Verse by Verse

¹⁹ Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,

²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

a soul (v.20) = the turned back sinner

multitude of sins (v.20) — 1 Peter 4:8

It is noteworthy that James is addressing the “brethren” as he closes the epistle. If any one among them, who knew the Lord, departed from the truth, the one who restores him to the faith was to be commended. In this context, the truth is the kingdom gospel. Whenever some of their number wandered from the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount every effort was to be made to restore them to the faith. Solomon calls the soul that leaves his spiritual moorings a blackslider, whose heart is “filled with his own ways” (Proverbs 14:14). 

The statement “and one converteth him,” has the idea to encourage the fallen believer to turn from the error of his way. In so doing, the one who has invested the time to minister to this wayward soul may well have saved him from death, that is, physical death. In biblical times, the judgment of God upon sin was often swift and sure, especially at the beginning of a new dispensation (1 Corinthians 5:1-5; 11:29; 1 John 5:16). God was teaching them, of course, that sin had serious consequences. When a brother in Christ repented, it covered a multitude of sins, not only because he would be forgiven for confessing his sins, but also because he was restored to fellowship with God, which meant he wouldn’t slip deeper into sin (1 John 1:7-9). — Sadler, pages 141-142.

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

¹⁴ Is anyone 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.

¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Like the Apostle Paul, James instructed his readers to be content in whatever state they may find themselves. If thy were suffering an affliction, they were to be content and pray. If they had a song in their heart, they were to sing psalms. True contentment is resting in the Lord, that He is in control of all things. — Sadler, page 137.

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James inquires, “Is there any sick among you?” If so, “let him call for the elders of the church.” The elders here were the older men of those local kingdom churches, as the term implies, who served as the spiritual leaders of the assembly. When called upon, these elders were to visit at the bedside of the sick and pray over them, anointing them with oil. The anointing with oil in biblical times was often done for medicinal purposes, as seen in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:34). This was a very common practice in the east.

James, however, seems to connect the need to anoint the sick with oil with the Great commission under which he worked. It was said of those who labored under this commission, “and they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:13). Notice how the anointing was closely associated with the miraculous healing of the sick. It is also significant that the anointing with oil was to be done in the name of the Lord. It appears that God used the physical element of anointing to convey the divine grace of healing, whereby restoring the sick believer. We must be very careful to remember that James was ministering under the kingdom program in which miraculous manifestations were quite common. What James records here does not apply to us during the administration of grace. — Sadler, pages 137-138.

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the “prayer of faith” (v.15) also looks back to the earthly ministry of Christ. The Lord promised those who proclaimed the kingdom gospel: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). These were not empty words, but a legitimate promise as witnessed when the little flock prayed for boldness. They asked that the Lord would stretch forth His hand to heal, and that signs and wonders might be done. The place in which they had assembled literally shook in answer to their prayer (Acts 4:28-31). 

Oftentimes, salvation and physical healing went hand in hand under the kingdom gospel, as James suggests when he says, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up” (Acts 3:1-16). — Sadler, page 138.

raise him up (v.15) = restore to health

The sins of verse 15 and the faults of verse 16 are plainly those committed against fellow-believers and not secret sins committed only against God. Hence the command to mutual forgiveness and mutual prayer.  — Williams, page 997.

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Verses 14-15 reinforce an earlier date for the writing of this epistle. We know that the gift of healing was a sign gift in the Kingdom church (Matthew 21:22; Mark 16:17-18, 20: Acts 3:6-8; 4:30-31; 5:12-16) to whom James addressed this epistle (James 1:1). When the body of Christ began under the Apostle Paul the gift was initially present to show the Jews that God was now working a new program with the Gentiles (Romans 10:19; 11:11; 15:19; 1 Corinthians 1:22; 14:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12), but it soon passed away (1 Corinthians 13:8-10; Colossians 1:25). This verse also links sin with illness, which is a Kingdom principle (Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20; John 5:1-15). Note also that verse 15 gives unconditional statements: the prayer of faith will save the sick, shall raise him up, and his sins shall be forgiven him (not may, if he has enough faith, as is said today). Under the kingdom program, this was a sure thing (Matthew 21:22). But today, in our Dispensation of Grace, the so-called “prayer of faith” is not guaranteed to heal the sick — and it certainly does not forgive sins as it did under the Kingdom (Matthew 16:19; John 20:23). — Grace, page 2202.

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Confession played a very important role in the kingdom program. Here James makes it clear that the reason some were not being healed was because they were harboring sin in their lives. We do not believe James required these sins be confessed before the local assembly, as some teach. He is rather singling out the brother who had offended another brother, but refused to set the matter right. The brother who had been offended, on the other hand, was probably harboring bitterness in his heart due to his mistreatment. James counsels these brethren to confess their faults to one another and pray for each other, lest their prayers be hindered (cf. 1 Peter 3:7). — Sadler, page 140.

A lack of dispensational understand of this passage creates all sorts of problems. Look at how much energy the KJV Commentary puts into explaining what it doesn’t mean.

God honors unity in prayer, but the healing process here specifically involves the elders, mature spiritual leaders of the church. No inference can be found of the gift of healing. Moreover, it is the sick who must take the initiative: “let him call.” The oil carries no supernatural powers, but often was used in anointing to symbolize the out-pouring of God’s Spirit. … Also, the service is to take place in the privacy of the home, since the needy person summoned the elders to him. … Nothing about the passage requires instantaneous healing, nor is there any restriction of medical treatment. The presence of sins may be the cause for the sickness, but not necessarily. We must reserve judgment for God alone. “They shall be forgiven” assumes that the one who seeks help from the church also recognizes his personal shortcomings. — KJV Commentary, page 1725.

It goes on like that in an obvious attempt to make the passage conform to the writer’s beliefs.

⁹ Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!

¹⁰ My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.

¹¹ Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

¹² But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

James was obviously concerned that the trouble these saints were enduring might cause them to become impatient with one another. This, of course, would only serve to further Satan’s goal to cause dissension among the brethren. … [His warning not to grumble] was, don’t murmur, complain, criticize, or find fault with one another. To do so would grieve the heart of God. Furthermore, James adds, “lest ye be condemned,” which in this context does not refer to eternal damnation, but to be judged with the implication of suffering loss. Contrary to popular opinion, “criticism” isn’t one of the gifts of the Spirit. — Sadler, page 131.

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The “door” that James speaks of [in v.9] is the entry through which the kingdom believers will pass at the Second Coming of Christ. The Lord is said to be standing at the door as the judge of all the earth. With the suspension of the kingdom program, the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) and what James states [here] will ultimately be fulfilled during the future day of the Lord. 

Essentially, the Son of Man will sit in judgment when He returns to the earth in power and glory (Matthew 25:31-46). When He knocks at the door upon His return, those kingdom believers who are faithfully watching and waiting will enter into the millennium where their conduct will be reviewed. … After the door is shut many will say, “Lord, Lord, open to us.” Clearly, these are the unsaved that are said to have taken “no oil” with them, which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. As the Scriptures state: “If any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Romans 8:9). — Sadler, page 133.

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James … shares with his hearers that not only should they find consolation in the patience of Job, but also [in the] reward he received for being patient. If they patiently endured like Job, they, too, would be rewarded at the Second Coming of Christ. … We believe [“the end intended by the Lord] is a reference to God abundantly blessing Job to a far greater degree at the end of his life than He had in the beginning. — Sadler, page 136.

example (v.10) — In the Greek, this word appears first in the sentence for emphasis.

[Verse 12] is the clearest allusion in this epistle to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:34-37). — KJV Commentary, page 1724.

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Stress and affliction can cause us to lose control of that untamable member of our body — the tongue (James 3:2-12). When stressed, we are not to condemn ourselves by letting oaths slip past our lips, as did Peter when he denied the Lord (Matthew 26:74; Mark 14:71). — Grace, page 2202

⁷ Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.

⁸ You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

patient (v.7) = long-suffering

establish (v.8) = strengthen

at hand (v.8) = close at hand, approaching

Remember that James is a Kingdom epistle written to Jews, so the “coming of the Lord” refers to His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation (Matthew 24), not His return for the Body of Christ at the Rapture before the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). — Grace, page 2201.

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James addresses in these words the believers, the suffering remnant amongst the unbelieving masses which attended the synagogue. They are to be patient and suffer in patience, without resisting. The coming of the Lord, which is mentioned twice in these verses, is His visible and glorious manifestation, the same which our Lord speaks of in Matthew 24:30-31. The first Epistle to the Thessalonians, which contains that unique revelation of the coming of the Lord for His saints, the resurrection of the holy dead and the sudden transformation of the living saints, to be caught up together in the clouds to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) had not yet been given. The mystery “we shall not all sleep but be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52), was then unknown. And let us note here, that this is one of the mysteries nowhere made known in the Old Testament.

The coming of the Lord, we repeat, is that coming which is so many times announced in the Prophetic Word of the Scriptures. That the destruction of Jerusalem, and the judgment of the nation was predicted by our Lord is known to all, that the event when it came in the year 70 is the coming of the Lord, is not true.

James exhorts his suffering brethren to be like the husbandman who has to wait between the sowing time and the harvest. But here is another wrong interpretation. The latter rain of which James speaks has been foolishly interpreted as meaning a spiritual latter rain, another Pentecost. This is one of the star arguments of present day Pentecostalism with its supposed revival of apostolic gifts. The former and latter rain of which James speaks has no such meaning; it is purely the rainfall in nature. In Palestine there are two distinct rainy seasons, one in the spring, the other in the fall (See Deuteronomy 11:14). — Gaebelein, pages 1135-1136.

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These dear brethren [believing Jews] had suffered so many abuses and injustices at the hand of the rich that James was concerned they would become despondent and possibly try to retaliate. While this would be the fleshly response to those who mistreated them, the Scriptures are clear that it is not given to the believer to retaliate under any circumstances. This is divine ground and they were to rest assured that it is a righteous thing with God to repay those who trouble them (2 Thessalonians 1:5-7). — Sadler, pages 129-130.

⁴ Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

⁵ You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

⁶ You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

Sabaoth (v.4) = armies, hosts, an innumerable throng

James was infuriated when he discovered that the rich landowners were withholding wages from the poor, and the law justified his righteous anger.” “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates. Each day you shall give him his wages, and not let the sun go down on it, for he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to the Lord, and it be sin to you” (Deuteronomy 24:14-15).

The rich would often withhold wages until the next day when their memory of the preceding day wasn’t as clear concerning what they had agreed to pay. By doing so, they were robbing the poor of what rightfully belonged to them. Thus, their riches were unjustly gained at the expense of the poor. According to the law, this was a sin. The hired servant dared not complain … because he feared he would not be hired the next day. But the hired servant did have recourse: he could take the injustice that was done to him to the Lord. … James tell sus they cried unto the Lord of Sabbath. This particular title is borrowed from the Old Testament where it is translated Lord of hosts, the One who created the sun, moon, and stars. The same God who spoke and worlds came into being is also deeply concerned about the mistreatment of the poor and needy. — Sadler, pages 128-129

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An ox greedily eats the rich herbage on the very day that it is to be slaughtered, so the senseless rich indulged their passions … on the very eve of the coming judgment (v.5). — Williams, page 996.

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The “day of slaughter” refers to the day of Israel’s judgment. The picture here is that they have been unknowingly fattening themselves as a sheep or ox does in preparation for its own day of slaughter. Their ignorance in going their own way without considering God (as in James 4:13-16) and building up earthly treasure is like that of the rich fool in Luke 12:15-21). — Grace, page 2201.

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the just (v.6) — Refers to the righteous in general, although they did indeed kill the Just One (Acts 3:14-15; 7:52). — Grace, page 2201.

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

² Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

³ Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.

Let us remember that the Epistle was written years before the destruction of Jerusalem. When Jerusalem fell, and even before its fall, many of the rich Jews became paupers; they were ruined, tortured and murdered, as Josephus tells us. The fall of Jerusalem with its awful horrors, in the year 70 A.D., was a judgment of the Lord, but not the day of the Lord and the coming of the Lord. What happened then to the stubborn unbelieving masses will happen again, only on a larger scale during the coming great tribulation and when the Lord returns in power and in great glory. We believe therefore, that this exhortation to the rich has a special bearing for the future, during the very end of the age. — Gaebelein, page 1135.

corrupted (v.2) = lit. putrefied

The general designation “rich men” used here by the apostle indicates that these men were Jewish unbelievers who were well connected in the community. We believe this is substantiated by the fact that the cries of these believers, who were suffering at the hands of the rich, were heard by the Lord of Sabbath (v.4). Furthermore, they were responsible for condemning and killing the just, which is another clear indication that they didn’t know the Lord (v.6). — Sadler, pages 122-123.

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The apostle wanted the rich to understand the peril they were facing, for soon their laughter would turn to mourning and the loss of their riches into great cries of lamentation. Unlike the west where the response to a loss is usually measured, in the east, the reaction is far more dramatic. … Since the Scriptures are written to those of the household of faith, the primary purpose of the apostle’s warning to the rich was for the benefit of his hearers. James didn’t want them to fall into the snare of envying the wealthy because he understood the serious consequences that could have on their spiritual life. — Sadler, page 123.

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a witness against you (v.2) — i.e. that they did not use their riches properly (cf. Luke 16:13; 18:22). — Grace, page 2201.

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In biblical times [wealth] was measured in food, costly apparel, and precious metals. … The three verbs James chose to use in this context: corrupt, motheaten, and cankered confirm these were the particular riches he had in mind. … Interestingly, all three of these verbs are in the past tense. This, however, does not necessarily mean these miseries had already befallen the rich. The Scriptures often speak of future events as if they have already happened. It seems these were prophetic utterances James speaks of that would befall the rich in the future. Prophesies often have a short-term and long-term aspect to their fulfillment and this may well be the case in regard to these warnings. The siege of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 A.D. would certainly be at least a partial fulfillment of what is recorded here. But it is more probable that James has a far more sweeping fulfillment of these judgments in mind, as indicated by what follows in the text. …

[The Jews] were well aware that the day of calamity was coming from the hand of the Lord, so they sought to store up their treasure to endure the dreadful time of Jacob’s Trouble. What they failed to realize was they will be the subjects of the wrath to come. 

The “last days’ James makes reference to here must not be confused with the “last days” spoken of in Paul’s epistles. The events of these two periods called the “last days” are mutually exclusive of one another by the very nature of the programs in which they are revealed. The special revelation committed to Paul addresses the last days of the Church, which is His Body, that will precede the Rapture, which is heavenly in nature. James, on the other hand, is speaking about the last days of Israel that precede the Second Coming of Christ, which is earthy in nature.

The prophetic last days were predicted by the prophet Joel in the Old Testament, but it was Peter who announced their arrival. In his Pentecostal address to Israel, Peter says: “This is that, which was spoken of by the prophet Joel.” This is what? You see, Peter was speaking under the direction of the Holy Spirit so he knew exactly where he was at in relation to the plans and purposes of God according to prophecy. Those who had gathered at Jerusalem witnessed the beginning of the End Times on the day of Pentecost. These days were being fulfilled before their very eyes.

However, by the time James wrote his epistle, Israel was already in the process of being set aside in unbelief by God. Therefore, the last days of prophecy have been temporarily interrupted by the Mystery. With this in mind, the Spirit of God would have us understand that the “last days” spoken of by James are the continuation of them in the coming day of the Lord. What God began at Pentecost will resume at the beginning of the Tribulation. It is then the rich will weep and wail with great lamentations when they see their riches go up on smoke. — Sadler, pages 125-126.

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There was a unique application for believing Jews after their Messiah came that required them to liquidate their assets (Matthew 6:19-31; Luke 12:33; 14:33). This does not apply to believers in the Dispensation of Grace. The believer today is to sow bountifully of his material goods “as he purposeth in his heart” in order that he may reap bountifully in this service for the Lord (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). — Grace, page 2201.

¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;

¹⁴ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

¹⁶ But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

¹⁷ Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

While the believer is not to dwell on tomorrow, the Scriptures do leave room for him to plan for the future, but to do so properly. James uses and example of a Jewish merchant who travels to a city and makes arrangements to stay for a year, so he can become wealthy, buying and selling his goods. However, the apostle shows the foolishness of this type of reasoning, seeing that the merchant acts as though he’s in control of the future. … Life is like the mist that rises from a lake on a cool morning; it appears for a short time and then vanishes. James reminds the merchant how unwise it is to leave God out of his plans. … Since the future and the days of our lives are in God’s hands, the apostle shows his hearers how to properly plan … — Sadler, pages 119-120.

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Instead of bragging about the future (v.13), we should humbly submit to God’s sovereignty (v.15) — Grace, page 2201.

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boast (v.16) — Instead of having pride in our self-confidence, we should  have humility. Satan also made arrogant “I will” statements (Isaiah 14:13-14). — Grace, page 2201.

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Once we have been made aware of God’s truth (v.17), we are accountable for that knowledge. Jesus was the Light of the world (John 1:4-5; 8:12; 12:46), and, once seen, man was responsible for rejecting Him (John 3:19; 9:39-41). Likewise, our Apostle Paul said that the entire world is guilty before God for rejecting the knowledge of Him imparted through general revelation (Romans 1:18-2:5). Everyone is without excuse before God (Romans 3:19). — Grace, page 2201.

¹¹ Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

There are seven verses in which exhortations to guard the tongue and speech are given: 1:19, 26; 2:12; 3:8-9, 16; 4:11; and 5:9. It seems that this must have been the besetting sin of these believing Jews. Evil, of course, must always be judged, whether it is unsound doctrine or an evil conduct; this belongs to the responsibility of a believer. But God alone, the Righteous Judge, knows the heart and its motives. Speaking against a brother and judging him, that is, pronouncing a sentence of condemnation upon him, is the same as speaking against the law and judging the law. — Gaebelein, page 1134.

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The “law” in [verse 11] is the “royal law” of loving one’s neighbor as oneself. If we are observing the law of love, we will not speak ill of fellow believers (1 John 3:11; 4:7, 20-21). — Grace, page 2200.

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We may disagree with a brother in Christ who holds to an unsound teaching, but we have no right to speak disparagingly of him or judge his motives. A believer who does is setting himself up as a judge. This is exactly the point James is making to his readers: he who speaks against his brother, speaks against the perfect law of liberty, which is the law of love (James 1:25 cf 2:8). If they loved their neighbor, they would not talk behind his back in an attempt to exalt themselves or to further their cause. If they did, they were assuming the role of a judge. James thunders back at such arrogance, “Who art thou that judgest another?” After all, the accuser had his own sins and failures with which to contend. It is God that is the Judge of all the earth, who will deliver the saved and destroy His enemies in the coming days of the Lord. — Sadler, page 115.

slander (v.11) = lit. “speak down on”

⁶ But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

⁹ Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

devil (v.7) = accuser, slanderer

Many well-meaning believers quote the latter part of verse 7, but neglect the first part of the passage. These kingdom believers were no match for this archenemy of God. In fact, Satan would make mincemeat out of them, as the Lord revealed to Peter (Luke 22:31). As an angel of light his eloquence and knowledge would dazzle the brightest among us. As a roaring lion he strikes fear into the heart. As the tempter he can deceive the most perceptive. He is a formidable foe in any age.

But he is no match for the Lord; therefore, the believer who submits himself to God and resists the devil leaves him standing face to face with the One who is all-powerful. — Sadler, page 109.

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Cleanse and purify (v.8) differ in what they affect. The former; along with hands and sinners speaks of actions which may be observed. The latter, addressed to the internal insecurities of the “double-minded,” is aimed against improper motives and wicked thoughts. — KJV Commentary, page 1722.

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We must never lose sight of the fact, as we study the Epistle of James, that Israel had a covenant relationship with God. This was a conditional agreement, commonly known as the Law of Moses. Thus, God said to Israel, “If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure … And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6). Under this agreement, Israel’s redemption and blessings were prefaced upon her obedience to this performance-based system. …

James echoes this promise to his hearers who were living a worldly life, but wondered why God seemed to have forsaken them. “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” Notice the action of God was contingent upon the action of His people. If they returned to God in repentance, He would return to them. This is the nature of the law, which is summed up in this thought: This do and ye shall live (Deuteronomy 8:1 cf. 27:26). Under grace, we are “accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6). Whatever state a believer may find himself today, he has full access to God on the basis of the finished work of Christ. — Sadler, pages 111-112.

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James’ readers were torn between worldly success and devotion to God. The Lord made it very clear during His earthly ministry that a man cannot serve two masters — if he loves one of them, he will hate the other. The hour of decision had come for the double-minded man, as far as James was concerned. — Sadler, page 113.

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In regard to the apostle’s charge to be afflicted: By this he means “to be touched by a sense of misery.” He adds to this sense of misery, mourning (bewailing, lamentation) and weeping (shedding tears”. Why does James demand such a spirit of remorse and sadness from his hearers? We must remember that the Jew was ever a covenant people/nation. Israel was bound to her God by promises and agreements that governed her nation existence. Israel’s national religious feasts were annual reminders of her days of past bondage and redemption. Her final redemption and golden era to come through her Messiah awaited a future dispensation. Nationally, the Jew mourned and wept and was afflicted realizing it was her national unbelief that delayed her coming days of joy, deliverance, and fulfillment. If they would merely humble themselves before God and repent of their sins, He would lift them up, according to James, and use them mightily as He had promised long ago. This will be music to the ears of those who will live during the future Tribulation. — Sadler, page 114.

1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

² You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

⁴ Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

⁵ Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

wars (vs.1, 2) = disputes, strife, quarrels (contrasted with the peace of James 3:18).

members (v.1) = a part belonging to the whole; any function of human personality or the human body

The word “lusts” [v.1 — desires for pleasure] is translated from the Greek word hedone, from which we get the word hedonism. This is the same word Paul used in Titus 3:3 where it is translated as “pleasures” (i.e., sinful pleasures). [The word “lust” in v.2 is] a different word than the one translated “lusts” in verse 1. The word here is epithumeo, and means to set one’s heart upon or to long for. Here the word is used in a negative sense for when someone becomes solely focused on getting something that he should not have — a single-minded pursuit of sin that is blind to the consequences. — Grace, page 2200.

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James is not using the term “kill” [murder] in a literal sense, but figuratively. James aligns his teaching so closely with the Sermon the Mount that, in all likelihood, he is simply reinforcing the instructions that were given by the Lord. The law says, “Thou shalt not kill,” but the Lord went straight to the root of the matter that if a man was angry with his brother without a cause he was in danger of the judgment to come. The Apostle John adds: “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15). Both anger and hatred are sins of the heart. It is sad but true that believers are susceptible to falling back into the very sins that so easily beset them. With this in mind, James points out to his countrymen that they were consumed with lust — that is, lust for position, status, and possessions. When some discovered that these things were beyond their reach, they became envious of those who possessed these things — so much so that murderous anger filled their hearts, jeopardizing the very testimony of these assemblies. — Sadler, pages 104-105.

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Quarrels are not caused by outward circumstances, but by inward passions. If men were sinless there would be no contentions or wars. War characterizes the carnal nature; peace, the new nature. Envy involves murder (v.2). God’s promises are addressed to those who pray, not to those who fight. If men prayed, there would be no fighting. If it be replied that they do pray, and that nothing results, the answer is that their prayer is animated by the passion for self-pleasing (v.3). — Williams, page 995.

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The hostilities among them … were hindering their prayer life in two senses: some were so consumed with the heat of battle that they had stopped praying. James says, “ye have not, because ye ask not.” Their preoccupation to win the argument left little time to communicate with God. Others who were praying did so with the wrong motives. Thus the apostle adds, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss.” The term “amiss” here has the idea of depraved or evil. The prayers of these particular brethren were laced with ill-intent. … The prayer life of these saints was governed by the gospel of the kingdom under which they served. Whatever these saints prayed for, God had promised to provide for them, as long as they asked in faith (Matthew 21:22). But, what “is not of faith is sin.” Thus the impure motives of these saints explain why God was not responding to their prayers— Sadler, page 105.

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adulterers and adulteresses (v.4) — Spiritual adultery was mentioned often in the Old Testament (Isaiah 57:3-9; Jeremiah 3:20; Ezekiel 16:32, 35, 38; and Hosea 2). It is no more right for a Christian to love both God and the world, than for a man to have two wives. Unfaithfulness would repulse the offended party in either case. — KJV Commentary, page 1722.

Do you think …? (v.5) — In the original Greek, this expects a negative reply.

enmity (v.4) = hostility. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16).

James makes it clear that whoever is a friend of this world’s system is an enemy of God because the world is hostile to the things of God. Friendship implies common interests, mutual respect, and similar goals. for the believer, then, to be a friend of the world, he must, for all intents and purposes, lower his standards to be accepted. It has been correctly noted that “worldliness is what any particular culture does to make sin look normal and righteousness look strange.” — Sadler, pages 106-107.

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Scripture (v.5) — James apparently did not refer to a specific verse of Scripture, but to the overall tenor of Scripture, which reveals that man’s nature is bent toward evil and wrong desires instead of toward God (Genesis 6:5; 8:21; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:14-15; Galatians 5:17). — Grace, page 2200.

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The Holy Spirit that indwelt these believers yearned, jealously, for their undivided attention (v.5) — Sadler, page 107.