Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
James 1:9

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 9. Let the brother of low degree — The poor, destitute Christian may glory in the cross of Christ, and the blessed hope laid up for him in heaven; for, being a child of God, he is an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

1:1-18 LIFE’S TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES

James’ readers are scattered over the area of the early church’s expansion (1:1), but no matter where they live, they share the same responsibilities as Christians everywhere. One of these responsibilities requires them to do something that by nature is very difficult, namely, face the trials of life with joy. This joy comes through the knowledge that trials help believers to develop endurance and so strengthen their Christian character (2-4).
When faced with problems, believers often do not know what to do for the best. God understands and gladly gives wisdom to those who ask for it, so that they can make the correct decisions (5). However, he does not give it to those who have confidence in their own wisdom, who doubt his ability to help, or who have no desire for the character that he wants to produce (6-8).
In the churches to which James wrote, some were rich, others poor. James assures them that there will be no problem of mixing with each other in true fellowship if all realize that through Christ they have equal status before God. The poor as well as the rich have a high position in Christ; the rich as well as the poor must humble themselves in coming to Christ. People are foolish to seek eagerly after financial status, for it has no lasting value (9-11).
Those who meet trials in the right attitude will grow in their understanding and enjoyment of the life God has given them (12). It is important to recognize the difference between the outward trial and the inward temptation. When people are experiencing trials, they can easily be tempted to do wrong and then blame God for their failure. God can neither tempt nor be tempted, because he is holy (13). Giving in to temptation prevents people from experiencing the sort of life that God intended for them. In the end it brings disaster (14-15).
Far from tempting to do evil, God is the source of all good. The light from the sun, the moon and the stars varies from hour to hour, but God who created them never changes. Likewise in matters concerning his children he never varies. He never desires evil, but always desires good (16-17). He wants them to be perfect, the finest creatures in all his creation, just as the grain that the Israelites offered was the finest in all their fields (18).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

But let the brother of low degree glory in his high estate:

Brother of low degree … This refers to the poor, the slave, the bottom of the social ladder; and the perfection which may be attained by any such disadvantaged person is achieved in his realization of his exalted status as a Christian. Christianity brings to every man what he needs … the despised poor learn self-respect … the proud rich learn self-abasement." William Barclay, op. cit., p. 47. The perfection in Christ Jesus exalts the brother of low degree and brings a healing humility to the mighty and the proud. The gospel if given free course in the lives of men will lead to perfection. "It elevates the poor under his depression, and humbles the rich in his elevation." Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 22.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Let the brother of low degree - This verse seems to introduce a new topic, which has no other connection with what precedes than that the apostle is discussing the general subject of trials. Compare James 1:2. Turning from the consideration of trials in general, he passes to the consideration of a particular kind of trials, that which results from a change of circumstances in life, from poverty to affluence, and from affluence to poverty. The idea which seems to have been in the mind of the apostle is, that there is a great and important trial of faith in any reverse of circumstances; a trial in being elevated from poverty to riches, or in being depressed from a state of affluence to want. Wherever change occurs in the external circumstances of life, there a man’s religion is put to the test, and there he should feel that God is trying the reality of his faith. The phrase “of low degree” (ταπεινὸς tapeinos) means one in humble circumstances; one of lowly rank or employment; one in a condition of dependence or poverty. It stands here particularly opposed to one who is rich; and the apostle doubtless had his eye, in the use of this word, on those who had been poor.

Rejoice - Margin, “glory.” Not because, being made rich, he has the means of sensual gratification and indulgence; not because he will now be regarded as a rich man, and will feel that he is above want; not even because he will have the means of doing good to others. Neither of these was the idea in the mind of the apostle; but it was, that the poor man that is made rich should rejoice because his faith and the reality of his religion are now tried; because a test is furnished which will show, in the new circumstances in which he is placed, whether his piety is genuine. In fact, there is almost no trial of religion which is more certain and decisive than that furnished by a sudden transition from poverty to affluence from adversity to prosperity, from sickness to health. There is much religion in the world that will bear the ills of poverty, sickness, and persecution, or that will bear the temptations arising from prosperity, and even affluence, which will not bear the transition from one to the other; as there is many a human frame that could become accustomed to bear either the steady heat of the equator, or the intense cold of the north, that could not bear a rapid transition from the one to the other. See this thought illustrated in the notes at Philippians 4:12.

In that he is exalted - A good man might rejoice in such a transition, because it would furnish him the means of being more extensively useful; most persons would rejoice because such a condition is that for which men commonly aim, and because it would furnish them the means of display, of sensual gratification, or of ease; but neither of these is the idea of the apostle. The thing in which we are to rejoice in the transitions of life is, that a test is furnished of our piety; that a trial is applied to it which enables us to determine whether it is genuine. The most important thing conceivable for us is to know whether we are true Christians, and we should rejoice in everything that will enable us to settle this point.

(Yet it seems not at all likely that an Apostle would exhort a poor man to rejoice in his exaltation to wealth. An exhortation to fear and trembling appears more suitable. Wealth brings along with it so many dangerous temptations, that a man must have greater confidence in his faith and stability than he ought to have, who can rejoice in its acquisition, simply as furnishing occasion to try him: the same may be said of poverty, or of the transition front riches to poverty. The spirit of Agar is more suitable to the humility of piety, “Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain, “Proverbs 30:8-9. Besides, there is no necessity for resorting to this interpretation. The words will, without any straining, bear another sense, which is both excellent in itself, and suitable in its connection. The poor man, or man in humble life, may well rejoice “in that he is exalted” to the dignity of a child of God, and heir of glory.

If he be depressed with his humble rank in this life, let him but think of his spiritual elevation, of his relation to God and Christ, and he shall have an antidote for his dejection. What is the world’s dignity in comparison of his! The rich man, or the man of rank, on the other hand, has reason to rejoice “in that he is made low” through the possession of a meek and humble spirit which his affluence illustrates, but neither destroys nor impairs. It would be matter of grief were he otherwise minded; since all his adventitious splendor is as evanescent as the flower which, forming for a time the crown of the green stalk on which it hangs, perishes before it. This falls admirably in with the design of the Apostle, which was to fortify Christians against trial. Every condition in life had its own trials. The two great conditions of poverty and wealth had theirs; but Christianity guards against the danger, both of the one state and of the other. It elevates the poor under his depression, and humbles the rich in his elevation, and bids both rejoice in its power to shield and bless them. The passage in this view is conceived in the same spirit with one of Paul, in which he beautifully balances the respective conditions of slaves and freemen, by honoring the former with the appellation of the Lord’s freemen, and imposing on the latter that of Christ’s servants, 1 Corinthians 7:22.)

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

9Let the brother of low degree. As Paul, exhorting servants submissively to bear their lot, sets before them this consolation, that they were the free-men of God, having been set free by his grace from the most miserable bondage of Satan, and reminds them, though free, yet to remember that they were the servants of God; so here James in the same manner bids the lowly to glory in this, that they had been adopted by the Lord as his children; and the rich, because they had been brought down into the same condition, the world’s vanity having been made evident to them. Thus the first thing he would have to do is to be content with their humble and low state; and he forbids the rich to be proud. Since it is incomparably the greatest dignity to be introduced into the company of angels, nay, to be made the associates of Christ, he who estimates this favor of God aright, will regard all other things as worthless. Then neither poverty, nor contempt, nor nakedness, nor famine nor thirst, will make his mind so anxious, but that he will sustain himself with this consolation. “Since the Lord has conferred on me the principal thing, it behooves me patiently to bear the loss of other things, which are inferior.”

Behold, how a lowly brother ought to glory in his elevation or exaltation; for if he be accepted of God, he has sufficient consolation in his adoption alone, so as not to grieve unduly for a less prosperous state of life.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Let's turn to James chapter one. James introduces himself as the bondslave of God and of Jesus Christ. It's a title that most of the apostles delighted to take. Renouncing any claim for any rights, turning their lives over totally to God and to the lordship of Jesus Christ, they did not consider their lives their own. They were bereft of ambitions in a personal way. They lived solely to serve the Lord and to please Him.

A bondslave was just that, one who lived completely for his master. He had no rights of ownership, could not hold title to anything, everything he had belonged to his master. He was there only to serve.

James, a bondslave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad ( James 1:1 ).

Not to the ten lost tribes for they were not and they have not been. They are the twelve tribes that are scattered abroad. This is before the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. In fact, they think that James is probably one of the earliest epistles written. It pre-dates the Pauline epistles. And so there's some people who say, "Well, James wrote his epistle to counteract Paul's teaching on salvation through grace and all." Not so, James wrote his epistle before Paul wrote his. So if he wrote it to counteract Paul's epistles, it was a pretty interesting document in that he wrote his epistle probably five years before Paul wrote his first epistle; two years at least.

So, James addressing the twelve tribes scattered abroad. His greeting. He uses the typical Greek greeting here which actually is the same word for grace.

My brethren count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations ( James 1:2 );

We are constantly faced with temptations. It's just a part of life. And in each temptation there has to be a decision on our part, whether or not we are going to walk in the flesh or to walk in the Spirit. For temptation is any situation that would draw me into the flesh and into a fleshly reaction. I have to choose. Will I walk after the flesh? Will I walk after the Spirit? And we realize that there are all kinds of temptation. They come from all directions.

As I shared this morning, driving I think can be one of the greatest temptations in the world to get in the flesh. It's interesting we were recently in Korea and these people are an extremely gracious, wonderful people. They were so kind and gracious to us. But when they get in a car, they're totally different. I mean, I owe a great deal of my spiritual development to riding in a car in Seoul, Korea. I really learned to pray. The temptation of responding or reacting in the flesh to the foolish moves of other drivers.

Temptations that come because of our possessions. Something happening to my possession because we try to possess our possessions. We so often find ourselves angered, responding in the flesh because something has happened to my prized possession.

Temptations that come because of interpersonal relationships. Temptations that come from so many areas. Divers temptations where I am prone to respond after the flesh. I want to respond after the flesh.

Now we are told to count it all joy, a strange response to temptations. Usually I don't like to be tested. I would rather that everything went very smoothly. I would rather that no one got in my way. I would rather that no one cross me. No one cut in front of me. That I would much rather see. But it doesn't happen that way. Life isn't that way. Life is filled with disappointments. There are always those that are going crosscurrent to you. There will always be those who will be irritants to you. An irritating situation. I cannot rule and order my life, as I would have it.

If I did, I would become so spoiled and rotten and pompous. Wanting everybody to bow. Wanting everybody to yield. Wanting everybody to submit. Doesn't happen that way. And so for my growth, for my development, temptation is necessary. It's a part of the testing and that's what we are told here.

the trying of our faith ( James 1:3 )

The another word for that is the proving of our faith. You say you believe God? Hey, big deal. Devils do, too. The proving of your faith.

Now the proving of the faith is never really for God's benefit. God knows the truth about you the whole while.

Someone told me the other day, "Oh, I'm afraid I've disappointed God." I said, "No, no, no, it's impossible to disappoint God. You've disappointed yourself. God knew it all the time. You didn't and so you disappointed yourself. You didn't disappoint God. He knew that was there. He knew that that would be your response. He wasn't at all disappointed."

We disappoint ourselves because we oftentimes think we are further down the road than we really are. I thought I was over that hump. I thought I had conquered that area. And here comes the situation where I'm tested and golly, I blow it. You know I'm so disappointed. Why did I say that? Why did I do that? But I shouldn't feel condemned like "Oh, I've let God down," or "I disappointed God." No, God knew it the whole while. But I needed to know it. And so God allowed the situation so I could find it out. And so temptation, something that is common to all men. Count it all joy because temptation is the testing of our faith and this testing of our faith develops patience, or

works patience ( James 1:3 ).

What a needed quality, patience. So often our failure is in waiting upon God. And that is true throughout the Bible. So many within the Scriptures got into trouble because they didn't wait upon God. They failed in the test of faith in areas of their life.

Abraham though he passed the test magnificently with Isaac, yet failed in the birth of Isaac. When God promised to give him a son. He wasn't patient. Sarah finally came and said, oh, come on, Abraham; it's not going to work. You take my handmaid and you have a son by her. And when the child is born, I'll take it on my lap and it will be as my child. But I'm just not going to be able to bear a child, Abraham. Now let's be reasonable about this. Failure of faith. They didn't wait upon God until God responded or answered. The testing of our faith develops patience.

But, like Abraham, whenever I do not wait upon God, I'm always botching things up. Creating problems for myself. And so it's important that I'm tested. That I learn to wait upon God. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience.

But let patience have her complete work that you might be fully mature ( James 1:4 ),

And that's the whole purpose of God is to bring you into a maturity. That we quit acting and responding like little children to the disappointments of life. That we quit throwing our little tantrums at God, stomping our foot and walking away and saying, I'm not going to talk to you anymore. But that we grow up and become mature.

complete, wanting nothing. Now, if any of you lack in wisdom ( James 1:4 , James 1:5 ),

I don't suppose that's addressed to this crowd tonight. We always know exactly what to do, don't we? But if there happens to be one out there that lacks in wisdom,

let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally ( James 1:5 ),

Or freely. What a glorious promise this is. How many times in coming to God do I come on the basis of this verse. I don't know what to do. There are so many things in life that I really don't know what is the right way. I lack wisdom. And it's wonderful to be able to come to God and ask God for wisdom and realize that He'll give to all men freely.

and He upbraids not ( James 1:5 );

He's not going to say, "Oh, come on, stupid thing, what's the matter with you? Can't you see this is what." You know He doesn't upbraid you when you come for wisdom. He doesn't give you a hassle or bad time. But He gives to us freely. Upbraids not

and it shall be given him ( James 1:5 ).

Glorious promise. If I need wisdom, I can ask of God. Now when I ask, it's important that I,

ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like the wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed ( James 1:6 ).

A stormy sea. The waves seem to be rolling back and forth. Tossed by the wind. So is the man who doubts. Tossed to and fro, lacking stability.

For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. For he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways ( James 1:7 , James 1:8 ).

My commitment to God needs to be a complete commitment. I'm not to hold things out and then pull them back. I'm not to offer God my life and then take it back. I'm not really to ask for wisdom and then do my own thing. It isn't asking for wisdom and then making up my mind whether or not I want to follow it. Asking God to reveal His will so I can determine whether or not I want to yield to it. I must make a decision. I must make a commitment. I must determine that I'm going to just commit my life to the Lord's keeping, and then just believe the Lord to keep it. And when things aren't going quite right, or I can't quite understand what's happening, don't say, "Oh, I better take over here now, you know, I don't know what the Lord is doing." And this is so common among us, this wavering bit. Not really for sure. Offering and then taking back. You become unstable in everything.

[Now] let the brother who is poor rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun no sooner is risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower thereof falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways ( James 1:9-11 ).

So James has quite a few things to say concerning the rich. And that is, those who are possessed by their riches he rebukes in chapter two those people in the church who pay special respect to the rich people. Because a person has money, sort of giving them special favors. And that's a policy rebuked in chapter two.

Here in chapter one, he speaks out against those rich who would use their riches to oppress others, to gain a special position. He says, "Hey, you're going to fade like a flower in the field. You're going to pass away." A man of low degree better rejoice in that he's exalted. But the rich in that he is made low.

In the final chapter of the book, he says, "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for the miseries that are come upon you. For you've laid up your gold and silver for the last days. But now it's worthless" ( James 5:1-3 ).

Blessed is the man [or happy is the man] that endures temptations ( James 1:12 ):

That has victory over temptations. What a glorious thing it is when I have been tempted and I'm victorious. I didn't respond after the flesh. I didn't get all upset and angry and say mean things that now I am sorry for. Have you ever noticed how miserable you are whenever you fail? Whenever you blow it? Whenever you just give over to the flesh and you say all these nasty things and you just you know yell and say mean things to people. Afterwards you ever notice how miserable you are? How you just sort of hate yourself and you're embarrassed to go around the people again. You know you've got to apologize for the things you said and all. And you just feel horrible, you feel miserable. I got in the flesh. Miserable experience.

But oh how blessed it is when you have victory and I didn't respond according to the flesh. When I responded after the Spirit, when I did the right thing. And you feel so good because you know that the Lord gave you the strength to respond in the Spirit. Happy is the man that endures temptations, for when he is tempted.

for when he is tried ( James 1:12 ),

Faith is tested; we turn out to be true. And it's important that the faith be tested because we are so prone to deceive ourselves. In the next chapter, actually in this chapter he's going to talk twice of self-deception. If you're a "hearer of the word only, you're deceiving yourself" ( James 1:22 ). If you think that you're a religious person and yet you don't bridle your own tongue, you're deceiving yourself. Your religion is vain. So it is important that faith be tested. It's important that I know where I am. That I know what God knows about me. That I not think more highly of myself than I ought to. That I am not deceived and living in a false sense of security. But that I know the truth. And God allows the temptations, the testing, in order that I might know the truth about myself.

God said to the children of Israel, "For forty years I suffered you in the wilderness, and I tempted you and I proved you, to see what was in your heart" ( Deuteronomy 8:2 ). Not that God would see what was in their heart, He knew it but they didn't know it. So He tested them so that they could see what was in their heart. "For the heart is deceitful, and desperately wicked" ( Jeremiah 17:9 ). It is deceitful and we are guilty so often of deceiving ourselves.

"Be not deceived," Paul said ( 1 Corinthians 6:9 ). Testing is a great way to learn the truth about me. It comes out in the time of trial. Again, when everything is going great, everything is running smooth; I don't know the truth about me. I don't know how I would respond in real adversity. God allows the adversity so that I can see the truth about myself and how I would respond in adversity. And when the adversity comes and I respond after the Spirit, Ah man, what a joyful delight. I often say, "Hey, that's not me. That's the Lord working in me because that isn't the way I would naturally respond." And it's a joy to see God's Spirit working in our lives, transforming us into the image of Jesus Christ.

When we've been tried,

[we] shall receive the crown of life ( James 1:12 ),

Now Jesus to the church of Smyrna in His letter to the church of Smyrna in book of Revelation 2 , He spoke about the trials that they were going to go through. But He said, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give to thee a crown of life" ( Revelation 2:10 ). And so this glorious crown of life, that eternal life that we have through Jesus Christ.

which the Lord hath promised to those that love him. Now let no man when he is tempted say, I've been tempted by God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, and neither tempteth he any man ( James 1:12 , James 1:13 ):

Now this is temptation in a little different sense. This is temptation, which is a solicitation to evil. It isn't a testing that you can find out where you are. But this is actually a solicitation to evil. God doesn't solicit any man to evil. Satan solicits man to evil. Satan solicited Eve to evil.

You remember when there were the five thousand who had followed Jesus to a wilderness place and it was evening and Jesus said to Philip, "You better go in town and buy bread for this multitude" ( John 6:5 ). And John said, "This He said proving him" ( John 6:6 ). The word "prove" there is the same Greek word as "tempt." This He said tempting him because Jesus knew what He was going to do. He just wanted Philip to say, "Oh man, what do you mean, Lord, you know. Where can we buy enough bread for all these people?" And so Jesus said this testing him. Proving him. The Greek word is the same used for tempting him. But it wasn't a solicitation to evil. It is how are you going to respond; in the flesh or in the Spirit?

And so when our temptations come, if it is a solicitation to evil it isn't of God. It's from Satan. So when I am tempted, solicited to do something evil, I shouldn't say, "Oh God really tempted me today, you know. I saw a man drop his wallet and I could see a hundred-dollar bill in it. Boy, I was tempted by God to keep that money." No, no, no! You weren't tempted by God to keep it.

So "don't let any man say when he's tempted I've been tempted of God. God is not tempted with evil, nor does He tempt man with evil." God does put test before us that we might have the opportunity to respond in the flesh or in the Spirit. But God doesn't tempt us or solicit us to evil.

But every man is tempted [or solicited to evil], when he is drawn away of his own desires or lust, and enticed ( James 1:14 ).

Now there is deep within every man a great desire for fulfillment. There is deep within every man a thirst, which creates sort of a frustration with life. A awareness that there's got to be more to life than this. Jesus was referring to that in the seventh chapter of John in the great day of the feast when He said, "If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink" ( John 7:37 ). He's talking about the spiritual thirst that man has. Not the physical. There is this desire, deep desire that I have for meaning, for fulfillment in life.

Now Satan comes along and he suggests to me that in order to have fulfillment I don't have to be patient and walk the path that God has set before me. But temptation usually involves the idea that I can have immediate fulfillment if I will just turn aside from God's path. Now when Satan came to Jesus, that was the whole idea behind the temptation.

You've come to redeem the world. You've come to bring the world back under the sphere and dominion of God. God has sent You for that purpose, to redeem the world. And God has purposed that you go to the cross and that you suffer and you die in order to redeem the world. Tell you what. You can escape the cross. You don't have to take God's path by way of the cross that's a painful way. You can have immediate fulfillment. Tell you how. If you'll just bow down and worship me, I'll just give you all the kingdoms of the world. You see, the idea was turn aside from God's path and you can find immediate fulfillment right here.

Now that is what Satan is always using, the concept of immediate fulfillment. And to different people he holds out different enticements. You don't have to take God's path. You don't have to follow the word of God. You see, God is restricting you. God is holding you back. That's what he said to Eve. God's keeping you from something good. Here you have fulfillment, it's right here. It's in this fruit, Eve, and God's trying to keep you from something good because He's afraid that you're going to be as wise as He is when you eat of it because this fruit contains the knowledge of good and evil. God doesn't want you to share this knowledge with Him. He's holding back from you. Now you can have immediate fulfillment, Eve, eat and you can have immediate fulfillment.

And so he holds to us forbidden fruit. Something that is contrary to the word of God. Oh, you don't have to take God's path. You can have immediate fulfillment. It lies in this relationship. Maybe fornication, maybe adultery. But oh, he holds it up and you know, here's immediate fulfillment. You don't have to follow God's path at the cross, denying yourself, denying the flesh. No, no, the it lies in turning aside from God's path and indulging the flesh. You can have the fulfillment now. This is what you're really desiring. And he holds out the enticement of immediate fulfillment.

Paul said something quite interesting in his letter to the Ephesians. He said, "Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be ye filled with the Spirit" ( Ephesians 5:18 ). Now those seem like two very unlikely things to relate together. The alcoholic to the Spirit-filled man. And they seem a very unlikely combination to put together. But if you look at it carefully, it isn't. The man who turns to alcohol, what is he looking for? An immediate fulfillment. And Satan has deceived him and said, Hey, here it is. Here's the way to get happy. Here's the way to forget your problems. Here's the way to cope with life. Just enjoy a few drinks till your mind gets fuzzy and you don't have to think about these things. You know, it will just relax you and it will just release the tensions and you can have immediate fulfillment. You don't have to follow God's path.

But what happens to the man who is filled with the Spirit? He has that fulfillment. He has that sense of well being. He has that peace. He is a relaxed person. So the one is searching for it in alcohol, the other has found it in the fullness of the Spirit. And that man who is joyful in the fullness of the Spirit has exactly what the other man is really looking for and searching for. But he's turned aside from God's path and he's searching in the wrong place.

So every man when he is tempted is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. There's a great desire inside. Satan is pointing to this path and saying, "Hey, hey, don't have to go the way of the cross. You don't have to deny yourself. You don't have to take up the cross and follow Jesus. Tell you what, you just follow my path and I'll give it to you instantly. You don't have to wait; you can have it right now."

Now when this desire has conceived, it brings forth sin ( James 1:15 ):

The sin isn't in the temptation. We all of us experience temptation. Even Jesus was tempted of the devil. The sin doesn't lie in the temptation. The sin is there when I give into my desire of my flesh and I turn after the path that Satan suggests. That when the lust is conceived, it gives birth to sin. That's the beginning of sin.

and sin, when it is finished, brings death ( James 1:15 ).

Spiritual death; ultimately, physical death.

Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift ( James 1:16 , James 1:17 )

Now the Greek word here is different from the second Greek word for gift, this is "dosis" and the other one comes from "didomi." And one refers to the giver and the other refers to the gift. The first one here refers to the giver. The act of giving. Every good gift that is given and every or every good giver in a sense.

and every perfect gift is from above ( James 1:17 ),

The gift of God to us. His goodness, His grace, His love, comes from above,

comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning ( James 1:17 ).

The immutability of God. He said, "Behold, I am the Lord God, I change not" ( Malachi 3:6 ). What does that mean? It means that He doesn't alter the rules for you. You're no special exception and you have no special case.

It's interesting how Satan so often seeks to lie to people and say, "Hey, hey, that doesn't apply to you. You know, this is special. I mean, this is real love. And so the rules don't apply to you. You've got a special dispensation of indulgence that God has granted." No way. God does not change the rules for anybody. There is neither shadow, nor variableness of turning with Him.

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth ( James 1:18 ),

Interesting. In John chapter one, the gospel, it says, "Who were born," talking about being born again, "not by the will of man, nor by the will of the flesh, but by the will of God" ( John 1:13 ). Have you been born again? How is it that you were born again? Because you chose to be born again? Not really. Because God chose that you should be born again. You were born again "not of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh but of the will of God."

Jesus said, "You didn't choose me, I chose you, and ordained that you should be my disciples and that you should bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" ( John 15:16 ). That to me is a glorious glorious truth that God chose me. That thrills me that God would choose me. It thrills me because God chose me on the basis of His foreknowledge. "Whom he did foreknow, he did also predestinate" ( Romans 8:29 ). And on the basis of His foreknowledge, He chose me and I have been begotten again by the will of God. I've been born again by the will of God. You've been born "not by the will of man, nor the will of flesh, but by the will of God."

I love it that God should choose me. I love it! I love it especially because He chose me on the basis of His foreknowledge, which means He knew the end from the beginning. And He chose me on the basis of what He knew would be the end of my walk and fellowship with Him. You see, God wouldn't be so foolish as to choose losers. If you had the power of foreknowledge, you wouldn't choose the losers. That'd be ridiculous, wouldn't it? Think of what you can do if you could make all of your choices with the advantage of foreknowledge. You knew exactly what would be the result of this choice.

I knew exactly which horse was going to win every race. I knew the results. You know, win place or show, or whatever they do. Now if you had that kind of knowledge, if you knew in advance that as God does, and you'd go to Santa Anita, would you pick a bunch of losers? You'd be foolish if you did. Of course you wouldn't. You'd pick winners. Now God has that kind of knowledge and He chose you. Hey, hey, hey, what's it mean? Means you're a winner. Means you can't lose. Who have been born again of God.

Peter in his first epistle said, "Thanks be unto God who has begotten us again" ( 1 Peter 1:3 ). But you know that that's but how would you say, Who has borned us again. But that's literally what it is, who has borned us again. My being born again is a work of God, God has chosen me and I was born again by a work of God's Spirit, not by even my own will. "Not the will of man nor the will of the flesh but by the will of God."

So here again, Of his own will, He begat us with His word of truth.

that we should be kind of firstfruits of his creation ( James 1:18 ).

New creatures in Christ.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath ( James 1:19 ):

Now if you've done much counseling with Romaine, you know that he informs you that God gave you two ears and one mouth. Now think about that. It means that He wants you to hear twice as much as what you speak. Don't be so quick to speak. Be quick to hear, but slow to speak, slow to wrath. Oh, if I'd only been slower to speak. If I just kept my mouth shut, how much easier things could have been. But when we are quick to speak, so often we are wrong. And we have to then later take back what we said. So slow to wrath:

For the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God. Wherefore set aside all the filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness ( James 1:20-21 ),

Whatever that is. Superfluid. Another good word would be overflowing. Fluid flows, super is over, so the overflowing of wickedness. Or the abounding of wickedness. So "set apart all filthiness, overflowing of wickedness,"

and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your soul ( James 1:21 ).

Set aside our pride, set aside our wicked ways, and let's just hear the word of God because it is by the word of God that we are born again. It is the seed planted that brings the new birth. The word of God sown in our hearts brings new life, new birth. And so "receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourself. For if any man is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholds himself, and then he goes away, and immediately he forgets what manner of man he was ( James 1:22-24 ).

It's so easy to get sort of an exalted opinion of ourselves. Nothing like little granddaughters to keep you honest, you know. I mean, you look in the mirror and you say, "Umm, you know, look at that flaw. Oh my," you know. Then you go away and you forget. So my little granddaughter says, "Grandpa, your teeth are yellow." Well, I'm prone to forget that. "Grandpa, you got crinkles on your face."

And so the man who is a hearer of the word. You begin to get a false concept of yourself. "Well, after all, I go to Bible studies and I'm really studying the word of God. I really know the Scriptures. I've memorized the book of John and I really know the Scriptures." Yeah, but are you doing it? You see, if you're just a hearer and not a doer of the word, then you are deceiving yourself. You think that you're in better shape than you really are. You're not acknowledging the truth about yourself. And so we need to be the doers of the word. It's "not those that have the law that are justified, but those that do the law," Paul said ( Romans 2:13 ). And that was the mistake that the Jewish people were making. They thought, well, we have the law of Moses. Paul said, No, no, that isn't enough. You've got to keep the law of Moses.

James said, Well you say you have the word of God; that isn't enough. You've got to be doing the word of God. There's got to be the practical application. There's got to be obedience to the commands. Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only because you'll deceive yourself.

But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed ( James 1:25 ).

In the work, in the deeds that he does.

Now if any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, he is deceiving his own heart, and this man's religion is vain ( James 1:26 ).

It's empty.

But pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, Visit the orphans and the widows in their affliction, and keep yourself unspotted from the world ( James 1:27 ).

That's what it's really all about. Doing good for those that are in need. Reaching out to help those. That's what it is to be a doer of the word. It's translated into positive actions of reaching out to help those in need. And to just keep yourself unspotted from the world.

"

Contending for the Faith

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

Let the brother of low degree: The following contrast between the poor brother and the rich one should also be considered within the context of the proper use of trials. A Christian, whether needy or affluent, must master his concern for material possessions if he is going to overcome trials and benefit from them. If either has the wrong outlook concerning his financial condition, the chances are he will have great difficulties in overcoming his trials.

low degree: "Low degree" (tapeinos) refers either to one who is poor financially or one who is poor spiritually, indicating humility. In this case James is discussing the man who is poor financially.

rejoice: He is told to "rejoice" (kauchastho), meaning to boast or take pride in. Boasting can be good or bad, depending upon its use in the context. In this case, the boasting is good and is allowed. This word is another present imperative, used here as giving permission. The present tense signifies that he should continue his boasting and should adopt it as an habitual characteristic of his life.

exalted: He is to rejoice because he is "exalted" (hupsei), signifying a high position or rank. That high position is a result of his being a Christian. In spite of his poor economic condition, he must rejoice in what he is: a child of God and a member of the Lord’s church. There are no greater privileges or blessings to be found than those in the kingdom of heaven. In the eyes of the rich, he may seem unimportant and insignificant, but in God’s eyes he is special. Later in this epistle, James grants more honor to the poor Christian by saying he is "rich in faith" (James 2:5).

How does this rejoicing by the poor over his high position relate to overcoming trials? What is the connection between rejoicing and overcoming? If the poor brother will constantly rejoice that he is a Christian and a recipient of heaven’s true riches and not dwell on his earthly misfortune, then he will not allow trials to impede his journey toward heaven. However, if he constantly reminds himself of his own poverty and gazes with envious eyes toward the wealthy, there is the strong possibility that he can become bitter or self-pitying. In a weakened condition, he is susceptible to being overwhelmed by trials. Keeping one’s priorities straight is essential in coping with trials.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

A. The Value of Trials 1:2-11

The writer pointed out the value of trials to encourage his readers to adopt a positive attitude toward these experiences, to endure them, and to view them as God’s tools. God uses trials to shape believers into people that will glorify Himself.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

II. TRIALS AND TRUE RELIGION 1:2-27

James began his letter, which is in many ways a lecture, by dealing with the problem of trials that all believers encounter. Jews who became Christians in the early history of the church experienced much antagonism and persecution from their unbelieving fellow Jews, as is clear in the Book of Acts. All Christians who take a stand for the Lord continue to have to deal with such trials. Thus James’ inspired advice is perennially relevant.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Materially poor believers should derive joy from focusing their thinking on their spiritual riches.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

4. The larger view of circumstances 1:9-11

James had been urging his readers to adopt God’s view of their trials (James 1:2-4). Now he returned to this subject, broadened their perspective, and encouraged them to adopt His viewpoint on all their present circumstances.

Barclay's Daily Study Bible

Chapter 1

GREETINGS ( James 1:1 )

1:1 James, the slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greetings to the twelve tribes who are scattered throughout the world.

At the very beginning of his letter James describes himself by the title wherein lies his only honour and his only glory, the slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. With the exception of Jude he is the only New Testament writer to describe himself by that term (doulos, G1401) without any qualification. Paul describes himself as the slave of Jesus Christ and his apostle ( Romans 1:1; Php_1:1 ). But James will go no further than to call himself the slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are at least four implications in this title.

(i) It implies absolute obedience. The slave knows no law but his master's word; he has no rights of his own; he is the absolute possession of his master; and he is bound to give his master unquestioning obedience.

(ii) It implies absolute humility. It is the word of a man who thinks not of his privileges but of his duties, not of his rights but of his obligations. It is the word of the man who has lost his self in the service of God.

(iii) It implies absolute loyalty. It is the word of the man who has no interests of his own, because what he does, he does for God. His own profit and his own preference do not enter into his calculations; his loyalty is to him.

(iv) Yet, at the back of it, this word implies a certain pride. So far from being a title of dishonour it was the title by which the greatest ones of the Old Testament were known. Moses was the doulos ( G1401) of God ( 1 Kings 8:53; Daniel 9:11; Malachi 4:4); so were Joshua and Caleb ( Joshua 24:29; Numbers 14:24); so were the great patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ( Deuteronomy 9:27); so was Job ( Job 1:8); so was Isaiah ( Isaiah 20:3); and doulos ( G1401) is distinctively the title by which the prophets were known ( Amos 3:7; Zechariah 1:6; Jeremiah 7:25). By taking the title doulos ( G1401) James sets himself in the great succession of those who found their freedom and their peace and their glory in perfect submission to the will of God. The only greatness to which the Christian can ever aspire is that of being the slave of God.

There is one unusual thing about this opening salutation. James sends greetings to his readers; using the word chairein ( G5463) which is the regular opening word of salutation in secular Greek letters. Paul never uses it. He always uses the distinctively Christian greeting, "Grace and peace" ( Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Php_1:2 ; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; Philemon 1:3). This secular greeting occurs only twice in the rest of the New Testament, in the letter which Claudius Lysias, the Roman officer, wrote to Felix to ensure the safe journeying of Paul ( Acts 23:26), and in the general letter issued after the decision of the Council of Jerusalem to allow the Gentiles into the Church ( Acts 15:23). This is interesting, because it was James who presided over that Council ( Acts 15:13). It may be that he used the most general greeting that he could find because his letter was going out to the widest public.

THE JEWS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD ( James 1:1 continued)

The letter is addressed to the twelve tribes who are scattered abroad. Literally the greeting is to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora ( G1290) , the technical word for the Jews who lived outside Palestine. All the millions of Jews who were, for one reason or another, outside the Promised Land were the Diaspora ( G1290) . This dispersal of the Jews throughout the world was of the very greatest importance for the spread of Christianity, because it meant that all over the world there were synagogues, from which the Christian preachers could take their start; and it meant that all over the world there were groups of men and women who themselves already knew the Old Testament, and who had persuaded others among the Gentiles, at least to be interested in their faith. Let us see how this dispersal took place.

Sometimes--and the process began in this way--the Jews were forcibly taken out of their own land and compelled to live as exiles in foreign lands. There were three such great movements.

(i) The first compulsory removal came when the people of the Northern Kingdom, who had their capital in Samaria, were conquered by the Assyrians and were carried away into captivity in Assyria ( 2 Kings 17:23; 1 Chronicles 5:26). These are the lost ten tribes who never returned. The Jews themselves believed that at the end of all things all Jews would be gathered together in Jerusalem, but until the end of the world these ten tribes, they believed, would never return. They founded this belief on a rather fanciful interpretation of an Old Testament text. The Rabbis argued like this: "The ten tribes never return for it is said of them, 'He will cast them into another land, as at this day' ( Deuteronomy 29:28). As then this day departs and never returns, so too are they to depart and never return. As this day becomes dark, and then again light, so too will it one day be light again for the ten tribes for whom it was dark."

(ii) The second compulsory removal was about 580 B.C. At that time the Babylonians conquered the Southern Kingdom whose capital was at Jerusalem, and carried the best of the people away to Babylon ( 2 Kings 24:14-16; Psalms 137:1-9). In Babylon the Jews behaved very differently; they stubbornly refused to be assimilated and to lose their nationality. They were said to be congregated mainly in the cities of Nehardea and Nisibis. It was actually in Babylon that Jewish scholarship reached its finest flower; and there was produced the Babylonian Talmud, the immense sixty-volume exposition of the Jewish law. When Josephus wrote his Wars of the Jews, the first edition was not in Greek but in Aramaic, and was designed for the scholarly Jews in Babylon. He tells us that the Jews rose to such power there that at one time the province of Mesopotamia was under Jewish rule. Its two Jewish rulers were Asidaeus and Anilaeus; and on the death of Anilaeus it was said that no fewer than 50,000 Jews were massacred.

(iii) The third compulsory transplantation took place much later. When Pompey conquered the Jews and took Jerusalem in 63 B.C., he took back to Rome many Jews as slaves. Their rigid adherence to their own ceremonial law and their stubborn observance of the Sabbath made them difficult slaves; and most of them were freed. They took up residence in a kind of quarter of their own on the far side of the Tiber. Before long they were to be found flourishing all over the city. Dio Cassius says of them, "They were often suppressed, but they nevertheless mightily increased, so that they achieved even the free exercise of their customs." Julius Caesar was their great protector and we read of them mourning all night long at his bier. We read of them present in large numbers when Cicero was defending Flaccus. In A.D. 19 the whole Jewish community was banished from Rome on the charge that they had robbed a wealthy female proselyte on pretence of sending the money to the Temple and at that time 4,000 of them were conscripted to fight against the brigands in Sardinia; but they were soon received back. When the Jews of Palestine sent their deputation to Rome to complain of the rule of Archelaus, we read that the deputation was joined by 8,000 Jews resident in the city. Roman literature is full of contemptuous references to the Jews, for anti-Semitism is no new thing; and the very number of the references is proof of the part that the Jews played in the life of the city.

Compulsory transplantation took the Jews by the thousand to Babylon and to Rome. But far greater numbers left Palestine of their own free-will for more comfortable and more profitable lands. Two lands in particular received thousands of Jews. Palestine was sandwiched between the two great powers, Syria and Egypt and was, therefore, liable at any time to become a battleground. For that reason many Jews left it to take up residence either in Egypt or in Syria.

During the time of Nebuchadnezzar there was a voluntary exodus of many Jews to Egypt ( 2 Kings 25:26). As far back as 650 B.C. the Egyptian king Psammetichus was said to have had Jewish mercenaries in his armies. When Alexander the Great founded Alexandria special privileges were offered to settlers there and the Jews came in large numbers. Alexandria was divided into five administrative sections; and two of them were inhabited by Jews. In Alexandria alone there were more than 1,000.000 Jews. The settlement of the Jews in Egypt went so far that about 50 B.C. a temple, modelled on the Jerusalem one, was built at Leontopolis for the Egyptian Jews.

The Jews also went to Syria. The highest concentration was in Antioch, where the gospel was first preached to the Gentiles and where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians. In Damascus we read of 10,000 of them being massacred at one time.

So, then, Egypt and Syria had very large Jewish populations. But they had spread far beyond that. In Cyrene in North Africa we read that the population was divided into citizens, agriculturists, resident aliens and Jews. Mommsen, the Roman historian, writes: "The inhabitants of Palestine were only a portion, and not the most important portion, of the Jews; the Jewish communities of Babylonia, Syria, Asia Minor and Egypt were far superior to those of Palestine." That mention of Asia Minor leads us to another sphere in which the Jews were numerous. When Alexander's empire broke up on his death, Egypt fell to the Ptolemies, and Syria and the surrounding districts fell to Seleucus and his successors, known as the Seleucids. The Seleucids had two great characteristics. They followed a deliberate policy of the fusion of populations hoping to gain security by banishing nationalism. And they were inveterate founders of cities. These cities needed citizens, and special attractions and privileges were offered to those who would settle in them. The Jews accepted citizenship of these cities by the thousand. All over Asia Minor, in the great cities of the Mediterranean sea coast, in the great commercial centres, Jews were numerous and prosperous. Even there there were compulsory transplantations. Antiochus the Great took 2,000 Jewish families from Babylon and settled them in Lydia and Phrygia. In fact, so great was the drift from Palestine that the Palestine Jews complained against their brethren who left the austerities of Palestine for the baths and feasts of Asia and Phrygia; and Aristotle tells of meeting a Jew in Asia Minor who was "not only Greek in his language but in his very soul."

It is quite clear that everywhere in the world there were Jews. Strabo, the Greek geographer, writes: "It is hard to find a spot in the whole world which is not occupied and dominated by Jews." Josephus, the Jewish historian writes: "There is no city, no tribe, whether Greek or barbarian, in which Jewish law and Jewish customs have not taken root." The Sibylline Oracles, written about 140 B.C., say that every land and every sea is filled with the Jews. There is a letter, said to be from Agrippa to Caligula, which Philo quotes. In it he says that Jerusalem is the capital not only of Judaea but of most countries by reason of the colonies it has sent out on fitting occasions into the neighbouring lands of Egypt, Phoenicia, Syria, Coelesyria, and the still more remote Pamphylia and Cilicia, into most parts of Asia as far as Bithynia, and into the most distant corners of Pontus; also to Europe, Thessaly, Boeotia, Macedonia, Aetolia, Attica, Argos, Corinth, and the most and best parts of the Peloponnese. And not only is the continent full of Jewish settlements, but also the more important islands--Euboea, Cyprus, Crete--to say nothing of the lands beyond the Euphrates, for all have Jewish inhabitants.

The Jewish Diaspora was coextensive with the world; and there was no greater factor in the spread of Christianity.

THE RECIPIENTS OF THE LETTER ( James 1:1 continued)

James writes to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora. Who has he in his mind's eye as he writes? The twelve tribes in the Diaspora could equally well mean any of three things.

(i) It could stand for all the Jews outside of Palestine. We have seen that they were numbered by the million. There were actually far more Jews scattered throughout Syria and Egypt and Greece and Rome and Asia Minor and all the Mediterranean lands and far off Babylon than there were in Palestine. Under the conditions of the ancient world it would be quite impossible to send out a message to such a huge and scattered constituency.

(ii) It could mean Christian Jews outside Palestine. In this instance, it would mean the Jews in the lands closely surrounding Palestine, perhaps particularly those in Syria and in Babylon. Certainly if anyone was going to write a letter to these Jews, it would be James, for he was the acknowledged leader of Jewish Christianity.

(iii) The phrase could have a third meaning. To the Christians, the Christian Church was the real Israel. At the end of Galatians Paul sends his blessing to the Israel of God ( Galatians 6:16). The nation Israel had been the specially chosen people of God; but they had refused to accept their place and their responsibility and their task. When the Son of God came they had rejected him. Therefore all the privileges which had once belonged to them passed over to the Christian Church, for it was in truth the chosen people of God. Paul (compare Romans 9:7-8) had fully worked out the idea. It was his conviction that the true descendants of Abraham were not those who could trace their physical descent from him but those who had made the same venture of faith as he had made. The true Israel was composed not of any particular nation or race but of those who accepted Jesus Christ in faith. So, then, this phrase may well mean the Christian Church at large.

We may choose between the second and the third meanings, each of which gives excellent sense. James may be writing to the Christian Jews scattered amidst the surrounding nations; or he may be writing to the new Israel, the Christian Church.

TESTED AND TRIUMPHANT ( James 1:2-4 )

1:2-4 My brothers, reckon it all joy whenever you become involved in all kinds of testings, for you are well aware that the testing of your faith produces unswerving constancy. And let constancy go on to work out its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, deficient in nothing.

James never suggested to his readers that Christianity would be for them an easy way. He warns them that they would find themselves involved in what the King James Version calls divers temptations. The word translated temptations is peirasmos ( G3986) , whose meaning we must fully understand, if we are to see the very essence of the Christian life.

Peirasmos ( G3986) is not temptation in our sense of the term; it is testing (trial in the Revised Standard Version). Peirasmos ( G3986) is trial or testing directed towards an end, and the end is that he who is tested should emerge stronger and purer from the testing. The corresponding verb peirazein ( G3985) , which the King James Version usually translates to tempt, has the same meaning. The idea is not that of seduction into sin but of strengthening and purifying. For instance, a young bird is said to test (peirazein, G3985) its wings. The Queen of Sheba was said to come to test (peirazein, G3985) the wisdom of Solomon. God was said to test (peirazein, G3985) Abraham, when he appeared to be demanding the sacrifice of Isaac ( Genesis 22:1). When Israel came into the Promised Land, God did not remove the people who were already there. He left them so that Israel might be tested (peirazein, G3985) in the struggle against them ( Judges 2:22; Judges 3:1; Judges 3:4). The experiences in Israel were tests which went to the making of the people of Israel ( Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 7:19).

Here is a great and uplifting thought. Hort writes: "The Christian must expect to be jostled by trials on the Christian way." All kinds of experiences will come to us. There will be the test of the sorrows and the disappointments which seek to take our faith away. There will be the test of the seductions which seek to lure us from the right way. There will be the tests of the dangers, the sacrifices, the unpopularity which the Christian way must so often involve. But they are not meant to make us fall; they are meant to make us soar. They are not meant to defeat us; they are meant to be defeated. They are not meant to make us weaker; they are meant to make us stronger. Therefore we should not bemoan them; we should rejoice in them. The Christian is like the athlete. The heavier the course of training he undergoes, the more he is glad, because he knows that it is fitting him all the better for victorious effort. As Browning said, we must "welcome each rebuff that turns earth's smoothness rough," for every hard thing is another step on the upward way.

THE RESULT OF TESTING ( James 1:2-4 continued)

James describes this process of testing by the word dokimion ( G1383) . It is an interesting word. It is the word for sterling coinage, for money which is genuine and unalloyed. The aim of testing is to purge us of all impurity.

If we meet this testing in the right way, it will produce unswerving constancy (or steadfastness as the Revised Standard Version translates it). The word is hupomone ( G5281) , which the King James Version translates as patience; but patience is far too passive. Hupomone ( G5281) is not simply the ability to bear things; it is the ability to turn them to greatness and to glory. The thing which amazed the heathen in the centuries of persecution was that the martyrs did not die grimly, they died singing. One smiled in the flames; they asked him what he found to smile at there. "I saw the glory of God," he said, "and was glad." Hupomone ( G5281) is the quality which makes a man able, not simply to suffer things, but to vanquish them. The effect of testing rightly borne is strength to bear still more and to conquer in still harder battles.

This unswerving constancy in the end makes a man three things.

(i) It makes him perfect. The Greek is teleios ( G5046) which usually has the meaning of perfection towards a given end. A sacrificial animal is teleios ( G5046) if it is fit to offer to God. A scholar is teleios ( G5046) if he is mature. A person is teleios ( G5046) if he is full grown. This constancy born of testing well met makes a man teleios ( G5046) in the sense of being fit for the task he was sent into the world to do. Here is a great thought. By the way in which we meet every experience in life we are either fitting or unfitting ourselves for the task which God meant us to do.

(ii) It makes him complete. The Greek is holokleros ( G3648) which means entire, perfect in every part. It is used of the animal which is fit to be offered to God and of the priest who is fit to serve him. It means that the animal or the person has no disfiguring and disqualifying blemishes. Gradually this unswerving constancy removes the weaknesses and the imperfections from a man's character. Daily it enables him to conquer old sins, to shed old blemishes and to gain new virtues, until in the end he becomes entirely fit for the service of God and of his fellow-men.

(iii) It makes him deficient in nothing. The Greek is leipesthai ( G3007) and it is used of the defeat of an army, of the giving up of a struggle, of the failure to reach a standard that should have been reached. If a man meets his testing in the right way, if day by day he develops this unswerving constancy, day by day he will live more victoriously and reach nearer to the standard of Jesus Christ himself.

GOD'S GIVING AND MAN'S ASKING ( James 1:5-8 )

1:5-8 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask it from God, who gives generously to all men and never casts up the gift, and it will be given to him. Let him ask in faith, with no doubts in his mind; for he who oscillates between doubts is like a surge of the sea, wind-driven and blown hither and thither. Let not that man think that he will receive anything from the Lord, a man with a divided mind, inconstant in all his ways.

There is a close connection between this passage and what has gone before. James has just told his readers that, if they use all the testing experiences of life in the right way, they will emerge from them with that unswerving constancy which is the basis of all the virtues. But immediately the question arises, "Where can I find the wisdom and the understanding to use these testing experiences in the right way?" James' answer is, "If a man feels that he has not the wisdom to use aright the experiences of this life--and no man in himself possesses that wisdom--let him ask it from God."

One thing stands out. For James, the Christian teacher with the Jewish background, wisdom is a practical thing. It is not philosophic speculation and intellectual knowledge; it is concerned with the business of living. The Stoics defined wisdom as "knowledge of things human and divine." But Ropes defines this Christian wisdom as "the supreme and divine quality of the soul whereby man knows and practises righteousness." Hort defines it as "that endowment of heart and mind which is needed for the right conduct of life." In the Christian wisdom there is, of course, knowledge of the deep things of God; but it is essentially practical; it is such knowledge turned into action in the decisions and personal relationships of everyday life. When a man asks God for that wisdom, he must remember two things.

(i) He must remember how God gives. He gives generously and never casts up the gift. "All Wisdom," said Jesus the son of Sirach, "cometh from the Lord and is with him for ever" ( Sir_1:1 ). But the Jewish wise men were well aware how the best gift in the world could be spoiled by the manner of the giving. They have much to say about how the fool gives. "My son, blemish not thy good deeds, neither use uncomfortable words when thou givest anything...Lo, is not a word better than a gift? But both are with a gracious man. A fool will upbraid churlishly, and a gift of the envious consumeth the eyes" (i.e., "brings tears") ( Sir_18:15-18 ). "The gift of a fool shall do thee no good when thou hast it; neither yet of the envious for his necessity; for he looketh to receive many things for one. He giveth little, and upbraideth much; he openeth his mouth like a crier; today he lendeth, and tomorrow will he ask it again; such an one is to be hated of God and man" ( Sir_20:14-15 ). The same writer warns against "upbraiding speeches before friends" ( Sir_41:22 ). There is a kind of giver who gives only with a view to getting more than he gives; who gives only to gratify his vanity and his sense of power by putting the recipient under an obligation which he will never be allowed to forget; who gives and then continuously casts up the gift that he has given. But God gives with generosity. Philemon, the Greek poet, called God "the lover of gifts," not in the sense of loving to receive gifts, but in the sense of loving to give them. Nor does God cast up his gifts; he gives with all the splendour of his love, because it is his nature to give.

(ii) We must remember how the asker must ask. He must ask without doubts. He must be sure of both the power and the desire of God to give. If he asks in doubt, his mind is like the broken water of the sea, driven hither and thither by any chance wind. Mayor says that he is like a cork carried by the waves, now near the shore, now far away. Such a man is unstable in his ways. Hort suggests that the picture is of a man who is drunk, staggering from side to side on the road and getting nowhere. James says vividly that such a man is dipsuchos ( G1374) , which literally means a man with two souls, or two minds, inside him. One believes, the other disbelieves; and the man is a walking civil war in which trust and distrust of God wage a continual battle against each other.

If we are to use aright the experiences of life to beget a sterling character, we must ask wisdom from God. And when we ask, we must remember the absolute generosity of God and see to it that we ask believing that we shall receive what God knows it is good and right for us to have.

AS EACH MAN NEEDS ( James 1:9-11 )

1:9-11 Let the lowly brother be proud of his exaltation; and let the rich brother be proud of his humiliation; for he will pass away like a flower of the field. The sun rises with the scorching wind and withers the grass, and the flower wilts, and the beauty of its form is destroyed. So the rich will wither away in all his ways.

As James saw it, Christianity brings to every man what he needs. As Mayor put it "As the despised poor learns self-respect, so the proud rich learns self-abasement."

(i) Christianity brings to the poor man a new sense of his own value. (a) He learns that he matters in the Church. In the early church there were not class distinctions. It could happen that the slave was the minister of the congregation, preaching and dispensing the sacrament, while the master was no more than a humble member. In the Church the social distinctions of the world are obliterated and none matters more than any other. (b) He learns that he matters in the world. It is the teaching of Christianity that every man in this world has a task to do. Every man is of use to God and even if he be confined to a bed of pain, the power of his prayers can still act on the world of men. (e) He learns that he matters to God As Muretus said long ago, "Call no man worthless for whom Christ died."

(ii) Christianity brings to the rich man a new sense of self-abasement. The great peril of riches is that they tend to give a man a false sense of security. He feels that he is safe; he feels that he has the resources to cope with anything and to buy himself out of any situation he may wish to avoid.

James draws a vivid picture, very familiar to the people of Palestine. In the desert places, if there is a shower of rain, the thin green shoots of grass will sprout; but one day's burning sunshine will make them vanish as if they had never been. The scorching heat is the kauson ( G2742) . The kauson was the south-east wind, the Simoon. It came straight from the deserts and burst on Palestine like a blast of hot air when an oven door is opened. In an hour it could wipe out all vegetation.

This is a picture of what a life dependent on riches can be like. A man who puts his trust in riches is trusting in things which the chances and changes of life can take from him at any moment. Life itself is uncertain. At the back of James' mind there is Isaiah's picture: "All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people is grass" ( Isaiah 40:6-7; compare Psalms 103:15).

James' point is this. If life is so uncertain and man so vulnerable, calamity and disaster may come at any moment. Since that is so, a man is a fool to put all his trust in things--like wealth--which he may lose at any moment. He is only wise if he puts his trust in things which he cannot lose.

So, then, James urges the rich to cease to put their trust in that which their own power can amass. He urges them to admit their essential human helplessness and humbly to put their trust in God, who alone can give the things which abide for ever.

THE CROWN OF LIFE ( James 1:12 )

1:12 Happy is the man who meets trial with steadfast constancy because, when he has shown himself of sterling worth, he will receive the crown of life which he has promised to those who love him.

To the man who meets trials in the right way there is joy here and hereafter.

(i) In this life he becomes a man of sterling worth. He is dokimos ( G1384) ; he is like metal which is cleansed of all alloy. The weaknesses of his character are eradicated; and he emerges strong and pure.

(ii) In the life to come he receives the crown of life. There is far more than one thought here. In the ancient world the crown (stephanos, G4735) had at least four great associations.

(a) The crown of flowers was worn at times of joy, at weddings and at feasts (compare Isaiah 28:1-2; SS 3:11). The crown was the sign of festive joy.

(b) The crown was the mark of royalty. It was worn by kings and by those in authority. Sometimes this was the crown of gold; sometimes it was the linen band, or fillet, worn around the brows (compare Psalms 21:3; Jeremiah 13:18).

(c) The crown of laurel leaves was the victor's crown in the games, the prize which the athlete coveted above all (compare 2 Timothy 4:8).

(d) The crown was the mark of honour and of dignity. The instructions of parents can bring a crown of grace to those who listen to them ( Proverbs 1:9); Wisdom provides a man with a crown of glory ( Proverbs 4:9); in a time of disaster and dishonour it can be said, "The crown has fallen from our head" ( Lamentations 5:16).

We do not need to choose between these meanings. They are all included. The Christian has a joy that no other man can ever have. Life for him is like being for ever at a feast. He has a royalty that other men have never realized for, however humble his earthly circumstances, he is the child of God. He has a victory which others cannot win, for he meets life and all its demands in the conquering power of the presence of Jesus Christ. He has a new dignity for he is ever conscious that God thought him worth the life and death of Jesus Christ.

What is the crown? It is the crown of life; and that phrase means that it is the crown which consists of life. The crown of the Christian is a new kind of living which is life indeed; through Jesus Christ he has entered into life more abundant.

James says that if the Christian meets the testings of life in the steadfast constancy which Christ can give, life becomes infinitely more splendid than ever it was before. The struggle is the way to glory, and the very struggle itself is a glory.

PUTTING THE BLAME ON GOD ( James 1:13-15 )

1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, "My temptation comes from God." For God himself is untemptable by evil and tempts no man. But temptation comes to every man, because he is lured on and seduced by his own desire; then desire conceives and begets sin; and, when sin has reached its full development, it spawns death.

At the back of this passage lies a Jewish way of belief to which all of us are to some extent prone. James is here rebuking the man who puts the blame for temptation on God.

Jewish thought was haunted by the inner division that is in every man. It was the problem which haunted Paul: "I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members" ( Romans 7:22-23). Every man was pulled in two directions. Purely as an interpretation of experience the Jews arrived at the doctrine that in every man there were two tendencies. They called them the Yetser ( H3336) Hatob ( H2896) , the good tendency, and the Yetser ( H3336) Hara' ( H7451) , the evil tendency. This simply stated the problem; it did not explain it. In particular, it did not say where the evil tendency came from. So Jewish thought set out to try to explain that.

The writer of Ecclesiasticus was deeply impressed with the havoc that the evil tendency causes. "O Yetser ( H3336) Hara' ( H7451) , why wast thou made to fill the earth with thy deceit?" ( Sir_37:3 ). In his view the evil tendency came from Satan, and man's defence against it was his own will. "God made man from the beginning and he delivered him into the hand of him who took him for a prey. He left him in the power of his will. If thou willest, thou wilt observe the commandments, and faithfulness is a matter of thy good pleasure" ( Sir_15:14-15 ).

There were Jewish writers who traced this evil tendency right back to the Garden of Eden. In the apocryphal work, The Life of Adam and Eve, the story is told. Satan took the form of an angel and, speaking through the serpent, put into Eve the desire for the forbidden fruit and made her swear that she would give the fruit to Adam as well. "When he had made me swear," says Eve, "he ascended up into the tree. But in the fruit he gave me to eat he placed the poison of his malice, that is, of his lust. For lust is the beginning of all sin. And he bent down the bough to the earth, and I took of the fruit and ate it." In this conception it was Satan himself who succeeded in inserting the evil tendency into man; and that evil tendency is identified with the lust of the flesh. A later development of this story was that the beginning of all sin was in fact Satan's lust for Eve.

The Book of Enoch has two theories. One is that the fallen angels are responsible for sin (85). The other is that man himself is responsible for it. "Sin has not been sent upon the earth, but man himself created it" (98: 4).

But every one of these theories simply pushes the problem one step further back. Satan may have put the evil tendency into man; the fallen angels may have put it into man; man may have put it into himself. But where did it ultimately come from?

To meet this problem, certain of the Rabbis took a bold and dangerous step. They argued that, since God has created everything, he must have created the evil tendency also. So we get Rabbinic sayings such as the following. "God said, It repents me that I created the evil tendency in man; for had I not done so, he would not have rebelled against me. I created the evil tendency; I created the law as a means of healing. If you occupy yourself with the law, you will not fall into the power of it. God placed the good tendency on a man's right hand, and the evil on his left." The danger is obvious. It means that in the last analysis a man can blame God for his own sin. He can say, as Paul said, "It is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells in me" ( Romans 7:15-24). Of all strange doctrines surely the strangest is that God is ultimately responsible for sin.

THE EVASION OF RESPONSIBILITY ( James 1:13-15 continued)

From the beginning of time it has been man's first instinct to blame others for his own sin. The ancient writer who wrote the story of the first sin in the Garden of Eden was a first-rate psychologist with a deep knowledge of the human heart. When God challenged Adam with his sin, Adam's reply was, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." And when God challenged Eve with her action, her answer was, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate." Adam said, "Don't blame me; blame Eve." Eve said, "Don't blame me; blame the serpent" ( Genesis 3:12-13).

Man has always been an expert in evasion.

Robert Burns wrote:

Thou know'st that Thou hast formed me

With passions wild and strong;

And list'ning to their witching voice

Has often led me wrong.

In effect, he is saying that his conduct was as it was because God made him as he was. The blame is laid on God. So men blame their fellows, they blame their circumstances, they blame the way in which they are made, for the sin of which they are guilty.

James sternly rebukes that view. To him what is responsible for sin is man's own evil desire. Sin would be helpless if there was nothing in man to which it could appeal. Desire is something which can be nourished or stifled. A man can control and even, by the grace of God, eliminate it if he deals with it at once. But he can allow his thoughts to follow certain tracks, and his steps to take him into certain places and his eyes to linger on certain things; and so foment desire. He can so hand himself over to Christ and be so engaged on good things that there is no time or place left for evil desire. It is idle hands for which Satan finds mischief to do; it is the unexercised mind and the uncommitted heart which are vulnerable.

If a man encourages desire long enough, there is an inevitable consequence. Desire becomes action.

Further, it was the Jewish teaching that sin produced death. The life of Adam and Eve says that the moment Eve ate of the fruit she caught a glimpse of death. The word which James uses in James 1:15, and which the King James and the Revised Standard Versions translate brings forth death, is an animal word for birth; and it means that sin spawns death. Mastered by desire, man becomes less than a man and sinks to the level of the brute creation.

The great value of this passage is that it urges upon man his personal responsibility for sin. No man was ever born without desire for some wrong thing. And, if a man deliberately encourages and nourishes that desire until it becomes full-grown and monstrously strong, it will inevitably issue in the action which is sin--and that is the way to death. Such a thought--and all human experience admits it to be true--must drive us to that grace of God which alone can make and keep us clean, and which is available to all.

GOD'S CONSTANCY FOR GOOD ( James 1:16-18 )

1:16-18 My dear brothers, do not he deceived. Every good gift and every perfect boon comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is none of that changeableness which comes from changing shadows. Of his own purpose he has begotten us by the word of truth so that we might be, as it were, the first-fruits of his created things.

Once again James stresses the great truth that every gift that God sends is good. James 1:17 might well be translated: "All giving is good." That is to say, there is nothing which comes from God which is not good. There is a strange phenomenon here in the Greek. The phrase which we have translated, "Every good gift and every perfect boon," is, in fact, a perfect hexametre line of poetry. Either James had a rhythmic ear for a fine cadence or he is quoting from some work which we do not know.

What he is stressing is the unchangeableness of God. To do so he uses two astronomical terms. The word he uses for changeableness is parallage ( G3883) , and the word for the turn of the shadow is trope ( G5157) . Both these words have to do with the variation which the heavenly bodies show, the variation in the length of the day and of the night, the apparent variation in the course of the sun, the phases of waxing and waning, the different brilliance at different times of the stars and the planets. Variability is characteristic of all created things. God is the creator of the lights of heaven--the sun, the moon, the stars. The Jewish morning prayer says, "Blessed be the Lord God who hath formed the lights." The lights change but he who created them never changes.

Further, his purpose is altogether gracious. The word of truth is the gospel; and by the sending of that gospel it is God's purpose that man should be reborn into a new life. The shadows are ended and the certain word of truth has come.

That rebirth is a rebirth into the family and the possession of God. In the ancient world it was the law that all first-fruits were sacred to God. They were offered in grateful sacrifice to God because they belonged to him. So, when we are reborn by the true word of the gospel, we become the property of God, even as the first-fruits of the harvest did.

James insists that, so far from ever tempting man, God's gifts are invariably good. In all the chances and changes of a changing world they never vary. And God's supreme object is to re-create life through the truth of the gospel, so that men should know that they belong by right to him.

WHEN TO BE QUICK AND WHEN TO BE SLOW ( James 1:19-20 )

1:19-20 All this, my dear brothers, you already know. Let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness which God desires.

There are few wise men who have not been impressed by the dangers of being too quick to speak and too unwilling to listen. A most interesting list could be compiled of the things in which it is well to be quick and the things in which it is well to be slow. In the Sayings of the Jewish Fathers we read: "There are four characters in scholars. Quick to hear and quick to forget; his gain is cancelled by his loss. Slow to hear and slow to forget; his loss is cancelled by his gain. Quick to hear and. slow to forget; he is wise. Slow to hear and quick to forget; this is an evil lot." Ovid bids men to be slow to punish, but swift to reward. Philo bids a man to be swift to benefit others, and slow to harm them.

In particular the wise men were impressed by the necessity of being slow to speak. Rabbi Simeon said, "All my days I have grown up among the wise, and have not found aught good for a man but silence...Whoso multiplies words occasions sin." Jesus, the son of Sirach, writes, "Be swift to hear the word that thou mayest understand...If thou hast understanding, answer thy neighbour; if not, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, lest thou be surprised in an unskilful word, and be confounded" ( Sir_5:11-12 ). Proverbs is full of the perils of too hasty speech. "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is prudent" ( Proverbs 10:19). "He who guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin" ( Proverbs 13:3). "Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise" ( Proverbs 17:28). "Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him" ( Proverbs 29:20).

Hort says that the really good man will be much more anxious to listen to God than arrogantly, garrulously and stridently to shout his own opinions. The classical writers had the same idea. Zeno said, "We have two ears but only one mouth, that we may hear more and speak less." When Demonax was asked how a man might rule best, he answered, "Without anger, speaking little, and listening much." Bias said, "If you hate quick speaking, you will not fall into error." The tribute was once paid to a great linguist that he could be silent in seven different languages. Many of us would do well to listen more and to speak less.

It is James' advice that we should also be slow to anger. He is probably meeting the arguments of some that there is a place for the blazing anger of rebuke. That is undoubtedly true; the world would be a poorer place without those who blazed against the abuses and the tyrannies of sin. But too often this is made an excuse for petulant and self-centred irritation.

The teacher will be tempted to be angry with the slow and backward and still more with the lazy scholar. But, except on the rarest occasions, he will achieve more by encouragement than by the lash of the tongue. The preacher will be tempted to anger. But "don't scold" is always good advice to him; he loses his power whenever he does not make it clear by every word and gesture that he loves his people. When anger gives the impression in the pulpit of dislike or contempt it will not convert the souls of men. The parent will be tempted to anger. But a parent's anger is much more likely to produce a still more stubborn resistance than it is to control and direct. The accent of love always has more power than the accent of anger; and when anger becomes constant irritability, petulant annoyance, carping nagging, it always does more harm than good.

To be slow to speak, slow to anger, quick to listen is always good policy for life.

THE TEACHABLE SPIRIT ( James 1:21 )

1:21 So then strip yourself of all filthiness and of the excrescence of vice, and in gentleness receive the inborn word which is able to save your souls.

James uses a series of vivid words and pictures.

He tells his readers to strip themselves of all vice and filthiness. The word he uses for strip is the word used for stripping off one's clothes. He bids his hearers get rid of all defilement as a man strips off soiled garments or as a snake sloughs off its skin.

Both the words he uses for defilement are vivid. The word we have translated filthiness is ruparia ( G4507) ; and it can be used for the filth which soils clothes or soils the body. But it has one very interesting connection. It is a derivative of rupos ( G4509) and, when rupos is used in a medical sense, it means wax in the ear. It is just possible that it still retains that meaning here; and that James is telling his readers to get rid of everything which would stop their ears to the true word of God. When wax gathers in the ear, it can make a man deaf; and a man's sins can make him deaf to God. Further, James talks of the excrescence (perisseia, G4050) of vice. He thinks of vice as tangled undergrowth or a cancerous growth which must be cut away.

He bids them receive the inborn word in gentleness. The word for inborn is emphutos ( G1721) , and is capable of two general meanings.

(i) It can mean inborn in the sense of innate as opposed to acquired. If James uses it in that way he is thinking of much the same thing as Paul was thinking of when he spoke of the Gentiles doing the works of the law by nature because they have a kind of law in their hearts ( Romans 2:14-15); it is the same picture as the Old Testament picture of the law "very near you; it is in your mouth, and in your heart" ( Deuteronomy 30:14). It is practically equal to our word conscience. If this is its meaning here, James is saying that there is an instinctive knowledge of good and evil in a man's heart whose guidance we should at all times obey.

(ii) It can mean inborn in the sense of implanted, as a seed is planted in the ground. In 4Ezra 9:31 we read of God saying: "Behold, I sow my law in you, and you shall be glorified in it for ever." If James is using the word in this sense, the idea may well go back to the Parable of the Sower ( Matthew 13:1-8), which tells how the seed of the word is sown into the hearts of men. Through his prophets and his preachers, and above all through Jesus Christ, God sows his truth into the hearts of men and the man who is wise will receive it and welcome it.

It may well be that we are not required to make a choice between these two meanings. It may well be that James is implying that knowledge of the true word of God comes to us from two sources, from the depths of our own being, and from the Spirit of God and the teaching of Christ and the preaching of men. From inside and from outside come voices telling us the right way; and the wise man will listen and obey.

He will receive the word with gentleness. Gentleness is an attempt to translate the untranslatable word prautes ( G4240) . This is a great Greek word which has no precise English equivalent. Aristotle defined it as the mean between excessive anger and excessive angerlessness; it is the quality of the man whose feelings and emotions are under perfect control. Andronicus Rhodius, commenting on Aristotle, writes, "Prautes ( G4240) is moderation in regard to anger...You might define prautes ( G4240) as serenity and the power, not to be lead away by emotion, but to control emotion as right reason dictates." The Platonic definitions say that prautes ( G4240) is the regulation of the movement of the soul caused by anger. It is the temperament (krasis) of a soul in which everything is mixed in the right proportions.

No one can ever find one English word to translate what is a one word summary of the truly teachable spirit. The teachable spirit is docile and tractable, and therefore humble enough to learn. The teachable spirit is without resentment and without anger and is, therefore, able to face the truth, even when it hurts and condemns. The teachable spirit is not blinded by its own overmastering prejudices but is clear-eyed to the truth. The teachable spirit is not seduced by laziness but is so self-controlled that it can willingly and faithfully accept the discipline of learning. Prautes ( G4240) describes the perfect conquest and control of everything in a man's nature which would be a hindrance to his seeing, learning and obeying the truth.

HEARING AND DOING ( James 1:22-24 )

1:22-24 Prove yourselves to be doers of the word, and not only hearers, for those who think that hearing is enough deceive themselves. For, if a man is a hearer of the word and not a doer of it, he is like a man who looks in a mirror at the face which nature gave him. A glance and he is gone; and he immediately forgets what kind of man he is.

Again James presents us with two of the vivid pictures of which he is such a master. First of all, he speaks of the man who goes to the church meeting and listens to the reading and expounding of the word, and who thinks that that listening has made him a Christian. He has shut his eyes to the fact that what is read and heard in Church must then be lived out. It is still possible to identify Church attendance and Bible reading with Christianity but this is to take ourselves less than half the way; the really important thing is to turn that to which we have listened into action.

Second, James says such a man is like one who looks in a mirror--ancient mirrors were made, not of glass, but of highly polished metal--sees the smuts which disfigure his face and the dishevelment of his hair, and goes away and forgets what he looks like, and so omits to do anything about it. In his listening to the true word a man has revealed to him that which he is and that which he ought to be. He sees what is wrong and what must be done to put it right; but, if he is only a hearer, he remains just as he is, and all his hearing has gone for nothing.

James does well to remind us that what is heard in the holy place must be lived in the market place--or there is no point in hearing at all.

THE TRUE LAW ( James 1:25 )

1:25 He who looks into the perfect law, which is the law in the observance of which a man finds freedom, and who abides in it and shows himself not a forgetful hearer but an active doer of the word, will be blessed in all his action.

This is the kind of passage in James which Luther so much disliked. He disliked the idea of law altogether, for with Paul he would have said, "Christ is the end of the law" ( Romans 10:4). "James," said Luther, "drives us to law and works." And yet beyond all doubt there is a sense in which James is right. There is an ethical law which the Christian must seek to put into action. That law is to be found first in the Ten Commandments and then in the teaching of Jesus.

James calls that law two things.

(i) He calls it the perfect law. There are three reasons why the law is perfect. (a) It is God's law, given and revealed by him. The way of life which Jesus laid down for his followers is in accordance with the will of God. (b) It is perfect in that it cannot be bettered. The Christian law is the law of love; and the demand of love can never be satisfied. We know well, when we love some one, that even though we gave them all the world and served them for a lifetime, we still could not satisfy or deserve their love. (c) But there is still another sense in which the Christian law is perfect. The Greek word is teleios ( G5046) which nearly always describes perfection towards some given end. Now, if a man obeys the law of Christ, he will fulfil the purpose for which God sent him into the world; he will be the person he ought to be and will make the contribution to the world he ought to make. He will be perfect in the sense that he will, by obeying the law of God, realize his God-given destiny.

(ii) He calls it the law of liberty; that is, the law in the keeping of which a man finds his true liberty. All the great men have agreed that it is only in obeying the law of God that a man becomes truly free. "To obey God," said Seneca, "is liberty." "The wise man alone is free," said the Stoics, "and every foolish man is a slave." Philo said "All who are under the tyranny of anger or desire or any other passion are altogether slaves; all who live with the law are free." So long as a man has to obey his own passions and emotions and desires, he is nothing less than a slave. It is when he accepts the will of God that he becomes really free--for then he is free to be what he ought to be. His service is perfect freedom and in doing his will is our peace.

TRUE WORSHIP ( James 1:26-27 )

1:26-27 If anyone thinks that he is a worshipper of God and yet does not bridle his tongue, his worship is an empty thing. This is pure and undefiled worship, as God the Father sees it, to visit the orphans and the widows, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

We must be careful to understand what James is saying here. The Revised Standard Version translates the phrases at the beginning of James 1:27: "Religion that is pure and undefiled is....." The word translated religion is threskeia ( G2356) , and its meaning is not so much religion as worship in the sense of the outward expression of religion in ritual and liturgy and ceremony. What James is saying is, "The finest ritual and the finest liturgy you can offer to God is service of the poor and personal purity." To him real worship did not lie in elaborate vestments or in magnificent music or in a carefully wrought service; it lay in the practical service of mankind and in the purity of one's own personal life. It is perfectly possible for a Church to be so taken up with the beauty of its buildings and the splendour of its liturgy that it has neither the time nor the money for practical Christian service; and that is what James is condemning.

In fact James is condemning only what the prophets had condemned long ago. "God," said the Psalmist, "is a father of the fatherless, and protector of widows" ( Psalms 68:5). It was Zechariah's complaint that the people pulled away their shoulders and made their hearts as adamant as stone at the demand to execute true justice, to show mercy and compassion every man to his brother, to oppress not the widow, the fatherless, the stranger and the poor, and not to entertain evil thoughts against another within the heart ( Zechariah 7:6-10). It was Micah's complaint that all ritual sacrifices were useless, if a man did not do justice and love kindness and walk humbly before God ( Micah 6:6-8).

All through history men have tried to make ritual and liturgy a substitute for sacrifice and service. They have made religion splendid within the Church at the expense of neglecting it outside the Church. This is by no means to say that it is wrong to seek to offer the noblest and the most splendid worship within God's house; but it is to say that all such worship is empty and idle unless it sends a man out to love God by loving his fellow-men and to walk more purely in the tempting ways of the world.

-Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)

Gann's Commentary on the Bible

Jas 1:9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,

lowly brother -- humble circumstances; the community that James addresses might have been facing conditions of poverty, James 2:1-7; Hebrews 10:32-35.

    Poverty may be one of the "trials" of which James speaks.

    This refers to physical poverty (cf. Luke 6:20), although this same term is used by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount for the “spiritually poor” (cf. Matthew 5:3).

Putting v. 9 and 10 together we see that poor Christians and wealthy ones can rejoice that they both have the privilege of being identified with Christ.    

glory in his exhalation -- something to boast about -- In the NT boasting is usually viewed negatively (James 3:14; James 4:16; Ephesians 2:9), but here it means boasting about what God had done (James 2:5; Romans 15:18; 1 Corinthians 1:31; Galatians 6:14).

    This usage of glory (kauchaomai) can be seen in the Septuagint of Psalms 32:11 and in the NT in Philippians 3:3. (cf. Romans 5:2, Romans 5:3, Romans 5:11).

high position -- the spiritual "exaltation" they enjoy in Christ, James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6 This refers to one’s personal exaltation at being a Christian. In light of this, worldly distinctions and trials fade into insignificance.

    Exhaltation G5311, This is a strong Greek term and should be translated “exult”

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Let the brother of low degree,.... By "the brother" is meant, not one in a natural, but in a spiritual relation; one of Christ's brethren, and who is of that family that is named of him; of the household of faith, and is in church communion: and whereas he is said to be of "low degree", or "humble", this regards not the affection of his mind, or his conduct and deportment, he being meek and lowly, and clothed with humility, as every brother is, or ought to be; but his outward state and condition, being, as to the things of this world, poor, and mean in his outward circumstances, and so humbled and afflicted. This appears from the rich man, who, in the next verse, is opposed unto him, and distinguished from him; see

Psalms 62:9 such an one is advised to

rejoice in that he is exalted; or to "glory in his exaltation"; in that high estate, to which he is advanced; for a person may be very low and mean, as to his worldly circumstances, and yet be very high, and greatly exalted in a spiritual sense: and this height of honour and grandeur, of which he may boast and glory, amidst his outward poverty, lies in his high birth and descent, being born from above, and of God, and belonging to his family; in being an adopted Son of God, and so an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Christ, and of the heavenly inheritance and kingdom; in the present riches of grace he is possessed of, as justifying, pardoning, and sanctifying grace; and in the high titles he bears, as besides the new name, the name better than that of sons and daughters of the greatest potentate, even that of a Son of the Lord God Almighty, his being a King, and a priest unto God, and for whom a kingdom, crown, and throne are prepared; and also in the company he daily keeps, and is admitted to, as of God, and Christ, and the holy angels: and this height of honour have all the saints, be they ever so poor in this world, who can vie with the greatest of princes for sublimity and grandeur.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;   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.   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.   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.   9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:   10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.   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.   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.

      We now come to consider the matter of this epistle. In this paragraph we have the following things to be observed:--

      I. The suffering state of Christians in this world is represented, and that in a very instructive manner, if we attend to what is plainly and necessarily implied, together with what is fully expressed. 1. It is implied that troubles and afflictions may be the lot of the best Christians, even of those who have the most reason to think and hope well of themselves. Such as have a title to the greatest joy may yet endure very grievous afflictions. As good people are liable to be scattered, they must not think it strange if they meet with troubles. 2. These outward afflictions and troubles are temptations to them. The devil endeavours by sufferings and crosses to draw men to sin and to deter them from duty, or unfit them for it; but, as our afflictions are in God's hand, they are intended for the trial and improvement of our graces. The gold is put into the furnace, that it may be purified. 3. These temptations may be numerous and various: Divers temptations, as the apostle speaks. Our trials may be of many and different kinds, and therefore we have need to put on the whole armour of God. We must be armed on every side, because temptations lie on all sides. 4. The trials of a good man are such as he does not create to himself, nor sinfully pull upon himself; but they are such as he is said to fall into. And for this reason they are the better borne by him.

      II. The graces and duties of a state of trial and affliction are here pointed out to us. Could we attend to these things, and grow in them as we should do, how good would it be for us to be afflicted!

      1. One Christian grace to be exercised is joy: Count it all joy,James 1:2; James 1:2. We must not sink into a sad and disconsolate frame of mind, which would make us faint under our trials; but must endeavour to keep our spirits dilated and enlarged, the better to take in a true sense of our case, and with greater advantage to set ourselves to make the best of it. Philosophy may instruct men to be calm under their troubles; but Christianity teaches them to be joyful, because such exercises proceed from love and not fury in God. In them we are conformable to Christ our head, and they become marks of our adoption. By suffering in the ways of righteousness, we are serving the interests of our Lord's kingdom among men, and edifying the body of Christ; and our trials will brighten our graces now and our crown at last. Therefore there is reason to count it all joy when trials and difficulties become our lot in the way of our duty. And this is not purely a New-Testament paradox, but even in Job's time it was said, Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth. There is the more reason for joy in afflictions if we consider the other graces that are promoted by them.

      2. Faith is a grace that one expression supposes and another expressly requires: Knowing this, that the trial of your faith,James 1:3; James 1:3; and then in James 1:6; James 1:6, Let him ask in faith. There must be a sound believing of the great truths of Christianity, and a resolute cleaving to them, in times of trial. That faith which is spoken of here as tried by afflictions consists in a belief of the power, and word, and promise of God, and in fidelity and constancy to the Lord Jesus.

      3. There must be patience: The trial of faith worketh patience. The trying of one grace produces another; and the more the suffering graces of a Christian are exercised the stronger they grow. Tribulation worketh patience,Romans 5:3. Now, to exercise Christian patience aright, we must, (1.) Let it work. It is not a stupid, but an active thing. Stoical apathy and Christian patience are very different: by the one men become, in some measure, insensible of their afflictions; but by the other they become triumphant in and over them. Let us take care, in times of trial, that patience and not passion, be set at work in us; whatever is said or done, let patience have the saying and doing of it: let us not allow the indulging of our passions to hinder the operation and noble effects of patience; let us give it leave to work, and it will work wonders in a time of trouble. (2.) We must let it have its perfect work. Do nothing to limit it nor to weaken it; but let it have its full scope: if one affliction come upon the heels of another, and a train of them are drawn upon us, yet let patience go on till its work is perfected. When we bear all that God appoints, and as long as he appoints, and with a humble obedient eye to him, and when we not only bear troubles, but rejoice in them, then patience hath its perfect work. (3.) When the work of patience is complete, then the Christian is entire, and nothing will be wanting: it will furnish us with all that is necessary for our Christian race and warfare, and will enable us to persevere to the end, and then its work will be ended, and crowned with glory. After we have abounded in other graces, we have need of patience,Hebrews 10:36. But let patience have its perfect work, and we shall be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

      4. Prayer is a duty recommended also to suffering Christians; and here the apostle shows, (1.) What we ought more especially to pray for--wisdom: If any lack wisdom, let him ask of God. We should not pray so much for the removal of an affliction as for wisdom to make a right use of it. And who is there that does not want wisdom under any great trials or exercises to guide him in his judging of things, in the government of his own spirit and temper, and in the management of his affairs? To be wise in trying times is a special gift of God, and to him we must seek for it. (2.) In what way this is to be obtained--upon our petitioning or asking for it. Let the foolish become beggars at the throne of grace, and they are in a fair way to be wise. It is not said, "Let such ask of man," no, not of any man, but, "Let him ask of God," who made him, and gave him his understanding and reasonable powers at first, of him in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Let us confess our want of wisdom to God and daily ask it of him. (3.) We have the greatest encouragement to do this: he giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not. Yea, it is expressly promised that it shall be given,James 1:5; James 1:5. Here is something in answer to every discouraging turn of the mind, when we go to God, under a sense of our own weakness and folly, to ask for wisdom. He to whom we are sent, we are sure, has it to give: and he is of a giving disposition, inclined to bestow this upon those who ask. Nor is there any fear of his favours being limited to some in this case, so as to exclude others, or any humble petitioning soul; for he gives to all men. If you should say you want a great deal of wisdom, a small portion will not serve your turn, the apostle affirms, he gives liberally; and lest you should be afraid of going to him unseasonably, or being put to shame for your folly, it is added, he upbraideth not. Ask when you will, and as often as you will, you will meet with no upbraidings. And if, after all, any should say, "This may be the case with some, but I fear I shall not succeed so well in my seeking for wisdom as some others may," let such consider how particular and express the promise is: It shall be given him. Justly then must fools perish in their foolishness, if wisdom may be had for asking, and they will not pray to God for it. But, (4.) There is one thing necessary to be observed in our asking, namely, that we do it with a believing, steady mind: Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering,James 1:6; James 1:6. The promise above is very sure, taking this proviso along with us; wisdom shall be given to those who ask it of God, provided they believe that God is able to make the simple wise, and is faithful to make good his word to those who apply to him. This was the condition Christ insisted on, in treating with those who came to him for healing: Believest thou that I am able to do this? There must be no wavering, no staggering at the promise of God through unbelief, or through a sense of any disadvantages that lie on our own part. Here therefore we see,

      5. That oneness, and sincerity of intention, and a steadiness of mind, constitute another duty required under affliction: He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, and tossed. To be sometimes lifted up by faith, and then thrown down again by distrust--to mount sometimes towards the heavens, with an intention to secure glory, and honour, and immortality, and then to sink again in seeking the ease of the body, or the enjoyments of this world--this is very fitly and elegantly compared to a wave of the sea, that rises and falls, swells and sinks, just as the wind tosses it higher or lower, that way or this. A mind that has but one single and prevailing regard to its spiritual and eternal interest, and that keeps steady in its purposes for God, will grow wise by afflictions, will continue fervent in its devotions, and will be superior to all trials and oppositions. Now, for the cure of a wavering spirit and a weak faith, the apostle shows the ill effects of these, (1.) In that the success of prayer is spoiled hereby: Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord,James 1:7; James 1:7. Such a distrustful, shifting, unsettled person is not likely to value a favour from God as he should do, and therefore cannot expect to receive it. In asking for divine and heavenly wisdom we are never likely to prevail if we have not a heart to prize it above rubies, and the greatest things in this world. (2.) A wavering faith and spirit has a bad influence upon our conversations. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,James 1:8; James 1:8. When our faith and spirits rise and fall with second causes, there will be great unsteadiness in all our conversation and actions. This may sometimes expose men to contempt in the world; but it is certain that such ways cannot please God nor procure any good for us in the end. While we have but one God to trust to, we have but one God to be governed by, and this should keep us even and steady. He that is unstable as water shall not excel. Hereupon,

      III. The holy humble temper of a Christian, both in advancement and debasement, is described: and both poor and rich are directed on what grounds to build their joy and comfort, James 1:9-11; James 1:9-11. Here we may observe, 1. Those of low degree are to be looked upon as brethren: Let the brother of low degree, c. Poverty does not destroy the relation among Christians. 2. Good Christians may be rich in the world, James 1:10; James 1:10. Grace and wealth are not wholly inconsistent. Abraham, the father of the faithful, was rich in silver and gold. 3. Both these are allowed to rejoice. No condition of lie puts us out of a capacity of rejoicing in God. If we do not rejoice in him always, it is our own fault. Those of low degree may rejoice, if they are exalted to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of God (as Dr. Whitby explains this place); and the rich may rejoice in humbling providences, as they produce a lowly and humble disposition of mind, which is highly valuable in the sight of God. Where any are made poor for righteousness' sake, their very poverty is their exaltation. It is an honour to be dishonoured for the sake of Christ. To you it is given to suffer,Philippians 1:29. All who are brought low, and made lowly by grace, may rejoice in the prospect of their exaltation at the last in heaven. 4. Observe what reason rich people have, notwithstanding their riches, to be humble and low in their own eyes, because both they and their riches are passing away: As the flower of the grass he shall pass away. He, and his wealth with him, James 1:11; James 1:11. For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat than it withereth the grass. Note hence, Worldly wealth is a withering thing. Riches are too uncertain (says Mr. Baxter on this place), too inconsiderable things to make any great or just alteration in our minds. As a flower fades before the heat of the scorching sun, so shall the rich man fade away in his ways. His projects, counsels, and managements for this world, are called his ways; in these he shall fade away. For this reason let him that is rich rejoice, not so much in the providence of God, that makes him rich, as in the grace of God, that makes and keeps him humble; and in those trials and exercises that teach him to seek his felicity in and from God, and not from these perishing enjoyments.

      IV. A blessing is pronounced on those who endure their exercises and trials, as here directed: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation,James 1:12; James 1:12. Observe, 1. It is not the man who suffers only that is blessed, but he who endures, who with patience and constancy goes through all difficulties in the way of his duty. 2. Afflictions cannot make us miserable, if it be not our own fault. A blessing may arise from them, and we may be blessed in them. They are so far from taking away a good man's felicity that they really increase it. 3. Sufferings and temptations are the way to eternal blessedness: When he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, dokimos genomenos--when he is approved, when his graces are found to be true and of the highest worth (so metals are tried as to their excellency by the fire), and when his integrity is manifested, and all is approved of the great Judge. Note hence, To be approved of God is the great aim of a Christian in all his trials; and it will be his blessedness at last, when he shall receive the crown of life. The tried Christian shall be a crowned one: and the crown he shall wear will be a crown of life. It will be life and bliss to him, and will last for ever. We only bear the cross for a while, but we shall wear the crown to eternity. 4. This blessedness, involved in a crown of life, is a promised thing to the righteous sufferer. It is therefore what we may most surely depend upon: for, when heaven and earth shall pass away, this word of God shall not fail of being fulfilled. But withal let us take notice that our future reward comes, not as a debt, but by a gracious promise. 5. Our enduring temptations must be from a principle of love to God and to our Lord Jesus Christ, otherwise we are not interested in this promise: The Lord hath promised to those that love him. Paul supposes that a man may for some point of religion even give his body to be burnt, and yet not be pleasing to God, nor regarded by him, because of his want of charity, or a prevailing sincere love to God and man, 1 Corinthians 13:3. 6. The crown of life is promised not only to great and eminent saints, but to all those who have the love of God reigning in their hearts. Every soul that truly loves God shall have its trials in this world fully recompensed in that world above where love is made perfect.