Introductory remarks:
James begins this last chapter directing the churches attention to the wicked rich, and then finishes off with Christian exhortation. "James speaks of the trouble coming for the rich man who lived for pleasure and cheated his workers and attacked the defenseless righteous. The righteous should be patient because God has been patient and He will be coming soon. He tells them to be men of their words, pray in sickness and for one another because God hears our prayers" (A Survey of James - By Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: Warning to the rich vv. 1-6: Patience and prayer vv. 7-20.
Warning to the Rich
Verse 1, "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you."
LGT "Go to now, [ye] rich, weep, howling over your miseries that are coming upon you."
James wrote this epistle sometime between 50 and 60 A.D. so this prophetic utterance to the rich that they would howl over their miseries pointed to Titus, who hated all Jews and Christians alike, when he took Jerusalem and killed as many Jews as he could find. It not only referred to the fall of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D., but also to all the oppressive rich throughout history, which will culminate at the second coming of Christ when they will meet their final doom. "In the first six verses of this chapter, James has two aims - first, to show the ultimate worthlessness of all earthly riches, and, second, to show the detestable character of those who possess them. By doing this, he hopes to prevent his readers from placing all their hopes and desires on earthly things" (William Barclay).
Verse 2, "Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten."
LGT "Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten."
Your riches have rotted: this is speaking of the rich hording their material wealth while people around them are starving, and their riches, that is, above and beyond what they could use for themselves, have begun to rot; we read the parable of the rich man in Luke 12:18, 19 hoarded his grain and meant to build a bigger barn to hold all his grain, but ended up dying in the process. You garments have become moth-eaten: the same principle here, that the rich, who got their riches by ill gain, heaped to themselves material treasures as much as they could, to see them rot in time.
Verse 3, "Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasures for the last days."
LGT "Your gold and silver have been eaten away, and their canker shall a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. You treasured up in [the] last days."
Your gold and silver have been eaten away: this speaks of the improper use of gold and silver, that is, the rich are never satisfied with any amount. McGee writes this about riches, "A gentleman was being shown through the magnificent grounds of a rich nobleman's estate, and he said to the owner, 'Well, my lord, all this and heaven would be noble; but this and hell would be terrible.'" And their canker shall be a testimony against you: James knew that gold and silver did not rust, but they loose their luster over time when hidden away, and they become tarnished, and he says that this will tarnish from hoarding, instead of using it for the good of the poor among him, will be a testimony speaking out loud against him at the last day. And shall eat your flesh as fire: the outcome of the man who lays up treasures on earth; vanity, vanity, all is vanity. You treasured up in the last days: these last days refer to the final judgment, "For what profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and loose his soul" (Mark 8:36).
Verse 4, "Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back as fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth."
LGT "Lo, the wages of the workman who harvested your fields, which has been kept back by you, cries out, and the cries of the ones who reaped into the ears of [the] Lord of hosts have entered."
Lo, the wages of the workman who harvested your fields: the old world word for "hire" is wages, so my literal translation reads correctly. Which has been kept back by fraud: the rich owner of the field has kept back wages owed the workers by fraud. Cries out: the stolen money cries out, that is, the owner knows he is guilty of fraud. And the cries of the ones who reaped into the ears of the Lord of hosts have entered: Not only do the workers cry out to the owner, but also the money metaphorically cries out to him, similar to the blood of Able crying out against Cain to the Lord. "God hears the cries of the oppressed worker, even if their employer doesn't" (Robertson).
Verse 5, "Ye lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter."
LGT "You lived delicately upon the earth, and lived in self-gratification, you fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter."
You have lived delicately upon the earth, and lived in self gratification: just like the rich man the Lord told us about in Luke's gospel, where the poor beggar Lazarus was laid at the rich man's gate, to collect the crumbs from his table. The rich man lived sumptuously every day in self-gratification. (This would be a good time to go back and read that account (Luke 16:19-31). You fattened your hearts as in the day of slaughter: the same way cattle are fattened before they are slaughtered at the meat packing houses. I believe that James uses this bit of sarcastic parallelism to accentuate the fact that the rich will gorge themselves with self-gratification even up the final day of the Lord, when they will have to give an account at the Great White Throne of Judgment.
Verse 6, "Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you."
LGT "You condemned, you killed, the just ones; he does not resist you."
James is describing the righteous ones who are habitually oppressed by the rich, who control the world. They give no resistance because it would only get them killed. The reason the rich hate the just ones because they condemn the life of the rich by being righteous. Barclay quotes the ancient philosopher Alcibiades: "Alcibiades, the friend of Socrates, for all his great talents often lived a riotous and debauched life. And there were times when he said to Socrates: 'Socrates, I hate you, for every time I see you, you show me what I am.' Those who are evil would gladly eliminate the good, for they remind them of what they are and of what they ought to be.
Patience and Prayer
Verse 7, "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain."
LGT "Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Lo, the husbandman awaits the precious fruit of the earth, being planted for it, until it receive [the] early and latter rain."
Be patient therefore, brethren: the ones who are being oppressed by the rich. Until the coming of the Lord: the second coming of Christ. This is the only time in history where the poor will be treated righteously. James now goes into an illustration of the patience of the farmer. Lo, the husbandman awaits the precious fruit of the earth: the farmer does not plant the seed and then goes out the next day to see if it is growing; he waits patiently for the harvest will come. Being planted for it, until it receive the early and latter rain: The early rain fell in October, November, and December, and extended into January and February. These rains do not come suddenly, but by degrees, so that the farmer can sow his wheat and barley. The rains are mostly from the west or southwest (Luke 12:54), continuing two or three days at a time, and falling mostly in the night. Then the wind shifts to the north or east, and fine weather ensues (Prov. 25:23). The latter rains, which are much lighter, fall in March and April" (Vincent).
Verse 8, "Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh."
LGT "You also, be patient, establish your hearts, because the coming of the Lord has drawn near."
You also, be patient: the same as the farmer waiting for harvest. Establish your hearts: trust the Lord and His Word. The only way a believer can be established is by believing and putting complete trust in God's Word. Because the coming of the Lord has drawn near: throughout the Word we are told to live our lives in full expectancy of the soon coming of Christ; even though no one knows when that will be; we are to simply put our trust in the fact that He is coming. William Barclay has a nice word study on the use of the word Coming of the Lord:
"We may first note that the New Testament uses three different words to describe the second coming of Jesus Christ:
(1.) The most common is Parousia, a word which has come into English as it stands. It is used in (Matthew 24:3, 27, 37, 39; 1 Thessalonians 2:19, 3:13, 4:15, 5:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1; 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 John 2:28; 2 Peter 1:16, 3:4). In secular Greek, this is the ordinary word for someone's presence or arrival. But it has two other usages, one of which became quite technical. It is used of the invasion of a country by an army; and especially it is used of the visit of a king or a governor to a province of his empire. So, when this word is used of Jesus, it means that His second coming is the final invasion of earth by heaven and the coming of the King to receive the final submission and adoration of His subjects
(2.) The New Testament also uses the word epiphaneia (Titus 2:13; 2 Timothy 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:9). In ordinary Greek, this word has two special usages. It is used of the appearance of a god to the worshipper, and it used of the accession of an emperor to the imperial power of Rome. So, when this word is used of Jesus, it means that His second coming is God appearing to His people, both to those who are waiting for Him and to those who are taking no interest in Him.
(3.) Finally, the New Testament uses the word apokalupsis (1 Peter 1:7, 1:13). Apokalupsis in ordinary Greek means an unveiling or a laying bare, and when it used of Jesus it means that His second coming is laying bare of the power and glory of God upon men and women.
Here, then, we have a series of great pictures. The second coming of Jesus is the arrival of the King; it is God appearing to His people and mounting His eternal throne; it is God directing on the world the full blaze of His heavenly glory."
Verse 9, "Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door."
LGT "Stop groaning against one another, brethren, in order that you are not judged: Lo, the Judge stands before the door."
Stop groaning against one another, brethren: James gives this prohibition to them as some of them were doing about their present persecutions, and were murmuring one against the other; he says look at your condition in light of the soon coming of Christ. In order that you are not judged: if you continue judging one another, Jesus Christ will judge you on this issue. Lo, the Judge stands before the door: Christ will return soon and you will have to give an account of your actions. The best reason for living in the Word is that you are preparing yourself for meeting the Lord.
Verse 10, "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience."
LGT "[As] an example of suffering and patience, brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
The prophets were examples of suffering affliction for the cause of Christ with patient endurance; if the prophets suffered because they spoke out for the Lord, others can expect the same, as James points out here, which the Christians in the Jerusalem church will also suffer for Christ.
Verse 11, "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy."
LGT "Lo, we call blessed those who endure: the endurance of Job ye have heard of, and the end of the Lord you saw, that full of tender pity is the Lord and compassionate."
Job wasn't always patient, but he learned to endure with patience through his suffering. They were witnesses of Christ's death, and how He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing." Christ allowed Himself to be crucified, in order that the ones who believe will live eternally; now, this is the epitome of compassion. "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).
Verse 12, "But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation."
LGT "But before all things, my brethren, swear not, neither [by] the heaven, nor the earth; nor any other oath; but let be of you the yea, yea, and the nay, nay, in order that you may not fall into hypocrisy."
But before all things, my brethren: James says that this point he is about to make is very serious, for a man's character depends on his word. Swear not, neither by the heaven, not the earth; nor any other oath: the Jews were used to taking oaths using God's name, or some other earthly name. But let be of you the yea, yea, and the nay, nay: they should be men of their word, and there should not be any need for swearing by an oath to prove they are truthful. In order that you may not fall into hypocrisy: let your truthfulness prove your character, in order that you don't become a hypocritical liar. "The New Testament view is that every word is spoken in the presence of God and ought therefore to be true, and it would agree that Christians must be known to be men and women of such honor that it will be quite unnecessary ever to put them on oath. The New Testament would not entirely condemn oaths, but it would deplore the human tendency to lying, which on occasion makes oaths necessary" (William Barclay).
Verse 13, "Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms."
LGT "Does anyone suffer hardships among you? Let him pray: is anyone cheerful? Let him praise:"
Does anyone suffer hardships among you? Let him pray: this is middle imperative meaning let him keep on praying instead of cursing. Is anyone cheerful? Let him praise: James uses another middle imperative meaning keep on praising God. Barnes notes: "The sentiment in this verse is well expressed in the beautiful stanza:"
In every joy that crowns my days,
In every pain I bear,
My heart shall find delight in praise,
Or seek relief in prayer.
Mrs. Williams.
Verse 14, "Is any sick among you? 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."
LGT "Is anyone sick among you? Let him call to the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, having rubbed him with oil in the name of the Lord."
Is anyone sick among you? Let him call to the elders of the assembly: in the first church the elders had certain spiritual gifts, one of them being the gift of healing. The church today has neither spiritual gifts nor elders, for the church is individual and not corporate. In this first church they did not have the completed Word of God as we do today, so they had to rely completely on the Holy Spirit for their teaching; today we have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit teaching through the Word. And let them pray over him: the first and most important act of healing is prayer. God is the Great Physician, and He does the healing. Having rubbed him with oil in the name of the Lord: This is not the ritual of anointing as in anointing for the teacher of the Word, but it was a rubbing with olive oil for medicinal purposes. I will quote A.T. Robertson, whom many conservative theologians credit with being a master in the Greek New Testament: "The use of olive oil was one of the best remedial agencies known to the ancients. They used it internally and externally. Some physicians prescribe it today. It is clear both in Mark 6:13 and here that medicinal value is attached to the use of the oil and emphasis is placed on the worth of prayer. There is nothing here of the pagan magic or of the latter practice of extreme unction (after the eighth century)."
Verse 15, "And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall forgive him."
LGT "And the prayer of faith shall save the exhausted one, and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be [one who] committed sins, it shall be forgiven him."
And the prayer of faith shall save the exhausted one: the Greek word for sick kamnonta meaning to labor under a disease. The word save here means to deliver from sickness. The prayer of faith means prayer accompanied by faith. And the Lord shall raise him up: the Lord working with the medicine heals the sick one. And if he be one who committed sins: if his condition be as a result of sinning. It shall be forgiven him: the KJV is not clear here, for it would seem to be that the elders would forgive him; however, the verb is impersonal passive third person singular, meaning it referring to his sin. "Not in any magical way, not because his sickness has been healed, not without change of heart and turning to God through Christ. Much is assumed here that is not expressed" (Robertson).
Verse 16, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
LGT "Therefore, confess to one another [your] offences, and pray for one another, in order that you may be healed. [The] operative supplication of a righteous [man] triumphs much."
Therefore, confess to one another your offences: when you offend another person you must confess to that person in order to restore Christian fellowship. We are only to confess our sins to God, that is, name them to God in order to be restored to fellowship with Him (1 John 1:9). We are never to confess our sins to any man, including pastors and priests, for they cannot forgive sins, and they cannot help you with your sin problem; they can only direct you to the Word of God, and teach you to take your sins to the Father. And pray for one another, in order that you may be healed: this takes in bodily healing as well as healing of soul. The operative supplication of a righteous man triumphs much: James was a man of prayer, so much so, that he had the nickname of "Old camel knees".
Verses 17, 18, "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. "
LGT "Elias was a man of like feelings to us, and with prayer he prayed [for it] not to rain, and it did not rain upon the earth three years and six months: and again he prayed, and the heaven gave rain, and caused the earth to sprout its fruit."
James relates as an illustration of the power of prayer of that of Elijah (See 1 Kings 17:1 & 1 Kings 18:42-45).
Verses 19, 20, "Brethren if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him: let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins."
LGT "My brethren, if anyone among you err from the truth, and anyone bring him back, let him know that the one who brings back a sinner from [the] error of his ways, shall deliver a soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins."
These last two verses conclude this epistle of James. Here James is saying that if a brother is aware that another brother is living in sin, and he goes to him in love, and shows him the error of his ways, and that brother repents, he may just be saving that brother from committing the sin unto physical death. The last phrase, and shall cover a multitude of sins, is speaking of the one who has erred and not the person that helps the erring one. "James makes an allusion to a saying of Solomon, rather than a quotation (Prov. 10:12.) Solomon says that love covers sins, as hatred proclaims them. For they who hate burn with the desire of mutual slander: but they who love are disposed to exercise mutual forbearance. Love, then, buries sins as to men. James teaches something higher, that is, that sins are blotted out before God; as though he had said, Solomon has declared this as the fruit of love, which it covers sins; but there is no better or more excellent way of covering them than when they are wholly abolished before God. And this is done when the sinner is brought by our admonition to the right way: we ought then especially and more carefully to attend to this duty" (Calvin). James is quoting Proverbs, and Solomon spoke of repentance covering sin, but we know that Christ has removed sin as far as the east is from the west, never to remember them before us again.
Share freely but cite the source: http://bbbiblehelps.epizy.com