Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.

“His teaching being practical, rather than doctrinal, required less frequent mention of Christ's name. scattered abroad--literally "which are in the dispersion." The dispersion of the Israelites, and their connection with Jerusalem as a center of religion, was a divinely ordered means of propagating Christianity.”

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,

“Nothing but joy [PISCATOR]. Count all "divers temptations" to be each matter of joy [BENGEL]. fall into--unexpectedly, so as to be encompassed by them (so the original Greek).”

Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

“Let endurance have a perfect work (taken out of the previous "worketh patience" or endurance), that is, have its full effect, by showing the most perfect degree of endurance, namely, "joy in bearing the cross" [MENOCHIUS], and enduring to the end (Mt 10:22) [CALVIN].”

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

“The highest wisdom, which governs patience alike in poverty and riches, is described in Jas 1:9, 10. ask-- (Jas 4:2). liberally--So the Greek is rendered by English Version. It is rendered with simplicity, Ro 12:8.”

He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

“The words in this Jas 1:8 are in apposition with "that man," Jas 1:7; thus the "us," which is not in the original, will not need to be supplied, "A man double-minded, unstable in all his ways!"”

But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.

“This view meets all ALFORD'S objections to regarding "the rich" here as a "brother" at all. To avoid making the rich a brother, he translates, "But the rich glories in his humiliation," namely, in that which is really his debasement (his rich state, Php 3:19)…”

For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost.

“Mt 20:12 uses the Greek word for "heat." Isa 40:7, "bloweth upon it," seems to answer to "the hot wind" here. grace of the fashion--that is of the external appearance. in his ways--referring to the burdensome extent of the rich man's devices [BENGEL].”

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love…

“The believer's heart fills up the omission, without the name needing to be mentioned. The "faithful One who promised" (Heb 10:23). to them that love him--In 2Ti 4:8, "the crown of righteousness to them that love His appearing."”

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.

“The Greek is not "tempted by," but, "from," implying indirect agency. cannot be tempted with evil, &c.--"Neither do any of our sins tempt God to entice us to worse things, nor does He tempt any of His own accord" (literally, "of Himself"; compare the antithesis…”

But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed.

“Even Satan's suggestions do not endanger us before they are made our own. Each one has his own peculiar (so the Greek) lust, arising from his own temperament and habit. Lust flows from the original birth-sin in man, inherited from Adam.”

Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

“The guilty union is committed by the will embracing the temptress. "Lust," the harlot, then, "brings forth sin," namely, of that kind to which the temptation inclines.”

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.

“Also, Father of the spiritual lights in the kingdom of grace and glory [BENGEL]. These were typified by the supernatural lights on the breastplate of the high priest, the Urim.”

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.

“In contrast to "lust when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin, and sin . . . death" (Jas 1:15). Life follows naturally in connection with light (Jas 1:17). word of truth--the Gospel.”

for man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires.

“Man's angry zeal in debating, as if jealous for the honor of God's righteousness, is far from working that which is really righteousness in God's sight. True "righteousness is sown in peace," not in wrath (Jas 3:18).”

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

“Superfluous excess in speaking is also reprobated as "coming of evil" (the Greek is akin to the word for "naughtiness" here) in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:37), with which James' Epistle is so connected.”

Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.

“James here again refers to the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 7:21-29). deceiving your own selves--by the logical fallacy (the Greek implies this) that the mere hearing is all that is needed.”

For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,

“As a man may behold his natural face in a mirror, so the hearer may perceive his moral visage in God's Word. This faithful portraiture of man's soul in Scripture, is the strongest proof of the truth of the latter.”

and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

“"Contemplate" here, and in Jas 1:23, implies that, though cursory, yet some knowledge of one's self, at least for the time, is imparted in hearing the word (1Co 14:24). and . . . and--The repetition expresses hastiness joined with levity [BENGEL].”

But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what…

“A blessed curiosity if it be efficacious in bearing fruit [BENGEL]. perfect law of liberty--the Gospel rule of life, perfect and perfecting (as shown in the Sermon on the Mount, Mt 5:48), and making us truly walk at liberty (Ps 119:32, Church of England Prayer…”

Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

“Pure . . . and undefiled--"Pure" is that love which has in it no foreign admixture, as self-deceit and hypocrisy. "Undefiled" is the means of its being "pure" [TITTMANN].”

have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

“The "evil thoughts" are in the judges themselves; as in Lu 18:6, the Greek, "judge of injustice," is translated, "unjust judge." ALFORD and WAHL translate, "Did ye not doubt" (respecting your faith, which is inconsistent with the distinctions made by you between rich and poor)?”

Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?

“1Co 1:26, 27, 28). rich in faith--Their riches consist in faith. Lu 12:21, "rich toward God." 1Ti 6:18, "rich in good works" (Re 2:9; compare 2Co 8:9). Christ's poverty is the source of the believer's riches. kingdom . . . promised-- (Lu 12:32;”

If you really fulfill the royal law stated in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

“To this the "indeed" alludes. "(Ye rest in the law): If indeed (then) ye fulfil it, ye do well; but if," &c. royal--the law that is king of all laws, being the sum and essence of the ten commandments.”

But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

“Respect of persons violates the command to love all alike "as thyself." ye commit sin--literally, "ye work sin," Mt 7:23, to which the reference here is probably, as in Jas 1:22.”

Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

“You thus break the whole law, though not the whole of the law, because you offend against love, which is the fulfilling of the law. If any part of a man be leprous, the whole man is judged to be a leper.”