Bible Commentaries
James 5

Verses 1-11

5 This passage has puzzled the commentators, and there are many and various explanations offered to solve what seems to be one of the most difficult passages in the Scriptures. A simple explanation, which allows a literal translation, is that the natural spirit of the Jew is to be envious. They are jealous of others' possessions or welfare. God uses this trait of their character in bringing them back to Himself. He provokes them to jealousy by dealing out grace to the nations. It is this envying of others' good which tempts them to make friends with the world, so that they may possess themselves of what seems so desirable in others. The attainment of this longing produces pride.

6 The preceding verses contain one of the strongest possible indictments. In this there breathes a different spirit from that usually found in the epistle. Grace follows severity. Though God's love is outraged he does not readily spurn the faithless. He offers a grace conditioned on obedience and humility.

8 When we are still sinners, Christ died for us ( Rom_5:8 ). The whole tenor of Paul's epistles is against the application of this term to the believer in Christ Jesus. The exhortation to cleanse their hands cannot but suggest that they have been employed in defiling pursuits.

15 The abbreviation D. V., from the Latin Deo volente , God being willing, probably had its origin in this passage. It is one of the most characteristically Jewish pictures in the whole epistle. Who are like them in going from city to city, trafficking and getting gain ?

1 This is a most unpopular passage, for the church, in its spiritual poverty, caters to the rich, and does not desire to offend them by pressing this denunciation. And, indeed, it is evident that it cannot be applied universally without great injustice to some. But if we apply it to the last days, and to the sons of Israel in the coming era of Jacob's affliction, its full force is readily seen, and its just condemnation can be easily conceded. The immense accumulations of the Jews are being continually augmented by pandering to the lowest passions of the gentile peoples. Almost all forms of diversion and amusement are in their hands. No wonder such riches are rotted! Their income from interest alone equals the world's production of gold, so that they receive, without any effort on their part, all the gold that is mined. Their grasping for gain has become a proverb. No other people' as a class, is as shrewd and unscrupulous in making money. This condition of affairs is continually growing, so that, at the time of the end, it will be the most prominent feature of Judaism. Hence, if James' epistle is especially designed for that day, as we believe, it is a striking confirmation to find this strong denunciation of the rich Israelites as apart of its message.

7 The "presence" of the Lord is specially applied to that period of time, at the opening of the day of the Lord, when He begins His work of judgment up to His open manifestation. Then will be the judgment of the rich men, and its close will witness the reward of those who patiently plod on for the prize. In that era He will act as ( Jdg_1:9 ), for it is in this character that

He purges His people. How much better is our expectation! We are awaiting a Saviour

( Php_3:20 ), not a Judge. Rich or poor, for us there is no condemnation.

11 The supreme exhortation to the Circumcision is endure . Salvation itself depends on enduring until the consummation. This is the natural accomplishment of the gospel of the kingdom in which faith and works are both essential. In fact faith and works combine to produce endurance. Without faith there would be no incentive to continue, and those who are striving would lose heart. With us the emphasis is on believe . Faith in God is the ground of grace which allows of no admixture of works, so far as salvation is concerned.

Verses 12-20

12 This prohibition is essentially the same as that given by our Lord ( Mat_5:34 ).

15 "The prayer of faith will save the sick" is a very loose rendering of this passage. The word which they translate "prayer" thirty-seven times is not here. In its place is one of its elements, which the A. V. itself renders "vow" on the only other occasions on which it occurs ( Act_18:18 ; Act_21:23 ). In neither context can it possibly mean prayer. So we are sure that a vow, not a prayer, is intended here. So, also, with the word "falter". In Heb_12:3 , the only other occurrence, they rendered it "wearied", because it is evidently a synonym of "faint". But they were not willing to say "shall save the wearied". It may be that the confession of sins to one another here inculcated, as a condition for healing, is the text which originally led to the confessional. It has no appeal for those who realize their completeness in Christ and the exclusively spiritual character of God's transcendent grace in this economy.

17 Elijah prayed in his prayer. He did not apportion praise and blame to men, or seek to flatter men and dictate to God.

18 This epistle, in a vague way, seems to be a literary reversal, that is, each subject is considered once in the first half, and referred to again in the second half, but in reverse order. We have the request for wisdom in the beginning ( Jam_1:5 ) and the prayer for healing near the end ( Jam_5:13-16 ). But the correspondences are not sufficiently close or consecutive to create a real skeleton of the epistle.

19-20 The peril of straying will be specially great in the last days ( Rev_2:20 ; Rev_12:9 ; Rev_13:14 ). The ministry of restoration will be necessary. A deceived is in a worse plight than a sick man. The elders may help the latter, anyone may help the former. The ministry is its own reward. It does not mean that one can cover his own sins by trying to correct other people-a too common practice, we fear.