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James 1:11

in James 1

For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and withereth the grass; and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his goings.

KJV

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

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This verse in James 1

Commentary

13 notes on this verse
For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat - Isaiah Isa 40:7 employs the word “wind,” referring to a burning wind that dries up the flowers. It is probable that the apostle also refers not so much to the sun itself, as to the hot and fiery wind called the simoom, which often rises with the sun, and which consumes the green herbage of the fields. So Rosenmuller and Bloomfield interpret it. It withereth the grass - Isa 40:

This site's exposition

The brother in humble circumstances

on James 1:9-11

The brother in humble circumstances should exult in his high position, and the rich in his low position. The rich man will pass away like a flower of the field, Isaiah's figure for human glory in Isaiah 40:6-8, and fade away.

This site's exposition

the sun rises with scorching heat

Barnes takes the scorching heat as the simoom, the fiery wind that often rises with the sun and consumes green fields. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read his pursuits as his whole course of life, and compare the unstable ways of verse 8. The end comes while he is still busy.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on James · Written before 550.

proposed

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower thereof falls, and the beauty of its appearance perishes: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. "in his ways." James speaks of …

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Bonaventure

Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 13 · Written in the 13th century.

proposed

In the allegorical sense, the sun signifies Christ. It rises in the nativity, it goes down in death; it orbits through noon in the ascension; it is inclined to the north in the judgment. Concerning the judgment, James says: "For the sun rises with a …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on James · Written before 1107.

proposed

The apostle likens wealth to the flower of grass, wishing to show how quickly it passes away. He used the word "face" not in its proper meaning, for it is used only of a person, and is not used of other objects. By "pursuits" he …

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on the Catholic Epistles · Written before 735.

proposed

For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls. The scorching heat of the sun is taken to mean the stern sentence of the judge, by which the temporal glory of the reproved comes to an end. However, the elect …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Those of low degree are to be looked upon as brethren: Let the brother of low degree, &c. Poverty does not destroy the relation among Christians. Good Christians may be rich in the world,
5 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

But those sins which bring sufferings, or the weakness and faults men are chargeable with under them, are by no means to be imputed to God, who cannot be the author of sin, but is the author of all good,

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

For this reason let him that is rich rejoice, not so much in the providence of God, that makes him rich, as in the grace of God, that makes and keeps him humble; and in those trials and exercises that teach him to seek his felicity in and from God, and not from these perishing enjoyments.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

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]. Compare "his ways," that is, his course of life, Jas 1:8.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

For the sun is no sooner risen - We need not pursue this metaphor, as St. James’ meaning is sufficiently clear: All human things are transitory; rise and fall, or increase and decay, belong to all the productions of the earth, and to all its inhabitants. This is unavoidable, for in many cases the very cause of their growth becomes the cause of their decay and destruction. The sun by its genial heat nourishes and supports all plants and animals; but when it arises with a burning heat, the atmosphere not being tempered with a sufficiency of moist vapours, the juices are exhaled from the plants; the earth, for lack of moisture, cannot afford a sufficient supply; vegetation becomes checked; and the plants soon wither and die. Earthly possessions are subject to similar mutations. God gives and resumes them at his pleasure, and for reasons which he seldom explains to man. He shows them to be uncertain, that they may never become an object of confidence to his followers, and that they may put their whole trust in God. If for righteousness’ sake any of those who were in affluence suffer loss, or spoiling of their goods, they should consider that, while they have gained that of infinite worth, they have lost what is but of little value, and which in the nature of things they must soon part with, though they should suffer nothing on account of religion.

The words behind it

32 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Isaiah 40:7–8The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.12 worksProverbs 31:30Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.12 worksJames 5:1Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.10 worksPsalms 37:35–36I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree,9 worksLuke 16:22One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.8 worksLuke 16:19–25Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor.6 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Peter 1:4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,5 worksMark 4:6But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.4 worksJob 24:24They are exalted for a moment, then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain.4 worksPsalms 49:6–14They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.3 worksJob 4:21Are not their tent cords pulled up, so that they die without wisdom?’3 worksJohn 6:27Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”3 worksJob 15:29He will no longer be rich; his wealth will not endure. His possessions will not overspread the land.3 worksJob 7:6My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.3 worksPsalms 90:6in the morning it springs up new, but by evening it fades and withers.3 worksMatthew 13:6But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.2 worksLuke 12:16–21Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance.2 worksEzekiel 28:6Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you regard your heart as the heart of a god,2 works

The walk

5 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Mark 4:6

    But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

    it leads to

    • Jonah 4:8

      As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint and wished to die, saying, “It is better for me…

    • Jeremiah 17:5–8

      This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.

    • Colossians 2:7

      rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

    • Jude 1:12

      These men are hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after…

    • Psalms 1:3–4

      He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.

Where this verse is studied

About James

Saint James the Younger, El Greco, 1600. Public domain.
Saint James the Younger, El Greco, 1600. Public domain.
James: the study guide →Read James 1 →
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on the Catholic Epistles; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 13; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on James and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on James.

Read on in James 1 →