James 5

“THE EPISTLE OF JAMES”

Chapter Five IN THE CHAPTER

1. To appreciate the need for patience in times of oppression

2. To see the value of prayer and confessing sins in times of sickness

SUMMARY The final chapter opens with a strong condemnation toward the rich who were oppressing the poor while living in pleasure and luxury. Most likely these were rich unbelievers such as those mentioned earlier (cf. James 2:6-7). The Lord heard the cries of those defrauded, and judgment was to come upon the rich who had condemned and murdered the just. This passage may be an allusion to the destruction of Jerusalem foretold by Jesus in Matthew 24 and fulfilled in A.D. 70. James counsels His brethren to patiently wait for the coming of the Lord, and to establish their hearts. Appealing to the farmer, the prophets, and to Job as examples of patience, he also warns against grumbling against one another and swearing rash oaths (James 5:1-12).

The last half of the chapter provides a call to prayer and praise. The suffering are to pray, the cheerful are to sing praises, and the sick are to call for the elders of the church. The elders were to pray over the sick and anoint with oil in the name of the Lord. What is uncertain is whether the anointing was sacramental or medicinal (I think the latter, see Review Questions below). In answer to the prayer of faith, the Lord will raise the sick and also forgive sins if they had been committed. In this context James encourages Christians to confess their sins to one another and pray for one another that they may be healed. He reminds them of the value of fervent prayer by the righteous, using Elijah as an example of how God answers prayer providentially. The epistle then closes with a reminder that turning a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins (James 5:13-20).

OUTLINE I. TRUE UNDER (James 5:1-12) A. GOD’S ANGER AT RICH (James 5:1-6)1. The rich are called to weep and howl for the miseries to come upon them a. Their riches are corrupted b. Their garments are moth-eaten c. Their gold and silver are corroded

1. Which will be a witness against them
2. Which will eat their flesh like fire d. They have heaped up treasure in the last days

2. The reasons for God’s anger against the rich a. They have defrauded the laborers who mowed their fields

1. Keeping back wages owed them
2. The cries of the reapers have been heard by the Lord of Sabaoth (Hosts) b. They have lived in pleasure and luxury, fattening their hearts in a day of slaughter c. They have condemned and murdered the just who does not resist them

B. A CALL FOR UNDER (James 5:7-12)1. Be patient until the coming of the Lord a. Consider the patience of the farmer b. Establish your hears, for the coming of the Lord is at hand 2. Do not grumble against one another a. Lest you be condemned b. The Judge is standing at the door 3. Remember the examples of suffering and patience a. Such as the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord and are blessed for their endurance b. Such as the perseverance of Job, to whom the Lord proved very compassionate and merciful at the end 4. Above all, do not swear (make rash oaths) a. Either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath b. Let your “Yes” mean “Yes,” and your “No” mean “No” c. Lest you fall into judgment

II. TRUE BLESSED THROUGH PRAYER, SINGING, AND CONCERN FOR THE ERRING (James 5:13-20) A. THE OF PRAYER AND SONG (James 5:13-18)1. If anyone is suffering, let him pray 2. If anyone is cheerful, let him sing Psalms 3. If anyone is sick, let him call for the elders of the church a. Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord b. The prayer of faith will save (heal) the sick, and the Lord will raise him up c. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven d. Confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another

1. That you may be healed
2. For the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much a) The example of Elijah, a man with a nature like ours b) He prayed that it would not rain, and no rain fell for three years c) He prayed again, the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit

B. THE OF LOVE FOR ERRING (James 5:19-20)1. He who turns back one who wanders from the truth will save a soul from death 2. He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will cover a multitude of sins

REVIEW FOR THE CHAPTER

1. What are the main points of this chapter?- True religion displays patience under oppression (James 5:1-12)

• True religion blessed through prayer, singing, and concern for the erring (James 5:13-20)

2. Who is being condemned in verses 1-6 of this chapter? (James 5:1)- Those who are rich (probably unbelievers who had been oppressing Christians, cf. James 2:6-7)

3. What sort of miseries were to come upon them? (James 5:1-3)- Their riches are to be corrupted, their garments moth-eaten

• Their gold and silver will be corroded, and serve as a witness against them
• Such corrosion will eat their flesh like fire

4. Why is God so angry at these rich? (James 5:3-6)- They have heaped up treasure in the last days

• They have defrauded their workers by keeping back what is owed them
• They have lived in pleasure and luxury, fattening their hearts
• They have condemned and murdered the just, who does not resist them

5. What are the Christians to do in response to such oppression? (James 5:7-12)- Be patient until the coming of the Lord

• Establish their hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand
• Don’t grumble against one another, for the Judge is standing at the door
• Do not swear (make rash oaths), but let their “yes” be “yes” and their “no” mean “no”

6. What three examples does James provide to encourage patience? (James 5:7-11)- The farmer who waits patiently for the precious fruit of the earth

• The prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord
• The perseverance of Job

7. What does James encourage one to do when suffering? When cheerful? (James 5:13)- To pray when suffering

• To sing praises when cheerful

8. What is one who is sick to do? (James 5:14)- Call for the elders of the church

9. What are they to do? (James 5:14)- Pray over the sick, anointing with oil in the name of the Lord

10. Is “anointing with oil” sacramental or medicinal?- “Some commentators consider this anointing with oil to be a sacramental anointing, but others consider it a medicinal anointing. In defense of the medicinal anointing, Burdick wrote the following: ” There are a number of reasons for understanding this application of oil as medicinal rather than sacramental. The word aleipsantes(“anoint”) is not the usual word for sacramental or ritualistic anointing. James could have used the verb chrio if that had been what he had in mind. The distinction is still observed in modern Greek, with aleipho meaning “to daub,” “to smear,” and chrio meaning “to anoint.” Furthermore, it is a well-documented fact that oil was one of the most common medicines of biblical times. See Isaiah 1:6 and Luke 10:34. Josephus (Antiquities, 17, 172 [vi. 5]) reports That during his last illness Herod the Greek was given a bath in oil in hopes of effecting a cure. The papyri, Philo, Pliny, and the physician Galen all refer to the medicinal use of oil. Galen described it as “the best of all remedies for paralysis” (Deut Simplicium Medicamentorum Temperamentis, 2.10ff.). It is evident, then, that James is prescribing prayer and medicine.’” (New Commentary, James, Fausset, and Brown)

11. What will save (or heal) the sick? Who will raise him up? (James 5:15)- The prayer of faith

• The Lord

12. What if the one who is sick has committed sins? (James 5:15)- He will be forgiven

13. What are Christians to do? Why? (James 5:16)- Confess sins one to another and pray for one another

• That they may be healed

14. What avails much? Who is a good illustration of this? (James 5:16-18)- The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous Man - Elijah

15. What happens when one turns a sinner from the error of his way? (James 5:19-20)- A soul is saved from death

• A multitude of sins is covered The Epistle of JamesJas_5:1-20 Questions1. What problems existed among those who were rich (James 5:1-3; see James 1:9-11; James 2:6-7)?2. What sins were the rich committing and why (James 5:4-6)?3. What does James encourage the brethren to do in light of the Lord’ s coming and what illustration does he use (James 5:7-8)?4. What does James discourage the brethren from doing in light of the Lord’ s coming (James 5:9)?5. Who does James set forth as an example of patience (James 5:10-11)?6. What practice does James forbid? What was their speech to be like (James 5:12)?7. What circumstance in the life of a Christian would call for praise (James 5:13)?8. What circumstances in the life of a Christian would call for prayer (James 5:13-16)?9. What quality of prayer is found in the example of Elijah (James 5:17-18)?10. What is to be done with a brother who errs from the truth and why (James 5:19-20)? Digging Deeper1. What does “ Lord of Sabaoth” mean (James 5:4)?2. What “ coming of the Lord” is referred to, a temporal judgment in the 1st century, or the second coming at the end of the world (James 5:7-9)?3. Where in the OT do we find some examples of patience among the prophets (James 5:10)?4. Where in the OT is the story of Job’ s patience recorded (James 5:11)?5. What is being forbidden here, using a phrase like “ I swear to tell the truth…” (in a court of law), or something else (James 5:12; see Matthew 5:33-37; Matthew 23:16-22; Matthew 26:63-64)?6. What is the practice of “ anointing him with oil” (James 5:14; see Isaiah 1:6; Luke 10:34)?7. Where in the OT is the story of Elijah’ s prayer found (James 5:17-18)? What kind of man was Elijah and how does his character relate to prayer (see 1 Kiings 17-19)? How did God answer Elijah’ s prayer on this occasion and what can we learn from this about how God answers prayer today (see 1 Kings 18:41-45)? Applications for Today1. Riches alone are not the problem; it is the improper attitude toward riches and the improper use of riches that is a problem (James 5:1-3; Matthew 6:19-20; Mark 10:24-25; 1 Timothy 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 6:17-19;Revelation 3:17-18).2. We should exercise the patience of Job until the Lord comes (James 5:7; James 5:10-11; Romans 2:7; Hebrews 12:1).3. Our hearts should be firmly established until the Lord comes (James 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:13;2 Thessalonians 2:17; Hebrews 13:9).4. We should not spend our time murmuring while waiting for the Lord to come (James 5:9; Acts 6:1;1 Corinthians 10:10; Philippians 2:14; 1 Peter 4:9; Jude 1:16).5. One should make an oath and keep his word without having to “ swear” to what he says (James 5:12;1 Timothy 1:10).6. A life of persistent prayer and praise should characterize each Christian (James 5:13-18; Romans 12:12; Romans 15:9; Romans 15:11; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Hebrews 13:15-16).7. “ Once saved always saved” is not taught in scripture. It is possible for a Christian to err from the truth and fall away (James 5:19-20; Galatians 5:4; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:12-13; Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 12:15; 2 Peter 3:17).8. Helping to convert an erring Christian is an important task for the faithful (James 5:19-20; Galatians 6:1-2; 1 Peter 4:8).

James 5:1

:1

James 5:1 James 5:1 αγεG71 [G5720] GO TO νυνG3568 NOW, οιG3588 πλουσιοιG4145 “YE” RICH κλαυσατεG2799 [G5657] WEEP, ολολυζοντεςG3649 [G5723] HOWLING επιG1909 ταιςG3588 OVER ταλαιπωριαιςG5004 υμωνG5216 YOUR ταιςG3588 THAT “ARE” επερχομεναιςG1904 [G5740] COMING UPON “YOU”. . Go: James 4:13 ye: James 1:11, James 2:6, Deuteronomy 8:12-14, Deuteronomy 32:15, Nehemiah 9:25, Nehemiah 9:26, Job 20:15-29, Psalms 17:14, Psalms 49:6-20, Psalms 73:3-9, Psalms 73:18-20, Proverbs 11:4, Proverbs 11:28, Ecclesiastes 5:13, Ecclesiastes 5:14, Jeremiah 9:23, Micah 6:12, Zephaniah 1:18, Matthew 19:23, Matthew 19:24, Luke 6:24, Luke 12:16-21, Luke 16:19-25, 1 Timothy 6:9, 1 Timothy 6:10, Revelation 6:15-17 weep: James 4:9, Isaiah 13:6, Isaiah 22:12, Isaiah 22:13, Jeremiah 4:8, Ezekiel 19:2, Joe 1:5, Joe 1:11, Joe 1:13, Amos 6:6, Amos 6:7, Zechariah 11:2, Zechariah 11:3, Luke 6:25, Luke 23:28, Luke 23:29 Genesis 11:3 - they said one to another Leviticus 25:14 - General 2 Kings 5:5 - go Job 15:20 - the number Job 15:29 - neither shall Job 20:28 - and his goods Job 24:24 - are exalted Job 27:8 - General Psalms 4:6 - many Psalms 73:12 - these Psalms 103:6 - executeth Proverbs 1:19 - every Proverbs 8:18 - durable Proverbs 10:2 - Treasures Proverbs 10:22 - he Proverbs 11:17 - but Proverbs 13:11 - Wealth Proverbs 15:6 - in the revenues Proverbs 22:7 - rich Proverbs 22:16 - that oppresseth Proverbs 23:5 - riches Proverbs 30:14 - to devour Ecclesiastes 2:1 - Go to Isaiah 2:7 - land Isaiah 65:14 - ye shall Jeremiah 5:7 - I had fed Jeremiah 6:26 - make thee Jeremiah 18:11 - go to Jeremiah 25:34 - Howl Jeremiah 47:2 - then the Jeremiah 49:3 - Howl Ezekiel 18:7 - hath not Ezekiel 22:12 - greedily Ezekiel 22:27 - to get Ezekiel 26:13 - General Ezekiel 30:2 - Howl Ezekiel 34:4 - but with Ezekiel 45:8 - and my princes Hosea 7:14 - when Hosea 9:1 - Rejoice Joe 1:8 - Lament Amos 4:1 - which oppress Micah 6:10 - the treasures Habakkuk 2:6 - that increaseth Zephaniah 1:11 - Howl Zechariah 11:11 - knew Matthew 6:19 - General Matthew 24:12 - because Mark 10:24 - trust Luke 1:53 - and Luke 12:19 - Soul Luke 12:21 - he Luke 12:33 - provide Luke 16:26 - between Luke 17:28 - General Luke 18:8 - when Luke 18:24 - How Luke 21:23 - great Acts 2:45 - parted 1 Corinthians 7:31 - use 1 Thessalonians 2:16 - for James 4:2 - lust 1 John 3:7 - let James 5:1 Go to (KJV) is the same phrase as that in James 4:13. There it is a rebuke for those who are boastful of their expected gain, here it is against those who have obtained it by wrong­ful means which will be considered at verse 4. The miseries will come upon them at the day of judgment. James 5:1 ——————————————————————————- Go to See on James 4:13. ——————————————————————————- Weep and howl (κλαύσατεὀλολύζοντες) Lit., weep, howling. The latter is a descriptive word, ol-ol-uz-o. Only here in New Testament, and denoting a more demonstrative and passionate expression of grief than weeping. ——————————————————————————- Miseries (ταλαιπωρίαις) Only here and Romans 3:16. See on be afflicted, James 4:9. ——————————————————————————- That shall come upon (ἐπερχομέναις) Present participle. More correctly, as Rev., that are coming. James 5:1 ——————————————————————————– Come now, ye rich (age nun hoi plousioi).

Exclamatory interjection as in James 4:13. Direct address to the rich as a class as in 1 Timothy 6:17.

Apparently here James has in mind the rich as a class, whether believer, as in James 1:10-11, or unbeliever, as in James 2:1-2; James 2:6. The plea here is not directly for reform, but a warning of certain judgment (James 5:1-6) and for Christians “a certain grim comfort in the hardships of poverty” (Ropes) in James 5:7-11. ——————————————————————————– Weep and howl (klausate ololuzontes). “Burst into weeping (ingressive aorist active imperative of klaiτ as in James 4:9), howling with grief” (present active participle of the old onomatopoetic verb ololuzτ, here only in N.T., like Latin ululare, with which compare alalazτ in Matthew 5:38. ——————————————————————————– For your miseries (epi tais talaipτriais humτn). Old word from talaipτros (Romans 7:24) and like talaipτreτ in James 4:9 (from tlaτ to endure and pτros a callus). ——————————————————————————– That are coming upon you (tais eperchomenais). Present middle participle of the old compound eperchomai to come upon, used here in futuristic prophetic sense. THE SIN OF WEALTH James 5:1-6 ——————————————————————– James continues his apostrophe, or direct address, of those not Christians and not his immediate readers, with the “come now” as in the section in which the address began (4:13). But he shifts the subject from the arrogant and boastful living of life without God, in the pursuit of wealth, to the unjust and shameful oppression of workers.

James foretells the fearful punishment of God for such sin. The use of wealth that is condemned here is not wealth as such.

James does not oppose rich men indiscriminately. Those who have understood Christianity as being anti-wealth and anti-prop­erty have misunderstood it. It is the wrong use of wealth and the acquisition of wealth in the wrong manner which are condemned, along with the envy and desire for wealth as an end. In this chap­ter, especially, James is speaking of wealth acquired by robbing laborers of their just wages. One of the sins which Paul listed as barring one from being an elder is that of being “greedy of base gain” (Titus 1:7). The term means obtaining money by an unlaw­ful occupation or getting it in a wrong manner. ——————————————————————————- As pointed out above, the rich directly in mind are not Chris­tians.

They are such as the rich men who were visiting the congregation (James 2:2) and who dragged them before judges and blasphemed the name called upon them (James 2:6). They are not the humble rich of Jas 1:10.

The section is a warning to any guilty Jew who might chance to read it. Perhaps James thinks that poor Christians might use it as an appeal for justice to their employers. It certainly would be a warning to any Christian who might be tempted to act in the wrong way (just as the preceding admonition in James 4:13-17 is). But the probable purpose which James had in mind was to put such unjust people in the proper perspective before the church. Those who suffer as Christians from the hands of such people are not to envy the rich. They are to commit themselves to God as the avenger of His people (Cf. Romans 12:14-21). They are to see these sinful people for what they are in God’ s sight: wretched people fattening themselves for a day of slaughter.

The Old Testament had many similar passages comforting the poor in their oppression (like Psalms 73:1-28) as well as such apostrophes in which condemnation is addressed directly to heathen countries and peoples (like Edom, Assyria, or Tyre). It is quite possible that James, with his reputa­tion for righteousness among the unbelieving Jews (attested by Josephus), may have hoped to appeal to this audience as potential secondary readers. ——————————————————————————– 1. Come now, ye rich,—Compare Isaiah 14:31 and Isaiah 13:6 for Old Testament examples of this type of condemnation addressed as an aside to an audience not di­rectly contemplated in the address. James in the manner of an Old Testament prophet feels the injustice of the situation and cries out against the wrong. The section is thus not primarily for the people addressed, but for the effect on his readers. ——————————————————————– On the use of “come ye,” see on James 4:13. The Greek has “the rich” with the article used in a vocative similar to our nominative of ad­dress, a not uncommon idiom in Greek.

The designation is of a class of people. James is not thinking of every rich man, but of a class in their over-all characteristics.

Not all rich people committed sins attributed to the class here. But the characteristics of the group as a whole lead Bible writers at times almost to class the rich with the evil and the poor with the good. Most of the mem­bers were among the poor; most of Christianity’ s enemies were from the well-to-do. There was no large middle class as today in our society. ——————————————————————————- weep and howl—James uses the same word for “weep” as in 4:9, but the meaning is different here. There it was a weeping of repentance and sorrow for sin (addressed to backsliding Chris­tians); here it is bitter denunciation and prediction of the future wrath of God (cf. Revelation 6:16; Revelation 18:15).

The word “howl” is a touch of vividness; it is a word which reproduces its meaning by its sound (onomatopoeia). It means to “shriek” and is frequently used in the LXX (especially in Isaiah) of the howls of those con­demned by God (Isaiah 16:7; Isaiah 65:14; Amos 8:3).

James means that, if the rich understood their coming fate, they would literally shriek over the prospect. Compare Acts 24:25 where the meaning of “ter­rified,” the word used to describe the feelings of Felix when he heard Paul preach to him of his fate, originally meant for the hair to stand on end. The language used in the New Testament to de­scribe the punishment to the wicked is awful to contemplate. ——————————————————————————- for your miseries that are coming upon you.—The word “mis­eries” is the word in Romans 3:16 in a quotation describing the wicked: “destruction and misery are in their ways.” The adjective is used to describe the mental distress of the unjustified man in Romans 7:24. The participle used as an adjective, “coming upon you,” is always used in the literature of the Bible and early Christians (when referring to what the fu­ture holds) of what is distressing or unpleasant (Luke 21:26 and cf. Proverbs 3:25; Job 2:11). Here the trouble which James sees as coming upon the rich is either their final condemnation at the judgment (cf. verse 7) or, as others think, the awful punishment and suffering brought upon the nation of the Jews at the destruc­tion of Jerusalem. Perhaps one ought not to omit the thought also that the rich may bring suffering upon themselves in this life by their sins.

James 5:2

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James 5:2 James 5:2 οG3588 πλουτοςG4149 RICHES υμωνG5216 YOUR σεσηπενG4595 [G5754] HAVE ROTTED, καιG2532 AND ταG3588 ιματιαG2440 υμωνG5216 YOUR σητοβρωταG4598 MOTH EATEN γεγονενG1096 [G5754] HAVE BECOME. . Your riches: Jeremiah 17:11, Matthew 6:19, Matthew 6:20, Luke 12:33, 1 Peter 1:4 your garments: James 2:2, Job 13:28, Psalms 39:11, Isaiah 50:9, Isaiah 51:8, Hosea 5:12 Exodus 16:20 - bred worms Judges 14:12 - change 2 Kings 5:5 - ten changes Job 27:16 - prepare raiment Proverbs 23:5 - riches Ecclesiastes 5:8 - regardeth Jeremiah 25:34 - Howl Jeremiah 48:36 - the riches Zechariah 5:4 - and it shall remain James 4:9 - afflicted 1 Peter 1:7 - that James 5:2 Wealth that is not needed and especially that has been accumulated in an evil manner, will deteriorate by the simple fact of hoarding. James 5:2 ——————————————————————————– Are corrupted (σέσηπεν) ——————————————————————————– Only here in New Testament. ——————————————————————————– Are moth-eaten (σητόβρωταγέγονεν) Lit., have become moth-eaten. Only here in New Testament, but compare σκωληκόβρωτος, eaten of worms, Acts 12:23; and see Matthew 6:19-20. James 5:2 ——————————————————————————– Riches (ho ploutos). Masculine singular, but occasionally neuter to ploutos in nominative and accusative (2 Corinthians 8:2). Apparently pleotos fulness (from pleos full, pimplηmi to fill). “Wealth.” ——————————————————————————– Are corrupted (sesηpen). Second perfect active indicative of sηpτ (root sap as in sapros, rotten), to corrupt, to destroy, here intransitive “has rotted.” Only here in N.T.

On the worthlessness of mere wealth see Matthew 6:19; Matthew 6:24. ——————————————————————————– Were moth-eaten (sηtobrτta gegonen). “Have become (second perfect indicative of ginomai, singular number, though himatia, neuter plural, treated collectively) moth-eaten” (sηtobrτta, late and rare compound from sηs, moth, Matthew 6:19-20 and brτtos, verbal adjective of bibrτskτ to eat John 6:13. This compound found only here, Job 13:28, Sibyll.

Orac. Proem. 64). Rich robes as heirlooms, but moth-eaten. Vivid picture. Witness the 250 “lost millionaires” in the United States in 1931 as compared with 1929. Riches have wings. Verses 2-3 contain the charge that the riches of the wealthy are corrupted and ruined by non-use. “Your wealth” (as though not everybody’ s is in the same condition) probably shows that James recognizes that a proper use of wealth could be made (as in 1 Timothy 6:17 ff). But the wealth of these people, being tied up in gar­ments, property, and metal coins, is deteriorating from disuse and testifies against its owners.

The stewardship of possessions is a clear-cut teaching of the whole Bible. Luke l6:lff teaches that our wealth belongs to “another” (that is, to God, cf. verse 12). We are accountable for its use. The rich man (Luke 16:19 ff) lost his soul because of disuse of money when an opportunity was laid daily at his door. The rich fool of Luk 12:13 ff was a fool for not using what his grounds brought forth other than for feeding his own “soul.” Thus one of the sins of these rich is shown by the corrup­tion of their wealth. ——————————————————————————- Your riches are corrupted,—“Riches” is the Greek word for money, but it also has a general sense of wealth of any kind. “Cor­rupted” means “rotten” or “decayed.” Since other words for money are mentioned later, this word may refer to wealth which could rot or decay, such as fruits, oils, trees, or vines. Like the rich fool, these treasured up the produce of their lands, but the fruit had not lasted.

That it had not been preserved was the fault of the owner in not using it. ——————————————————————————- your garments—In eastern countries, and even among the Ro­mans, acquiring expensive cloth was a common means of holding wealth (Cf. Genesis 45:22; Joshua 7:21; Judges 14:12; 2 Kings 5:5; 2 Kings 5:22; Acts 20:33; Matthew 7:19; 1Ma 11:24).

James had described the rich man entering the assembly as dressed in a fine way (James 2:2). For the word “moth-eaten,” compare Job 13:28, where Job described his wretched condition . In both verbs James uses a perfect tense to indicate that these conditions were not new ones. The deterioration had been going on and was still going on.

James 5:3

:3

James 5:3 James 5:3 οG3588 χρυσοςG5557 υμωνG5216 YOUR GOLD καιG2532 οG3588 AND αργυροςG696 SILVER κατιωταιG2728 [G5769] HAS BEEN EATEN AWAY, καιG2532 AND οG3588 ιοςG2447 THEIR CANKER αυτωνG846 THEIR ειςG1519 FOR μαρτυριονG3142 A υμινG5213 AGAINST YOU εσταιG2071 [G5704] SHALL BE, καιG2532 AND φαγεταιG5315 [G5695] SHALL EAT ταςG3588 σαρκαςG4561 υμωνG5216 YOUR FLESH ωςG5613 AS πυρG4442 FIRE. εθησαυρισατεG2343 [G5656] YE UP ενG1722 IN “THE” εσχαταιςG2078 LAST ημεραιςG2250 DAYS. . cankered: 2 Timothy 2:17 a witness: Genesis 31:48, Genesis 31:52, Joshua 24:27, Job 16:8 and shall: Jeremiah 19:9, Micah 3:3, Revelation 17:16, Revelation 20:15, Revelation 21:8 Ye have: Deuteronomy 32:33, Deuteronomy 32:34, Job 14:16, Job 14:17, Romans 2:5 the last: Genesis 49:1, Isaiah 2:2, Micah 4:1, Acts 2:17, 2 Peter 3:3 Exodus 16:20 - bred worms 2 Kings 5:5 - ten changes Job 36:19 - Will Psalms 39:6 - he heapeth Jeremiah 17:11 - he that Jeremiah 48:36 - the riches Amos 3:10 - who Habakkuk 2:11 - the stone Zechariah 5:4 - and it shall remain Acts 8:20 - Thy Hebrews 10:27 - fiery 1 Peter 1:7 - that James 5:3 Witness against you means that the fact of their cankering and rusting will prove they did not need them and that they had been hoarded. For the last days denotes that these treasures will be against them at the last great day of judgment. James 5:3 ——————————————————————————– Is cankered (κατίωται) Only here in New Testament, from ἰός, rust, as in the following sentence. Also poison, as James 3:8. The preposition κατά indicates thoroughness, completely rusted. ——————————————————————————– Flesh (τὰςσάρκας) The noun is plural: the fleshy parts of the body. So Sept. (2 Kings 9:36): “the flesh (τὰςσάρκας) of Jezebel.” So Revelation 19:18. James 5:3 ——————————————————————————– Are rusted (katiτtai). Perfect passive indicative (singular for chrusos and arguros are grouped as one) of katioτ, late verb (from ios, rust) with perfective sense of kata, to rust through (down to the bottom), found only here, Sir 12:11, Epictetus (Diss. 4, 6, 14). ——————————————————————————– Rust (ios).

Poison in James 3:8; Romans 3:13 (only N.T. examples of old word). Silver does corrode and gold will tarnish.

Dioscorides (V.91) tells about gold being rusted by chemicals. Modern chemists can even transmute metals as the alchemists claimed. ——————————————————————————– For a testimony (eis marturion). Common idiom as in Matthew 8:4 (use of eis with accusative in predicate). ——————————————————————————– Against you (humin). Dative of disadvantage as in Mark 6:11 (eis marturion autois) where in the parallel passage (Luke 9:5) we have eis marturion ep’ autous. “To you” will make sense, as in Matthew 8:4; Matthew 10:18, but “against” is the idea here as in Luke 21:13. ——————————————————————————– Shall eat (phagetai). Future middle (late form from ephagon) of defective verb esthiτ, to eat. ——————————————————————————– Your flesh (tas sarkas). The plural is used for the fleshy parts of the body like pieces of flesh (Revelation 17:16; Revelation 19:18; Revelation 19:21).

Rust eats like a canker, like cancer in the body. ——————————————————————————– As fire (hτs pur). Editors differ here whether to connect this phrase with phagetai, just before (as Mayor), for fire eats up more rapidly than rust, or with the following, as Westcott and Hort and Ropes, that is the eternal fire of Gehenna which awaits them (Matthew 25:41; Mark 9:44).

This interpretation makes a more vivid picture for ethηsaurisate (ye have laid up, first aorist active indicative of thηsaurizτ, Matthew 6:19 and see Proverbs 16:27), but it is more natural to take it with phagetai. 3. Your gold and your silver are rusted;—Another means of ac­cumulating wealth was metal coins which were in use from early antiquity. These they had kept until they became rusted (again the perfect tense is used). The verb may mean “tarnished” or “cor­roded.” The Epistle of Jeremy (a Jewish document) uses this word to describe the rotting of the purple cloth with which the idols were clothed (“And ye shall know them to be no gods by the bright purple that rotteth upon them,” verse 72). Silver and gold do not rust, but they may corrode. ——————————————————————– and their rust shall be for a testimony against you,—Greek (fol­lowing the LXX and the Hebrew) often uses the preposition eis after the verb “to be” to express the predicate nominative. But the “to be for something” here is different.

Here it means “to be inclined toward some end” or “to be useful” or to “serve for some purpose.” There is a difference of opinion as to how to translate the “against you” or “unto you” (margin). Some would under­stand the meaning “it testifies to you,” as if the rich should them­selves learn their error from the condition of their possessions.

It is better to take it as a dative of disadvantage as in Matthew 23:31 (Cf. Goodspeed’ s translation) and translate “against.” The wit­ness is about the non-use of the materials; the rust becomes the proof of their sin. ——————————————————————– and shall eat your flesh as fire.—The “rust” is the subject. It will eat the flesh of the rich. The influence of the rust is trans­ferred by a figure to the rust itself. It will cause the well-fed bodies of the rich to be destroyed like fire devours. Old Testament pas­sages emphasizing God’ s judgments often liken them to fire: Psalms 21:10; Isaiah 10:16; Isaiah 30:27; Ezekiel 15:7; Amos 5:6.

Solomon says, “A worthless man deviseth mischief; and in his lips there is as a scorching fire” (Proverbs 16:27). The LXX reads here, “he treas­ures up fire on his own lips.” This probably means that such a man destroys himself by his folly (as well, perhaps, as others around him). ——————————————————————– There is another arrangement possible for the words of this and the following sentence, though the sense is not materially different.

It is possible in Greek that James meant his words to be read (with Ropes, Schonfield, etc.) “Their rust . . . will eat your flesh because you have treasured up fire which shall be in the last days.” This has the advantage of defining the fire which is meant as the fire of Gehenna. This makes the Greek of this passage agree with the passage in Proverbs 16:27 quoted above. It also makes the verb “treasure up” more understandable; otherwise it has no object. It is not usually used as ah intransitive verb. This commends itself to this writer. ——————————————————————– If the translation stands as in the ASV, the destruction may re­fer to either the death of the rich Jews in the Roman wars (de­struction of Jerusalem and other towns, A.D. 70, Josephus, Wars 5:10, as in the Abingdon Commentary’) or in the future Gehenna of fire (Matthew 5:22; Matthew 5:29-30; Matthew 10:28; James 3:6). In either case it is a striking way to put it.

The rust of unused wealth testifying against them will bring the rich to destruction. Verse 1 has already indi­cated that the miseries are coming upon them. ——————————————————————– N.

B.: There is an awful warning in this to the church today. So many in the churches in our day have been blessed with much of this world’ s goods. What is being done with it? We cannot give a token to the Lord (even a liberal share) and feel that the rest is ours to live upon in luxury and ease. We must give account to God for all of it (Luke 16:9-12): There are many things that a Christian may use his money for: for his family (1 Timothy 5:4), for his own needs and helping others (Ephesians 4:28), for payment of taxes and good deeds (Romans T3:Iff; Titus 3:1; Titus 3:14). One need not give all he has to the Lord.

But this should not lead us to think that we are not responsible for it all. “If we have not been faithful in that which is another’ s, who will give us our own riches” (Luke 16:12). We are stewards of it all.

Will the rust of our unused blessings eat our flesh as fire in that day, too? This is a serious question for members of prosperous churches. ——————————————————————– Ye have laid up your treasure—This translation of the ASV translates one word “ye treasured” ) in the original. Jesus used a cognate object after the same verb: “Do not treasure up for your­selves treasures” (Matthew 6:19). Even if “fire” is to be taken as the object of this verb (see comment on previous phrase), the con­text shows that the rich were heaping up wealth which was to testify against, them. It is not necessarily wrong to possess and ac­cumulate wealth (i.e., to build an estate). But God’ s word certain­ly teaches that it imposes heavy responsibilities and dangers upon those who do.

To amass wealth through covetousness or greed is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).

With the proper exercise of stewardship money can be used to further the kingdom of God. Many Chris­tians with means do this. Yet many die and leave their estates un­used and let them go to the state in taxes or to relatives who are not Christians or are not faithful and who will not use them to God’ s glory. Many desiring fortunes “have pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:9). ——————————————————————————– in the last days.—If the text of the ASV be followed, then James says that the rich have treasured up treasure in the last days. This might be the last days of the Jewish dispensation (Abingdon, Johnson). Or it may be eschatological and signify that James thinks of the coming end of the world possibly as soon.

It may refer, as elsewhere (Hebrews 1:1), to the Christian dispensation as the last division of time. On the second of these, see comment at the beginning of verses 7-9.

James may have identified the consum­mation of the age with the predicted destruction of Jerusalem and wondered if he was not living near the end of time. This is what Jesus’ own disciples did (Matthew 24:3). ——————————————————————- If one takes the translation of Ropes (mentioned above), then it is plain that James means the judgment of fire.

James 5:4

:4

James 5:4 James 5:4 ιδουG2400 [G5628] LO, οG3588 THE μισθοςG3408 HIRE τωνG3588 OF THE εργατωνG2040 WORKMEN τωνG3588 WHO αμησαντωνG270 [G5660] ταςG3588 χωραςG5561 υμωνG5216 YOUR FIELDS, οG3588 WHICH απεστερημενοςG650 [G5772] HAS BEEN KEPT BACK αφG575 BY υμωνG5216 YOU, κραζειG2896 [G5719] CRIES OUT, καιG2532 AND αιG3588 THE βοαιG995 CRIES τωνG3588 OF THOSE WHO θερισαντωνG2325 [G5660] REAPED, ειςG1519 INTO ταG3588 THE ωταG3775 EARS κυριουG2962 OF “THE” LORD σαβαωθG4519 OF HOSTS εισεληλυθασινG1525 [G5754] HAVE ENTERED. . the hire: Leviticus 19:13, Deuteronomy 24:14, Deuteronomy 24:15, Job 24:10, Job 24:11, Job 31:38, Job 31:39, Isaiah 5:7, Jeremiah 22:13, Habakkuk 2:11, Malachi 3:5, Colossians 4:1 the cries: Genesis 4:10, Exodus 2:23, Exodus 2:24, Exodus 3:9, Exodus 22:22-24, Exodus 22:27, Deuteronomy 24:15, Job 34:28, Psalms 9:12, Luke 18:7 Lord: Romans 9:29, Isaiah 1:9,*Heb: Genesis 18:20 - the cry Genesis 19:13 - cry Exodus 22:23 - I will surely Numbers 11:1 - it displeased the Lord Deuteronomy 15:9 - he cry 2 Samuel 22:7 - my cry Nehemiah 5:1 - a great cry Job 7:2 - as an hireling Job 20:19 - Because Job 24:4 - hide Job 27:13 - the heritage Psalms 12:5 - oppression Psalms 73:6 - violence Proverbs 3:27 - Withhold Proverbs 4:17 - General Proverbs 21:10 - findeth no favour Proverbs 22:7 - rich Ecclesiastes 4:1 - the tears Isaiah 3:5 - the people Isaiah 19:20 - they shall Isaiah 33:15 - despiseth Jeremiah 5:28 - waxen Jeremiah 5:29 - General Jeremiah 48:15 - whose Ezekiel 22:29 - people Hosea 12:7 - he loveth Amos 3:10 - who Amos 5:12 - they afflict Jonah 1:2 - for Zechariah 5:3 - every one Zechariah 7:10 - oppress 1 Corinthians 6:8 - General Ephesians 6:9 - ye 1 Thessalonians 4:6 - go James 2:6 - Do James 2:13 - he James 5:4 The mere possession of wealth does not condemn one as may be seen from Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50-51; Mark 10:24; 1 Timothy 6:17-19. ————————- The question is as to how a man obtains his wealth and the use he makes of it. In the present verse the men became rich by withholding the wages of their em­ployees. This does not have any bear­ing on disputes about what should be the wages, but is considering only what was kept back by fraud. —————————— Sabaoth means “hosts” or armies, and the thought is that He who is able to command the armies of Heaven will be able to deal with all unjust men. James 5:4 ——————————————————————————– Reaped down (ἀμησάντων) Only here in New Testament. The primary meaning is to reap corn; also in classical Greek of mowing down in battle. The secondary, which some mistake for the primary sense, is to gather, as for harvest. Rev., mowed. ——————————————————————————– Fields (χώρας) The more general word, place, for ἀγρός, the ordinary word for a field; though the usage is warranted by classical Greek, and occurs Luke 12:16; John 4:35, the only two instances besides this in the New Testament. It implies a larger tract than ἀγρός, as is evident in all the New-Testament passages cited. In two cases it refers to a rich man’s estates; and in John 4:35, the Lord directs the attention of the disciples to a broad area or series of fields. ——————————————————————————– Crieth (κράζει) An inarticulate cry.

Compare Genesis 4:10. ——————————————————————————– Lord of Sabaoth Lord of hosts. The only instance in which the phrase is used by a New-Testament writer.

Romans 9:29, is quoted from Isaiah 1:9. James 5:4 ——————————————————————————– The hire (ho misthos). Old word for wages (Matthew 20:8). ——————————————————————————– Labourers (ergatτn). Any one who works (ergazomai), especially agricultural workers (Matthew 9:37). ——————————————————————————– Who mowed (tτn amηsantτn). Genitive plural of the articular first aorist active participle of amaτ (from hama, together), old verb, to gather together, to reap, here only in N.T. ——————————————————————————– Fields (chτras). Estates or farms (Luke 12:16). ——————————————————————————– Which is of you kept back by fraud (ho aphusterηmenos aph’ humτn).

Perfect passive articular participle of aphustereτ, late compound (simplex hustereτ common as Matthew 19:20), to be behindhand from, to fail of, to cause to withdraw, to defraud. Pitiful picture of earned wages kept back by rich Jews, old problem of capital and labour that is with us yet in acute form. ——————————————————————————– The cries (hai boai).

Old word from which boaτ comes (Matthew 3:3), here only in N.T. The stolen money “cries out” (krazei), the workers cry out for vengeance. ——————————————————————————– That reaped (tτn therisantτn). Genitive plural of the articular participle first aorist active of therizτ (old verb from theros, summer, Matthew 24:32), to reap, to harvest while summer allows (Matthew 6:26). ——————————————————————————– Have entered (eiselηluthan). Perfect active third person plural indicative of eiserchomai, old and common compound, to go or come into. This late form is by analogy of the aorist for the usual form in -asi. ——————————————————————————– Of the Lord of Sabaoth (Kuriou Sabaτth). “Of the Lord of Hosts,” quotation from Isaiah 5:9 as in Romans 9:29, transliterating the Hebrew word for “Hosts,” an expression for the omnipotence of God like Pantokratτr (Revelation 4:8). God hears the cries of the oppressed workmen even if the employers are deaf. 4.

Behold,—(Cf. James 5:9; James 5:11 and James 3:4-5) This is a Hebraistic type of graphic earnestness.

James is intense in his earnestness. the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields,— The word for “laborers” is that used especially of agricultural workers (Arndt and Gingrich). Palestine was rather unique in that fields were cultivated by hired labor. In most countries the work was done by slaves. James is thinking of the wheat and barley harvests where the grain was cut and shocked by hand. The Gospel references mention wages paid to laborers in fields and vineyards (Matthew 20 :Iff). The Old Testament contained special safeguards against withholding wages: “The wages of a hired servant shall not abide with thee all night until the morning” (Leviticus 19:13). See also Deuteronomy 24:14. For passages on violation, see Malachi 3:5; Jeremiah 22:13; Job 24:10.

Lenski points out that the scene here is set in harvest time when the rich would be more affluent and when oppression of the poor would be even less excusable. ——————————————————————————- which is of you kept back by fraud,—This is the text adopted by ASV. The other possible reading is simply “which is held out by you.” One verb means “to rob” ; the other “to hold back.” In ei­ther case James infers that the wages owed the laborers were not paid and that this contributed to the ill-gotten gain of the rich Jews. ——————————————————————————- crieth out:—a figurative use of the demand that injustice be avenged. Quite often this expression occurs in the Old Testament where it has almost a poetic touch: the blood of Abel cries out (Genesis 4:10; Hebrews 12:24) or the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:20). Compare Job 31:38 ff; Revelation 6:10; and Psalms 34:17. Jesus used the figure when he said that if no other testified to Him “even the stones would cry out” (Luke 19:40). ——————————————————————————- the cries . . . have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.—This is from Isaiah 5:9. As already seen, the idea of men’s cry for justice entering into God’ s ears is frequent.

See further in Psalms 18:6; Psalms 34:15. “Sabaoth” (not Sabbath) is the transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning “hosts” or “armies.” Though it occurs on­ly here in the New Testament (besides the quotation in Romans 9:24), the word occurs some 282 times in the Old Testament (Knowling), being at times translated in the LXX by the term “Lord-almighty.” Compare 2 Corinthians 6:18; Revelation 1:17. The original idea was that of God fighting on the side of Israel to vindicate their cause and give them victory in battle (1 Samuel 15:2; Isaiah 2:12; 2 Samuel 5:10; Psalms 59:5).

But the idea was ex­tended to include the hosts of angels which God might send forth to carry out His will (Joshua 5:14; 2 Kings 6 :l4ff). The word thus became one of the highest titles for the power and majesty of God (Isaiah 1:6; Isaiah 6:3). Prayers for help were often expressed to God under this title (1 Samuel 1:11). ——————————————————————————- The reference here then means that the same omnipotent God who fought with Israel and whose word even the hosts of angels carried out in heaven has listened and heard the cries of injustice from the robbed laborers. “Vengeance belongs to me, I will repay saith the Lord.” All who are tempted to cheat a fellowman should remember.

James 5:5

:5

James 5:5 James 5:5 ετρυφησατεG5171 [G5656] YE LIVED IN επιG1909 UPON τηςG3588 THE γηςG1093 EARTH, καιG2532 AND εσπαταλησατεG4684 [G5656] LIVED IN SELF ; εθρεψατεG5142 [G5656] YE ταςG3588 καρδιαςG2588 υμωνG5216 YOUR HEARTS ωςG5613 AS ενG1722 IN ημεραG2250 A DAY σφαγηςG4967 OF ; . have lived: 1 Samuel 25:6, 1 Samuel 25:36, Job 21:11-15, Psalms 17:14, Psalms 73:7, Ecclesiastes 11:9, Isaiah 5:11, Isaiah 5:12, Isaiah 47:8, Isaiah 56:12, Amos 6:1, Amos 6:4-6, Luke 16:19, Luke 16:25, 1 Timothy 5:6, 2 Timothy 3:4, Jude 1:12, Revelation 18:7 been: Isaiah 3:16, Romans 13:13 as in: Proverbs 7:14, Proverbs 17:1, Isaiah 22:13, Ezekiel 39:17, Revelation 19:17, Revelation 19:18 Job 36:11 - spend Proverbs 1:32 - and the Proverbs 4:17 - General Ecclesiastes 2:1 - I will Isaiah 32:11 - be troubled Jeremiah 5:28 - waxen Jeremiah 12:3 - the day Luke 12:19 - take 1 Timothy 5:11 - to wax Hebrews 11:25 - the pleasures 2 Peter 2:18 - wantonness James 5:5 Day of slaughter signifies a day of great preparation for gratifica­tion of self at the expense of others. Been wanton means they had lived in luxury upon the things they had fraudulently taken from the poor. James 5:5 ——————————————————————————– Ye have lived in pleasure (ἐτρυφήσατε) Only here in New Testament. See on 2 Peter 2:13, on the kindred noun τρυφή, riot or revel. Rev., ye have lived delicately. ——————————————————————————– Been wanton (ἐσπαταλήσατε) Only here and 1 Timothy 5:6. Ἐτρυφήσατε denotes dainty living: this word, luxurious or prodigal living. Rev., taken your pleasure, is colorless, and is no improvement on the A. V. ——————————————————————————– As in a day of slaughter (ὡςἐνἡμέρᾳσφαγῆς) All the best texts reject ὡς, as. The meaning of the passage is disputed.

Some find the key to it in the words last days (James 5:3). The phrase day of slaughter is used for a day of judgment, Jeremiah 12:3; Jeremiah 25:34 : (Sept.).

According to this, the meaning is, the day of judgment, at the supposed near coming of Christ. Others explain that these men are like beasts, which, on the very day of their slaughter, gorge themselves in unconscious security. James 5:5 ——————————————————————————– Ye have lived delicately (etruphηsate). First aorist (constative, summary) active indicative of truphaτ, old verb from truphη (luxurious living as in Luke 7:25, from thruptτ, to break down, to enervate), to lead a soft life, only here in N.T. ——————————————————————————– Taken your pleasure (espatalηsate). First aorist (constative) active indicative of spatalaτ, late and rare verb to live voluptuously or wantonly (from spatalη, riotous living, wantonness, once as bracelet), in N.T. only here and 1 Timothy 5:6. ——————————————————————————– Ye have nourished (ethrepsate). First aorist (constative) active indicative of trephτ, old verb, to feed, to fatten (Matthew 6:26).

They are fattening themselves like sheep or oxen all unconscious of “the day of slaughter” (en hηmerβi sphagηs, definite without the article) ahead of them. For this use of sphagηs see Romans 8:36 (probata sphagηs, sheep for the slaughter, sphagη from sphazτ, to slay), consummate sarcasm on the folly of sinful rich people. 5.

Ye have lived delicately on the earth,—The wages fraudulent­ly kept back were used to live luxurious and self-indulgent lives, thus adding to the flagrance of their crime. One is reminded of the rich fool’ s “Soul, thou hast much goods . . . take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry.” The verb here means “to live a life of ease, to “revel” or “carouse” and carries with it generally a bad sense even in the Classics. It is connected with the word which means “effeminacy.” At other times ft has merely the sense of “well-fed,” “contented.” Hermas (Sim. 6: Iff) uses it of sheep, figuratively representing luxury-loving men. ——————————————————————————- The expression “on earth” is possibly James’ way of indicating that this condition is temporary. Only on earth (and not for long here) will this indulgent use of ill-gotten gain last. We are re­minded of Abraham’ s answer to the rich man, “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things.” We will take with us neither our money (1 Timothy 6:7) nor the pleasures it buys. ——————————————————————————- taken your pleasure;—Again the verb has a bad history. It gen­erally signifies a voluptuous and excessively indulgent life.

In the LXX it occurs of Sodom, “prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters” (Ezekiel 16:49). A compound verb is used in the well- known passage in Amos 6:4.

In the New Testament it is used else­where only in 1 Timothy 5:6, of the widow who lives in pleasure and thus “is dead while she liveth.” The whole picture of the rich here is one of wasteful, self-indulgent, luxurious living with a hint of lasciviousness and this off money retained by fraud. Their end is now to be told. ——————————————————————————- nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter.—The thought is not unlike Jeremiah 12:3, where the wicked are said to have been pulled out like sheep for slaying and prepared for slaughter by the Lord (Cf. Jeremiah 25:34; Isaiah 34:2; Ezekiel 21:15). The difference here is that the rich have fattened themselves up for the fatal day. This is as though animals supplied their own food which eventually prepared them for the slaughter. This fattening contin­ued right down to the day of slaughter.

This certainly would fit the description of Josephus (Wars 5, 10, 2; 13, 4. Cf.

Plummer in loco and Farrar, The Early Days of Christianity, pp. 344f) for the way the rich were killed, often by torture, at the destruction of Jerusalem. More than likely, however, in view of the over-all context, James means the fatal destruction at the final judgment, with the idea of “slaughter” occurring because of the figure of animals used. So James means that they are fattening themselves right down to their death or to the coming of the Lord. Lenski’ s statement that the preposition en does not mean “on the day” is erroneous. The prep­osition is used regularly with the locative to express “time at which.”

James 5:6

:6

James 5:6 James 5:6 κατεδικασατεG2613 [G5656] YE , εφονευσατεG5407 [G5656] YE KILLED, τονG3588 THE δικαιονG1342 JUST; ουκG3756 αντιτασσεταιG498 [G5731] HE DOES NOT RESIST υμινG5213 YOU. . have: James 2:6, Matthew 21:38, Matthew 23:34, Matthew 23:35, Matthew 27:20, Matthew 27:24, Matthew 27:25, John 16:2, John 16:3, Acts 2:22, Acts 2:23, Acts 3:14, Acts 3:15, Acts 4:10-12, Acts 7:52, Acts 13:27, Acts 13:28, Acts 22:14, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:16 and he: Isaiah 53:7, Matthew 5:39, Matthew 26:53, Matthew 26:54, Luke 22:51-53, John 19:9-11, Acts 8:32, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 Peter 2:23 Psalms 94:21 - condemn Proverbs 17:15 - that justifieth Isaiah 5:23 - take Isaiah 29:21 - and turn Amos 5:12 - they afflict Amos 8:4 - swallow Matthew 12:7 - condemned Matthew 21:39 - slew Matthew 26:66 - He Mark 10:33 - condemn 1 Peter 3:18 - the just James 5:6 This verse might seem to be a break into the line of thought but it is not. The poor people who had been imposed upon were not receiving their just dues, and they would naturally feel disturbed over the seeming neglect of the Lord. James mentions the fact of the condemnation and slay­ing of the Just One, meaning Christ, that even He did not resist. (See Isaiah 53:7 and Acts 8:32.) James 5:6 ——————————————————————————– Ye have condemned (katedikasate). First aorist active indicative of katadikazτ, old verb (from katadikη, condemnation, Acts 25:15). The rich controlled the courts of justice. ——————————————————————————– Ye have killed the righteous one (ephoneusate ton dikaion). First aorist active indicative of phoneuτ (James 2:11; James 4:2). “The righteous one” (tτn dikaion) is the generic use of the singular with article for the class. There is probably no direct reference to one individual, though it does picture well the death of Christ and also the coming death of James himself, who was called the Just (Eus. H.E. ii. 23).

Stephen (Acts 7:52) directly accuses the Sanhedrin with being betrayers and murderers (prodotai kai phoneis) of the righteous one (tou dikaiou). ——————————————————————————– He doth not resist you (ouk antitassetai humin). It is possible to treat this as a question.

Present middle indicative of antitassτ, for which see James 4:6. Without a question the unresisting end of the victim (ton dikaion) is pictured. With a question (ouk, expecting an affirmative answer) God or Lord is the subject, with the final judgment in view. There is no way to decide definitely. 6. Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous one;—This is the climax of their sins. The key to the interpretation is the mean­ing of the term “righteous one.” If this (as in Acts 3:14; Acts 7:12; Acts 22:14; 1 John 2:1) means the Lord Jesus Christ, the picture is that of the rich Jews (Sadducees), who were in charge of the Sanhedrin which put Jesus to death lest the Romans take the control of the temple and its rich revenue from them (see John 11:48).

In this case James sees the same greed and covetousness being extended in the rob­bery of the poor laborer’ s wages. If, on the other hand, the expres­sion is used generically (“the unrighteous,” as in 1 Peter 3:18), then the picture is that of the poor Jew, wronged by his evil, wealthy neighbor and condemned for this small bit of means. “The right­eous one” then would mean just any good man who was treated in this way and who did not resist.

Here one thinks of Ahab and Jezebel and Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21). The rich in 2:6 were said to drag Christians before judges. On the expression, see Amos 2:6 ff. The solution is not easy. Blass-Debrunner (Funk) consider the term to mean here an individual example. The aorists point to a single example (though it could be a timeless use of the tense); yet “he doth not resist you” (present) sees the reaction as still going on. This writer would lean toward the idea that James is thinking of the righteous man in general and not Jesus, though he could have had Jesus in mind as one of the examples. The righteous do not resist.

Christians have learned to bear condemnation and death with resignation. NOTE ON THE BIBLE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ——————————————————————————- There is no book which champions the cause of the unfortunate more than the Bible. The laws of Israel demand a fair deal for the laboring and poor classes; indeed this is true almost to the point of seeming unfairness to the wealthy (Money must be lent with­out interest, etc.). The rich are warned against the accumulation of wealth “adding house to house and field to field” (Isaiah 5:8; Amos 3:10; 11:28). Amos cried out with a passion against the in­justices toward the poor (5:11; 8:4-7). It is strange (as Barclay ob­serves) that the Marxists would consider the Bible or the religion based upon it the opiate of the masses, calling upon them to ac­quiesce in an unjust social structure.

It is true that the poor are not encouraged to revolution, but the wrath of God is turned in warning against those who exploit the worker and disregard the rights and needs of the suffering. ——————————————————————————- Too often, professing Christians have not heeded the cry for social justice and helping the needs of the unfortunate. But still most of the gains of the workers and most of the hospitals, homes fpr unfortunates, etc., have been founded under the impulse of people who called themselves Christians.

Schools and hospitals and en­lightenment have gone with the missionary. The Social Gospel of the early part of this century was a curious example of the un­easy conscience of Christianity. It was based upon the false evolu­tionary optimism that had lost real faith in the divinity of Jesus Christ and the saving gospel of the Lord. It wanted to see the definition of the Kingdom of God limited to doing good to one’ s neighbor. It thought the other parts were only the Jewish clothes that the teaching of Jesus wore. Thus it viewed the lack of prog­ress in social benefits in horror and set to work to bring about the kingdom of God on earth.

It called on the church to turn from the proclaiming of the gospel of the New Heaven to seeking Heaven on earth. It saw the church’ s ministry as lying in hospitals, social work, corrective social legislation, and general improvement through the handout.

This movement did not bring about its millennium. Its optimism died in the throes of the two world wars. One does not have to reject the theology of the Bible to accept its ethics and responsibilities. But one thing the movement did was to make the churches conscious of neglect of duty. ——————————————————————————- It is unfortunate that some see any expression of concern for so­cial justice and help for the unfortunate as a revival of the Social Gospel. The church does have its mission, and every congregation must decide where its opportunity to serve lies. One may view with rejoicing the development of institutional care for orphans and old folk.

The opportunities for practicing pure and undefiled religion should be multiplied. The works in existence should be supported.

A church may think that the more direct spread of the gospel in mission work is more the mission of the church. But they go hand in hand without competition. ——————————————————————————– The gospel carries its message home to the hearts of the hearers as the preachers sound the words of Christ: “Inasmuch as you did it unto others, ye did it unto me.” To teach the wealthy that his unused wealth is a sin and will be a testimony against him and that he ought to “weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon him” is to awaken him to his duty and responsibility. To teach Christians that to visit the widows and orphans in their afflictions is to practice pure and undefiled religion is to help accomplish God’ s will in God’ s way. The gospel is social in its demands, and we do not need the Social Gospel to remind us of this fact. Nor can we avoid our duty because we reject the Social Gospel.

James 5:7

:7

James 5:7 James 5:7 μακροθυμησατεG3114 [G5657] BE PATIENT ουνG3767 , αδελφοιG80 εωςG2193 TILL τηςG3588 THE παρουσιαςG3952 COMING τουG3588 OF THE κυριουG2962 LORD. ιδουG2400 [G5628] LO, οG3588 THE γεωργοςG1092 εκδεχεταιG1551 [G5736] AWAITS τονG3588 THE τιμιονG5093 καρπονG2590 FRUIT τηςG3588 OF THE γηςG1093 EARTH, μακροθυμωνG3114 [G5723] BEING PATIENT επG1909 FOR αυτωG846 IT εωςG2193 ανG302 UNTIL λαβηG2983 [G5632] IT RECEIVE “THE” υετονG5205 RAIN πρωιμονG4406 EARLY καιG2532 AND οψιμονG3797 LATTER. . Be patient: or, Be long patient, or, Suffer with long patience, Luke 8:15, Romans 2:7, Romans 8:24, Romans 8:25, Romans 15:4, 2 Corinthians 6:4, 2 Corinthians 6:5, Galatians 5:5, Galatians 6:9, Colossians 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Hebrews 6:15, Hebrews 12:1-3 unto: James 5:8, James 5:9, Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:44, Luke 18:8, Luke 21:27, 1 Corinthians 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 1 Thessalonians 3:13, 2 Peter 3:4 until: Deuteronomy 11:14, Jeremiah 5:24, Hosea 6:3, Joe 2:23, Zechariah 10:1 Genesis 8:12 - And he Genesis 8:22 - seedtime Genesis 42:36 - all these things are against me Leviticus 26:4 - Then I Deuteronomy 33:15 - General Judges 5:28 - Why is Job 14:14 - all the days Psalms 37:7 - wait Psalms 40:1 - I waited Psalms 62:1 - my soul Psalms 94:15 - and all Psalms 97:11 - sown Isaiah 26:8 - we Isaiah 28:16 - he that Isaiah 35:4 - behold Isaiah 64:4 - waiteth Lamentations 3:25 - good Habakkuk 2:3 - wait Zephaniah 3:8 - wait Luke 12:36 - men Luke 21:19 - General John 5:3 - waiting John 13:7 - What Romans 12:12 - patient 1 Corinthians 4:5 - until 2 Thessalonians 1:4 - your patience Hebrews 6:7 - the earth Hebrews 10:36 - ye have Hebrews 10:37 - General James 1:4 - let 2 Peter 1:6 - patience Revelation 1:9 - in the Revelation 2:3 - hast patience Revelation 13:10 - Here James 5:7 James now addresses the poor brethren who had been unjustly treated, and on the basis of facts and truths just revealed, exhorts them to be patient unto the coming of the Lord when all wrongs will be adjusted. As an example of patience he refers to the husbandman or farmer as he proceeds in his business. —————————— Early and latter rain actually means the fall and spring rains. I shall quote from Smith’s Bible Dictionary as follows: “ In the Bible ‘ early rain’ signifies the rain of the autumn, and ‘ latter rain’ the rain of spring. For six months in the year, from May to October, no rain falls, the whole land becomes dry, parched and brown. The autumnal rains are eagerly looked for, to pre­pare the earth for the reception of the seed.” James 5:7 ——————————————————————————– Be patient (μακροθυμήσατε) From μακρός, long, and θυμός, soul or spirit, but with the sense of strong passion, stronger even than ὀργή, anger, as is maintained by Schmidt (“Synonymik”), who describes θυμός as a tumultuous welling up of the whole spirit; a mighty emotion which seizes and moves the whole inner man. Hence the restraint implied in μακροθυμία is most correctly expressed by long-suffering, which is its usual rendering in the New Testament. It is a patient holding out under trial; a long-protracted restraint of the soul from yielding to passion, especially the passion of anger. In the New Testament the word and its cognates are sometimes rendered by patient or patience, which conceals the distinction from ὑπομονή, uniformly rendered patience, and signifying persistent endurance, whether in action or suffering. As Trench observes, “ὑπομονή is perseverantia and patientia both in one.” Thus Bishop Ellicott: “The brave patience with which the Christian contends against the various hindrances, persecutions, and temptations that befall him in his conflict with the inward and outward world.” Ὑπομονή. contains an element of manliness. Thus Plato joins it with the adverb ἀνδρικῶς, in a manly way, and contrasts it with ἀνάνδρως, unmanly, cowardly. Μακροθυμία is exercised toward persons; ὑπομονή, toward things.

The former is ascribed to God as an attribute (Luke 18:7; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 3:9; 2 Peter 3:15), the latter never; for the God of patience (Romans 15:5) is the God who imparts patience to his children. “There can be no resistance to God nor burden upon him, the Almighty, from things. Therefore ὑπομονή cannot find place in him” (Trench).

Rev. retains A. V., be patient. The thought links itself naturally with that in the preceding verse: the righteous doth not resist. ——————————————————————————– Therefore Since things are so. Referring to the condition of things described in the previous passage. ——————————————————————————– Brethren In contrast with the rich just addressed. ——————————————————————————– Waiteth (ἐκδέχεται) With expectation. Compare Matthew 13:30; Mark 4:27. ——————————————————————————– The early and latter rain (ὑετὸνπρώιμονκαὶὄψιμον) Both adjectives only here in New Testament. Ὑετὸν, rain, is rejected by all the best texts. The early rain fell in October, November, and December, and extended into January and February.

These rains do not come suddenly, but by degrees, so that the farmer can sow his wheat or barley. The rains are mostly from the west or southwest (Luke 12:54), continuing two or three days at a time, and falling mostly in the night.

Then the wind shifts to the north or east, and fine weather ensues (Proverbs 25:23). The latter rains, which are much lighter, fall in March and April. Rain in harvest was regarded as a miracle (1 Samuel 12:16-18). James 5:7 ——————————————————————————– Be patient therefore (makrothumηsate oun). A direct corollary (oun, therefore) from the coming judgment on the wicked rich (James 5:1-6). First aorist (constative) active imperative of makrothumeτ, late compound (Plutarch, LXX) from makrothumos (makros, thumos, of long spirit, not losing heart), as in Matthew 18:26. The appeal is to the oppressed brethren. Catch your wind for a long race (long-tempered as opposed to short-tempered).

See already the exhortation to patience (hupomonη) in James 1:3-4; James 1:12 and repeated in James 5:11. They will need both submission (hupomenτ James 5:11) and steadfastness (makrothumia James 5:10). ——————————————————————————– Until the coming of the Lord (heτs tηs parousias). The second coming of Christ he means, the regular phrase here and in James 5:8 for that idea (Matthew 24:3; Matthew 24:37; Matthew 24:39; 1 Thessalonians 2:19, etc.). ——————————————————————————– The husbandman (ho geτrgos). The worker in the ground (gη, ergτ) as in Matthew 21:33-34. ——————————————————————————– Waiteth for (ekdechetai). Present middle indicative of ekdechomai, old verb for eager expectation as in Acts 17:16. ——————————————————————————– Precious (timion). Old adjective from timη (honor, price), dear to the farmer because of his toil for it.

See 1 Peter 1:19. ——————————————————————————– Being patient over it (makrothumτn ep’ autτi). Present active participle of makrothumeτ just used in the exhortation, picturing the farmer longing and hoping over his precious crop (cf.

Luke 18:7 of God). ——————————————————————————– Until it receive (heτs labηi). Temporal clause of the future with heτs and the second aorist active subjunctive of lambanτ, vividly describing the farmer’s hopes and patience. ——————————————————————————– The early and latter rain (proοmon kai opsimon). The word for rain (hueton Acts 14:17) is absent from the best MSS. The adjective proοmos (from prτο, early) occurs here only in N.T., though old in the form proοmos and prτοs. See Deuteronomy 11:14; Jeremiah 5:24, etc. for these terms for the early rain in October or November for the germination of the grain, and the latter rain (opsimon, from opse, late, here only in N.T.) in April and May for maturing the grain. TOWARD James 5:7-12 1.

TO James 5:7-11 ——————————————————————————- This section stresses that Christians (in spite of the wrong suffered at the hands of the rich) are to bear their injustices patiently until the Lord comes, just as the farmer plants his seed and waits for the harvest. It also touches on the question of the expectancy of the Second Coming of Jesus in the First Century. ——————————————————————————- 7.

Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. —Brethren are addressed directly because the previous section had had non-Christians mainly in view. Now the Christians are confronted with their own duty to develop the proper attitude to­ward their persecutors. ——————————————————————————- This is not the ordinary word translated “ be patient.” The verb here means to be “long-tempered” . The meaning is to hold the mind in check rather than give way to wrath or wavering (as in verse 12). God is described as longsuffering (same word) in 2 Peter 3:9; our sins do not pro­voke Him to destroy us. The command is in the aorist (constative) emphasizing the command categorically until the event referred to, without reference to the interval. ——————————————————————————- until the coming of the Lord.—The word for “coming” used here is parousia, which is literally the “presence” of Christ. The word, which has become an English word (Parousia), in secular Greek referred to the presence or arrival of a person, especially of a visit of an important person.

Jesus promised when he went away he would be present with His disciples always unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:19 f). But the Holy Spirit is the agent of ful­fillment of that promise.

Christ is in and with us through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:21). The presence of Christ will become manifest when he comes visibly at the end. Then every eye will see him (Rev­elation 1:7). This is the appearance or manifestation which is called the Parousia of Christ. The coming is called his Second Coming (Hebrews 9:28) by contrast with the First Advent. The parousia is a frequent New Testament term for the Lord’ s coming: Matthew 24:3; Matthew 24:27; Matthew 24:37; Matthew 24:39; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; II Thes- salonians 2:1; 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 John 2:28; 2 Peter 1:16; 2 Peter 3:4. Another New Testament expression for the coming is the Epiphany \

James 5:8

:8

James 5:8 James 5:8 μακροθυμησατεG3114 [G5657] BE PATIENT καιG2532 ALSO υμειςG5210 YE : στηριξατεG4741 [G5657] ταςG3588 καρδιαςG2588 υμωνG5216 YOUR HEARTS, οτιG3754 BECAUSE ηG3588 THE παρουσιαG3952 COMING τουG3588 OF THE κυριουG2962 LORD ηγγικενG1448 [G5758] HAS DRAWN NEAR. . ye also: Genesis 49:18, Psalms 37:7, Psalms 40:1-3, Psalms 130:5, Lamentations 3:25, Lamentations 3:26, Micah 7:7, Habakkuk 2:3, Romans 8:25, Galatians 5:22, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Hebrews 10:35-37 stablish: Psalms 27:14 for: James 5:9, Philippians 4:5, Hebrews 10:25-37, 1 Peter 4:7, Revelation 22:20 Genesis 8:12 - And he Job 14:14 - all the days Ecclesiastes 7:8 - the patient Isaiah 28:16 - he that Ezekiel 7:12 - time Ezekiel 12:23 - The days Ezekiel 36:8 - at hand Joe 2:1 - for the Joe 2:23 - he will Zephaniah 3:8 - wait Zechariah 14:5 - the Lord Malachi 3:5 - I will come Matthew 24:27 - the coming Luke 8:15 - bring Luke 12:36 - men Luke 17:24 - in Romans 2:7 - patient 1 Corinthians 1:7 - waiting Colossians 1:11 - unto 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - and patience 2 Thessalonians 1:4 - your patience James 5:7 - unto Revelation 1:3 - for Revelation 1:9 - in the Revelation 13:10 - Here James 5:8 Also patient has reference to the patience of the husbandman commented upon in the preceding verse. Christians can well afford to be patient for their interests are far more valuable than those of a farmer. Draweth nigh. Whether James has re­ference to the destruction of Jerusalem which was then only a few years away, at which time the persecutions of the disciples were to be somewhat eased, or to the personal appearance on earth of Jesus for the judgment, the time would be comparatively short when the endless duration after the judg­ment is considered. James 5:8 ——————————————————————————– Ye also (kai humeis). As well as the farmers. ——————————————————————————– Stablish (stηrixate). First aorist active imperative of stηrizτ, old verb, (from stηrigx, a support) to make stable, as in Luke 22:32; 1 Thessalonians 3:13. ——————————————————————————– Is at hand (ηggiken). Present perfect active indicative of eggizτ, common verb, to draw near (from eggus), in James 4:8, for drawing near. Same form used by John in his preaching (Matthew 3:2). In 1 Peter 4:7 the same word appears to have an eschatological sense as apparently here.

How “near” or “nigh” did James mean? Clearly, it could only be a hope, for Jesus had distinctly said that no one knew when he would return. 8.

Be ye also patient;—like the farmer. The evil treatment may provoke, but toughness of mind will enable one to endure the prov­ocation. Trench translated the word “ longsuffering” or ‘ ‘patience” here as “ longanimity.” A. G. Freed used to call it “ stick-to-it-iveness.” ——————————————————————————- establish your hearts:—Become “ stout-hearted” would be a good way to translate the verb. It means to “ confirm,” “ strengthen,” or “ fix fast.” Compare “Establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:13). A Christian needs to gird up the loins of his mind (1 Peter 1:13). Faintheartedness not only never won fair lady; it does not solve the problems of life.

Fixed purpose and stout hearts are necessary. Remember Gideon’ s three hundred. ——————————————————————————- for the coming of the Lord is at hand.—John the Baptist used the same word to declare the kingdom of God at hand (Matthew 3:2). James wrote probably not too long before the destruction of Jerusalem. This was the final event which Jesus had said must transpire before Christians could look for the end. After this there were to be no more signs until the sign of the Son of Man was seen in the clouds (Matthew 24:29 f). After that event Christians were told to expect and watch for the coming at any time. This is the late New Testament attitude and the correct one. We still are to live in this mood.

Because 2000 years have gone by since the de­struction of Jerusalem we are not to say, “ My lord delays his com­ing.” The Lord is at hand every day and has been for two thousand years. “ Watch ye!” ——————————————————————————– On the problem of the delay of the Second Coming, see the note at the end of verse 11.

James 5:9

:9

James 5:9 James 5:9 μηG3361 στεναζετεG4727 [G5720] GROAN NOT κατG2596 AGAINST αλληλωνG240 ONE ANOTHER, αδελφοιG80 , ιναG2443 THAT μηG3361 NOT κατακριθητεG2632 [G5686] YE BE . ιδουG2400 [G5628] LO, κριτηςG2923 “THE” JUDGE προG4253 BEFORE τωνG3588 THE θυρωνG2374 DOOR εστηκενG2476 [G5707] [G5758] STANDS. . Grudge not: or, Groan not, or, grieve not, James 4:11, Leviticus 19:18, Psalms 59:15, Mark 6:19, *marg. 2 Corinthians 9:7, Galatians 5:14, Galatians 5:26, 1 Peter 4:9 lest: Matthew 6:14, Matthew 6:15, Matthew 7:1, Matthew 7:2 the Judge: Genesis 4:7, Matthew 24:33, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Revelation 3:20 Numbers 11:29 - Enviest Deuteronomy 15:9 - thine eye 1 Samuel 18:9 - eyed David 1 Kings 14:14 - but what Ezekiel 7:12 - time Ezekiel 12:23 - The days Ezekiel 30:3 - the day is Ezekiel 36:8 - at hand Joe 1:15 - the day of Zep 1:14 - it is Malachi 3:5 - I will come Matthew 20:15 - Is thine Matthew 24:44 - General Mark 13:29 - know Luke 21:31 - the kingdom Acts 6:1 - there Philippians 2:14 - without Philippians 4:5 - The James 5:7 - unto James 5:8 - for 1 Peter 2:1 - laying 1 Peter 4:5 - that 1 Peter 4:7 - the end Revelation 1:3 - for Revelation 3:11 - I come James 5:9 To grudge means to murmur against another because of oppression. Christians not only were told to be patient under the persecutions from enemies in the world, but to exhibit the same patience toward their brethren who are so unthoughtful as to mis­treat them. Lest ye be condemned when Jesus comes to summon all before the judgment, at which time he will condemn all who did not maintain patience under difficulties as well as those who caused the difficulties. Judge standeth at the door is ex­plained by the comments on the preceding verse. James 5:9 ——————————————————————————- Grudge not (μὴστενάζετε) Better, as Rev., murmur not. The verb means to sigh or groan. ——————————————————————————- Standeth before the doors In the act of entering. James 5:9 ——————————————————————————– Murmur not (mη stenazete). Prohibition with mη and the present active imperative of stenazτ, old verb, to groan. “Stop groaning against one another,” as some were already doing in view of their troubles. In view of the hope of the Second Coming lift up your heads. ——————————————————————————– That ye be not judged (hina mη krithηte). Negative purpose clause with hina mη and the first aorist passive subjunctive of krinτ.

As already indicated (James 2:12-13; James 4:12) and repeated in James 5:12. Reminiscence of the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:1-2. ——————————————————————————– Standeth before the doors (pro tτn thurτn hestηken).

Perfect active indicative of histηmi, “is standing now.” Again like the language of Jesus in Matthew 24:33 (epi thurais) and Mark 13:29. Jesus the Judge is pictured as ready to enter for the judgment. 9. Murmur not, brethren, one against another,—The verb means literally to “ sigh” or “ groan,” as in 2 Corinthians 5:2 (“in this body we groan,” i. e., in our afflictions). With the preposition “ against” it means to “ groan in complaint.” Troubles tend to make the impatient complain against even those closest to them. Paul used a different word to describe Israel in 1 Corinthians 10:10, but the sin is the same. Israelites in the wilderness lost their perse­verance and murmured against each other and against God.

Disciples of Christ must be patient toward one another as well as toward their persecutors. ——————————————————————– that ye be not judged:—To groan against our brethren is to risk the Lord’s condemnation when he comes. He will judge His own as well as the rich oppressors. ——————————————————————– the judge standeth before the doors.—This reflects the very words of Jesus (Mark 13:29= Matthew 24:33).

The judge is Christ, who, just as in His readiness to forgive and receive the erring (Revelation 3:20), so also He stands as judge ready to open the door to see if his servants await His coming. One thinks perhaps of the master or father returning home and entering the house quickly to find the servants or children forgetful of their charges and begin­ning to complain and quarrel among themselves. We know the Lord stands at the door ready to enter at any moment. Shall we murmur under these circumstances ?

James 5:10

10

James 5:10 James 5:10 υποδειγμαG5262 “AS” AN EXAMPLE λαβετεG2983 [G5628] TAKE τηςG3588 OF κακοπαθειαςG2552 EVILS, αδελφοιG80 μουG3450 MY , καιG2532 τηςG3588 AND μακροθυμιαςG3115 OF , τουςG3588 THE προφηταςG4396 οιG3739 WHO ελαλησανG2980 [G5656] SPOKE τωG3588 IN THE ονοματιG3686 NAME κυριουG2962 OF “THE” LORD . who: Isaiah 39:8, Jeremiah 23:22, Jeremiah 26:16, Acts 3:21, Hebrews 13:7 for: 2 Chronicles 36:16, Jeremiah 2:30, Matthew 5:11, Matthew 5:12, Matthew 21:34-39, Matthew 23:34-37, Luke 6:23, Luke 13:34, Acts 7:52, 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, Hebrews 11:32-38 Job 2:10 - shall we receive Psalms 31:24 - Be of Psa 34:19 - Many Psalms 57:1 - until Son 1:8 - go Luke 11:48 - for Romans 12:12 - patient 1 Corinthians 10:13 - hath Hebrews 6:12 - but Hebrews 11:37 - being destitute 1 Peter 5:6 - Humble James 5:10 A few verses above James refers to the farmer who sets an ex­ample of patience under times of anxiety. He now makes reference to the teaching prophets of old time for the same purpose of a lesson in patience. James 5:10 ——————————————————————————– Example (ὑπόδειγμα) See on 2 Peter 2:6. ——————————————————————————– Of suffering affliction (κακοπαθείας) Only here in New Testament. The word does not mean the endurance of affliction, but affliction itself. Hence, Rev., rightly, suffering. ——————————————————————————– The prophets Compare Matthew 5:12. James 5:10 ——————————————————————————– For an example (hupodeigma). Late word for the old paradeigma, from hupodeiknumi, to copy under, to teach (Luke 6:47), here for copy to be imitated as in John 13:15, as a warning (Hebrews 4:11). Here predicate accusative with tous prophηtas (the prophets) as the direct object of labete (second aorist active imperative of lambanτ). ——————————————————————————– Of suffering (tηs kakopathias).

Old word from kakopathηs (suffering evil, kakopatheτ in James 5:13; 2 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 2:9), here only in N.T. ——————————————————————————– Of patience (makrothumias). Like makrothumeτ in James 5:7.

See both makrothumia and hupomonη in 2 Corinthians 4:6; Colossians 1:11 (the one restraint from retaliating, the other not easily succumbing). ——————————————————————————– In the name of (en tτi onomati). As in Jeremiah 20:9. With the authority of the Lord (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 198). 10. Take, brethren, for an example of suffering and patience, the prophets—James is still thinking of the readers who are robbed of their wages. Examples are often the best means of teaching. The Old Testament is full of examples of those who bore up under dif­ficulties. “We are not of them who shrink back unto perdition” (Hebrews 10:39). “Example of suffering and patience” is an in­stance of coordination of two ideas, one of which is dependent on the other.

The idea is “patience in suffering.” “Suffering” is the Greek word for “misfortune.” Compare 2 Timothy 2:9, where Paul uses it of the wrongs suffered by him to the point of bonds as an evildoer. The keeping back of their wages is such a misfortune.

But the prophets also had suffered wrongs and persevered in their midst without complaint (Hebrews 11:33 ff; II Chronicles 36:16; 23:37; 1 Thessalonians 2:15; Matthew 23:29-32).

James 5:11

11

James 5:11 James 5:11 ιδουG2400 [G5628] LO, μακαριζομενG3106 [G5719] WE CALL BLESSED τουςG3588 THOSE WHO υπομενονταςG5278 [G5723] ENDURE. τηνG3588 THE υπομονηνG5281 ιωβG2492 OF JOB ηκουσατεG191 [G5656] YE HAVE HEARD OF, καιG2532 AND τοG3588 THE τελοςG5056 END κυριουG2962 OF “THE” LORD ειδετεG1492 [G5627] YE SAW; οτιG3754 THAT πολυσπλαγχνοςG4184 FULL OF TENDER PITY εστινG2076 [G5748] IS οG3588 THE κυριοςG2962 LORD καιG2532 AND οικτιρμωνG3629 . . we count: James 1:12, Psalms 94:12, Matthew 5:10, Matthew 5:11, Matthew 10:22, Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 3:14, Hebrews 10:39 Ye: Job 1:21-22, Job 2:9-10, Job 13:15, Job 13:16, Job 23:10 and have: Job 42:10-17, Psalms 37:37, Ecclesiastes 7:8, 1 Peter 1:6, 1 Peter 1:7, 1 Peter 1:13, 2 Peter 2:9 the Lord is: Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18, 1 Chronicles 21:13, 2 Chronicles 30:9, Nehemiah 9:17, Nehemiah 9:31, Psalms 25:6, Psalms 25:7, Psalms 51:1, Psalms 78:38, Psalms 86:5, Psalms 86:15, Psalms 103:8, Psalms 103:13, Psalms 116:5, Psalms 119:132, Psalms 136:1-26, Psalms 145:8, Isaiah 55:6, Isaiah 55:7, Isaiah 63:7, Isaiah 63:9, Lamentations 3:22, Daniel 9:9, Daniel 9:18, Daniel 9:19, Joe 2:13, Jonah 4:2, Micah 7:18, Luke 1:50, Luke 6:36, Romans 2:4, Ephesians 1:6, Ephesians 2:4 Exodus 15:26 - for I am Job 1:1 - Job Job 5:17 - happy Job 34:36 - My desire is that Job may be tried Job 42:12 - So Psalms 25:10 - mercy Psalms 31:24 - Be of Psa 34:19 - Many Psalms 57:1 - until Psalms 66:12 - but thou Psalms 107:41 - setteth Psalms 142:7 - thou shalt Isaiah 30:18 - blessed Joe 2:18 - and pity Mark 10:30 - with persecutions Luke 11:10 - General Acts 7:10 - delivered Romans 12:12 - patient 1 Corinthians 10:13 - hath Ephesians 4:32 - tenderhearted 2 Thessalonians 1:4 - your persecutions Hebrews 6:12 - but Hebrews 11:17 - when Hebrews 11:27 - endured Hebrews 11:37 - being destitute Hebrews 12:6 - whom 1 Peter 3:8 - pitiful 1 Peter 4:14 - happy James 5:11 Those who endure afflictions are to be counted happy because of what it indicates for them. (See James 1:2-3.) Just after using the word endure James makes mention of the patience of Job which verfles the definition often given of the word patience, namely, that it means endurance. End of the Lord means the outcome of the case under the blessing of the Lord. It shows that He is merciful even though he suffers a righteous man to be afflicted for a good purpose (Job 42:12-17). James 5:11 ——————————————————————————- Endure (ὑπομένοντας) Present participle. But the later texts read ὑπομείναντας, the aorist participle, which endured; referring to the prophets in the past ages. So Rev. On endured and patience, see on James 5:7. ——————————————————————————– The end of the Lord (τὸτέλοςκυρίου) A peculiar expression. The happy conclusion to which God brought Job’s trials. ——————————————————————————– Very pitiful and of tender mercy (πολυσπλαγχνόςκαὶοἰκτίρμων) The former adjective only here in New Testament; the latter here and Luke 6:36. Rev., full of pity and merciful. Πολυσπλαγχνός is from πολύς, much, and σπλάγχνα, the nobler entrails, used like our heart, as the seat of the emotions Hence the term bowels in the A.

V. (Philippians 1:8; Colossians 3:12, etc.). Compare εὔσπλαγχνοι, tender-hearted, Ephesians 4:32.

The distinction between this and οἰκτίρμων, merciful, seems to be that the former denotes the general quality of compassion, while the latter emphasizes the sympathy called out by special cases, being the feeling which is moved to pain at another’s suffering. James 5:11 ——————————————————————————– We call blessed (makarizomen). Old word (present active indicative of makarizτ), from makarios (happy), in N.T. only here and Luke 1:48. “We felicitate.” As in James 1:3; James 1:12; Daniel 12:12. ——————————————————————————– Ye have heard (ηkousate). First aorist (constative) active indicative of akouτ. As in Matthew 5:21; Matthew 5:27; Matthew 5:33; Matthew 5:38; Matthew 5:43. Ropes suggests in the synagogues. ——————————————————————————– Of Job (Iτb).

Job did complain, but he refused to renounce God (Job 1:21; Job 2:10; Job 13:15; Job 16:19; Job 19:25-26). He had become a stock illustration of loyal endurance. ——————————————————————————– Ye have seen (eidete).

Second aorist (constative) active indicative of horaτ. In Job’s case. ——————————————————————————– The end of the Lord (to telos kuriou). The conclusion wrought by the Lord in Job’s case (Job 42:12). ——————————————————————————– Full of pity (polusplagchnos). Late and rare compound (polus, splagchnon), only here in N.T. It occurs also in Hermas (Sim. v. 7. 4; Mand. iv, 3). “Very kind.” ——————————————————————————– Merciful (oiktirmτn). Late and rare adjective (from oikteirτ to pity), in N.T. only here and Luke 6:36. 11. we call them blessed that endured:—James has done so him­self (James 1:12).

In Daniel 12:12 (LXX) we have “blessed is he that endures.” Paul had described the purpose of the reading of the Old Testament scriptures as “that through patience and through com­fort of the scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). ——————————————————————————– ye have heard of the patience of Job,—His readers had heard of Job in the reading of the Scriptures in the synagogues, but the word is not to be restricted to this. Every child was taught the history of Israel from childhood. ——————————————————————————– Job is the outstanding example of patience and was well known for this virtue.

The Jews were a suffering people from ancient times, and the example of Job loomed large in their memory and discipline. History, of course, was told in the book which bears his name. Especially in the prologue and epilogue of the book is the case history set forth. The body of the book is a deep discus­sion of the purpose of suffering. Satan was allowed by God to af­flict Job with loss of all property and family and then with a pain­ful and loathsome disease. Job knew not the reason for his loss and complained to God of the false accusations of his friends and the injustice of his lot, but he never lost faith in God and held stub­bornly to the loyalty expected even when his wife asked him to curse God and die.

In all of it, we are told, Job sinned not. For this he became a great example of patience.

Both in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 14:14; Ezekiel 14:20) and in Jewish literature his patience is extolled. It is strange that the author of Hebrews does not include Job in his list of patient heroes (Hebrews 11). Often he stood with Abra­ham as one of the two greatest of the Hebrew fathers. James in­cludes him and Elijah along with Abraham and Rahab as examples in his book (James 2:21; James 2:25; James 5:12 f). ——————————————————————————– and have seen the end of the Lord,—In Job’ s case the end is the outcome of Job’ s experience and what we learn of God’ s truth from the story. The Lord blessed him more at the end of his life than prior to his trials. This was a great demonstration that God is full of pity and mercy.

The “end” which James may have in mind could also be the “purpose” which God had in allowing the events to happen, that is, to demonstrate that through trials sted- fastness may be developed. In our case the Bible teaches that this is the purpose of trials.

God works all things so that they work together for our good. (Romans 8:28). ——————————————————————————- that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.—The “that” is explanatory of what the “end” of the Lord is: we see in Job’ s case the demonstration that the Lord is full of pity and merciful. The outcome of double restitution to Job proves the mercy and pity of God. James means to assure the readers that the Lord is no less so toward them, if they will bear their troubles with patience as Job did. ——————————————————————————- NOTE ON James 5:7-11, THE PROBLEM OF THE DELAY OF THE SECOND COMING ——————————————————————————- The early church lived in expectation of the Second Coming of the Lord. This is not strange because Jesus taught the disciples that they must do so. He told them to wait for the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24 = Mark 13 = Luke 21) and not to take “signs” as the direct indication of that event (Matthew 24:6) but as the beginning of the travail (verse 8). The army surrounding the city was the sign of its immediate end (Luke 21:20).

After this event the disciples were to live in the expectation of the coming of the Lord (Matthew 24:29). The most obvious meaning of the language of Jesus is that after this end of the Jewish nation there was to be no future decisive event intervening until the coming of the Son of Man.

The disciples were warned to live at all times in watchful­ness, for the coming could be sudden and unexpected (Matthew 24:42 ff). No indication of a “time within which” was given, and they were instructed not to expect any. Not even the Son Him­self at that time knew when it would occur (Matthew 24:36). The promise of the return was often repeated. Once it was promised at the ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:11). ——————————————————————————- The promise to see the Lord coming is repeated throughout the rest of the New Testament. Also the admonition to live in watch­fulness and readiness is repeated (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; 2 Peter 3:10 ff).

But again Paul specifically discounted the impression that any of this warning meant that “the day of the Lord is just at hand” (2 Thessalonians 2:2). ——————————————————————————- The urgency of the expectation and the desire for it are keenly felt on the pages of the letters. There are many passages in the New Testament epistles which speak of this expectation as if it was definitely anticipated by the early church within their lifetime.

Some modern students of the New Testament would force the interpre­tation on these passages (Like James 5:8-9; 1 Peter 4:7) that in­spired men predicted the definite coming of the end in their life­time. These scholars hold that this is a sign of human weakness in the N.T. and a proof that it is not infallible. For to them the apos­tles were wrong about the matter. Since there has been a long de­lay in the Parousia (they argue), it is obvious that the New Test­ament writers were in error. ——————————————————————————- But this is to force the commentators’ interpretations upon the writers of the New Testament. It is to assume that the N.T. writers meant what the commentators derive from the passages. Though they use the term “at hand,” no N.T. writer claims that he knows or even predicts that Jesus would come before he died.

Jesus had taught otherwise; Paul specifically refuted such, as we have seen. Peter definitely did not expect to see the event (John 21:19; 2 Peter 1:14).

The writers write as though they must live in expecta­tion or anticipation without knowing the date, just as Jesus taught and just as we must do today after so long. The inspired writer’ s words should be taken in the context of Jesus’ teaching and that of his early disciples and not in that of the 20th century. ——————————————————————————- Within the Biblical world view which accepts the revelation of the creation of the world by the word of God as a matter of faith (Hebrews 11:3) it is not difficult to believe that the world will be destroyed by fire as the instrument of that same word (2 Peter 3:7-10). The New Testament writers were not mistaken or led away by “cunningly devised fables when (they) made known (to us) the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:16).

James 5:12

12

James 5:12 James 5:12 προG4253 BEFORE παντωνG3956 ALL THINGS δεG1161 BUT αδελφοιG80 μουG3450 MY , μηG3361 ομνυετεG3660 [G5720] SWEAR NOT, μητεG3383 τονG3588 NEITHER " BY " ουρανονG3772 HEAVEN, μητεG3383 NOR τηνG3588 THE γηνG1093 EARTH; μητεG3383 NOR αλλονG243 τιναG5100 ANY OTHER ορκονG3727 OATH; ητωG2277 [G5749] δεG1161 BUT LET BE υμωνG5216 OF YOU τοG3588 THE ναιG3483 YEA, ναιG3483 YEA, καιG2532 AND τοG3588 THE ουG3756 NAY, ουG3756 NAY, ιναG2443 THAT μηG3361 NOT ειςG1519 INTO υποκρισινG5272 πεσητεG4098 [G5632] YE MAY FALL. . above: 1 Peter 4:8, 3 John 1:2 swear not: Matthew 5:33-37, Matthew 23:16-22 but: 2 Corinthians 1:17-20 lest: James 3:1, James 3:2, 1 Corinthians 11:34 Genesis 42:15 - By the life Exodus 20:7 - take Leviticus 19:12 - ye shall Deuteronomy 5:11 - General Zechariah 5:3 - sweareth Malachi 3:5 - against those Matthew 5:34 - Swear Matthew 5:37 - let 1 Corinthians 11:29 - damnation James 5:12 Swear not. Jesus taught that his disciples should not make oaths in Matthew 5:34-35, and the reader should see the comments at that place. Sometimes an attempt is made to justify making oaths by saying Jesus was only condemning false oaths. But James spoils that theory by his words neither by any other oath, which rules out every shade and grade of swearing. Besides, there is nothing that should urge the Christain to make oaths, for this is a case where he can obey the command of the Lord and satisfy the laws of the land also. Instead of making an oath the Chris­tian can notify the officer saying “I will affirm,” and his word will be taken for the same value as an oath.

That is what the scripture here and at Matthew 5:37 means by directing that your yea be yea and your nay be nay. The fundamental difference between an oath and an affirmation is that the latter does not use the name of God; also that one says “ I affirm” instead of “ I swear.” Lest ye fall into condem­nation is another way of saying that if a disciple makes an oath he will be condemned, because both Jesus and James have forbidden it. James 5:12 ——————————————————————————- Any other oath See the common formulas of swearing, Matthew 5:35-36. James 5:12 ——————————————————————————- Above all things (pro pantτn). No connection with what immediately precedes. Probably an allusion to the words of Jesus (Matthew 5:34-37). It is not out of place here. See the same phrase in 1 Peter 4:8. Robinson (Ephesians, p. 279) cites like examples from the papyri at the close of letters. Here it means “But especially” (Ropes). ——————————————————————————- Swear not (mη omnuete).

Prohibition of the habit (or to quit doing it if guilty) with mη and the present active imperative of omnuτ. The various oaths (profanity) forbidden (mηte, thrice) are in the accusative case after omnuete, according to rule (ouranon, gηn, horkon). The Jews were wont to split hairs in their use of profanity, and by avoiding God’s name imagine that they were not really guilty of this sin, just as professing Christians today use “pious oaths” which violate the prohibition of Jesus. ——————————————————————————- Let be (ηtτ). Imperative active third singular of eimi, late form (1 Corinthians 16:22) for estτ. “Your yea be yea” (and no more). A different form from that in Matthew 5:37. ——————————————————————————- That ye fall not under judgment (hina mη hupo krisin pesηte). Negative purpose with hina mη and the second aorist active subjunctive of piptτ, to fall.

See hina mη krithηte in James 5:9. Krisis (from krinτ) is the act of judging rather than the judgment rendered (krima James 3:1). 2.

James 5:12 ——————————————————————————– This verse is probably best interpreted as a continuation of the admonition on how to act in adversity, such as the abuse of the rich in withholding wages. James had counseled patience and against murmuring. He now in a special way urges that the disciples of the Lord must not allow themselves to be provoked into swearing. ——————————————————————————– James here does not have in mind what we call profanity or taking God’ s name in vain. He is thinking of oaths, that is, confirming a statement or promise by something sacred or holy or (on the other hand) imprecations (the calling down of curses on one’ s enemies in the name of God or something sacred). The use of the verb “to swear” and the syntax of the Greek (accusative of oaths) make this plain. ——————————————————————————– It is also the contention of this writer that the passage, based as it is on Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:33-37) and subject to the same interpretation, has nothing to do with solemn and serious civil and religious oaths or vows. These conclusions will be set forth in the exposition and defended in the note following. ——————————————————————————– 12.

But above, all things,—Funk (Sec. 213) holds that the prep­osition (pro) here means preference (cf., 1 Peter 4:8), that is, “es­pecially” (So also Arndt-Gingrich). Thus it is not temporal , but “the most important thing to be aware of under the circumstances is do not swear.” The verb means “stop swearing,” since the prohibition is the type forbid­ding the continuation of something.

James knew that the frequent taking of oaths was current among the Jews, as Jesus had Himself mentioned (Matthew 23:16-22; Matthew 5:34 ff). ——————————————————————————– swear not,—This is almost a word-for-word quotation of Jesus’ language in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:34 ff). James changes the tense of the verb thus making Jesus’ prohibition more applicable to the situation . He also omits Jesus’ “at all” and shortens the things excluded as the standards of oaths . In the place of these James puts “or any other oaths” (on which see below). Since James’ passage is most certainly a quotation and repetition of Jesus’ words, it must bear the same interpretation. ——————————————————————————– neither by the heaven, nor by the earth,—Repeating Jesus’ words in part. The Jews avoided the use of God’ s name and argued that oaths of this kind (compare the “greater” oaths in Hebrews 6:16) were not binding.

Jesus taught (as the Law had, with certain mi­nor exceptions, Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21) that all oaths were binding. Earth is the footstool of God’ s feet; it is thus sacred.

Heaven, too, is sacred, for it is God’ s throne. An oath by such things is as binding as one by God’ s name. ——————————————————————————– nor by any other oath:—Here James varies the construction. In the former phrases James says “Swear not by heaven or by earth” (using the accusative of oath to express the thing by which one swears). But now he says literally “Do not swear any other oath” (using a cognate accusative). This means that no other oath of the same kind, swearing “by” any other thing of the same kind such as “by heaven or earth,” is to be taken. The word “other” is the Greek word (alios) which usually means “another of the same kind” (as opposed to heteros which means “another of a different kind,” cf. the use of the words in Galatians 1:6, “another, heteros, Gospel which is not another, alios”.

This is important, for it bears on whether James is prohibiting oaths absolutely. James uses the term “any other oath” to shorten his quotation of Jesus, and he means “not by another oath like these.” Now Jesus’ words, rightly understood, do not forbid oaths absolutely either.

He says, “Swear not at all, neither by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or your head.” “Not at all” is not absolute in meaning, but modifies the things distributed in the prohibitions and is equivalent in our language to saying, “Don’ t swear by these things at all.” But this does not prohibit oaths taken in God’ s name. Neither Jesus nor James thus prohibits solemn religious or civil oaths taken in God’ s name. This is proved by the fact that Jesus Himself took oaths (Matthew 26:63 f; Mark 8:12 in the Greek where the same type of construction is found as in the oath in Hebrews 6:13-14). Paul did likewise (1 Thessalonians 5:27, where Paul has the word for “swear” and the accusative of oaths). On this see the note following this section. ——————————————————————————- But let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay:—This also repeats the words of Jesus. He said, “Let your speech (or conversation) be . . .” This is to be taken in context.

The Jews took the lesser oaths and claimed that they were not binding. Jesus called this hypocrisy (Matthew 24:16 ff).

This made oaths which were bind­ing under the Law mere profanity. Hence Jesus means that in ordinary speech one should avoid oaths which do not have God’ s name (whether they are binding or not) and simply give his word, “yes” and “no.” This leaves us (as it did Paul and others) free to use oaths in God’ s name when they are demanded or called for. ——————————————————————————– that ye fall not into judgment.—To say more than “yes” and “no” by the use of lesser oaths when they are not considered oaths at all is to bring the user into the act of profanity and thus to bring him into judgment or condemnation. Jesus had said, “More than this is of the evil one.” One will be condemned or justified by his words (Matthew 12:36-37). ——————————————————————————– NOTE ON ——————————————————————————– The whole range of Biblical teaching on oaths is instructive. Moses prescribed that oaths should be by God’ s name (Deuteronomy 6:13; Deuteronomy 10:20). The third commandment did not prohibit oaths; it made sure that they were taken seriously with intention to keep them rather than that God’ s name be taken lightly. An oath must be kept: “Ye shall not swear falsely by my name” (Leviticus 19:12). “Whatsoever man shall vow a vow to the Lord, or swear an oath, or bind himself with an obligation upon his soul, he shall not break his word: all that shall come out of his mouth he shall do” (Numbers 30:2). ——————————————————————————– The Old Testament used a variety of constructions to express oaths.

Some of these bear directly on the New Testament teaching. The most common word for “swear” in Hebrew is saba’ .

It is usu­ally followed by the preposition be, “by” (of that by which one swears) and le, “to” (to express the person to whom the oath is made). The LXX translates usually with omnum’t (173 times in the LXX). Several different constructions follow it to express that by which one swears. The most important is the accusative of oaths (Genesis 21:23, “swear by God, ton theon). Compare the following variations: “by my right hand” (Deuteronomy 32:40); “by the Lord God” (Joshua 9:18 f); “by thy name” (Proverbs 24:32); “by the living God” (Hosea 14:15); “by the true God” (Isaiah 65:16). This is the standard way in Greek from earliest times tO/express an oath. ——————————————————————————– But the verb “swear” does not itself have to be expressed.

Frequently asseverative particles such as ma, men, or na accompany the oath, and the negative particle ou and the affirmative nai are quite typical. Cf.

Homer’ s Iliad, 1, 86, “For no one by Apollo (ou ma gar Apollona) shall lay hands on you.” Moses swore by saying, “I witness by heaven and earth” (Deuteronomy 4:26). Again the preposition kata with the genitive is frequent: “I swore by myself (kata kemautou’)” (Genesis 22:16). See “by the fear of his father” (Genesis 31:53); “by thyself” (Exodus 32:23); “by thy throne” (Judges 1:12); and compare Amos 4:2; Isaiah 62:8; Jeremiah 28:51. The other typical construction is to follow the verb with the sim­ple dative (“by my name,” Deuteronomy 6:13 in some MSS.); 1 Kings 1:17; Psalms 88:35. In some cases the preposition en or epi, “by” or “upon,” may appear. ——————————————————————————– The other LXX verb is horkizo, a causative which means “I make someone swear,” or “I adjure someone.” It may be followed by en (Nehemiah 13:25) or by kata (“I adjured him by God,” II Chron­icles 36:13). Once the expression “before the Lord” (enantion) oc­curs, Joshua 6:26.

Oaths made simply “before God” or “in the sight of God” are common as are those made by the use of “as Je­hovah liveth” (1 Samuel 28:10). ——————————————————————————– The Oath with the Emphatic Future Negative: The most distinc­tive form of oath in Hebrew uses the particle em and the emphatic future negative. It is used either with the verb “swear” or by some form, of the asseverative particles, to indicate the oath form.

The full condition appears in Psalms 7:4, “If I have requited evil, may I perish” (optative of wish). Without the conclusion (but with it understood) this construction was regularly used as an oath: “by myself I swear (if) righteousness shall (not) proceed out of my mouth (Isaiah 45:23). As illustrations of this frequent oath formula see 1 Samuel 28:10; 1 Samuel 19:6; 1 Samuel 14:11; 2 Samuel 19:7; Psalms 88:5; Psalms 94:11; Psalms 131(2):2; Ezekiel 4:14; Ezekiel 14:16; Ezekiel 20:3; Ezekiel 20:31; Ezekiel 33:27. It is this type of oath which is quoted in Hebrews 6:14 (quoted from Genesis 22 :l6f from the Hebrew, not the LXX) when the writer said that God swore by Himself saying, “Surely blessing I will bless thee.” The Greek (et men eulogon eulogeso’) is identi­cal with the O.T. passage in this construction. This is the oath form which is on the lips of Jesus in Mark 8:12, etc. ——————————————————————————- New Testament Oaths: The N.T. employs much the s£?ne con­structions. Omnumi (“I swear,” 26 times in the N.T.) is followed by the preposition (Revelation 10:5 f; cf.

Matthew 5:34 f; Matthew 23:20 ff), by the prep, kata (Hebrews 6:13; Hebrews 6:16). Horkizo and also a compound enorkizo occur as in the O.T.

The usual con­struction, as in ordinary Greek and the O.T., is to follow the verb by the accusative of oaths, as “I adjure thee b^ God” (Mark 5:7); “by Jesus whom Paul preaches” (Acts 19:13). Paul is definitely using an oath then when he says, “I adjure thee J)y the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 5:27). This is quite in custom with Paul, who is frequent with strong asseverations in the name of God (II Corin­thians 1:23; Romans 1:9; Philippians 1 :S; 2 Timothy 4:1 ff). In 1 Corinthians 15:31 Paul uses one of the particles of oath (ne) with the accusative of oaths with the verb omntimx in ellipsis: (I swear) “by our glorying.” Compare also Acts 18:18 for Paul’ s taking a vow, and see Numbers 6:1-21 for its significance. ——————————————————————————– Jesus answered in the affirmative when he was ad­jured by the High Priest “by the living God” to tell whether he is the Christ (Mark 14:62). But just as significant is Jesus’ typical use of the ei with the future emphatic negative (as described above from the Old Testament and Hebrews 6:13; Hebrews 6:16) when he swore that no sign would be given (Mark 8:12). It is impossible to ab­solve Jesus and Paul from the use of oaths. ——————————————————————————– In the light of this, Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:34 and James’ repetition of it in James 5:12 need to be better understood.

When Jesus said, “Swear not at all, neither by . . .” He should not be understood as forbidding oaths absolutely. It should be noted that “swear not at all” is not followed by a period, but by a series of negatives introduced by the particle mete .

This particle “divides the negative item into its component parts” (Arndt and Gingrich). That is, as Professor T. W. McGarvey pointed out in his New Testament Commentary on Matthew and Mark (com­ment on Matthew 5:34 f), “the universal prohibition … is dis­tributed by the specification of these four forms of oaths, and is therefore most strictly interpreted as including only such oaths.” Thus the actual words of Jesus forbid only oaths taken “by heaven,” “by earth,” “by Jerusalem,” or “by the head.” To take a parallel example, when Jesus said to the apostles, “take nothing with you,” he did not give the command absolutely. He followed it as in Mat­thew 5:34 with a list of specifics all introduced by the same parti­cle mete: “Take nothing with you, neither staves (nor script, nor staff), nor bread, nor money, nor two coats.” Nothing is prohib­ited except the specifics included in the prohibitions. It is quite obvious even that one coat is authorized.

In Matthew 5:34 it is quite significant that oaths bearing God’ s name are not included in the distributed specifications given. Hence, oaths of this type are not to be thought as prohibited. ——————————————————————————– What Jesus is condemning in Matthew 23:16 is the type used by the Pharisees when they avoided the name of God and used the lesser oaths so that they would not be bound to keep their oaths.

This made these oaths mere profanity. ——————————————————————————– One might ask, “If Jesus is then reaffirming the O.T. principles that all oaths must be kept strictly, what is the difference in the teaching of Jesus and that of ‘olden times’ which he was contrast­ing?” The difference is that under the terms of the Law an oath “by heaven,” etc., (as Moses used in Deuteronomy 4:31) or any other oath not using God’ s name, would have to be kept or else the swearer brought under charge of profanity or of forswearing himself. But since these oaths lent themselves to profanity in the way they were used in ordinary conversation, Jesus advised against any use of this type of oath. This is equivalent to teaching that all oaths should be avoided except those in solemn vows and in civil and religious situations and that these should be taken in the name of God and not in a lesser name.

James 5:13

13

James 5:13 James 5:13 κακοπαθειG2553 [G5719] DOES SUFFER τιςG5100 ANYONE ενG1722 AMONG υμινG5213 YOU? προσευχεσθωG4336 [G5737] LET HIM PRAY : ευθυμειG2114 [G5719] IS τιςG5100 ANYONE? ψαλλετωG5567 [G5720] LET HIM PRAISE; . any among: 2 Chronicles 33:12, 2 Chronicles 33:13, Job 33:26, Psalms 18:6, Psalms 50:15, Psalms 91:15, Psalms 116:3-5, Psalms 118:5, Psalms 142:1-3, Lamentations 3:55, Lamentations 3:56, Hosea 6:1, Jonah 2:2, Jonah 2:7, Luke 22:44, Luke 23:42, Acts 16:24, Acts 16:25, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Hebrews 5:7 any merry: Judges 16:23-25, Daniel 5:4 let him sing: 1 Chronicles 16:9, Psalms 95:2, Psalms 105:2, Micah 4:5, Matthew 26:30, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, Colossians 3:17, Revelation 5:9-14, Revelation 7:10, Revelation 14:3, Revelation 19:1-6 Numbers 21:17 - sang 2 Samuel 23:1 - sweet psalmist 2 Kings 4:33 - prayed 2 Chronicles 6:28 - whatsoever Nehemiah 12:43 - the wives also Psalms 3:4 - I cried Psalms 81:2 - General Ecclesiastes 7:14 - the day Isaiah 37:15 - General Isaiah 65:14 - my servants Jonah 2:1 - prayed Mark 14:26 - sung James 5:15 - the prayer James 5:13 Afflicted is from kako- patheo, and Thayer defines it, “ To suffer evils; hardship, troubles.” It does not refer to physical diseases which will come in the next verse. When a disciple is beset with these trials he should be in the frame of mind that would lead him to go to God in prayer for strength and encourage­ment. Merry does not mean to be gay or frivolous, for the original is defined to denote “ Be of good cheer.” The phrase let him sing psalms is from the noted Greek word psallo, and Thayer defines it as follows: “ In the New Testament to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song.” There are times when a person is not in the “ mood” for singing and James recog­nizes that truth in this verse. David also recognizes it in Psalms 137:2-4. Solomon likewise had the thought in mind when he spoke of the inappro­priateness of the man “ that singeth songs to an heavy heart” (Proverbs 25:20). James 5:13 ——————————————————————————– Is afflicted (κακοπαθεῖ) See on the kindred word κακοπάθεια, suffering, James 5:10. Only here and 2 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 2:9; 2 Timothy 4:5. ——————————————————————————– Let him sing psalms (ψαλλέτω) The word means, primarily, to pluck or twitch. Hence of the sharp twang on a bowstring or harp-string, and so to play upon a stringed instrument. Our word psalm, derived from this, is, properly, a tune played upon a stringed instrument. The verb, however, is used in the New Testament of singing praise generally. See 1 Corinthians 14:15; Romans 15:9.

James 5:13 ——————————————————————————– Is any suffering? (kakopathei tis;). See James 5:10 for kakopathia.

The verb in N.T. occurs only here and in 2 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 2:9; 2 Timothy 4:5. The lively interrogative is common in the diatribe and suits the style of James. ——————————————————————————– Among you (en humin). As in James 3:13. ——————————————————————————– Let him pray (proseuchesthτ). Present middle imperative, “let him keep on praying” (instead of cursing as in James 5:12). ——————————————————————————– Is any cheerful (euthumei;). Present active indicative of euthumeτ, old verb from euthumos (Acts 27:36), in N.T. only here and Acts 27:22; Acts 27:25. ——————————————————————————– Let him sing praise (psalletτ). Present active imperative of psallτ, originally to twang a chord as on a harp, to sing praise to God whether with instrument or without, in N.T. only here, 1 Corinthians 14:15; Romans 15:9; Ephesians 5:19. “Let him keep on making melody.” THE IN ILLNESS AND SIN James 5:13-20 ——————————————————————————– 1.

PRAYER AND SINGING James 5:13 ——————————————————————————– Most commentators see the final section of the epistle as a series of admonitions without much, if any, connection or general theme. Most see no connection with this section and the previous one.

It seems to this writer that a close study shows that the theme of ill­ness and the issues growing out of it serve as a central idea in the whole section. James begins in verse 13 with the question about suffering. The cheerfulness and singing of praise are simply in con­trast to show that one should do naturally what his circumstances lead him to do. From this he turns to a specific kind of suffering — illness— and instructs the ill to call for the elders and let them pray for the sick (verse 14). In connection with this he mentions the possibility that the sick may be a sinner or backslider and promises forgiveness upon confession of sins, with the bodily heal­ing following (verses 15-16). Then there is the section promising that prayer has power, illustrated by the example of Elijah (verses 16-18).

The last section seems to pick up the thread of the sinner in the previous verses and to encourage the faithful to seek the restitution of the erring one (verses 19-20). The whole section is a fitting climax to the previous section on the Christian’ s attitude in the wrongs he suffers. ——————————————————————————– 13.

Is any among you suffering?—The verb here is somewhat more general than disease and illness. In its use elsewhere it may refer to suffering hardship, e. g., “unto bonds” (2 Timothy 2:9) and the hardships of evangelistic life (2 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 4:5). James is repeating the same word used in 5:10 when he mentioned the “suffering and patience of the prophets.” This verse, then, is a bridge between the difficulties mentioned before (in which the readers are admonished to patience and to forbearing of murmur­ing and swearing) and the more specific mention of illness, which is the subject beginning with verse 14. ——————————————————————————– let him pray.— In trouble prayer is the correct answer or solu­tion to the problem. James is not thinking of prayers for vengeance. In James 1:2 the reader is admonished to treat trials as joy because they work patience. Wisdom in such trials is to be sought (James 1:5) by prayer.

In James 5:7 they are to be borne with patience. The idea of prayer runs throughout the section (13-20).

Prayer is the outpour­ing of the righteous heart to the father whom it trusts. “God is our refuge, a very present help in trouble” (Psalms 46:1). The faith­ful are assured that the ears of God are attuned to their requests (1 Peter 3:12). “Trust in him at all times, ye people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalms 62:8). Jesus taught that God hears our prayers as a loving father who will give his son what is good for him (Matthew 7:9-11). Praying in faith and in resignation that God’ s will be done will enable us to overcome and stand up under all difficulty and be better in the end for the trouble (Hebrews 12:12-13). It will also secure for us God’ s help in trouble; God answers prayer (James 5:16). ——————————————————————————– James seems to be speaking of general situations, and it is likely that he is speaking particularly of private prayers rather than public ones. He is talking of the Christian’s response to his dif­ficulties.

The same is true of the following injunction to - sing praise. In neither case is he thinking of corporate or congregational singing or praying.

Of course, when trouble falls upon a group or one member of a group, it is quite in order to call for prayer by the church (Acts 12:12). But James is thinking of what one does when in trouble or conversely when he is happy. In the following verses illness leads to prayer at least semipublic when the elders are called to pray for the sick. ——————————————————————————– Is any cheerful?—“Cheerful” is better than the King James “merry,” which is more the outward show than the inward cheer and joy. The verb occurs elsewhere in the N.T. only of Paul’ s ef­forts to cheer up his companions in the storm on the voyage to Rome (Acts 27:22; Acts 27:25). The adjective occurs similarly in Acts 27:36. This sentence seems to be put here in contrast to the gener­al subject.

It is just as we would say, “Pray when you are in trouble; sing when you are happy.” Both are natural attitudes for different circumstances of life. Together they are logical and proper re­sponses to changing moods and circumstances. ——————————————————————————– let him sing praise.—A Christian can sing even in the midst of adversities (Acts 16:25).

But this is because he receives trials with joy knowing that they work stedfastness (James 1:2 ff). This is not the ordinary response to trouble. Rather, James thinks that under ordinary conditions singing is the natural expression of cheerful­ness. ——————————————————————————– The Greek word (psalleto) is a present imperative (“be sing­ing”) of the verb psallo. Though James is not thinking primarily of church or congregational singing here, the meaning of the verb is important, since it is the same verb used by Paul in injunctions regarding congregational singing (1 Corinthians 14:15 and prob­ably Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16). ——————————————————————————– All uses of psallo in the New Testament are absolute uses (intran­sitive verbs without an object expressed); nothing in the context indicates a meaning other than that of vocal music. A number of considerations have led practically all commentators, lexicographers, and translators to say that in the New Testament the word simply means to “sing praise”: (1) The fact that there was a grow­ing tendency in secular Greek to use the verb in an intransitive sense with its figurative and metaphorical meaning of “singing” (derived probably from the figurative idea of striking the vocal cords or the “strings” of the heart); (2) the Septuagint usage where the predominant use was of the verb in the absolute to mean “sing,” often occurring with words meaning “to sing” in the He­brew parallel; (3) the strong opposition in the early church (even in the stage where it was still largely a Greek-speaking church) to the use of instrumental or mechanical music. This took such a violent form that it led the Greek commentators to allegorize even the significance of the references to instrumental music in the Old Testament. (This is most fully documented in Johannes Quasten’ s book, Musik und Gesang in den Kulten der hetdnischen Antike und christlichen Fruehzeit, Munster, 1930.) ——————————————————————————– It is in order here to quote some of the opinions of the leading commentators with reference (not to the Classical, etc.) to the meaning of the New Testament usage: Ropes, “The word does not necessarily imply the use of an instrument.” Knowling, “In the N.T. the same verb is used of singing hymns, of celebrating the praise of God, Romans 15:9; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19 (cf.

Jud. v. 3).” Mayor, “We find it also used of singing with the voice and with the heart, Ephesians 5:19, 1 Corinthians 14:15.” Ross, “The verb used here . . . means, first, to twang the strings of a harp or some other musical instrument, then, to sing to the accompaniment of the harp, and, then, simply to sing the praises of God in song.” (All these in comment on James 5:13) ——————————————————————————– Of the lexicons, Thayer is typical: “ In the N.T. to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song, Jas. v. 13 (R. V. sing praise)” ; Moulton and Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament, “properly =’ play on a harp,’ but in the N.T., as in James 5:13, = ’ sing a hymn.’ ” ——————————————————————————– These are typical of many judgments of the world’ s best scholars showing that, whatever the word may have meant at other times, in such passages as these in the New Testament the word simply means “to sing.” ——————————————————————————– These are important facts.

There is practically unanimous judgment that the primitive church did not use mechanical instruments in its worship. There is no authority for its use in the worship of God under the Christian dispensation. The restored church, a church that claims apostolic sanction for its worship, cannot use such instruments.

James 5:14

14

James 5:14 James 5:14 ασθενειG770 [G5719] IS SICK τιςG5100 ANYONE ενG1722 AMONG υμινG5213 YOU? προσκαλεσασθωG4341 [G5663] LET HIM CALL TO “HIM” τουςG3588 THE πρεσβυτερουςG4245 ELDERS τηςG3588 OF THE εκκλησιαςG1577 , καιG2532 AND προσευξασθωσανG4336 [G5663] LET THEM PRAY επG1909 OVER αυτονG846 HIM, αλειψαντεςG218 [G5660] HAVING αυτονG846 HIM ελαιωG1637 WITH OIL ενG1722 IN τωG3588 THE ονοματιG3686 NAME τουG3588 OF THE κυριουG2962 LORD; . for: Acts 14:23, Acts 15:4, Titus 1:5 pray: 1 Kings 17:21, 2 Kings 4:33, 2 Kings 5:11, Acts 9:40, Acts 28:8 anointing: Mark 6:13, Mark 16:18 Genesis 20:7 - pray 2 Kings 20:5 - I will heal Job 42:8 - my servant Job shall Psalms 30:2 - and Psalms 141:5 - for yet my Isaiah 33:24 - the inhabitant Matthew 18:19 - That if Matthew 25:36 - was sick Mark 1:30 - they tell Mark 5:23 - lay thy hands Luke 4:38 - they Luke 5:20 - Man Luke 7:21 - plagues John 11:3 - he Acts 11:30 - to the Acts 20:17 - the elders 1 Corinthians 12:9 - the gifts 1 Timothy 5:1 - an elder 1 John 5:16 - he shall ask James 5:14 The word sick is from as- theneo, which Thayer defines at this place, “ To be feeble, sick.’ Robinson defines it, “ A sick person, the sick.” It is the word that is used in the Greek text at Luke 7:10; John 4:46; John 11:3; Acts 9:37 and other similar passages. From the above information we are sure the word in our passage has the regular sense of bodily disease, and not a figurative or spiritual con­dition as some teach. This verse should be regarded in the same light as Mark 16:17-18 : 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14; Ephesians 4:8-13; Hebrews 2:3-4 and all other passages dealing with the subject of spiritual gifts. In the early years of the church the Lord granted miraculous demonstrations to confirm the truth that had been preached while the New Testa­ment was being completed. Among those miracles was that of healing the sick and since elders (or pastors, Ephesians 4:11) were among those receiving such gifts, it is reasonable that they should be called in such a case. The use of oil does not signify anything contrary to these remarks, for Jesus sometimes used material articles in connection with His mir­aculous healing, such as clay in the case of the blind man in John 9:6-7. Just why such things were done in connection with the miracles we are not told and we need not speculate as to why. James 5:14 ——————————————————————————– Is any among you sick? (asthenei tis en humin;). Present active indicative of astheneτ, old verb, to be weak (without strength), often in N.T. (Matthew 10:8). ——————————————————————————– Let him call for (proskalesasthτ). First aorist (ingressive) middle imperative of proskaleτ. Note change of tense (aorist) and middle (indirect) voice. Care for the sick is urged in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (“help the sick”). Note the plural here, “elders of the church”, as in Acts 20:17; Acts 15:6; Acts 15:22; Acts 21:18; Philippians 1:1 (bishops). ——————————————————————————– Let them pray over him (proseuxasthτsan ep’ auton).

First aorist middle imperative of proseuchomai. Prayer for the sick is clearly enjoined. ——————————————————————————– Anointing him with oil (aleipsantes elaiτi).

First aorist active participle of aleiphτ, old verb, to anoint, and the instrumental case of elaion (oil). The aorist participle can be either simultaneous or antecedent with proseuxasthτsan (pray). See the same use of aleiphτ elaiτi in Mark 6:13. The use of olive oil was one of the best remedial agencies known to the ancients. They used it internally and externally. Some physicians prescribe it today. It is clear both in Mark 6:13 and here that medicinal value is attached to the use of the oil and emphasis is placed on the worth of prayer. There is nothing here of the pagan magic or of the later practice of “extreme unction” (after the eighth century).

It is by no means certain that aleiphτ here and in Mark 6:13 means “anoint” in a ceremonial fashion rather than “rub” as it commonly does in medical treatises. Trench (N.T. Synonyms) says: “Aleiphein is the mundane and profane, chriein the sacred and religious, word.” At bottom in James we have God and medicine, God and the doctor, and that is precisely where we are today. The best physicians believe in God and want the help of prayer. 2. ILLNESS AND THE OF PRAYER - James 5:14-18 ——————————————————————————– In this section James deals specifically with the condition of illness. The general admonition to seek help by prayer in time of trouble is made more specific in instructions regarding illness or disease.

A specific kind of prayer, in a particular circumstance, is ordered for those in sickness. It is worthy of note at the outset that the commentators are sharply divided over whether the anoint­ing, prayer, and healing are (1) the use of ordinary medicinal means with the imploring of divine aid through the leaders of the church as righteous men or (2) the use of the miraculous gift of healing.

It is the conclusion of this commentator (though he leans to the second view) that at this stage it is not possible to know def­initely which of these positions is correct, since the language and historical circumstances will fit both interpretations. In the comment each position will be examined and its implication for the church today will be touched on. The use of the passage both in modern divine healing cults and also in the Roman Catholic prac­tice of Extreme Unction will be touched on. ——————————————————————————– 14. Is any among you sick?—The general terms for “suffering” or “trouble” in verses 10 and 13 lead naturally to the more specific words for suffering bodily ailments. The verb here means to “be without strength” and is used of weakness of various kinds. But the most common meaning is that of illness.

The participle used as a substantive is one of the principal words for “the sick person” . The context makes clear that this is the specific meaning of the word here.

Compare the comment on verse 15 and note the added complications of the sick man’ s sins. If the sickness were merely spiritual, as some claim, that element would not need to be mentioned. ——————————————————————————– let him call for the elders of the church;—The “church” here seems to be the local church or congregation.1 In James 2:2 the writer had used the Jewish term “synagogue” to designate the meeting of the congregation. The church was thought of from the universal point of view as an organism, made up of its many parts, and under this figure it was called “the church” (ekklesia, Ephe­sians 1:23; Colossians 1:18; Matthew 16:18). But the more com­mon use, and the one more closely related to the history of the word (cf. Acts 19:39), was to designate the local worshipping congregation or community. Thus the local groups of disciples were gathered into autonomous groups, just as the Jews had been in synagogues before them.

There is no use of the word for church in the N.T. comparable to the modern denominational use of the term. All Christians were members of the body of Christ, having been baptized into it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

They had obeyed the gospel and had been added together in that body or the church (Acts 2:47, RV). All who belonged thus to the body of Christ belonged by virtue of that fact to the church universal and also to local churches wherever they were. There were no differing denominations or parties. Indeed, the N.T. emphasizes the unity of the body in a way to indicate that such would be a sin (Ephesians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Galatians 5:19-20). These local churches had their rulers or managers. Thus we read of the elders of the church at Ephesus (Acts 20:17; Acts 20:28), of the bishops *t Philippi (Philippians 1:1), of “elders in every church’’ (Acts 14:23), and “elders in every city” (Titus 1:5).

It is generally conceded from the interchanging of the terms involved in passages like Titus l:5ff; Acts 20:17; Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5 :iff that the words “elder,” “bishop (over­seer),” and “pastor” were not different, but were interchangeable designations. It was the elders of these churches that James says should be called for in the case of sickness.

NOTE ON THE ELDERS ——————————————————————————– In the modern confusion of church government it is useful to inquire further about these elders and who they were. The term “elder” was obviously taken over from the Jewish synagogues, where the elder was a local member of the community. He was not a Rabbi or a member of any professional group. Nor are elders of churches in the N.T. ever conceived of as ministers or preachers. They were “pastors” because they cared for the flock, but they did not serve at all in the sense of a local evangelist or preacher. They were chosen from the congregation for their high moral reputa­tion, their leadership, and their loyalty to the teaching of Christ.

See 1 Timothy 3 :iff and Titus l:6ff, where their qualifications are listed. ——————————————————————————– That the term “elder” is interchangeable with “bishop” or “overseer” (from episkopos , a superintendent or overseer), and “pastor” or “shepherd” is shown by the following: In Acts 20:17 Paul is said to have called for the “elders” from Ephesus; he tells these same men that they are made “overseers” of the church and are to “shep­herd” the flock (verse 28, see NEB). In 1 Peter 5:1 the elders are exhorted; they are told to “exercise the oversight” (Codex A, the Common Text, Latin and Syriac) and to “shepherd the flock” (verse 2).

In Titus 1:5; Titus 1:7 “elders” and “bishops” are used in­terchangeably. ——————————————————————————– Despite the brilliant effort of the great Anglican scholar J. B. Lightfoot in his excursus on the Ministry in his commentary on Philippians (later published separately with additions) and those who have followed in his thinking, the monarchal bishopric, which developed in the early centuries of the church (where elder and bishop were distinguished and where there was only one bishop to a church or to a number of churches) cannot be regarded as a scriptural form of church government. It developed too late and arose out of the desire to build up a governing body for the church to counteract the threat of Gnosticism. Lightfoot saw the germ for it in the figure of James in the Jerusalem church and in the evan­gelistic helpers of the Apostle Paul such as Timothy and Titus. But though these may have served as the analogy for the develop­ment of the reigning bishop, there was no scriptural sanction for their doing so.

Furthermore, though Lightfoot contends that the system developed in areas of residence of the last Apostles of Christ to die, there is no proof that they gave their sanction to the system. How early the system actually gained a foothold is tied up in the difficult question of whether the Ignatian epistles present an already settled state of bishop rule or whether Ignatius was merely trying to foster such upon the churches.

Lightfoot concedes that, if his argument is sound, there is no escape from the position that history sanctions the logical development of the system into the Pope. His only counter to this is that the Pope should not be a bad Pope! We reject the contention that there is authoritative sanction in the history of the church. In this way every innovation which has crept into the church can gain sanction. ——————————————————————————– Not the historic episcopacy, but a presbytery, is the form of government grounded upon the New Testament. Yet this pres­bytery is not that of an eldership over a whole city or region of congregations, but a board of elders ruling each local church. This is the only conclusion which will fit all the data given in the New Testament (e. g., Acts 14:23).

What is seen is that a group of men from among the congregation itself was chosen and appointed to lead and oversee the work of the church and to watch in behalf of the souls of the saints (Hebrews 11:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; and compare 1 Timothy 3:5; 1 Timothy 5:17; Acts 11:30; Acts 15:2). ——————————————————————————– It is thus the conclusion of this writer that the elders of the New Testament congregations were what in modern religious language would be called “lay members.” This means that they would be usually distinguished from the preaching or evangelistic ministry (though at times they might function also in that capacity, I Tim­othy 5:17). The qualifications laid down for them in Titus l:5ff and 1 Timothy 3 :lff are not therefore the qualifications for minis­terial candidates as they are usually treated in the* commentaries.

No mention is ever made of “preaching” or “evangelism” in the qualifications and work of these elders. The churches of Christ around the world today are organized after the New Testament pattern. An eldership is selected from among the members of the congregation in light of the instructions laid down by the New Testament. An evangelist may labor with a congregation ruled over by such bishops, but he is not a part of the eldership unless so chosen to that office also. (For this the work of Timothy at Eph­esus is the main example.) The eldership of each local church, working with the appointment and consent of the local church, has the determining voice and responsibility for the community of God’ s people. There is no ecclesiasticism or denominational oversight or authority. Each group is autonomous.

At the same time, there is developed a strong sense of “brotherhood” and co­operation as in the early church. ——————————————————————————– With this understanding of the “elders” in the New Testament it can be seen that those called to pray for the sick were not what today would be called the preachers or ministers of the word of God. ——————————————————————————– and let them pray over him,—Let the elders pray over him. Is this an example of ordinary prayer for recovery through natural means as David prayed for the recovery of his baby (2 Samuel 12), a prayer in which Christians prayed for something to happen in the providence of God (such as the prayer for Peter’ s deliverance from prison, Acts 12:12), or is this prayer in connection with miraculous healing (such as Jesus prayed before the raising of Lazarus, John 11:41, or as Peter prayed at Dorcas’ bed, Acts 9:40)?

This depends upon a number of other factors in the inter­pretation of the passage before us. Certainty about the answer is probably not possible now. ——————————————————————————– Whether it is the concern of this passage or not, prayers for natural recovery in God’ s providence or for help and aid in other ways are scriptural. Paul prayed for recovery from his affliction (2 Corinthians 12 :iff); and, though he did not receive the answer in his way, he was strengthened to bear his trouble. The church made prayer for Peter (Acts 12:12). Hezekiah prayed to recover and God heard his prayer (2 Kings 20). Paul implies that he had prayed for Epaphroditus in his illness and that God had had mercy on both Paul and him so that he recovered (Philippians 2:25*27).

Such prayers ought to be prayed with the attitude of “ God’ s will be done.’’ It goes without saying that such prayers ought to be accompanied with all the help of medical remedy. ——————————————————————————– anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:—There were two common uses of anointing with oil. One was medicinal.

The bodies of the sick were rubbed with olive oil (sometimes with that mixed with other ingredients). Instances of this are to be seen in the Good Samaritan’ s action (Luke 10:34) and Isaiah 1:6 and Jeremiah 8:22; 46:11.1 Thus whatever is the decision about the kind of healing involved here, the use of medicine in healing is ap­proved in the Bible (again in spite of the modern divine healing groups and the so-called Christian Scientists). Paul approved a medicinal use of a type of wine for Timothy’ s stomach and his frequent infirmities (1 Timothy 5:23). ——————————————————————————– The other use of oil in anointing was ceremonial. It was often used in the ritual of appointment (1 Samuel 16:13) and seemingly in cases of miraculous healing. When Jesus sent the disciples out to heal by His authority, oil was to be used: “And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:13). This was similar to the laying on of hands in cases of healing (Mark 1:41) or to the covering of the eyes of the man born blind with clay (John 9:6).

All these were evidently symbolic, calling attention to the miracle and to the one doing it. Some of them were approved as having effect in healing (e. g., the covering with clay).

But as ordinary means of healing such things were not able to account for the results which were produced by the miracle which accompanied their use. Thus the ac­tivity called attention to the power of the miracle and of the one healing. ——————————————————————————– As in the case of the prayer mentioned above, it is impossible to say with certainty which of the uses of anointing James had in mind. Certainly in the context of their own activity at the time, the first readers of James knew which he meant. But that context is not known to us today. We can only say which is more probable and what the application for us would be in either case. ——————————————————————————– It seems to this writer that the healing was miraculous. We know that spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12 :iff, esp. verse 9) were bestowed upon the early church as a means of confirming the gospel in the infant state of the church (Mark 16:20; Acts 8:7; Acts 8:13).

This was somewhat equal to the power of Jesus manifested to heal while on earth (John 14:12), which became one of the signs that He was sent from the Father, and yet which was often used in compassion upon the afflicted. ——————————————————————————– If the healing which James has in mind is miraculous, the oil was ceremonial; prayer was a part of the preparation both of the miracle worker and the onlookers (Matthew 17:21; John ll:4lf). The reason for the elders’ being called is not so apparent.

But it is probably because (since the gifts were distributed by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, Acts 8:17 f; Acts 19:6) when these gifts were im­parted, the elders would be the most likely to be selected to receive them. If this is the correct interpretation of the instruction of James, then the passage has no direct bearing on the practice of the church today. It is obvious both from practice and from the teaching of the scripture that such miraculous gifts did not outlast the apos­tolic age of the church. Notice the following (1) The reason for the gifts, the confirmation of the word (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 14:3), no longer obtains, since the word is fully given and confirmed. (2) The scriptures themselves teach that the gifts were to cease (1 Corinthians 13:8). (3) The means of the gifts being conferred argues for their discontinuance: consider the following quotation from Smith’ s Bible Dictionary : ——————————————————————————– The miracles of the New Testament (setting aside those wrought by Christ Himself) appear tQ have been worked by a power conferred upon particular persons according to a regular law, in virtue of which that power was ordinarily transmitted from one person to another, and the only persons privileged thus to trans­mit that power were the Apostles. The only exceptions to this rule were (1.) the Apostles themselves, and (2.) ——————————————————————————– the family of Cornelius, who were the first-fruits of the Gentiles. In all other cases, miraculous gifts were con­ferred only by the laying on of the Apostles’ hands.

By this arrangement, it is evident that a provision was made for the total ceasing of that miraculous dispensation within a limited period: because, on the death of the last of the Apostles, the ordinary channels would be all stopped through which such gifts were transmitted in the church. ——————————————————————————– (4) Church History confirms this conclusion, for efforts to revive such gifts in the post-apostolic church (e. g. ,the Montanists) were considered heresies. (5) Modern practice confirms it, because the “healings” performed in the cult services today are never the kind that remoye doubt, such as lost limbs, sight recovered of those born blind, or the raising of the dead. ——————————————————————————– However, if the healing was medicinal and providential, then the anointing served to carry out the healing, prayer was a plea for God’ s providential help, and the reason for calling for the elders was that such men were leaders and men of holy reputation (1 Timothy 3:7) and their prayers would be valuable as righteous men (verse 16). ——————————————————————————– Lenski makes a strong argument for the view that the healing was natural since the phrase “anoint with oil” in Greek is the verb and the cognate (aleipho), rather than the verb ordinarily rendered “anoint” (chio). He contends that ritualistic or “sacred” anointings with oil would always use the other verb.

But in Mark 6:13, which is certainly miraculous healing, the text has aleipho. Lampe’ s Patristic Greek Lexicon shows that the verb aleipho is used rather interchangeably with the other verb in the early church. So no such clear distinction as this can be made in the verbs. ——————————————————————————– Since it is clearly demonstrated from the New Testament that such miraculous aid existed in the church of that age and since this healing would be more certain to offer aid to the sick, it would seem that it might be expected that the instruction of James con­cerns the miraculous healings. It is the “prayer of faith” (not the anointing) in verse 15 which promises the healing. The expression “in the name of the Lord” would seem to be more understandable by this interpretation. As Professor J.

W. McGarvey once remarked: . . . every reader of the New Testament should know that this (James 5:13) was written when many elders of churches possessed the miraculous power of heal­ing, which was imparted to them by the imposition of the hands of an apostle.

To argue from this that elders of the church, or anybody else, can do the same thing in the present day, is to leave out of view the one thing that enabled them to do it then; that is, the imposition of apostolic hands with prayer for this gift. \

James 5:15

15

James 5:15 James 5:15 καιG2532 AND ηG3588 THE ευχηG2171 PRAYER τηςG3588 OF πιστεωςG4102 FAITH σωσειG4982 [G5692] SHALL SAVE τονG3588 THE καμνονταG2577 [G5723] ONE, καιG2532 AND εγερειG1453 [G5692] WILL RAISE UP αυτονG846 HIM οG3588 THE κυριοςG2962 LORD; κανG2579 AND IF αμαρτιαςG266 SINS ηG5600 [G5753] πεποιηκωςG4160 [G5761] HE BE " ONE WHO " HAS , αφεθησεταιG863 [G5701] IT SHALL BE αυτωG846 HIM. . the prayer: James 5:13, James 5:16, James 1:6, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 17:21, Matthew 21:21, Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:22-24, Mark 16:17, Mark 16:18, 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 if he: Isaiah 33:24, Matthew 9:2-6, Mark 2:5-11, John 5:14, 1 Corinthians 11:30-32, 1 John 5:14-16 Genesis 18:32 - Oh Leviticus 5:10 - it Numbers 12:13 - General Numbers 14:19 - and as thou 1 Samuel 12:19 - Pray for thy 1 Kings 17:20 - he cried 2 Kings 20:5 - I will heal 2 Chronicles 30:18 - prayed 2 Chronicles 30:20 - healed Job 22:30 - pureness Psalms 30:2 - and Psalms 41:4 - heal Psalms 103:3 - healeth Proverbs 25:20 - so Proverbs 29:8 - wise Amos 7:2 - O Lord Matthew 6:5 - when Matthew 7:7 - and it Matthew 25:36 - was sick Mark 1:30 - they tell Mark 5:23 - lay thy hands Mark 6:13 - anointed Mark 9:29 - by prayer Mark 11:24 - What Luke 4:38 - they Luke 5:20 - Man Luke 7:21 - plagues Luke 11:9 - Ask John 9:31 - him John 11:3 - he Romans 10:14 - shall they Romans 12:12 - continuing 1 Corinthians 12:9 - the gifts 1 John 3:4 - committeth 1 John 5:16 - he shall ask James 5:15 Prayer of faith means mi­raculous faith which was one of the spiritual gifts discussed in the preced­ing paragraph (1 Corinthians 12:9). The forgiveness of sins is mentioned in addition to the healing of sickness. This shows that sickness is not spiri­tual for that would be the same as guilt of sins. It would be meaningless to speak of healing spiritual sickness or a condition of sin and then add that the man’s sins also would be forgiven. That would be equivalent to saying the Lord would heal a man of his sins (would forgive him) and would also forgive his sins. It would not alter the discussion to say that the sins were what caused the man to be sick, for that would still leave the truth that it refers to sickness of the body. James 5:15 ——————————————————————————- The sick (τὸνκάμνοντα) Rev. gives, better, the participial force, him that is sick. The word originally means to work. Hence, “him that is laboring under disease.” ——————————————————————————- And if he have committed sins (κἃνἁμαρτίαςᾖπεποιηκώς) The Greek gives a shade of meaning which can hardly be transferred neatly into English, representing not merely the fact that the man has sinned, but his condition as a sinner. Literally the words read, if he be having committed sins; i.e., in a state of having committed, and under the moral or physical consequences of transgression. ——————————————————————————- They shall be forgiven (ἀφεθήσεται) Better, Rev., “it shall be forgiven,” supplying the commission as a subject. The verb means to send forth or discharge, and is the standard New-Testament word for forgiving. Forgiveness (ἄφεσις) is a putting or sending away of sins, with a consequent discharge of the sinner; thus differing from τάρεσις (Romans 3:25), which is a passing by of sin, a pretermission as distinguished from a remission.

See, farther, on Romans 3:25. James 5:15 ——————————————————————————– The prayer of faith (hη euchη tηs pisteτs).

Cf. James 1:6 for prayer marked by faith. ——————————————————————————– Shall save (sτsei). Future active of sτzτ, to make well. As in Matthew 9:21-22; Mark 6:56. No reference here to salvation of the soul. The medicine does not heal the sick, but it helps nature (God) do it. The doctor cooperates with God in nature. ——————————————————————————– The sick (ton kamnonta). Present active articular participle of kamnτ, old verb, to grow weary (Hebrews 12:3), to be sick (here), only N.T. examples. ——————————————————————————– The Lord shall raise him up (egerei auton ho kurios).

Future active of egeirτ. Precious promise, but not for a professional “faith-healer” who scoffs at medicine and makes merchandise out of prayer. ——————————————————————————– And if he have committed sins (kan hamartias ηi pepoiηkτs). Periphrastic perfect active subjunctive (unusual idiom) with kai ean (crasis kan) in condition of third class. Supposing that he has committed sins as many sick people have (Mark 2:5 ff.; John 5:14; John 9:2-3; 1 Corinthians 11:30). ——————————————————————————– It shall be forgiven him (aphethηsetai autτi). Future passive of aphiηmi (impersonal passive as in Matthew 7:2; Matthew 7:7; Romans 10:10). Not in any magical way, not because his sickness has been healed, not without change of heart and turning to God through Christ.

Much is assumed here that is not expressed. 15. and the prayer of faith—The faith is probably that of both the one calling for the elders and those praying, but especially of the elders, as they are the ones doing the praying. James has taught that when we pray we must believe that our prayer will be an­swered (1:6).

Jesus told the disciples that they failed to heal be­cause of a lack of faith (Matthew 17:20). Whatever prayer is prayed, it must be with trust that God can and will, in accordance with His will and our good, give us what we ask for. The qualifi­cation of faith on the part of the one being healed does not mean that a miracle could not be performed if the one being healed had no faith. This excuse is often seized upon by the modern faith healer to excuse his failure. Jesus would not cast pearls before swine, and he often would do no mighty work in a region of unbe­lief. But then again both Jesus and the disciples often worked miracles where no faith was involved, such as Peter’ s healing the lame man (Acts 3).

That man was ignorant of what was about to take place; he looked expecting to receive an alms. The man born blind did not even know who Jesus was “that he might believe’’ (John 9:36).

Jesus raised the dead, as did Peter (Acts 9:36 ff). ——————————————————————————– shall save him that is sick,—“Save” here means “heal” and ought to be so translated. Forgiveness of sins is mentioned later. This is a frequent meaning of the verb (Mark 5:34; Luke 8:48; Acts 14:9). James promises that prayer will cause the sick one who has been anointed to be healed. The word for “sick” here means “wasted away, or ill” ; it is from an earlier usage that signified “fatigued.” The word here argues strongly that this is physical or bodily sickness which James has in mind and not spiritual illness as some claim. ——————————————————————————– Is the promise of healing invariable? God’ s promises are always conditional.

Even in the age of miracles many in the church were not healed. Paul was not (2 Corinthians 12:7), nor was Trophi­mus (2 Timothy 4:20); Timothy, Paul’ s helper, was to take medicine for his bodily ailment.

Those who claim that the gift of heal­ing is an integral part of the atonement of Christ and a part of the gospel to be preached to all must overlook such passages, as well as the fact that the original purpose of such miracles was as a ’’ sign for unbelievers.” One condition is mentioned in the next verse— the removal of sin. ——————————————————————————– and the Lord shall raise him up;—“Lord” refers to Jesus Christ, the one in whose name the anointing is done. The raising is from the sick bed, the effect of the cure just mentioned. Spiritual heal­ing or forgiveness is introduced in the next clause and is condi­tional. Hence it is wrong to think of the “raising” here as the res­urrection. ——————————————————————————– and if he have committed sins,—The condition is one of possi­bility or probability . This construction is often used in expressing conditions which may not be known to be true or false, but which are known to be possible. The perfect tense is used for the present state which is the result of past action; hence, here it is implied that the ill member may also be a backslider or one who has sins which he has not cor­rected.

James is not taking the stance of the many Jews who taught that all sickness is caused by sin. Jesus had refuted this contention that calamity is the penalty for sin (Luke 13 :lff; John 9:1-3).

It is doubtless true that this belief colored Jewish think­ing, and it is recognized even in our modern society that some dis­ease is the result of sinful living, either directly or indirectly. But even this need not be what James had in mind. Sickness will often make men who are sinful more conscious of their spiritual condi­tion. Illness has been the turning point of many lives. Thus if the one calling for the elders turns out to be a sinner, he should be helped to realize that to confess his sins and remove them is a con­dition of his being healed. Knowling is right in saying that it is a quite natural thing in almost all prayers for bodily strength to consider the mental and spiritual condition of the patient and to ask forgiveness and spiritual strengthening at the same time. ——————————————————————————– it shall be forgiven him.—The verb is impersonal: “It shall be remitted for him.” The same sort of impersonal construction oc­curs in Matthew 12:32 of the forgiveness of the sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

This forgiveness is conditional as always. The condition is the subject of the next clause— confession.

James 5:16

16

James 5:16 James 5:16 εξομολογεισθεG1843 [G5732] CONFESS αλληλοιςG240 ταG3588 TO ONE ANOTHER “YOUR” παραπτωματαG3900 , καιG2532 AND ευχεσθεG2172 [G5737] PRAY υπερG5228 FOR αλληλωνG240 ONE ANOTHER, οπωςG3704 THAT ιαθητεG2390 [G5686] YE MAY BE HEALED. πολυG4183 MUCH ισχυειG2480 [G5719] “THE” δεησιςG1162 δικαιουG1342 OF A “MAN” ενεργουμενηG1754 [G5734] . . Confess: Genesis 41:9, Genesis 41:10, 2 Samuel 19:19, Matthew 3:6, Matthew 18:15-17, Luke 7:3, Luke 7:4, Acts 19:18 pray: Colossians 1:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 1 Thessalonians 5:25, Hebrews 13:18 that: Genesis 20:17, 2 Chronicles 30:20, Luke 9:6, Acts 10:38 The effectual: Genesis 18:23-32, Genesis 19:29, Genesis 20:7, Genesis 20:17, Genesis 32:28, Exodus 9:28, Exodus 9:29, Exodus 9:33, Exodus 17:11, Exodus 32:10-14, Numbers 11:2, Numbers 14:13-20, Numbers 21:7-9, Deuteronomy 9:18-20, Joshua 10:12, 1 Samuel 12:18, 1 Kings 13:6, 1 Kings 17:18-24, 2 Kings 4:33-35, 2 Kings 19:15-20, 2 Kings 20:2-5, 2 Chronicles 14:11, 2 Chronicles 14:12, 2 Chronicles 32:20-22, Job 42:8, Psalms 10:17, Psalms 10:18, Psalms 34:15, Psalms 145:18, Psalms 145:19, Proverbs 15:8, Proverbs 15:29, Proverbs 28:9, Jeremiah 15:1, Jeremiah 29:12, Jeremiah 29:13, Jeremiah 33:3, Daniel 2:18-23, Daniel 9:20-22, Hosea 12:3, Hosea 12:4, Matthew 7:7-11, Matthew 21:22, Luke 11:11-13, Luke 18:1-8, John 9:31, Acts 4:24-31, Acts 12:5-11, 1 John 3:22 a righteous: Romans 3:10, Romans 5:19, Hebrews 11:4, Hebrews 11:7 Genesis 18:32 - I will not Genesis 50:17 - they did Exodus 8:12 - General Exodus 8:30 - entreated Exodus 32:30 - an atonement Exodus 33:17 - I will do Numbers 16:48 - General Deuteronomy 9:19 - But the 1 Samuel 1:12 - continued praying 1 Samuel 7:8 - Cease 1 Samuel 7:9 - cried unto 1 Samuel 12:17 - I will call 1 Samuel 19:18 - to Samuel 1 Kings 18:37 - Hear me 1 Kings 18:42 - he cast himself 2 Kings 6:17 - prayed 2 Kings 19:4 - lift up 2 Chronicles 30:18 - prayed Job 22:30 - pureness Psalms 41:4 - heal Psalms 106:23 - stood Son 5:8 - if ye Isaiah 37:4 - lift up Jeremiah 27:18 - let them Jeremiah 42:2 - and pray Ezekiel 14:16 - these Daniel 9:3 - I set Amos 7:2 - O Lord Amos 7:3 - General Jonah 1:8 - Tell Zechariah 10:1 - ye Matthew 5:24 - there Matthew 6:5 - when John 14:13 - whatsoever Acts 5:16 - healed Acts 8:24 - Pray Acts 18:25 - fervent Acts 27:24 - lo Romans 8:27 - knoweth Romans 12:11 - fervent Romans 12:12 - continuing 2 Corinthians 1:11 - helping Colossians 4:12 - always 1 Timothy 2:1 - supplications Philemon 1:22 - through James 1:5 - let James 5:15 - the prayer 1 Peter 3:12 - his ears 2 Peter 2:8 - that 1 John 5:14 - if Revelation 11:6 - power James 5:16 Confess your faults does not mean merely to confess that we have faults, but the faults themselves are to be acknowledged. One to another denotes that we are to confess the faults that we have committed against another; we are to confess such faults to him. Sins which are known to God only need only be confessed to Him. That ye may he healed. This is said in direct connection with the mention of faults, hence we know the last word is used figuratively or concerning a spiritual cure.

No man can do another man’ s praying for him, but both can pray together for the forgiveness of the one at fault. Effectual means active or practical, and it is used to indicate a man who not only prays to God but who also makes it his business to serve Him. The prayers of such a man will be regarded by the Lord. James 5:16 ——————————————————————————– Confess (ἐξομολογεῖσθε) The preposition ἐξ, forth, out, implies full, frank, open confession, and so in every case of its use in the New Testament. See on Matthew 3:6. ——————————————————————————– Faults (παραπτώματα) See on Matthew 6:14. ——————————————————————————– The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (πολὺἰσχύειδέησιςδικαίουἐνεργουμένη) Lit., much availeth (ἰσχύει, is strong), the prayer of a righteous man working or operating. The rendering of the A. V., besides being unwarranted by the text, is almost a truism. An effectual prayer is a prayer that avails. The Rev. is at once more correct and more natural: The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.

James 5:16 ——————————————————————————– Confess therefore your sins one to another (exomologeisthe oun allηlois tas hamartias). Present middle (indirect) of exomologeτ.

Confession of sin to God is already assumed. But public confession of certain sins to one another in the meetings is greatly helpful in many ways. This is not confessing to one man like a priest in place of the public confession. One may confess to the pastor without confessing to God or to the church, with little benefit to anybody. ——————————————————————————– Pray for one another (proseuchesthe huper allηlτn). Present middle imperative. Keep this up. ——————————————————————————– That ye may be healed (hopτs iathηte).

Purpose clause with hopτs and the first aorist passive subjunctive of iaomai. Probably of bodily healing (James 5:14), though iaomai is used also of healing of the soul (Matthew 13:15; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 12:13) as Mayor takes it here. ——————————————————————————– Availeth much (polu ischuei). “Has much force.” Present active indicative of ischuτ (from ischus, strength). ——————————————————————————– In its working (energoumenη).

Probably the present middle participle of energeτ as Paul apparently uses it in Galatians 5:6; 2 Corinthians 4:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:7, meaning “when it works.” The passive is possible, as is the usual idiom elsewhere. Mayor argues strongly for the passive here, “when it is exercised” (Ropes). 16. Confess therefore your sins one to another,—The “therefore” does not occur in all MSS., but it is adopted by Westcott-Hort and Nestle. It is almost certainly genuine. This is important, as it serves to connect the thought. The sense is: “For this reason confess your sins.” If the sick man is a sinner, he may be forgiven; and to make this a realization the condition of forgiveness, which is confession (and which presumes repentance), is admonished.

The principle of mutual confession of sins is wider than the pri­mary context of this passage (I John l:7f); nevertheless this is the specific application of the reference. The verse is connected with the forgiveness of the sick, with whom the whole section is con­cerned.

The word “confess” refers to an open admission of a fact — here a wrongdoing. John the Baptist “confessed and did not deny” (John 1:20). James uses a present imperative of continuous action: “Be in the practice of confessing your sins to one another.” We are not to wait until we are ill to do so. As Huther says, “From the special order James infers a general injunction, in which the intervening thought is to be conceived that the sick man confessed his sins to the presbyters for the purpose of their intercession; Christians generally are to practice the same duty of confession toward each other.” ——————————————————————————– Not merely “faults” (as in the King James) but “sins” are to be confessed. The reading “fault” is a late inferior reading adopted in the King James. James repeats the same word of the previous verse, “if he have committed sins.” ——————————————————————————– “One to another” does not refer to confession to a person of sins committed against him; though, if one is guilty of such, they ought to be confessed and made right.

But James is thinking of unburdening our lives to each other (and here to the elders in particular) at such times as this, in order that we may intercede for one another. This ought to be a general practice. ——————————————————————————– In view of the general nature of the rule as stated, it should be emphasized that the verse does not limit the confession to the eld­ers.

Any brother may be of help to another in bearing the burden of his trespass (Galatians 6:1). This may, as is often done, be be­fore the whole church. In fact, if the sin is of such a nature that the whole church is affected, the confession should be before the congregation. But the principle is much more general than this. ——————————————————————————– The Roman Catholic doctrine of Auricular Confession has no support from this passage. In the first place, “elders” here does not refer to a priestly set of workers. Elders here are not given power to absolve a sinner or to set conditions on which he may be forgiven.

The only conditions of forgiveness are those laid down in the gospel of confession and repentance (which implies resti­tution), Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:7-9. The confession is for intercession and then for healing and is not for absolvement.

Finally, “to one another” means that any brother chosen may rightly hear the con­fession and make intercession. “Ye who are spiritual, restore such a one” (Galatians 6:1 ff). ——————————————————————————– and pray one for another,—Pray “in behalf of one another” as well as “confess to one another.” Simon asked Peter to pray for him that he not perish with his money (Acts 8:24). ——————————————————————————– that ye may be healed.—This returns to the main subject of bodily healing. For the one who is ill and also in sin, the sin stands between him and being healed. If he is willing to confess his sin and seek forgiveness, the elders may pray for him as they were called to do. The anointing and praying would then be in order. Verse 15 promised that the prayer would be effective. ——————————————————————————– The supplication of a righteous man— The noun “supplication” means “entreaty.” It is petition, the begging or imploring of God for what one desires. It is generally used of prayer, but of a par­ticular kind of prayer— an earnest entreaty for something for which one longs.

It is not necessarily selfish to let God know our wants so long as we are sincere and our desires are not evil (James 4:3). Here James is encouraging prayer for recovery from sickness and for another’ s sins.

Christians may pray for many things. What is generally worth a Christian’ s time and efforts surely is worth his prayers. ——————————————————————————– Though the English word “priest” is derived etymologically from the Greek presbyteros “elder” ), the specific meaning to which this term answers is not presbyteros, but hiereus (as in Acts 4:1). Presbyteros means “an older man” and this is not the meaning of the English term “priest.” In the N. T. there is a universal priesthood of all believers. All Christians making up the temple of God are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10). The concept of a clerical priesthood separated from the common members of God’ s people for the administering of ordinance and the preaching of the Word is not found in the N.

T. ——————————————————————————– “The righteous man” in this passage and possibly in verse 6 is the godly or upright man, the one endeavoring to please God in life, though suffering persecution. The word is a virtual synonym of “a Christian” as opposed to those that are evil and disobedient (Matthew 13:43; Matthew 13:49; see Matthew 25:37; Matthew 25:46).

The two groups are often contrasted in the epistles: 1 Peter 3:12; 1 Peter 4:15; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 22:11. In 1 Timothy 2:8 the men who can lift up holy hands are to pray. Lenski attempts to attribute the special use of “one to whom righteousness is imputed by the blood of Christ” in the particular Pauline sense. But it is not necessary to find this meaning in every occurrence of the word in the New Testament. Jesus often used the word in its traditional sense. So did even Paul himself: Romans 9:30; Ephesians 6:14; Philippians 1:11; II Corin­thians 11:15; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22.

This also seems to be the meaning in the other passages where James used it (1:20; 3:18). Many passages in both Old and New Testaments express the idea that God listens to the man who walks in His ways: Psalms 34:12 ff (quoted in 1 Peter 3:10 ff); Genesis 18:23-32; John 9:31; Proverbs 15:29; Proverbs 28:9; Psalms 66:18. ——————————————————————————– availeth much—This is a very strong expression.

The verb means to “have strength,” to “be powerful or mighty,” and then to “prevail, to win out” . Here the meaning is something like “is able to do much” (Arndt and Gingrich). For an illustration James tells what Elijah’ s prayer did. Compare Romans 3:2, “Profit much in every way.” ——————————————————————————– in its working.—The verb energeo as an intransitive verb (as in this passage) means to “work, be at work, operate, be effective” (Arndt and Gingrich). Because the word has caused no little dif­ficulty, it is well to study the other uses of it.

In Philippians 2:13 it is used as an infinitive like a noun: “It is God who worketh in you both to will and to work.” Here the infinitives mean “willingness” and “action.” It is used as a finite verb: Matthew 14:2 = Mark 6:14, “(John’ s) powers are working in him (Christ)” ; Romans 7:5, “Passions were working in our members to produce the fruit death” ; 2 Corinthians 4:12, “Death is working in us” ; I Thessalo- nians 2:13, “(the word) which also works in you who believe” ; 2 Thessalonians 2:7, “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” It also is used as a substantive (participle) with the arti­cle, “The one working in both Peter and me” (Paul). ——————————————————————————– But more in point are the other passages where it is used as a participle with an adjectival or modifying force: Ephesians 2:2, “the ruler of the powers of the air, the spirit working in the sons of disobedience” ; 2 Corinthians 1:6, “Your comfort working in the patience of the same sufferings which we suffer” ; Ephesians 3:20, “according to the power working (operative, effective) in us” ; Colossians 1:29, “(the perfect man in Christ) toward which I also labor, striving according to his working (energeian, a noun) working (the participial adjective) mightily in me” ; and Galatians 5:6, “faith working through love.” ——————————————————————————– In the light of these parallels James means that a prayer which is “working, operative, or doing” is the prayer which is very strong or prevailing with God. Lenski’ s translation is “A right­eous one’ s petition avails a great deal when putting forth its energy.” “Effectual” is thus a proper translation as it keeps the ad­jectival force; “in its working,” however, does not do this.

The petition of a righteous man avails when it is doing its work, which is petitioning, pleading, begging. The action of prayer must be earnestly and persistently engaged in. God does not want to inter­pret our own desires and thoughts; he wants us to express them. Prayer is often an unused asset. This is importunity. Consider the cases of the persistent friend (Luke 11:5-8), the importunate wid­ow (Luke 18:1-8), and the imploring Syro-Canaanitish mother (Matthew 15:21-28).

They would not take “no” for an answer. God is touched when the petitions of a righteous man are going on persistently, when they are doing their work. (Clark is not success­ful [Journal of Biblical Literature, 1935, Vol. 54, pp. 93ff] in mak­ing the meaning of the verb passive.) ——————————————————————————– The subject of the efficacy of prayer in raising the sick leads to an illustration of the power of prayer, that of Elijah’ s prayer that began and ended the great drought in Israel in Ahab’ s time (1 Kings 17).

It is supposed by Mayor that James may have turned to Elijah’ s example by the natural connection between praying for the recovery of the sick and the prophet who raised the son of the widow of Zarephath by prayer (1 Kings 17:17). Even if this is true, he still takes another and perhaps more dramatic illustration of this prophet’ s prayer life. Elijah’ s example was well impressed upon the Jewish mind. Jesus mentioned his miracle on the son of the widow and spoke of the same amount of time lapsed in the drought (Luke 4:25).

James 5:17

17

James 5:17 James 5:17 ηλιαςG2243 ELIJAH ανθρωποςG444 A MAN ηνG2258 [G5713] WAS ομοιοπαθηςG3663 OF LIKE ημινG2254 TO US, καιG2532 AND προσευχηG4335 WITH PRAYER προσηυξατοG4336 [G5662] τουG3588 HE PRAYED " FOR IT " μηG3361 NOT βρεξαιG1026 [G5658] TO RAIN; καιG2532 AND ουκG3756 NOT εβρεξενG1026 [G5656] IT DID RAIN επιG1909 UPON τηςG3588 THE γηςG1093 EARTH ενιαυτουςG1763 YEARS τρειςG5140 THREE καιG2532 AND μηναςG3376 MONTHS εξG1803 SIX; . Elias: 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah subject: Acts 10:26, Acts 14:15 and he: Romans 11:2, Revelation 11:6 earnestly: or, in prayer and it rained not: Luke 4:25 Genesis 18:23 - drew Genesis 41:30 - seven years Exodus 9:33 - and the thunders Leviticus 26:4 - Then I Deuteronomy 9:19 - But the 2 Samuel 18:33 - would God 1 Kings 8:36 - give rain 1 Kings 18:1 - after many days 1 Kings 18:37 - Hear me 2 Kings 19:4 - lift up 2 Chronicles 6:27 - send rain Job 12:15 - Behold Job 37:12 - that Psalms 147:8 - prepareth Jeremiah 5:24 - that giveth Amos 4:7 - I have Zechariah 14:17 - even Luke 9:30 - Elias Acts 14:17 - and gave 2 Corinthians 7:7 - earnest James 5:17 Verses 17, 18. The account of this event with Elias (Elijah in the Old Testament) is in 1 Kings 17:1-7 and 1 Kings 18:41-46. The prophet did not perform the feat merely to demonstrate his miraculous power, for such kinds of evidence were not necessary at that time. The connection shows that Ahab was a wicked king of Israel, and the Lord saw fit to punish him with a dearth by withholding the rain. The prayer of Elijah is not recorded, but he was a righteous man and realized that the wicked king would not be brought to repentance but by some severe judgment.

Accordingly, when he prayed to the Lord on the subject his prayer was accepted as just and the chastisement was sent on the king and his country. It was therefore a miracle granted because of the right­eousness of the request. Yet even at such a time, had he not been o right­eous man his prayer would not have availed any, to say nothing about its availing much. —————————— Subject to like passions means he was only a human being, yet because of his good life his prayer was heard, since that was yet in the days of special providence. James 5:17 A man (ἄνθρωπος) The generic word; human like ourselves, this thought being emphasized by the succeeding epithet of like passions. See the same expression, Acts 14:15. ——————————————————————————– Of like passions (ὁμοιοπαθὴς) Only here and Acts 14:15. There is some danger of a misunderstanding of this rendering, from the limited and generally bad sense in which the word passions is popularly used. The meaning is rather of like nature and constitution. Rev. puts nature in margin, which would be better in the text. ——————————————————————————– He prayed fervently (προσευχῇπροσηύξατο) Lit., he prayed with prayer. See a similar mode of expression, Genesis 2:17 (Sept.), ye shall surely die (θανάτῳἀποθανεῖσθε); lit., ye shall die with death.

Compare Luke 22:15; John 3:29; Acts 4:17. The addition of the cognate noun gives intenseness to the verb. ——————————————————————————– Hide— sins A familiar Hebrew phrase.

See Psalms 32:1; Psalms 85:2; Proverbs 10:12. James 5:17 ——————————————————————————– Of like passions with us (homoiopathηs hηmin). Associative-instrumental case hηmin as with homoios. This old compound adjective (homoios, paschτ), suffering the like with another, in N.T. only here and Acts 14:15. ——————————————————————————– He prayed fervently (proseuchηi prosηuxato). First aorist middle indicative of proseuchomai and the instrumental case proseuchηi (cognate substantive), after idiom for intensity in classical Greek, like pheugein phugηi, to flee with all speed (figura etymologica), but particularly frequent in the LXX (Genesis 2:17; Genesis 31:30) in imitation of the Hebrew infinitive absolute. So Luke 22:15; John 3:29; Acts 4:17. ——————————————————————————– That it might not rain (tou mη brexai).

Genitive of the articular infinitive (brexai, first aorist active of brechτ, old verb, to moisten, Luke 7:38, to rain, Matthew 5:45) with negative mη used either for direct purpose, for an object clause as here and Acts 3:12; Acts 15:20, or even for result. ——————————————————————————– For three years and six months (eniautous treis kai mηnas hex). Accusative of extent of time. 17. a man of like passions with us,—The word means of similar feelings or sensations.

Cf. Acts 14:15, where Paul asserts to the people of Lystra that he and Barnabas were men of like passions with them— not gods. Elijah had the same kind of feelings, cir­cumstances, and experiences as we. The idea is that basically he was no different from us. If God answered his prayer, why not ours? But why this statement? Because the Jews of the intertestamental period developed an exaggerated opinion of Elijah, making him a mysterious heavenly figure, as they did Enoch and Melchizedek. Peter had to correct Cornelius by telling him that he was also a man (Acts 10:26).

Hebrews in much the same way insists that Jesus was “made like unto his brethren” (2:17). If it is thought that Elijah was some sort of extraordinary figure, then his prayer might be different from ours. The same power of prayer is within the reach of the church, since we are the same kind of creatures that Elijah was. ——————————————————————————– and he prayed fervently—Literally, “he prayed with prayer.” This is a Hebraism. The construction is emphatic, suggesting in­tensity or earnestness. There are many examples of the effect of this mode of thinking and speaking on the writers of the N.T. Compare ’’ desired with desire” (Luke 22:15) and ’’ charge with charging ’ (Acts 5:28).

The ASV has therefore correctly caught the thought in its “fervently.” The reluctance of some writers (e.g., Lenski) to admit of Hebraisms in the N.T. is a result of the con­troversy over Deissmann’ s contention that the N.T. is to be under­stood primarily from the point of view of secular Greek of the first century. But Deissmann went too far.

It is quite natural that the Greek learned by people through their reading the Greek Bible (the Septuagint) should be reflected in their speech or be imitated. It would have been strange if this were not true. ——————————————————————————– that it might not rain;—Since there is no mention of this prayer in the Old Testament, many have charged that James made it up. Elijah only declared that there would be no dew or rain in Israel except by his word (1 Kings 17:11), according to our records. But Jesus implied the same fact about him (Luke 4:25). If it was not to rain except by his word, then he must have consulted God about the fact and have known that his prayer would be answered. If James, then, knew the length of the drought, it would be a simple deduction that Elijah had continued his prayer over this time until God was ready once more to send him to Ahab with the promise that rain would come.

James was an inspired man, and revelation is through inspiration. We do not have to know the source of James’ information to believe that he knew what he said. and it rained not on earth for three years and six months.— ——————————————————————————– Again it is charged that the O.T. does not say this.

So it does not. But that proves nothing. There is nothing in the O.T. to contra­dict it. 1 Kings 18:1 says that in the third year Elijah was told to go show himself to Ahab. But this is the third year from what? The Bible does not say that it was only in the third year of the drought. Nor does Kings say how long it was from then until the drought was broken. So the O.T. does not prove James wrong.

James 5:18

18

James 5:18 James 5:18 καιG2532 AND παλινG3825 AGAIN προσηυξατοG4336 [G5662] HE PRAYED, καιG2532 AND οG3588 THE ουρανοςG3772 HEAVEN υετονG5205 RAIN εδωκενG1325 [G5656] GAVE, καιG2532 AND ηG3588 THE γηG1093 EARTH εβλαστησενG985 [G5656] τονG3588 CAUSED TO SPROUT καρπονG2590 FRUIT αυτηςG846 ITS. . 1 Kings 18:18, 1 Kings 18:42-45, Jeremiah 14:22, Acts 14:17 Exodus 9:33 - and the thunders Leviticus 26:4 - Then I 1 Kings 8:36 - give rain 2 Chronicles 6:27 - send rain Job 12:15 - Behold Job 37:12 - that Job 38:34 - General Psalms 147:8 - prepareth Jeremiah 5:24 - that giveth Luke 9:30 - Elias James 5:18 Verses 17, 18. The account of this event with Elias (Elijah in the Old Testament) is in 1 Kings 17:1-7 and 1 Kings 18:41-46. The prophet did not perform the feat merely to demonstrate his miraculous power, for such kinds of evidence were not necessary at that time. The connection shows that Ahab was a wicked king of Israel, and the Lord saw fit to punish him with a dearth by withholding the rain. The prayer of Elijah is not recorded, but he was a righteous man and realized that the wicked king would not be brought to repentance but by some severe judgment. Accordingly, when he prayed to the Lord on the subject his prayer was accepted as just and the chastisement was sent on the king and his country.

It was therefore a miracle granted because of the right­eousness of the request. Yet even at such a time, had he not been o right­eous man his prayer would not have availed any, to say nothing about its availing much. —————————— Subject to like passions means he was only a human being, yet because of his good life his prayer was heard, since that was yet in the days of special providence. James 5:18 ——————————————————————————– Gave rain (hueton edτken). This idiom is in the LXX of God as here of heaven (1 Samuel 12:17; 1 Kings 18:1) and also in Acts 14:17 instead of ebrexen of Jas 5:17. Hueton is old word for rain (from huτ, to rain), genuine here, but not in James 5:7. ——————————————————————————– Brought forth (eblastηsen). First aorist active of blastanτ, old verb, to sprout (intransitive as Mark 4:27), here as occasionally in later Greek transitive with accusative karpon. 18. And he prayed again;—The story of this prayer and its re­sults is told in detail in the story of the contest on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:20-45).

After Elijah began praying, he prayed seven times before the servant reported a small cloud coming up over the sea. After this “the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain” (1 Kings 18:45). ——————————————————————————– Did Elijah’s prayers which were answered in the withholding and sending of rain result in miracles, and may we expect the same?

Is this what James is saying in stressing that Elijah was like us? In a sense, the result was unnatural and miraculous. But it may be noted that, when the rain came, it came in the natural way — through clouds, which had hitherto not arisen. Strictly speak­ing, the answer was providential (if we are to make a strict dis­tinction). All answer to prayers need not be thought of as miracle. In Bible times God answered some prayers for healing with a miracle— the gift of healing. But the prayer of faith in connection with the physician may help to heal; the modern physicians say so themselves. The prayer of forgiveness in the same context did not require miraculous manifestation.

The point of compari­son is that, whether prayer is answered in the same way as Elijah’ s was answered or not, since we are the same kind of creatures, God can and will hear and answer our prayers.

James 5:19

19

James 5:19 James 5:19 αδελφοιG80 , εανG1437 IF τιςG5100 ANYONE ενG1722 AMONG υμινG5213 YOU πλανηθηG4105 [G5686] ERR αποG575 FROM τηςG3588 THE αληθειαςG225 TRUTH, καιG2532 AND επιστρεψηG1994 [G5661] BRING BACK τιςG5100 ANYONE αυτονG846 HIM, . err: Psalms 119:21, Psalms 119:118, Proverbs 19:27, Isaiah 3:12, 1 Timothy 6:10, 1 Timothy 6:21, 2 Timothy 2:18, 2 Peter 3:17, Jude 1:11 and one: James 5:20, Ezekiel 34:4, Ezekiel 34:16, Matthew 18:15, Luke 22:32, Galatians 6:1, Hebrews 12:12, Hebrews 12:13, Jude 1:22, Jude 1:23 Deuteronomy 22:1 - Thou shalt Psalms 51:13 - converted Ezekiel 3:18 - to save Daniel 12:3 - turn Malachi 2:6 - and did Matthew 18:3 - Except Luke 17:3 - rebuke John 4:36 - he that reapeth receiveth John 12:40 - and be Acts 3:19 - be 1 Corinthians 5:5 - that 1 Corinthians 7:16 - O wife 1 Corinthians 9:19 - that 2 Thessalonians 3:15 - admonish 1 Timothy 3:1 - desireth Philemon 1:19 - how thou 1 Peter 3:1 - won James 5:19 To err from the truth means to wander to one side according to the comments at James 1:16. To convert such a person means to induce him to turn and reenter the pathway of truth, since the word convert liter­ally means to reverse a direction. James 5:19 ——————————————————————————– If any one among you do err (ean tis en humin planηthηi). Third-class condition (supposed case) with ean and the first aorist passive subjunctive of planaτ, old verb, to go astray, to wander (Matthew 18:12), figuratively (Hebrews 5:2). ——————————————————————————– From the truth (apo tηs alηtheias). For truth see James 1:18; James 3:14; John 8:32; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 3:18-19. It was easy then, and is now, to be led astray from Christ, who is the Truth. ——————————————————————————– And one convert him (kai epistrepsηi tis auton). Continuation of the third-class condition with the first aorist active subjunctive of epistrephτ, old verb, to turn (transitive here as in Luke 1:16-17, but intransitive often as Acts 9:35). 3. ERRING James 5:19-20 ——————————————————————————- In this final section James is still thinking of praying for the erring brother.

In verse 15 he has mentioned the forgiveness of sins which the sick brother may have in his life. The brother’ s healing will depend upon his confession.

But the touching of such a brother and turning him from his way may be a difficult task. James teaches the spiritual what a favor one does another when he is the instru­ment of leading that brother to be rid of his sins. With so many err­ing and backsliding brethren in the churches, this is a lesson for all to ponder. ——————————————————————– 19. My brethren,—Five times in the admonitions of this chapter James addresses his readers affectionately as “brethren.” He is in deep earnest, as we ought to be, over the lost. ——————————————————————– James is thinking of the sinning Christian, as in James 5:15-16. There he used the perfect tense of people who were in a state of sin as a result of past actions. He is thinking of a backslider or of one who may be still attending services, but who is known to be in a dan­gerous state of fault.

Many brethren have quit the church after hav­ing been overtaken in a trespass (Galatians 6 :iff). Serious illness and the admonition and pleading of brethren have often rescued such.

To err from the truth is to be deceived and thus led away from the truth, the truth being the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is possible for one to deceive himself or be deceived by others. ——————————————————————– Those not Christians are often deceived about the truth. But those James is concerned about are deceived and led away from the truth after having received it, i. e., backsliders or apostates. Those com­mentators who think of the Jewish readers who have been tempted to go back to Judaism may be correct. See Hebrews 2:1 ff; Hebrews 6:4-8; Hebrews 10:25 ff. But moral as well as doctrinal sins are possible.

James’ conditional sentences are of real possibilities (compare on verse 15). There are those who think that one cannot so sin as to be in danger of death if he is once saved.

But this is Calvinism and not the teaching of the gospel. One could not err from the truth unless he had been in it; the death from which he would be saved, if one convert him, must certainly be eternal death. An old debater once said that James 5:19-20 was the strongest passage in the New Tes­tament on the possibility of apostasy. ——————————————————————– and one convert him;—The word means to “turn someone back” in a religious or moral sense. John the Baptist was to turn many to God (Luke 1:16). The conversion is “from the error of his way” (next verse). One does this by bringing the sinner to his senses through the word of God by teaching, warning, pleading, admonishing, and showing an interest in him.

Though the Scrip­tures teach that some put themselves beyond repentance (Hebrews 6:4 ff) and sin in a mortal way, there are many who fall away who could be won back to Christ. James may be thinking of the many Jews who, now that the Judaism of their fathers had begun to harden against Christianity, were finding the way difficult.

He may remember that he himself had once not believed in the claims of his brother Jesus.

James 5:20

20

James 5:20 James 5:20 γινωσκετωG1097 [G5720] LET HIM KNOW οτιG3754 THAT οG3588 HE WHO επιστρεψαςG1994 [G5660] BRINGS BACK αμαρτωλονG268 A SINNER εκG1537 FROM “THE” πλανηςG4106 ERROR οδουG3598 αυτουG846 OF HIS WAY, σωσειG4982 [G5692] SHALL SAVE ψυχηνG5590 A SOUL εκG1537 FROM θανατουG2288 DEATH, καιG2532 AND καλυψειG2572 [G5692] SHALL COVER πληθοςG4128 A αμαρτιωνG266 OF SINS. . that he: James 5:19 shall save: Proverbs 11:30, Romans 11:14, 1 Corinthians 9:22, 1 Timothy 4:16, Philemon 1:19 from death: James 1:15, Proverbs 10:2, Proverbs 11:4, John 5:24, Revelation 20:6 hide: Psalms 32:1, Proverbs 10:12, 1 Peter 4:8 Deuteronomy 22:1 - Thou shalt Psalms 51:13 - converted Psalms 56:13 - For Isaiah 53:6 - his own Ezekiel 3:18 - to save Ezekiel 3:21 - he shall Daniel 12:3 - turn Obadiah 1:21 - saviours Malachi 2:6 - and did Matthew 18:3 - Except Matthew 18:15 - thou hast John 4:36 - he that reapeth receiveth John 12:40 - and be Acts 3:19 - be Romans 6:21 - for the 1 Corinthians 5:5 - that 1 Corinthians 7:16 - O wife 1 Corinthians 9:19 - that Galatians 6:1 - restore 2 Thessalonians 3:15 - admonish 1 Timothy 3:1 - desireth 1 Peter 3:1 - won James 5:20 A sinner is any person who is doing wrong, whether he be a man of the world or an erring disciple. No man can repent for another but he may be able to persuade the guilty one to repent. If he succeeds he will save a soul from death because the one in error was going the way that leads to spiritual death. Hide is from kalupto. and both Thayer and Robinson explain it to mean that by reason of the repentance of the erring one, the Lord will overlook and not punish the one who had gone astray. This act of the Lord’ s mercy would be equivalent to hiding the sins because they would not be brought up to judg­ment afterward. James 5:20 ——————————————————————————– Let him know (ginτsketτ). Present active imperative third person singular of ginτskτ, but Westcott and Hort read ginτskete (know ye) after B. In either case it is the conclusion of the condition in James 5:19. ——————————————————————————– He which converteth (ho epistrepsas). First aorist active articular participle of epistrephτ of James 5:19. ——————————————————————————– From the error (ek planηs). “Out of the wandering” of James 5:19 (planη, from which planaτ is made). See 1 John 4:6 for contrast between “truth” and “error.” ——————————————————————————– A soul from death (psuchηn ek thanatou). The soul of the sinner (hamartτlon) won back to Christ, not the soul of the man winning him.

A few MSS. have autou added (his soul), which leaves it ambiguous, but autou is not genuine. It is ultimate and final salvation here meant by the future (sτsei). ——————————————————————————– Shall cover a multitude of sins (kalupsei plηthos hamartiτn).

Future active of kaluptτ, old verb, to hide, to veil. But whose sins (those of the converter or the converted)? The Roman Catholics (also Mayor and Ropes) take it of the sins of the converter, who thus saves himself by saving others. The language here will allow that, but not New Testament teaching in general. It is apparently a proverbial saying which Resch considers one of the unwritten sayings of Christ (Clem. Al. Paed. iii. 12). It occurs also in 1 Peter 4:8, where it clearly means the sins of others covered by love as a veil thrown over them.

The saying appears also in Proverbs 10:12 : “Hatred stirs up strife, but love hides all transgressions”— that is “love refuses to see faults” (Mayor admits). That is undoubtedly the meaning in 1 Peter 4:8; James 5:20. 20. let him know,—This is the reading of the best MSS., though the Vatican (B) has the second plural form which may be either an indicative or an imperative: “know ye” or “ye know.” At any rate, James is anxious to point to the knowledge of the favor that one does in helping the erring. It is difficult for us to realize the value of a soul. If someone tried to get us to realize the value of a billion dollars, we could not. This is beyond our understanding. The best way to realize the value of a soul is to remember what it cost to redeem one— the blood of Jesus. ——————————————————————————– shall save a soul from death,—eternal death, the second death of the Bible.

Repentance will not save a man’ s soul from dying any other death. To die and be lost is a horrible thing to contemplate.

To realize that to rescue a brother is to save a soul is indeed a realization. We are our brother’ s keeper. ——————————————————————————– and shall cover a multitude of sins.—This is repetition of a kind. To “cover sins’’ in the Old Testament sense is to have them forgiven. The passage (like 1 Peter 4:8) is based on Proverbs 10:12, “Hatred stirreth up strife; but love covereth all transgres­sion.’’ Notice the parallelism in Psalms 85:2 (LXX), “Thou hast forgiven thy people their lawless deeds; thou hast covered all their sins.” Nehemiah’ s prayer for his enemies was “cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee” (Nehemiah 4:5). ——————————————————————————– There has been some question as to whose sins James is saying will be covered by converting the sinner. Oesterley argues that James is stating the doctrine of the Jews of the merit of balancing an evil deed with a good one and refers it to the one converting the erring. The passage could refer to the one converting the sinner without having this meaning.

Jesus said that, if we forgive others, we will be forgiven. This is not as a matter of merit, but is creat­ing or showing the right attitude on our part, which in turn disposes God to be merciful to us.

So James taught that God will be merciful to the merciful (James 2:13). But on the whole, it is better to take James as thinking of the multitude of sins (v. 15) of the sin­ner. To convert him is to have these sins removed and to save him from death. This is indeed a labor worthy of a Christian. ——————————————————————————– James breaks off the letter without any farewell. He had signed the letter at the start as was typical of epistles in those days. He was not writing a personal letter to acquaintances or to a partic­ular church known to him.

This fact, together with his style of moving from one subject to another somewhat rapidly, left him with no particular need to end with a salutation. The first epistle of John likewise has no formal closing.

A few cursive MSS. of James and one Syrian source add “Amen,” but it is not genuine. The Sources for the Later Life and Death of James ——————————————————————– The stories of the later life and death of James are given mainly in the accounts of Josephus and of Eusebius the historian, espe­cially the latter’ s quotation of Hegesippus. These accounts are here quoted in full for the purpose of reference. ——————————————————————– Josephus relates that this deed displeased many of the most equitable of the citizens, who protested to the new governor. He, in turn, deposed Ananus after an administration of only three months. ——————————————————————– Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, II, 20, 1): But this younger Ananus, who took the high-priesthood, was a bold man in his temper, and very insolent. He was also of the sect of the Sadducees; who are very rigid in judging offenders above all the rest of the Jews: as we have already observed. When, therefore, Ananus was of this disposition, he thought he had a proper opportunity to exercise his authority.

Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but on the road. So he assembled the Sanhedrim of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some of his companions.

And when he had laid an accusation against them as break­ers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned. ——————————————————————– Eusebius, a church historian, published in 311 A. D. the first edition of his history of the church from which the following ref­erences are taken: ——————————————————————– Eusebius ( Ecclesiastical History, Book II. 1. 2-5) At the same time also James, called the brother of the Lord because indeed the latter too was called the child of Joseph, and Joseph the father of Christ, to whom the virgin was betrothed. Before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit, just as the Sacred Scripture (The Gospels) teaches. Now this same James, whom the men of olden times used to call by the surname of “the Just” because of his excellence of virtue, is said to have been first ap­pointed to the throne of the oversight of the church in Jerusalem. Clement in the sixth book of the Hypotyposes presents the following, “For Peter,” he says, “and James and John after the ascension of the Savior, as though they had been given the honor before by the Savior, did not contend for glory, but selected James the Just bishop of Jerusalem.” This same writer adds in the seventh book of the same work these things about him, “After the resurrection the Lord gave to James the Just, and to John, and to Peter knowledge; these gave it to the other apostles, and the other apostles to the seventy of whom one was Barnabas. There were then two Jameses, one “the Just”— the one thrown down from the turret of the temple and beaten to death with fuller’ s club, the other the one being beheaded.” Paul also mentions the same James the Just when he writes, “And I saw none other of the apostles save James the brother of the Lord.” ——————————————————————– Book II. 23. 1T8.

After Paul appealed to Caesar and was sent to the City of Rome by Festus, the Jews, dis­appointed in the hope with which they had plotted against him, turned against James the brother of the Lord to whom the throne of the oversight in Jerusalem had been entrusted by the apostles. They dared such things as the following.

Bringing him into the midst, they demanded a denial of the faith in Christ in front of all the people. But he, contrary to what all expected, with a loud voice to the entire multitude confessed that our Savior and Lord Jesus is the Son of God. They could no longer bear the testimony of the man who was believed by all them to be the most just person by vir­tue of his measure of attainment in the life of philos­ophy and piety, and so they killed him, taking anarchy as an opportunity to take over power because Festus had just died in Judea, leaving the country without rulership or guardianship. The words of Clement which have been quoted have already indicated the manner of James’ death, indicating that he was thrown from the turret of the temple and beaten to death with a club. But Hegesippus, who lived in the first genera­tion after the apostles, has given the most accurate account of the things about him in his fifth book as fol­lows, ——————————————————————– James the brother of the Lord along with the apostles succeeded to the (leadership of) the church. James was called “the Just” by all men from the time of Lord on down to us, inasmuch as there are many who are called “James.” But he was holy from his mother’ s womb.

He did not drink wine or strong drink; he did not eat flesh; no razor came upon his head; he did not anoint himself with oil; and he did not use the baths. It was permitted to him alone to enter the Holy Place, for he did not wear wool clothing, but linen.

He used to enter alone into the temple, and he used to be found upon his knees asking forgiveness for the people. Hence his knees had become hardened like a camel’ s because he was always kneeling worshipping God and asking for forgiveness for the people. Because of his exceed­ing righteousness he was called the “Just” and the “Oblias” (which is in Greek the “bulwark” of the people) and “righteousness,” as the proph­ets make plain about him. ——————————————————————– Therefore certain of the seven sects among the people (mentioned already by me in the Memoirs) inquired of him as to what was the “gate of Jesus,” and he was repeating that it is the Savior. From this some of their number believed that Jesus was the Christ. Now the sects which have been mentioned did not believe in a resurrection or in one coming to render to everyone according to his deeds, but some believed on account of James. Since many of the rulers believed there was a tumult of the Jews, and the Scribes, and the Phar­isees, who were saying that all the people were in danger of looking for Jesus the Christ.

So as­sembling together they said to James, “We en­treat you to hold the people back because they are going astray after Jesus as though he were the Messiah. We beseech you to persuade all who come for the day of the Passover concerning Jesus, for everybody obeys you.

For we testify and the whole people testify to you that you are just and do not show partiality. Do you therefore persuade the crowd not to err concerning Jesus, tor all the people and we all obey you. Now stand on the turret of the temple in order that you may be visible from above and in order that your words may be heard by all the people, for because of the passover all the tribes have come together along with the Gentiles.” ——————————————————————– Thus the Scribes and Pharisees already mentioned had James to stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and they cried out to him and said, “O Just One, whom we all ought to obey, since the people are going astray after the Jesus who was crucified, tell us who is the door of Jesus?” And he an­swered with a loud voice, “Why do you ask me concerning the Son of Man? He is sitting in heaven at the right hand of the Great Power, and he will come upon the clouds of heaven.” And when many were convinced and glorified the wit­ness of James saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” then the same Scribes and Pharisees said again to one another, “We were wrong to allow Jesus such testimony, but let us go up and cast him down that they may become afraid and not believe in him.” And they cried out saying, “Oh, oh, even the Just One erred.” And they ful­filled the scripture written in the book of Isaiah, “Let us take the just one for he is unprofitable to us. Nevertheless they shall eat the fruit of their works.” ——————————————————————– And so they mounted and threw down the Just. And they were saying to one another, “Let us stone James the Just.” And they began to stone him, inasmuch as he had fallen and had not died.

But he turned and kneeling said, “I beg you, O Lord, God, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And while they were thus stoning him one of the priests of the sons of Rechab, the son of Rechabim, of those whom Jeremiah the prophet had borne witness to, cried out saying, “Stop, what are you doing? The Just is praying for you.” And a certain one of them, one of the laundrymen, took a club which which he beats out the clothes and hit the Just on the head.

And thus he suffered martyrdom. And they buried him on the place by the sanctuary and his gravestone yet remains by the sanctuary. This one became a true witness both to the Jews and the Greeks that Jesus is the Christ. And immediately Vespasian began to besiege them. ——————————————————————– This account Hegesippus gives in length and agrees with Clement. Thus James was a marvelous man and indeed famous among all for righteousness, so that the wise men among the Jews confessed that this was the reason for the siege of Jerusalem immediately after his martyrdom and that it happened for no other reason than the crime which they had dared against him.