Matthew Henry

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.

“How will those be exposed then who boast of that which they cannot evidence, or who go about to evidence their faith by any thing but works of piety and mercy!”

O foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is worthless?

“Faith without works is said to be dead, not only as void of all those operations which are the proofs of spiritual life, but as unavailable to eternal life: such believers as rest in a bare profession of faith are dead while they live.”

Was not our father Abraham justified by what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

“But these are well reconciled, by observing what is said in Heb. 11 , which shows that the faith both of Abraham and Rahab was such as to produce those good works of which James speaks, and which are not to be separated from faith…”

And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.

“And thus he became the friend of God. Faith, producing such works, endeared him to the divine Being, and advanced him to very peculiar favours and intimacies with God.”

As you can see, a man is justified by his deeds and not by faith alone.

“It was a done thing in the mind, and spirit, and resolution of Abraham, and God accepts it as if fully performed and accomplished. [4.] The actings of faith make it grow perfect, as the truth of faith makes it act. [5.]”

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?

“The former instance was of one renowned for his faith all his life long, This is of one noted for sin, whose faith was meaner and of a much lower degree; so that the strongest faith will not do, nor the meanest be allowed to…”

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

“For, (1.) The best works, without faith, are dead; they want their root and principle. It is by faith that any thing we do is really good, as done with an eye to God, in obedience to him, and so as to aim principally at…”

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

“Our judging others will but make our own judgment the more strict and severe, Matt. vii. Those who are curious to spy out the faults of others, and arrogant in passing censures upon them, may expect that God will be as extreme in marking what…”

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.

“But, on the other hand, if a man seemeth to be religious (as was declared in the first chapter) and bridleth not his tongue, whatever profession he makes, that man's religion is vain.”

In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze.

“Observe hence, There is a great pollution and defilement in sins of the tongue. Defiling passions are kindled, vented, and cherished by this unruly member. And the whole body is often drawn into sin and guilt by the tongue.”

The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body.

“The snares into which men are sometimes led by the tongue are insufferable to themselves and destructive of others. It setteth on fire the course of nature.”

With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.

“It is said of the seraphim that praise God, they dare not bring a railing accusation. And for men to reproach those who have not only the image of God in their natural faculties, but are renewed after the image of God by the grace…”

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

“It is plainly intimated by what this chapter first goes upon that such a faith is, however, apt to make men conceited and magisterial in their tempers and their talk.”

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

“True wisdom makes men meek, and avoiders of strife and envy: and hereby it may easily be distinguished from a wisdom that is earthly and hypocritical,”

Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

“It springs from earthly principles, acts upon earthly motives, and is intent upon serving earthly purposes. It is sensual indulging the flesh, and making provision to fulfil the lusts and desires of it.”

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.

“One sin begets another, and it cannot be imagined how much mischief is produced: there is every evil work. And is such wisdom as produces these effects to be gloried in?”

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

“It is not gained by conversing with men, nor by the knowledge of the world (as some think and speak), but it comes from above. It consists of these several things:-- 1.”

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.

“For light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart; and the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.”

And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.

“Let us remember this, that when we speed not in our prayers it is because we ask amiss; either we do not ask for right ends or not in a right manner, not with faith or not with fervency: unbelieving and cold desires beg denials…”

You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God?

“Covetousness is elsewhere called idolatry, and it is here called adultery; it is a forsaking of him to whom we are devoted and espoused, to cleave to other things; there is this brand put upon worldly-mindedness--that it is enmity to God.”

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it.

“The law of Christ is, Judge not, that you be not judged, Matt. vii. The sum and substance of both is that men should love one another.”

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

“Since there is one Lawgiver, we may infer that it is not for any man or company of men in the world to pretend to give laws immediately to bind conscience; for that is God's prerogative, which must not be invaded.”

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”

“How much of worldly happiness lies in the promises men make to themselves beforehand. Their heads are full of fine visions, as to what they shall do, and be, and enjoy, in some future time, when they can neither be sure of time nor of…”

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

“We know not what shall be on the morrow; we may know what we intend to do and to be, but a thousand things may happen to prevent us.”

Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”

“It is good to express ourselves thus when we have to do with others, but it is indispensably requisite that we should say this to ourselves in all that we go about.”