James
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James 5
James 5
1Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.
2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
3Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days.
4Behold, the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
5Ye have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure; ye have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter.
6Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous one; he doth not resist you.
1Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
Commentary · verses 1-6
7Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain.
8Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Commentary · verses 7-8
James exhorted believers to have patience for the Lord and use the time establishing your heart.
9Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors.
9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Commentary · verse 9
In this verse "murmur" meant "to groan against." Do not groan against another believer. If you have a fault against a brother, speak it to him...use words, not groanings.
10Take, brethren, for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord.
11Behold, we call them blessed that endured: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.
10Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Commentary · verses 10-11
James used the prophets as examples to us of believers who were patient in their external afflictions. God used the prophets to make His message apparent to the entire world. One of the reasons people during those times were guilty was they did not listen to the prophets. The proof these men were making God's works apparent to all was not just that the words eventually came true (a lot of the prophetic words did not get fulfilled until long after the prophet was dead). The proof was how well the prophet handled unjust suffering at the hands of the "people of the world." The prophets were forerunners of Jesus, who perfectly handled the ultimate suffering due to the ultimate injustice. James stated we ought to look to the prophets as examples to us today...after all, the prophets had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, just like believers today. Those who endure are counted as happy. The term "patience of Job" came from James. From the Book of Job, we know that Job continued making progress by using his words in a logical manner even though he was in the midst of external afflictions.
12But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgment.
12But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
Commentary · verse 12
Doctrine: Let your "yes" be "yes" and your "no" be "no." Do not swear at all (see Matthew 5:33-37). Again, James spoke about profitable words that had weight behind their usage and spoke against vows, words that deceived us into thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought, words that led to pride.
Doctrines on this passage
13Is any among you suffering? let him pray. Is any cheerful? let him sing praise.
14Is any among you sick? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Commentary · verses 13-14
Doctrine: The sick should call the elders (pastors) of the church and let them pray over them while anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord.
15and the prayer of faith shall save him that is sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, it shall be forgiven him.
15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Commentary · verse 15
Again, James spoke Doctrine concerning using words in a profitable manner: prayer. The prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up and forgive his sins.
16Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working.
16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Commentary · verse 16
The first sentence was the premise and the second sentence was the reason. Again, James spoke Doctrine concerning using words in a profitable manner: confession. Confess your faults to each other, which required humility. Pray for one another, that you may be healed. The "supplication" or "effectual fervent" prayer of a righteous man "availeth" (to be strong) much, it was a profitable use of words. James supported this with an example of someone in scripture who used their words profitably...
17Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months.
17Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
Commentary · verse 17
James referenced 1 Kings 17. Elijah prayed for the rain to stop.
18And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
Commentary · verse 18
James referenced 1 Kings 18. Elijah prayed again for rain.
19My brethren, if any among you err from the truth, and one convert him; 20let him know, that he who converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.
19Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Commentary · verses 19-20
If you convert a soul from erring from the truth, you have saved a soul from death. This was the ultimate profitable use of words.
Commentary · verse 20
Theme of Chapter 5: James gave many examples that encouraged the reader to use words profitably.
The next mini-section of the New Testament after the Pauline Epistles contained epistles from four separate writers. The first of these writers can be seen as the most physically-focused writer. The author of this book was known as the following: James the Lesser, James the Just, and James the half-brother of Jesus. Acts 12:1-2 stated that Herod killed James the brother of John, who was also known as James the Greater. In Acts 15:13-21 we saw James, the author of this book, was the head of the first Christian council and concluded the dispute concerning circumcision brought by Paul and Barnabas. This occurred before Paul's second missionary journey. The Book of James was written around 45 AD in Jerusalem before the first Christian council (which was around 51 AD). Chronologically, this placed this letter prior to all of Paul's writings. Consequently, the Doctrine of this book could be placed wholly within the Old Testament other than two references to Jesus. In this book there was no mention of: the Gospel (death, burial, resurrection), the incarnation/life of Christ, the Messiah having come, and redemption through Jesus. Instead, James used logic to present Doctrine from a physical perspective and focused on the importance of words.
In the previous chapter, James showed the afflictions were to be used to grow in grace. James made the logical conclusion that the rich whose heart sought the pleasures of the world would experience eternal affliction through Justice.