1.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Verse 1
A servant, &c. It is to be observed that James does not style himself an apostle. This circumstance has been adduced as an argument to show that the author of the Epistle was not one of the twelve; it cannot, however, be considered an argument of very great weight.--The twelve tribes. There were but two tribes of the children of Israel now remaining. Ten had been carried into captivity, whence they never returned. The Jews were, however, accustomed to retain the original phraseology in designating their nation. For another example of this usage, see Acts 26:7. Though this expression would seem to include the Jews generally, yet the Epistle is evidently intended for those only who had embraced Christianity.--Scattered abroad; from Jerusalem. This letter may have been addressed to the disciples who were scattered abroad after the death of Stephen, (Acts 8:1,) and before the preaching of the gospel was extended to the Gentiles. This supposition is confirmed by the fact that no allusion is made in the Epistle to Gentile converts, or to any of those questions which agitated the church every where, after Gentile converts came in.
2.
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Verse 2
Temptations; trials; that is, the privations, suffering, and poverty, which they were called upon to endure.
3.
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Verse 5
Wisdom, direction and guidance in the trying circumstances in which they were placed.--Upbraideth not; does not send the suppliant away with reproaches.
6.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Verse 6
In faith; with confidence in the goodness and mercy of God.--He that wavereth; vibrating between faith in divine protection, and anxious distrust.--Like a wave of the sea; never at rest.
7.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Verse 8
A double-minded man; that is, a man having his mind distracted between the alternate feelings of faith and distrust.
9.
Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
Verse 9
Exalted; in his privileges and hopes as a Christian.
10.
But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
Verse 10
Made low; made penitent and lowly in mind by divine grace.
11.
For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
Verse 11
Fade away in his ways; pass away from his position of worldly greatness and elevation. The meaning is, that, since his wealth, with all that pertains to it, is so fleeting and transitory, he should not dwell upon the possession of it with feelings of satisfaction and pride, but rejoice only in the possession of the humble and lowly graces of the Christian spirit.
12.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Verse 12
When he is tried; after his trials are over.
13.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14.
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
16.
Do not err, my beloved brethren.
Verse 16
Do not err; in supposing that you can shield yourselves from responsibility for sin, by pleading the power of outward temptations.
17.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18.
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Verse 18
Begat he us; as his spiritual children. That is, he formed in us, by his own power, that new temper of mind which characterizes his children.
19.
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Verse 19
Swift to hear, slow to speak; always ready to learn, but slow to offer reproofs or instructions to others.
20.
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
21.
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23.
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24.
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Verse 25
Looketh into; that is, earnestly and intently.--The perfect law of liberty; the gospel; so designated because it releases the soul from the bondage of sin.--The work; the duties which the gospel enjoins.--In his deed; in his doing; that is, his doing of the work referred to above.
26.
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
Verse 26
His tongue, &c. The meaning is, that, unless a man's outward conduct is in accordance with the requirements of Christ, his pretences to inward piety are vain. If even the tongue is uncontrolled, it reveals the falseness and hollowness of his professions of sanctity.
27.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Verse 27
Pure religion, &c.; that is, true religion consists not in rites and forms, not in opinions, not in outward zeal,--but in the right moral and spiritual condition of the heart. Its end and aim is to substitute in the soul principles of heartfelt benevolence and moral purity, instead of the selfishness and corruption which naturally reign there. The various truths of the gospel reveal the way and the means by which this is to be done.