Bible Commentaries
James 1

Verse 1

servant . App-190 .

God . App-98 .

Lord . App-98 .

Jesus Christ . App-98 . Only here and James 2:1 in this epistle.

twelve . No suggestion of the separate houses of Judah and Israel. Note the complete number.

scattered abroad = in the dispersion (Greek. diaspora. See John 7:35 ).

greeting . Greek. chairo. Used in this sense in Acts 15:23 ; Acts 23:26 . Genitive "rejoice".

Verse 2

fall . Greek. peripipto. See Acts 27:41 .

temptations = trials. Compare Luke 22:28 . Acts 20:19 . 1Pe 1:6 ; 1 Peter 4:12 .

Verse 3

Knowing . App-132 .

trying = testing. Gr dokimion. Only here and 1 Peter 1:7 .

faith . App-150 . Read, "your tested faith".

patience . Compare Romans 5:3 .

Verse 4

perfect . App-125 .

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

entire . Greek. holokleros. Only here and 1 Thessalonians 5:23 .

wanting = lacking. Greek. leipo. See James 2:15 .

nothing = in (Greek. en) nothing (Greek. medeis) .

Verse 5

If = But if. App-118 .

any . App-123 .

lack . Greek. leipo , as James 1:4 .

ask . App-134 .

of = from. App-104 .

liberally . Greek. haplos. Only here. The noun in 2 Corinthians 9:11 , 2 Corinthians 9:13 .

Verse 6

nothing . Greek. medeis, as James 1:4 .

wavering . App-122 . Compare Matthew 7:7 , Matthew 7:8 .

is like . Greek. eoika . Only here and James 1:23 . The root (obs.) is eiko ; compare eikon , image.

wave . See Luke 8:24 .

driven . Greek. anemizomai. Only here.

tossed . Greek. rhipizomai. Only here.

Verse 7

man . App-123 .

think . Only here and Philippians 1:1 , Philippians 1:16 . See John 21:25 .

any thing . Neut. of tis . App-123 .

Lord . App-98 .

Verse 8

double minded . Greek. dipsuchos. Only here and James 4:8 . There is no verb, but "double minded" and "unstable" qualify "that man". Compare Psalms 119:113 .

man . App-123 .

unstable . Greek. akatastatos. Only here and James 3:8 . The noun, Luke 21:9 .

Verse 9

the brother, &c . = the lowly (Greek. tapeinos. See Romans 12:16 ) brother.

rejoice . See Romans 2:17 .

that he is exalted = his exaltation. Greek. hupsos. See Luke 1:78 .

Verse 10

that he is made low = his humbling (Greek. tapeinosis. See Acts 8:33 ).

flower . Greek. anthos. Only here; Jam 1:11 . 1 Peter 1:24 .

Verse 11

is no sooner risen . Literally rose.

a = the.

burning heat . Greek. kauson. Only here; Matthew 20:12 .Luke 12:55 .

but, &c . = and withered.

falleth = fell. Same word in Romans 9:6 .

grace . App-184 .

fashion . Literally presence or face (James 1:23 ).

perisheth = perished. Greek. apollumi. See Romans 14:15 .

also shall, &c . = shall the rich man also.

fade away . Greek. maraino. Only here.

ways . Greek. poreia. Only here and Luke 13:22 . Not the same word as in James 1:8 .

Verse 12

Blessed . Greek. makarios, as in Matthew 5:3 , &c.

is = hath become.

tried = tested. Greek. dokimos. Elsewhere translated "approved". See Romans 14:18 .

life . App-170 .

love . App-135 . Compare Hebrews 12:5 , Hebrews 12:6 .

Verse 13

no man = no one. Greek. medeis.

of = from. App-104 .

cannot be, &c . = is incapable of being tempted. Greek. apeirastos. Only here.

evil . App-128 .

neither tempteth he any man = and He Himself tempteth no one (Greek. oudeis) .

Verse 14

every man = each one.

when, &c . = being drawn away. Greek. exelkomai. Only here.

of . App-104 .

lust . See John 8:44 , and compare Romans 7:7 .

enticed . Greek. deleazo. Only here and 2 Peter 2:14 , 2 Peter 2:18 .

Verse 15

when lust, &c . = lust, having conceived.

sin . App-128 .

finished = completely finished. Greek. apoteleo. Only here.

bringeth forth . Greek. apokueo. Only here and James 1:18 .

death . See Romans 6:21 .

Verse 16

Do not err = Be not deceived.

beloved . App-135 .

Verse 17

gift . Greek. dosis. Only here and Philippians 1:4 , Philippians 1:15 .

gift . Greek. dorema. Only here and Romans 5:16 .

from above . Greek. anothen. See John 3:3 .

and cometh = coming.

Father . App-98 .

lights . App-130 .

with . App-104 .

is no . Literally there is not ( App-105 ) present (Greek. eneimi) .

variableness . Greek. parallage. Only here.

neither = or.

shadow . Greek. aposkiasma . Only here.

of . i.e. cast by, or due to.

turning . Greek. trope. Only here.

Verse 18

Of His own will = Having willed. App-102 .

begat . Greek. apokueo. See James 1:15 .

word . App-121 . Compare 1 Peter 1:23 .

that = to the end that. Greek. eis . App-104 .

a kind of firstfruits = a certain (Greek. tis) firstfruit (Greek. aparche) . See Romans 8:23 . Compare Romans 11:16 .

creatures . See 1 Timothy 4:4 .

Verse 19

swift . Greek. tachus. Only here, but the adverb occurs frequently.

speak . App-121 .

Verse 20

righteousness . App-191 .

Verse 21

filthiness . Greek. rhuparia. Only here. Compare James 2:2 . 1 Peter 3:21 .

superfluity = abundance. Greek. perisseia . See Romans 5:17 .

naughtiness . App-128 . "Naughty" and "naughtiness" had a much more forcible meaning in King James's day than now. Compare Proverbs 6:12 ; Proverbs 11:6 ; Proverbs 17:4 .Jeremiah 24:2 .

meekness . Greek. prautes . Only here; James 3:13 . 1 Peter 3:15 . Compare App-127 .

engrafted = implanted. Greek. emphutos. Only here. Not the word in Romans 11:17-24 .

souls . App-110 .

Verse 22

be = become.

hearers . Greek. akroates. Only here, verses: James 1:23 , James 1:25 .Romans 2:13 .

deceiving . Greek. paralogizomai, to deceive by false reasoning. Only here and Colossians 2:4 .

Verse 23

unto = to.

beholding . Greek. katanoeo. Genitive rendered "consider. " App-133 .

his natural face . Literally the face (James 1:11 ) of his birth (Greek. genesis. Only here, James 3:6 , and Matthew 1:1 ).

glass = mirror. Greek. esoptron. Only here and 1 Corinthians 13:12

Verse 24

beholdeth = beheld. See James 1:23 .

goeth, &c . = departed.

forgetteth = forgot.

Verse 25

Whoso = he that.

looketh . Literally stooped down (to look). Greek. parakupto . App-133 . See John 20:5 .

the perfect, &c . = the perfect law, that of liberty.

perfect . App-125 .

continueth = continued. Greek. parameno. See 1 Corinthians 16:6 .

he . The texts omit.

forgetful hearer = hearer of forgetfulness. App-17 .

forgetful . Greek. epilesmone. Only here.

the . Omit.

this man = this one.

deed = doing. Greek. poiesis. Only here.

Verse 26

man = one.

among you . The texts omit.

seem = thinks himself. Compare James 4:5 .

religious . Greek. threskos. Only here in N.T., and nowhere found in Classical Greek. It means a careful follower of the observances connected with his belief.

bridleth . Greek. chalinagogeo. Only here and James 3:2 .

deceiveth . Greek. apatao. See Ephesians 5:6 .

religion . Greek. threskeia. See Acts 26:5 .

vain . Greek. mataios. See Acts 14:15 .

Verse 27

undefiled . Greek. amiantos. See Hebrews 7:26 .

before . App-104 .

visit . App-133 . Compare Matthew 26:36 , Matthew 26:43 . Personal interest and sympathy are enjoined. Compare Micah 6:8 .

fatherless . Greek. orphanos. Only here and John 14:18 .

affliction . See Acts 7:10 .

unspotted . Greek. aspilos. See 1 Timothy 6:14 .

world . App-129 .