James Chapter 1
1:2, 3. In this epistle on Christian living, James opens with a most crucial topic: the trials of life. These verses
describe the various testing-whether from the world and Satan, or from God- into which godly Christians fall (Gr.
peripipto). These "negative" experiences are to be accepted with great joy not for the sake of the trial itself but
because of the positive work God can accomplish through the testing. The words in verses 2 and 3 (temptations
and trying ) are often regarded as virtually synonymous. If this were true, then trials themselves would produce
spiritual maturity. But they do not. Often, testing make Christians bitter instead of better, with no spiritual growth
occurring. The Greek word for "trying" (dokimion) might be better translated as "approving." It is not merely one's
presence in such trials but one's victory over them that brings spiritual growth and maturity. Those Christians whom
God can use the most are those whom God has bruised the most.
1:4. The natural response to adversity is to escape it. But God uses trouble to mature His people.
1:5. This verse is not a blanket promise of wisdom for any situation. In the context of life's trials, it probably speaks
of the believer being granted (1) wisdom as to the reason for his trials and (2) wisdom to endure them.
1:9-11. At first sight, these verses seem unrelated to the larger theme of life's trials. Yet money is a common cause
of trials and "double-mindedness" (unreliability). James is teaching us here to adopt a non-materialistic worldview.
Wealth is meaningless in the face of certain death. Rather, we must focus upon God's view of exaltation and
lowliness. Both positions are true of all believers. But the lowly need to be encourages that they are exalted before
God, whereas the exalted need to hear a message of humiliation. Compare Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 7:22.
1:12. Mankind understandably may look on tragedy as the curse of God, as Job's friends did. Trials are, however,
the means through which God's blessings can come. One's endurance in and victory over trials bring God's
blessings. Christians, therefore, are not instructed to seek avenues of escape. God desires that they mature in the
situation rather than move from it (cf. Rom. 5:3-5; 1 Pet. 1:6, 7). He does, however, promise to provide an escape if
the testing becomes unbearable (1 Cor. 10:13). God's people need to meditate more on James 1:12 than 1
Corinthians 10:13. The reason for this, and why God allows trials in the lives of His people, is revealed in the Mosaic
Law: "That he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end" (Deut. 8:16).
1:13-15. The temptation of verses 13-15 differs from that in verses 2-12, as the context shows. Here the source is
identified as internal, from one's own lust, and the outcome is death. In verses 2-12 the "temptations" or trials have
an external origin in that they fall on man. The trials of verses 2-12 cannot be avoided, so believers are encouraged
to endure them, and mature as a result. The temptations of verses 13-15 must be avoided, according to God's
express commandments (Rom. 13:14; 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:22). The progression of sin, from temptation to death,
has an analogy in the physical life cycle: conception, birth, maturity, and death. James uses words with the same
Greek root in verses 2-12 and 13-15 to express different concepts. Outwardly, trials and temptations may appear
the same, and what may start as a trial may develop into temptation, if not properly answered by the Word of God.
1:17. Three great principles are presented: (1) God is the Father, or Creator, of the heavenly bodies. (2) As their
Creator, He is certainly more stable than they. With God there is not even the slightest change; He is immutable. (3)
God is only good- and always good. This third principle relates verse 17 to the preceding context. It answers the
implication of verse 13 that God may sometimes tempt man to evil. Though God tries the saints (John 6:6; Heb.
11:17), He never tries with intent so as to tempt them.
1:18. All the redeemed are God's firstfruits in that they are the first step in God's redemption of all creation (Rom.
8:18-23).
1:19. This is a key verse because it expresses three topics that James develops later: hearing, verses 19-27;
speaking, 3:1-12; and wrath, 4:1-12.
1:20. Trials require silence and patience because talk inflames anger, and anger inflames talk. Anger also distracts
from listening to God.
1:21. Engrafted word might better be translated "implanted word" and may reflect Christ's parable of the seed
planted in the four different soils (Matt. 13:3-9). Both Christ and James focus on the proper hearing of God's Word
(Matt. 13:13, 19, 20, 22, 23). One needs to hear that Word, for it is able to save your souls. Though this phrase
accurately describes the Word's work of producing initial salvation, it is better in this context to understand it as the
Word's ability to preserve and mature the Christian's life through trials.
1:25. The perfect law of liberty probably refers to the teachings of Christ and His apostles. This law is perfect , since
Christ brought to completion the teachings and work of the Mosaic Law (cf. Matt. 5:17-20; Rom. 10:4). It is a law of
liberty because it frees from the principles of sin and death (Rom. 8:2, 3; Gal. 5:1, 13). James also describes it as
the royal law (2:8) for it is the law of the messianic King (cf. Gal 6:2).
1:26, 27. In verses 22-25 James has rebuked mere listening- by the hearer who does not do. In verses 26 and 27
he rebukes more doing-by the does who leaves his inner life unchanged. James offers not a formal definition but
three key aspects of pure religion: controlled speech, altruistic service, and separation from the world.
James Chapter 2
2:1-13. James begins this passage on partiality with an exhortation (v. 1), then a brief illustration (vv. 2-4). Most of
this discussion is an argument against partiality (vv. 5-13). First, partiality shows inconsistency in one's conduct:
those we spurn are the ones God has chosen (v. 5), and those we favor are the godless whom God rejects (vv. 6,
7). Second, partiality is more than an error in judgement; it is an act of sin. The one who shows respect of persons
is a transgressor of the law. The law is like a ring or hedge encircling those within. When one breaks this ring he
stands outside (v. 10), becoming a transgressor-whether he commits adultery, murder, or shows partiality. Third,
James argues that partiality provokes God's judgement (vv. 12, 13).
2:14-17. Can faith save him? This statement and other in verses 14-26 persuade some critics that James is
teaching salvation through faith and works. Luther called this epistle "strawy," believing it emphasized works too
much. Today, some regard it as a late in which the author is reacting to Paul's doctrine of salvation by faith alone.
This is not the case. James's teachings reflect neither a negative nor a positive response to Paul's teachings. For
Paul, faith practically equals salvation. James, however, sees two kinds of faith: saving faith and professing faith
(much like the usage today). For Paul, justification is by faith (Rom. 4:5). For James, justification is by a faith that
works- by a genuine faith that manifests itself in post-conversation works. Before salvation, these Jews had believed
in the efficacy of works. Now some were reacting at the opposite extreme, imagining that works play no part in the
salvation experience. James retorts that the kind of faith that does not produce works is not saving faith. As Calvin
said: "Faith alone saves, but a faith that saves is never alone." Thus, James's question is not simply "Can faith
save?" (See vv. 21-24 for further discussion.) The Greek grammar expects a negative answer to the question that
ends verse 14. Hence it can be rendered, "That faith [i.e., the one mentioned in verse 14a which is without works]
cannot save."
2:19, 20. The reference to faith in one God probably alludes to Israel's great creedal statement of Deuteronomy
6:4, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one Lord." Adherence to a creed is not true faith. Even the demons know
and accept the truth of the creed, but they do not possess saving faith. If one does nothing to enact his knowledge
of God, he is worse than the demons, for they at least tremble.
2:21-24. These verses present the crux of the issue: Is a man justified by works? Do Paul and James contradict
each other? Several factors demonstrate that they do not. First, as already noted in verses 14-17, the apostles use
the word for faith with different meanings. Second, they use "justified" in different senses. It is customary to identify
all nuances of this word with the theological idea Paul popularized- that is, God's act of declaring all believers
righteous on the basis of Christ's redemptive work. But a common Old Testament and gospel usage involves
demonstrating or showing something to be righteous (cf. Ps. 51:4; Luke 7:35; Rom. 3:4); it is this usage that James
follows. Third, though both men use Abraham as an illustration, they focus on different aspects of his life. Paul
shows that Abraham was declared righteous by faith when he trusted God (Gen. 15:6). James declares that he was
shown to be righteous by his offering up of Isaac (Gen 22:9). Fourth, even the terminology of these two apostles
differs. Paul constantly speaks against the works of the law, as being a false use of those works to merit salvation.
James, however, is speaking of works of love that follow belief. Fifth, the two apostles are discussing totally different
subjects, since they are confronted by different problems. Paul, opposing the Judaizers, seeks to prove that the
Gentiles can be saved and sanctified apart from circumcision or any other work of the law. James, opposing merely
nominal, professing Christians, seeks to show that true faith confirms itself by deeds of love. If James were fighting
Paul over law and grace- or faith and works- surely the subject of circumcision would have arisen, since it lies at the
core of that issue. James and Paul are not face-to-face fighting each other- they are back-to-back fighting opposite
foes!
2:25. Just as James presents two examples of spurious faith (vv. 16, 19), he concludes with two examples of
genuine faith: Abraham and Rahab. One was a Jewish patriarch of great sanctity, whose faith was perfected by his
works. The other was the lowest citizen of a condemned Gentile city, whose newfound faith was dramatized by her
works. No matter whether one has the mature faith of an Abraham or the baby-like faith of a Rahab, there must be
evidence of that faith.
2:26. The point of this analogy between the body and one's faith is that both require an energizing element. The
absence of that element renders the other component dead.
James Chapter 3
3:1, 2. The word masters (Gr. didaskaloi) would today be translated "teachers." The theme of Chapter 3, often
regarded as the tongue, is more properly the teacher. The chapter progresses from the teacher to his primary tool,
the tongue (vv. 2-12), then to the source of his teaching, his wisdom (vv. 13-18). James must warn the many who
were seeking to teach in the church, since in the early church it was an easy matter to teach in the synagogue as
well. Both Jesus and Paul demonstrate that even strangers could teach (cf. Acts 13:15). Anyone who thought he
had the "gift" to teach would also want to use it (1 Cor. 12:88, 28), and it was misused (1 Cor. 14:26; 1 Tim. 1:7).
James's warning is twofold: (1) the teacher will receive greater scrutiny from God, because the teacher often passes
judgement upon his hearers; and (2) the primary teaching tool is the tongue, which no one can control sufficiently.
3:6. The tongue is a system (world) of iniquity that sets on fire the whole course of life, and is even set on fire by
Satan (cf. 3:15).
3:7. The word tamed (Gr. damazo) occurs in only one other New Testament passage (Mark 5:4), about the maniac
of Gadara, which helps us to establish the proper meaning of the word in James. The "taming" has nothing to do
with domesticating animals or training them to perform. The meaning is control or dominion. Mankind can control
every lesser creature, but no one can control his ow tongue.
3:9. James explains that man is made in God's image (cf. Gen. 1:26, 27; 5:1), so to curse people and yet bless God
is inconsistent. Though the fall of mankind has marred that image or likeness, James teaches that it still exists (as
do Gen. 9:6 and 1 Cor. 11:7).
3:12. The last clause of verse 12 differs from those that precede it. The former are questions that attempt to
illustrate; this one is a statement to teach. As salt water cannot make sweet water, so the person who curses others
cannot bless God. The cursing of people truly indicates what lies within a person.
3:13. Beginning at verse 13, James says that godly wisdom is necessary in a teacher. The teacher must exhibit a
meek and practical application of the truth. One cannot teach what does not live.
3:14-18. Two wisdoms are expounded by teachers. The one from God is pure and promotes peace, ending in
righteousness (vv. 17, 18). But the other is natural and demonic, visible in the teacher as jealousy and ambition
(strife, Gr. eritheia). The result of such teaching is evil living and confusion.