vl. TrM aiul falte ITurfom (S'*").— (a) The wlailom which oomea from G«xf is aiiiipli< and strnightforw-anl, full of kinil- ne«i and all good tniiu (3»- " '"). (^) If therr is a wiwlnm which iloea not oondui-e to lieoce, but ia aoconiiwnied by bitter- ness and Jealousy, It la not from abovo, but la earthly, comol, devilish (;)i>i«X ,.„
vii. H'limin^ ai7a<nal Quarrrttomnea and Worhllinrts («' 'n. — (a> The cause of quarrels is that each man seeks to gratify hb own wlllsh inipiilwa, and to snat'h hia neightmur's |>«>rtu'ti of worldly gooiU*'-'). (6) No satisfaction can be tli la ohtoiiiwL Bven our pr»y«* <»> K^<* »* ■><> satialoctioo U thaj on Infactad
048
ja:^iin
JA^^NES AND JAMBRES
with thU worldly spirit (43). (c) God demands the Hon*ice of the whole heart, ana will reveal himself to none but those who yield up their wills to his (41-'^). (d) Therefore resist the devil, who is tlie prince of this world, and turn to God in bumble repentance (4^ 1"). (e) Cease to find fault with others. Those who condemn their neighbours cniidcmn the law itself, and usurp the otlloe of him, the Lord of life and death, who alou« has the power and rij^ht to judj;e (411- 13), (j) Worldliness iM also shown In the conlidcut laylng-out of plana of life without reference to Go<i (I'^iT).
viii. Denunciationg and Encouroffem^nU (&^-^^).-^a) Woe to those who have been heaping up money and living in luxury on Uie very eve of judi;uient. Woe especially to those who Lave cround down the poor and murdered the innocent (51 •*). {!/) Let the brethren bear their sufTerinps patiently, knowing that tlie Lord is at hand, and that he will make all thin^rs turn out for their good. Let them imitate Job and the prophets, and so Lnlient the blessiiiKs pronounced on those who endure (SflU).
Ix. iluceltatifoui PrterpU (&>tW).—(,a) Sweu not(3'2). (M Let all your feelings of Joy and sorrow be sanctified and controlled by religion (S^^j. (c) In sickness let the elders be called in to pray aud anoint the sick with a view to his recover}' (61*. Ift). ^^i) Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another with all earnestness (516-18). (<;) The blessing on one who wins back a sinner from the error of his ways (.^n*- 20).
The doctrinal basis of St. James' practical teaching may per- haps be stated as follows :— Man was create<l in the image of <l«i (3»), the All-good (113- ") ; but he has fallen Into sin by yielding to his lower Impulses against his sense of right (li**- 1* 41 J. 17)^ and the natural consequence of sin is death, botlily and spiritual (11*53-6.20). Not only is man liable to sin, but as a matter of fact we all sin, and that frequently (3-). God of his free bounty has provided a means by which we may conquer sin ; he has begotten us anew through his word sown in our hearts (lis, 21). Our salvation depends on the way in which we receive the word (I'-i). If we have a steadfast faith In God's goodness (15.7.13 21): if we read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the word, so as to make it the guiding principle of our hfe, the taw of liberty by which all our words and actions are regulated (12* 'Jl2), bearing its natural fruit in compassion and love towards our fellow-men (1'-^ 2^- 1-"^- 16), then our souls are saved from d^'alh,we are made inheritors of the kingdom promised to those who love God (11'^ 25 2*). But the training by which we are prepared for this crown of life is not pleasant to the natural man. It involves trial and endurance (124. 1-2) ; it involves constant watchfulness and self-control and prayer for heavenly wisdom, in order that we may resist the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil (i'^ 32-3- 15). Thus faith is exercised ; we are enabled to see thiti;,'s as God sees them (21-''), to rise above the tem- poral to the eternal (l^H), to be not simply patient, but to rejoice in alHiction (18 6^- *• 10. 11) and exult in the hope set before us (1^- 1'^), until at last we grow uft to the full stature of a Christian (1* 32), wise with that wisdom which comes from above, the wisdom which is steadfast, unpretending, gentle, considerate, affectionate, full of mercy and good fruits, the parent of righteousness and peace (317- is). But there are many who choose the friendship of the world instead of the friendship of God, so vexing his Holy Spirit and yieliling them- selves to the power of the devil ; yet even then he does not leave them to themselves, but gives more grace, hedging in their wa.vs in the present and warning them of judgment to come (4** 51-*). If they humble thr-mselves under his hand, and repent truly of their sins, he will lift them up ; if they draw nigh to him, he will draw nigh to them (47-10), Here, too, we may be helpful to one another by mutual confession and by prayer for one another. Great is the power of prayer prompted by the Spirit of God (51*-*>),
LiTERATtJRB. — In addition to the works cited above, see the ComtnentarUt of Cornelius a Lapide (1648), Estius (1661), Gehser (Berlin, 1S2S, contains extracts from the Fathers), Schnecken- burger(SLuttgart, 1832), Theile (acondensed Variontm ed. 18;i3), Kern (Tiibingen, 1S:J8), Schegg (Roman Catholic), 1883, Plumptre (in Camb. Hible, 1878), Plummer (in Expositor's Bible, ls:n), especiallv Beys^hlag (Gottingen, 1888). See further B. Weiss, D\e kathol. Brit/e, Text-krit. ilntersuchunejen «. Textherstel' tuna, 1892 ; W. Schmidt, Lehrgehalt d. Jacobmbriijei, 1869 ; K. W. Dale, Ep, of Janui, 1895 ; Review of Spitta's theory ill Crit. Rev. 1896, p. 277 fl. ; van Manen in ThT, July, 1897.