhaps he meant to go and 
teach the  ,jews of the dispersion4 ,the
 term 8twelve tribes0 in ,james merely  
means  the ,jews as a whole in the      
dispersion1 for the tribes were not     
preserved  in a distinctive way outside 
of ,palestine4    ,the 8lost ten tribes0
 evidently had no significance for      
,james4 ,as a  matter of fact1 they are 
no more 8lost0 than ,judah and          
,benjamin4 ,the  ,jews of ,palestine    
after the destruction of ,jerusalem by  
the ,romans were  once more scattered   
abroad1 as their ancestors had been     
twice before1 to  mingle as 8,jews0 in  
various parts of the world4 ,doubtless1 
modern ,jews  are simply a blend of all 
the twelve tribes4 ,at the time when    
,james  wrote1 the ,jews were very      
numerous in all the great commercial    
centers  of the world1 such as          
,alexandria1 ,antioch1 ,babylon1        

,ephesus1 ,miletus1  ,pergamum1 ,rome1  
,thessalonica4 ,but it is more than     
probable that ,james  has in mind       
chiefly the ,eastern dispersion in      
,babylonia and ,mesopotamia1  as ,peter 
7#a ,peter #a3a7 addressed the ,western 
dispersion4    ,but was ,james writing  
to ,jews who were not ,christians8 ,was 
he making an  appeal to the             
non-,christian ,jews of the dispersion  
to become ,christians8  ,the idea is not
 without fascination in itself4 ,dr4 ,j4
 ,h4 ,moulton#ci  contends that this is 
precisely what ,james has done1 as is   
shown by the  avoidance of specific     
reference to ,christ and to the cross so
 as not to  give offense to the ,jews   
whom he wishes to win4 ,dr4 ,george     
,milligan#dj  replies that it is not    
possible to think of 8a ,christian      
teacher of  ,james's position           
suppressing his distinctive beliefs     
under any  circumstances whatsoever40   
,but the author does not conceal his    
view of  ,jesus4 ,in the very first     

verse he speaks of 8the ,lord ,jesus    
,christ10 and  these words give his     
human name ,jesus1 his title ,christ    
7,messiah71 and  his lordship 7deity74  
,besides1 in #b3a ,james speaks of      
,jesus as the  object of faith and so of
 worship1 as ,moffatt#da correctly has  
it3 8,as  you believe in our ,lord      
,jesus ,christ1 who is the ,glory40 ,see
 also #e3g1  8until the coming of the   
,lord0 7cf4 #e3h74    ,there are no     
doctrinal discussions of the cross and  
the resurrection1  but all this is      
distinctly implied4 ,james also         
announces himself as a  ,christian in   
#a3a and could not wish to conceal the  
gospel if he meant to  win ,jews to     
,christ4 ,moreover1 he draws a          
distinction between the  ,christians    
78ye07 and their oppressors 78they10    
apparently rich ,jews7 in  #b3g3 8,do   
not they blaspheme the honorable name1  
by which ye are called80  ,that 8name0  
is the name of ,christ4#db ,compare also
 #b3f3 8,do not the  rich oppress you1  

and themselves drag you before the      
judgment-seats80  ,besides1 ,james      
claims the readers as believers1 8my    
brethren10 in #b3a  and #e3g f4 ,there  
are1 doubtless1 passages where ,james   
pictures  unbelieving ,jews1 as in #b3f 
f4 just mentioned and in particular     
#e3a-f1  that vivid apostrophe to the   
rich ,jews of the time4    ,in #a ,peter
 #a3a we find the other instance of     
diaspora1 or dispersion4  ,here ,peter  
seems to mean by 8the elect who are     
sojourners of the  ,dispersion in       
,pontus1 ,galatia1 ,cappadocia1 ,asia1  
and ,bithynia0 not  merely ,jews or     
,jewish ,christians but all ,christians1
 whether ,jews or  ,gentiles1 in the    
spiritual dispersion1 8sojourners0 from 
the true  ,palestine or promised land   
7heaven74 ,is this the idea of ,james8  
,zahn#dc  takes this position and finds 
that the writer is addressing all       
,christians in general1 whether those   
persons would be ,jews or ,gentiles4    
,but surely the author has in mind      

simply ,christian ,jews outside of      
,palestine4 ,the use of the word        
8synagogue0 as a place of worship       
7,james  #b3b7 on a par with 8church0   
7#e3ad7 argues for this interpretation4 
,he is  addressing the ,christian ,jews1
 who now have many problems1 and he may 
have hoped by means of these believing  
,jews to reach the wider circle of      
unbelieving ,jews4 ,he speaks of        
,abraham as 8our father0 7#b3ba74 ,he   
assumes that for his readers the ,mosaic
 law is still binding 7#b3i-aa2         
#d3aa74dd                               
,the ,occasion    ,this we do not know4 
,unlike most of ,paul's epistles1 there 
are no  personal details4 ,we are left  
to conjecture1 as in the case of ,jude  
and  #a ,john4 ,the picture drawn in the
 epistle is that of ,jewish ,christians 
of  the poorer classes1 with a small    
number of richer brethren 7#a3aj71      
struggling for life in the midst of a   
social and economic environment  that   
was utterly unsympathetic1 not to say   

hostile4 ,the process of  adjustment was
 difficult and perilous4 ,there were    
perils to the  individual and to the    
church life1 and ,james shows real      
mastery of the  situation that          
confronted the ,jewish ,christians in   
the middle of the  first century in the 
scattered regions where they were found4
 ,he writes  to them in a firm tone but 
with manifest understanding and         
sympathy4                               
,character of the ,epistle    ,the book1
 small as it is1 is a little gem in     
conception and expression4  ,it reminds 
one of portions of the book of          
,proverbs1 some of the ,psalms1         
portions of the ,prophets1 the ,twelve  
,patriarchs1 the ,wisdom of ,jesus the  
,son of ,sirach1 the ,wisdom of         
,solomon1 ,philo1 and the ,sermon on the
  ,mount4 ,it is quite possible that    
both ,paul and ,peter had read the      
,epistle of ,james2 at least there are  
several coincidences between them4  ,at 
any rate1 there seems to be some        

literary connection between some of     
,paul's epistles 7,rom41 #a ,cor41      
,gal471 #a ,peter and ,hebrews1 and the 
,epistle of ,james4 ,some contend that  
the epistle makes use of these ,new     
,testament books4 ,m4 ,jones#de thinks  
that the author had some knowledge  of  
the ,stoic philosophers1 but this could 
have come through ,hellenistic          
,judaism1 as for instance the ,wisdom of
 ,solomon and ,philo4    ,the author1 as
 already shown1 writes in the smooth and
 easy ,koine of a  gifted and cultivated
 ,jew of ,palestine4 ,one does not have 
to say with  ,patrick#df that ,james had
 a wide knowledge of classical ,greek4  
,he may  never have read a line of      
8classical0 ,greek1 but he knew well the
  current ,greek of his day and used it 
with fine skill4 ,it is not a  labored  
production and is in no sense           
artificial4 ,the author is full of  the 
,old ,testament and writes like one of  
the prophets2 yet he has a firm  grip   
upon the essence of the gospel of ,jesus

 ,christ4    ,the book forms a fine link
 between the ,old and ,new ,testaments4 
,james1  the brother of the ,lord       
,jesus1 understands the ,old ,testament 
and loves  ,moses still4 ,he seeks to   
interpret ,christianity more fully on   
its  ethical and social side to the     
,jewish ,christians of his time1 who are
 in  sad need of help1 beset as they are
 by ,jew and ,gentile1 and with an      
imperfect grasp of the new gospel4 ,they
 find in this epistle just what  they   
need to make practice correspond to     
profession1 to square life with  creed4 
,the lesson is still needed today4      
,there is a peculiar pertinence  about  
the teaching of ,james that appeals to  
modern men who are nothing  if not      
practical4                              
,,iii                                   
,joy in ,trial      ,evidently these    
early ,jewish ,christians had their     
share of trial4 ,who1  alas1 does not   
have his portion8 ,the problem with us  
all is to learn how  to find the spring 

of joy in the midst of sorrow4 ,there   
are always  perplexities and anxieties4 
,the sea is restless even in its moments
 of  calm beauty4                       
,variety in ,trials 7#a3b7    ,there is 
the tone of an elder brother in this    
epistle1 and we see it at  the start    
when ,james says 8my brothers40 ,it is  
no perfunctory phrase  with him4 ,it is 
8trials10 not 8temptations10 that ,james
 here has in  mind1 though the same word
 probably means temptation in #a3ab4    
,the word  in the ,greek came to have   
either sense1 though originally it meant
 only  to try1 to attempt1 just as our  
,english word 8tempt0 was at first      
simply  8try40 ,but it is a short step  
from 8try0 to 8make trial of0 one when  
suspicion exists or evil desire arises4 
,hence all through the ,greek we  find  
the old ,greek word used in both senses4
 ,the ,new ,testament usage  varies4    
,there are a half dozen other passages  
where the word has the  idea of trial   
7,luke #bb3bh2 ,acts #bj3ai2 ,gal4      

#d3ad2 #a ,peter #a3f2 #d3ab2  ,rev4    
#c3aj74 ,in #a ,peter #a3f the identical
 expression 8manifold trials0  appears4 
,oesterley#dg wrongly insists that      
8temptation0 is the meaning  in ,james  
#a3b on the ground that 8the writer's   
,judaism is stronger than  his          
,christianity10 and he then uses it as  
an argument against the  genuineness of 
the book4    ,a soldier 7,parry7 does   
have 8true joy0 in victory over         
temptation1 like  ,wordsworth's 8happy  
warrior10 but that is beside the mark   
here4 ,there is  no conflict here with  
the avoidance of temptation urged by    
,jesus 7,matt4  #f3ac2 ,luke #aa3d2     
,matt4 #bf3da2 ,luke #bb3dj74 ,james    
refers rather to  external trials into  
which men fall--trials that are not only
 unwelcome  but also unsought and       
unexpected4#dh ,it is almost the picture
 of a  stumble in the dark when one     
finds himself surrounded by hostile     
forces1  just as the poor man fell among
 robbers 7,luke #aj3cj74    ,besides1   

one may be surrounded by all sorts of   
trials at once and not  merely any sort 
of trial 7,moffatt74 ,the word          
8manifold0 is really  many-colored1     
variegated1 spotted1 mottled1 pied1     
dappled4 8,it never  rains but it       
pours10 we say at such a time4 ,the same
 word is applied to  the sicknesses and 
torments of body and mind which ,jesus  
healed 7,matt4  #d3bd74 ,it is used of  
the evil desires that lead silly women  
astray 7#b  ,tim4 #c3f71 of the lusts   
and pleasures which once the ,cretans   
served  7,titus #c3c71 of the variety in
 the manifestation of ,god's power in   
connection with the gospel 7,heb4 #b3d71
 of the many sorts of strange  teachings
 then afloat 7,heb4 #ac3i7 of which we  
are now beginning to learn  something   
7incipient ,gnosticism and the early    
stages of ,mithraism1 for  example71 of 
the many trials which brought sorrow to 
the ,christians 7#a  ,peter #a3f71 and  
of the many sides to the grace of ,god  
7#a ,peter #d3aj74  ,god has grace for  

every trial whatever its color1 whether 
black or blue1  yellow or green1 red or 
crimson4    ,the way to face them all is
 with joy in the heart and a smile on   
the  face4 ,we are not asked to rush    
into trials and to make mock martyrs of 
ourselves4 ,we are not asked to rejoice 
because of the trials1 many or  few4    
,much depends on how we treat the       
problem of trial1 much of which is      
beyond our control1 like poverty in     
wisdom 7,james #a3e7 and in substance   
7#a3i7 and like persecution 7#b3f f474  
,we are not to be blind to facts nor to 
submit tamely to what can be  cured and 
should not be endured4 ,james is not a  
cynic or a stoic but a  victorious      
,christian who has learned the lesson   
that thankful joy is  easier and wiser  
than mere dull resignation 7,plummer1 in
 loco74 ,each  trouble may be met by a  
special kind of joy as its antidote4    
,the common  idea about 8all joy0 is    
that ,james thereby means pure joy1     
nothing but  joy4 8,greet it as pure    

joy0 7,moffatt74 ,that is possible1     
though it may  also mean 8bring to bear 
all that joy has to offer40 ,it does not
 mean  7,mayor7 that all of joy is      
contained in this view4 ,at any rate1 it
 is  much to know that joy in suffering 
is possible1 as many saints can  testify
 who have reached the pure air of       
fellowship with ,jesus in  suffering    
7cf4 ,phil4 #c3aj74 ,the ,brother of    
,james said3 8,blessed are they  that   
have been persecuted for righteousness' 
sake3 for theirs is the  kingdom of     
heaven4 ,blessed are ye when men shall  
reproach you1 and  persecute you1 and   
say all manner of evil against you      
falsely1 for my  sake4 ,rejoice and be  
exceeding glad2 for great is your reward
 in heaven3  for so persecuted they the 
prophets that were before you0 7,matt4  
#e3aj-ab74    ,this is part of the      
fellowship of ,christ and of the saints1
 the  8sunshine band0 of those who have 
learned to smile in the midst of  tears1
 like the sunshine in the rain4 ,paul   

was able to say3 8,but we also  rejoice 
in our tribulations0 7,rom4 #e3c74 ,this
 is not the joy of the  fanatic or of   
the fakir or of the rhapsodist4 ,it is  
the joy of the soul  that is at peace   
with ,god in ,christ and has also more  
than earth and  hell can take away1 the 
peace that passes all understanding4    
,the  disciples rejoiced 8that they were
 counted worthy to suffer dishonor for  
the ,name0 7,acts #e3da74 ,even ,marcus 
,aurelius said3 8,say not that that     
which hath befallen thee is bad fortune1
 but that to endure it nobly is  good   
fortune40                               
,the ,product of ,trial 7#a3c7    ,the  
rule of ,christian joy thus expounded   
stands the test of experience4  ,the    
word 8knowing0 is the one used for      
experimental knowledge as opposed  to   
mere intellectual apprehension4 ,the    
tense 7present participle7  expresses   
continuous acquisition of fresh         
knowledge from experience4 ,it  is the  
school of life where we learn most of   

what we really know4 ,the  position of  
,james is thus in thorough harmony with 
psychology4 ,the  command to rejoice in 
the midst of manifold trials1           
paradoxical though  it seems1 is one    
that the ,jewish ,christians knew to be 
true from their  experience of grace4   
,johnstone#di has a fine word3          
8,affliction lets  down a blazing torch 
into his own nature--and he sees many   
things which  he little expected to     
see40 ,one of the marvels of modern     
science is the  use of electric light by
 divers at the bottom of the sea to take
  pictures of sea life4    ,it is the   
biological conception that ,james has in
 mind4 ,the law of life  7nature and    
grace7 works through personal experience
 and not by  mechanical impartation4    
,what do we learn by experience8 8,that 
the  proving of your faith worketh      
patience40 ,moffatt has it3 8,that the  
sterling temper of your faith produces  
endurance40    ,the notion is plainly   
that of testing4 ,see the same phrase in

 #a ,peter  #a3g4 ,thus ,james1 as      
,paul1 regards faith as 8the very       
foundation of  religion0 7,mayor74 ,the 
verb from which the adjective is derived
 is  common enough for testing a yoke of
 oxen 7,luke #ad3ai71 the spirits 7#a   
,john #d3a71 work by fire 7#a ,cor4     
#c3ac71 genuineness of love 7#b ,cor4   
#h3h71  all things 7#a ,thess4 #e3ba74  
,peter 7#a ,peter #a3g7 explains the    
adjective  by the verb 7tested by fire74
 ,compare ,sirach #b3e3 8,for gold is   
tried in  the fire1 and acceptable men  
in the furnace of adversity40 ,one is   
reminded of the ,sermon on the ,mount4  
8,ye shall know them by their  fruits0  
7,matt4 #g3af74    ,patience is         
patientia 7patior7 and is called by     
,philo the queen of  the virtues4 ,the  
,jews 7,oesterley1 in loco7 had had     
ample need of this  virtue in their     
checkered history4 ,it is just the      
opposite of the  8superman0 of          
,nietzsche1 the triumph of might over   
right1 the will to  get what one wishes1

 right or wrong4 ,there is inevitable   
conflict  between selfish militarism and
 ,christianity4 ,it is a pity that      
,christians have left it to socialists  
to make the most vigorous protest       
against war4 ,but alas1 both ,christians
 and socialists are swept under by  the 
vortex of war nolens volens4 ,and yet by
 8patience0 ,james does not  mean       
inertia or lack of ambition4 ,it is not 
complacent self-satisfaction  but the   
triumph of regulated consideration of   
the welfare of others1 the  victory of  
love over greed1 the joy of doing       
without that others may be  happy1 the  
happiness of enduring ill for the sake  
of ,jesus4    ,it is very hard to remain
 under misfortune 7the literal meaning  
of the  ,greek word for patience7 when  
it cannot be helped4 ,james does not    
mean  that we are not to try to cure any
 of the ills of life1 not to overcome   
ignorance1 poverty1 disease1 crime4     
,there is here no surcease for the  war 
on the evil conditions of modern life in

 home or city or state4 ,but  many      
things cannot be changed4 ,others will  
be alleviated by and by4  ,meanwhile the
 ,christian can rise to the height of   
cheerful1 joyful  patience4 ,it is the  
practice of cheerfulness that we so much
 need4 ,we do  not have to shut our eyes
 to the facts of life and of the human  
reason  and deny the existence of sin   
and sickness4 ,we can conquer the bitter
  results of these evils by the joy in  
,christ that drives away despair4       
,this patience is the product of trial4 
,we are not born with a supply of       
patience4 ,it is not bestowed in fulness
 upon us at the new birth4 ,like  the   
manna1 we need a fresh supply each      
morning4 ,but the habit of mind  termed 
patience is gradually wrought in us by  
the discipline of  experience4          
,bitterness is a possible fruit of      
sorrow and hard  experiences4           
,bitterness is written all over some sad
 faces4 ,that  terrible calamity can be 
missed1 will be missed1 if one walks in 

the way  of him who said3 8,come unto   
me1 all ye that labor and are heavy     
laden1  and ,i will give you rest4 ,take
 my yoke upon you1 and learn of me2 for 
,i  am meek and lowly in heart3 and ye  
shall find rest unto your souls4 ,for   
my yoke is easy1 and my burden is light0
 7,matt4 #aa3bh f474 ,it may not be     
easy and light at first1 but it becomes 
so in the presence of ,jesus4    ,nobly 
does ,wordsworth interpret it for us    
all3      ,who1 doomed to go in company 
with pain1    ,and fear and bloodshed1  
miserable train6    ,turned his         
necessity to glorious gain2    ,in face 
of these doth exercise a power    ,which
 is our human nature's highest dower2   
,controls them and subdues1 transmutes1 
bereaves    ,of their bad influence1 and
 their good receives4                   
,perfection by ,patience 7#a3d7         
,there is no other way than the slow way
 of life4 ,the mushroom springs up  in a
 night and goes as quickly away4 ,the   
oak grows a few inches a year  and lasts

 for centuries4 ,the finest product in  
,god's garden is the soul  of man1 ripe 
with the long years of toil and sorrow4 
,luther ,burbank  learned some of the   
witchery of nature by watching her ways 
with plant  life4 ,he showed great      
patience and has much to show for it4   
,give  patience a chance to do its work 
and keep on giving it a fair show4 ,ole 
,bull said that if he missed practicing 
on his violin one day1 he noticed  the  
difference in his playing4 ,if he missed
 two days1 other musicians  noticed it4 
,if he skipped three days1 all the world
 knew it4    8,only1 let your endurance 
be a finished product0 7,moffatt74 ,it  
comes to  that in all great             
achievements1 for the test is endurance4
 ,the goal is  at the end of the race1  
where ,jesus is the author and finisher 
of the  faith which we possess 7,heb4   
#ab3b74 8,we are become partakers of    
,christ1  if we hold 444 firm unto the  
end0 7,heb4 #c3ad74 8,but he that       
endureth to  the end1 the same shall be 

saved0 7,matt4 #bd3ac74    ,patience    
calls for courage2 discouragement leads 
to impatience and  failure4 ,there is   
need of long-suffering 7,col4 #a3aa71 if
 we get the  8finished product40 ,the   
word for perfect here occurs also in    
,james #a3ag1  #be2 #c3b4 ,the word1    
like the substantive1 has a double usage
 7cf4 finis  and our end71 either limit 
or aim4 ,so the perfect man may be      
regarded  in the absolute sense1 the    
limit1 as the perfect ,man ,christ      
,jesus 7,eph4  #d3ac71 or as on the way 
to the goal 7no longer a child but a    
developed  man1 as in #a ,cor4 #b3f2    
,phil4 #c3ae74 8,the perfect0 7#a ,cor4 
#ac3aj7 is  still to come1 but there is 
8perfect love0 7#a ,john #d3ah74 ,we are
 to aim  after the perfection of ,god   
himself 7,matt4 #e3dh74 ,paul's ambition
 was to  present each one 8perfect in   
,christ ,jesus0 7,col4 #a3bh74 ,compare 
also  ,colossians #d3ab4 ,here ,james   
has his eye on the goal which is at the 
end  of the long road4 ,he knows full   

well 7#c3b7 that in many things we all  
stumble1 but we must persevere4         
,patience must do its 8perfect work10   
that ye may be 8perfect40    ,but ,james
 takes a latitudinal look at the work of
 patience1 not merely  the longitudinal 
view--the view that ye may be 8entire1  
lacking nothing10  8complete1 with never
 a defect0 7,moffatt74 ,this word for   
entire 7cf4  integer7 means complete in 
all its parts1 whole1 not unsound       
anywhere4  ,at the end of the race we   
are to be fully developed and sound to  
the  core in heart and limb4 ,the word  
is used of stones untouched by a tool   
7,deut4 #bg3f71 of a body without       
blemish4 ,epictetus 7bk4 ,,iii1 chap4   
xxvi1   #be7 uses the word of a vessel  
which one finds whole1 unbroken1 and    
useful4 ,it is used of a complete or    
unbroken household4 ,in the papyri      
,philo uses both words together1 as     
,james does here4    ,the substantive is
 used of the 8perfect soundness0 of the 
man just  healed by ,peter and ,john    

7,acts #c3af74 ,this adjective occurs   
with  8righteousness0 7,wisd4 #ae3ac7   
and 8worship0 or 8religion0 7#d ,macc4  
#ag74  ,the adjective is used by ,paul  
in his prayer for the ,thessalonians1   
8preserved entire1 without blame0 7#a   
,thess4 #e3bc74 ,this is what ,jesus    
does for his glorious church1 which is  
to be without 8spot or wrinkle or  any  
such thing0 7,eph4 #e3bg74 ,jesus1 our  
,high ,priest1 8has perfected for  ever 
them that are sanctified0 7,heb4        
#aj3ad74 ,alas1 ,isaiah 7#a3f7 found    
,israel wholly wanting in this          
soundness4 ,james's ideal is that we    
shall  fall short in nothing4 ,our      
destiny is to dwell in the family of    
,god and  to be like ,jesus1 our elder  
,brother 7#a ,john #c3b74 ,this ultimate
 divine  fulness is not the             
self-sufficiency of the stoics4         
,shortage in ,wisdom 7#a3e7             
8,defective in wisdom10 ,moffatt puts   
it4 ,it is the same word that occurs  at
 the end of verse #d4 ,james is fond of 

catching up a preceding word and  going 
on with it1 even if1 as here1 in a new  
sense4 8,if any of you  lacketh wisdom10
 ,james gently hints4 ,who is it that   
does not feel his  shortcoming here1 at 
times with painful intensity8    ,what  
does ,james mean by wisdom8 ,it is more 
than knowledge4 ,it is more  than mere  
intelligent apprehension of acquired    
knowledge4 ,tennyson says3  8,knowledge 
comes1 but wisdom lingers40 ,james shows
 familiarity with the  ,wisdom of ,jesus
 the ,son of ,sirach 7,ecclus47#ej and  
possibly also the  so-called ,wisdom of 
,solomon4 ,certainly he knows the book  
of ,proverbs4  ,but here he does not use
 wisdom in a philosophical or mystical  
sense4    ,with ,james wisdom is the    
right use of one's opportunities in holy
  living4 ,it is living like ,christ in 
accord with the will of ,god4 ,in       
#c3ac-ag he gives a formal discussion of
 the two sorts of wisdom4 ,bede         
suggests that we need wisdom to know how
 to look at trial in the true  light4   

,yes1 and we need it to give patience   
the chance to do its perfect  work4     
,paul uses wisdom in the special sense  
of ,god's wisdom as shown in  the gospel
 as infinitely superior to the wisdom of
 the world which  scouted the cross of  
,christ4 8,we speak wisdom among them   
that are  perfect0 7the mature1 #a ,cor4
 #b3f1 ,,av74    ,in the ,old ,testament
 wisdom is sometimes the intelligence of
 ,god 7,prov4  #h3bb-cj74 8,ten measures
 of wisdom came down from heaven1 and   
nine of  them fell to the lot of the    
,holy ,land0 7,kiddushim1 #di;b74 ,with 
,james  the source of wisdom is ,god1   
not the ,jews4 ,so then1 when our supply
 runs  short1 ask of ,god4 ,it is like a
 bank to which we go to get our money4  
,god is the banker whose supply of      
wisdom never gives out4 ,unlike other   
bankers1 he asks no security save the   
name of ,jesus4#ea ,that name gives  us 
full credit at the bank of heaven4      
,on that basis ,god 8gives to all men   
without question or reproach0           

7,moffatt74 ,we have it expressed as    
8liberally0 in the standard versions4   
,it is a rather difficult word to       
translate into ,english4 ,it means      
simple1 singlefold1 sincere4 ,compare   
the 8single0 eye in ,matthew #f3bb2     
,luke #aa3cd4 ,in ,romans #ab3h it is   
not clear whether singleness or         
liberality is the idea1 but 8liberality0
 is obviously correct in #b             
,corinthians #h3b1 8the riches of their 
liberality40 ,so it is in #i3aa1 #ac1   
but 8singleness of heart0 in ,ephesians 
#f3e and ,colossians #c3bb4             
,oesterley finds the notion of ,james to
 be 8singleness of aim1 the aim  being  
the imparting of benefit without        
requiring anything in return40          
,likewise1 ,bengel interprets it by     
simpliciter4 ,either idea makes good    
sense1 for surely ,god gives to us all  
with singleness of purpose and  also    
without bargaining on ,god's part1 for  
there is no idea of  reciprocity4       
8,without question0 7,moffatt7 suggests 

an understanding with  ,god1 which is   
true4 ,it is the normal1 natural thing  
for a child of ,god  to come to ,god and
 ask of him1 for he 8upbraideth not40 ,a
 fool upbraids1  the ,son of ,sirach    
says 7,ecclus4 #bj3ae74 ,instead of     
upbraiding us for  asking1 rather we are
 made to wonder why we did not ask      
sooner4    ,god does not chide us for   
our folly but gives us good measure of  
wisdom  to take its place4 ,this is the 
literal truth1 as many self-confessed   
fools of the world are glad to testify4 
,they have left the folly of a  worldly1
 selfish1 sinful life for the rich joy  
of the service of ,god in  ,christ4 ,the
 change may come in a moment1 for after 
all1 this new view of  life and the     
power to live it may be had for the     
asking4 8,and it shall  be given him40  
,it will be given on request1 with no   
other identification  than the plea of  
the sinner who comes in the name of     
,jesus1 the 8open  sesame0 to the       
treasures of heaven1 himself the wisdom 

of ,god 7#a ,cor4  #a3cj7 in whom are   
all the treasures of wisdom and         
knowledge hidden 7,col4  #b3c74 ,god    
does ask of us that we use this wisdom  
for his glory and for  the blessing of  
other lives1 the enrichment of other    
hearts4                                 
,doubting ,prayer 7#a3f-h7    ,jesus    
7,matt4 #g3g f47 had urged the disciples
 to ask1 with the promise  that ,god    
would answer4    ,there is a condition  
attached to the wide-open invitation in 
,james #a3e4  8,but let him ask in      
faith10 ,james adds4 ,by faith ,james   
means not a body  of doctrine but trust 
in ,god1 a working confidence in ,god   
that leads one  to ask and to expect to 
receive what he asks4 ,it is certain    
that ,god  does not answer some prayers1
 at least in the way expected4 ,some    
requests ought not to be granted1 in    
fact ought never to be made4 ,prayer    
may be very foolish as well as very     
wise4 ,god does not offer to grant      
every whim of a spoiled and petulant    

child4 ,but assuming that one is  asking
 for wisdom1 which surely is a proper   
prayer for anyone to make1  even so he  
may miss it because he does not exercise
 wisdom in the  asking4 ,he must not    
chill the ardor of his desire by        
hesitation and  doubt4 ,let him ask1    
8nothing doubting40    ,to doubt is to  
have a divided mind that draws him two  
ways1 like the  poor donkey that starved
 because he could not choose between the
 two  stacks of hay4 ,such a man is like
 a wave of the sea 78,like a cork       
floating on the wave1 now carried       
towards the shore1 now away from it10   
,mayor71 one of the most transitory     
things imaginable1 driven by the wind   
and tossed into sea foam 7whitecaps7 as 
if blown by a fan or bellows1 a         
veritable 8brain storm0 of perplexity   
and indecision4    ,god does answer     
prayer1 but not the prayer of a man who 
insults the  ,giver of whom he asks a   
favor4 ,timid faith is quite another    
thing4 ,that  ,jesus honored1 as in the 

case of the father who first said1 8,but
 if thou  canst do any thing0 7,mark    
#i3bb74 ,jesus rebuked him for his 8if  
thou  canst40 ,then the anxious father  
cried out3 8,lord1 ,i believe2 help thou
  mine unbelief40    ,there are many    
difficulties in the way of trust in ,god
 today4 ,science  has left many minds   
groping in the dark without ,god1       
feeling after him  if haply they may    
find him1 not knowing that he is nigh to
 each of us4  ,we do not have an        
absentee ,god4 ,he can and does hear the
 cry of his  children for help4 ,if     
,,sos can find a response over the wind 
and the wave  to the call of the sinking
 ship1 surely it is not strange that the
  ,father of our spirits will hear our  
call to him4 ,so it will be1 8if ye     
have faith and doubt not10 almost the   
very words used by ,james4    ,jesus had
 to rebuke his disciples for their lack 
of faith 7,matt4 #h3bf7  when they      
thought they were perishing from wind   
and wave4 ,and ,simon  ,peter doubted   

after he began to walk on the water and 
started at once to  sink4 8,o thou of   
little faith1 wherefore didst thou      
doubt80 says ,jesus  to ,peter 7,matt4  
#ad3ca74 ,peter had a divided mind4     
8,let not that man  think that he shall 
receive anything of the ,lord40 ,he does
 not expect  anything1 and he is not    
disappointed4 ,what a commentary is this
 sentence  upon the halfhearted praying1
 the lack of interest1 the              
worldly-minded  passive worship of many 
modern ,christians4 ,there is no        
wrestling with  ,god in prayer for      
victory4    8,double-minded creature    
that he is1 wavering at every turn0     
7,moffatt74  ,the double-minded man is  
like the two-faced man 7,mr4 ,facing    
,both ,ways74  ,sirach 7#b3ac7 speaks of
 the sinner coming to two paths and     
being unable  to choose4 ,such a man    
perishes at the crossroads4 ,compare    
,james #d3h for  the only other use of  
the word in the ,new ,testament1 though 
common  enough elsewhere4 ,such         

indecision goes into duplicity1 as      
,jesus shows  about the evil eye and the
 single eye 7,matt4 #f3bb f474 ,it is a 
miserable  life1 as anyone knows who    
leads a double life4 ,the double heart  
leads to  the double life1 with its     
pretended double standard of morals4    
,clement  of ,rome says3 8,wretched are 
the double-minded1 who doubt in their   
heart40 ,no wonder he becomes 8unstable 
in all his ways10 not able to  stand in 
all his goings4 ,he wobbles and finally 
reels like a drunken  man4 ,such        
inconstancy winds up in hypocrisy or    
abandonment to sin4                     
,the ,democracy of ,faith 7#a3i-aa7     
,james returns to the keynote of 8all   
joy0 7v4 #b7 and uses the word  8glory40
 ,the positive note of exultation is the
 mark of the true  ,christian against   
the double-minded man4 ,the pessimist is
 not a  representative of ,christianity4
 ,the true optimist is not1 however1    
blind  to the facts of life4 ,he can    
glory in ,god in the midst of all sorts 

of  trials and conditions1 whether in   
high or low estate4 ,his joy is         
independent of earthly estate4 ,the     
8cotter's ,saturday night0 may be as    
happy as the one in the castle nearby4  
,class distinctions are no cause  for   
pride in a spiritual democracy like the 
church of ,jesus ,christ4 ,we  need in  
,christianity no 8princes of the church0
 in the ,roman ,catholic  sense4 ,pride 
of rank among the twelve disciples was a
 source of grief to  ,jesus4 ,the rich  
and the poor are one in ,christ ,jesus1 
and all are poor1  miserable sinners    
saved by grace4    ,johnstone#eb calls  
this section 8,rich ,poor and ,poor     
,rich40 ,that is true  and is the       
probable interpretation here4 ,the      
humble#ec brother may1  after all1 be   
the richest man in the church--rich in  
grace1 in love1 in  joy1 in peace1 in   
righteousness1 in fellowship4 ,this is  
8his high  estate10 which rises sheer   
above hovel or palace4 ,thank ,god that 
this  infinite wealth of the spirit is  

still open to the poor all over the     
world who find the door of competency   
closed in their faces4 ,the pious  poor 
is more than a phrase4 ,it is often     
literal fact4    ,the papyri            
discoveries#ed bear eloquent testimony  
to the words of ,paul  about the        
membership of the church at ,corinth 7#a
 ,cor4 #a3bf-bi74 ,the  papyri letters  
and other documents are chiefly from the
 middle and lower  classes and reflect  
the actual life of the very people from 
whom the  gospel made most of its       
converts 7fishermen1 carpenters1        
publicans1  tentmakers1 etc474 ,there   
were already some wealthy members of the
 early  churches1 men like ,nicodemus1  
,joseph of ,arimathea1 ,barnabas of     
,cyprus4  ,there were 8not many mighty10
 but there were some4 ,there soon came  
to be  large numbers of slaves in the   
churches when the gospel spread among   
the  ,gentiles4 ,but already social     
problems of an acute nature were on hand
  when ,james wrote4 ,in fact1 we see   

such problems in the early chapters of  
,acts1 when ,ananias and ,sapphira      
wished to get credit for a generosity   
that they were not willing to show and  
when high feeling arose in the          
distribution of the funds for the       
,aramean 7,palestinian7 and ,hellenistic
  widows among the ,jewish ,christians4 
,at no point are people more  sensitive 
than about money4    ,so the rich       
brother is to be reminded of his        
humiliation1 8in that he is  made low10 
placed on a level with the 8lowly       
brother40 ,they meet on the  level in   
,christ4 ,each is as high and as low as 
the other--no more1 no  less4 ,the rich 
man is not to glory over the poor man1  
nor is the poor  brother to cringe in   
the presence of the rich brother4 ,this 
is the  democracy of faith1 the         
universality of ,christ4    ,the rich   
brother is in constant peril of pride of
 possession1 and so  ,james reminds him 
of the fate of the beautiful flower of  
the grass which  springs up quickly and 

withers before the burning heat and     
falls off4 ,it  is a striking adaptation
 of the language of ,isaiah 7#dj3f-h71  
using the  imagery for another purpose4 
#a ,peter #a3bd says3 8,all flesh is as 
grass1  and all the glory thereof as the
 flower of grass40 ,christ brings all   
men  to their true level1 the common    
humanity in us all1 the sonship in him  
that makes us heirs of heaven4 ,moffatt 
changes 8his high estate0 to  8when he  
is raised10 and 8in that he is made low0
 to 8in being lowered40  ,he seems to   
understand that ,james refers to the    
possible ups and downs  of life4 ,it    
will be easy for the lowly brother in   
that case to rejoice  when he becomes   
rich2 but how about the rich brother    
when he becomes  poor8    ,plummer 7in  
loco7 refuses to see a 8brother0 at all 
in the rich man1  but only one of the   
rich ,jews who oppressed the early      
,christians1 as in  ,james #e3a-f4 ,but 
that gives an ,ebionitic tone to the    
epistle4 ,james does  indulge in irony1 

but he is apparently sincere in his     
picture here4 ,the  rich brother will   
fade away in his goings1 as if ,james   
has in mind a  salesman whose business  
dries up like a flower4 ,riches truly   
have wings  and fly away4 ,they are     
sweet like the rose but soon vanish from
 us  forever4                           
,,iv                           ,the ,way
 of ,temptation      ,james powerfully  
sketches the natural history of         
temptation if yielded  to and the glory 
of victory if overcome4 ,the other sense
 7temptation7 of  the word used for     
trial in #a3b occurs here4 ,moffatt     
indeed takes trial  as the idea in #a3ab
 also 7so does ,hort in loco71 but      
certainly in  verse #ac we have to say  
8temptation40 ,it is most likely that   
the idea of  temptation is present in   
#a3ab4 ,here ,james returns to the      
discussion of  the other side of the    
blessing of trials1 namely1 the blessing
 of  temptation endured4 ,as a matter of
 fact1 he has not really digressed  from

 the subject4 ,he merely discusses one  
aspect4                                 
,standing the ,test 7#a3ab7    8,blessed
 is the man that endureth temptation40  
,we must never forget that  ,jesus      
warned us against rushing into          
temptation1 not merely in the  ,lord's  
,prayer 7,matt4 #f3ac2 ,luke #aa3d7 but 
also in the agony of  ,gethsemane1 when 
,satan had come upon him with renewed   
energy in spite of  repeated defeats by 
,jesus since the wilderness temptations 
7,matt4 #bf3da2  ,luke #bb3dj74 ,jesus  
urged the disciples to pray to be spared
 temptation4  ,no one knew so well as he
 the power of the evil one4 ,he had     
wrestled  with him to the end and had   
conquered where others failed4          
,temptation is  not to be courted1 not  
even for the sake of the experience and 
the  possible victory4 ,too many go down
 in the struggle for any to rush into   
it lightly4 8,fools rush in where angels
 fear to tread40    ,but if temptation  
is thrust upon one1 then he must fight  

and win as  ,jesus did4 ,there is always
 a way of escape 7#a ,cor4 #aj3ac74 ,we 
must find  the way out4 ,compare ,job   
#e3ag3 8,behold1 happy is the man whom  
the ,lord  correcteth40 ,he only is     
happy 7the same word used in the        
,beatitudes in  ,matt4 #e3c-aa7 who     
endures4 ,that is true patience4 ,it is 
only 8when he  hath been approved0 after
 standing the test that 8he shall       
receive the  crown of life10 the        
victor's crown4 ,the word for approved  
suggests the  furnace that removes the  
dross and leaves the pure metal4 ,the   
refiner of  silver watches1 we are told1
 till he sees his own image in the      
metal4  ,then it is pure4 ,the metal is 
tested and approved4    8,the crown of  
life0 7cf4 ,rev4 #b3aj7 is probably the 
wreath of victory in  the games 7cf4 #a 
,cor4 #i3be2 #b ,tim4 #b3e71 for ,greek 
games were common in  ,palestine in the 
days of ,herod the ,great and were      
practiced even in  ,jerusalem itself    
7,josephus1 ,ant4 #ae1 #h1 #a f474 ,it  

is a crown of kingly  glory1 but it is  
bestowed as reward of merit to those who
 love the ,lord  ,jesus4 ,we may have a 
reference to a ,logion of ,jesus not    
preserved in  which he makes this       
promise3 8,blessed is he who hath his   
raiment white1  for he it is who        
receiveth the crown of joy upon his     
head40#ee ,in  ,proverbs #a3i we read   
that the instruction of father and      
mother 8shall be  a chaplet of grace    
unto thy head40 ,in ,sirach #ae3f we    
read of 8a crown of  gladness10 and in  
the ,testimony of the ,twelve           
,patriarchs 7,levi iv4 #a7  we find     
8crowns of glory40 ,love is the way to  
win this crown--love and  the proof of  
it in enduring temptation and leading   
8the white life40                       
,blaming ,god 7#a3ac7    ,whatever doubt
 exists in verse #ab about trial or     
temptation vanishes in  verse #ac4 ,here
 it is clearly temptation to evil4 ,hort
 7in loco7  suggests 8tempted by trial10
 and ,moffatt puts it 8tried by         

temptation40  ,certainly trial becomes a
 temptation to some men who use it as   
the  excuse for doing wrong4 8,though   
trial in itself is ordered by ,god for  
our good1 yet the inner solicitation to 
evil which is aroused by the  outer     
trial is from ourselves0 7,mayor74 ,any 
trial wrongly used may  become a        
temptation1 whereas it was meant for our
 development and  perfection4           
,temptation is merely one aspect of     
trial and not a necessary  one4 ,but the
 word is used of the great tempter 7#a  
,thess4 #c3e74 ,so ,jesus  was tempted  
by ,satan in the wilderness 7,mark      
#a3ac74 ,satan desired to  sift the     
apostles as wheat1 to ruin them if      
possible 7,luke #bb3ca74 ,the           
,pharisees and the ,sadducees sought to 
tempt ,jesus 7,matt4 #ae3a74 ,it is  the
 devil's business to seek to lure       
another into wrong4    ,when a man is   
tempted and yields to the temptation1 he
 is eager to blame  someone else for his
 sin4 ,if he cannot do otherwise1 he    

will blame ,god  for having made him as 
he is1 with evil possibilities4 ,in     
particular is  this true of sexual sin1 
which ,oesterley 7in loco7 thinks ,james
 has  specifically in mind here4        
,compare ,matthew #e3bh2 #a ,peter      
#b3aa4 ,adam  blamed ,eve1 and ,eve the 
serpent4 ,and even ,adam blamed ,god1   
for he said3  8,the woman whom thou     
gavest to be with me0 7,gen4 #c3ab74    
,some dare to say in so many words3 8,i 
am tempted of ,god40 ,they hold ,god    
responsible for their appetites and     
passions and seek to quiet the          
conscience thus while they give way to  
sin4 ,others hide behind heredity1      
environment1 or evil companions4 ,even  
,agamemnon excused himself for his      
wrong to ,achilles by holding ,zeus and 
fate responsible4 ,sirach 7#ae3aa  f47  
says3 8,say not thou1 ,it is through the
 ,lord that ,i fell away40 ,the  origin 
of sin is a dark problem1 but it is a   
lazy philosophy or a blind  one that    
shirks human responsibility1 or tries to

 do it4 ,it matters not  whether sin is 
the remnant of the beast in us 7surely  
some men act at  times like the tiger7  
or the response to evil environment or  
both1 we  are merely cowardly when we   
blame ,god for our own wrongdoing4      
,there is no response to evil in ,god4  
,he is not 8man's giant shadow  skyward 
thrown40 ,the absolute holiness and     
ethical purity of ,god should  at least 
protect him from the charge of leading  
us into sin4 ,the worst  of men1 in     
their darkest moments of loneliness1    
sometimes come face to  face with ,god4 
,then they do not flippantly blame ,god 
but confess their  sins with broken     
heart4 ,two things are true about evil  
and ,god4 ,one is  that ,god himself    
tempts no man to sin4 ,he does send     
trial but not  temptation4 ,we may not  
understand all the ways of ,god's       
providence1 but  we may rest secure in  
this3 ,the devil does tempt us4 ,that is
 his  business4 ,and yet ,james does not
 refer to ,satan by name here1 for after

  all1 we ourselves are responsible1 as 
he proceeds to show4 ,it does not  help 
matters with us any more than it did    
with ,eve to lay our sin upon  the      
devil4 ,the other thing that is true is 
that ,god cannot be tempted  with evil4 
,he cannot be tempted to do evil himself
 or be led to tempt  others with evil4  
,the phrase does not occur elsewhere in 
the ,new  ,testament or in the          
,septuagint1 but it is a paraphrase of a
 common  proverb in the early ,christian
 writings4#ef ,god does chastise us     
7,heb4  #ab3d f471 but he does not tempt
 us4    ,all this is in strong contrast 
to the ,greek and ,roman notions of     
duty1  for the heathen gods were        
credited with all human and even inhuman
  vices4 ,the gods upon ,olympus revel  
in lust and cruelty1 jealousy and  hate4
 ,they furnish fit ideals for the       
philosophy of ,nietzsche but do not     
accord with the ,god of the ,new        
,testament1 the ,god of consolation and 
of  peace1 of purity and love4          

,snared by ,one's ,own ,bait 7#a3ad7    
,the man himself is responsible for his 
sin1 and he need not seek to  place the 
blame elsewhere4 ,the temptation is not 
a temptation to him if  he refuses to   
listen to the siren's voice4 ,the man is
 not responsible  for the efforts of    
others to allure him to sin but only in 
case he  listens and yields4 ,then he is
 really tempted 8when he is drawn away  
by  his own lust1 and enticed40    ,the 
figure is very bold and impressive4 ,the
 word for 8drawn away0 is  used in      
,oppian for drawing the fish out from   
its original retreat1  beguiling it from
 under the rock4 ,then the fish is ready
 to be snared by  the bait4 ,the fish   
bites at the bait and is caught on the  
hook4 ,so with  a man4 ,he is drawn out 
by his own lust for the sin placed      
before him4 ,in  the case of sexual sin 
the impulse is not in itself sinful any 
more than  the fish's hunger for food4  
,the sexual nature is from ,god and is  
meant  only for blessing for high and   

holy ends4 ,but the misuse of this      
impulse  is very easy and very dreadful 
in its results4 ,satan sets many kinds  
of  bait for unwary boys and girls1 men 
and women1 who at first are taken  off  
their guard and then are drawn away by  
desire stirred within them  toward evil4
 ,the evil suggestion is entertained1   
and sin is the outcome4    ,this very   
word 8entice0 is used of hunting        
7trapping with bait71 and  then it is   
used of the harlot who entices to sin4  
8,my son1 if sinners  entice thee1      
consent thou not0 7,prov4 #a3aj74 ,philo
 speaks of our being  8driven by passion
 or enticed by pleasure40 ,the pitfalls 
are many in  modern life--in the        
country1 in the village1 and in the     
city4 ,the modern  demons of drink1     
drug1 and the brothel are busy in       
finding victims4 ,but  the point made by
 ,james is that the one who yields does 
so because of  the sin within his own   
heart4    ,a person's own evil desire   
plays the part of temptress 7,plummer71 

and he  is drawn away by it and enticed4
 8,if thou doest not well1 sin coucheth 
at the door0 7,gen4 #d3g7 like a panther
 ready to spring upon the intended      
victim caught for the moment off guard4 
,one is reminded afresh of the  opening 
chapters of ,proverbs1 which cannot be  
excelled by any of the  modern books on 
sex instruction1 some of which stimulate
 more immorality  than they prevent4    
,wise warning is needed and plain talk  
is demanded1  but not pruriency any more
 than prudery4 ,alas1 that the paw of   
the  modern ,moloch draws into the fire 
so many thousands of young men and      
women from the homes of our land4 ,the  
best capital of ,america is the         
children1 and we lose too much of it in 
the worst of gambles--the traffic  in   
souls4                                  
,the ,abortion 7#a3ae7    ,the natural  
history of sin as the result of         
temptation to which one  yields is given
 with scientific accuracy and graphic   
power3 8,then the  lust1 when it hath   

conceived1 beareth sin3 and the sin1    
when it is  fullgrown1 bringeth forth   
death40 ,moffatt renders it thus3 8,then
 ,desire  conceives and breeds ,sin1    
while ,sin matures and gives birth to   
,death40  ,it is a gruesome picture     
surely4 ,but who can say that it is     
overdrawn8    ,the positivist tries to  
shut ,god out of the world and so to    
banish human  responsibility2 but alas1 
he cannot banish human woe and anguish  
of  heart4 ,the agnostic flings up his  
hands in despair and says he does not   
know and has nothing to say in the      
presence of nature1 8red in tooth and   
claw40 ,the brutal militarist adopts the
 rule of physical might wrongly  claimed
 by ,nietzsche to be the mark of the    
superman4 ,spiritual and moral  prowess 
should dominate brute force in man1 else
 he becomes only a brute  himself4 ,he  
drops back to the law of the jungle and 
rejects the law of  love in the kingdom 
of heaven4 ,the ,christian ,scientist   
blandly shuts his  eyes to such errors  

of mortal mind as sin and sickness and  
sorrow and1  ostrich-like1 cheerfully   
denies their reality and seeks to blow  
them  away with a puff4 ,but sin is not 
to be brushed aside in this way4    ,the
 words of this verse call for particular
 remark4 8,then0 is here the  historical
 order following the temptation to which
 one yields4 ,his lust  drew him forth  
to the temptation4 ,he yields1 and the  
result is the  conception2 the embryo   
develops into sin4 ,this is the first   
birth1 and  sin is the child of desire4 
,desire is not in itself sinful1 but it 
easily falls into sin4 ,thus in a true  
sense desire makes sin where there  was 
no sin and so gives birth to sin4 ,but  
this is not all4 ,sin in its  turn      
matures and gives birth to death4#eg    
,this second child is like a  child born
 dead4    ,when sin is born1 death is   
involved like an embryonic parasite that
  feeds on sin4 ,desire1 sin1 death form
 the biological line of pedigree4  ,the 
line is short1 for 8the wages of sin is 

death10 as ,paul puts it  7,rom4        
#f3bc74eh ,the picture in ,james is that
 of an abnormal birth like  a misshapen 
animal4 ,i have seen a five-legged cow1 
the fifth leg on the  top of the back   
standing up straight4 ,when sin is born1
 death begins  7conception7 and grows in
 fascinating power till a new birth     
comes2 and  lo1 this child is death     
itself4 8,the birth of death follows of 
necessity  when once sin is fully       
formed1 for sin from its first          
beginnings carried  death within0       
7,hort1 in loco74    ,the law of death  
in sin applies to other sins besides the
 so-called  sexual sins which write     
their history so plainly in the body and
 the  mind and bring a heritage of woe  
through all the family history4 ,there  
is here no sowing of wild oats to raise 
a crop of wheat4 ,the fearful  fidelity 
of modern scientific knowledge throws a 
lurid light on this  passage in ,james4 
,the sinner makes his bed and lies down 
in it and drags  down with him the      

helpless ones who are thrown in his     
care4    ,as ,i am writing ,i receive a 
copy of ,light1 a magazine published by 
the  ,world's ,purity ,federation4 ,the 
issue for ,november1 #aiad1 contains an 
article by a woman who has lived        
8twenty-five years in the underworld40  
,her story reads like a commentary on   
the words of ,james4 ,she claims to     
have had the best of that sordid life1  
but she concludes3 8,no matter  what    
humiliation a girl has to endure1 it is 
better to endure it than to  get into   
this life4 ,there is nothing in it for  
any of them4 ,the very  best of us get  
it hard before we die4 ,and1 at the     
best1 it is ,hell40 ,the  issue of death
 is seen not merely in the diseases of  
the body but 8also  in the deterioration
 of mind and character which accompanies
 every kind  of sin0 7,mayor1 in loco74 
,death and hell then claim their own4   
,god1 the ,source of ,good 7#a3af f47   
,the contrast is sharp4 8,be not        
deceived02 do not wander so in your     

minds  as to think that temptation and  
sin and death come from ,god4 ,he is not
  the source of evil4 ,rabbi ,chaninah  
says3 8,no evil thing cometh down from  
above40 ,note ,jesus in ,john #h3bc on  
8above0 and 8below40 ,james is  tenderly
 affectionate in his appeal on this     
point--8my beloved brethren40  ,on the  
contrary1 only good comes from ,god4    
,god is good1 and he alone is           
absolutely good 7,mark #aj3ah74ei ,in   
the ,greek the next sentence runs  like 
a hexameter line if one short syllable  
is considered long by stress  of the    
meter4#fj ,we need not tarry over a     
fanciful straining after  poetical lines
 in prose4 ,oesterley agrees with ,ewald
 in seeing here a  quotation from a     
,hellenistic poem4 ,it is far more      
likely just accidental  rhythm common   
enough in good prose4 ,the scholars     
differ also as to how  to translate the 
sentence4 ,moffatt has it3 8,all we are 
given is good1  and all our endowments  
are faultless40    8,the ,father of     

lights0 sets ,god over against the      
worship of the sun so  common among the 
ancients4 ,plato 7,repub4 vi4 #eje ff47 
compares the sun  to the idea of the    
good4 ,modern science powerfully        
illustrates this  comparison of ,james  
in bringing out what we owe to the sun  
in the way of  light1 heat1 and life    
itself4 ,philo calls ,god 8the ,father  
of the all10  the lights 7the moon and  
the stars7 and all else in the universe4
 8,when  ,i consider thy heavens1 the   
work of thy fingers1 the moon and the   
stars1  which thou hast ordained2 what  
is man1 that thou art mindful of him8   
and  the son of man1 that thou visitest 
him80 7,psalm #h3c f474 ,compare        
,philippians #b3ae4 ,god is not only    
light 7#a ,john #a3e71 but all true     
light  comes from him--all the light    
that lights every man coming into the   
world  7,john #a3i74    ,but the sun    
appears to move rapidly4 ,watch the sun 
drop like a ball of  fire at sunset and 
thus cast a deepening shadow over the   

earth4 ,the  sundial is one of the      
oldest ways to mark 8the shadow that is 
cast by  turning40 ,mayor quotes        
,plutarch 7,percl4 #g7 for the use of   
this figure  for shadows cast on the    
dial4 ,james is here1 of course1 using  
popular  language1 as we still do when  
we say that the sun rises and sets4 ,but
  with our ,father of lights there is   
8no change of rising and setting0       
7,moffatt74 ,he 8casts no shadow on the 
earth40 ,even the polestar1 we now      
know1 whirls on in space1 carrying the  
worlds along with it4 ,but our ,god  is 
not changeable or whimsical4 ,he does   
not send now good1 now ill4 ,he  knows  
how to give good gifts to those that ask
 him1 yea1 the best of all  gifts1 the  
,holy ,spirit 7,luke #aa3ac74 ,what     
seems ill is really good if it  comes   
from ,god4 ,if one takes his stand by   
,god's side and looks at his  life1 he  
sees ,god's plan as a whole for his own 
life and for ,god's  glory4             
,the ,new ,birth 7#a3ah7    8,so far    

from ,god tempting us to evil1 his will 
is the cause of our  regeneration0      
7,mayor74 ,he is our ,father in a double
 sense4 ,we owe our  original birth to  
,god1 in whose image we are made 7,gen4 
#b3g74 ,we owe our  spiritual birth     
likewise to ,god1 who begat us again to 
a living hope 7#a  ,peter #a3c74 ,the   
,mishnah 7,surenh41 iv4 #aaf7 says3 8,a 
man's father only  brought him forth    
into this world3 his teacher1 who taught
 him wisdom1  brings him into the life  
of the world to come40 ,happy is the    
father who  leads his child also to     
,christ4 ,but while the word of truth is
 the  instrument used in the instruction
 7a pointed lesson for parents1         
teachers1 preachers71 the actual work of
 regeneration is due to ,god as         
,father1 yes1 and as ,mother also1 for  
the word 8brought forth0 is the one     
used of the mother 7see by contrast v4  
#ae74    ,the doctrine of grace here set
 forth is of a piece with that in       
,paul's  writings 7,rom4 #ab3b2 ,eph4   

#a3e71 those of ,peter 7#a ,peter #a3c71
 and of  ,john 7#a3ac74 ,indeed1 ,jesus 
himself is quoted as saying3 8,ye did   
not  choose me1 but ,i chose you0 7,john
 #ae3af74 ,as the seed of sin produces  
death1 so the seed of ,god produces life
 7#a ,john #c3i74 ,it is interesting  to
 note this piece of fundamental theology
 in so practical a writer as  ,james1   
who lays special emphasis on works as   
proof of life4 ,but ,james  has no such 
idea as some careless and shallow       
theologians who think that  a man can   
galvanize himself into spiritual life by
 imitative ethics4 ,the  man must be    
born again1 as ,jesus said so           
impressively to ,nicodemus 7,john       
#c3c74 ,the miracle of birth must       
precede growth and development4    ,we  
are not to puzzle ourselves too much    
over the mysteries of spiritual         
biology4 ,we know that the impulse and  
purpose#fa come from ,god 7,john        
#a3ac74 ,what we do know is that ,god   
honors and uses the word of truth1  both

 spoken and written4 ,if this is true1  
what a responsibility belongs  to us for
 diligence and urgency in the use of the
 word of truth4    ,by the truth we are 
set free from sin and error 7,john #h3ca
 f474 ,the word  of truth is the gospel 
of salvation 7,eph4 #a3ac2 ,col4 #a3e71 
the word of  life 7#a ,john #a3a74      
,god's word is truth 7,john #ag3ag71 and
 the words of  ,jesus are spirit and    
life 7,john #f3fc74 ,the word of truth1 
when combined  with the power of ,god   
7#b ,cor4 #f3g71 quickens into life4 ,so
 ,james  emphasizes the importance of   
the human element in the new birth1     
while  rightly making ,god supreme in   
the act of regeneration4 ,we must reach 
men  with the word of ,god4 ,we must    
pass it on to the thirsty1 the hungry1  
the  dying4 ,every church is1 or ought  
to be1 a lifesaving station1 a rescue   
mission1 a teaching center1 a           
powerhouse1 a lighthouse radiating      
knowledge of ,god in ,christ4    ,the   
purpose of ,god in renewing us by the   

word of truth is that we in  turn should
 win others4 ,we are not an end in      
ourselves1 though ,god does  save us4   
,he saves us that we may serve4 ,we are 
to be a sort of first  fruits1#fb not   
the full harvest4 ,there are fields upon
 fields beyond us  ready for the reaper4
 ,we are just a beginning1 just a       
foretaste4 ,we whet  the appetite for   
larger1 richer blessings4 8,the trees   
that are a  fortnight to the fore are   
the talk and delight of the town40#fc   
,one  spring my baby boy noticed a tree 
without leaves when all the rest were   
in leaf4 8,what is the matter with this 
tree80 he asked4    ,christ has         
introduced a new order into the world4  
,he himself is the real  first fruits   
7#a ,cor4 #ae3bj74 ,but there are others
 through all the  ages--those that ripen
 first and fast1 show the way1 give     
promise of the  future4 ,so ,epaenetus  
was a first fruits of ,asia for ,christ 
7,rom4 #af3e72  the household of        
,stephanas was in ,corinth 7#a ,cor4    

#af3ae74 ,blessings rest  on the first  
fruits for salvation in any church1 any 
town1 any family4  ,they are the chosen 
of ,god1 like the #add1jjj in the book  
of ,revelation  7#ad3c71 the church of  
the firstborn 7,heb4 #ab3bc74 ,the ,jews
 consecrated  their first fruits to ,god
 as his in a special sense4 ,all        
,christians are  meant to be first      
fruits1 the promise and earnest of      
better work 7,rom4  #h3bc74 ,god has in 
store great things for his people4 ,the 
least that we  can do is to bring our   
first and our best1 our all1 and lay it 
at the  feet of ,jesus4 ,the new heaven 
and the new earth may not come while we 
live on earth1 but we may help heaven to
 come upon earth by living the  life of 
,god4                                   
,v                      ,the ,practice  
of the ,word of ,god      ,nowhere is   
,james richer than in this wonderful    
paragraph in verses #ai-bg  of the first
 chapter4 ,he has in mind 8the word of  
truth0 of verse #ah and  follows that   

idea with pungent and powerful words    
that remind one of the  ,sermon on the  
,mount4 ,it is not clear whether the    
first part of verse #ai  belongs in idea
 to what goes before or what follows4   
8,ye know this1 my  beloved brethren40  
,it makes perfectly good sense either   
way4 ,it is also  uncertain whether we  
have a statement or a command1 for the  
form may be  either indicative or       
imperative4 ,if you know it1 act on your
 knowledge4  ,let us listen to what the 
,word has to say1 since we are renewed  
by the  use of it1 and be less captious 
in our criticism of its teachings       
7,mayor74 ,moffatt puts it1 8,be sure of
 that1 my beloved brothers10 and        
connects it with verse #ah4             
,brilliant ,listening 7#a3ai;a7    ,by  
8swift to hear0 ,james brings a vivid   
picture before us4 ,moffatt has  it     
8quick to listen40 ,sirach 7#e3aa7 has a
 like command3 8,be swift in thy        
listening40 ,one thinks of fleet of     
foot1 yes1 and of ear4 ,the ,vulgate    

has velox here4 ,the wild animals 7and  
the ,indians7 of necessity have  keen   
ears and can hear the slightest rustle  
of a leaf or crackling of a  twig4 ,the 
rabbit1 so often hunted by man and dog1 
pricks up his ears at  the sound of a   
pin dropping4 ,the use of the telephone 
and radio have  given added importance  
to the value of the ear4 ,the ancients  
relied very  much on the ear1 for the   
reader of books had a wide-awake        
audience who  depended on the ear rather
 than the eye for information4    ,the  
mechanism of listening is very          
wonderful1 the contact between brain    
and brain through the sound waves of    
speech and the reception of the  spoken 
words by the ear4 ,jesus often said3    
8,he that hath ears to hear1  let him   
hear40 ,the ear with many was1 and is1  
the sole avenue of  acquiring knowledge4
 ,it is no disparagement of books to say
 that the art  of conversation is one of
 the greatest refinements4 ,but the very
 essence  of a good conversationalist is

 that he be also a good listener2 else  
he  is a consummate bore4 ,sydney ,smith
 said of ,macaulay that his occasional  
flashes of silence made his conversation
 delightful4 ,in ,qoheleth ,rabba  we   
read3 8,speech for a shekel1 silence for
 two1 it is like a precious  stone40    
,broadus had a great lecture on 8,the   
,art of ,listening40 ,it is a  really   
rare art and one of the most useful4    
,poor listening will make poor preaching
 of a really good sermon4 ,good         
listening will come near to making a    
good sermon out of a poor one4 ,the     
writer of ,hebrews complains that his   
readers have become dull of  hearing4   
,the word 8dull0 means no push4 ,they   
had no push in their ears1  no energy in
 listening1 were already half asleep4   
,in particular do we  need to listen    
when ,god speaks to us in his ,word of  
truth1 to have 8a  quick and attentive  
ear to catch what ,god has spoken0      
7,hort74  ,inattention is irritating and
 may be deadly4 ,sirach says3 8,the mind

 of a  sagacious person will meditate on
 a proverb2 and an attentive ear is the 
desire of a wise man0 7#c3bi74 ,god is  
constantly speaking to those with  ears 
to hear4 ,it is good for the young to   
learn the habit of attention1  a help in
 meeting temptation4                    
,eloquent ,silence 7#a3ai;b7    ,another
 life rule of ,james 7,windisch7 is     
8slow to speak40 ,one must not  forget  
,homer's 8winged words10 for words can  
be laden with messages of  joy and life 
and peace and love4 ,eloquence has its  
place1 real eloquence  of the           
soul--words on fire that blaze and burn1
 words that thrill and  electrify1 words
 that make life and death noble and     
high1 words like  those of ,jesus that  
are spirit and life 7,john #f3fc74 ,but 
when all is  said1 there is something   
deeper than mere speech1 higher than    
just  words1 nobler than talk4 ,if      
speech is silvern1 silence is often     
golden4    ,sorrow may be too           
unutterable for words4 ,joy may pass    

beyond all speech4  ,the proverb also   
has it that 8many a man has had to      
repent of speaking1  but never one of   
holding his peace10 unless silence is   
guilty or  cowardly4 ,but it is easy to 
be voluble with the tongue and slack in 
life4 ,sirach says3 8,be not violent    
with thy tongue1 and in thy deeds  slack
 and remiss40 ,volubility is certainly  
not a sign of power4 ,the  silent man1  
like ,moses1 is more likely to be a man 
of power and  performance4 ,the parrot  
and the owl form good examples of the   
weakness  of chatter and the wisdom of  
silence4 ,zeno calls attention to the   
obvious fact that we have two ears and  
one mouth and should therefore  listen  
twice as much as we talk4    ,james does
 not1 of course1 mean that men should be
 slow and dull talkers  after they begin
 to talk4 ,he means slow to talk1 not   
slow in talking4  ,often the least      
interesting men are the very ones who   
talk most  frequently and at the        
greatest length4 ,we are to think twice 

before we  speak4 ,sometimes1 if we do  
that1 we shall not speak at all4 ,at any
 rate1  we shall be more likely to have 
sense in our speech4 ,we shall speak to 
more purpose if we speak after silence  
and out of the reflection from  silence4
    ,mc,laren has a good phrase1        
8,spread out our souls to the truth40   
8,be  still1 and know that ,i am ,god40 
,mary 8kept all these sayings1 pondering
  them in her heart0 7,luke #b3ai74 ,she
 could only listen to ,god4 ,the        
,quakers have some ground for their plea
 for meditation in the ,christian  life4
 ,introspection can1 of course1 be      
overdone1 but the present age is  not   
given to reflection and contemplation4  
,practical mysticism is the  best type  
of ,christianity4 ,indeed1 ,christianity
 without mysticism is  empty and formal4
    ,it is quite possible 7,johnstone7  
that the free conversational style      
employed in the early ,christian        
meetings was taken advantage of by      
contentious persons1 with the result of 

serious wranglings1 as in the  church at
 ,corinth 7cf4 #a ,cor4 #ad74 8,in the  
multitude of words there  wanteth not   
transgression2 but he that refraineth   
his lips doeth wisely0  7,prov4 #aj3ai74
 ,such violent talkers break up the     
spiritual life of a  church4 ,the less  
they know1 the more they talk4 ,they    
have positive  opinions on every subject
 of politics or religion4 ,they know how
 their  neighbors should act in the     
smallest details and criticize everybody
 and  everything4 ,they are happiest    
when all is agog with talk of some sort2
  and the more gossipy it is1 the better
 they like it4 8,they cannot think1  and
 it is a relief to them to hear their   
own voices0 7,dale74 ,epictetus  7,ench4
 xxxiii1 #e7 has the same idea as       
,james3 8,let there be silence for  the 
most part or let that which is necessary
 be said in few words40                 
,dull ,anger 7#a3ai;c f47    ,the third 
life rule of ,james is 8slow to wrath40 
,there is a clear  connection between   

speech and anger4 ,anger inflames one to
 hasty and  unguarded talk4 ,in turn1   
the words act as fuel to the flames4    
,the talk  inflames the anger1 and the  
anger inflames the talk4 ,the more one  
talks1  the angrier he becomes--like a  
spitfire4 ,if one stops talking1 his    
anger  will cool down for lack of fuel4 
,men who are dull enough in listening1  
who will sleep through any sermon1 are  
quick to resent a personal  reflection  
or an imagined wrong4 ,often one's      
manhood is gauged by his  quickness to  
avenge a personal affront1 with murder  
as the outcome4 ,this  is a fine place  
to be dull1 when one is tempted to be   
angry4    ,anger is sometimes           
justifiable1 even necessary4 ,there is  
such a thing as  righteous indignation  
against wrong4 ,jesus 8looked round     
about on them  with anger0 7,mark #c3e71
 but it was compassionate anger4 ,it is 
possible  to be angry and sin not 7,eph4
 #d3bf71 but we must not let the sun go 
down  upon our wrath4 ,unlike ,god1 we  

do not know all the circumstances in the
  case4 ,getting mad is not promoting   
the kingdom of ,god4 8,the wrath of man 
worketh not the righteousness of ,god40 
7,compare ,matthew #e3ba f47 ,the       
euphemistic phrase of ,james is emphatic
 by its very mildness4 ,man's  wrath is 
set over against ,god's righteousness4  
,the growth of religion  and of         
civilization is marked by the           
self-restraint of the individual  and of
 the state4 ,vengeance is a boomerang in
 most instances4 ,the taking  of        
vengeance into one's own hands brings   
down the house on one's head4  ,not only
 is unhappiness brought to others2      
immeasurable harm is done in  one's own 
life4    ,at any rate1 it pays every man
 and every nation to be slow to anger4  
,boys1 flying kites1 haul in their      
white-winged birds2    ,you can't do    
that way1 when you're flying words4     
,thoughts1 unexpressed1 may sometimes   
fall back dead1    ,but ,god himself    
can't kill them once they're said4      

,sometimes unpalatable truth has to be  
spoken1 hard words have to be  said4    
8,am ,i become your enemy by telling you
 the truth80 7,gal4 #d3af74  ,but the   
preacher needs to temper rebuke with    
love and anguish of soul4               
,the ,rooted ,word 7#a3ba7    8,the     
implanted word0 is probably a           
mistranslation4 ,the common idea of  the
 word is 8inborn0 or 8innate0 7cf4      
,wisd4 #ab3aj1 8their wickedness is     
inborn074 ,the word is occasionally used
 for second nature or secondary         
ingrowth 7,hort74 ,the word is sown1 not
 grafted1 and so 8rooted0 seems to  be  
the meaning here 7,mayor74 ,see also    
,romans #f3e1 8united with him in  the  
likeness of his death40 ,the figure is  
that of the seed sown in the  heart and 
taking root and growing there4 ,so      
,jesus spoke of the man who  had no root
 in himself 7,matt4 #ac3ba74    ,receive
 the rooted word2 but before doing so1  
one must cleanse the heart  like a      
garden of all noxious weeds4 ,the       

imagery is doubtless a mixed  metaphor1 
but never mind that1 for the thought is 
clear4 ,the 8putting  away0 suggests the
 laying aside of a garment1 as in       
,hebrews #ab3a one  strips for the race4
 ,in ,ephesians #d3ba ,paul contrasts   
putting off the  old man with putting on
 the new 7cf4 also ,col4 #c3h ff474     
,mayor notes the  comparison between    
dress and character in the wedding      
garment 7,matt4  #bb3aa71 the white robe
 of purity 7,rev4 #c3d1 #ah74 ,in #a    
,peter #b3a we have  language similar to
 that of ,james1 8putting away therefore
 all  wickedness40 ,but probably ,james 
means to carry the figure of the garden 
all through the verse1 as ,moffatt has  
it3 8,so clear away all the foul  rank  
growth10 the weeds of 8filthiness0 and  
8overflowing of wickedness40  ,the      
8filthiness0 may mean impurity4 ,compare
 ,paul's phrase 8corrupt  speech10      
literally 8rotten speech0 in ,ephesians 
#d3bi4 ,but in ,revelation  #bb3aa1     
8,and he that is filthy let him be made 

filthy still10 the notion  is more      
general4    ,another noxious weed that  
must be gotten out of the way is        
8wickedness10  which here may have the  
narrower sense of malice4 8,what was    
called holy  anger was nothing better   
than spite0 7,hort74 ,it is even        
suggested that  the 8overflowing0 is a  
sort of overgrowth or excrescence       
7,hort71 but  with no idea of admitting 
that a small amount of wickedness or    
malice is  not evil4 ,the precise figure
 is an ebullition or effervescence of   
malice4 ,surely one too often sees this 
picture in actual life4 ,malice  bubbles
 up and runs over into word and deed4   
8,the evil man out of the  evil treasure
 bringeth forth that which is evil0     
7,luke #f3de74 ,he speaks  out of the   
abundance of his heart4 ,surely evil    
runs riot unless it is  checked and     
taken out1 root and branch4 ,per contra 
one loves to think of  the abundance of 
grace 7,rom4 #e3ag1 #ba7 and the        
abundance of joy 7#b ,cor4  #h3b74      

,when once the weeds are out of the way1
 8make a soil of modesty for the  ,word 
which roots itself inwardly0 7,moffatt74
 ,surely the repentant sinner  can only 
8receive with meekness40 ,hort notes    
that the temper full of  harshness and  
pride destroys the faculty of perceiving
 the voice of ,god4  ,jesus urged men to
 come to school to him1 because he is   
meek and lowly  in heart 7,matt4        
#aa3bi74 ,meekness is not a virtue that 
ranks high with  all men4 ,many of the  
ancients counted it a vice1 as          
,nietzsche has taught  in our           
generation4 ,but the spirit of          
,nietzsche's superman is not the  spirit
 of ,jesus or of the true gentleman4    
,there can be no true culture  without  
gentleness and the grace of meekness4   
,if the seed of the ,word gets root and 
is allowed to grow 7compare the         
wayside1 stony-ground1 thorny-ground    
hearers in ,christ's parable in  ,matt4 
#ac71 the tree of life will flourish in 
the garden of the soul4  ,this word is  

8able to save your souls40 ,it brings a 
present salvation  here and now 7,john  
#e3cd71 a new life of purity4 ,it helps 
in the  progressive salvation of the    
whole man in his battle with sin and    
growth  in grace 7#b ,tim4 #c3ae74 ,it  
leads to final salvation in heaven with 
,christ in ,god 7#a ,peter #a3i74 ,the  
gospel is the power of ,god unto        
salvation 7,rom4 #a3af72 the very power 
of ,god pulses in it4 ,see ,hebrews     
#d3ab f4 for a wonderful picture of the 
vital force of the ,word of ,god1  quick
 and powerful1 all electric with the    
energy of the ,spirit of ,god4  ,men may
 scoff at and scout the message of ,god1
 but it saves men's souls4  ,what else  
does that8                              
,hearers ,only 7#a3bb-bd7    ,james     
keeps the balance well4 ,he has shown   
the wisdom of good listening4  ,now he  
proves the futility of mere listening   
with no effort to put into  practice    
what one hears4 ,there is life in the   
,word of ,god if it is  lived4 ,it is   

quick with life-giving energy for those 
who put it to the  test of life4 ,one   
may hear and not heed4 ,the ,greek used 
the same word  for both ideas4 ,one is  
reminded of the parable of the sower    
again1 for  only one of the four classes
 of hearers brought forth fruit4 ,that  
is the  test4 8,by their fruits ye shall
 know them40 ,the reception of the ,word
  will only bring final salvation in    
case the fruit is borne4    ,james knew 
only too well the empty ceremonialism of
 the ,jews who said  and did not4 ,jesus
 7see ,matt4 #bc7 arraigned the         
hypocrisy of the  ,pharisees in the most
 scathing denunciation of all time4     
8,but be ye  doers of the word1 and not 
hearers only1 deluding your own selves40
 ,show  yourselves 8word-doers0 7,hort74
 ,by 8word0 it is not clear whether is  
meant the ,torah 7,oesterley7 or any    
word of authority 7,hort71 or the       
rooted word just mentioned 7,plummer74  
,the latter is most likely1 though  the 
partial personification of 8word0 here  

reminds one of the opening  verses of   
the ,fourth ,gospel and of ,philo and   
the ,targums4    ,the 8hearers only0 did
 nothing else but listen4 ,they were    
true 8sermon  tasters0 who fed upon the 
ministry of the ,word or the written    
word1 only  to fatten into sloth and    
spiritual inertia4 ,they got the        
hookworm  disease in religion and       
belonged to the shirkers1 not the       
workers4 ,rabbi  ,chananiah used to say3
 8,whosesoever works are in excess of   
his wisdom1  his wisdom stands2 and     
whosesoever wisdom is in excess of his  
works1 his  wisdom stands not40#fd ,the 
rabbis said there were two crowns1 one  
for  doing and one for hearing1 based on
 ,exodus #bd3g3 8we will do1 and we     
will be obedient0 78hear074 ,the word   
for hearers appears nowhere else in  the
 ,new ,testament and was used for       
attendants at the lectures of           
philosophers and other public speakers  
rather than learners or  disciples4 ,one
 thinks of the public reading of the    

,word in the  synagogues4 ,but even so1 
8,act on the ,word10 ,moffatt has it4   
,else it is  like pouring water into a  
sieve4 ,it is in one ear and out of the 
other4    ,some people have a sort of   
religious dissipation in attending      
revival  services and imagine that they 
have accomplished a great deal if they  
simply go4 ,people easily acquire       
itching ears that love to be tickled    
with some sensation4 ,the word takes no 
root in the hearts of such men4  ,they  
run from church to church to get a new  
word1 a sort of soda-water  habit4 ,they
 deceive themselves but nobody else4    
,these spiritual  8gadabouts0 are       
shallow and skim the surface only4 ,they
 make a sort of  motion picture but     
accomplish nothing substantial in their 
own lives or  in the work of the        
kingdom4 ,they are guilty of a logical  
fallacy and are  the victims of their   
own delusions 7cf4 ,col4 #b3d74 ,one has
 thus a case  of autointoxication4 ,he  
has inoculated himself with the virus of

 his own  error4    ,and now ,james     
draws a wonderfully vivid picture of the
 idle hearers1 the  hangers-on in       
revival meetings1 like the scum that    
comes first to the  surface1            
lighthearted1 impulsive1 nonchalant1    
without depth of purpose  or seriousness
 in life4 ,such a frivolous listener    
glances at his face in  a mirror1 taking
 note to see that he looks natural and  
proper4 ,a quick  look suffices for     
that1 for 8his natural face10 the face  
of his birth1  the only one that he has4
 ,if nothing is awry about his          
appearance  reflected in the mirror1 he 
is satisfied 7or dissatisfied7 with the 
momentary glance4 ,the mirror was       
probably of metal1 and the word is      
often used by the poets 7,mayor74 ,here 
the mirror is the ,word of ,god  7spoken
 or written7 by which one takes a look  
at himself1 and the quick  and          
superficial view brings satisfaction or 
a passing pang4 ,see #a  ,corinthians   
#ac3ab for the use of 8mirror0 for the  

imperfect knowledge of  ,christ through 
reflection in the ,word of ,god and in  
life contrasted with  the blessed       
reality when face to face with him      
7,mayor74 ,but here in  ,james the man  
tarries by the mirror for a moment and  
soon moves off4    ,all that he saw in  
the ,word of ,god is now out of sight   
and out of mind1  like the wayside      
hearers in ,christ's parable4 ,if it was
 a sermon that he  heard1 the impulses  
for good quickly die away4 ,he is back  
at his  business1 at his club1 or in his
 home4 ,he straightway forgets what he  
was like1 what sort of man he was in the
 mirror4 ,in particular1 any  unpleasant
 features are forgotten4 ,the momentary 
trembling of the  conscience no longer  
bothers him4 ,alas1 how easily the      
burning heat of  the day withers the    
tender shoots in the stony ground2 the  
weeds and  thorns choke to death the    
pious aspirations of the better hours4  
,real ,students of the ,word 7#a3be7    
,the image of the mirror is carried on  

into the picture of the doer of  the    
word1 the 8doer that worketh10 a doer of
 work1 8an active agent0  7,moffatt74   
,the phrase is tautological but very    
emphatic4 ,he is not only  a doer of    
word but a doer of deeds4 ,he has put   
the word into practice  and has brought 
practical results4 ,he has transmuted   
word into deed4  ,this is what counts1  
the practice of the ,word of ,god1 not  
mere glancing  at the mirror nor chatter
 about what one saw or picked up1 not a 
hearer  of forgetfulness4 ,it is        
astonishing what poor memories men have 
for what  ,god says4 ,the ,doctrine of  
,addai gives as an uncanonical saying of
  ,jesus3 8,that which we preach before 
the people by word we should  practise  
by deed in the sight of all40    ,the   
sincere listener pauses long enough to  
become interested in the real  meaning  
of the ,word of ,god1 which is now law  
to him1 for he wishes to  obey this     
,word of the ,master4 ,these listeners  
are the joy of the  preacher's heart1   

those who turn to the ,scriptures1 like 
the ,bereans1 to  see if these things   
are so 7,acts #ag3aa74 ,the word in     
,james suggests  curiosity and          
eagerness1 as in ,sirach #ad3bc1 of the 
one who looks  through the door of      
wisdom1 and in #a ,peter #a3ab1 the     
desire of the  angels to peer into the  
problems of the mission of ,christ to   
earth4 ,the  law of ,god is attractive  
and perfect to the doer of work1 as the 
psalmist has it3 8,the law of the ,lord 
is perfect0 7,psalm #ai3g74 ,but it  is 
not a law of compulsion but of freedom4 
,one is free to accept or to  reject it4
 ,certainly ,james does not have the    
view of the ,judaizers1 who  made the   
law a yoke of bondage even for          
,gentiles1 but rather that of  ,paul1   
who accented the freedom in ,christ     
7,gal4 #e3a74 ,jesus held out  freedom  
as the great blessing of truth 7,john   
#h3cb7--;freedom to exercise  one's     
highest functions and faculties held in 
bondage by sin and mere  legalism4      

,perhaps the chief emphasis in this     
verse lies in the word 8continueth40    
,the man remains by the side of the roll
 of the law spread out before him  and  
unrolls page after page with the keenest
 interest and zest until he  rightly    
grasps the meaning of ,god4 ,thus he    
puts the ,word into practice4  ,he has  
it stamped on his mind and heart4 ,he is
 a ,christian pragmatist4  ,he1 like    
,brother ,lawrence1 practices the       
presence of ,god4 ,he translates  the   
word of truth into his own life and     
becomes a living epistle4 ,this  is the 
,bible that the twentieth century loves 
to read4 ,the man who does  this is     
8happy in his doing10 8blessed in his   
activity0 7,moffatt74 ,he is  happy in  
the doing1 even if it falls far short of
 the ideal in the word  of truth4 ,he   
has tried1 and he will keep on trying4  
,he can sing the song  of the shirt1 the
 song of the plow1 the song of the desk4
                           ,complacent  
,religiosity 7#a3bf7    ,mere listening 

may be idle4 ,mere work may be          
perfunctory4 ,one may be a  worker only 
as well as a hearer only4 ,the hearer   
only deceives himself  by an error of   
reason 7#a3bb74 ,the worker only        
deceives his own heart by  an error of  
conduct4 ,he leads himself astray1 out  
of the path1 by the  delusion that      
religion consists in the performance of 
religious duties1  not in the attitude  
toward ,god in the heart or the ethical 
conduct4 ,paul  uses the term for       
,pharisaism 7,acts #bf3e7 and in        
,colossians #b3ah for the  worship of   
the angels4 ,it is the external aspect  
of public worship4  ,originally it had  
the meaning of reverence for the gods   
7,hort71 but it  soon came to be used   
for the ceremonial rites of worship4 ,in
 #d ,maccabees  #e3f the word is used   
for the refusal of the ,jews to eat     
pork4    ,in a word1 it is applied to   
one who does faithfully the religious   
chores4 ,the ,pharisees form a striking 
illustration of this emphasis on  the   

ceremonial side of public worship4 ,the 
regular attendance at the  hours of     
prayer1 faithful observance of the rules
 of ritual  purification1 payment of the
 tithes--these things constituted       
worship4  ,finally1 these alone         
constituted worship4 ,religion came to  
consist in  the ceremony alone1 the     
letter and not the spirit1 the hull and 
not the  kernel4    ,most of the things 
done were good enough4 ,it is good to   
have the outside  of the cup clean but  
not so important as the inside or as    
clean water in  the cup4 ,jesus exposed 
this failing of the ,pharisees with     
great  incisiveness and power4 ,it is   
easy to mistake form for reality4 ,so   
men  have come to count their beads as  
prayer1 to pray with prayer wheels4 ,a  
person may attend church regularly1     
contribute liberally1 come to prayer    
meeting1 have family prayers1 be a      
member of the church1 and yet not be    
religious4 ,he may have religiosity and 
not religion4 ,one may mistake          

performance of religious functions for  
the possession of the spirit of         
religion4 ,in the very act of working   
out the religious impulse men often     
fall into traps4 ,so here the man       
considers that he is a religious man4   
,he is content with his religious       
status1 and yet he does not control his 
tongue4 8,he bridleth not his tongue02  
this is the earliest known use of  this 
striking figure1 though ,aristophanes   
speaks of an unbridled mouth4    ,the   
tongue is regarded as an unruly horse   
that needs bit and bridle held  fast by 
the master to control it4 ,the tongue is
 allowed to say whatever  a spiteful    
heart prompts4 ,the bitterest words are 
not felt to be  inconsistent with       
personal piety4 ,such a man considers   
himself a pillar  of the church in spite
 of his loose tongue and loose living4  
,he performs  religious duties on       
,sunday and is a shyster on ,monday4 ,he
 deceives  himself1 but no one else is  
deceived4 ,such a man's religious       

service is  empty of any value with ,god
 or man4 ,it is vain and hollow mockery4
 ,his  own complacency makes the matter 
worse4 ,he is a stumbling block to those
  who judge religion by him1 for he has 
divorced religion from life4            
,unspotted from the ,world 7#a3bg7      
,james does not give a definition of    
religion in this verse but an           
illustration of the right sort of       
religious exercise in contrast with  the
 futile religiosity already noted4 ,the 
absence of the article shows  that he   
does not mean an inclusive description4 
8,a religious exercise  pure and        
undefiled0 is here given quite the      
opposite meaning of the  professional   
performances of the pharisaic pietists4 
,there is pure  religion1 and the       
counterfeit is a tribute to it4 ,this   
religion is free  from pollution4 ,there
 is in it no alloy of selfishness nor   
other sin4  ,moffatt renders it         
8unsoiled10 but it may have the notion  
of genuine  metal4    ,this standard of 

purity and piety seems impossible1 but  
,god knows how to  estimate the relation
 between listening and doing1 between   
doing and  loving1 between loving and   
purity of life4 ,the life must pass     
muster  with ,god4 ,at first sight one  
is perhaps depressed by the reflection  
that  ,god's standard of piety is so    
much higher than ours4 ,what some men   
consider holy worship is to ,god hollow 
mockery4 ,but then ,god is our  ,father4
 ,he planted the word of truth in our   
hearts4 ,he has watched it  grow4 ,he   
knows the limitations of environment in 
which the tree of life  has grown4      
,james gives two very practical tests of
 genuine religion4 ,one is mercy  toward
 the suffering4 ,the widow and the      
orphan appeal to the hardest  hearts4   
,and yet men have been known to spend   
thousands of dollars upon  palaces of   
worship while the poor perished in the  
alley behind the  church4 ,the social   
side of practical religion is receiving 
more  attention these days than it once 

did4 ,the very hospitals and asylums    
are an expression of that love for our  
common humanity taught by ,jesus4       
,james has no sympathy with that cold   
orthodoxy that is satisfied with        
singing psalms to ,jehovah while the    
widow and the orphan suffer1 with no    
help from the blind worshipers nearby4  
,christianity is inward and spiritual1  
not mere perfunctory ritual4 ,but  it is
 not mere mystical brooding or abstract 
contemplation4 ,the cry of  the child   
and the cry of the mother for the child 
were heard by ,jesus4  ,today the       
children cry aloud in our streets and in
 our factories for  school and play1 for
 love and sympathy1 for better homes and
 better  food1 for care of the body and 
of the soul4 ,jesus still loves the     
children4 ,christ discovered the child4 
,the modern world at last has  begun to 
find out the child that ,jesus has      
placed in the midst of us4  ,there are  
many other forms of social service which
 the true ,christian  may find right by 

his door4 ,the neighbor in need may even
 lie at his  gate4    ,the other test of
 pure religion offered by ,james is more
 distinctly  personal and more          
difficult1 though the first test is met 
none too well4  ,it is 8to keep oneself 
unspotted from the world40 ,moffatt has 
it 8from  the stain of the world40 ,it  
is a high calling surely if one is to   
walk  in a world like this free from the
 stain of sin1 with no spot upon        
garments1 body1 or soul4 ,the ,lamb of  
,god was offered as a sacrifice  without
 spot4 ,christ will present his church  
at last without spot4 ,james  had just  
spoken of the use of the tongue4 ,that  
also can leave a spot or  stain 7cf4    
#c3f74    ,there is much dirt of all    
kinds about us4 ,the germs of sin infest
 and  infect us all4 ,and yet it is not 
hopeless to make a fight for purity in  
life4 ,we do not give up the battle for 
cleanliness of body1 for  healthfulness 
of body1 for victory over the germs of  
disease about us  and in us4 ,it is     

worthwhile to lead the clean1 white life
 of purity4 ,one  has his reward in his 
own life--in fresh power1 in new joy1 in
 richer  fruitage4 ,he has his reward   
also in the inspiration given to others1
 who  are cheered to strive likewise    
against sin1 to fight for personal and  
social purity1 for better homes and     
better cities1 for a better world in    
which to serve ,god1 for a bit of heaven
 here on earth1 for the reign of  ,god  
in human hearts1 for likeness to ,jesus 
the ,son of ,god4                       
,,vi                              ,class
 ,prejudice      ,in the second chapter 
,james recurs to the discussion of the  
democracy of  faith found in #a3i-aa4   
,in fact1 it had never been very far in 
the  background4 ,the use of 8my        
brethren0 is eminently appropriate here1
  since he is urging the readers to     
brotherly kindness 7,mayor74            
,face ,value in ,religion 7#b3a7        
,this is a very hard verse to translate 
at once1 for we must decide three       

disputed questions4 ,one is whether the 
verb is imperative or  interrogative4   
,it is taken as imperative in most      
versions1 and so most  interpreters     
hold1 but ,hort urges that it is a tame 
conception compared  with the indignant 
query expecting the answer no4 ,there is
 force in this  point1 as thus ,james   
would be expressing vehement surprise   
that such  partiality could exist among 
the ,jewish ,christians4 ,still1 the    
prohibition against such partiality     
makes good sense4    ,there is little   
doubt that 8the faith of our ,lord      
,jesus ,christ0 should  be rendered     
8faith in our ,lord ,jesus ,christ40 ,it
 is objective1 not  subjective1         
genitive4 ,for a similar use of the     
objective genitive with  faith one may  
note ,mark #aa3bb and ,acts #c3af4 ,it  
is not the faith of  ,jesus that is     
under discussion but the faith of the   
readers in ,jesus  ,christ our ,lord4   
,this interpretation commits ,james to  
the worship of  ,jesus as ,lord and     

,messiah1 but that is surely what would 
be expected in  one who claimed to be a 
8servant of ,god and of the ,lord ,jesus
 ,christ0  7#a3a74 ,it is true that the 
standpoint of ,james is nearer to that  
of the  ,old ,testament than is true of 
,peter1 ,john1 and ,paul1 but after the 
great  ,pentecost there seems to be no  
wavering on the great fundamentals of   
,christianity1 though there is rich     
development and enlargement4    ,the    
essence of the ,christology of ,james is
 precisely that of ,paul1  though ,james
 does not amplify his implications as   
,paul does4 ,james1  though very ,jewish
 in background1 is thoroughly           
,christian4 ,the heart of               
,christianity1 the worship of ,jesus as 
,lord and ,saviour1 is here1 though     
chronologically the ,epistle of ,james  
precedes the teaching of ,paul and      
,john in their writings4 ,it is like the
 child and the man 7,plummer71 not  a   
retrograde movement4 ,it is the outlook 
of ,jerusalem1 not that of  ,antioch4   

,what ,james is discussing is not the   
personal religion of ,jesus  but the    
reader's faith in ,jesus4    ,the third 
disputed point in the verse is the word 
8glory40 ,the ,english  versions        
generally insert the words 8the ,lord0  
and make it 8the ,lord of  glory10 but  
,bengel makes 8the glory0 ipse          
,christus4 ,in this he is  followed by  
,mayor1 ,hort1 and ,oesterley2 and it is
 almost certainly true  that by 8glory0 
,james has in mind the ,shekinah4 ,in   
the ,septuagint for  ,leviticus #bf3aa  
the word for ,shekinah is just that used
 in ,revelation  #ba3c3 8,behold1 the   
tabernacle of ,god is with men40 ,in    
,john #a3ad we read3  8,and the ,word   
became flesh1 and dwelt among us 7and we
 beheld his glory1  glory as of the only
 begotten from the ,father740 ,add to   
this ,hebrews  #a3c1 8who1 being the    
effulgence of his glory10 and the case  
seems made  out4 ,in ,pirke ,aboth iii4 
#c we note3 8,two that sit together and 
are  occupied in words of ,thorah have  

the ,shekinah among them40    ,jesus    
claimed1 8,for where two or three are   
gathered in my name1 there am  ,i in the
 midst of them0 7,matt4 #ah3bj74 ,jesus 
is thus not only the ,way1  the ,truth1 
the ,life1 and the ,resurrection but    
also the ,glory4 ,james may  have in    
mind the resurrection glory of ,jesus as
 he appeared to him4 ,in  ,luke #b3cb   
,simeon says3 8,the glory of thy people 
,israel40    ,but all this is by way of 
emphasis for the main point4 ,one who   
has faith  in such a ,lord as ,jesus    
should not be guilty of 8acts of        
partiality0  7,hort74 ,the meaning of   
the phrase is clear1 though the origin  
is  obscure4#fe ,the ,greek use of the  
word for mask is illustrated by the     
word for hypocrite4 ,in ,leviticus      
#ai3ae we see the full force of the     
idiom3 8,thou shalt not respect the     
person of the poor1 nor honor the       
person of the mighty40 ,see ,acts       
#aj3cd1 where ,peter learns that ,god is
 no  respecter of persons4    ,god does 

not accept the outside appearance for   
the inner reality--nor  should we4 ,god 
is the ,god of reality4 7,compare ,heb4 
#d3ab f47 ,a just  judge must not be    
influenced by the bias of personal      
preference1  prejudice1 rank1 power1    
money 7,mayor74 ,he must decide the case
 on its  merits4 ,there is no room for  
class prejudice or for the caste system 
in  ,christianity1 as there is none in  
the heart of ,god4 ,christianity is     
democratic to the core1 that is1 real   
,christianity4 ,organized  ,christianity
 has sometimes been the very thing that 
,james here condemns4  ,even in the     
single church little rifts and cliques  
easily develop4                         
,partiality in ,church 7#b3b-d7         
,already the ,jewish ,christians were in
 peril from this evil4 ,it is1 in       
particular1 a sin of ushers who show    
respect of persons in seating           
strangers4 ,but pastors are in constant 
danger of the same sin in general       
church relations4 ,the word here for    

synagogue may mean place of worship  or 
the assembly itself1 as in ,hebrews     
#aj3be1 8the assembling of  yourselves  
together40 ,the word for church does not
 occur in the  apostolic period 7,hort7 
for place of meeting1 but synagogue was 
already  in common use in both senses4  
,but it is not necessary to suppose that
  ,james has in mind simply a ,jewish   
synagogue1 though it is quite possible  
that the ,jewish ,christians still      
attended worship and heard ,moses read  
in the synagogue 7,acts #ae3ba71 as     
,christians belonged to the synagogue   
of the ,libertines 7,acts #f3i7 and the 
early ,christians worshiped still in    
the ,temple4    ,the use of 8your0 seems
 to mean that it is at least a          
,christian  gathering that ,james refers
 to1 whether meeting in the ,jewish     
synagogue  or elsewhere4 8,the growth of
 the ,gentile element in the church     
excited  the active hostility of the    
,jews against the whole body of         
,christians1  as it troubled the ,jewish

 converts themselves0 7,westcott on     
,hebrews1 p4  xxxviii74 ,finally the    
,christians had to set up for           
themselves1 as in  ,corinth 7,acts      
#ah3g7 and in ,ephesus 7,acts #ai3h f474
 ,we do not know the  precise stage     
reached by the ,jewish ,christians here4
 ,james may mean some  particular       
instance of trouble in the dispersion   
that came to his  notice1 or he may have
 in mind any ,christian gathering in the
  dispersion4 ,the ,gentiles often      
attended the worship of the ,jews in the
  synagogues 7,acts #ac3af1 #dc74 ,the  
use of 8synagogue0 for ,christian       
worship occurs rarely1 as in ,hermas1   
,mand4 xi4 #i4 ,the time came when      
synagogue was used only for ,jews or    
heretics4 ,epiphanius 7,haer4 xxx4  #ah7
 says that the ,ebionites call their    
meeting 8synagogue10 not  8church40 ,one
 may note also ,john's use of the term  
8synagogue of ,satan0  7,rev4 #b3i2     
#c3i74    ,the picture of the two       
strangers at church is drawn with bold  

lines and  in few words by ,james2 yet  
it is remarkably clear and picturesque4 
,the  man with a gold ring probably     
makes a display of his ring4 ,if he     
preached1 he would make most of his     
gestures with that hand4 ,the word      
occurs nowhere else in the ,new         
,testament4 ,mayor quotes ,epictetus    
7,diss4 #a4 #bb7 as speaking of an 8old 
man with gold fingers40 ,the 8fine      
clothing0 is literally 8brilliant       
clothing10 8new glossy clothes0         
7,hort71 8the fine white garment worn by
 wealthy ,jews0 7,oesterley71 like  that
 in which ,herod ,antipas clad ,jesus   
when he sent him back to ,pilate4  ,one 
can easily see the distinguished-looking
 stranger as he steps in at  the same   
time as 8a poor man in vile clothing10  
8in dirty clothes0  7,moffatt71 8old    
shabby clothes0 7,hort74 ,see           
,revelation #bb3aa for the  same        
adjective for 8filthy40 ,in ,james #a3ba
 we had 8filthiness40    ,we have no    
means of knowing whether these two men  

who suddenly enter  church are          
,christians or simply ,jews4 ,both seem 
to be strangers4 ,the  courtesies       
extended are based purely on the        
appearance of these two as  to dress1   
not on race or ecclesiastical standing4 
,the poor man may be one reduced to     
beggary--a tramp or hobo4 ,he may be a  
poor working man4 ,he stands in marked  
contrast with the rich man1 as in       
#a3i-aa4 ,probably the poor man had on  
the best clothes that he had4  ,should a
 man like that come to our churches8    
,would he be welcome in our  pews8 ,to  
be sure1 cases occur when a bath would  
help matters and when  plain1 but clean1
 clothes could be provided by ,christian
 people so as to  make attendance at    
church free from embarrassment4 ,but    
there are people1  especially children1 
who stay away from both ,sunday school  
and church  because they do not possess 
decent clothes in which to come4 ,they  
fear  the critical eyes and comments of 
the people at church4    ,it is easy to 

say that people should rise above such  
unfavorable  circumstances and come on  
to church to worship ,god1 who reads the
 heart  and does not judge men by their 
clothes4 ,yes1 but a man may conclude   
that he can worship ,god just as        
acceptably and more comfortably in some 
other church where the usher does not   
seem so ashamed of his coming or        
embarrassed by his presence that1 in    
spite of plenty of empty pews in  the   
grand temple of worship1 he finds a back
 seat for him under the  gallery or in  
the gallery on a footstool 7literally1  
8under my  footstool10 probably 8on the 
floor by my footstool071 in a corner1 or
 a  place to stand against the wall4    
,meanwhile1 the poor man has seen the   
attentions paid the man in fine clothes2
 he is ushered to a good seat  with the 
air of a prince4    ,the soul of the    
poor man is all the more embittered1    
since he came  perhaps in a sort of     
desperation from the hardness of the    
world outside1  a world that has        

economic and social laws that make the  
battle a  difficult one4 ,and now in the
 temple of ,god the worshipers of ,jesus
 show  the same pride of wealth and     
station as at a social function4 ,the   
preacher talks of forgiveness of sins   
and the comfort of the ,holy  ,spirit2  
but he and the ushers keep a sharp eye  
upon the man who wears  the fine        
clothes1 pompous and self-conscious as  
that man probably feels4  ,the soul of  
the poor man is made more bitter still  
as he leaves the  church of the rich and
 the proud to see if he can find ,god at
 home or  the devil in the saloon or    
other den of iniquity4    ,one pity of  
it all is that so many churches have    
fine1 empty1 cushioned  seats1 while the
 strangers who could fill them are not  
sought for or not  properly welcomed if 
they come4 ,it is a pathetic picture    
that ,james here  gives us--that of the 
stranger at the door of the church4     
,most strangers  pass the door of the   
church by with indifference or disgust4 

,the church  must win the strangers     
outside unless it is to degenerate into 
a social  club of a few select families4
 ,a church that only holds its own will 
soon lose that standing4 ,the task of   
the church is to win the world to       
,christ4 ,and then when the poor of     
earth enter1 it is worse than folly to  
push them to one side and out of doors1 
back into the street4    ,this touch of 
life is one of many modern notes in the 
,epistle of ,james4  ,the embarrassment 
of the usher in the presence of two such
 incongruous  strangers at once is      
probably due to the fact that he knows  
full well  the atmosphere or tone of the
 church4 ,it is aristocratic or select2 
evangelical and orthodox1 not           
evangelistic or missionary2 a haven of  
rest for the stately pious1 not a rescue
 station for the lost4 ,the  officers of
 the church thus make distinctions      
between the attendants at  church and   
sort out the congregation according to  
worldly standards4  ,they are 8judges of

 evil thoughts0 and act with partiality 
in bestowing  courtesies on strangers in
 the house of ,god4 ,all this is in such
 marked  contrast to the spirit and     
conduct of ,jesus that one can hardly   
credit  his eyes when he sees it happen 
in church4 ,it is increasingly difficult
  to get the poor to come to some of the
 churches4 ,the churches themselves  may
 sometimes become suspicious that the   
very poor come to church to  receive    
financial help4 ,so the breach widens4  
,prejudice ,against the ,poor 7#b3e-g7  
,james now has fewer maxims and a more  
argumentative style1 like that of       
,paul4 ,he makes a passionate appeal for
 attention3 8,hearken1 my beloved       
brethren40 ,he writes as an impassioned 
speaker speaks 7cf4 #a3af2 #d3ac74      
,god's choice of the people of ,israel  
seems to be in the background  7,deut4  
#ad3a f474 ,the ,jews had come in many  
cases to look on earthly  prosperity as 
a mark of divine favor and poverty as a 
sign of ,god's  disfavor 7cf4 ,psalm    

#gc74    ,the ,pharisees were lovers of 
money 7,luke #af3ad74 ,but the troubles 
of the  ,jews1 in spite of many wealthy 
,pharisees and ,sadducees1 had led many 
of  them to see a blessing in poverty4  
,see ,testament of the ,twelve          
,patriarchs1 ,gad4 vii4 #f3 8,for the   
poor man1 if1 free from envy1 he        
pleaseth the ,lord in all things1 is    
blessed beyond all men40 ,oesterley  7in
 loco7 quotes ,chag4 #i;b as saying that
 poverty is the quality  that above all 
befits ,israel as the ,chosen ,people4  
,epictetus 7bk4 ,,iv1  chap4 i1 #dc7    
says3 8,another 7thinks the cause of his
 evils to be7 that  he is poor40        
,epictetus 7,stob4 #aj7 says further3   
8,riches are not among  the things that 
are good40 ,luke #f3bj has3 8,blessed   
are ye poor10 where  ,matthew #e3c has  
8poor in spirit40    ,it is certain that
 the gospel made a powerful appeal to   
the poorer  classes of society among    
,jews and ,gentiles4 ,jesus claimed it  
as part of  his messianic mission 8to   

preach good tidings to the poor0 7,luke 
#d3ah71  as ,isaiah 7#fj3a f47 had      
foretold4 ,he asked the messengers of   
,john the  ,baptist to take back to     
,macherus the news that 8the poor have  
the good  tidings preached to them0     
7,luke #g3bb7 as one proof of his       
messiahship4  ,paul enlarges on the     
choice 7#a ,cor4 #a3bg f47 by ,god of   
the foolish1 the  weak1 the despised    
classes to add to his own glory4 ,the   
early churches  were gathered largely   
from the proletariat4 ,slaves and       
masters1 rich and  poor1 mingled        
together in fellowship and brotherly    
love4    ,the papyri discoveries have   
shown us the world of ,jesus and of     
,paul 8in  the workaday clothes of their
 calling40#ff ,deissmann adds3 8,we     
should  be sorry indeed not to have been
 told that ,jesus came from an artisan's
  home in country surroundings40#fg ,the
 fact that ,jesus was a carpenter1  a   
workingman in the modern sense of that  
term1 should enlist the  sympathy and   

the interest of all workingmen4 ,they   
should heed the call  of the ,carpenter4
    ,here ,james boldly champions the   
cause of the poor as against certain    
rich ,jews1 probably not members of the 
church1 who have oppressed the          
,christians and dragged them before     
courts of justice4 ,with their own  hand
 these rich ,jews had dragged           
,christians before tribunals4 ,rich     
,sadducees had done this with ,peter and
 ,john 7,acts #d3a74 ,as one of these   
potentates1 yea1 as a tyrant1 ,paul had 
once dragged men and women before  the  
,sanhedrin 7,acts #h3c2 #bb3d74 ,he had 
even tried to make them blaspheme       
7,acts #bf3aa74 ,it was not necessary to
 have special laws against the          
,christians4 ,as objects of dislike it  
was easy enough1 as ,paul found out1  to
 hale them into court4 ,paul came to    
know only too well how the tables  could
 be turned on him when he became a      
,christian4 ,he had to take his  own    
medicine 7,acts #ac3ej2 #af3ai74 ,jesus 

indeed had foretold that just  this fate
 would befall his disciples before the  
courts of ,jews and  ,gentiles 7,matt4  
#aj3ag f42 ,john #af3b74    ,the anger  
of these rich ,jews against ,jesus and  
,christians leads them  actually to     
blaspheme the name of ,christ4 ,the     
,sadducees will not even  call the name 
of ,jesus when they discuss the case of 
,peter and ,john4  ,they refer with     
contempt to 8this name0 7,acts #d3ag71  
though in the  threat they have to name 
,jesus 7v4 #ah74 ,the disciples rejoiced
 8that  they were counted worthy to     
suffer dishonor for the ,name0 7,acts   
#e3da74  ,so 8the honorable name10 8the 
beautiful name10 8the noble ,name0      
7,moffatt7 came to be the shibboleth of 
the believers in ,jesus4 ,his name  was 
to be 8the name which is above every    
name0 7,phil4 #b3i f474 ,it was  already
 the only name with power to save 7,acts
 #d3ab71 as ,peter boldly  informed the 
,sanhedrin4 ,that was the meaning of the
 name ,jesus 7,matt4  #a3ba74    ,here  

one sees afresh the ,christology of     
,james4 ,the honorable name is the  name
 of ,jesus1 with a possible reference to
 the use of it in the  baptismal        
formula--8by which ye are called10      
8which is called upon you40  ,at any    
rate1 they bear the name of ,christian1 
given probably as a  reproach 7,acts    
#aa3bf2 #bf3bh2 #a ,peter #d3ad1 #af74  
,this name is now their  badge of honor 
and glory4 ,when called upon to say1    
8,anathema be ,jesus10  they reply1     
8,jesus is ,lord0 7#a ,cor4 #ab3c74     
,certainly the early ,jewish            
,christians had everything to make them 
fear the powerful rich who had  frowned 
upon ,jesus and his cause4    ,and yet  
,james dares to say to the ,jewish      
,christians3 8,but ye have  dishonored  
the poor man10 8now you insult the poor0
 7,moffatt74 ,they had  done it out of  
cringing fear of the rich ,jews with all
 their power1 or  out of anxiety to     
please the rich so as to win them with  
fawning  flattery4 ,we are not to think 

that all the ,jewish ,christians had    
shown  such narrowness or such          
cowardice1 but some instances had come  
to the  notice of ,james4 ,per contra   
note the case of ,ananias and ,sapphira1
 who  wished to gain credit for great   
liberality to the poor by the use of    
part of the wealth1 keeping back half   
though pretending to give all4 ,all  the
 early ,christians were not poor4 ,the  
cases of ,barnabas1 ,joseph of          
,arimathea1 and ,lazarus and his sisters
 ,martha and ,mary occur to one at      
once4 ,jesus did not denounce rich men  
per se1 though he did point out  with   
great power the peril of wealth4        
,james is not to be understood as       
denouncing the rich in a wholesale      
fashion4 ,consecration is what          
sanctifies riches--the use of money for 
the  glory of ,god and the blessing of  
mankind4 ,a man is not a child of the   
devil just because he is rich or poor4  
,god deals with men in the raw  manhood4
 8,a man's a man for a' that40 ,the     

distinction between the upper  and the  
lower classes is partly fictitious and  
is not a stable  condition4 ,the slums  
are a dreadful fact and a disgrace to   
modern  civilization4 ,people should    
have decent homes1 good food1 fresh air1
 and  clean clothes4 ,extreme poverty is
 a peril to a man's soul1 as is great   
wealth4 ,it is not a sin to be rich1 but
 dangerous1 though most of us are       
willing to take the risk4 ,epictetus    
7,stob4 #aj7 says3 8,it is difficult    
for a rich person to be right-minded or 
a right-minded person rich40  ,riches   
and poverty are not essential criteria  
of character4 ,over against  the slums  
in our cities one may place the pious   
poor of ,scotland1 as  seen in 8,the    
,cotter's ,saturday ,night40 ,over      
against the wild and  reckless nouveaux 
riches one may note the generous givers 
of millions  to missions and to         
education4    ,one must learn to be just
 to all classes and to do justice to    
all4 ,a  person needs full knowledge of 

the social conditions about him and the 
courage to apply the gospel of ,christ  
to these conditions4 ,but let no  one   
imagine that sociology can take the     
place of the gospel of ,jesus4          
,christianity is sociological1 but      
sociology is not necessarily            
,christian4 ,we need intelligent        
sympathy1 but most of all we need the   
love and grace of ,god in the heart4    
,but minister and man must be           
independent of bondage to either rich or
 poor and stand in the freedom  of      
,christ4    ,prof4 ,h4 ,c4 ,vedder makes
 a very serious charge against modern   
ministers3  8,this attitude of the      
clergy can be explained only on the     
ground of  their economic dependence    
upon the privileged classes4 ,they are  
the  hirelings of capitalism1 and1 to do
 them justice1 they earn their          
wages40#fh ,this is a bitter attack upon
 the ministry for always  championing   
the cause of capital whenever labor and 
capital clash4 ,the  charge is not      

always true1 as anyone who observes     
should know4 ,organized  labor is       
sometimes in the wrong4 ,corporations   
that are unjust to labor  are often     
denounced in the pulpit4 ,let every case
 be met on its merits4  ,certainly the  
minister of ,christ should be on the    
side of manhood  against mere money4 ,a 
man's life is more than money4    ,james
 reminds his readers that ,god is not   
ashamed of the poor4 ,in fact1  he often
 calls the poor1 as the world regards   
them1 to be rich in faith4  ,after all1 
the riches of the spirit and of         
fellowship with ,god are the  true      
riches4 ,so often a turn in the wheel of
 life leaves a man poor  today who was  
rich yesterday4 ,and death will separate
 one from all his  wealth1 save what he 
has given away4 ,the wicked rich man may
 scout the  poor saint here1 but        
,lazarus will rest in ,abraham's bosom  
while the  wicked rich man is in torment
 in hades4    ,but even here the pious  
poor stand high with ,god1 while the    

wicked rich  are despised4 ,the poor may
 be heirs of the kingdom4 ,think of     
that--heirs  of the kingdom of ,god1 the
 glorious messianic kingdom promised of 
old  and now begun1 the fulness of which
 is in the future with ,god1 the        
heavenly kingdom4 ,but even here and now
 the poor saint is a child of the  ,king
 and has riches untold4 ,he has love and
 joy in his heart1 a  superiority to    
adversity1 an elevation of spirit1 the  
peace of ,god that  passes all          
understanding2 and that is worth more   
than all the gold of  ,ophir4    ,it is 
not mere pious platitude on the part of 
,james when he writes thus4  ,he is but 
interpreting the soul of mystic         
,christianity1 real  ,christianity1 as  
set forth by ,jesus in the ,beatitudes1 
where those only  are felicitated who   
have the joy of the spirit independent  
of outward  condition or circumstance4  
,after all1 the piety of the poor is a  
nation's best asset4 ,the poor will     
someday1 many of them1 be rich4 ,may    

they still be pious6 ,the upper classes 
run down and run out1 alas1 and  have to
 be recruited constantly from the lower 
classes4 ,it is the law of  life4 ,if we
 save the masses1 we may save the       
classes4 ,at any rate1 it is  a pitiful 
business to see a church of ,jesus      
,christ ashamed of the poor1  as the    
world regards them1 for ,jesus our ,lord
 was himself poor for our  sakes1       
voluntarily poor4 8,though he was rich1 
yet for your sakes he  became poor1 that
 ye through his poverty might become    
rich0 7#b ,cor4  #h3i7--rich in ,god's  
mercy and grace1 rich in character1 in  
likeness to  ,jesus4                    
,the ,royal ,law 7#b3h f47    ,the poise
 of ,james appears again4 ,he has no    
wish to stir the passions  and          
prejudices of the poor against the rich4
 ,surely it is not a sin to  love rich  
people4 ,they are entitled to the same  
love as other people1  many far more    
because of the noble use made of their  
wealth4 ,if you  really fulfil the royal

 law--a law fit for kings or such as a  
king will  be sure to follow 7cf4 ,psalm
 #gb2 ,zech4 #i3i7 and supreme over     
other laws  7,matt4 #bb3dj7--you do     
well4 ,we should love both rich and poor
 alike4 ,this  royal law was in the ,old
 ,testament 7,lev4 #ai3ah7 and is here  
quoted4 ,it  was sanctioned by ,jesus   
7,matt4 #ai3ah f47 as one of the two    
chief  commandments on which hang the   
whole law and the prophets 7,matt4      
#bb3ch-dj74 ,love of ,god and man covers
 all else4 ,one may compare also the    
,golden ,rule as given by ,jesus in     
,matthew #g3ab1 which is just another   
way  of stating the royal law of loving 
one's neighbor 7one near in need1       
whether in proximity or not7 as oneself1
 a very high standard for most  people4 
,the royal law forbids the partiality in
 church of which ,james has been        
speaking1 this respect of persons4 ,it  
is more than an error of judgment  or a 
breach of etiquette4 ,it is an act of   
sin1 a slip in ethics1 a  missing of the

 mark that is fraught with grave        
consequences4 ,it is bad  enough to be  
convicted by the law as transgressors by
 this servile  regard for the rich4 ,it 
is worse to note the evil effect on the 
church  and the community4 ,a church of 
a clique is doomed4 ,a church is only of
  use when it is open to the people who 
need the help of the gospel4 ,the       
church opens its doors to let people in1
 does not put up bars to keep  them out4
                          ,stumbling in 
,one ,point 7#b3aj f47    ,at first     
blush it seems that ,james has          
,draconian severity in these  verses1   
but it is not the severe punishment of  
small crimes or venial  offenses4 ,the  
long list of capital crimes in ancient  
,england shows how  slowly men have     
learned to temper justice with mercy4   
,some of the ,stoics  said that the     
theft of a penny was as bad as          
parricide4 ,the 8blue laws0  of         
,connecticut come to mind also4 ,james  
does not say that all sins are  equal1  

that one sin is as bad as another4 ,as a
 matter of fact1 each man  discounts his
 own sins4 ,the rake looks with scorn on
 the grafter4 ,the  man guilty of       
spiritual pride scouts the drunkard4 ,it
 is a hard task to  convince a man that 
he is guilty of his own sin4    ,the    
burden of the law was very heavy4 ,the  
curse of the law 7,gal4 #c3ac7  was more
 than violation of particular precepts1 
though that was true to  the last detail
 7,deut4 #aa3bf1 #bh1 #cb2 #bg3bf71 as  
,jesus explained 7,matt4  #e3ah f474    
,the ,jewish fathers put a hedge or     
fence about the law 7,pirke  ,aboth i4  
#a7 and made it very difficult to keep  
all of it 7the law as a  whole1 hard    
enough as it was71 plus the traditions  
of the elders1 which  often contradicted
 and set at naught the commandment of   
,god 7,mark #g3h  f474 ,compare ,sirach 
#bg3ab4 ,rabbi ,hunnah1 in a midrash on 
,numbers #e3ad1  taught that he who     
committed adultery broke all            
commandments1 and some  of the rabbis   

placed the sabbath above all else and   
held that if one  profaned it1 he had   
broken all the commandments4 ,mayor1 per
 contra1  quotes some of the rabbis as  
saying that to keep the law about       
fringes  and phylacteries was to keep   
the whole law4 ,there was a constant    
tendency to make the ceremonial cover up
 moral and spiritual lapses4            
,augustine 7,epistle to ,jerome1 #afg7  
compares this teaching of ,james with   
the ,stoic doctrine of the solidarity of
 virtues and vices as mentioned4  ,but  
certainly ,james has a higher view than 
these hair-splitting  punctilios4 ,paul 
saw that the essence of sin lies in the 
motive 7,rom4  #ad3bc7 and that desire  
to glorify ,god should pervade all our  
acts 7#a  ,cor4 #aj3ca74 ,it seems hard 
to hold someone who makes one slip to   
strict  account and hold him guilty of  
all4 ,that is true only in the sense    
that  ,james proceeds to explain that   
any violation of law makes one a        
lawbreaker4#fi    ,one does not have to 

break all the laws to become a          
lawbreaker4 ,one  offense places him in 
that category4 ,the matter is put with  
this sharp  emphasis because of the     
complacent self-satisfaction of the     
perfunctory  ceremonialist 7,james      
#a3bf71 who may yet commit the sin of   
partiality in  church4 ,james is seeking
 to convict such 8pious0 sinners of     
their guilt1  to rouse them out of their
 smug self-satisfaction4    ,it is quite
 possible that those who were guilty of 
spiritual pride and  other sins of the  
spirit boasted of their freedom from    
adultery and  murder 7,hort74 ,at any   
rate1 we must not forget that out of the
 heart are  the issues of life1 that    
murder springs out of hate and that all 
of  ,god's laws come from the same will 
7,mayor74 ,it is disobedience to the    
will of ,god that constitutes the       
essence of sin4 ,it is not a light      
matter to be guilty of any sin4 ,our    
only hope is in the grace and           
forgiveness of ,god4 ,there is no room  

for pride on the part of sinners1       
setting up one sin against another sin4 
,a ,law of ,liberty 7#b3ab f47    ,but  
,james is not a pharisaic legalist nor a
 ,judaizer4 ,he adds these  verses to   
make it plain that he does not have in  
mind the painful  observance of separate
 rules and details4 ,the spirit is      
greater than the  letter4 ,our words and
 deeds are to be judged by 8a law of    
liberty0 7cf4  #a3be71 not of bondage4  
,we are under grace1 not the old law4   
,we live in  an atmosphere of love and  
liberty1 not of repression and slavery4 
,god  watches the real motive in our    
conduct toward the rich and the poor as 
in all things4 8,mercy glorieth against 
judgment02 mercy triumphs over          
judgment4 ,god shows mercy to us in     
spite of our shortcomings1 for ,jesus   
is the pledge of our fidelity and our   
hope4    ,we make so many mistakes that 
we should have no heart to go on if we  
had  to be held to strict account every 
time we stumbled in one point4 ,still1  

we must not overlook the fact that we   
did stumble4 ,it is our duty not to     
stumble at that point again4 ,so we go  
on our stumbling way toward that  goal  
of perfection which is ever before us4  
,it was ,jesus who said1  8,judge not1  
that ye be not judged0 7,matt4 #g3a74   
,james seems to know this  saying1 as he
 lays emphasis on the spirit and motive 
in holy living4                         
,,vii                             ,the  
,appeal to ,life      ,we now come to   
the famous passage that is supposed by  
some scholars to  be an attack on       
,paul's doctrine of salvation by faith  
instead of works4  ,james is interpreted
 by many to be a champion of works as   
against ,paul's  theory of grace4 ,it is
 an old controversy and is the occasion 
of ,martin  ,luther's slighting allusion
 to the ,epistle of ,james as 8a        
veritable  epistle of straw40 ,he       
thought it contradicted the ,epistle of 
,galatians1  which he loved dearly as   
his 8wife40 ,it is necessary1 therefore1

 to  clear the atmosphere a bit before  
proceeding to the exposition4           
,the ,standpoint of ,james    ,this     
depends on the date of the epistle4     
7,for the discussion of this  question1 
see chapter ,i47 ,it is here assumed    
that ,james wrote before the  ,jerusalem
 ,conference1 before ,a4,d4 #ej4        
,paul wrote ,galatians and ,romans1 as  
well as #a and #b ,corinthians1 in the  
heat of the ,judaizing controversy1 to  
answer the contention that  circumcision
 was essential to the salvation of the  
,gentiles1 that  ,christianity alone was
 not sufficient but must be supplemented
 by  ,judaism4 ,no issue ever stirred   
,paul's nature like this4 ,it is        
possible  that ,paul may have had in    
mind a misuse of ,james #b3ad-bf by the 
,judaizers when he wrote1 knowing that  
,james in reality agreed with him  in   
the matter 7,acts #ae3ad-ba2 ,gal4      
#b3a-aj74 ,but ,james clearly is not    
attacking ,paul or ,paul's theory of    
grace4 ,he rather has in view a         

perversion of the ,christian emphasis on
 the spiritual side as opposed to  the  
ceremonial ritualism of the ,pharisees4 
,the pendulum swings from one extreme to
 the other4 ,the ,jews had laid too     
much emphasis on religious duties 7cf4  
,james #a3bf71 and some of the          
,christians went to the extreme of      
thinking that no works at all were      
needed in the ,christian life4 ,some of 
the ,jews1 on the other hand1 had       
already gone so far as to consider creed
 alone essential4 8,as soon as a  man   
has mastered the thirteen heads of the  
faith1 firmly believing  therein 444    
though he may have sinned in every      
possible way 444 still he  inherits     
eternal life40#gj ,this ,jewish         
unconcern for real piety in life  is    
reflected in the lives of some of the   
,jewish ,christians and is the  occasion
 of the remarks of ,james4    ,james's  
use of righteousness or justification is
 in the sense of actual  goodness as    
,jesus uses it in the ,sermon on the    

,mount 7,matt4 #f3a7 and of             
sanctification as ,paul has it in       
,romans #f to #h4 ,it is not the        
8imputed  righteousness0 of ,paul in    
,romans #c and #d4 ,james has a         
practical purpose1  not a theological   
one4 ,he is not discussing the question 
as to how  ,abraham was set right with  
,god1 how faith was reckoned as         
righteousness1  the point seized on by  
,paul in the verse4 ,james quotes the   
whole verse  7,gen4 #ae3f71 as ,paul    
does1 but he is concerned with it as    
proof that  when put to the test1       
,abraham lived up to his faith in that  
he actually  8offered up ,isaac his son 
upon the altar0 7,james #b3ba74 ,it is  
the deed  as proof of faith that ,james 
emphasizes1 though both points are in   
the  narrative4    ,james looks upon    
works as proof of faith1 not as means of
 salvation4  ,john the ,baptist had     
demanded 8fruits worthy of repentance0  
7,luke #c3h74  ,jesus had said1 8,by    
their fruits ye shall know them0 7,matt4

 #g3bj74 ,paul  will discuss death to   
sin on the part of the believer 7,rom4  
#f3a-aa74  ,peter will show how the life
 will make the calling and election sure
 7#b  ,peter #a3aj74 ,the whole ,epistle
 to the ,hebrews is a clarion call to   
hold  fast the confession of faith to   
the end4 ,john will insist that those   
who  say they are in the light do not   
walk in darkness 7#a ,john #a3f2 #b3i74 
,certainly then1 ,james is in harmony   
with the full drift of the gospel       
message in his insistence on works as   
proof of the new life4    ,paul1 in his 
contrast between faith and works1 has in
 mind the ,jewish  doctrine of works as 
means of salvation4 ,see #b ,esdras #i3g
 f43 8,whoever  shall be able to escape 
either by his works or by his faith     
shall see my  salvation40 ,and even here
 8by faith0 does not mean what ,paul has
 in  mind1 saving trust1 but rather     
creed4 ,the ,pharisees taught the value 
of  works of supererogation1 the 8merit0
 of the fathers1 in particular1 the     

merit of ,abraham1 whose faith and works
 were a storehouse for the ,jews4  8,we 
have ,abraham to our father40 ,that was 
enough4 ,so the ,roman ,catholics  hold 
that the saints may help us out of      
purgatory if we pay enough for  their   
intercession4 ,prayer itself becomes an 
opus operatum1 a credit  in the balance 
sheet with ,god4 ,most ,jews held works 
alone to be the  means of salvation4    
,the point was keenly discussed in the  
,jewish schools  in ,jerusalem and      
,alexandria4    ,as to faith1 in this   
passage he is thinking of mere          
intellectual assent  to the unity of    
,god or other theological tenets4 ,this 
was the use of  8faith0 by many of the  
,jews4 ,after some of them became       
,christians1 they  got no further4 ,it  
is this idle and empty faith that ,james
 is  condemning4 ,james does have the   
other sense of trust for the word1 as in
  #b3a1 8faith in our ,lord ,jesus      
,christ10 the sense in which ,paul uses 
the  term when he contrasts it with     

works 7,rom4 #c3bj-cj74 ,it is quite    
important to note this distinction4     
,the antithesis in ,james is not1 in    
reality1 between faith and works but    
between live faith and dead faith1 the  
two uses of the term just  mentioned4   
,in verse #ah the point is made         
absolutely clear4 ,it is not  personal  
trust in ,christ that ,james ridicules  
but an empty theological  tenet that    
does not stand the test of actual life4 
,so then1 ,james and  ,paul go off at   
tangents when the same words occur1 for 
they are talking  about different       
things4                            ,not 
,pious ,pretense 7#b3ad-ag7    ,once    
more ,james corrects a possible         
misapprehension4 ,he properly places    
mercy above justice1 but no one need    
think for a moment that good deeds  do  
not matter4 ,god is full of mercy1 but  
there is a limit even with ,god4  ,he   
demands some performance1 not mere      
profession4 8,what doth it profit80     
,james pointedly asks4 ,cui bono8 ,what 

is the use8 ,what good is it for a  man 
to say he has faith who has no works to 
prove his faith8 ,how can men  know that
 he has any faith8 ,the mere assertion  
is all that men have at  first4 ,in the 
beginning the claim to faith is         
accepted1 but the life  must confirm the
 claim if men are to continue to believe
 it4 ,god can  read the heart1 but even 
,god demands that the life show the     
change of  heart4 ,the life must give   
expression to what the heart has felt4  
,james asks again3 8,can that faith#ga  
save him80 ,he does not scoff at  faith 
but at such hollow 8faith0 as this4     
,james here speaks for the  practical   
man of the present day who wishes to see
 some real difference  in the life of a 
man who becomes a ,christian4 ,it is an 
old demand1 as we  see in #a ,john #a   
and #b4 ,there is no escape from this   
appeal to life1 nor  ought there to be4 
,men are judged by their conduct in     
business during  the week as much as by 
their attendance at church on ,sunday4  

,james does  not say that a ,christian  
has no faults and never sins or is a    
hypocrite  if he sins once4 ,he does say
 that he should have some faith4    ,his
 illustration in verses #ae and #af is  
very forcible and shows that he  was    
probably a striking and popular preacher
 7,oesterley74 ,it is a  problem that is
 constantly presented to our modern     
,christians and  churches4 ,a brother or
 sister is in need of food and clothing4
 ,they are  out of work because of the  
economic conditions beyond their        
control4  ,they are not professional    
beggars4 ,one may pause to admit the    
serious  difficulty of knowing how to   
render real assistance to those who come
 to  our doors for help4 ,the modern    
social workers tell us not to give money
  and clothing but to investigate the   
case or to have the charity             
organization or some of the rescue      
workers to do it for us4 ,the great     
number of tramps and professional       
beggars with false stories tends to     

harden our hearts to the many cases of  
real need all about us4 ,some of  these 
are too proud to make their real        
condition known and actually  starve to 
death or perish from disease and cold4  
,james here assumes that the case is one
 of real need that deserves  sympathy   
and help4 ,the man who prides himself   
upon the correctness of  his            
professional creed and pious standing   
bestows kind words of sympathy  and     
nothing else1 sending the suffering     
brother or sister1 8ill-clad and  short 
of daily food0 7,moffatt71 out into the 
bitter cold and shutting  the door with 
a sense of satisfaction after such pious
 platitudes as1  8,go in peace1 be ye   
warmed and filled40 ,he calls his cheap 
words  ,christian sympathy4 ,it is      
enough to make demons laugh4 ,the irony 
of  ,james is keen4 8,the things needful
 to the body10 the ordinary  necessities
 of life1 now become rare luxuries to   
the poor brother or  sister4 ,so ,james 
repeats his query3 8,what doth it       

profit80    ,it is pertinent per contra 
to quote ,paul on the necessity of love 
even  in beneficence3 8,and if ,i bestow
 all my goods to feed the poor1 and if  
,i  give my body to be burned1 but have 
not love1 it profiteth me nothing0  7#a 
,cor4 #ac3c74 ,what1 indeed6 ,one       
recalls the compassion of ,jesus for the
  hungry multitudes whom he fed4 ,his   
heart was not hardened4 ,he did not  ask
 them to be satisfied with honeyed words
 and the aroma of dinner4 ,the  pious   
pretenders actually think that the needy
 should be grateful for  kind advice    
when sent away without a mouthful to    
eat4 ,james applies his  illustration to
 the point discussed 7v4 #ag74 ,mere    
professional faith  that talks and does 
not 8is dead in itself40 ,there is no   
life in it1 no  reality4 ,it is dead on 
the inside and is a mere empty shell of 
pious  pretense4 ,there are people who  
today turn to our churches for help in  
the hour of need and get only empty     
words4 ,it will be in vain then to      

speak about the grace of ,god4          
,not ,mere ,intellectual ,assent        
7#b3ah-ai7    ,it is extremely difficult
 to follow the thought of ,james in     
verse #ah4 ,he  is usually wonderfully  
perspicuous1 but here we are in doubt as
 to the  punctuation and the reference  
in 8a man40 ,some scholars think that it
 is  a delicate way that ,james has of  
referring to himself1 but then ,james is
  emphasizing works1 not mere faith4    
,is the sentence a question or an       
assertion8 ,shall we say 8but0 or 8yea08
  ,hort has shown a way out that is     
partly followed by ,moffatt4 ,take the  
8man0 as an objector1 but let his       
objection cover only the first          
sentence1 the point being to challenge  
the faith of ,james1 since he has  put  
such accent on works4 8,thou1 ,james1   
hast thou faith8 ,i also 7as well  as   
thou7 have works40 ,the objector thus   
claims to have both faith and  works but
 implies that ,james has only works and 
no faith4    ,the rest of the verse is  

then the reply of ,james to the         
objector4#gb  ,james bursts in with the 
answer to the challenge and rests his   
claim to  faith on works as proof4      
8,show me thy faith apart from thy      
works1 and ,i  by my works will show    
thee my faith40 ,here ,james pits over  
against each  other the two sorts of    
faith--the true faith which ,james      
claims to  possess and which is proved  
by works and the false faith which is   
mere  profession and entirely apart from
 works4 ,the antithesis is complete4    
,the dispute turns on how one knows that
 he has faith4 ,james rests his  case on
 his works and in turn challenges the   
objector to prove his faith  apart from 
works4    ,now ,james is ready to drive 
the point home4 ,he proceeds to show    
that  such an empty faith as his        
objector has is mere intellectual assent
 to  propositions and is not saving     
trust that bears fruit in the life4     
8,thou  believest that ,god is one40    
,this is one of the statements of the   

unity  of ,god4 ,the usual formula      
occurs in ,deuteronomy #f3d and in ,mark
 #ab3bi  78,the ,lord our ,god1 the     
,lord is one074 ,the recitation of this 
phrase was  not merely the orthodox     
creed but was supposed to have saving   
efficacy  7cf4 the ,moslem repetition of
 8,allah074 ,from the time of the exile 
the  repetition of the ,shema 7,deut4   
#f3d ff47 each morning and evening was  
the duty of every pious ,israelite4     
8,whoever reads the ,shema upon his     
couch is as one that defends himself    
with a two-edged sword0 7,meg4  #c;a74  
8,they cool the flames of ,gehinnom for 
him who reads the ,shema0  7,ber4       
#ae;b74 ,oesterley 7in loco7 adds that  
8the very parchment on  which the ,shema
 is written is efficacious in keeping   
demons at a  distance40    ,these       
statements will help us to understand   
the atmosphere from which  ,james draws 
his illustration4 ,and yet ,james does  
not ridicule this  mental assent to the 
oneness of ,god4 8,thou doest well40    

,orthodoxy is  better than heresy4      
,orthodoxy is 8thinking straight10 and  
that is what  we all need to do4 ,every 
man is right in his own eyes1 and the   
rest are  a bit 8off40 ,but good as     
monotheism is1 it is not enough 7cf4    
,mohammedanism again74    ,what ,james  
criticizes is mere intellectual assent  
with no vital union  with ,god4 8,the   
demons also believe10 as well as you4   
,the demons know  only too well that    
,god is and that he is one4 ,they are   
monotheists1 not  polytheists4 ,they    
recognized ,jesus3 8,what have we to do 
with thee1 ,jesus  of ,nazareth8 art    
thou come to destroy us8 ,i know thee   
who thou art1 the  ,holy ,one of ,god0  
7,mark #a3bd74 ,compare ,matthew #h3bi  
and ,luke #d3da4 ,the  demons are       
thoroughly orthodox on this point1 have 
intellectual assent  78faith071 but they
 are still demons4 ,they even shudder at
 the fact and  the power of ,god as they
 feared ,jesus 7,mark #a3bd2 ,luke      
#h3bi74 ,the word  means to 8bristle10  

like the ,latin horreo1 with the hair   
standing on  end4 8,then a spirit passed
 before my face2 the hair of my flesh   
stood  up0 7,job #d3ae74 ,so ,daniel    
7#g3ae7 says1 8,my spirit was grieved40 
,the  argument is as complete as it can 
be4                      ,the ,obedient 
,trust of ,abraham 7#b3bj-bd7    ,but   
,james applies his illustration again4  
,he hammers the objector while  he has  
him4 8,but wilt thou know1 ,o vain man80
 78you senseless fellow10  ,moffatt74   
,the word is used like the ,latin vanus 
of boasters or  impostors1 men whose    
word cannot be depended upon4 ,you can  
know1 if you  wish to know1#gc 8that    
faith apart from works is barren10      
8faith  without deeds is dead0          
7,moffatt71 according to some           
manuscripts4 ,one may  note #b ,peter   
#a3h1 8not idle nor unfruitful40 ,faith 
without works is like  a barren woman1  
without children to comfort her4        
8,children0 and 8works0  are sometimes  
used as parallel4 8,wisdom is justified 

by her works0  7,matt4 #aa3ai72 8wisdom 
is justified of all her children0 7,luke
 #g3ce74    ,james thus shows irritation
 at the dulness of his objector1 but he 
hopes  to make even such a man see the  
point by appealing to the axiomatic case
  of ,abraham4 ,the faith of ,abraham   
was one of the commonplaces of          
theological discussion in the rabbinical
 schools 7,oesterley74 ,see ,sirach     
#dd3bj ff42 ,wisdom #aj3e4 ,it is no    
wonder that ,paul 7,rom4 #d2 ,gal4 #c3g7
  makes use of the case of ,abraham4 ,he
 considers it so important that in      
,romans he devotes a whole chapter to   
the subject4 ,paul lays chief  emphasis 
7,rom4 #d3ag-ba7 on ,abraham's faith in 
the promise of a son4 ,paul  also proves
 that ,abraham had the justifying faith 
before he was  circumcised4 ,james shows
 that ,abraham lived up to his faith    
when put to  the test4 ,both points are 
true4    ,there was abuse of the faith  
of ,abraham4 ,thus ,rabbi ,nehemiah     
7,mechilta  on ,ex4 #ad3ca7 says3 8,so  

,abraham1 solely for the merit of his   
faith1  whereby he believed in the      
,lord1 inherited this world and the     
other40  ,the ,jews came to rely so much
 on the 8merit0 of ,abraham's faith that
  they felt that all they had to do was 
to say1 8,we have ,abraham to our       
father0 7,matt4 #c3i74 ,they leaned#gd  
on 8,father ,abraham40 ,in #a ,maccabees
  #b3eb the same use is made of the case
 of ,abraham that we have in ,james3    
8,was not ,abraham found faithful in    
trial1 and it was reckoned to him for   
righteousness80 ,in ,hebrews #aa the    
same exposition of faith is set forth   
by the glorious list of heroes who      
exemplified faith4 ,among these heroes  
is ,abraham1 who obeyed to go out       
7#aa3h7 to a distant land and who       
offered up his only begotten son        
7#aa3ag74    ,james appeals confidently1
 therefore1 to the example of ,abraham  
in  offering up ,isaac upon the altar   
7cf4 ,gen4 #bb3i74 ,he had shown that he
  served ,god from love and not merely  

from fear4 ,his faith had stood the     
severest of all tests--believing that   
,god would go with him down into the    
darkness of death and make plain his    
command that was so hard to obey4       
,james interprets the case of ,abraham  
with his usual pungency4 8,thou  seest10
 or at least1 8thou oughtest to see40   
,the deduction is  inevitable4 8,faith  
wrought with his works10 8faith         
cooperated with  deeds0 7,moffatt71 just
 the opposite of 8apart from works40 ,it
 is thus  clear that ,james did not mean
 to say that ,abraham had only works and
 not  faith4 ,it is faith and works with
 ,abraham1 as he had contended in verse 
#ah4 ,it is like ,paul's 8faith working 
through love10 energetic faith4 ,so     
,james adds3 8by works was faith made   
perfect10 8completed by deeds0          
7,moffatt74    ,thus with ,abraham faith
 was shown to be alive1 not dead2       
fruitful1 not  barren2 brought to a good
 result or end1 not cut short with mere 
profession or promise4 ,so the          

,scripture was fulfilled 7made full or  
complete7 in the case of ,abraham3 8,and
 ,abraham believed ,god1 and it the     
faith was reckoned set down to his      
credit unto him for  righteousness40    
,paul in ,romans #d lays emphasis on the
 verb 8believed10  and ,james stresses  
the obedience which proves the reality  
of the trust4    ,both points are justly
 made4 ,in each instance faith precedes 
the works4  ,we are set right with ,god 
by trust1 but the life must correspond  
to the  new relation with ,god4 ,it was 
so with ,abraham4 ,he was called 8the   
friend  of ,god40 ,compare #b           
,chronicles #bj3g4 8,shall ,i hide from 
,abraham that  which ,i do80 7,gen4     
#ah3ag74 ,with the ,arabs the term      
8,khalil ,allah0  7,friend of ,god7 is  
the current name for ,abraham4          
,epictetus 7bk4 ,,ii1  chap1 xvii1  #bi7
 speaks of looking 8up into heaven as   
the friend of  ,god40 ,plato calls the  
righteous man 8on terms of friendship   
with ,god40  ,jesus calls his disciples 

8friends10 no longer 8servants10 in     
,john #ae3ad  f4 ,there cannot be such  
friendship without trust of the most    
absolute  kind1 a trust that means      
loyalty to the end4    ,one must not    
think that ,james discredits faith4 ,he 
does not4 ,he assumes  the need of it4  
,in verse #bd ,james uses 8justified0   
more in the sense of  final approval    
7set right at last7 than of the initial 
restoration of  peace with ,god4 ,and   
even so 8the faith as a ground of       
justification is  assumed as a starting 
point0 7,hort74    8,ye see10 says      
,james1 leaving his imaginary opponent  
and turning again  to his readers4 ,they
 can see the point1 whether the         
empty-headed  disputant does or not4 ,it
 is hard for a controversialist to see  
anything  but his own side of the       
question4 ,it is 8not only by faith0    
that a man  is justified4 ,the case of  
,abraham shows that works must follow   
faith in  the natural order of grace4   
,james has administered a severe rebuke 

to  the antinomians who deny any        
responsibility for holy living and      
disclaim  the force of the moral law4   
,there has always been a curious type of
  pietism that runs easily into         
immorality with no compunctions of      
conscience1 a sort of emotionalism      
without ethical tone or flavor4         
,abraham was not simply the father of   
the ,jewish people but the father of    
all the spiritual ,israel--the believing
 children of ,god in all the ages       
since1 who form the elect of ,god and of
 the earth4                             
,the ,case of ,rahab 7#b3be7    ,one    
wonders why ,james selects a case like  
this after speaking of  ,abraham1 the   
father of the fruitful and ,god's       
friend4 ,oesterley doubts  how this     
verse could come from the pen of a      
,christian4 ,but ,james may  have wished
 to select another example at the       
furthest possible point  from ,abraham1 
a heathen and a proselyte1 8the first of
 all the  proselytes0 in the land of    

,canaan 7,hort74 ,certainly if a woman  
like  ,rahab could be saved1 no one else
 need despair4 ,she expressed her faith 
in ,god3 8,i know that the ,lord hath   
given you the land 444 the ,lord your   
,god1 he is ,god in heaven above1 and in
 earth beneath0 7,josh4 #b3i1 #aa1      
,,av74 ,besides1 she showed her courage 
by avowing the cause of ,jehovah and  of
 ,israel1 by protecting the messengers  
7spies1 in reality71 and by a  life of  
uprightness thereafter4    ,it was a    
crisis in the history of ,israel as they
 came to ,jericho1 and  ,rahab took her 
stand for ,god at the start2 hence the  
high honor accorded  her4 ,she is       
mentioned in ,hebrews #aa3ca in the     
famous list of heroes of  faith4 ,in    
,matthew #a3e she appears in the        
genealogy of ,christ4 ,she was  counted 
one of the four chief beauties of       
,israel along with ,sarah1  ,abigail1   
and ,esther 7,mayor74 8,eight prophets  
who were also priests are  descended    
from the harlot ,rahab0 7,megilla       

#ad;b74 ,certainly there is  no desire  
in ,james nor in ,hebrews to dignify her
 infamous trade1 which  she renounced1  
but only to single her out as a brand   
snatched from the  burning by the power 
of ,god4                        ,the    
,union of ,faith and ,works 7#b3bf7     
,this is what ,james pleads for1 not the
 divorce between creed and  conduct1    
which is alas only too prevalent even   
today4 ,there should be an  indissoluble
 marriage between faith and works1 a    
union as close as that  between spirit  
and body4 8,for as the body apart from  
the spirit is dead1  even so faith apart
 from works is dead40 ,by 8spirit0 here 
,james means  simply the breath of life1
 without which the body is dead4 8,false
 faith  is virtually a corpse0 7,hort74 
,by this striking paradox ,james attacks
 the root of the whole matter and  has  
his last word on the subject4 ,hort     
remarks that ,james by the use of  the  
phrase 8justified by works0 seems to be 
answering ,paul in ,romans #d3b  or a   

misuse of ,paul's 8justified by faith0  
7,rom4 #e3a71 though he does  not see   
how ,james could have seen ,paul4 ,i    
have already expressed my own           
conviction that ,james and ,paul are not
 really answering one another4  ,they   
are discussing different aspects of the 
subject and touch only at  points and go
 off along other lines4 ,in all         
probability each would agree  to the    
statements of the other if the language 
of each were put in the  proper         
perspective4 ,certainly they agreed when
 they were together in  ,jerusalem      
7,acts #ae2 ,gal4 #b3a-aj74 ,but it is  
important for us that our  faith shall  
be real and vital1 not hollow and dead4 
,,viii                          ,the    
,tongues of ,teachers      ,james       
carries on the discussion of 8slow to   
speak0 7#a3ai74 ,he has just  been      
writing about idle faith in #b3ad-bf1   
and now he proceeds 7,plummer7  to      
expound the peril of the idle word1     
8wrong speech after wrong action0       

7,hort74 ,indeed1 in #a3bf he has       
already mentioned the failure to bridle 
the tongue as a sure sign of vain       
religion4 ,now he expands the matter in 
a remarkable paragraph4    ,the         
transition is thus not so abrupt as at  
first seems to be the case1  and        
apparently from the first he planned    
this discussion of the tongue4          
,probably it comes here 7,plummer7      
because controversies about faith and   
works were already rife4 ,here ,james   
speaks 8against those who substitute    
words for works0 7,plummer71 a rather   
large class4 8,in noble uprightness1  he
 values only the strict practice of     
concrete duties1 and hates talk0        
7,reuss71 if it is only talk4 ,james has
 the gift of condensation4 ,he  can     
write on talk without taking twenty     
volumes1 like ,carlyle1 to prove  that  
if speech is silvern1 silence is golden 
7,plummer74 ,the  8overvaluation of     
theory as compared with practice0       
7,mayor7 condemned in  chapter ,,ii is  

still present with ,james as he         
discusses the tongue4                   
,an ,oversupply of ,teachers 7#c3a;a7   
,we are not here to think simply of     
official teachers like ,paul's          
apostles1 prophets1 teachers 7#a ,cor4  
#ab3bh f42 ,eph4 #d3aa74 ,in the        
,didache 7xiii4 #b1 xv4 #a1 #b7 teachers
 are placed on a par with prophets  and 
higher than bishops and deacons4 ,there 
is no doubt that teaching  received     
tremendous emphasis in the work of the  
early ,christians4 ,jesus  is the great 
,teacher of the ages and is usually     
presented as teaching4  ,in the ,jewish 
8houses of learning0 7synagogues7       
teaching was as  prominent an element as
 worship4 ,the official teachers passed 
away1 and  the modern ,sunday school    
movement is an effort to restore the    
teaching  function in the churches4     
,the true preacher should be a teacher  
also1 but many preachers are more       
evangelistic and hortatory than         
didactic4 ,the best preachers combine   

all  these elements and build up the    
saints in the faith to which they have  
been won4 ,the mission work of modern   
,christianity also has had to lay  new  
emphasis on the educational side of     
,christian effort4 ,there is no  reason 
why the morning service in public       
worship should not be a  teaching       
service and the evening service more    
evangelistic4 ,teachers are  necessary4 
,people 8having itching ears1 will heap 
to themselves teachers  after their own 
lusts0 7#b ,tim4 #d3c74ge ,epictetus    
7bk4 ,,iii1 chap1  xxiii1  #bi7 says3   
,rufus 8used to speak in such a way that
 each of us as  we sat thought that     
someone had accused us to him40    ,but 
,james here is thinking of the          
unofficial teachers in the churches4    
,in the ,jewish synagogues there was    
wide latitude allowed for strangers  and
 others to speak4 ,jesus took advantage 
of this opportunity and taught  freely  
in the synagogues 7,matt4 #ab3i ff42    
,mark #a3ci2 ,luke #f3f ff474  ,there   

would be interruption and violent       
opposition at times 7cf4 ,john          
#f3ei-ff74 ,paul used the courtesy to   
strangers to speak in the ,jewish       
synagogues and met with open opposition 
at times 7cf4 ,acts #ac3ae1 #de2        
#ah3f74    ,in ,corinth we have a       
striking instance of the evil of        
promiscuous  teaching1 unrestrained and 
unregulated 7#a ,cor4 #ad74 ,it became  
necessary  for ,paul to rebuke the      
church for unseemly disorder4 ,there    
were many who  were only too ready to be
 carried away by any newfangled         
doctrine4 ,there  is safety in free     
discussion1 which acts as a safety valve
 and also  leaves a deposit of truth4   
,but the acrimonious spirit had a fine  
opportunity to display itself4 ,men of  
arrogant convictions and little         
knowledge felt that they 8had no need to
 learn anything from their  brethren1   
but were fully equipped as teachers0    
7,johnstone71 8desiring to  be teachers 
of the law1 though they understand      

neither what they say1  nor whereof they
 confidently affirm0 7#a ,tim4 #a3g74   
,some men with a certain fluency of     
speech really had no message and only   
spoke out of vanity and really 8thought 
more of the admiration which  they might
 excite by a display of their powers    
than of the light and  strength which   
through ,gods grace they might give     
their brethren0  7,dale74 ,evidently    
,james is here concerned with these     
promiscuous1  officious1 irresponsible1 
self-appointed teachers1 men with a     
cocksure  explanation of all            
difficulties1 not afraid to rush in     
where angels fear  to tread4    ,the    
world was full of roving teachers with  
every sort of patent ism to  dispense to
 the public4 ,both ,jews and ,athenians 
were eager for something  newer than the
 last stale theory 7the very latest     
fad74 ,the synagogues  of the ,jews and 
the churches of the ,christians offered 
a fine platform  for these cranks to air
 their notions4 ,besides1 some of the   

best of men1  earnest ,christians1 have 
a 8lust for talk0 7,w4 ,robertson       
,nicoll7 that  leads them into all sorts
 of excesses4    ,james1 therefore1 is  
pleading for restraint and moderation   
when he says1  8,be not many of you     
teachers10 8do not swell the ranks of   
the teachers0  7,moffatt74 ,teachers are
 absolutely necessary1 but the thing can
 be  overdone4 ,some learners           
7disciples7 are needed4 ,liberty within 
reasonable limits must be allowed1 but  
not rank license4 ,men must not be  too 
eager to teach what they do not know4   
,there is no danger of an oversupply of 
well-equipped teachers1 who are  masters
 of the message of ,christ4 ,there are  
still too many who are  incompetent1 and
 therefore the accent on                
teacher-training in the ,sunday  schools
 is most timely4 ,the caution of ,james 
is pertinent today1 but we  must not    
discourage timid souls who can learn to 
teach and who ought to  undertake it4   
,the greatness of the teacher's task    

must not be  overlooked4 ,james warns us
 against its abuse4 ,there is a mental  
sloth  that is as bad as this eagerness 
to be teachers1 a lazy satisfaction     
with the elements of ,christianity and  
failure to grow into the position  of   
teachers of the doctrines of grace1     
continuing as babes unable to  digest   
solid food 7,heb4 #e3ab74               
,the ,peril of ,teachers 7#c3a;b7       
,teaching has to be done4 ,there is no  
escape from that1 but those who  teach  
must understand their responsibility4   
,they are doctors 7from  doceo1 to      
teach7 of the mind and heart4 ,they     
cannot escape their  responsibility as  
spiritual surgeons1 for they deal with  
the issues of  life and death1 8knowing 
that we shall receive heavier judgment40
 ,in  seasons of religious excitement it
 is particularly desirable that men     
shall bear this fact in mind4 ,there is 
danger for the teacher and for  those   
that hear and are led astray by foolish 
talk4    ,feeling was probably running  

high in some of the churches1 and there 
was  occasion for the sobering words of 
,james4 8,the penalty of untruth is     
untruth1 to imbibe which is death0      
7,taylor74 ,one has only to recall the  
words of ,jesus3 8,and ,i say unto you1 
that every idle word that men shall     
speak1 they shall give account thereof  
in the day of judgment4 ,for by  thy    
words thou shalt be justified1 and by   
thy words thou shalt be  condemned0     
7,matt4 #ab3cf f474 ,it is easy to be   
overconfident1 like the  complacency of 
the ,jews of whom ,paul said that each  
was confident that  he was 8a corrector 
of the foolish1 a teacher of babes0     
7,rom4 #b3bj74  8,blind leaders of the  
blind0 7,matt4 #ae3ad7 are they4 ,it is 
bad enough to  break one of the least   
commandments1 but whoever does 8and     
shall teach  men so1 shall be called    
least in the kingdom of heaven0 7,matt4 
#e3ai74    ,there is no escaping the    
fact that a heavier penalty rests on    
preachers  and teachers who leave a     

trail of error behind them4 ,this point 
of view  explains ,paul's anxiety in the
 pastoral epistles for the future of    
,christianity1 as it had to confront    
,pharisaism1 ,gnosticism1 ,mithraism1   
the emperor cult1 and the hundred and   
one vagaries of the age4 ,certainly  a  
teacher must speak his mind4 ,he must be
 intellectually honest and tell  what he
 sees1 but he is not called upon to give
 his guesses at truth as  truth4 ,he    
ought to be interesting if he can1 but  
not at the expense of  truth4 ,freedom  
of teaching is quite consonant with     
fidelity to truth4  ,one does not have  
to be a mere traditionalist in order to 
escape wild  speculation4 ,he must bring
 forth things new and old if they are   
true4    ,the severest words that fell  
from the lips of ,jesus are against the 
,pharisees who filled the place of      
teachers for the ,jews but who 8say1    
and do not10 who 8sit on ,moses' seat0  
as authoritative teachers and yet       
8strain out the gnat1 and swallow the   

camel0 7,matt4 #bc3b-c1 #bd74 8,woe     
unto you lawyers6 for ye took away the  
key of knowledge3 ye entered not  in    
yourselves1 and them that were entering 
in ye hindered0 7,luke #aa3eb74  ,the   
child was kept in the dark while at     
school because the teacher did  not let 
in the light4 8,the hungry sheep look up
 and are not fed40                      
,the ,test of ,perfection 7#c3b;a7      
,others besides teachers have pitfalls1 
for teachers are not the only  errant   
men4 8,for in many things we all        
stumble40 ,james includes himself  in   
this category4 ,the ,vulgate reads 8ye0 
in verse #a 7sumitis71 not  willing to  
admit that ,james ran any risk about the
 heavier judgment2 but  that is not the 
correct text4 ,james shows no           
disposition to exempt  himself4 ,one and
 all we make many slips1 stumble over   
something in the  path4 ,our falls are  
only too frequent4 ,who is the perfect  
man8 ,seneca  7,clem4 #a3f7 says1 8,we  
all sin0 7peccamus omnes74 ,but         

,epictetus 7bk4  ,,iv1 chap4 iv1  #g7   
uses the word for sin for merely 8commit
 a fault40 ,he  has a weak conception of
 sin4 ,epictetus also 7bk4 ,i1 chap4    
xxviii1  #bc7  says1 8,no man stumbles  
on account of another's action40 ,but   
surely he is  in error here4            
,teachers are particularly liable to    
stumble in speech1 for precisely in     
that sphere their activity lies         
7,plummer74 ,this point is common to    
all4  ,most assuredly1 all men are      
guilty of sins of speech4 ,each one is  
sure  to stumble there sooner or later4 
,this is a very easy test of one's      
perfection4 ,he can be prodded by the   
tongue4 8,the scribes and the           
,pharisees began to press upon him      
vehemently1 and to provoke him to  speak
 of many things2 laying wait ambush for 
him1 to catch as if wild  game something
 out of his mouth0 7,luke #aa3 #ec f474 
,yes1 but they were  all the more angry 
when the one perfect ,man kept control  
of his tongue4    ,smart lawyers often  

try to trip a witness in his talk4 ,it  
is hard to be  consistent in talk1 true 
in talk1 clean in speech4 8,if any      
stumbleth not  in word1 the same is a   
perfect man10 8whoever avoids slips of  
speech is  a perfect man0 7,moffatt74   
8,thou art snared with the words of thy 
mouth0  7,prov4 #f3b74 ,compare ,sirach 
#bh3ab-bf for pungent remarks on speech4
  8,that which proceedeth out of the    
mouth1 this defileth the man0 7,matt4   
#ae3aa74 ,the chemical reaction to talk 
is a test that we cannot refuse4        
,teachers cannot escape this inevitable 
test4 ,the rest of this discussion      
consists of a series of remarkable      
illustrations of the power of the       
tongue4                         ,the    
,bridle and the ,horse 7#c3b;b-#c7      
,the man who does control his tongue is 
able to bridle the whole body  also 7cf4
 #a3bf71 for the body goes with the     
tongue4 ,in fact1 nothing is  commoner  
than for one to make a rash statement   
and then feel compelled  to stand by it 

for the sake of imaginary consistency4  
,hort keenly  observes that the force of
 8also0 after 8the whole body0 is that a
 man  who can bridle his tongue can     
bridle his whole body4 ,the tongue is a 
real ,bucephalus1 and it takes an       
,alexander to master him4 ,it is really 
wonderful how a spirited1 impetuous     
horse can be subdued by bit and  bridle4
 ,the spirit does not go out of the     
horse1 but his restless energy  is under
 control and guidance4    ,james does   
not mean that a man should be dumb and  
lifeless1 without  ambition and power1  
but simply that his tongue1 like all the
 rest of the  body1 should be kept in   
control4 ,this figure of bridling the   
tongue1 as  already noted 7#a3bf71 is   
one of the most vivid figures in all    
languages4  ,david said3 8,i will take  
heed to my ways1 that ,i sin not with my
 tongue3  ,i will keep my mouth with a  
bridle0 7,psalm #ci3a74    ,it is not   
merely that the tongue is so hard to put
 a bridle on but also  that the tongue  

has such an influence on the whole body1
 able thus to  lead the body by the     
bridle4#gf ,the horse has to follow his 
mouth1 in  which the bridle is placed4  
,the purpose of the bridle is that the  
horses  may obey us1 and it is          
thoroughly successful1 as a rule4 8,we  
turn about  their whole body also0 along
 with the mouth4 ,so we should place    
bridles  in our mouths for the          
deliberate purpose of controlling the   
tongue4 ,it  will not happen by         
accident4    ,we are to repress the     
impulsive and petulant word4 ,thus we   
train our own  tongues and make it      
easier to subdue the other members of   
the body4 ,one  member cannot be allowed
 to lead the whole body into sin4 ,pluck
 it out1  if it be the right eye or the 
right hand 7,matt4 #e3bi74 ,the members 
of  the body are all so related as to be
 affected by what the others            
experience4 8,the eye cannot say to the 
hand1 ,i have no need of thee0 7#a      
,cor4 #ab3ba74 ,without this bridle on  

the tongue there is no true             
self-control4 ,a tongue loose at both   
ends means a man whom everyone  shuns as
 a nuisance4 ,if the bridle is good for 
the horse1 it is far more  so for the   
man4 ,the difference is that the man has
 to put the bridle  into his own mouth  
and in dual capacity as rider and horse 
master  himself1 the most unmanageable  
of steeds4    ,a garrulous man is a bore
 at best1 while a woman with a sharp    
tongue is  a terror to the community4   
,tell no secrets to a talkative man1 and
 few  to anyone save your wife4 ,a man  
who talks to hear himself talk will be  
sure to tell what he ought not to say4  
,the writer of ,hebrews refuses to  go  
on with too many details about his      
heroes of faith1 8for the time  will    
fail me if ,i tell0 7,heb4 #aa3cb71     
8time will leave me telling40 ,if  the  
audience held the bridle1 the preacher  
might stop sooner4 ,the  phonograph can 
be turned off at will1 permitting only  
so much 8canned0  talk at a time4 ,and  

yet talk is one of the most delightful  
things in all  the world4 ,but there can
 be too much of a good thing1 if1       
forsooth1 it  is good4 ,there are few   
greater nuisances than the interrupter1 
who  breaks into a conversation with no 
regard for the courtesies of the        
occasion4 ,he is as bad as the man who  
monopolizes the conversation and  allows
 no one else to talk at all4 ,he needs a
 stopper1 not a bridle1 in  his mouth4  
,the ,rudder and the ,ship 7#c3d7       
,with great wealth of imagination ,james
 proceeds to illustrate still  further  
the power of the tongue over the rest of
 the body4 ,the point is  clear from the
 illustration of the bridle and the     
horse1 but it is made  still clearer by 
the other figures4 ,the importance of   
the subject  justifies this piling up of
 metaphors4 8,this combination of the   
horse's  bridle and the ship's rudder as
 illustrative of the tongue is found0   
7,hort7 in ,philo and ,plutarch4 8,the  
argument is  fortiori from the  horse to

 the man1 and still more from the ship  
to the man1 so that the  whole forms a  
climax1 the point being throughout the  
same1 namely1 the  smallness of the part
 to be controlled in order to have      
control over the  whole0 7,plummer74    
,the horse is an irrational creature and
 yet can be managed by the  bridle4 ,the
 ship has no mind at all and yet is     
moved 8by a very small  rudder10 8turned
 about10 8whither the impulse of the    
steersman willeth40  ,the 8impulse0 may 
be like 8the rush of water0 in ,proverbs
 #ba3a1 which is  there compared to the 
king's heart1 for ,god 8turneth it      
whithersoever he  will10 or like the    
rush or onset of the ,gentiles and ,jews
 to injure ,paul  in ,iconium 7,acts    
#ad3e74 ,here it is the gentle pressure 
or touch of the  hand of the steersman  
who guides the ship on its course       
straight ahead1  as he decides          
7intention1 purpose rather than mere    
will74#gg    ,the complete mastery of   
the steersman over the ship is accented 

by a  comparison of the size of the     
ancient boats with horses4 8,behold1    
even  the ships0 7probably we are to    
translate 8even0 rather than 8also071   
which1 though they are so great 7cf4 #b 
,cor4 #a3aj71 8are yet turned about  by 
the impulse of the steersman10 even when
 they are being driven by  rough winds  
7if here again we translate 8even0      
instead of 8also074 ,one  is reminded of
 the boat in which ,jesus and the       
disciples were crossing  the ,sea of    
,galilee 8now in the midst of the sea1  
distressed by the  waves0 7,matt4       
#ad3bd74 ,the 8rough winds0 7cf4 ,prov4 
#bg3af71 8stiff winds0  7,moffatt71 were
 particularly dangerous for the small   
7from our  standpoint7 ships of the     
ancients4 ,but the steersman could hold 
to his  course even over a rough sea4   
,the point of ,james about the size of  
the ships would apply with far more     
force today1 when modern leviathans of  
the deep plow the waters4 ,there  is now
 less peril from the stiff winds1 but   

there is all the more ground  for wonder
 that the tiny rudder can control at    
will the giant of the  ocean4 ,the      
steersman can drive the mighty monster  
straight upon an  iceberg and sink it in
 a few minutes1 as in the crash of the  
,titanic4  ,great as the ship is1 the   
silent forces of nature are still       
greater4 ,man  has not yet mastered all 
the powers of nature4 ,but the ship1    
blind to  its fate1 responded to the    
will of the steersman1 who dashed       
against the  iceberg4    ,the lesson is 
only too obvious4 ,one must watch the   
tongue if he is to  avoid shipwreck4    
,the tongue may dash the whole life in  
blind rage  against ,god4 ,the ship is  
one of the most beautiful of objects as 
it  rides the waves in proud majesty4   
,but more beautiful still is a life     
that is not marred by bad or bitter     
words4 ,plutarch 7,de ,garrulitate1     
#aj7 says that speech beyond control is 
like a ship out at sea1 broken  loose   
from its moorings4                      

,the ,fire and the ,forest 7#c3e f47    
,the power of the tongue over the body  
in general is shown by the bridle  and  
the rudder4 ,now the power of the tongue
 for evil is specifically  illustrated  
by the metaphor of fire4 ,true1 the     
tongue is a little  member1 and yet it  
8boasteth great things10 8can boast of  
great  exploits0 7,moffatt74    ,it is  
not a mere empty boast that the tongue  
can make4 ,it is hard to  exaggerate the
 power of the tongue1 which is able to  
sway great  multitudes for good or ill1 
to stir the wildest passions of man to  
uncontrollable fury1 or to exalt men to 
the highest emotions of their  natures4 
,the tongue can soothe the dying or damn
 the living4 ,the tongue  can sing like 
a songbird or growl like a lion4 ,the   
tongue can speak  words of tenderest    
love or of venomous hate4 ,it can speak 
like a  megaphone in trumpet tones or in
 a whisper almost inaudible save to an  
eager ear4 ,plummer tells the story of  
,amasis1 king of ,egypt1 who sent a     

sacrifice to ,bias the sage with the    
request that he send back the best  part
 and the worst4 ,he sent back the       
tongue4    ,james adds1 8,behold1 how   
much wood is kindled by how small a     
fire10  8what a forest is set ablaze by 
a little spark of fire0 7,moffatt74 ,the
  figure is that of timber or woodland  
rather than a pile of wood4 ,mayor      
quotes ,milton3 8,into what pit thou    
seest from what height fallen40 ,the    
inflammatory ,oriental audience with the
 high pitch of voice1 confusion  of     
tongues1 and wild gesticulation is aptly
 compared to a forest fire              
7,oesterley74#gh    ,there is pathos in 
the dreadful forest fires that annually 
devastate our  country4 ,the damage each
 year amounts to several hundred        
millions of  dollars1 besides the injury
 to future generations in the loss of   
the  blessings in many ways from the    
forests4 ,in most instances these forest
  fires1 which rage with uncontrollable 
fury when the wind gets up1 are  due to 

accident or mischief4 ,a spark from an  
engine1 a cigarette thrown  in the      
leaves1 a burning match cast to one side
 by a hunter1 a  smoldering campfire1 a 
shot from a gun--these and other like   
causes  explain most of the             
conflagrations4    ,the situation is so 
serious that the national government has
 a fire  patrol to guard the forest     
reserves4 ,once a prairie fire starts   
there is  hardly any stopping it till it
 burns out4 ,mice and matches cause over
  twelve hundred fires each year in ,new
 ,york ,city4 ,only a start is needed1  
a start long enough to get beyond       
control1 and we have the horrible       
holocausts of ,chicago1 ,baltimore1     
,boston1 ,san ,francisco4 8,a burning   
fire  kindles many heaps of corn0 7,sir4
 #aa3cb74 ,the scholiast on this verse  
adds1 8,there is nothing which more     
devastates the world than an evil       
tongue40 ,nero set fire to ,rome to see 
the grandeur of the spectacle1 and  he  
fiddled while the city burned4 ,similar 

irresponsibility is seen often  in the  
reckless use of the tongue4 ,we should  
not light a fire which can  blaze beyond
 our control4    ,so ,james adds1 8,and 
the tongue is a fire40 ,see ,proverbs   
#af3bg1 8,and in  his lips there is a   
scorching fire40 ,compare ,sirach       
#bh3ba-bc4 8,the  effect is that of an  
underground flame1 concealed for a      
while1 then  breaking out afresh0       
7,carr74 ,indeed1 8the world of iniquity
 among our  members is the tongue10 8the
 tongue proves a very world of mischief 
among our members0 7,moffatt74 ,the     
tongue was made for good use and in     
itself is good1 but it has been         
prostituted to evil4 ,so here the very  
word for 8is0 7cf4 #d3d1 8maketh        
himself07 brings out this distinction4  
,the tongue 8is constituted0 so1 is not 
so by nature4 ,now we say that a  man's 
tongue has run away with him4 ,the      
tongue has made a career for  itself1   
8the world realm of iniquity10 8the     
unrighteous world0 7,hort74  ,it was    

made the best of members but has run    
riot till it has become the             
personification of injustice and all    
sorts of wrong4 ,the ,vulgate has it    
here universitas iniquitatis rather than
 mundus4 ,one thinks of our  use of     
8university10 a world in itself for good
 or ill4    ,jesus spoke of 8the mammon 
of unrighteousness10 8the judge of      
unrighteousness40 ,so the tongue        
represents the world of iniquity and has
  become 8the chief channel of          
temptation from man to man0 7,mayor74   
8,they  set their mouth against the     
heavens1 and their tongue walketh       
through  the earth0 7,psalm #gc3i1      
,,av74 ,this microcosm epitomizes the   
macrocosm of  evil4 ,bengel has it a    
macrocosmo ad microcosmum4 ,the evil    
wrought by  the tongue ramifies through 
the whole of society and goes on and on 
in  its deadly influence4    ,it        
8defiles the whole body10 8staining the 
whole of the body0  7,moffatt74#gi ,the 
,vulgate has maculat4 ,jesus had said1  

8,that which  proceedeth out of the     
mouth1 this defileth the man0 7,matt4   
#ae3aa74 ,at  first ,james seems to     
overstate the matter1 but modern science
 reinforces  his point4 ,it is now known
 that angry words cause the glands of   
the body  to discharge a dangerous      
poison that affects the stomach1 the    
heart1 the  brain4 ,the effect is       
usually temporary but sometimes fatal4  
,it is  literally true that such choler 
defiles the whole body4 ,hate has the   
same effect4 ,the chameleon changes     
color according to its emotions and     
environment4 ,the tongue not only       
commits evil by lying1 by defending     
sin1 and by leading to sin1 but it      
leaves a deadly stain in the very  body 
and soul of the one who misuses it4 8,it
 is the palmary instance of  the        
principle that the best when perverted  
becomes the worst--corruptio  optimi fit
 pessima0 7,plummer74    ,the tongue    
8setteth on fire the wheel of nature10  
8setting fire to the  round circle of   

existence0 7,moffatt71 8the whole circle
 of innate  passions0 7,oesterley71 8the
 wheel of man's creation0 7,hort1 who   
adds  8one of the hardest phrases in the
 ,bible071 8the wheel of birth0 like    
the ,orphic mysteries 7,p4 ,gardner71   
8sets the whole creation in flames0     
7,johnstone74 ,perhaps the idea is that 
the tongue at the center 7hub7 of  the  
wheel of nature sets on fire the rest of
 the wheel4 ,one sees just  this thing  
happen in a pyrotechnic display1 where a
 wheel is set on fire  in the center4   
,the more it burns the faster it        
revolves1 till the whole  wheel whirls  
in a blaze of fire1 spitting fire as it 
whirls4 ,certainly1  the tongue can set 
fire to all the baser passions in the   
wheel of life1  such as envy1 jealousy1 
faction1 anger1 avarice1 lust1 murder4  
,this fire  spreads1 not simply through 
the whole man1 but may infect 8various  
channels and classes till the whole     
cycle of human life is in flames0       
7,plummer74 ,its range of devastation   

frequently is wider than the life of    
the person who spoke4    ,it is not     
surprising that ,james adds1 8and is set
 on fire by hell10  8with a flame fed by
 hell0 7,moffatt71 inflammata a gehenna 
7,vulgate74  ,it is the devil1 the      
slanderer par excellence1 who sets on   
fire 8the  chariot-wheel of man as he   
advances on the way of life0 7,hort74   
,it is  first inflamed by hell 7place of
 the wicked1 not the unseen world for   
all7 and then inflames all the wheel of 
nature4 ,the torch is lighted in  hell1 
and the hellish flame kindles the       
tongue1 which in turn sets fire  to the 
whole nature4 ,thus the fire was started
 and is habitually  replenished 7the    
tense is imperfect74 ,the ,valley of    
,hinnom or ,tophet was  first just the  
type of the abode of the wicked1 and    
then the continual  fires kept burning  
there were transferred to the next      
world4 7,cf4 8the  fire of ,gehenna10   
,matt4 #e3bb47    ,but one must not     
forget that while the tongue can be set 

on fire of  hell1 it can also be touched
 by a live coal from ,god's altar4      
,isaiah  said1 8,woe is me6 for ,i am   
undone2 because ,i am a man of unclean  
lips1  and ,i dwell in the midst of a   
people of unclean lips3 for mine eyes   
have  seen the ,king1 ,jehovah of hosts4
 ,then flew one of the seraphim unto me1
  having a live coal in his hand1 which 
he had taken with the tongs from  off   
the altar3 and he touched my mouth with 
it1 and said1 ,lo1 this hath  touched   
thy lips2 and thine iniquity is taken   
away1 and thy sin  forgiven0 7#f3e-g74  
,let us gain comfort from the experience
 of ,isaiah in the contemplation  of the
 solemn warning of ,james4 ,one may note
 also that tongues as of  fire sat on   
the heads of those who were filled with 
the ,holy ,spirit on  the great day of  
,pentecost4 ,the tongue can be set on   
fire of heaven and  can pass on the holy
 fire of ,god from soul to soul1 thus   
lighting the  light of ,god in the human
 life4                           ,taming

 of ,wild ,beasts 7#c3g f47    ,james   
recurs to the beasts 7cf4 horse and     
bridle7 for a broader  discussion4 ,the 
tongue is unbridled all too often and is
 the most  unmanageable of wild animals4
 ,he had just said that the tongue is   
set on  fire of hell4 8,the fact that   
the tongue is the one thing that defies 
man's power to control it is a sign that
 there is something satanic in  its     
bitterness0 7,mayor74 ,he uses the      
language of ,oriental exaggeration  in  
giving further proof of his strong      
statement1 a justifiable  hyperbole3    
8,for every kind of beasts and birds1 of
 creeping things and  things in the sea1
 is tamed1 and hath been tamed by       
mankind40 8,the art  of taming is no new
 thing1 but has belonged to the human   
race from the  first0 7,mayor74    ,it  
is perhaps not strictly true that every 
conceivable animal has been  subjected  
by man1 but no one in the light of the  
past and the present  can say that any  
animal is untamable4 ,it is now a common

 enough thing to  see in a wild animal  
show performing tigers1 leopards1 lions1
 elephants1  monkeys1 dogs1 horses1     
parrots1 seals1 bears1 and even         
serpents4 ,it is  not merely that wild  
animals may be domesticated 7cf4 the    
wolf and the  dog71 like the zebra and  
the wild turkey 7,america's contribution
 to the  world's barnyard71 but they may
 be taught to do acts and tricks that   
show rudimentary reasoning powers4 ,the 
eye of man can subdue the lion1  the    
tiger1 and the serpent as ,jesus subdued
 the untamable demoniac 7,mark  #e3d71  
8and no man had strength to tame him40  
,man has proved his kingship  over the  
other creatures as ,god gave him        
dominion 7,gen4 #a3bf74 ,in many  cases 
animals have become so domesticated that
 they no longer feel at  home elsewhere4
    ,man is proud of his lordship over  
beast and bird and over the forces of   
nature like wind and wave and           
electricity4 ,man can swim like a fish1 
can  run like a deer1 and can now even  

fly like a bird in the airplane with    
its artificial wings4 ,he can talk      
without wires with unseen persons over  
thousands of miles4 ,he can speed over  
land and sea like the wind4 ,he can     
send a message around the earth with the
 swiftness of light4    ,but he cannot  
control his own tongue4 8,but the tongue
 can no man tame40  ,here is the        
language of helplessness1 as in the case
 of the demoniac in  ,mark #e3d4        
,strictly speaking1 of course1 the      
tongue is merely the organ  of speech1  
and speech is under the control of the  
mind4 ,by a bold figure  ,james almost  
personifies the tongue as a separate    
personality4 8,it  combines the ferocity
 of the tiger and the mockery of the ape
 with the  subtlety and venom of the    
serpent0 7,plummer74 ,it is thus the    
very  chimera of wild beasts6    ,this  
is the picture of the tongue in its     
natural state1 the tongue of  the       
unregenerate man4 ,the ,spirit of ,god  
can cleanse a man's mouth of  profanity 

and unclean speech4 8,keep thy tongue   
from evil1 and thy lips  from speaking  
guile0 7,psalm #cd3ac74 ,paul puts up   
the bars3 8,nor  filthiness1 nor foolish
 talking1 or jesting1 which are not     
befitting0  7,eph4 #e3d74 ,once more he 
says3 8,let no corrupt speech proceed   
out of  your mouth0 7#d3bi74 ,surely1 if
 one has such an untamable little animal
  in his mouth as the tongue1 he needs  
to watch it with ceaseless care4  ,the  
evil of the tongue echoes and re-echoes 
through a community and  often through  
the ages4 ,the evil slander can never be
 stopped4 ,the lie  is fleet of foot and
 eludes truth in a race4    8,it is a   
restless evil10 8plague of disorder that
 it is0 7,moffatt71 8a  disorderly evil0
 7,hort71 iniquitum malum 7,vulgate74   
,it is unstable and  unreliable1        
inconsistent and quixotic4 ,it can never
 be trusted to the  full4 ,it will turn 
on one when off guard1 like the lion    
when the keeper  turns his eye away4 ,it
 can be brought under no rules that will

 work4    8,it is full of deadly        
poison40 ,it is 8death-bringing0 poison 
like the  poison of asps under their    
lips 7,psalm #adj3c74 8,their poison is 
like the  poison of a serpent3 they are 
like the deaf adder that stoppeth her   
ear0  7,psalm #eh3d74 ,the poison of the
 serpent is deposited in a little pocket
  under the mouth4 ,so the tongue is    
charged with the venom of hate1 as the  
serpent with poison4 ,the hiss of the   
serpent and the hiss of the goose  are  
often reproduced in the sibilant tongue 
of slander4                             
,sweet and ,bitter ,water 7#c3i-aa7     
,the inconsistency of the conduct of the
 tongue is graphically portrayed  by    
these verses4 ,plummer happily terms it 
8the moral contradictions of  the       
reckless talker40 ,there is in very     
truth moral chaos if the  ,christian    
does not control his tongue4            
,inconsistency is not an evil per  se4  
,if one is wrong1 he ought to be        
inconsistent enough to change and do    

right4 ,but it is terrible to see a     
professing ,christian lightly lapse     
into loose and licentious language4     
8,the fires of ,pentecost will not  rest
 where the fires of ,gehenna are        
working0 7,plummer74    ,james had      
spoken 7#a3h7 of the double-minded man1 
unstable in all his  ways4 ,the tongue  
with the gift of double-entendre is one 
of the very  worst1 for its word passes 
muster in polite circles and yet carries
 to  the initiated a sinister or        
salacious meaning4 ,epictetus 7,ench4   
xxxiii1   #af7 says1 8,but dangerous    
also is the approach to indecent        
speaking40  ,but the double tongue talks
 one way with one person1 another with  
another2 it is the way of hypocrisy1 the
 slick tongue1 the oily tongue  of the  
two-faced man whose word cannot be      
depended upon1 whose word is  not so    
good as his bond4    ,sirach 7#e3ac7    
says3 8,honor and shame are in talk2 and
 the tongue of man  is his fall40 ,he   
also has this3 8,if thou blow the spark1

 it shall burn2  if thou spit upon it1  
it shall be quenched2 and both these    
come out of  thy mouth0 7#bh3ab74 ,it   
looks as if ,james had seen this passage
 from the  ,twelve ,patriarchs          
7,benjamin #f3e73 8,the good mind hath  
not two tongues1  of blessing and of    
cursing1 of contumely and of honour1 of 
sorrow and of  joy1 of quietness and of 
confusion1 of hypocrisy and of truth40  
,we may omit the inconsistency of       
8sorrow and of joy10 for that is the    
lot of all of us1 but certainly the     
tongue must not play the part of ,dr4   
,jekyll and ,mr4 ,hyde4 8,therewith     
bless we the ,lord and ,father10 the    
only  instance of this precise          
combination of words in the ,bible1     
expressing  ,god's power and loving     
approachableness 7cf4 ,matt4 #aa3be74   
,the highest  function of human speech  
7,hort7 is the praise of ,god the       
,father4 ,note  how when ,zacharias     
recovered his speech1 he first praised  
,god 7,luke  #a3fd74 ,it is glorious to 

praise ,god in prayer1 in song1 in      
sermon4 8,o  ,lord1 open thou my lips2  
and my mouth shall show forth thy       
praise0  7,psalm #ea3ae74 8,praise ye   
,jehovah4 ,praise ,jehovah1 ,o my soul4 
,while ,i  live will ,i praise ,jehovah3
 ,i will sing praises unto my ,god while
 ,i have  any being0 7,psalm #adf3a f474
    8,bless1 and curse not0 7,rom4      
#ab3ad74 ,curse not ,god in anger or in 
flippant profanity4 ,the tongue that    
praises ,god surely will not profane    
his name4 ,but curse not men who are    
made after the likeness of ,god1  those 
who are like ,god in their moral and    
spiritual nature and not like  the      
beasts of the field 7,gen4 #a3bf2 #b    
,cor4 #c3ah74 ,and yet1 horribile       
dictu1 this is precisely what we do4    
8,therewith curse we men40 ,james  here 
includes himself in the common run of   
humanity4    ,the tongue exercises this 
strange power of running away with us   
like a  runaway horse with the bit in   
his mouth4 ,the scorn of men for men is 

seen in ,john #g3di1 in the ,pharisees' 
sneer at the mob3 8,this multitude  that
 knoweth not the law are accursed40 ,it 
is most likely1 however1  personal abuse
 that ,james here refers to4 ,men who   
are made in ,god's  image are abused by 
the very tongue that blesses ,god4 ,we  
curse other  children of our common     
,father1 ,god4 ,james does not mean1    
even by  implication1 to approve cursing
 at all4 ,it is the wicked man whose    
8mouth is full of cursing0 7,psalm      
#aj3g74 ,if we do not love our brother1 
we do not love ,god 7#a ,john #d3bj74   
,and yet 8out of the same mouth cometh  
forth blessing and cursing40 ,we make   
our tongue a sort of combination of     
,mount ,ebal and ,mount ,gerizim4 8,my  
brethren1 these things ought not so to  
be0--a mild statement all the more      
effective from its very temperateness4  
,the point is easy to illustrate4 8,doth
 the fountain send forth from the  same 
opening sweet water and bitter80 ,james 
was familiar with the  brackish waters  

of parts of ,palestine4 ,the water of   
the ,dead ,sea is  really bitter1 though
 fed by the snows of ,hermon and the    
sweet springs  of the ,jordan valley4   
,the waters of ,marah were bitter 7,ex4 
#ae3bc71 and  one may recall 8the water 
of bitterness that causeth the curse0   
7,num4  #e3ah1 #bc74 ,see also          
,revelation #h3aa for the waters that   
were made  bitter4 ,pliny 7,n4 ,h4 ii4  
#ajc7 tells a fable of a fountain of the
 sun  that 8was sweet and cold at noon  
and bitter and hot at midnight0         
7,mayor74 ,it is possible to sweeten    
water1 as we see in the great  filtering
 plants in our modern cities4 ,and sweet
 water can become  bitter4 ,but water is
 not sweet and bitter at the same time  
from the same  fountain4 ,you have sweet
 water on ,hermon and salt water in the 
,dead ,sea  7also called the ,salt      
,sea71 but not both in the same place4  
,the ,vine and the ,fig ,tree 7#c3ab7   
,james has not only a new image here but
 also a new point of view 7,hort74  ,he 

has1 in verses #i-aa1 shown the         
inconsistency of two kinds of speech    
from the same tongue4 ,now he goes      
deeper to the heart behind the          
utterance4 ,the comparison is here made 
between the heart and its  utterance    
7tongue74 ,the grape and the fig are the
 commonest fruits in  ,palestine4 8,each
 tree is known by its own fruit0 7,luke 
#f3dd74 ,yes1 and  ,jesus had just said 
7#f3dc73 8,for there is no good tree    
that bringeth  forth corrupt fruit2 nor 
again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth
 good  fruit40 ,it is not uncommon to   
find the point made somewhat as ,james  
has  it4 ,so ,epictetus 7,diss4 ii4 #bj7
 says3 8,how can a vine grow1 not       
vinewise1 but olivewise1 or an olive1 on
 the other hand1 not olivewise1  but    
vinewise80#hj ,and ,jesus says3 8,either
 make the tree good1 and its  fruit     
good2 or make the tree corrupt1 and its 
fruit corrupt0 7,matt4  #ab3cc74 ,once  
more hear ,jesus3 8,do men gather grapes
 of thorns1 or figs  of thistles80      

7,matt4 #g3af74 ,it is the appeal to    
life4    ,it has been charged that      
,james exaggerates the evil of the      
tongue1 but  one who knows life as it is
 must agree with ,james4 ,sirach says1  
8,curse  the whisperer and the          
double-tongued1 for such have destroyed 
many that  were at peace0 7#bh3ac74     
,plummer quotes also a clause from the  
,syriac  that is not in the ,greek3     
8,also the third tongue1 let it be      
cursed2 for  it has laid low many       
corpses40 ,sirach 7#bh3ad f47 continues3
 8,a third or  backbiting tongue hath   
unsettled many1 and driven them from    
nation to  nation2 and strong cities    
hath pulled down1 and overthrown houses 
of  great men4 ,a backbiting tongue hath
 cast out capable women1 and deprived   
them of their labors40 ,the 8third      
tongue0 injures three classes           
7,plummer73 the person who utters the   
slander1 the one who listens1 and  the  
one of whom the slander is told4 ,it is 
a triple sin and only sin4  8,neither   

can salt water yield sweet10 ,james     
adds1 and his conclusion  falls with the
 force of a trip hammer4 ,the crisp     
wisdom of ,james about  the tongue makes
 one wonder afresh if his mother had not
 taught him some  of these aphorisms as 
a child4                                
,,ix                             ,the   
,true ,wise ,man      ,the connection   
between the paragraph about wisdom      
7#c3ac-ah7 and the  preceding discussion
 of the perils of the tongue is very    
close4 ,james is  still thinking of the 
men who supposed that they had true     
faith but who  did not practice it2 8men
 who supposed that they had a deeper    
wisdom and  a larger knowledge than     
their brethren1 and who were continually
  asserting their claim to be teachers0 
7,dale74 ,but ,hort considers the       
passage on the tongue a 8long           
digression10 a view hardly tenable4     
,these  ambitious teachers had          
overlooked the havoc wrought by tongue  
7and pen74    ,james has given a needed 

warning about that phase of the subject 
and now  turns to the subject matter    
itself4 ,the ambitious teacher will do  
all  the more harm if he is not merely a
 bungler of real wisdom but a           
disseminator of false wisdom4 ,already  
the air was full of all sorts of  fads  
and fancies that appealed to the        
unthinking and the unwary4 ,the         
,essenes1 the ,pharisees1 the           
,sadducees1 the ,epicureans1 the        
,stoics1 the  ,mithraists1 the          
,gnostics1 the ,judaizers1 the cult of  
emperor worship1  with more or less     
distinctness were clamoring for a       
hearing4 ,there were  professional      
sophists who traveled over the country  
with patent  solutions of all problems4 
,some appealed to the nervous or the    
neurotic1  like ,christian ,science     
today2 others to the ignorant1 like     
,russellism or  ,mormonism4 ,paul will  
later discuss both speech and wisdom 8as
 good  things liable to grievous abuse0 
7,hort71 in #a ,corinthians #a3e1 #ag2  

#b2  and #c4                            
,the ,call for the ,wise ,man 7#c3ac;a7 
8,who is wise and understanding among   
you80 ,the question does not mean  that 
nobody is wise and understanding1 but it
 calls a halt on the rush  of volunteers
 who have apparently a superfluity of   
wisdom4 ,an overplus  of conceit is     
intolerable for normal persons4 ,job    
7#ab3b7 has our  sympathy when he       
retorts to his officious advisers3 8,no 
doubt but ye are  the people1 and wisdom
 shall die with you40 ,once more ,job   
7#bh3ab7 asks3  8,but where shall wisdom
 be found8 and where is the place of    
understanding80 ,here1 as very often in 
the ,old ,testament1 we have wisdom  and
 understanding used together4 ,god gave 
,solomon wisdom and  understanding 7#a  
,kings #d3bi74 8,wisdom is the principal
 thing2 therefore  get wisdom2 444 get  
understanding0 7,prov4 #d3g74 ,in ,psalm
 #ajg3dc we have  the question3 8,who is
 wise80 ,james is thoroughly acquainted 
with the  wisdom literature of the      

,jews1 both canonical and uncanonical1  
and is at  home in the handling of this 
theme4 ,his words are not many1 but they
  carry much of depth and power4        
,many of the professional wise men1 then
 as now1 were frauds who easily  duped  
the gullible populace4 ,they were       
magicians like ,simon ,magus1 who  gave 
it out that he was some great man1 and  
the idle crowd took him at  his high    
estimate of himself 7,acts #h3i ff474   
,note also the cases of  ,bar-,jesus    
7,acts #ac3f ff47 and the ,jewish       
exorcists 7#ai3ac ff474 ,the  success of
 these men is one of the most           
humiliating contemplations about  our   
common humanity4 ,carlyle bluntly called
 most people fools4 ,but there  were    
really wise men then also1 like the     
,magi and others1 who sought  light and 
truth4 ,oesterley thinks that ,james by 
this question appeals to  the           
self-respect of his hearers1 who are    
tired of men with 8the lust of  teaching
 and talking0 7,plummer74 ,james is     

still directing blows at sham  religion1
 and there is ample cause for such      
attacks in all the ages4  ,hypocrisy    
flourishes in all ages and in all       
climes4 ,this meanest of  parasites has 
a marvelous vitality4    ,the           
combination of 8wise0 and               
8understanding0 is not without point    
7cf4  ,deut4 #d3f2 ,isa4 #e3ba74 ,this  
is the only instance of the combination 
in  the ,new ,testament4 ,in classic    
,greek the second word was used of a    
skilled or scientific person who had    
gained technical knowledge of a         
subject4 ,it implies personal           
acquaintance and experience1 not mere   
abstract knowledge or intellectual      
apprehension of the theory of a  thing4 
,it is book learning plus practical     
application1 as opposed to one  without 
this special training4 ,then the word   
for wise is given by  ,clement of       
,alexandria 7,strom4 ,i4 v47 to mean    
8the understanding of  things human and 
divine1 and their causes40 ,it is the   

word found in the  term 8philosophy0 and
 implies thoughtfulness1 penetration1   
grasp of the  relations of things1 and  
the right use of one's knowledge for the
  highest ends4 ,there are learned      
fools1 men who have a lumber of learning
  in their heads but in a disorderly    
jumble4 ,in the use of ,james the only  
really wise man is he who places ,god in
 the center of his life1 who  serves    
,christ as ,lord and ,master1 who keeps 
the intellect in subjection  to the will
 of ,god4    ,there are plenty of       
ignorant fools also1 men who have       
neither  intellectual apprehension nor  
practical wisdom4 ,it is hard to tell   
which  is the sadder spectacle1 the     
learned fool or the ignorant fool4 ,but1
  certainly1 a premium is not to be     
placed upon either class4 ,both classes 
of fools are to be kept out of the ranks
 of teachers and preachers if it  can be
 done4 ,advice on all sorts of subjects 
is so plentiful that there  seems to be 
an abundance of easygoing wisdom4 ,but  

the world is still  eager to listen to  
the true wise man if he can be found    
7cf4 ,van ,dyke's  ,other ,wise ,man74  
,but the very reputation for wisdom may 
lead to posing  as a wise man4 ,james   
dares to challenge the candidates for   
teachers of  wisdom in the churches4 ,is
 it not possible that not enough care is
 taken  in the choice of teachers in the
 churches and the ordination of         
preachers of the gospel8                
,the ,proof of the ,wise ,man 7#c3ac;b7 
,wisdom is not a matter for mere        
technical inquiry4 ,one has to stand an 
examination on wisdom2 but it is that of
 life1 unwritten and  written--that of  
deeds1 not of words4 8,let him show by  
his good life his  works in meekness of 
wisdom40 ,this test of the wise man is  
put in a  peculiarly ,jacobean style4   
,the very position of the word 8show0 is
  emphatic2 it is the first word in the 
sentence4 ,if one may use the           
vernacular1 we are all 8from ,missouri0 
and 8have to be shown0 when it  comes to

 each other's wisdom4 ,the test is the  
acid test of deeds1 not  words4 ,we may 
quibble over words and talk like a wise 
man1 but time will  prove our words by  
our deeds4    ,one may speak like a wise
 man and in reality be the biggest sort 
of a  fool1 yea1 a scoundrel4 ,people   
have learned to discount mere talk when 
it stands alone4 ,just being a preacher 
is not enough4 ,one must practice  what 
he preaches4 ,the ,roman ,catholic      
doctrine relieves the priest from  the  
obligation to live the morality which he
 preaches1 but surely that  is a        
travesty on the ethics of ,christianity4
 ,it is false ethics and  false         
religion4 ,people have a right to hold  
the preacher to the standard  of the    
gospel1 just as he has the right to urge
 upon them the highest  ideals of       
conduct4 ,there is a wonderful leveling 
process going on all  the time4 ,lincoln
 said with rare wisdom that a man may   
fool all the  people part of the time   
and some of the people all the time1 but

 not all  the people all the time4      
,the greatest asset that the preacher   
has1 after all1 is his life1 a long     
life of piety and consecration4 ,there  
is no answering that argument--8by  his 
good life his works40 ,this is the only 
proof that counts in the long  run4 ,the
 ,king ,james ,version has here 8good   
conversation10 which was at  one time   
good ,english 7conversatio1 conversari71
 originally one's  conduct or bearing   
7turning oneself about1 the precise idea
 in the ,greek  word74 ,but long ago the
 ,english confined the word to talk1    
perhaps  because some people did little 
else but talk4 ,but quaint ,english must
  give way to the modern preciseness of 
speech4    ,it is the beautiful manner  
of life that speaks the language of     
business  today1 the flower of a white  
life that adorns the profession of the  
service of ,christ4 ,but even so1 it    
must be behavior that is sincere1  that 
finds expression in acts1 not mere      
external mannerisms1 posing1            

attitudinizing1 stage effect4 ,nothing  
is more repulsive than  professional    
pietists who attract attention to       
themselves rather than to  ,christ the  
,lord4 ,it is a case pre-eminently where
 actions speak louder  than words and   
where words alone do more harm than     
good4 ,bengel puts it  tersely3 re      
potius quam verbis4 ,in simple truth1   
the more a man says  in claim of        
superior wisdom1 the less he is credited
 with the possession  of any wisdom4    
,but it is not merely a case of deeds   
versus words but also of  8gentleness   
and modesty versus arrogance and        
passion0 7,mayor71 8in  meekness of     
wisdom10 8with the modesty of wisdom0   
7,moffatt74 ,meekness  was not ranked   
high among the ,greeks4 ,aristotle      
7,eth4 ,nic4 ,,iv4 v7  considered it a  
second-rate virtue1 8the mean between   
passionateness and  impassionateness0   
7,plummer74 ,epictetus 7bk4 ,,ii1 chap1 
i1  #cf7 says3  8,but think that thou   
art nobody and that thou knowest        

nothing40    ,the ,christian conception 
rests upon the idea in the ,psalms that 
meekness  is a favorite trait of the    
devout4 8,the meek will he guide in     
justice2  and the meek will he teach his
 way0 7#be3i74 8,jehovah upholdeth the  
meek0  7#adg3f74 ,in ,sirach 7#c3ah7 we 
read3 8,the greater you are1 the more   
you  humble yourself40 ,but there is no 
word comparable to that of ,jesus1 who  
said of himself1 8,i am meek and lowly  
in heart0 7,matt4 #aa3bi71 in his  plea 
for men to come to him as teacher4 ,it  
is an essential prerequisite  in the    
teacher1 else he is unapproachable and  
is aloof and cold4 ,jesus  pronounced a 
,beatitude on the meek 7,matt4 #e3e71   
but he did more--he  exemplified        
meekness in his life4    ,by meekness   
,james does not mean effeminacy or      
weakness 7any more than  did ,jesus74   
,he does mean the absence of            
pretentiousness and wilfulness4  ,peter 
7#a ,peter #c3ae7 uses the expression   
8with meekness and fear0 for  the spirit

 with which one is to defend the faith1 
the 8reason concerning  the hope that is
 in you40 ,there can be firmness and    
courage without  bumptiousness and      
bigotry4 ,there are frequent            
exhortations in the ,new  ,testament    
along this line 7cf4 ,gal4 #f3a2 #b     
,tim4 #b3bd2 #a ,cor4 #d3ba74 ,the  wise
 man wears the crown of modesty4 ,this  
spiritual paradox seems absurd  to the  
merely worldly-wise4                    
,the ,disproof of the ,wise ,man 7#c3ad7
    8,the possession of wisdom was made 
a claim to teachership0 7,hort74 ,so    
the absence of wisdom is a positive     
disqualification4 ,one may1 no doubt1   
possess wisdom and yet not be able to   
teach4 ,but the lack of wisdom is       
itself a sufficient bar4 ,the wrong     
spirit shows the lack of wisdom4 8,but  
if ye have bitter jealousy and faction  
in your heart10 what then8 ,there  were 
many controversialists who had both of  
these vices4    ,jealousy is not evil   
per se4 ,it wavers between the good and 

evil sense  and in itself is merely     
zeal1 which may be for good or ill4     
7,for the  good use see #b ,cor4 #aa3b2 
,gal4 #a3ad47 ,sometimes this zeal was  
not  according to knowledge 7,rom4      
#aj3b74 ,envy is distinguished from zeal
  7emulation7 by ,aristotle 7,rhet4 ii4 
#aa4 #a74 ,but in the ,new ,testament   
the  bad sense of this word prevails    
7,james #d3e2 #a ,cor4 #c3c2 ,gal4      
#e3bj2 ,rom4  #ac3ac71 and it is listed 
with the works of the flesh4 ,the       
bitterness of  jealousy is only too well
 understood by those who give way to    
this petty  vice4 ,it tastes bitter1 and
 the taste lasts a long time4           
,bitterness is  itself punishment enough
 for the victims of the sin 7,eph4      
#d3ca74    ,the other word1 8faction0 or
 8party spirit10 has an uncertain       
etymology1  probably from the word for  
hireling4 ,at any rate1 the word is soon
  applied to partisans who court and    
bribe adherents to their candidate4  ,it
 presents the very quintessence of      

partisanship and of  narrow-mindedness4 
,this is not a mark of wisdom and is not
 a thing to  boast of1 at any rate4     
8,glory not0 about it1 8do not pride    
yourselves on  that0 7,moffatt74 ,and   
yet this is precisely what many of the  
,jewish  ,christians were doing already4
 ,thus they lied against the truth1 were
  8false to the truth10 as ,moffatt has 
it4 ,such partisan triumph is  usually  
obtained by underhand methods and by the
 suppression of part of  the truth4     
,there is such a thing as 8poisoned     
truth40 ,so partisan  victory often     
leaves a bitter sting1 because those in 
defeat know that  an unfair advantage   
has been taken of them and of the truth 
of ,god4    ,it is clear that these     
opening chapters in the ,epistle of     
,james reveal a  pitiful condition of   
controversy among some of the ,jewish   
churches1 such  as ,paul has to rebuke  
in ,corinth later 7cf4 #a ,cor4 #a-d74  
8,the whole  ,christianity of many a    
devotee consists only1 we may say1 in a 

bitter  contempt for the sins of        
sinners1 in a proud and loveless        
contention  with what it calls the      
wicked world0 7,stier74    ,the point of
 ,james is precisely this4 ,the very    
contentiousness which  they regarded as 
supreme proof of their qualifications as
 exponents of  the faith is here urged  
by ,james as absolute proof that they   
are  disqualified for the position of   
teachers4 ,their bitterness makes it    
improper for them to talk about love and
 gentleness4 ,sometimes the very        
fierceness of one's contention for      
orthodoxy drives some people into       
heresy4 ,it is a sad outcome when one's 
high and holy ambition to teach  the    
things of ,christ is frustrated by a    
,christless spirit of wrangling  and    
personal abuse4                         
,the ,wisdom from ,below 7#c3ae f47     
,wisdom is precisely what we all need   
and desire1 but the bitter  self-seeking
 partisans just described 8do not       
cherish the truth except  as a          

possession of their own1 or a missile of
 their own0 7,hort74 8,this  wisdom10   
claimed by the pompous bigots in verse  
#ad1 can only be so  described in terms 
of courtesy or1 more exactly1 of irony4 
,it is only  wisdom so-called and is    
real folly4 ,it is at best worldly      
wisdom1  8earthly10 not merely in the   
sense of taking place on earth rather   
than  in heaven 7,john #c3ab7 but with  
the earthly horizon and outlook as      
opposed to the heavenly1 like those who 
mind earthly things 7,phil4  #c3ai74    
,such a wisdom passes for 8the wisdom of
 this world0 7#a ,cor4 #a3bj2  #c3ai7   
but is distinctly not 8,god's wisdom10  
8a wisdom not of this world0  7#a ,cor4 
#b3f f474    8,this wisdom0 is not      
merely earthly but does not come down   
from above1  more exactly1 8is not of a 
kind that cometh down0 7,hort7--not such
 a  wisdom1 indeed1 as ,god gives       
7,james #a3e74 ,it has the smell of     
earth in  the evil sense of that term4  
,it is not from above but in reality    

from  below4 ,jesus said to the         
,pharisees3 8,ye are from beneath2 ,i am
 from  above3 ye are of this world2 ,i  
am not of this world0 7,john #h3bc74    
,the  antithesis is complete both in    
origin and spirit4 ,the axioms of the   
selfish1 like 8look out for ,number     
,one10 are the wisdom of the devil3     
8,all that a man hath will he give for  
his life0 7,job #b3d74    ,this selfish 
wisdom is merely that of the natural    
man1 not a mark of the  regenerate      
spirit4 ,there is no single ,english    
word that properly renders  this word4  
8,psychic0 transliterates it but does   
not translate it4  8,sensual0 makes it  
too much a matter of the body1 as does  
8fleshly10  like the ,vulgate animalis4 
,it does not appear in the ,septuagint  
and  only six times in the ,new         
,testament 7,james #c3ae2 ,jude #ai2 #a 
,cor4 #b3ad2  #ae3dd1 #df74 ,the broad  
distinction between soul and body or    
mind and body  7dichotomy7 is not so    
hard to grasp1 but the threefold        

division  7trichotomy7 into spirit1     
soul1 and body1 as in #a ,thessalonians 
#e3bc1  seems to place the psyche below 
the pneuma4#ha    ,it seems clear from  
#a ,corinthians #b3ad that the spiritual
 man is the  regenerate man1 while the  
natural man is the unregenerate man in  
his  unsaved state of sin4 ,so here1    
therefore1 this earthly wisdom is that  
of  the unregenerate man2 it is not     
sanctified wisdom4 ,he may not be       
carnal1  the slave of the animal        
passions1 but merely coldly unspiritual4
 ,such a  wisdom does not reach the     
higher levels of the man's nature4      
,but it is still worse4 ,such a wisdom  
is demoniacal1 devilish  7diabolica1    
,vulgate71 8in that it raised up the    
very devil in the  hearts of both       
opposer and opposed0 7,oesterley74 ,it  
is wisdom such as  that which demons    
have 7,bengel71 not such as ,god gives  
7#a3e74 ,it is the  wisdom of those who 
do the will of the flesh 7,eph4 #b3b    
f471 who follow  the teaching of demons 

7#a ,tim4 #d3a74 ,one is reminded of the
 words of  ,jesus in ,john #h3dd3 8,ye  
are of your father the devil40 8,thus   
the wisdom  shared by demons answers to 
the faith shared by demons of #b3ai0    
7,hort71  the tongue set on fire by hell
 7#c3f74    ,it is indeed a keen        
knowledge of human nature that ,james   
here reveals1  but it is a sad          
indictment all the same4 ,it reads like 
nature in the  rough1 red in tooth and  
claw1 the law of the jungle1 not the law
 of  grace4 ,it is ,nietzsche's         
superman1 not the love that serves1 that
 came  to minister and not to be        
ministered unto4 ,the might of right is 
not  understood by those who hold that  
might is right4 ,there is a new         
paganism today in ,berlin1 in ,paris1 in
 ,london1 in ,new ,york4 ,it is very    
subtle and very scornful of the pity of 
,jesus4    ,red blood is a good thing1  
to be sure1 so be it that it courses    
through  a clean heart4 ,the survival of
 the fittest is the law of nature1 but  

fittest for what8 ,the law of the wolves
 is to turn and devour the wolf  that   
falls in the chase4 ,the philosophy of  
,nietzsche is a bit more  brutal in its 
plainness of speech than the wisdom of  
the world usually  puts it4 ,but even   
so1 its demoniacal character stands out 
more sharply4  8,i want2 therefore1 ,i  
have the right to get40 ,this is the    
policy of  aggression on the part of    
nations and individuals1 of rogues and  
rapists1 of grafters and white-slavers1 
of bank-looters and oppressors  of      
labor4    ,the further comment of ,james
 elucidates his point3 8,for where      
jealousy  and faction are 7v4 #ad71     
there is confusion and every vile deed40
  ,jealousy and faction come from the   
devil4 ,he sows suspicion in the        
churches1 in the midst of families1 in  
the hearts of those who let him  in4    
,james had already 7#c3h7 accused the   
tongue of being a restless evil  and    
7#a3h7 had spoken of the unstable man4  
,god is not the ,god of  confusion but  

of peace 7#a ,cor4 #ad3cc71 so that the 
factions in the  churches cannot claim  
,god as supporting them1 any more than  
nations at  war have the right to make  
flippant claims that ,god is on their   
side in  a conflict4    ,oesterley has a
 fine description of the spirit of the  
professional  controversialist3 8,acute 
argument1 subtle distinctions1 clever   
controversial methods which took small  
account of truth so long as a  temporary
 point was gained1 skilful dialectics1  
bitter sarcasms1 the  more enjoyed and  
triumphed in if the poisonous shaft came
 home and  rankled in the breast of the 
opponent--in short1 all those tricks of 
the  unscrupulous controversialist1     
which are none the less contemptible for
  being clever--this was wisdom of a    
certain kind40 ,but in reality it left  
the way open for 8every vile deed10 for 
the word here for 8vile0 means          
worthless1 not immoral4    ,in the realm
 of morals what is merely indifferent   
soon gets to be bad4  ,the ,vulgate puts

 it omne opus pravum4 ,so in ,john #c3bj
 we read3 8,for  every one that doeth   
evil hateth the light40 ,bugs and bats  
hate the  light4 ,there is a toboggan   
slide in sin4 ,the easy way is the evil 
way4  ,see per contra ,james #a3ag4     
,anarchy brings moral chaos 7,plummer7  
to the  soul as to nations4 ,the        
wiseacres of the world play havoc with  
the souls  and bodies of men who follow 
their lead to hell4 ,in every town there
 is  a bunch of men who cling together  
in their evil life and profess a  wisdom
 superior to that of the gospel4 ,they  
know it is a lie1 but they  comfort each
 other and are too proud to break away  
from the gang4 ,but  the end will come4 
,there are no happy old men save those  
that are  ,christians4                  
,the ,wisdom from ,above 7#c3ag7        
,there is wisdom from above1 that is1   
from ,god1 as ,james had already said   
7#a3e74 ,this is the true wisdom1 ,god's
 wisdom both in source and  character4  
,james had not1 of course1 seen ,paul's 

remarks on wisdom in #a  ,corinthians #a
 and #b1 if he wrote his epistle by     
,a4,d4 #ej4 ,but he had full            
opportunity to be familiar with         
,proverbs1 the ,wisdom of ,jesus the    
,son of  ,sirach1 and the ,wisdom of    
,solomon4 8,for the ,lord giveth wisdom3
 out of  his mouth cometh knowledge and 
understanding0 7,prov4 #b3f1 ,,av74     
8,wisdom  may praise herself1 and glory 
in the midst of her people0 7,sir4      
#bd3a74  8,for wisdom is more mobile    
than any motion2 and she also passeth   
and  goeth through all things by reason 
of her pureness4 ,for she is a breath   
of the power of ,god1 and a pure        
effluence from the glory of the         
,almighty2 therefore no defiled thing   
falls into her4 ,for she is a           
reflection of the everlasting light1 and
 an unspotted mirror of the  efficiency 
of ,god1 and image of his goodness0     
7,wisd4 #g3bd-bf74    ,once more3 8,for 
she is more beautiful than the sun1 and 
above every  position of stars1 being   

compared with the light1 she is found   
superior0  7,wisd4 #g3bi74 ,but while   
,james is undoubtedly conversant with   
the wisdom  literature of the ,jews1 he 
is no mere copyist4 ,he has the         
,christian  standpoint and makes his own
 contribution to the discussion of      
wisdom4  ,his words are few1 but they   
fit and strike right to the heart of the
  subject4    ,it is 8first pure40      
,purity is the inner characteristic of  
the wise4 ,it  is pretty nearly like the
 ,latin purus 7pure7 and means not so   
much  cleansed 7cf4 ,matt4 #e3h1 8the   
pure in heart07 as a combination of this
  idea and consecration as holiness4 ,it
 is thus free from stain or  defilement 
of any kind 7not merely sexual purity71 
like a ray of light1  8in holiness and  
sincerity of ,god0 7#b ,cor4 #a3ab74    
,christ himself is  called pure 7#a     
,john #c3c71 the ideal toward which we  
are to strive4 ,we  must learn to put   
first things first4 ,in wisdom purity of
 character and  motive is absolutely    

essential at any cost4    8,then        
peaceable40 ,important as peace is1     
purity is paramount4  ,peaceableness is1
 to be sure1 the outer characteristic of
 wisdom1 and if  one has the bright     
light of inner wisdom1 he will have it4 
,but wisdom  does not desire peace at   
any price or at the cost of purity4     
8,all her  paths are peace0 7,prov4     
#c3ag71 and the chastening of ,god's    
hand yields  8peaceable fruit unto them 
that have been exercised thereby0 7,heb4
  #ab3aa74 ,plummer wisely notes that   
the order of ,james here is logical and 
not always strictly chronological4      
,one is not to compromise with evil and 
error1 but all the same1 if one  is to  
have no peace till he has absolute      
purity of every sort in his             
environment1 he must needs be always at 
war and never rest at all4 ,an  equation
 of common sense must1 of course1 be    
struck1 though there is the  constant   
temptation to get used to unpleasant    
surroundings and finally  to make no    

protest at all4 ,plummer likewise       
observes that ,james places  the        
emphasis on the spiritual and moral1 not
 on the intellectual1 just  the opposite
 of modern ideals of culture and        
education4 ,there is nothing  in the    
position of ,james to justify the       
,spanish ,inquisition1 for  instance4   
,the persecutor has often consoled      
himself with the thought  that he is    
doing his victim's soul a real service  
by rescuing him from  his error4        
,certainly1 if one is pure1 it is easier
 for him to be peaceable1  provided he  
also loves4 8,if it be possible1 as much
 as in you lieth1 be  at peace with all 
men0 7,rom4 #ab3ah74 ,there is a great  
deal in the ,new  ,testament on the     
subject of peace4 ,it is true that      
,jesus said1 8,i came  not to bring     
peace1 but a sword0 7,matt4 #aj3cd71    
when men are wedded to  sin and can only
 be shaken loose by the sword of truth4 
,but there are  those who let the peace 
of ,god rule in their hearts as umpire  

7,col4  #c3ae74 ,we are to pursue the   
things of peace 7,rom4 #ad3ai7 as men of
 peace  but not to be afraid to stand up
 for truth and righteousness 7purity71  
even if we have to fight4    ,then      
8gentle10 8forbearing0 7,hort74 ,the    
word is used by ,thucydides  7viii4 #ic7
 of men who will listen to reason1 and  
7i4 #gf7 of moderation1  like the ,latin
 clementia4 ,originally the word meant  
what was fitting1  fair1 reasonable1 but
 it was also associated with the idea of
 yielding1  8implying one who does not  
stand on his rights1 but is ready to    
give way  to the wishes of others0      
7,mayor74 ,matthew ,arnold gathered the 
idea into  his phrase 8sweet            
reasonableness40 ,aristotle 7vi4 #aa7   
uses it of the  forgiving man1 one who  
does not stand on strict justice but who
 listens  to merciful consideration4    
,certainly gentleness is the true mark  
of the  gentleman who does not stickle  
over little points1 who1 in a word1 is  
considerate4    ,the ,christian wisdom1 

therefore1 does not like to give pain4  
,paul makes  an appeal 8by the meekness 
and gentleness of ,christ0 7#b ,cor4    
#aj3a74 ,see  also ,acts #bd3d2 #a      
,timothy #c3c2 ,titus #c3b2 #a ,peter   
#b3ah 7gentle masters72  and in         
particular1 ,philippians #d3e3 8,let    
your forbearance be known unto  all     
men40 ,it means the very essence of     
fairness as opposed to  unreasonableness
 7,ps4 ,sol4 #e3ad74 ,compare ,paul's   
panegyric on love 7#a  ,cor4 #ac74      
,it is also 8easy to be entreated10     
8conciliatory0 7,moffatt74 ,the word is 
a common one for military discipline 7#d
 ,macc4 #h3f2 ,jos4 ,war ii4 #bj1g71    
though it does not occur elsewhere in   
the ,new ,testament4 ,as 8gentle0       
refers usually to one in a superior     
position1 so this word is used  mainly  
of one in an inferior rank 7,mayor74    
,the good soldier is the one  who has   
learned how to execute orders4 ,philo   
employs it as the opposite  of the      
disobedient4 ,it is tractabilis1 not    

morosa4 ,the ,vulgate has  suadibilis4  
,it is a word in common use about       
children1 pupils1 all who  obey laws4   
,if preachers were always gentle1       
perhaps the church members  would be    
more docile and teachable4 ,this wisdom 
from above is suaviter  in modo1        
fortiter in re4    ,it is also 8full of 
mercy and good fruits40 ,this is just   
the reverse of  the party feeling       
already condemned4 ,mercy is the active 
principle of  compassionate love4 ,one  
may note already #a3h1 #bg2 #b3ac in    
contrast with  #b3ae4 ,this wisdom bears
 good 78wholesome10 ,moffatt7 fruits1   
not mere  leaves 7empty boasting74 ,the 
plural 7fruits7 shows that there is     
variety  and abundance for all4 ,it is  
not satisfied with abstract virtue but  
wishes to bless others4    ,this wisdom 
is likewise 8without variance10         
8unambiguous0 7,moffatt74 ,the  word    
occurs nowhere else in the ,new         
,testament and has puzzled  translators 
a great deal4 ,it is rendered 8without  

wrangling10 8without  judging10 8without
 partiality10 8without distinctions10   
8undoubted10  8without feigning10       
8without doubtfulness10 8undecided10    
8unhesitating10  8unwavering10          
8single-minded40 ,the ,vulgate has non  
judicans4    ,something can be said for 
all these renderings4 ,the context must 
decide4#hb ,if one considers the use of 
the verb in ,james #a3f and #b3d1       
probably the idea of decision is the    
true one here4 ,it is wholehearted      
conviction1 positiveness in adherence to
 the truth1 single-minded  devotion     
rather than the wavering indecision of  
false wisdom4 ,it is  ,principal        
,forsyth's idea of 8,positive           
,preaching0 for the modern mind4    ,it 
is finally 8without hypocrisy10#hc      
8straightforward0 7,moffatt74 ,here     
there is no ambiguity as to the import  
of the word4 ,it is not the             
hypocritical wisdom of earth1 the       
spurious invitation1 but the genuine    
article4 ,it is sincere1 8without show  

or pretence0 7,mayor74 ,the word is     
used of love 7,rom4 #ab3i2 #b ,cor4     
#f3f71 of faith 7#a ,tim4 #a3e71 of     
brotherly love 7#a ,peter #a3bb74 ,the  
idea here concerns our relations with   
men as the preceding adjective outlined 
our attitude toward ,god 7,hort74  ,this
 wisdom has the ring of pure gold and   
passes at par value with all  men4      
,surely such wisdom as this will always 
be in demand by modern men  who love    
reality and hate pretense4              
,the ,harvest of ,righteousness 7#c3ah7 
,in this verse ,james gathers up the sum
 and substance of all that he has  had  
to say so far4 ,he has just spoken of   
peace and of good fruits4 ,he  has been 
insisting on righteous deeds and not    
mere words1 upon a live  faith1 not a   
dead creed4 8,and the fruit of          
righteousness is sown in  peace for them
 that make peace40 8,and the peacemakers
 who sow in peace  reap righteousness0  
7,moffatt74 ,the fruit is righteousness 
7genitive of  apposition74 ,the figure  

of sowing is common enough4 ,it is the  
slow  process of soil1 seed1 plant1     
blossom1 fruit1 harvest4    ,this is the
 life of piety 7wisdom7 that ,james lays
 before his readers4  ,the phraseology  
occurs elsewhere 7,psalm #a3c74 ,thus   
,proverbs #aa3cj3 8,the  fruit of the   
righteous is a tree of life40 ,so in    
,amos #f3ab we have  8fruit of          
righteousness40 ,in the ,new ,testament 
note ,philippians #a3aa1  8filled with  
the fruits of righteousness10 and       
,hebrews #ab3aa1 8peaceable  fruit40    
,there is a difficulty here in the fact 
that the fruit instead of  the seed is  
sown4 ,but such a prolepsis of thought  
is not unknown1 as in  ,psalm #ig3aa3   
8,light is sown for the righteous40 ,the
 sower sows in peace1  and the harvest  
of righteousness is gathered in peace4  
,the peacemaker  has the rainbow promise
 of his harvest in due time if he does  
not faint  nor grow weary4 8,they who   
make peace show likeness to ,god1 the   
great  maker of peace0 7,hort74         

,x                        ,the ,outer   
and the ,inner ,life      ,oesterley    
thinks it inconceivable that #d3a-ab    
could have been addressed  to ,jewish   
churches at an early date1 while they   
were still in the fresh  glow of the new
 faith in ,christ4 ,he says1 8,these    
verses reveal an  appalling state of    
moral depravity in these ,diaspora      
congregations2  strife1 self-indulgence1
 lust1 murder1 covetousness1 adultery1  
envy1  pride and slander are rife2 the  
conception of the nature of prayer seems
  to have been altogether wrong among   
these people1 and they appear to be     
given over wholly to a life of pleasure4
 ,it must have been terrible for  the   
writer to contemplate such a sink of    
iniquity40    ,yes1 but ,james does not 
say that all the ,christians were guilty
 of  these sins4 ,it was bad enough     
without overstating the situation4      
,besides1 we have the state of affairs  
in the church at ,corinth to guide  us  
as to the possibility of sins in a young

 church1 and the state of  affairs among
 the ,galatian churches is not much     
better 7cf4 8so soon  departing074      
,covetousness and strife early appear in
 the church in  ,jerusalem1 as we know  
from ,acts #d and #e4 ,reaction comes   
only too  swiftly1 as is noted after all
 great revivals2 for instance1 the years
  following the ,welsh revival4 ,within 
a year or two after ,paul left          
,thessalonica discipline was sorely     
needed in the church there1 as we  know 
from #a and #b ,thessalonians4    ,the  
,gentile world was given over to        
immorality of all sorts1 and ,judaism   
was deadened with formalism4 ,it was no 
easy task to make real spiritual  life  
grow in such an atmosphere4 ,and yet    
this is precisely what  ,christianity   
undertakes to do4 ,jesus came that men  
might have life1  spiritual vitality1   
and might have it abundantly 7,john     
#aj3aj2 #bj3ca74  ,james is chiefly     
concerned that his readers may share in 
this new life  in ,christ and may show  

the inner reality by the outward        
expression4 ,he  never gets away from   
this central conception of              
,christianity4 ,the  appearance of sin  
in hideous forms among the followers of 
,jesus stirs  ,james to intense         
indignation4 ,mayor notes that the      
severity of tone in  this paragraph is  
accented by the absence of 8brothers40  
,the ,origin of ,war 7#d3a-b;a7         
,james makes frequent use of the        
rhetorical question1 as here when he    
boldly demands the origin of the strife 
among the churches of the  ,diaspora3   
8,whence come wars and whence come      
fightings among you80 ,this  use of     
question gives life to style and is the 
mark of a good teacher4  ,note also the 
repetition of 8whence10 which gives     
added piquancy4 ,in the  ,epistle of    
,clement of ,rome 7xlvi7 to the church  
at ,corinth 7about ,a4,d4  #ig7 he seems
 to refer to this passage in ,james1    
where he asks3  8,wherefore are these   
strifes and wraths1 and factions and    

divisions1 and  war among you80         
,basically1 ecclesiastical strife does  
not differ in  origin and spirit from   
wars between nations4 ,sometimes there  
is even  more bitterness4 ,certainly no 
wars have been fiercer than the         
so-called  8religious0 wars of history4 
,it does seem like irony that the two   
world wars should have come after  so   
many years of growth of the peace       
sentiment in the world4 ,but            
,christianity is on the side of peace1  
and ,christians must keep up the  fight 
for peace4 ,jesus left a legacy of peace
 for individuals and for  nations who   
win it3 8,my peace ,i give unto you0    
7,john #ad3bg74 ,there has  appeared one
 evidence of a better public opinion in 
the fact that in the  war each nation   
sought to justify itself in the eyes of 
the world as not  the aggressor but as  
being on the defensive4 ,this apology is
 some  concession1 at least to          
enlightened ,christian sentiment1 which 
ultimately will banish war from the     

earth along with slavery1 alcohol1  the 
brothel1 and other agencies of the      
devil4    ,meanwhile1 ,james occupies   
the standpoint of the ,christian        
optimist1 who  fights for the highest   
and the best4 ,so ,simon ,peter writes3 
8,beloved1 ,i  beseech you as sojourners
 and pilgrims1 to abstain from fleshly  
lusts1  which war against the soul0 7#a 
,peter #b3aa74 ,we need not press the   
distinction between wars and fightings1 
though the first means a state  of war  
and the lasting resentment connected    
with it1 while the second  refers to    
battles or outbursts of passion which   
occur during a state of  war4 ,james    
does not1 of course1 here refer to wars 
between nations but  to the factional   
bickerings in the churches1 the personal
 wrangles that  embitter church life4   
8,among you10 he adds1 to drive the     
question home4    ,james answers his    
first question by a second4 8,come they 
not hence1 even  of your pleasures that 
war in your members80 ,james sees an    

intimate  connection between strife and 
laxity of life4 ,the case of the church 
at  ,corinth is a point where factional 
divisions and gross immorality          
flourished together4 ,plato 7,phaedo    
#ff7 says3 8,wars and factions1 and     
fightings have no other source than the 
body and its lusts4 ,for it is  for the 
getting of wealth that all our wars     
arise1 and we are compelled  to get     
wealth because of our body1 to whose    
service we are slaves40    ,james and   
,plato agree therefore in finding the   
origin of war in the  lusts of the body1
 but they differ in their opinion as to 
how to treat  the body4 ,plato exhorts  
neglect and scorn of the body1 while    
,james urges  the victory of the spirit 
over the body4 8,plato has no idea that 
the  body may be sanctified here and    
glorified hereafter2 he regards it      
simply as a necessary evil1 which may be
 minimized by watchfulness1 but  which  
can in no way be turned into a blessing0
 7,plummer74    ,the source of all war  

7private and public7 is 8the pleasures  
that war in  your members40 ,the same   
word for 8war0 between the fleshly      
desires  occurs in #a ,peter #b3aa1 and 
in ,romans #g3bc ,paul uses it of the   
conflict  between the two laws of his   
nature4 ,the word for 8pleasure0 does   
not  necessarily mean sensual pleasures 
but that which is sweet and leads to    
sinful strife 7like ambition1 love of   
money or power74 ,in ,titus #c3c ,paul  
combines both words1 8lusts and         
pleasures40#hd 8,the potential pleasure 
seated in each member constitutes a     
hostile force1 a foe lying in ambush    
against which we have continually to be 
on our guard0 7,mayor74    ,in the      
,letter of ,aristeas#he the question is 
asked3 8,why do not the  majority of men
 receive virtue80 ,the answer is given3 
8,because all are  naturally without    
self-control and are bent on pleasures40
 ,it must be  said that the philosophy  
of hedonism in this sense of the term   
has a  powerful hold upon the average   

man4 ,buddha said trouble came of       
desire4    ,it is not an inspiring      
picture that ,james here draws1 and one 
would like  to believe that he has a    
wider outlook than the ,christian       
community when  he names his bill of    
particulars4 8,ye lust1 and have not3 ye
 kill1 and  covet1 and cannot obtain3 ye
 fight and war40 ,here ,westcott and    
,hort make  a full stop in their text1  
and this is probably correct4    ,the   
presence of 8kill0 before 8covet0 gives 
a great deal of trouble to  the         
commentators1 who find it an anticlimax4
 ,mayor urges the  substitution of      
8envy0 for 8kill10 but there is no      
manuscript authority  for it1 and the   
difficulty is not really mended4 ,hort  
has the most  probable solution by this 
punctuation3 8,ye covet1 and have not3  
ye  commit murder4 ,and ye envy1 and    
cannot attain3 ye fight and war40 ,at   
any  rate1 the humiliating fact remains 
that lust1 covetousness1 envy1          
fighting1 and murder are here charged   

against some of the readers of the      
epistle4    ,it looks as if some of them
 held to the view that they were        
entitled to  all that they could grasp1 
that ,providence was on the side of the 
heaviest battalions1 that might         
constituted right4 8,lust0 is here used 
in the most general sense1 like 8covet40
 ,the failure to find  satisfaction     
leads to jealousy1 fighting1 war1 and   
even murder4  ,covetousness leads to    
fights with individuals and nations4    
,lust in the  narrow sense and murder   
are common partners4 ,the fight is on in
 every  man's life against all that is  
low and mean4 ,he can keep a pure life  
only by living the victorious life4     
,there is also the common oppression  of
 the poor by the greedy and grasping in 
all the ages4 8,no man shall  take the  
mill or the upper millstone to pledge3  
for he taketh a man's  life to pledge0  
7,deut4 #bd3f74 ,so ,sirach 7#cd3ba f47 
says3 8,he that taketh  away his        
neighbour's living slayeth him2 and he  

that defraudeth the  labourer of his    
hire is a blood-shedder40 ,the opposite 
of all this  pitiful business is seen in
 the nobility of love as portrayed in #a
  ,corinthians #ac4                     
,asking ,amiss 7#d3b;b-#c7    ,the      
latter part of verse #b is a puzzle to  
the commentators3 8,ye have  not1       
because ye ask not40 ,oesterley         
7following ,carr7 thinks that we have  a
 string of poetical quotations          
7stromateis71 8not very skilfully       
strung together40 ,mayor takes it as a  
mere repetition of 8ye lust1 and  have  
not0 and says that it is not a further  
step4 ,but surely ,james does  not mean 
to say that the one reason why the      
impulses to lust1  covetousness1 envy1  
fighting1 and murder are not gratified  
is that men  do not pray so as to carry 
their point with ,god and man6 ,that    
would make  prayer a travesty and ,god a
 puppet of man's evil desires4    ,i    
must believe that this sentence belongs 
to verse #c in thought and  should be so

 punctuated4 ,we must always bear in    
mind that the original  ,greek text had 
no punctuation and that we are at       
liberty to punctuate  de novo if the    
context demands it4 ,there is1 no doubt1
 a backward look  in 8ye have not10 but 
in reality ,james here starts a new     
topic1 that of  prayer4 ,there is a     
delicate hint in the use of the middle  
voice here  that they had not put their 
hearts into their prayers4#hf 8,ye ask0 
with  the mere form of words and        
naturally 8receive not10 8because ye ask
  amiss10 8wrongly10 as in ,john #ah3bc4
    ,their prayers are vitiated by the  
evil purpose1 8that ye may spend it in  
your pleasures10 8with the wicked       
intention of spending it on your        
pleasures0 7,moffatt74 ,even ,epictetus 
7,cod4 ,vat4 #c7 says of the gods3      
8,and then shall they give to thee the  
good things when thou rejoicest  not in 
pleasure1 but in virtue40 ,how often we 
all miss it in prayer6 ,we  ask for what
 we should not1 staking our judgment    

against that of ,god4 ,we  ask with a   
spirit of rebellion and not of          
subjection to the will of ,god  7#d3g74 
,we ask1 not for the glory of ,god nor  
for the blessing of others1  but for the
 gratification of our own selfish       
pleasures1 even when the  things asked  
for are good in themselves4    ,we may  
even get to the point where we dare ask 
,god for what is not good  in itself4   
8,no asking from ,god which takes place 
in a wrong frame of  mind towards him or
 towards the object asked has anything  
to do with  prayer4 ,it is an evil      
asking0 7,hort74 ,god cannot be made a  
private asset  to further our own       
selfish interests or to serve the wicked
 world 7cf4 #a  ,tim4 #f3d f474 8,if we 
ask anything according to his will1 he  
heareth us0  7#a ,john #e3ad74 ,the word
 in ,james for 8spend0 means to consume1
 to waste1  to dissipate4 ,it is used of
 the prodigal son who 8spent all0 7,luke
  #ae3ad74    ,prayer is probably the   
poorest of all our spiritual exercises4 

,it should  be the most constant and the
 most helpful4 ,it calls for searching  
of  heart and all sincerity4 ,it is     
right and proper to pray for our daily  
bread 7,matt4 #f3aa71 provided we do our
 daily tasks so as to earn our  daily   
bread4 ,god does not mean prayer to be a
 substitute for work4 ,trust  is not    
anxiety 7,matt4 #f3ca71 but it is also  
not presumption4 ,the use of  the name  
of ,jesus does not cause the door of    
grace to spring open for us  unless we  
first put ourselves under the rule of   
,jesus4                         ,the    
,friendship of the ,world 7#d3d7    ,the
 words 8adulterers and0 of the          
,authorized ,version are not genuine1   
occurring in late documents4 ,the sudden
 outburst of 8ye adulteresses10  8wanton
 creatures0 7,moffatt71 leaves one in   
doubt whether ,james is  singling out   
one special form of sin so common in the
 world 7,hort7 or is  using the word in 
the figurative sense 7,mayor7 so        
frequent in the ,old  ,testament for the

 sin of idolatry 7cf4 ,psalm #gc3bg2    
,ezek4 #bc3bg2 ,hos4  #b3b2 ,isa4 #eg74 
,jesus denounced his age in ,palestine  
as 8an evil and  adulterous generation0 
7,matt4 #ab3ci74 ,it will make good     
sense with  either interpretation4      
,oesterley argues that 8the depraved    
state of morals to which the whole      
section bears witness must1 in part at  
least1 have been due to the  wickedness 
and co-operation of the women1 so that  
there is nothing  strange in their being
 specifically mentioned in connection   
with that  form of sin with which they  
would be more particularly associated40 
,such  a sin ought not1 to be sure1 to  
be found among ,christians1 but #a      
,corinthians #e shows how early it      
appeared in the church in ,corinth1 a   
peculiarly licentious city4    ,the     
pressure of the easygoing1 laissez-faire
 life of the world on this  point is    
hard upon true ,christians in all the   
ages4 ,it is not merely  that a double  
standard of morals is claimed by men of 

the world for  themselves1 though denied
 to their own wives1 but they are       
aggressive  against the virtue of the   
daughters and wives of other men4 ,this 
agelong  evil is condoned even by women 
of the world who are clean themselves1  
in  a blind surrender to the fact that  
men seem to be hopelessly evil4    ,if  
the word 8adulteresses0 is here taken   
literally1 as is probable1  ,james makes
 a bold appeal to women of pleasure to  
cease from sin and to  let ,god rule in 
their lives4 ,it is surely worthwhile to
 make such an  appeal even to those who 
seem to be hopelessly abandoned to the  
evil  world4 ,but it is pre-eminently   
worthwhile to seek to warn1 and to      
prevent from ruin1 the young men and    
women of our day4 8,know ye not10  says 
,james with heat1 8that the friendship  
of the world is enmity with  ,god80     
,pastors sometimes find men and women   
living in adultery and  complacently    
keeping up their church connections4    
,james means to show  the utter         

inconsistency of such a course of       
conduct4    ,but if 8adulteresses0 is   
taken in the figurative sense1 there is 
still  the friendship of the world that 
is enmity with ,god4 ,the friendship of 
the world is preferred to that of ,god4 
8,world0#hg here is not the earth  with 
all its beauty and charm 7,god's world  
made by him2 cf4 ,psalm #ai71  nor      
mankind1 for whom ,christ died 7,john   
#c3af71 but that world of selfish       
pleasure and sin out of which ,christ   
called his disciples and which in  turn 
hated them as it hated ,christ 7,john   
#ae3ah ff474 ,this world will  only love
 as a familiar friend those who cater to
 its ideals and  standards1 who condone 
its slackness of morals and neglect of  
,god4    ,this cleavage between the     
wayward1 wicked world and the kingdom of
 ,god  is a fact of the utmost          
significance 7,john #ag3ae ff474 ,the   
,christian has  to learn the secret of  
living in such a worldly atmosphere     
without being  contaminated by it4 ,one 

does not wish to be considered a        
religious crank  and queer4 ,he desires 
to have influence with his friends and  
business  acquaintances4 ,but one cannot
 be a 8hail fellow well met0 in sin and 
every form of worldly indulgence and    
retain his influence for ,god4 ,the     
time comes when a choice must be made   
between friends1 for that sort of  life 
in the world becomes incompatible with  
friendship with ,god4 ,one  must make   
his choice4 8,if any man love the world1
 the love of the ,father  is not in him0
 7#a ,john #b3ae74 ,one cannot run with 
the hare and the  hounds4 ,the devil    
makes no objection to such a double life
 of hypocrisy1  but ,god does4 ,god is  
gracious and forgiving to sinners who   
repent but  has no mercy for            
presumptuous sinners who defy his       
kindness and keep in  touch with the    
devil and his circles of evil4    ,the  
word 8enmity0 is the term for personal  
hostility4 ,preference for sin          
constitutes a personal offense toward   

,god1 who can have no rival1 any  more  
than a true wife can suffer a rival in  
the affections of her  husband4 8,the   
mind of the flesh is enmity against     
,god0 7,rom4 #h3g74 ,one  must make his 
choice4 8,no man can serve two masters3 
for either he will  hate the one1 and   
love the other2 or else he will hold to 
one1 and  despise the other4 ,ye cannot 
serve ,god and mammon0 7,matt4 #f3bd74  
,plummer  argues clearly that ,james    
does not condemn the scientist's love of
  nature or the sociologist's           
enthusiasm1 which is not always shared  
in by  preachers as much as is          
desirable4    ,preaching often is so    
given to denunciation of sin that it    
fails to  exalt the possibilities of the
 right sort of manhood4 ,it thus repels 
the  very men that it wishes to attract4
 ,so far from that1 love for man is  one
 of the main proofs of love for ,god 7#a
 ,john #d3bj74 ,the passion for  the    
souls of men is the true mark of the    
redeemed4 ,paul 7,titus #b3ab7  urges   

that 8denying ungodliness and worldly   
lusts1 we should live 444  godly in this
 present world0 7or 8age0 more exactly74
 8,whosoever  therefore would be a      
friend of the world maketh himself an   
enemy of  ,god10 8whoever1 then1 chooses
 to be the world's friend turns enemy to
  ,god0 7,moffatt74    ,a person makes  
his choice as he is able to do by the   
exercise of his own  will and purpose4  
,but once and finally made1 he renders  
himself ipso  facto an enemy to ,god4   
,there is no help for it so long as ,god
 is really  the ,god of purity and      
righteousness4 ,josephus calls ,poppea1 
the infamous  wife of ,nero and         
proselyte to ,judaism1 a worshiper of   
,god 7,ant4 xx4 #h4  #aa71 but surely   
such 8worship0 was not acceptable to    
,god4 ,james 7#b3bc7  has termed        
,abraham 8the friend of ,god10 but he   
entered into that  relation to ,god on  
terms of obedience to ,god as ,lord4 ,on
 no other terms  is friendship with ,god
 possible4 ,it is not a question of     

one's feelings  but of the actual state 
of affairs4 8,to be on terms of         
friendship with  the world involves     
living on terms of enmity with ,god0    
7,hort74    ,the word 8friendship0 does 
not itself occur elsewhere in the ,new  
,testament1 though it is found several  
times in ,proverbs2 but the words       
8friend0 and to 8love as a friend0 are  
common enough4 ,gildersleeve  7,justin  
,martyr1 p4 #ace7 notes that ,xenophon  
uses the two verbs for  love as         
synonymous4 ,but in the ,new ,testament 
there is a distinction  drawn in ,john  
#ba3ae-ag4 ,the one is the 8deeper0 and 
richer word1 while  the other is the    
8more human40#hh ,certainly one has no  
right to claim  intimate family         
relationship with ,god as his friend    
while at the same  time living in       
adulterous relations with the sinful    
world that hates  ,god4 ,the 8seductions
 of the world0 7,plummer7 are very real 
and very  many1 but surrender to them is
 not constant with the fellowship of    

,god4  ,the law of spiritual life is not
 always understood4 ,some men wonder why
  they are not spiritually happy1 why   
they do not enjoy religion4 ,they are   
living in sin with the world and yet    
marvel at their lack of communion  with 
,god4                     ,the ,yearning
 of the ,spirit for ,us 7#d3e f47       
8,or think ye80 says ,james1 as the     
alternative4 ,either the friendship of  
the world is enmity with ,god or you    
think 8that the scripture speaketh  in  
vain40 8,what1 do you consider this an  
idle word of ,scripture80  7,moffatt74  
,this rhetorical question expects an    
indignant denial4  ,therefore1 the      
argument holds that the friendship of   
the world is enmity  with ,god4 ,but    
what is the ,scripture8 ,is it only the 
passage in verse #f  that is referred   
to8 ,the punctuation of the ,revised    
,version allows that4  ,we have two     
questions before the one quotation4 ,but
 it may be that the  general sense of   
,scripture is meant by the first        

question4 ,usually 8the  ,scripture0    
occurs before a direct quotation1 as in 
,romans #d3c4    ,some would take the   
rest of verse #e after the first        
question as a  quotation1 although no   
such quotation occurs in the ,old       
,testament4 ,the  general sense appears 
in various parts of the ,old ,testament1
 as in  ,exodus #bj3e3 8,i am the ,lord 
thy ,god1 a jealous ,god40 ,compare     
,isaiah  #fc3h-af2 ,zechariah #h3b4     
,oesterley even sees a direct allusion  
to  ,galatians #e3ag1 #ba2 ,romans #h3f1
 #h2 #a ,corinthians #c3af1 and an      
argument  for the late date of the      
,epistle of ,james4 ,but this is forcing
 the  matter rather stiffly4 ,the ,new  
,testament writers seem to have used    
chains of quotations 7catenae7 as1 for  
instance1 in ,romans #c3aj-ah4 ,paul    
probably makes a free paraphrase of     
,isaiah #fd3d in #a ,corinthians #b3i1  
and of ,isaiah #fj3a-b in ,ephesians    
#e3ad4 ,either this is what is done     
here1 or ,james is already referring to 

verse #f1 a quotation from  ,proverbs   
#c3cd4    ,it is not necessary to take  
the second sentence in verse #e as a    
question4 ,we may follow the margin3    
8,the spirit which he made to dwell  in 
us he yearneth for even unto jealous    
envy10 or 8with jealousy doth ,he  yearn
 after the spirit which he causeth to   
dwell in us0 7,hort71 or 8,he  yearns   
jealously for the spirit he set within  
us0 7,moffatt74 ,in one case  7the      
question7 we take 8the ,spirit0 as a    
subject and as the ,holy ,spirit4  ,in  
the other case 7the affirmation7 we take
 8spirit0 as object and as  our redeemed
 spirit planted in us by ,god 7cf4 ,rom4
 #h3d-af for both  ideas74 ,in either   
rendering it is the ,spirit of ,god 7cf4
 ,rom4 #h3i7 who  dwells in us and helps
 us strive against the evil forces of   
the world in  our own hearts4    ,god   
has sent forth the ,spirit of his ,son  
into our hearts 7,gal4 #d3f71 who  helps
 us in the fight with the flesh 7,gal4  
#e3af-bf74 ,it is the doctrine  of the  

indwelling ,spirit of ,god1 a very      
precious doctrine in the ,new           
,testament 7,john #g3ci2 #af3g2 ,rom4   
#h3aa2 #a ,cor4 #c3af2 ,gal4 #d3f2 ,eph4
 #c3ag2  #d3cj74 ,the ,spirit of ,god   
has made his home in us4 ,this is our   
glory and  our hope4    ,the word for   
8yearn0 is a very strong one4 ,it is the
 verb in ,psalm #db3a3  8,as the hart   
panteth after the water brooks1 so      
panteth my soul after  thee1 ,o ,god40  
,peter uses it of the longing of newborn
 babes after the  sincere milk of the   
word 7#a ,peter #b3b74 ,so ,paul yearns 
after the  ,philippians 7#a3h74         
,there are many interpretations and many
 ways of punctuating the words  8unto   
jealous envy0 or 8with jealousy40 ,we   
may not tarry over them4  ,probably the 
idea is that the ,holy ,spirit covets   
our souls4 ,he does not  wish the devil 
to have us4 ,usually this word for      
jealous envy has a bad  sense1 but the  
context here makes it clear4 ,god is a  
jealous ,god4 ,he can  brook no rival in

 our hearts4 ,god wishes the whole of   
our heart's love1  not just a part4 ,he 
claims the rights of a loving husband to
 all our  heart's devotion4 ,in our     
hours of doubt and weakness 8the ,spirit
 himself  maketh intercession for us    
with groanings which cannot be uttered0 
7,rom4  #h3bf74 ,we may thank ,god that 
he is a jealous ,god for his people     
,israel4  ,he broods over his children  
with a mother's love1 longing for their 
growth and development4    8,but he     
giveth more grace0 7literally1 8greater 
grace071 8yet he gives  grace more and  
more0 7,moffatt74 ,the words 8giveth    
grace0 come from the  quotation         
following 7,prov4 #c3cd74 ,the effect of
 this jealous affection  on ,god's part 
is not to abandon us but to heap more   
and richer favors  upon us4 ,god demands
 of us wholehearted surrender and       
service1 but he  pours out the wealth of
 his love upon us4 8,god resisteth the  
proud1 but  giveth grace to the humble40
    ,this ,septuagint quotation 7see    

also #a ,peter #e3e7 is a free          
translation  of the idea in the ,hebrew 
text4 ,it is the striking figure of ,god
  standing in the way1 across the path  
of the proud man who carries his  head  
so high above others4 ,he will in due   
time be brought low4 ,pride  goes before
 a fall1 for ,god is to be met along    
that road 7cf4 ,acts #ah3f2  ,rom4      
#ac3b74 ,the man of the world feels no  
need of ,god and feels secure  and      
serene4 ,but he reckons without his     
,host4 ,god shows favor to the  humble  
7cf4 the contrast in #a3aj74    ,the    
proud men think themselves the          
monopolists 7,hort7 of divine favor1    
but they find out sooner or later that  
they are passed by in favor of  the man 
with lowliness of spirit and nobility of
 life1 who makes ,god1  not the world1  
the ,lord of his life4 ,this man ,god   
honors with far more  grace than the    
world can offer4 ,he will have trouble  
78with  persecutions071 no doubt1 8but  
he shall receive a hundredfold now in   

this time10 while 8in the world to come 
eternal life0 7,mark #aj3bi f474  ,the  
prince in ,god's kingdom and at his     
court is not the man who wears  the     
trappings of earthly rank and station   
but the one who caught the  spirit of   
,jesus and sought to do good to all as  
he found opportunity4  ,plummer wonders 
if ,james had not heard his mother      
recite the ,magnificat4  ,certainly he  
here echoes the same beautiful spirit4  
,choice ,between ,god and the ,devil    
7#d3g-h;a7    ,it comes to this1 that a 
man must decide whether or not ,god is  
to rule  his life4 ,it is self or ,god1 
and that is the same thing as the devil 
or  ,god1 for a self without ,god is    
ruled by the devil4 8,be subject        
therefore  unto ,god10 since1 as ,james 
has shown in verse #f1 ,god gives grace 
to the  humble and withstands the proud4
 8,the proud spirit has to be curbed0   
7,oesterley74 ,peter has expanded this  
idea in a great passage 7#a ,peter      
#e3f-i74 ,our only hope is under the    

leadership of ,god4 ,the devil is the   
8prince of the world0 7,john #ad3cj71   
and he has plenty of help in the  world 
rulers of darkness 7,eph4 #f3aa f474    
,the proud and self-willed are  sure to 
fall into his condemnation 7#a ,tim4    
#c3f74    8,but resist the devil40 ,take
 your stand 7note the aorist tense7 in  
the  face of the devil1 the great       
hinderer and slanderer4 ,the fight is on
  between the forces of ,god and ,satan1
 and one must take sides4 ,a man once   
said that he wished to be impartial in  
the struggle between ,god and the       
devil4 ,that species of liberality is   
out of the question4 ,he that is not    
with ,christ is against him4 ,there is  
no middle ground4    ,james does not    
stop to parley over the existence of the
 devil4 ,he  assumes the reality of the 
dread agent of evil1 who is bent on the 
destruction of all that is good in man4 
,the point to see clearly is that  there
 is but one thing to do1 and that is to 
fight the devil1 not with  fire but with

 the word of ,god1 with the help of the 
,spirit of ,god4 8,get  thee hence1     
,satan10 ,jesus had to say 7,matt4      
#d3aj74 8,and he will flee  from you40  
,the devil will run if we fight him with
 the might of ,god4 ,one  way to submit 
to ,god is to fight off the devil4      
,but it is not all negative4 ,the       
converse is true also4 8,draw nigh to   
,god1 and he will draw nigh to you40    
,the ,hebrew had a technical term for   
drawing nigh to ,god for the purpose of 
worship 7,ex4 #ai3bb2 ,jer4 #cj3ba74    
,it is not true that the devil is       
irresistible and it is useless to       
oppose him 7,plummer74 ,this is one of  
the pleas of the devil himself to  break
 down the resisting power of the human  
will and so to take all  fight out of   
us4 ,the principle that ,james here     
announces is true to  ,scripture1 to    
psychology1 and to human experience4 ,if
 we draw nigh to  the devil1 he will    
draw nigh to us4 ,if we resist him1 he  
will flee from  us4 ,if we resist ,god1 

even ,god will finally depart from us   
and leave us  to our sins4 ,if we       
approach ,god in worship1 he opens his  
heart to us4  8,return unto me1 and ,i  
will return unto you0 7,zech4 #a3c74    
8,to this end  was the ,son of man      
manifested1 that he might destroy the   
works of the  devil0 7#a ,john #c3h74   
8,the ,lord is nigh unto all them that  
call upon him0  7,psalm #ade3ah1 ,,av74 
,god first draws nigh unto us 7,john    
#af3af71 and when  we respond1 lo1 he is
 there before us4 ,the place of safety  
and of power  for the ,christian is the 
throne of grace4 ,there he has a mighty 
,friend  and ,helper 7,heb4 #d3af74 ,we 
can draw close to ,god1 as a child to   
his  father in the dark1 and feel his   
presence4                           ,a  
,call to ,repentance 7#d3h;b-#aj7       
,here ,james speaks like one of the ,old
 ,testament prophets4 ,his epistle1     
while thoroughly ,christian1 is yet     
nearer to the standpoint of the ,old    
,testament prophets than any other book 

in the ,new ,testament4 8,cleanse  your 
hands1 ye sinners40 ,the priests washed 
their hands before they  entered the    
tabernacle to worship 7,ex4 #cj3ai-ba2  
,lev4 #af3d74 ,it was  natural for the  
language to be applied to moral purity3 
8,i will wash my  hands in innocency3 so
 will ,i compass thine altar1 ,o        
,jehovah0 7,psalm  #bf3f74 ,see also    
,hebrews #aj3bb4 ,so ,pilate sought to  
emphasize his own  freedom from guilt by
 washing his hands 7,matt4 #bg3bd71 if  
by so doing he  might also soothe his   
own conscience4 ,it is now as it has    
always been3  8,who shall ascend into   
the hill of the ,lord8 or who shall     
stand in his  holy place8 ,he that hath 
clean hands1 and a pure heart0 7,psalm  
#bd3c f41  ,,av74    ,the clean hands   
signify little in a moral sense--however
 desirable for  sanitary and other      
reasons--unless the heart is also clean4
 ,indeed1 the  ,pharisees came to make  
the cleansing of the hands a substitute 
for moral  cleanness 7,mark #g3h ff474  

8,purify your hearts1 ye doubleminded40 
,the  word for purification here is the 
common one for ceremonial cleansing     
7,ex4 #ai3aj71 but the idea is          
figurative1 as in #a ,peter #a3bb and #a
 ,john  #c3c4 ,james seems to refer to  
,psalm #gc3ac4 8,wash you1 make you     
clean0  7,isa4 #a3af74 ,the             
double-minded 7cf4 ,james #a3h7 must no 
longer halt  between two opinions4 ,they
 must forsake the world and give ,god   
the whole  heart4 ,it is a brave word   
for reality in religion and against the 
hollow  mockery of mere lip service4    
,in verse #i we have a rather unusual   
exhortation for the ,new ,testament4    
,the word for repentance does not mean  
sorrow but change of mind and  life4    
,the need for a change implies sorrow   
for the sins of one's life1  to be sure4
 ,but one may have sorrow and still not 
change his heart and  life4 ,the thing  
that counts is the change1 not the      
degree of the sorrow4  ,but1 certainly1 
sorrow for sin is appropriate and       

natural for the sinner  who turns away  
from it4 ,there is certainly room for   
the appeal to 8be  afflicted1 and mourn1
 and weep0 7all aorists with a note of  
urgency in  the tense74 ,one is reminded
 of the 8woe0 of ,jesus in ,luke #f3be4 
,we have  here a call to the godly      
sorrow described in #b ,corinthians     
#g3aj4 ,there  is a time to laugh and a 
time to mourn2 yes1 and a time for      
laughter to  be turned to mourning and  
even for joy to be turned into          
heaviness1 like  the poor publican with 
downcast eyes in the ,temple before ,god
 7,luke  #ah3ac74 8,the words express   
the contrast between the loud unseemly  
gaiety  of the pleasure-seeker1 and the 
subdued mien and downcast look of the   
penitent0 7,oesterley74    8,humble     
yourselves in the sight of the ,lord40  
,this is the only proper  attitude for  
the sinner1 whether saved or unsaved4   
,see the same figure  in #a ,peter #e3f4
 ,the proud ,pharisee in ,luke #ah3aa is
 the picture of all  that worship should

 not be4    8,and he shall exalt you40  
,this is the law of grace1 as is often  
stated  by ,jesus3 8,every one that     
exalteth himself shall be humbled2 and  
he that  humbleth himself shall be      
exalted0 7,luke #ad3aa74 ,but the man   
that  humbles himself before the eye of 
the ,lord must do so because of real    
apprehension of his own sin and need of 
forgiveness1 not for the purpose  of    
future exaltation to be obtained by     
momentary self-abnegation4 ,the         
delicate balance of motives here is     
preserved4 ,the promise will come  true 
only if the person really turns to the  
,lord with sincerity of  heart4 ,nothing
 is more needed today than this         
prostration before ,god4                
,captious ,criticism 7#d3aa f47         
,moffatt places these verses just after 
#b3ac1 since this seems to have  been   
its original place4 ,this is the        
position also given by ,oesterley4  ,and
 yet it is quite possible that ,james   
here merely recurs to the  subject of   

the loose tongue1 as he had already done
 once 7cf4 #a3bf2 #c3b  ff474 ,see also 
#e3ab4 ,he has one word more on this    
burning topic1 a sort  of postscript on 
the tongue1 an extremely difficult      
subject to say the  last word about4    
8,speak not one against another1        
brethren40 ,the tense of  the verb      
7present durative7 implies that some of 
them had been doing  precisely this     
thing4    ,it is so easy to 8talk down  
on one10 to act as critic 7cf4 ,matt4   
#g3a7 of  one's brother in ,christ4 ,we 
cannot help forming opinions of each    
other1  but we can avoid captious       
criticism1 sharp and needless censure4  
,the  point made by ,james is that this 
habit assumes the right to judge the    
very law of ,god4 ,it is far easier to  
play the part of critic of the law  than
 to be a doer of the law4 ,destructive  
criticism is always the  cheaper        
exercise and the more useless4          
,constructive criticism is more         
creative and much harder4    ,there is  

one supreme ,lawgiver and ,judge1 8he   
who is able to save and  destroy40 ,this
 power belongs to ,god1 the ,creator    
7,matt4 #aj3bh2 ,luke  #f3i71 not to    
man1 the creature4 ,the critic of the   
law prefers to find  flaws in the law   
rather than to undertake to obey it4 ,he
 assumes that he  can enact a better    
law1 but it is all assumption4 ,james   
shows his  impatience with such         
criticism by saying1 8,but who art thou 
that judgest  thy neighbor80 ,see       
,romans #ad3d4 ,in common law we are to 
give every man  the benefit of the doubt
 and to assume his innocence till his   
guilt is  proven4 ,but in current speech
 the sharp tongue follows no such rule  
of  reason but creates suspicion and    
sows hate and strife at every turn4     
,,xi                              ,god  
and ,business      ,the arrogance of the
 sinful heart is clearly shown in #d3ac 
to #e3f4 ,such  a heart prefers         
worldliness to the worship of ,god 7see 
#d3a-aj7 and  flippantly criticizes     

one's neighbors with lighthearted       
satisfaction  with self and a positive  
love of faultfinding 7#d3aa f474 ,this  
easy  arrogance faces the future with   
unconcern4 ,no look ,godward is taken in
  business ventures4 ,james 8opposes the
 irreligious sense of travelling        
merchants0 7,windisch74 ,these ,jews of 
the ,diaspora had come to have a        
considerable part of the business of the
 ,roman ,empire4 ,they professed to  be 
servants of ,god1 but in practice they  
often denied and ignored the  ,god of   
their fathers4                          
,leaving ,god ,out 7#d3ac-ae7    ,one   
may hope that ,james alludes to the     
,jewish merchants1 not ,jewish          
,christians4 ,certainly those ,jewish   
merchants who became ,christians        
continued their business1 though not in 
a godless fashion4 ,the merchant  has   
one of the most useful and most         
honorable of all callings1 but it  seems
 clear that some of the ,jewish         
merchants had already brought  disfavor 

upon the business by their sharp        
practices4 ,see ,sirach #bf3bi4  8,a    
merchant will hardly keep himself from  
doing wrong2 and a huckster  will not be
 declared free from sin40 ,this piece of
 moralizing is  evidently occasioned by 
some tricks in trade indulged in by     
,jewish  merchants4 ,one is bound to    
admit that some modern ,jews retain some
 of  the same reputation in certain     
lines of trade4    ,but the point that  
,james makes is a peril to ,christian   
merchants also4  ,the keen competition  
in all kinds of business is a constant  
temptation  to violate the ,golden ,rule
 and to ignore ,god as well as the      
welfare of  one's customers in order to 
make money and to meet a rival who is   
unscrupulous in trade4 ,the ,christian  
businessman today can do business  on a 
high plane4 ,hustle and enterprise need 
not condescend to underhand  methods4   
,it is a pleasure to note the activity  
of the ,gideons1 an  organization of    
,christian men who1 besides doing other 

useful things1  have placed copies of   
the ,bible in the rooms of most         
,american hotels4  ,these men have not  
left ,god out4    ,in ,palestine the    
,jews held on to the agricultural life1 
but in the  ,diaspora they were         
merchants and bankers4 ,philo 7,in      
,flaccum ,,viii7 gives  a picture of the
 ,jewish merchants and bankers in       
,alexandria4 ,josephus  7,ant4 ,,xii1   
#b-e7 alludes to the ,jewish traveling  
merchant about #age ,b4,c4  ,one of the 
wonders of history is how the ,jews1    
scattered over the world1  finally      
without a land of their own1 have yet by
 their wits maintained  themselves as a 
race and a religion and have been       
leaders in business1  in art1 in music1 
in politics1 in literature4    8,come   
now1 ye that say0 is the impatient      
challenge of ,james to those who  leave 
,god out of account in their plans for  
the future4 ,the tone of  impatience is 
due to the conviction that one should be
 so conscious of  his own weakness as   

not to boast about the future4 8,to-day 
or tomorrow  we will go into this city1 
and spend a year there1 and trade1 and  
get  gain40 ,and then we shall move on  
to the next town and work that with our 
wares1 for all the world like a modern  
8fire sale0 or secondhand  clothing     
store with its bankruptcy or fire       
features4 ,the picture is  drawn from   
life4 ,the use of 8this city0 is merely 
typical1 as if ,james  were pointing it 
out on the map 7,mayor71 and is more    
vivid than 8such  and such a city40     
,in ,james #a3aa we read that the rich  
man shall 8fade away in his goings10  an
 allusion to the travels of the rich    
merchants4 ,we see the rapid  movements 
of the ,jewish ,christians illustrated  
by the travels of ,aquila  and          
,priscilla1 who came from ,rome to      
,corinth 7,acts #ah3a f471 then to      
,ephesus 7#ah3ah71 to ,rome again 7,rom4
 #af3c71 and back to ,ephesus 7#b ,tim4 
#d3ai74 ,the phrase 8spend a year there0
 is literally 8do a year there10  and   

the idiom occurs also in ,acts #ae3cc2  
#bj3c 7cf4 ,prov4 #ac3bc74    ,the wide 
dispersion of the ,jews all over the    
,roman ,empire gave them  business      
connections that made it easy to get new
 business and to hold  the old trade4   
,the very word here for 8trade0 means to
 travel into a  region to get business1 
just like a modern commercial traveler4 
,our word  8emporium0 is just this word4
 ,the ,jews made the very ,temple itself
 8a  house of merchandise40 ,so then    
trading implied traveling for business  
7,matt4 #bb3e74    ,in #b ,peter #b3c a 
somber light is thrown by this same     
word3 8,and in  covetousness shall they 
with feigned words make merchandise of  
you40  8,and get gain40 ,this is the    
climax of the whole1 the aim of the     
journeys  and the trading4 8,the        
frequent conjunctions separate the      
different items  of the plan1 which are 
rehearsed thus one by one with manifest 
satisfaction4 ,the speakers gloat over  
the different steps of the  programme   

which they have arranged for themselves0
 7,plummer74 ,there is  no harm in      
planning to make money or in travel for 
that purpose4 ,the  harm lies in the    
complete ignoring of ,god in all their  
plans4    8,whereas ye know not what    
shall be on the morrow10#hi 8you who    
know  nothing about to-morrow0          
7,moffatt74 ,james has ample authority  
in this  statement4 8,boast not thyself 
of to-morrow2 for thou knowest not what 
a  day may bring forth0 7,prov4 #bg3a74 
,the prohibition implies a  carelessness
 about the future that grew out of      
indifference to ,god4  ,there is a      
rabbinical saying 7,sanhed4 #ajj;b7 to  
this effect3 8,care  not for the morrow1
 for ye know not what a day may bring   
forth40 ,james  is condemning those who 
make their plans for the future with    
,god left  out1 as if all were in their 
own hands4 ,jesus spoke the wonderful   
parable of the rich fool for the benefit
 of two brothers who were  quarreling   
over the estate3 8,soul1 thou hast much 

goods laid up for many  years2 take     
thine ease1 eat1 drink1 be merry0 7,luke
 #ab3ai74    ,this was the worldly-wise 
view of the ,cyrenaics and the          
,epicureans1 and  it is the standpoint  
of multitudes of modern men who under   
the influence  of monism 7like ,haeckel7
 deny the existence of a personal ,god  
or who act  as if there were no ,god    
7,psalm #ad3a74 ,but ,god replies to the
 fool1 8,thou  foolish one1 this night  
is thy soul required of thee2 and the   
things  which thou hast prepared1 whose 
shall they be80 ,jesus does not         
contradict this position when he says3  
8,be not therefore anxious for the      
morrow3 for the morrow will be anxious  
for itself4 ,sufficient unto the  day is
 the evil thereof0 7,matt4 #f3cd74 ,he  
is here condemning  overanxiety1 that is
 as distrustful of ,god as reckless     
unconcern4 ,there  is the golden mean of
 calm trust in ,god4    ,we are not to  
live in a haphazard manner1 without plan
 or purpose4 ,we  are to make plans1 but

 we must put ,god into our preparations4
 ,it is  cowardly to be superstitious in
 the anticipation of evil4 ,some people 
knock on wood if they happen to boast a 
bit4 ,others are superstitious  about   
the number thirteen1 about ,friday1     
about the moon1 and a hundred  other    
hallucinations4 ,the point with these   
,jews is not worry or  superstition but 
irreligion4 ,there are multitudes of    
practical pagans  today who fear not    
,god nor regard man4 ,they carry on     
their business with  no fear of         
consequences for their evil practices4  
,they wreck a bank or a  railroad with  
equal nonchalance and care not for the  
suffering caused  thereby in the homes  
of the poor4    ,as a matter of fact1 we
 are ignorant of the morrow4 ,we do not 
know the  weather of the morrow with    
certainty1 in spite of our gauges and   
forecasts4 ,many railroad accidents are 
due to the unknown elements in  the     
problems of travel4 ,a faulty rail1 a   
broken tie1 a weakened wheel1 a  rolling

 stone1 a careless brakeman1 a sleeping 
switchman1 a malicious  robber--a       
hundred and one things may happen1 any  
one of which will cause  death to       
helpless victims4 8,the best laid       
schemes o' mice and men gang  aft       
a-gley40    ,the uncertainty of life is 
one of the things that a wise man must  
consider and face4 ,a clot of blood on  
the brain may cause instant and         
unexpected death4 ,the heart1 driven too
 hard1 may suddenly cease to  beat4     
8,what is your life80 ,he does not mean 
manner of life or the life  principle or
 eternal life4 ,the question concerns   
all1 the good and the  wicked alike4    
,the question as to the character of    
life pertains to its  brevity and       
uncertainty on earth4 8,for ye are a    
vapor10 8you are but a  mist0           
7,moffatt74 ,the word is common for     
smoke1 as the 8smoke of a  furnace0     
7,gen4 #ai3bh71 8vapor of smoke0 7,acts 
#b3ai2 from ,joel #b3cj71  steam or     
breath2 so our 8atmosphere40 ,job       

lamented 7#g3g73 8,oh remember  that my 
life is a breath40 ,we are 8a vapor that
 appeareth for a little  time1 and then 
vanisheth away40 ,aristotle 7,hist4 ,an4
 vi4 #g7 uses these  two verbs of the   
appearance and the disappearance of a   
flock of birds as  they sweep across the
 sky4 ,the usage occurs also of the     
eclipse of the  sun4 ,the transitoriness
 of human life should lead to full and  
hearty  recognition of ,god1 not to     
careless slighting of him4    8,for that
 ye ought to say0 7more exactly1        
8instead of your saying071 8,if  the    
,lord will1 we shall both live1 and do  
this or that40 ,james does not1  of     
course1 mean that one should always say 
these words4 ,that gets to be  cant or  
mere claptrap4 ,it becomes repellent to 
hear one use the name of  ,god          
flippantly and constantly4 ,besides1 it 
comes to signify little or  nothing1 as 
one may count his beads or say his      
,pater ,nosters with no  regard to what 
he is doing4 ,there should be           

significance in our acts and  words of  
worship4    ,the ,jews made a point not 
to use the name of ,god too familiarly4 
,they  often used 8the ,name0 for ,god1 
and ,christians came to refer to ,christ
 in  the same way1 8for the ,name0      
7,acts #e3da74 ,the late ,jews came1    
perhaps  under ,mohammedan influence1 to
 use the formula 8if the ,name wills0   
when  about to start upon a journey     
7,oesterley74 ,the rabbis 7,plummer7    
have a  story of a ,jewish father who1  
at the circumcision of his son1 boasts  
that with seven-year-old wine he would  
celebrate for a long time the  birth of 
his son4 ,that night ,rabbi ,simeon     
meets the ,angel of ,death and  asks    
him1 8,why art thou thus wandering      
about80 ,the angel replies3  8,because  
,i slay those who say1 #8,we will do    
this or that1' and think not  how soon  
death may come upon them40    ,the thing
 that matters is for us to have the     
right attitude of heart  toward ,god1   
not the chattering of a formula4 ,god   

does not have to be  propitiated by a   
charm or amulet4 ,god should be the     
silent partner in  all our plans and    
work1 to be consulted1 to be followed   
whenever his  will is made known4 ,paul 
frequently spoke of his plans1 sometimes
  mentioning ,god1 as in ,acts #ah3ba   
7,god willing71 #a ,corinthians #d3ai   
7if  the ,lord will71 and #a            
,corinthians #af3g 7if the ,lord        
permit72 but also  with no mention of   
,god in words1 as in ,acts #ai3ba2      
,romans #ae3bh2 #a  ,corinthians #af3e4 
,but always ,paul felt that his         
movements were 8in the  ,lord10 as in   
,philippians #b3bd4 ,he never left ,god 
out of his life4  ,indeed1 he practiced 
the presence of ,god4                   
,conscious ,opposition 7#d3af7    ,it is
 bad enough to ignore ,god1 as so many  
men do4 ,a slight is almost as  hard to 
bear as an insult4 ,however1 a positive 
refusal to do ,god's known  will is     
worse4 8,but now10 as is really the case
 7cf4 #a ,cor4 #ad3f71 8,but  here you  

are0 7,moffatt71 instead of your trust  
in ,god1 8ye glory in your  vauntings40 
,in their pride of life 7#a ,john #b3af7
 they practically defied  ,god4 ,the    
word meant originally a wanderer about  
the country1 a vagabond1  a ,scottish   
landlouper1 a swaggerer1 an imposter1 a 
braggart4 ,in ,job  #da3cd we find the  
8sons of pride40 8,and ,i exalted not   
myself in  arrogance0 7,test4 ,joseph   
,,xvii1 #h74 ,and ,jesus said1 8,i am   
among you as he  that serveth0 7,luke   
#bb3bg1 ,,av74    ,these men were       
exalting themselves at the expense of   
,god4 ,they were  running against the   
known will of ,god4 ,one of the rabbis  
says1 8,it is  revealed and known before
 ,thee that our will is to do ,thy will0
  7,berachoth1 #ag;a74 8,all such       
glorying is evil10 says ,james4 ,it is  
not  wicked per se to boast 7cf4 #a3i71 
but such boasting as mentioned is       
wicked4 ,it is not impossible to know   
the will of ,god if one will pay the    
price4 8,if any man willeth to do his   

will1 he shall know of the  teaching1   
whether it is of ,god0 7,john #g3ag74   
,the way opens to the one  who is       
willing to put ,god to the test4 8,the  
boaster forgets that life  depends on   
the will of ,god0 7,mayor74             
,negative ,sin 7#d3ag7    ,in a way this
 verse is a summary of the entire       
epistle 7cf4 #a3bb2 #b3ad2  #c3a1 #ac2  
#d3aa74 ,hence ,james's 8therefore0 is  
quite in point4 ,moffatt  places this   
verse at the end of chapter #b4 ,spitta1
 however1 finds no  connection in the   
context and takes it as a familiar      
quotation4 ,this may  indeed be a       
reference to the words of ,jesus in     
,luke #ab3dg3 8,that  servant1 who knew 
his lord's will1 and made not ready1 nor
 did according  to his will1 shall be   
beaten with many stripes40 ,there is an 
excusable  ignorance or at least a      
mollifying ignorance 7cf4 ,luke #ab3dh2 
,acts #c3ag2  #a ,tim4 #a3ac74 ,there is
 palliation for unconscious sins4 ,but  
,james is  dealing with failure to obey 

the will of ,god4 ,it is conscious and  
wilful  sin1 but of the negative kind4  
,these sins of omission 7peccata        
omissionis7 are treated lightly by  many
 people4 ,the ,talmud in general takes  
this easy position on the  subject4     
,oesterley quotes the ,jerusalem ,talmud
 7,yoma viii1 #f7 on  ,zephaniah #a3ab3 
8,i will search ,jerusalem with candles1
 and ,i will punish  the men10 which    
adds3 8not by daylight1 nor with the    
torch1 but with  candles1 so as not to  
detect venial sins40 ,but he adds this  
also  7,shabbath1 #ed;b73 8,whosoever is
 in a position to prevent sins being    
committed in his household1 but refrains
 from doing so1 becomes liable  for     
their sins40 ,and in #a ,samuel #ab3bc  
we read1 8,god forbid that ,i  should   
sin against the ,lord in ceasing to pray
 for you0 7,,av74    ,jesus made it     
plain that he considered sins of        
omission as real sins3  8,these ye ought
 to have done1 and not to have left the 
other undone0  7,matt4 #bc3bc74 ,hear   

his tragic words to the deluded sinner  
at the  judgment bar3 8,i was hungry1   
and ye did not give me to eat2 ,i was   
thirsty1 and ye gave me no drink2 ,i was
 a stranger1 and ye took me not  in2    
naked1 and ye clothed me not2 sick1 and 
in prison1 and ye visited me  not0      
7,matt4 #be3db f474 ,the repetition of  
8not0 here is like the tolling  of a    
bell4 ,hear then ,james3 8,to him       
therefore that knoweth to do good1  and 
doeth it not1 to him it is sin40 ,so    
also ,paul urged the ,galatians  not to 
grow weary in doing the good or         
beautiful 7,gal4 #f3i74    ,it is so    
easy to shut one's eyes and not to see  
the opportunities for  service4 ,it is  
so easy to let prejudice blind us to the
 needs of the  real neighbor1 as the    
priest and the ,levite passed by on the 
other side  and left the poor wounded   
man to suffer 7,luke #aj3ca f474 ,the   
point that  ,james is anxious to make is
 that this blindness is sin4 ,the man   
who has  learned how to do the high and 

noble deed and then falls short has     
committed a sin4 ,it is a heavy         
indictment that is here drawn against   
us4  ,we are charged with not coming up 
to the standard of our highest          
knowledge4 ,plummer comments pertinently
 on the ,roman ,catholic doctrine  of   
probabilism1 which seeks to excuse the  
weakness of the flesh and to  justify a 
person in his preference of the lower in
 the presence of the  higher4 8,so long 
as it is not certain that the act in    
question is  forbidden it may be        
permitted40 ,plummer adds1 8,the moral  
law is not so  much explained as        
explained away40 ,alphonse de ,sarasa   
wrote on 8,the ,art  of ,perpetual      
,enjoyment0 7,ars ,semper ,gaudendi71 a 
piece of special  pleading for the      
indulgence of the flesh4 8,the good is  
the enemy of the  best10 and the bad is 
the enemy of the good4 ,down the steps  
we go to the  bottom of the ladder4     
,tainted ,wealth 7#e3a-c7    ,oesterley 
finds proof of the 8patchwork0 character

 of the epistle in the  five paragraphs 
of the closing chapter4 ,but in a       
8wisdom0 book one does  not expect      
direct connection between the           
paragraphs4 ,that is not true of  the   
practical portions of the ,pauline      
epistles4 ,in the first eleven  verses  
of this chapter the eschatological      
standpoint is occupied1  possibly that  
of ,jewish eschatology in #a-f and that 
of ,christian  eschatology in #g-aa     
7,oesterley74 ,note 8in the last days0  
in verse #c4    ,james is familiar with 
the prophetic imagery of the messianic  
times in  apocalyptic style but is very 
pointed in his courageous indictment of 
the follies and iniquities of the wicked
 rich4 ,johnstone entitles this         
paragraph 8the woes of the wicked rich40
 ,mayor says1 8,it is not the  careless 
worldliness of the bustling trader which
 is condemned1 but the  more deadly     
worldliness of the unjust capitalist or 
landlord40 ,in verse  #g ,james seems to
 contrast 8the brethren0 with the rich  

of verses #a-f4 ,it  is worthwhile to   
quote ,isaiah #cc3a3 8,woe to thee that 
spoilest1 and thou  wast not spoiled2   
and dealest treacherously1 and they     
dealt not  treacherously with thee6 when
 thou shalt cease to spoil1 thou shalt  
be  spoiled2 and when thou shalt make an
 end to deal treacherously1 they  shall 
deal treacherously with thee0 7,,av74   
,and ,habakkuk #b3i3 8,woe to him  that 
getteth an evil gain for his house1 that
 he may set his nest on  high1 that he  
may be delivered from the hand of evil60
 ,note also the  book of ,enoch3 8,woe  
to those that build their houses with   
sin0 7#id3g72  8,woe unto you mighty who
 violently oppress the righteous1 for   
the day of  your destruction will come0 
7#if3h74    ,perhaps there is an        
allusion to the words of ,jesus against 
the ,pharisees  7,matt4 #bc3ac-cf74 ,the
 ,gospel of ,luke is held by some to    
have an  ,ebionitic tendency because it 
preserves some plain words of ,jesus to1
  and about1 the rich 7#f3bd2 #ah3bd74  

,but ,jesus is not hostile toward the   
rich1 for he had friends and followers  
from the wealthy classes1  although he  
dealt very squarely and honestly with   
them4 ,some ,jews held  that all the    
rich were wicked1 as some modern        
socialists and anarchists  do4 ,but     
certainly ,jesus did not fawn upon the  
rich or curry favor with  them by       
flattery or compromise4 ,it is easy to  
denounce classes of men en  masse4 ,it  
requires perspicacity and courage to    
discriminate1 to be just1  and to seek  
to remedy real ills4 ,the rich ,jews had
 already oppressed the  ,christians and 
made the conditions of life hard4       
,the ,christians were helpless for any  
immediate relief4 ,they had little  or  
no power in government and had to live  
in the social and economic  atmosphere  
created by those hostile to them4 ,it   
was not a democratic but  an            
imperialistic age4 ,in holding out the  
consolation that rectification  of these
 grave evils will take place at the     

second coming of ,christ1  ,james does  
not mean to condone the present         
situation or to acquiesce in  it4 ,but  
what cannot be cured can be endured4    
,christianity has had a long and hard   
fight in the effort to alleviate  the   
sufferings of the poor4 ,ofttimes       
grasping men of money have used the     
very church itself as a means of        
oppression instead of an agent of       
blessing4 ,it is a sad state when men   
and women with real social wrongs  come 
to feel that ,christianity is a negative
 factor in their struggle or  a positive
 hindrance to success4    ,james turns  
upon these oppressors3 8,come now1 ye   
rich1 weep and howl for  your miseries  
that are coming upon you40 ,this 8come  
now0 is like that in  #d3ac4 8,weep and 
shriek10 ,moffatt has it4 ,the word is  
an onomatopoetic  word and is used only 
of violent grief1 as in ,isaiah #ac3f2  
#d3ca4 ,it does  not occur elsewhere in 
the ,new ,testament4 ,the apocalyptic   
writings have  a good deal to say about 

the miseries that were coming upon them 
7cf4  ,joel #b3aj ff42 ,zech4 #ad3f ff42
 ,dan4 #ab3a74 ,the ,gospels connect    
them also  with the ,day of the ,lord   
7,matt4 #bd-be2 ,mark #ac3ad-bg2 ,luke  
#ba3i-ai74  ,part of the ,gospel        
prophecies were fulfilled in the        
destruction of  ,jerusalem4    8,your   
riches are corrupted10 8your wealth lies
 rotting0 7,moffatt74 ,the  perfect     
tense presents the state of rottenness4 
,this ill-gotten gain  will not keep2 it
 is already putrid4 ,there is such a    
thing as tainted  money--blood money    
wrung from the oppressed toilers2 money 
gained by  financial legerdemain 7high  
finance7 at the expense of helpless     
stockholders1 whose stock is watered for
 the benefit of the few in  control2    
money made out of the souls and bodies  
of men and women in the  saloon and the 
white slave traffic4    ,the ethics of  
money-making is a large question and a  
vital one in modern  life4 ,it is raised
 in an acute form by this passage4      

,christians cannot  afford to make money
 by crushing the life out of business   
rivals on the  juggernaut principle4    
,the ,golden ,rule ought to work in     
business4 ,christ  claims control of    
money and the making of money4 ,the     
,christian who acts  on the 8bulkhead10 
or compartment1 principle of life and   
keeps his money  in a separate bulkhead 
into which he does not allow ,christ to 
enter is  disloyal to ,christ4 ,christ  
claims the right of a partner in our    
business1 not a silent but an active    
partner4 ,we are in business with       
,christ and for ,christ4 ,the ,christian
 has no right to have rotten riches4    
,he should have clean money1 not filthy 
lucre4 ,sound money is more than  mere  
phrase4 ,money represents labor1 and    
labor is the sweat of brain and  brawn4 
,the gambler cannot offer clean money to
 ,god4 ,he has robbed a man  of his     
money4    8,your garments are           
moth-eaten40 ,we have the prophetic     
perfect here1 and  ,james sees the      

outcome as a reality in a state of      
completion4 ,it is a  vivid picture of  
fine clothes eaten by moths and full of 
holes1 ruined  beyond repair4 ,in the   
,east these rich garments were handed   
down as  heirlooms from generation to   
generation and often formed a           
considerable  part of the wealth of a   
rich man4 ,paul refers to this when he  
said1 8,i  coveted no man's silver1 or  
gold1 or apparel0 7,acts #bj3cc74 ,the  
picture  of an old moth-eaten garment is
 forlorn in the extreme4 8,though ,i am 
like a rotten thing that consumeth1 like
 a garment that is moth-eaten0  7,job   
#ac3bh74 ,a plutocrat is subject to the 
fate of all mortals4    8,your gold and 
your silver are rusted10 8lie rusted    
over0 7,moffatt74 ,as  a matter of fact1
 gold does not rust in the ordinary     
sense1 except by  chemicals1 though     
silver tarnishes rather easily4         
,however1 this verb is  used in ,sirach 
#ab3aa of a mirror dimmed with rust2 but
 the ,hebrew word  is used also of      

filth4 ,a dirty mirror is one of the    
ugliest sights4  ,james is using popular
 language1 to be sure1 and is not to be 
held to  the terminology of science4    
,but scientists themselves hardly know  
how to  use language accurately1 since  
radium is found to break down the lines 
between metals and transmutation        
actually occurs like the alchemy of the 
ancients4    ,in ,james #c3h this word  
for 8rust0 is used for poison4 ,at any  
rate1 decay  rests on all mortal things4
 ,it is not necessary to wait for the   
,day of  the ,lord to see this fact4    
8,their rust shall be for a testimony   
against  you40 ,there will be no escape 
from this telltale rust which1 like gray
  hairs1 betrays age and the approach of
 death4 8,and shall eat your flesh  as  
fire40 ,westcott and ,hort place 8as    
fire0 with the next sentence4  ,either  
punctuation makes good sense1 but it is 
a bolder figure used as  mentioned1 for 
nothing eats up what it seizes upon more
 rapidly or  completely than fire4      

,feeding the flames of a furnace1 as a  
stoker in a  great ship1 is one of the  
most exhaustive of all tasks4 ,fire     
licks up  all in its reach and will gut 
modern fireproof buildings 7iron and    
concrete7 when once it gets started4    
,the plural here emphasizes the         
completeness of the work of destruction4
    8,ye have laid up your treasure in  
the last days40 ,these wicked rich have 
heaped up treasure like a thesaurus and 
in the end of the day have seen  it turn
 to dust and ashes1 crumbling between   
their fingers4 ,there is no  vault on   
earth secure against moth1 rust1 and    
thieves 7,matt4 #f3ai74  ,those who set 
their hearts upon the wealth of earth   
are bound to come to  grief4 ,pitiful is
 the state of the man 8that layeth up   
treasure for  himself1 and is not rich  
toward ,god0 7,luke #ab3ba74 ,the only  
wealth that  lasts is riches toward     
,god1 and this is open to us all4 ,the  
only wise  use of money is in making    
friends who will welcome us 7,luke      

#af3i7 into  the eternal tabernacles4   
,the mammon of unrighteousness may be so
  employed4 ,if it is not1 one will find
 that he has simply treasured up  wrath 
against the day of wrath1 to be paid at 
last with compound  interest 7,rom4     
#b3e74                                  
,wronged ,workers 7#e3d7    ,the ,god of
 all the earth will do right4 ,he is not
 deaf to the cries of  those oppressed  
millions in the ages whose piteous      
appeals for elemental  justice come to  
him4 ,this is a terrible indictment of  
,jewish capitalists  who withheld the   
meager wages of the men who gathered the
 harvests4  8,behold1 the hire of the   
laborers who mowed your fields1 which is
 of you  kept back by fraud1 crieth     
out40 ,the hire of the laborers reminds 
one of  the proverb1 8,the laborer is   
worthy of his hire0 7,luke #aj3g2 #a    
,tim4  #e3ah74 ,the word for 8hire0     
occurs sometimes in the sense of reward 
7e4g41 #a ,cor4 #c3h1 #ad71 but the     
original idea is that of pay for work   

done 7e4g41 ,matt4 #bj3h71 and so here4 
,the word for laborer means any kind of 
workman1 but it is common in the  ,new  
,testament for agricultural workers4    
8,the harvest indeed is  plenteous1 but 
the laborers are few0 7,matt4 #i3cg74   
,when the work is  done1 it is only     
simple justice for the workman to       
receive his pay1 for  the hungry mouths 
at home have to be filled4    ,in the   
,old ,testament the cause of the workman
 was guarded with special  care3 8,thou 
shalt not oppress a hired servant that  
is poor and needy1  whether he be of thy
 brethren1 or of thy sojourners that are
 in thy land  within thy gates3 in his  
day thou shalt give him his hire1       
neither shall  the sun go down upon it  
444 lest he cry against thee unto       
,jehovah1 and  it be sin unto thee0     
7,deut4 #bd3ad f474 ,see also ,malachi  
#c3e3 8,i will be  a swift witness      
against 444 those that oppress the      
hireling in his  wages40 ,tobit charges 
his son ,tobias1 8,let not the wages of 

any man1  which hath wrought for thee1  
tarry with thee1 but give him it out of 
hand0 7,tobit #d3ad74 ,sirach 7#cd3ba   
f47 says1 8,the bread of the needy is   
the life of the poor3 he that defraudeth
 him thereof is a man of blood4  ,he    
that taketh away his neighbor's living  
slayeth him2 and he that  defraudeth a  
laborer of his hire is a blood-shedder40
 ,certainly1  therefore1 the ,jews were 
not without explicit teaching on this   
vital  point of elemental social        
justice4    ,and yet these men 8who     
mowed0 7literally1 8heap together07#ij  
their  fields had the sad experience of 
not receiving the wages1 8of you kept   
back by fraud1 comes too late from you0 
7,mayor74 ,the word means to 8fall      
short10 8be too late40#ia    ,the honest
 laborers who form the foundation of our
 industrial system are  not to be       
treated as beggars or hobos4 ,they are  
not subjects for  charity4 ,they are the
 human element in the industrial        
problem4 ,blood is  thicker than water  

and is more valuable than gold4 ,the    
horror of war is  that it treats men as 
fodder for cannon1 regardless of the    
result to the  man or those dependent on
 him4    ,this stolen pay 8cries out0   
and ought to cry out1 whether the hire  
is  kept back after the work is done or 
whether the employer purposely  squeezes
 the laborer down to starvation wages in
 order to make more  money for himself4 
,there is a just balance to be struck by
 which both  capital and labor may      
receive fair remuneration4 8,the cries  
of them that  reaped have entered into  
the ears of the ,lord of ,sabaoth40     
8,the cries of the harvesters0          
7,moffatt7 are musical when they sing   
together as they work1 content with     
their wages and joyous in their  work4  
,but the cries here heard are of a very 
different sort4 ,they are  the angry1   
resentful outcries of men who have been 
wronged in their very  souls by those   
who should have been their protectors   
and friends1 those  for whom the        

harvesters have worked4 ,these men cry  
to heaven1 and they  ought to do so4    
,mayor notes four sins that cry to      
heaven3 a brother's  blood 7,gen4       
#d3aj71 the sin of ,sodom 7,gen4        
#ah3bj71 the oppressed hireling  7,deut4
 #bd3ae71 and the cry of ,job for       
justice 7,job #af3ah f474 ,but men      
ought to hear the cry of the laborers   
before they become too clamorous4  ,it  
is only right that social injustice     
should be rectified here and now  and   
the transgressors punished4    ,the     
social test of modern ,christianity is  
to do justice to the laboring  men      
without doing injustice to the          
capitalists4 ,the conditions of life    
must be made easier4 ,if corporations   
have no souls1 the men who toil at  the 
forge have4 ,men are entitled to a bit  
of heaven here and now at  their own    
hearth and home4 ,somehow1 many of the  
laborers have come to  feel that the    
churches do not sympathize with the     
struggles of the  laboring classes to   

better their hard lot but fawn upon the 
very rich  who sometimes grind the      
toilers to the earth4 ,it is easy to be 
extreme  and unjust to one side or the  
other4 ,the main thing is to be faithful
 to  ,god and man1 to man as man4 ,the  
poorest of men is worth more than a     
sheep1 yes1 than gold and silver4 ,the  
soul is without price1 and the  soul    
dwells in the body4 ,we must shake the  
shackles free from men and  women who   
cry out to ,god4 ,the ,lord ,god of     
,sabaoth has heard their cries  and will
 punish the offenders in due time1 but  
that fact does not  absolve us from our 
present duty in the midst of conditions 
that call  for action4 ,wronged workers 
have a right to a hearing at the bar of 
public opinion4 ,they will cry on until 
they are heard4                         
,the ,wanton ,use of ,money 7#e3e f47   
,evidently ,james is all ablaze as he   
faces the situation of his readers4     
,these ,jewish plutocrats1 some of them 
shysters1 have made their money  out of 

the blood and sweat of the toiling poor4
 ,and then they spend it  in a way to   
anger the wronged workers still more4   
,they live in the most  luxurious       
extravagance and waste of money while   
the cold1 half-naked1  hungry toilers   
who made the wealth go unpaid4 ,it is no
 wonder that such  laborers grow bitter 
at heart4 ,it is a vivid and even       
ghastly picture of  the wicked rich who 
revel at the cost of human happiness1   
who with  careless indifference shut    
their eyes to the misery all around them
 due  to their own injustice4           
,christianity endeavors to make this    
cold  cynicism impossible1 to persuade  
to be just and1 if need be1 go the      
second mile in eagerness to help rather 
than to hang back and higgle  over the  
first4    8,ye have lived delicately on 
the earth1 and taken your pleasure1 ye  
have  revelled on earth and plunged into
 dissipation0 7,moffatt74 ,the sound of 
revelry by night has no melody to the   
ears of the man whose wife and  children

 are starving because he does not get a 
square deal from his  employer4 ,in     
,hermas 7,sim4 #g4 #a7 both of these    
verbs are used together  78reminiscence 
of this passage10 ,mayor7 of those who  
gave themselves up  to the lusts of the 
world4 ,see also #a ,timothy #e3f3 8,she
 that giveth  herself to pleasure is    
dead while she liveth40 ,one is reminded
 of the  picture of the beggar ,lazarus 
who lay at the rich man's gate while the
  man feasted within4 ,the conditions   
will be reversed in heaven if the  poor 
are ,christians and the rich man is     
unsaved 7,luke #af3be74 ,that hope  is  
not to be despised1 but ,james is not   
content to spare the rich now  while    
they inflict such wrongs on men whom    
they employ4    8,ye have nourished your
 hearts in a day of slaughter40 ,we have
 here a  hard phrase to understand4     
,homer uses the verb meaning to turn    
milk into  cheese 7,od4 ix4 #bdf74 ,but 
we cannot feel sure 7cf4 ,luke #ba3cd74 
,and  what is 8the day of slaughter08   

,moffatt boldly renders it thus3 8,you  
have fattened yourselves as for the ,day
 of ,slaughter40 ,that is at least      
comprehensible4 ,at any rate1 when      
,jerusalem was destroyed1 the ,romans   
slew the rich ,jews indiscriminately1   
whether they remained in the city  or   
flew in despair to the ,romans who were 
bent on plunder 7cf4 ,josephus1  ,war1  
v4 #aj1 #b74 ,the pious poor in all the 
ages have suffered at the  hands of the 
rich and the mighty4 ,even in ,america  
religious liberty came  as the result of
 fierce struggle4 ,political freedom was
 bought with the  price of blood4       
,economic justice will be won only by   
tears and blood4    ,the very limit is  
reached4 8,ye have condemned1 ye have   
killed the  righteous one2 he doth not  
resist you40 ,many take these words to  
refer  to the death of ,jesus as the    
culmination of iniquity1 when the rich  
,pharisees and ,sadducees obtained the  
death of the poor ,carpenter of         
,nazareth4 ,in these words ,peter       

charged that the ,jews had been guilty  
of  ,christ's death3 8,but ye denied the
 ,holy and ,righteous ,one1 and asked   
for  a murderer to be granted unto you1 
and killed the ,prince of life0 7,acts  
#c3ad f474    ,certainly the application
 to ,jesus has a deal of verisimilitude4
 ,stephen  used similar language3 8,and 
they killed them that showed before of  
the  coming of the ,righteous ,one2 of  
whom ye have now become betrayers and   
murderers0 7,acts #g3eb74 8,the         
,righteous ,one0 is thus seen to be one 
of  the titles given ,jesus by the early
 disciples4 ,there is no reason why     
,james should not have referred to the  
death of ,jesus in those words4    ,but 
the book of ,wisdom has similar language
 about the righteous poor who  are      
oppressed by the wicked rich1 and the   
parallel is so clear that  probably     
,james refers directly to it4 ,see      
,wisdom #b3aj ff43 8,let us  oppress the
 poor righteous man2 let us not spare   
the widow1 nor  reverence the ancient   

grey hairs of the aged4444 ,let us lie  
in wait for  the righteous2 because he  
is not for our turn1 and he is clear    
contrary  to our doings2 he upbraideth  
us with our offending the law40 ,it was 
so  in the days of the prophets4 ,hear  
,amos 7#b3f f47 as he thunders against  
the evils of his day3 8,they have sold  
the righteous for silver1 and the  needy
 for a pair of shoes--they that pant    
after the dust of the earth on  the head
 of the poor0 7surely the most greedy of
 men for real estate1 if  they even seek
 that on top of the head of the poor674 
,the picture is one  of the oppression  
of the good man who is unresisting and  
allows himself  to be robbed4 ,the      
horrors of war to helpless women and    
children come  before us4    ,it is     
curious that in the legendary account#ib
 of the death of ,james1  who was later 
called also 8the ,just10 we are told    
that the ,jews ran upon  ,james1 crying1
 8,oh6 oh6 even the righteous one40 ,one
 of the priests  vainly cried out3      

8,stop6 ,what are you doing8 ,the       
righteous one is  praying for you40     
,according to this story1 ,james himself
 finally met the  very fate of those    
unfortunate victims of ,jewish greed and
 hate1 of whom  ,jesus is the chief     
illustration4 ,progress in behalf of    
human rights is  won only by slow       
advances here and there4 ,but in the end
 of the day the  cause wins4 ,the stars 
in their courses fight against ,sisera  
and all the  enemies of man and ,god4   
,,xii                                   
,perseverance and ,prayer      ,the     
purpose of ,james in writing his epistle
 comes out clearly in #e3g-bj4  ,he     
wishes to hearten the ,jewish           
,christians in the midst of their trials
  as well as to make a protest against  
the oppressions to which they were      
subjected4 8,the storm of indignation is
 past1 and from this point to the  end  
of the ,epistle ,st4 ,james writes in   
tones of tenderness and  affection0     
7,plummer74 ,he has denounced the       

persecutors and now turns to  the       
brethren who are under the heel of the  
money devil4                            
,patience till the ,parousia 7#e3g f47  
8,be patient therefore1 brethren1 until 
the coming of the ,lord40 ,moffatt  has 
it 8till the arrival of the ,lord40 ,the
 example of the righteous man1  whether 
,christ or the typical righteous poor   
man1 argues strongly for  long-suffering
 78long-tempered0 like our              
8sweet-tempered10  8quick-tempered10 and
 the opposite of 8short-tempered10      
according to  ,mayor74 ,in the          
,christian race one cannot afford to be 
short of wind4 ,he  has a long run and  
must hold out until the goal is reached 
7cf4 ,heb4  #ab3a-c74    ,one is        
reminded of the opening note of the     
,epistle of ,james 7#a3b-d71  where he  
urged joy in the midst of varied trials4
 ,the wicked rich  deserve all the      
fierce denunciation that ,james has just
 bestowed and all  the penalty that ,god
 will inflict1 but the suffering        

,christians must not  engage in mere    
recrimination4 ,james does not          
discourage protest against  wrong or the
 effort to remove evil4 ,but there is a 
residuum of suffering  and pain in the  
cup of all of us4 ,when all else is     
done1 in the end of  the day we must    
drink that cup4 ,let us do it with the  
spirit of soldiers  who fall in the     
trenches at the post of duty4 ,it is    
better to do it  without flinching and  
without making a wry face4 ,god is full 
of  long-suffering toward us 7,rom4     
#b3d2 #a ,peter #c3bj71 and men have    
shown  the same spirit 7,james #e3aj2 #b
 ,cor4 #f3f74 ,the patience in ,james   
#a3c f4  is just 8remaining under10 but 
here the point is to do it and make no  
fuss about it1 not to call attention to 
what one is suffering1 to be a  martyr  
without insisting on being recognized as
 one4    ,the early ,christians were so 
eager for the second coming of the ,lord
  ,jesus that they were impatient for   
his return and some of them  completely 

upset about it1 although ,jesus had     
emphasized the utter  uncertainty of the
 time and had urged watchfulness and    
readiness4 ,by a  skilful turn          
7,plummer7 ,james 8makes the unconscious
 impatience of  primitive ,christianity 
a basis for his exhortation to conscious
  patience40    ,some of them no longer 
had a taste for the slow work of        
plowing1 sowing1  and reaping1          
forgetting what ,jesus had said of the  
gradual growth of the  kingdom of ,god  
from seed to harvest4 ,so ,james1       
probably with the words  of ,jesus in   
mind1 says1 8,behold1 the husbandman    
waiteth for the precious  fruit of the  
earth40 ,the farmer1 tiller of the soil1
 has much to  discourage him in the     
making and selling of his crops4 ,the   
soil has to  be kept up to its level of 
fertility and must be properly prepared4
 ,the  seed must be of good quality and 
has to be sown at the proper season4    
,the weeds will come1 and the harvest is
 dependent on the sun and the  rain4 ,he

 cannot hasten the process4 ,when he has
 done the most scientific  farming1 he  
can only wait in expectancy4 ,often1    
perhaps daily1 the  farmer watches the  
growth of the grain1 8being patient over
 it10 bending  over it as a fond father4
 ,he knows that he cannot hasten the    
season4 ,the  early rain made possible  
the sowing of the seed4 ,the latter rain
 will  make possible a harvest4         
,meanwhile1 he can do nothing but wait  
8until it  receive0 the final touch from
 ,god's hand4 ,by force of circumstances
 the  farmer has to exercise            
long-suffering toward his crop of wheat4
    8,be ye also patient40 ,james       
applies his illustration with directness
 and  power4 8,ye also10 as well as the 
husbandman4 ,he does it1 for nature has 
taught him her secrets4 8,ye0 should do 
so1 for ,jesus has shown you the  way4  
8,establish your hearts40 ,peter is     
charged with just this task when  he has
 turned 7,luke #bb3cb74 ,god strengthens
 us 7#a ,peter #e3aj2 #a ,thess4        

#c3ac71 but we must do our share4 8,for 
the coming of the ,lord is at  hand40   
,the phrase 8is at hand0 is the one that
 ,john the ,baptist used of the         
nearness of the kingdom of heaven which 
had come right upon them 7,matt4  #c3b74
 ,so ,peter 7#a ,peter #d3g7 says1 8,the
 end of all things is at hand40  ,paul  
7,phil4 #d3e7 says1 8,the ,lord is at   
hand40 ,there is no doubt that the      
early ,christians hoped that ,jesus     
would come back quickly and thus        
relieve them from the ills of an        
impossible social system 7,rom4 #ac3aa2 
#a  ,thess4 #d3ae2 #a ,john #b3ah74 ,but
 they did not at all feel sure that     
,jesus  was coming right away 7#a       
,thess4 #e3b2 #b ,thess4 #c3a ff42 #b   
,cor4 #e3a-aj2  ,phil4 #a3ba-bc74       
,when #b ,peter was written1 scoffers   
were already asking1 8,where is the     
promise of his coming80 7#b ,peter      
#c3d74 ,the answer is given that one day
  with the ,lord is as a thousand years 
and a thousand years as one day4  ,back 

to their tasks they must go1 back to the
 building up of the kingdom  of ,god in 
the midst of a world of woe and sin1 on 
with the conflict till  ,jesus comes1 on
 with the long siege against human greed
 and inhumanity  to man4 ,patience is   
the word--patience and prayer1 pluck and
 praise1  power and peace in the end4   
,folly of ,recrimination 7#e3i7    ,if  
things do not go to suit us1 the natural
 way is to blame somebody  else for what
 has befallen us4 ,we generally         
exculpate ourselves from all            
responsibility4 ,a nave illustration of 
this propensity is found in ,john       
#ab3ai3 8,behold how ye prevail nothing2
 lo1 the world is gone after him40  ,at 
the triumphal entry of ,jesus into      
,jerusalem the ,pharisees1 thinking     
that their cause against ,jesus was     
lost1 turned and blamed each other  for 
the outcome4 ,so then 8murmur not1      
brethren1 one against another40         
,literally it is1 8groan not1 brothers1 
against one another40 ,see ,romans      

#h3bc3 8,we ourselves groan within      
ourselves40 ,it is the inward and       
unexpressed feeling rather than the     
outward expression of  dissatisfaction  
7cf4 ,james #d3aa74    ,the secret      
grudge is taken out in groans and       
murmurs4 ,in ,mark #g3cd ,jesus  is said
 to have groaned as he looked up to     
heaven and prayed1 perhaps  out of sheer
 weariness at the burden of sin and     
sorrow that was upon  him4 ,it is hard  
to be content and to smother resentment 
at known or  suspected wrong4 ,the      
suppressed volcano may easily break out 
into a  violent eruption4 8,let them    
wander up and down for meat1 and grudge 
if  they be not satisfied0 7,psalm      
#ei3ae1 ,,av74 ,the murmur of a mob is  
often  senseless1 and in all events we  
must bear in mind that we bring down    
condemnation on our own heads4    8,that
 ye be not judged10 says ,james4 ,he    
recurs to this point in #e3ab4          
,probably the words of ,jesus in        
,matthew #g3a are recalled by ,james4   

8,behold1 the judge standeth before the 
door40 ,he will hear all  complaints and
 set everything right4 ,the picture     
appears to be that in  the ,mishnah ,ab4
 iv4 #af3 8,this world is as if it were 
a vestibule to  the future world2       
prepare thyself in the vestibule1 that  
thou mayest  enter the reception room40 
,jesus is the ,judge who stands at the  
door  through which all must pass4 ,the 
conception is eschatological and        
apocalyptic4 ,see ,matthew #bd3cc3      
8,know ye that he is nigh1 even at the  
doors40 ,in ,revelation #c3bj ,jesus is 
represented as saying3 8,behold1 ,i     
stand at the door and knock40 ,let him  
in now1 that you and he may sup         
together4 ,let him in now1 else you may 
stand before him hereafter as  culprit  
and helpless and hopeless4 8,kiss the   
son1 lest he be angry1 and  ye perish in
 the way0 7,psalm #b3ab74 ,treat kindly 
one another so that you  will not need  
the ,son to act as ,judge between you4  
,examples of ,patience 7#e3aj f47       

,james1 like a practical preacher1 loves
 to illustrate his points4 ,he has  a   
fitting one at hand in 8the prophets who
 spake in the name of the  ,lord40 ,they
 spoke in the name1 with the authority  
and with the power of  the ,lord4 ,the  
idiom is common enough in the           
,septuagint and1 indeed1 in  the        
papyri4#ic ,they spoke as the           
representatives of ,jehovah4 ,mayor     
seems a bit perplexed over the failure  
of ,james to mention ,jesus as the      
supreme example of suffering1 as is done
 by ,peter 7#a ,peter #b3ba71 who  spoke
 of ,christ's leaving us an example1 by 
,paul 7,phil4 #b3e-aa71 and by  the     
author of ,hebrews 7#ab3a-e74           
,perhaps ,james may have thought it was 
particularly pertinent for these        
,jewish ,christians to be reminded of   
the prophets as an 8example of          
suffering and of patience40 ,certainly  
they endured evil in abundance and  had 
great need of long-suffering4 ,it was   
common enough to appeal to them  for    

this purpose4 ,jesus did it with keenest
 irony at the mock heroic  monuments    
built later to the memory of the        
martyred prophets 7,matt4  #e3ab2       
#bc3cd1 #cg74 ,stephen did it with so   
sharp a tongue that the  ,sanhedrin     
stoned him to death for his courage and 
proved the truth of  his words by their 
own acts 7,acts #g3eb74 ,elijah says to 
,jehovah1 8,the  children of ,israel    
have 444 slain thy prophets with the    
sword0 7#a ,kings  #ai3aj1 #ad74        
,jeremiah says also1 8,your own sword   
hath devoured your  prophets1 like a    
destroying lion0 7#b3cj74 ,as patterns  
of patience take  ,noah1 ,abraham1      
,jacob1 ,moses1 ,isaiah1 and ,jeremiah4 
,these illustrate in  various ways the  
patience of which the readers of the    
,epistle of ,james  stand in sore need4 
8,behold1 we call them blessed that     
endured40 ,he had already done that in  
,james #a3ab4 ,jesus had promised       
salvation to the one who endured to the 
end 7,matt4 #bd3ac74 ,men usually       

felicitate the survivors of a           
catastrophe4 ,often they become popular 
heroes4    ,in particular1 8ye have     
heard of the patience of ,job40 ,job was
 the most  frequently quoted instance in
 ,old ,testament times and is a         
perfectly  obvious one for ,james4 ,and 
yet ,job did have passionate outbursts  
of  indignation at the gibes and        
superfluous advice of his tormenting    
friends1 and even of his wife1 when ,god
 seemed to have deserted him4 ,but  it  
must be remembered that ,job did not    
curse ,god and die4 ,he waited for  ,god
 to speak and make it all plain4 ,job   
hardly exhibited long-suffering1  but he
 clearly did show patience4 ,he was not 
exactly meek1 but he  revealed the      
endurance of a sensitive man4 ,although 
,job is the most  famous instance of    
patience in the ,old ,testament1 yet he 
is nowhere else  cited as such in the   
,new ,testament4 ,we need not discuss   
the question  whether ,job is parable or
 fact1 as the point is here precisely   

the same4    ,ye 8have seen the end of  
the ,lord1 how that the ,lord is full of
 pity1  and merciful40 ,the outcome in  
the case of ,job proves the point4 ,it  
turned out all right with ,job4 ,so he  
illustrates the pity and mercy of  the  
,lord2 8the end of the ,lord0 is seen in
 the conclusion1 like a novel  that     
turns out happily at last4 ,in the midst
 of the stress and storm of  ,job's life
 and his violent outbursts of emotion   
and exalted feeling ,god  is sympathetic
 and compassionate4 ,god has understood 
,job and watched his  endurance all the 
while4 ,the story is so well known that 
,james does not  have to tell it but can
 depend upon his readers to see the     
point of the  illustration4             
,profanity 7#e3ab7    ,this little      
paragraph seems to come in rather       
abruptly1 with no  connection with what 
precedes4 ,as a result1 ,oesterley      
regards it as 8a  fragment of a larger  
piece0 which ,james here tears from its 
context1  perhaps a saying from ,jesus4 

,but ,plummer is more likely correct in 
thinking of it as an appendix after     
rounding out the epistle1 coming  back  
to the blessedness of trial1 with which 
topic the epistle opens4    ,the        
exhortations need not have a close      
connection with each other4 ,as a       
matter of fact1 ,james has spoken more  
against the sins of speech than  any    
other single sin4 ,plummer well says1   
8,he has spoken against  talkativeness1 
unrestrained speaking1 love of          
correcting others1  railing1 cursing1   
boasting1 murmuring0 7see #a3ai1 #bf2   
#c3a-ab2 #d3aa1 #ac2  #e3i74 ,he now    
recurs to the sins of speech to say a   
few words against one  of the commonest 
evils of which he has not spoken        
specifically4 ,he  evidently is thinking
 of the words of ,jesus as we have them 
in ,matthew  #e3cd-cg1 though it is not 
an exact quotation4#id ,he may1 indeed1 
as  ,resch holds1 give another version  
of the same logion 7cf4 #b ,cor4 #a3ag74
  ,but there was ample ground for this  

prohibition1 as the ,jews had learned   
how to split hairs on the subject of    
profanity4    ,the ,third ,commandment  
was plain enough on the subject1 and it 
was  supported by the ,pharisees and the
 ,essenes4 ,the ,essenes1 indeed1       
opposed  all oaths1 even before courts1 
and were said to have been excused by   
,herod from taking the oath of          
allegiance 7,jos41 ,ant4 xv4 #aj4d74    
,and  yet1 as ,mayor notes1 this is not 
consistent with the oath of initiation  
which the ,essenes took 7,jos41 ,war ii4
 #h4g74 ,the ,jewish view is well       
represented by ,sirach #bc3g-aa and by  
,philo 7,m4 #b1 p4 #ahd74    ,the early 
,christians found trouble with this     
verse of ,james1 as with the  words of  
,jesus on the same point4 ,see the list 
of quotations from the  early writers in
 ,mayor4 ,augustine sees no harm in     
oaths before courts if  it were not for 
the danger of committing perjury4 ,and  
yet it may be  seriously questioned if  
,jesus or ,james is thinking of oaths in

 courts of  justice1 since ,jesus       
himself did not refuse to answer when   
put on oath  by the high priest before  
the ,sanhedrin 7,matt4 #bf3 #fc f474    
,besides1  solemn asseveration is       
allowed in the ,old ,testament 7,deut4  
#f3ac2 #aj3bj2  ,isa4 #fe3af74 ,it is   
far more likely the flippant use of     
oaths 7profanity7  that is here         
condemned4 ,there were1 and are still1  
all sorts of devices  by which more or  
less pious people feel justified in     
calling on the name  of the ,lord in    
ordinary speech4 ,it is today one of the
 saddest things in  life to note how    
common profanity is in the ordinary     
speech of men and  of boys1 mannish boys
 who imitate the men about them4 ,it is 
positively  disheartening to hear it on 
the streets1 in the streetcars1 in the  
trains4    ,if one is puzzled1 as was   
,augustine1 over the words 8above all   
things10  on the ground that profanity  
is not worse than adultery and murder1  
we  may take it either as a kind of     

hyperbole 7as did ,augustine7 or as a   
sort of elative superlative 7not        
literally before all but only very      
important71 as limited to the forms of  
impatience in the preceding  context1   
like #a ,peter #d3h1 where the same     
idiom occurs 7,mayor74 ,but if  the     
strict interpretation be insisted on1   
one has only to consider what  the sin  
of profanity really is4 ,it is a        
blasphemous use of the name of  the     
,most ,high ,god4 ,the fact that it is  
usually done without thinking  mitigates
 the offense1 but sometimes the full    
bitterness of profanity is  meant4 ,few 
things are worse than sulfurous speech  
like the very fumes of  hell4 ,for my   
part1 ,i should not press the words     
8above all things0 too  far in this     
context4    8,swear not1 neither by the 
heaven1 nor by the earth1 nor by any    
other  oath40#ie ,certainly this is     
plain enough to be understood4 ,it is   
conclusive and inclusive and leaves no  
room for the milder forms of  profanity 

for which ,christians sometimes excuse  
themselves4 8,but let  your yea be yea2 
and your nay1 nay20 8let your #8yes' be 
a plain #8yes1'  your #8no' a plain     
#8no'0 7,moffatt7--this1 and nothing    
more4 ,but there is  the trouble4 ,the  
need for emphasis and the love of strong
 assertion lead  a person so easily to  
go beyond the bounds of good taste and  
decency4  ,edersheim 7i4 p4 #ehc7 has a 
,midrash quotation3 8,the good man's yea
 is  yea1 and his nay nay40    ,in      
calmer moments one knows that the value 
of his statement rests  essentially on  
his own character for veracity4 ,his    
mere word is enough  and1 in truth1 all 
that one can offer4 ,violent expletives 
throw  discredit on a person's ordinary 
statements and suspicion on the one     
that he seeks to bolster up with        
artificial means4 ,profanity is one of  
the worst and most useless of sins4 ,it 
brings good to none and harm to  all1 in
 particular to the one who uses it4     
8,that ye fall not under  judgment40    

,the ,judge is at the door 7,james      
#e3i71 and there is no escape4          
,worship and ,excitement 7#e3ac7        
,plummer has a very keen and pertinent  
heading for his chapter on this  verse1 
and it is noteworthy that he devotes an 
entire chapter to this  one verse1 a    
verse that is little understood by most 
interpreters4 ,his  heading is this3    
8,worship the ,best ,outlet and ,remedy 
for ,excitement4 ,the  ,connection      
between ,worship and ,conduct40         
,certainly oaths are not the way  to    
express one's emotions1 whether one be  
angry or merely excited1 least  of all  
when one has the miserable habit of     
profanity and is unaware of  his foul   
speech4 ,and yet it is not wrong to     
express one's feelings4  ,there is no   
merit in the self-repression of the     
cynic or the stoic4 8,let  the          
expression of strongly excited feelings 
be an act of worship0  7,plummer74 ,this
 is an intensely practical point4       
8,is any among you suffering80 ,and what

 church or community does not have  one 
or more of these occasional or chronic  
sufferers8 ,the word has a  wider       
meaning than mere bodily sickness4 ,paul
 uses it for suffering  hardship as a   
good soldier 7#b ,tim4 #b3c1 #i2 #d3e74 
,it includes any kind of  ill of body or
 mind4 ,it means1 literally1 having hard
 experiences1 and  it refers to natural 
depression as a result of such          
misfortunes4 ,the  remedy is not in     
despondency or in suicide4 ,the remedy  
lies in prayer4  8,let him pray10 let   
him pray as a habit 7present tense of   
durative  action74 ,prayer is a blessing
 to the heart and to the mental life4   
,it is  good to talk with ,god4 ,the    
worry disappears in ,god's presence and 
often  the very ill itself disappears4  
,but if it does not go1 he gives grace  
sufficient to bear the burden4 ,so then 
prayer is the proper outlet for  the    
depressed ,christian4    ,here lies one 
of the great blessings of public worship
 in the house of  ,god4 ,the tired soul 

finds rest in prayer in the house of    
prayer4 ,there  is comfort in secret    
prayer and in family worship1 but the   
man makes a  tremendous psychological   
blunder who cuts himself off from the   
spiritual  tonic of the public worship  
of ,god4 ,those in charge of that       
worship  should never fail to have in   
mind such persons who come to church    
seeking comfort and strength4    ,but   
some hearts are overjoyed and feel like 
giving expression to their  joy in      
unusual ways1 almost in ecstasy4 8,is   
any cheerful80 ,there are  many in happy
 mood1 in good spirits or 8good cheer0  
7cf4 ,acts #bg3bb1  #be74 ,these are in 
good health of soul and perhaps also of 
body4 8,let him  sing praise40 ,the word
 originally meant to play on a stringed 
instrument  7,sir4 #i3d71 but it comes  
to be used also for singing with the    
voice and  the heart 7,eph4 #e3ai2 #a   
,cor4 #ad3ae71 making melody with the   
heart to the  ,lord4    ,there is a     
wondrous exaltation of soul in the      

public praise of ,god4 ,the  combination
 of instruments and of voice enables the
 soul of man to pour  itself out toward 
,god in richness of praise4 ,this is far
 better than the  reckless1 unrestrained
 ecstasy of overwrought emotionalism4   
,plummer  notes properly that there is  
no merit or demerit per se in           
excitement4  ,the wild dervish commands 
only astonishment1 not sympathy4        
,religious  excitement may become the   
occasion of bringing discredit upon     
,christianity1 even when it represents  
real fervor and an element of  worship4 
,the spirit of man cannot always be     
restrained4 ,under the  preaching of    
,wesley and ,whitefield the audiences   
were sometimes carried  to excesses of  
emotion4 ,but far better this than the  
deadness and  coldness of mere          
formalism4 ,revivals occasionally have  
been marked by  such excesses1 like the 
8,jerks0 in ,kentucky one hundred and   
fifty years  ago when1 however1 real    
change of life took place4    ,there is 

wisdom in the words of ,james here4 ,let
 the religious emotions  find expression
 in prayer and praise4 ,the effect is   
not only good for  the moment but is    
good for conduct and life as a whole4   
,if we could only  manage somehow to    
turn some of the energy that goes into  
our activities  into religious worship1 
certainly the effect would be more      
wholesome all  around4 ,people cannot   
help a measure of excitement4 ,some of  
it is good  for them4 ,there is tonic in
 communion with ,god1 tonic for soul and
 body4                             ,god 
and ,medicine 7#e3ad-ah7    ,few        
subjects have excited more interest in  
recent years than the subject  here     
presented4 ,so many subsidiary issues   
are raised that it is  difficult to     
treat the question adequately in a few  
pages4    ,many varieties of 8faith     
cures0 have been before the world4 ,the 
so-called ,christian ,science movement  
is now the most prominent of them  all1 
combining an idealistic philosophy and  

pantheistic religion4 ,this  combination
 takes up various aspects of ,buddhism1 
,gnosticism1 and a dash  of ,christian  
verbiage with the vital elements of     
,christianity gone1 and  uses some of   
the well-known ideas of modern          
psychology as to the  influence of the  
mind on the body4 ,as a whole1 it is a  
hopeless jumble  of absurdities and     
inconsistencies and is hostile to the   
worship of  ,jesus4 ,it leads astray a  
certain type of mind without clear      
reasoning  processes and fattens on the 
fees for mental healing1 a portion of   
which  goes to the mother church in     
,boston4 ,there is only the most        
superficial  parallel between what      
,james here describes and what the      
,christian  ,science 8healer0 practices4
    ,there is in ,james an absence of   
all mercenary ideas4 ,there is no       
8commercialized use of prayer10 to use  
the legal phrase of one of the  ,new    
,york courts4 ,there is also the use of 
olive oil1 the best medicine  known to  

the ancient world and still one of the  
best remedial agencies1  whether used   
internally or externally4 ,the disciples
 of ,jesus on their  tour of ,galilee   
had the double ministry of preaching and
 healing 7,matt4  #aj3g f471 and they   
anointed the sick with oil 7,mark       
#f3ac74 ,in ,isaiah #a3f  the prophet   
says that the bruises were 8neither     
bound up1 neither  mollified with oil40 
,so the good ,samaritan bound up the    
wounds of the  poor victim of the       
robbers and poured oil and wine upon him
 7,luke  #aj3cd74    ,a number of       
questions come bristling for discussion 
as we proceed with  this passage in     
,james4 ,the use of the word 8church0   
rather than  synagogue1 as in #b3b1 is  
to be observed4 ,the local church       
undoubtedly  had a close kinship to the 
,jewish synagogue in origin and worship4
 ,the  very phrase 8elders of the       
church0 occurs also in ,acts #bj3ag and 
in the  plural1 like bishops at         
,philippi 7,phil4 #a3a74 ,there was a   

council of  elders in the synagogue     
7,luke #g3c71 and the word appears in an
 official  sense in the ,egyptian       
papyri4#if    ,but a more vital question
 for our subject is whether these elders
 come  in an official capacity to       
perform an ecclesiastical 8anointing0   
with  oil or whether they come to pray  
as brothers in ,christ and rub with the 
olive oil 7cf4 ,isa4 #a3f7 as medicine4 
,mayor quotes ,philo 7,sonm1 ,m4 i4     
#fff71 ,pliny 7,n4 ,h4 xxiii4 #cd-ej71  
and ,galen 7,med4 ,temp41 book ii7 in   
praise of oil as a medicine4 ,in        
,herod's last illness a bath of oil was 
recommended to him 7,jos41 ,war i4 #cc1 
#e74    ,there is1 therefore1 no doubt  
as to the ancient opinion about1 and use
  of1 oil as a medicine4 ,it is probable
 that each one will decide this         
question according to his predilections4
 ,for my own part1 ,i incline to  the   
view that we have here not a sacramental
 or priestly function on the  part of   
these elders but the double duty of     

ministry of the word and of  medicine   
7with prayer74 ,the nearest parallel in 
modern life is the  medical missionary1 
who goes with the word of life and the  
healing balm  of modern science4 ,he    
heals the sick with the physician's     
skill and the  prayer of faith4 ,paul   
helped the sick 7,acts #bj3ce7 at       
,ephesus and often  healed the sick1 and
 yet he worked side by side with ,luke1 
the beloved  physician1 as in the island
 of ,melita 7,acts #bh3h f474    ,there 
is certainly no indication that what is 
called 8extreme unction0  was practiced 
or urged by ,james and the apostolic    
,christians4 ,that was a  later         
development in ,greek and ,roman        
,catholic churches that is foreign  to  
the tone of this epistle4 ,there is here
 no such superstition as  sending for a 
minister when death is at hand to       
perform a magical ritual  ceremony to   
stave off death4 ,mayor has a full      
statement of the chief  facts about the 
sacrament of unction in later centuries4

 ,he suggests  that the cases of the    
failure of the simple use of oil as a   
medicine  probably led finally to the   
special consecration of the oil or the  
use  of relics4 ,but in ,james we seem  
to have not a ceremony or ecclesiastical
  function but rather the simple use of 
oil as a medicine and prayer 8in  the   
name of the ,lord40    ,today we have a 
more advanced medical science which is1 
however1 by no  means final and         
infallible4 ,we separate the functions  
of the minister  and the physician4 ,we 
prefer the doctor to the oil1 but we    
still need  ,god with the doctor4 ,it is
 a great error for one to think that    
,god is  not to be called upon because  
we have a skilled physician4 ,the       
minister  still has a place1 and a very 
important place1 in the problem of      
therapeutics1 particularly in those many
 cases of a more or less nervous  type  
when the influence of the mind on the   
body is very pronounced4  ,often in the 
most severe illness the deciding factor 

is not medicine but  hope1 as any doctor
 will say4 ,the minister should make    
friends with the  physician and be at   
his service and co-operate with him4    
,the minister  needs to be careful to be
 a help and not a hindrance in cases of 
sickness4 ,he should be a sedative and  
an inspiration to the patient1 not  an  
irritant or an excitant4 ,it is a just  
ground of complaint that  physicians    
have against those preachers who lend   
themselves to the  schemes of quack     
doctors with patent medicines for all   
sorts of ills4    ,but coming back to   
the use of prayer1 ,james says1 8,and   
the prayer of  faith shall save him that
 is sick1 and the ,lord shall raise him 
up40 ,the  credit is here given to      
prayer and the power of ,god4 ,one is   
not to infer  that ,james gives no      
credit to medicine4 ,the oil was good2  
,god works  through medicine and without
 medicine4 ,the best that we still know 
on  this subject is this3 prayer and    
medicine1 or ,god and the doctor4 ,the  

promise of ,james may be compared with  
those of ,jesus in ,mark #aa3bd and     
,john #ad3ad4 ,but the very essence of  
prayer is acquiescence with us4 ,by     
8save0 here ,james means 8cure10 as it  
often does in the ,gospels 7,mark       
#e3bc2 #f3ef2 #h3ce74    ,the prayer of 
faith is the only kind that is real     
prayer1 and it is  trust in ,god with   
full acknowledgment of ,god's power and 
love4 ,some men  have always had the    
idea of a ,god so aloof from the world  
that he cares  nothing about it or is   
powerless to help4 ,there is nothing in 
modern  scientific knowledge            
inconsistent with an immanent1 yet      
transcendent1  ,god who holds the key of
 life in himself4 ,the wondrous laws of 
nature  are all of ,god1 and there are  
many more that we do not yet understand4
  ,science has vastly increased our     
sense of wonder about ,god and his      
world4 ,we have only skirted the fringes
 of knowledge4 ,it is idle to say  that 
,god1 if he really sent his ,son to     

redeem men from sin and all  earthly    
woe1 does not care if we suffer in body 
and mind4 ,the ,father's  hand rests    
upon us all4 ,he can be reached4 ,he is 
not far from any of us1  and he loves   
us4    8,and if he have committed sins1 
it shall be forgiven him10 not by being 
healed in body nor because he is healed 
of his sickness4 ,the two things  do not
 correspond1 nor does one follow because
 of the other4 ,what ,james  means1     
undoubtedly1 is that the cured man1     
convicted of his sins and out  of       
gratitude to ,god for his goodness1     
repents of his sins and is  forgiven4   
,this is what should always happen in   
such cases1 but often it occurs  that   
men who profess repentance on a bed of  
sickness forget it when they  get up4   
,this is sheer ingratitude and a        
horrible outcome4 ,but certainly  if the
 sick man is a sinner1 he should be     
prayed for4 ,it is the time of          
opportunity to get him to listen to the 
voice of ,god4 ,no undue advantage  need

 be taken of one's situation1 and yet it
 is wise to speak plainly  then4        
,sickness is a great leveler and brings 
us all down4 ,beyond any  doubt1 ,roman 
,catholics have made good use of their  
asylums and  hospitals4 ,other          
denominations are beginning to take a   
real interest in  this aspect of        
,christian activity4 ,in the hour of    
sickness it is a great  mercy to fall   
into the hands of those who love ,god   
and where the love of  ,jesus is mingled
 with the highest medical science4      
,during sickness is a good time to      
confess our sins to one another as  well
 as to ,god4 8,confess therefore your   
sins one to another40 ,clearly if  the  
sick man1 conscious now of his own      
weakness1 is not willing to  confess his
 sins against others1 ,god will not     
forgive him4    ,as ,mayor points out1  
,james expands the words of ,jesus about
 forgiving  those who have trespassed   
against us 7,matt4 #e3bc f42 #f3ad71 so 
as to  bring out both sides of the      

subject4 ,let the sick man ask          
forgiveness of  those whom he has       
wronged4 ,then let them forgive him and 
pray for him4  8,pray one for another40 
,the ,roman ,catholics--,bellarmine1 for
  instance--sometimes appeal to this    
passage as a justification for          
auricular confession to the priest2 but 
,luther has a pointed answer3 8,a       
strange confessor4 ,his name is #8,one  
,another4'0 ,cajetan 8speaks the        
language of common sense0 7,mayor7 and  
admits that ,james has no such  custom  
in mind4 ,what ,james urges is public   
confession1 in particular to  those     
wronged1 not private and secret         
confession to a priest4    ,the ,roman  
,catholic confessional is one of the    
most dangerous of  ecclesiastical       
institutions4 ,it puts untold power for 
harm into the  hands of the priest4 ,it 
is difficult to conceive how a husband  
or father  could be willing for wife or 
daughter to make secret confession to a 
priest4 ,the abuses of the confessional 

make a horrible chapter in human        
history4 ,not merely are things wrung   
out that should not be told1 but  evil  
is suggested that would never be thought
 of4 ,the original form of  absolution  
was 8precatory rather than declaratory0 
7,plummer74    ,but it is a great good  
to the soul to open the heart and make a
 frank  confession to the church or to  
the persons who have been injured4      
,great  sorrow would be avoided if men  
would only have the manhood to do this  
thing4 ,tertullian 7,on ,penance viii7  
well says1 8,confession of sins         
lightens as much as concealment         
aggravates them40 ,confession of sin was
  one of the cardinal tenets in the     
preaching of ,john the ,baptist4 ,the   
,romanists demanded penance for sins    
publicly confessed1 and private  enmity 
7,plummer7 took advantage of it for     
purposes of revenge4    ,then it is a   
good time to pray 8that ye may be       
healed40 ,then the power  of ,god is    
with men to heal both soul and body4    

,many a revival has  started in a church
 because those who have been estranged  
have buried  the hatchet and seen eye to
 eye again4 ,there is power in prayer   
when the  soul is open to ,god1 as can  
be true only when hate disappears from  
the  heart4 8,the supplication of a     
righteous man availeth much in its      
working10 8the prayers of the righteous 
have a powerful effect0  7,moffatt74    
,this short sentence is clearer in the  
,greek than in any of the ,english      
renderings4 ,plummer suggests1 8,great  
is the strength of a righteous  man's   
supplication1 in its earnestness40 ,the 
word for 8supplication0 is  more        
specific than the usual term and        
suggests a sense of need4 ,but the      
crucial word is the participle1 which   
may be either middle or  passive4#ig    
,our word 8energetic0 is derived from   
the verbal adjective4  ,the notion of   
energy is present1 at any rate4 ,the    
great word in modern  science is this   
very word 8energy10 which is made       

luminous by  electricity and radium4    
,the only prayer worthwhile is one with 
energy in  it1 whether inwrought 7taking
 the participle as passive7 by the      
,spirit  of ,god or at work 7middle     
voice7 through the spiritual passion of 
the  man's own soul4 ,such a prayer has 
much force in it and is not a mere      
ceremony or rattle of meaningless words4
    ,the emphasis on 8a righteous man0  
here does not mean that ,god will not   
hear the cry of a sinner for mercy but  
probably that a righteous man is  more  
likely to put the proper energy into his
 prayer4 ,we may reflect  sadly that our
 prayers often have no power with ,god  
because they have no  energy when said4 
,there is no power in the dynamo2 the   
engine has gone  dead2 the steam is not 
high enough to move the driving wheel4  
,oesterley  quotes aptly the words of   
,rabbi ,ben ,zakkai in ,berachoth1      
#cd;b1 when  prayers for a sick child   
are desired3 8,although ,i am greater in
 learning  than ,chaninah1 he is more   

efficacious in prayer2 ,i am indeed the 
,prince1  but he is the ,steward who has
 constant access to the ,king40 ,they   
have it  because they live close to     
,god4 ,with a great price they have won 
this  high prerogative4 ,ofttimes they  
are the humblest of men in earthly      
station and store4 ,very mechanical1    
surely1 is the idea of ,rabbi ,isaac    
7,jebamoth1 #fd;a71 who says3 8,the     
prayer of the righteous is  comparable  
to a pitchfork2 as the pitchfork changes
 the position of the  wheat so the      
prayer changes the disposition of ,god  
from wrath to mercy40    ,james has a   
typical case to illustrate his point4   
8,elijah was a man of  like passions    
with us10 8with a nature just like our  
own0 7,moffatt74  ,james emphasizes the 
human frailties of ,elijah to show that 
he does not  refer to ceremonial or     
sacramental rites when he urges prayer  
for the  sick4 ,such prayer is the      
privilege not merely of the elders of   
the  church but of any good man who has 

the ear of ,god4 ,that power is not a   
function of ecclesiastical position but 
the reward of holy living and  trust in 
,god4 ,elijah had his weaknesses as we  
all have1 but ,god heard  him4 ,the     
point for us is that if ,god heard      
,elijah1 he will hear any of  us who    
puts the same amount of spiritual energy
 into his prayer4 8,he  prayed          
fervently40 ,there is no use to pray in 
any other way4 ,elijah  prayed seven    
times before the rain came4 ,halfhearted
 prayer defeats  itself 7cf4 doubting   
prayer in #a3f ff474    ,many modern men
 have no faith in prayer of any kind    
save as a wholesome  reaction on the    
mind of the one who prays4 ,they scout  
the idea that the  ,god of the universe 
would condescend to listen to the feeble
 chatter of  such worms in the dust as  
men4 ,they conceive it as impossible    
that ,god  would alter his will in any  
particular because of such insignificant
  requests4 ,least of all do they admit 
the possibility that ,god would  change 

the weather in response to the prayer of
 one or many individuals4  ,they argue  
that the laws of the weather are fixed  
by the laws of nature  and that ,god    
does not alter his own laws4 ,a very    
pretty network of  impossibilities is   
fixed up1 but all the same1 the         
experience of  ,christians breaks right 
through these entanglements4    ,a real 
,god is greater than his own laws1 and  
his own will is the chief  law of his   
nature4 ,god is not an absentee ,god2 he
 is our ,father and  loves for us to    
tell him our troubles4 ,certainly ,god  
knows how to work  his own laws4 ,we do 
not have to think that ,elijah had the  
matter of  drought and rain in his own  
hands at his beck and call4 ,far from   
it4  ,elijah won by strenuous prayer and
 perseverance1 not by lightly  informing
 ,god of his wishes4 ,besides1 when rain
 came in response to the  prayer of     
,elijah1 it came out of clouds1 as rain 
always does4 ,god made  the clouds      
gather from the west 7the               

,mediterranean7 till the rain came4  ,as
 the hot winds from the east and the    
south brought the drought1 so the  west 
winds brought rain4 ,many times in my   
own experience ,i have known  people to 
pray for rain1 and the rain came4 ,the  
rain may not have come  in response to  
the prayer2 that ,i do not know4 ,but it
 came the very  night in which prayer   
was made for it at the prayer meeting4  
,the  difficulty in the matter of rain  
is no greater than in cases of          
sickness4 ,the root of the trouble is   
the lack of trust in ,god1 the  broken  
relation with ,god1 the loss of power   
with him4                   ,rescue     
,work or ,restoring the ,erring 7#e3ai  
f47    ,james makes a last appeal to his
 readers1 and it has a touch of         
tenderness--8,my brethren40 ,in verse #e
 he spoke of the case of a sick man  who
 is brought to confess his sins and is  
led to ,god4 ,here he seems to  refer   
specifically to the case of a brother   
who has fallen into error4  ,there are  

such sad instances that puzzle many a   
pastor by their  indifference1 hardness1
 and even scorn of ,christ4 8,if any    
among you err  from the truth1 and one  
convert him40    ,the condition 7third  
class7 is put delicately only as a      
supposed case1  not assumed as true and 
yet probable1 alas4 8,err0 is from the  
,latin  errare 7to wander1 to go        
astray74 ,the ,greek word here suggests 
the  picture of one who is lost in the  
mountains1 who has missed his  path1#ih 
without passing on the question of his  
own part in the  process4 ,that is now  
neither here nor there1 for he is lost4 
,our  8planet0 is this word1 from the   
notion that these luminaries were       
wandering stars1 not fixed like the     
rest4 ,we now know that none of the     
stars are fixed1 but they all move with 
great speed4    ,whatever the cause1 it 
is not impossible for brethren to go    
astray 8from  the truth40 ,one way to   
treat them is to kick them out of the   
way1 down  the hill4 ,another way is to 

go after them with hammer and tongs to  
beat  them back into the path4 ,another 
course is to give them up in disgust    
and to wash our hands of all            
responsibility4 ,it must be confessed   
that  often it is very hard to do       
anything else1 since brethren act with  
so  much independence and resent any    
effort to show them a better way4 ,when 
they start away1 often they go the whole
 way4 ,but there is a more  excellent   
way--the way of love4 ,see #a           
,corinthians #ac and ,galatians #f3a    
ff4    ,we are our brothers' keepers in 
spite of all they say and all that we   
may feel4 ,you that are spiritual have a
 call to mind the broken lives  all     
about you4 ,there is no nobler work than
 this rescue work1 to turn a  sinner    
8from the error of his way40 ,it is so  
hard to get a man back on  the right    
track4 ,he1 like all lost men1 wanders  
round and round in his  old tracks of   
sin and error4 ,he is the victim of his 
own logical  fallacies and sinful       

delusions4 ,though a giant1 he is bound 
by the cords  of the ,lilliputians1 the 
bonds of habit which he does not break4 
,it is enough to discourage any social  
worker in the slums or in the  tenement 
districts of our cities to see the      
hopeless conditions in which  the       
victims live4 ,drugs have fastened some 
with clamps of steel2 drink  has fired  
the blood of others2 cigarettes have    
deadened the will of  others2 and       
immorality has hurled still others into 
the pit4 ,they  stumble into the rescue 
halls1 8cities of refuge0 in our cities4
 ,happy  are those who know how to save 
souls like these who have known better  
days and who have gone down into the    
valley of sin and sorrow4 ,but it is    
worthwhile to save souls like these for 
whom ,jesus died4 ,let the rescue       
worker know 7by personal experience1 in 
truth7 that he 8shall save a  soul from 
death10 from a living death in which    
such a soul already finds  itself and   
from eternal death as well4 ,that is the

 reward of the winner  of souls4    ,but
 it is not alone those who go down into 
the depths of gross sin1 the            
8pick-me-ups0 of life1 that are to be   
won back4 ,there are many who live  in  
accord with the outward ethical         
standards of life who turn away from    
the knowledge of ,jesus1 who go after   
the strange gods of gold1 of  so-called 
knowledge1 of materialistic monism1 of  
8new thought10 of  ,christian ,science1 
of ,russellism1 of any new fad in       
science or  philosophy or religion1 of  
any new form of old wives' fables that  
lead  men astray4 ,these are1 in        
reality1 more difficult to win back to  
the  truth as it is in ,jesus1 for they 
have the pride of knowledge and look    
with compassionate condescension on     
those who still worship ,jesus as ,god  
and ,saviour from sin4    ,the worker   
for souls has one more joy4 ,he learns  
to see the good side of  human nature4  
,the bad side is there beyond a shadow  
of doubt4 ,no man  knows that better    

than the worker for the redemption of   
human souls4 ,but  this fact does not   
make him a pessimist or a cynic4 ,he    
sees the angel in  the stone4 ,he learns
 the love that 8shall cover a multitude 
of sins10  8hides a host of sins0       
7,moffatt71 that covers with a veil the 
sins of  the poor soul who wandered away
 and is now brought back4 ,see #a ,peter
 #d3h  for the same idea4    ,this is   
not the ,jewish doctrine of merit in    
good works balancing evil  ones1 as     
,oesterley holds4 ,mayor also thinks    
that the man who rescues  another saves 
his own soul4 ,but this interpretation  
seems out of harmony  with the teaching 
of ,jesus and the whole trend of the    
gospel message4 ,we  do not need to go  
back to these 8blind guides0 of         
,pharisaism to find the  key to this    
verse and that in #a ,peter #d3h1 where 
we read that 8love  covers a multitude  
of sins40 ,it is the love that no longer
 sees the sins  of the saved sinner4 ,we
 see the true idea in ,proverbs #aj3ab3 

8,hatred  stirreth up strifes1 but love 
covereth all transgressions40 ,see also 
,psalm #he3b3 8,thou hast forgiven the  
iniquity of thy people2 thou hast       
covered all their sin40 ,in ,luke #g3dg 
,jesus speaks of the love of the        
converted woman as proof that she has   
been forgiven much4    ,james presents  
the joy of the winner of souls who      
throws the mantle of  love over the sins
 of the repentant sinner1 the joy of the
 ,shepherd who  has found the lost sheep
 out on the mountain and is returning   
with him  in his arms1 the joy of the   
,father who welcomes the prodigal boy   
home  with the best robe and the fatted 
calf1 the joy in the presence of the    
angels that one sinner has repented and 
turned unto ,god4 ,that is heaven  on   
earth4 ,the preacher who has missed this
 joy of winning souls has  missed the   
greatest reward in his ministry4 ,if he 
has this1 he can do  without much else4 
,he can stand many rebuffs1 small       
salary1 lack of  help1 if only there is 

this meat to eat that satisfied the soul
 of ,jesus  when he led one poor        
abandoned woman into the light and life 
of ,god4                                
,select ,bibliography      ,dibelius1   
,m41 and ,greeven1 ,h4 8,der ,brief des 
,jakobus10 ,meyer          ,kommentar4  
#aief4    ,easton1 ,b4 ,s41 and ,poteat1
 ,g4 8,james10 ,the ,interpreter's      
,bible4 #aieg4    ,hauck1 ,f4 8,die     
,kirchenbriefe40 ,n4 ,t4 ,deutsch4      
#aidi4    ,hort1 ,f4 ,j4 ,a4 ,the       
,epistle of ,st4 ,james #a3a to #d3g4   
#aiji4    ,knowling1 ,r4 ,j4            
8,commentary on the ,epistle of ,st4    
,james10 ,the          ,westminster     
,series4 #aijd4    ,lenski1 ,r4 ,c4 ,h4 
,the ,interpretation of the ,epistle to 
the ,hebrews and          of the        
,epistle of ,james4 #aidf4    ,marty1   
,j4 ,l'epitre de ,jacques4 #aice4       
,mayor1 ,j4 ,b4 ,the ,epistle of ,st4   
,james4 #aiaj4    ,moffatt1 ,j4 ,the    
,general ,epistles4 #aibh4              
,oesterley1 ,w4 8,the ,general ,epistle 

of ,james10 ,expositor's ,greek         
,testament4 #aiaj4    ,patrick1 ,w4     
,james1 the ,lord's ,brother4 #aijf4    
,plummer1 ,a4 8,the ,general ,epistle of
 ,st4 ,james10 ,expositor's ,bible4     
#ahia4    ,ropes1 ,j4 ,h4 8,a ,critical 
and ,exegetical ,commentary on the      
,epistle of ,st4          ,james10 ,the 
,international ,critical ,commentary4   
#aiaf4    ,ross1 ,a4 8,james and the    
,johannine ,epistles10 ,new             
,international          ,commentary4    
#aied4    ,schlatter1 ,a4 ,der ,brief   
des ,jakobus4 #aicb4    ,tasker1 ,r4 ,v4
 ,g4 8,the ,general ,epistle of ,james10
 ,tyndale ,new ,testament               
,commentaries4 #aieg4    ,windisch1 ,h41
 and ,preisker1 ,h4 8,die ,katholischen 
,briefe10 ,handbuch zum          ,n4 ,t4
 #aiea4                                 
,footnotes      #a,our 8,james0 comes   
through the ,italian 8,giacomo40 ,the   
name is common      enough in the first 
century ,a4,d4    #b;,for careful       
discussion of the authenticity of the   

epistle1 see ,j4 ,b4      ,mayor1 ,the  
,epistle of ,st4 ,james 7,new ,york3    
,macmillan and ,co41      #aiaj71 pp4   
xlvii-lxvii2 ,alfred ,plummer1 8,the    
,general ,epistles of ,st4      ,james  
and ,st4 ,jude10 ,the ,expositor's      
,bible1 ed4 ,w4 ,robertson      ,nicoll 
7,new ,york3 ,hodder  ,stroughton1      
#ahia71 pp4 #ac-bd4    #c,see ,mayor1   
ibid41 p4 iv4    #d;,barnabas is also   
called an apostle in ,acts #ad3d1 #ad4  
#e,william ,patrick1 ,james1 the ,lord's
 ,brother 7,new ,york3 ,charles         
,scribner's ,sons1 #aijf71 p4 #bc4      
#f;,ibid41 p4 #be4    #g;,g4 ,a4        
,deissmann1 ,light from the ,ancient    
,east1 trans4 ,l4 ,r4 ,m4      ,strachan
 7,new ,york3 ,macmillan and ,co41      
#aiac71 p4 #bdb4    #h;,george          
,milligan1 ,new ,testament ,documents1  
,their ,origin and ,early      ,history 
7,new ,york3 ,george ,h4 ,doran ,co41   
#aiaj71 p4 #aaa4    #i,mayor1 op4 cit41 
pp4 ccv-ccxiii4    #aj,milligan1 loc4   
cit4    #aa,mayor1 op4 cit41 p4 cxcii4  

#ab;,a4 ,t4 ,robertson1 ,a ,grammar of  
the ,greek ,new ,testament in the ,light
      of ,historical ,research 7,new    
,york3 ,george ,h4 ,doran ,co41 #aiae71 
p4      #abc4    #ac;,charles ,taylor1  
,saying of the ,jewish ,fathers 7,new   
,york3 ,g4 ,p4      ,putnam's ,sons1    
#ahih71 ,appendix #ig4    #ad,patrick1  
op4 cit41 p4 #df4    #ae,the tense      
expresses a long-standing attitude4     
#af,patrick1 op4 cit41 p4 #fj4          
#ag,the same verb occurs here as in the 
other appearances of ,jesus4    #ah;,j4 
,a4 ,broadus 7comp471 ,harmony of the   
,gospels 7,new ,york3 ,a4 ,c4           
,armstrong  ,son1 #ahic71 p4 #bbi4      
#ai,patrick1 op4 cit41 p4 #fg4    #bj,r4
 ,w4 ,dale1 ,the ,epistle of ,james and 
,other ,discourses 7,new ,york3         
,hodder  ,stroughton1 #ahie71 p4 #e4    
#ba,op4 cit41 p4 xxxvii4    #bb;,james  
,orr1 ,the ,resurrection of ,jesus 7,new
 ,york3 ,george ,h4 ,doran      ,co41   
#aijh72 ,thorburn1 ,the ,resurrection   
,narratives and ,modern      ,criticism4

    #bc,patrick1 op4 cit41 p4 #gh4      
#bd,st4 ,paul1 i41 p4 #bcc4    #be,see  
his commentary on ,james and his article
 on the epistle in ,james               
,hastings1 ,a ,dictionary of the ,bible 
7,new ,york3 ,charles ,scribner's       
,sons1 #ahii71 ,,ii1 #edj-dh4           
#bf,plummer1 op4 cit41 pp4 #fa f42      
,patrick1 op4 cit41 chap4 ,v4           
#bg;,cf4 ,maurice ,jones1 ,the ,new     
,testament in the ,twentieth ,century   
7,new      ,york3 ,macmillan and ,co41  
#aiad71 p4 #cba4    #bh;,for a fuller   
presentation of the matter from the     
standpoint of ,paul1      see my ,epochs
 in the ,life of ,paul 7,new ,york3     
,charles ,scribner's      ,sons1 #aiad71
 chapter ,,vii4 ,i identify the visit to
 ,jerusalem in      ,galatians #b3a-aj  
and ,acts #ae1 in spite of the arguments
 of ,sir ,w4 ,m4      ,ramsay to the    
contrary4    #bi;,cf4 ,j4 ,b4           
,lightfoot1 ,saint ,paul's ,epistle to  
the ,galatians 7,new      ,york3        
,macmillan and ,co41 #aiac74    #cj;,a  

hint that they had not always seen it   
this way4    #ca,op4 cit41 p4 #ahh4     
#cb;,ibid41 p4 #aia4    #cc;,f4 ,j4 ,a4 
,hort1 ,judaistic ,christianity 7,new   
,york3 ,macmillan and      ,co41 n4d471 
p4 #ha4    #cd;,ibid41 p4 #ajf4         
#ce,this 8informing0 was done by the    
,judaizers1 who dinned it into the      
ears of the people4    #cf;,hypotyp4    
vii4 apud ,eusebius ,h4 ,e41 ,,ii4 l4   
#c4    #cg;,also preserved in ,eusebius 
,h4 ,e41 ,,ii4 xxiii4 #d-ah4            
#ch;,ant4 xx4 ix4 #a4 ,it is interesting
 to note that ,prof4 ,f4 ,c4 ,burkitt1  
of ,cambridge ,university1 has boldly   
championed the genuineness of           
,josephus' testimony to ,jesus4         
#ci,the ,expositor1 ,,vii4 iv4 p4 #de   
ff4    #dj,op4 cit41 p4 #aab4    #da;,a 
,new ,translation of the ,new           
,testament4 ,besides1 in #c3i ,james    
speaks of 8the ,lord and ,father0       
7,god74    #db,plummer1 op4 cit41 p4    
#dg4    #dc;,einl4 i4 #e1 #f4           
#dd,plummer1 op4 cit41 p4 #df4          

#de,op4 cit41 p4 #caf4    #df,op4 cit41 
p4 #bih4    #dg,w4 ,e4 ,oesterley1 8,the
 ,general ,epistle of ,james10 ,the     
,expositor's      ,greek ,testament1 ed4
 ,w4 ,robertson ,nicoll 7,grand ,rapids3
 ,wm4 ,b4      ,eerdmans ,publishing    
,company1 n4d471 ,,iv1 #fc4             
#dh,plummer1 op4 cit41 p4 #fc4          
#di,lectures on the ,epistle of ,james1 
p4 #gc4    #ej,see ,plummer1 op4 cit41  
pp4 #gb f41 for proof4    #ea,the late  
,j4 ,pierpont ,morgan testified before a
 committee of the ,u4      ,s4 ,senate  
that he loaned money primarily on       
character1 not financial      ability4  
#eb,op4 cit41 p4 #hh4    #ec,there is   
the utmost contrast between this use of 
8humble0 and that      in ,epictetus1   
with whom humility is an object of scorn
 and contempt1      a meanness unworthy 
of man4 ,see bk4 ,,iii1 chap41 ii1  #ad4
 ,cf4 ,sharp1      ,epictetus and the   
,new ,testament1 pp4 #acj1 #acc4        
#ed;,cf4 ,deissmann1 op4 cit41 p4 #cib2 
,st4 ,paul3 ,a ,study in ,social and    

,religious ,history1 trans4 by ,lionel  
,r4 ,m4 ,strachan 7,new ,york3          
,george ,h4 ,doran ,co41 #aiab71 p4 #dg4
    #ee;,acta ,philippi1 ,apocal4       
,apocr4 ,cf4 ,resch1 ,agrapha1 #ahhi1 p4
 #bed4    #ef;,cf4 ,mayor1 op4 cit41 p4 
#ed f4 ,the devil tried to tempt even   
,christ1 the ,son of ,god4              
#eg;,bengel puts it thus3 ,peccatum     
morte gravidum nascitur4 ,the ,targum   
of ,jonathan says that imagination of   
sin is sinful4    #eh8,wages0 means     
literally the rations of a soldier4 ,the
 pay of sin is      death1 and it is    
always paid4    #ei8;,good0 is here used
 in the sense of absolute1 not relative 
goodness4    #fj;,but see ,robertson1   
,grammar of the ,greek ,new ,testament  
in the ,light      of ,historical       
,research1 op4 cit41 p4 #abjj4          
#fa;,bengel says3 voluntate amantissima1
 liberrima1 purissima1                  
foecundissima4    #fb,the inscriptions  
7,ditt41 ,syll41 #ehgbfh7 use the word  
for the      first fruits to ,demeter   

and ,kore1 but ,james ,hope ,moulton and
 ,george      ,milligan1 ,vocabulary of 
the ,greek ,testament 7,new ,york3      
,george ,h4      ,doran ,co41 #aiae71 p4
 #ed1 give many examples from the papyri
 and the      inscriptions where 8gift0 
or 8sacrifice0 seems sufficient4        
#fc;,j4 ,rendel ,harris1 8,the ,elements
 of a ,progressive ,church10 ,present   
,day ,papers1 ,may1 #aija4              
#fd,taylor1 op4 cit41 p4 #fc4    #fe,the
 ,hebrew 7,psalm #hb3b7 originally had  
the idea of lifting the face      with a
 view to comfort4 ,partiality was a     
subordinate development4      ,cf4 ,h4  
,st4 ,john ,thackeray1 ,grammar of the  
,old ,testament ,greek      ,according  
to the ,septuagint 7,new ,york3 ,g4 ,p4 
,putnam's ,sons1 #aiji71      pp4 #dc   
ff4 ,the ,greek idiom has only the bad  
meaning and comes from      taking off  
the mask4 ,see ,luke #bj3ba2 ,gal4 #b3c 
f4 for the full idiom4                  
#ff;,deissmann1 ,st4 ,paul3 ,a ,study in
 ,social and ,religious ,history1       

loc4 cit41 p4 #dg4    #fg;,ibid4        
#fh,the ,gospel of ,jesus and the       
,problems of ,democracy 7,new ,york3    
,macmillan and ,co41 #aiad71 p4 #df4    
#fi;,codex ,d adds to ,luke #f3d3 8,on  
the same day seeing a certain man       
working on the ,sabbath1 he said to him1
 #8,man1 if you know what you      are  
doing you are blessed2 if you do not    
know you are accursed and a             
transgressor of the law4'0 ,but this    
logion does not compare                 
sabbath-breaking with other sins1 though
 it does emphasize insight      into the
 motive of the act4    #gj,maim4 on     
,mishnah1 ,sanhedrin xi4 #a4    #ga,the 
article here has almost the original    
demonstrative force4 ,james      means  
the kind of faith that rests on mere    
assertion without works      to prove   
it4    #gb,one may compare ,paul's habit
 of answering an imaginary objector in  
the development of his argument4 ,see   
,romans #b3a2 #i3bj4    #gc;,aorist     
tense and so punctiliar--know once for  

all--with almost a touch      of        
impatience in the tense4    #gd,see     
,lightfoot1 loc4 cit4    #ge;,in ,hermas
 7,sim4 #i3bb7 we read of teachers who  
8wish to be      self-appointed         
teachers1 fools though they are40       
#gf;,cf4 ,hermas1 ,mand4 #ab4 #a4       
#gg;,cf41 however1 ,john #c3h and #a    
,peter #c3ag4    #gh,the ,midr4 ,rabb4  
on ,levit4 7xiv4 #b7 xvi has quanta     
incendia lingua      excitat 7,mayor74  
#gi;,cf4 ,jude #bc4 ,cf4 also ,james    
#a3bg and #b ,peter #b3ac4 ,one thinks  
of the      smoke and soot of slander1  
besmirching all that it touches4        
#hj,seneca 7,ep4 ,,xiii4 #b4 #be7 says3 
,non nascitur itaque ex malo bonun1     
non magis quam ficus ex olea4           
#ha;,cf4 ,jude #ai4 ,see also #a ,cor4  
#ae3de for a distinction between these  
words4    #hb,the verb means to         
distinguish1 but the resultant idea is  
extremely      variable4    #hc,the     
,vulgate has sine simulatione4 ,the     
,greek word is used of the      actor's 

mask and then for mere imitation1       
hypocrisy4    #hd,see both terms also in
 #d ,macc4 #e3bc4 ,see also ,philo1 ,m4 
#a1 p4 #dde4    #he;,cf4 ,swete1        
,introduction to the ,old ,testament in 
,greek1 ed4 ,h4 ,st4      ,john         
,thackeray 7,new ,york3 ,g4 ,p4         
,putnam's ,sons1 #aijj71 p4 #efg4       
#hf,see ,robertson1 ,grammar of the     
,greek ,new ,testament in the ,light of 
,historical ,research1 op4 cit41 p4     
#hje4 ,in prayer one must seek      with
 passion4 ,since the middle voice       
denotes more earnestness1 it is         
quite frequent in the papyri4    #hg,the
 cosmos was originally 8order40 ,the    
order and beauty of ,god's      world   
are attractive to the right-minded man  
7,rom4 #a3bj74 ,it is      applied to   
the people of the earth 7,john #a3bi7   
and then to the      believers who are  
alienated from ,god 7,john #h3bc2       
#ab3ca71 to this      world which the   
devil rules 7,john #ad3cj2 #a ,john     
#e3ai71 whose spirit      is hostile to 

that of ,christ 7#a ,cor4 #b3ab71       
against which ,james has      already   
7#a3be7 warned his readers4             
#hh,moulton and ,milligan1 op4 cit41 p4 
#b4    #hi,westcott and ,hort read in   
the margin1 8the things of the to-morrow
      day40    #ij;,at harvest time     
there is always special demand for      
laborers at      higher wages than      
usual1 to save the ripe grain before it 
perishes4    #ia,note ,heb4 #d3a4 ,the  
word occurs in the papyri for 8a bath   
insufficiently warmed40                 
#ib;,eusebius1 ,h4 ,e4 ii4 #bc 7taken   
from ,hegesippus74    #ic;,deissmann1   
,bible ,studies3 ,contributions ,chiefly
 from ,papyri and      ,inscriptions    
7,new ,york3 ,charles ,scribner's ,sons1
 #aija71 p4 #aih4    #id,plummer notes  
that the ,epistle of ,james shows more  
coincidences with      the words of     
,jesus than all of ,paul's epistles and 
that all of them      deal with the     
morality of the gospel1 with conduct and
 life4 ,this is      all as the         

circumstances would lead us to expect4  
#ie,the use of the present imperative in
 prohibition rather than the      aorist
 subjunctive implies that the thing was 
being done4 ,that is      probably true1
 for church members have been known to  
be guilty of      this sin4 ,however1 it
 is possible for this tense to prohibit 
the      habit rather than the single   
act4 8,keep on not swearing40 ,see      
,robertson1 ,grammar of the ,greek ,new 
,testament in the ,light of             
,historical ,research1 op4 cit41 pp4    
#hea-ed4    #if;,deissmann1 ,bible      
,studies3 ,contributions ,chiefly from  
,papyri and      ,inscriptions1 op4     
cit41 pp4 #aed f41 #bcc f4    #ig,see   
extensive discussion in ,mayor4 ,the    
,new ,testament usage favors      the   
middle1 but the passive is also in use1 
and either makes good      sense4       
#ih,the passive voice does not have its 
technical force here as in ,rev4        
#ah3bc but rather is more like the      
middle in sense as in ,deut4 #bb3a      

and probably 7,mayor7 in ,luke #ba3h2 #b
 ,peter #b3ae4 ,the passive is          
constantly making inroads on the middle 
in ,koine ,greek4                       
,transcriber's ,notes      --,silently  
corrected a few typographical errors4   
--,retained publication information from
 the printed exemplar1 which was        
already in the public domain4