Ver. 16, πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα: this sums up the matter; cf. John iti. 20, πᾶς yap ὁ φαῦλα πράσσων μισεῖ TO φῶς, and with this one might compare again the words in our Epistle, 1. 17, πᾶσα δόσις ἀγαθὴ ... ἄνωθέν ἐστιν καταβαῖνον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τῶν φώτων.
456 ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ IM, τη απ We
: Ν » a - a bia. καὶ πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα. 17. ἡ δὲ ἃ ἄνωθεν 1 ! σοφία πρῶτον μὲν nt or, Ἡ. τς ντ. ” 1» Αὐταὶ 5 , > Peay} Ν πλέι ; ον ὃ ἄγνη ἐστιν, επειτα ᾿ εἰρηνικη, “ ἐπιεικῆς, εὐπειθής, μεστὴ ελέους,
ἢ. ἵν δὲ
Δ x - > a 2 Cor, vil. καὶ καρπῶν ἀγςθῶν, ° ἀδιάκριτος, Ράνυπόκριτος.» 18. “καρπὸς * δὲ aes vs , > a Α v.8; 1 δικαιοσύνης ὃ ἐν " εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην. Tim. v. ~ a a 2; 1Pet. IV. 1. ΠΟΘΕΝ ὅ "πόλεμοι καὶ πόθεν ἴ μάχαι ἐν ὑμῖν; οὐκ ἐντεῦ- 1.2; Σ
Jn. iii. 3. oe 1 Heb. xii, 11. m Phil. iv. 5. n Gal. v. 22; cf. Luke vi. 36. ο ii. 43 cf. -. Όος. ν. 16, p Rom. xii. 9. q Is. xxxiil. 173 Am. vi. 12; Gal. vi. 8; Phil. i. 11; Heb. xii. rz. τ Matt. v. 9.
a 2 Tim. ii. 23; Tit. iii. 9.
1 Dei ff. 2 4+ Bonis consentiens Vulg. (om. Vulgs). 3 Pr. και KL, curss., Thl., Oec., rec.; pr. inreprehensibilis 7}. «με ο ὃν. ορ σης Κα, OC. με εἰς.
7Om. KL, curss., Vulg., rec.
Ver. 17. ἡ δὲ ἄνωθεν σοφία: 22; “genuine,” as contrasted with the the divine character of wisdom is beauti- spurious ‘“ earthly ” wisdom. fully expressed in Wisd. vii. 25, ἀτμὶς Ver. 18. The keynote of this verse is γάρ ἐστιν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεως, καὶ peace, as contrasted with the jealousy, ἀπόρροια τῆς τοῦ παντοκράτορος δόξης faction and confusion mentioned above; εἰλικρινής.--ἁ νή: in Wisd. ix. ro,the peace and righteousness belong together, prayer is uttered that God would send they are the result of true wisdom, the forth wisdom ‘out of the holy heavens wisdom that is from above ; on the other ...”3 of that which is thus holy the hand, strife and “‘ every vile deed” belong first characteristic would be purity, the together, and they are the result of the two ideas are inseparable; it is also pos- wisdom that is “" earthly, ψυχική, demoni- sible that in the mind of the writer there acal” was the thought of the contrast between HAPTER IV.—Vv. 1 ff. These verses purity and the sin which he knew some reveal an appalling state of moral de- of his hearers to be guilty of (see above, pravity in these Diaspora congregations ; the notes on i. 12 ff., iv. 3, 4).--εἴρην- strife, self-indulgence, lust, murder, covet- ική; only elsewhere in the N.T. in ousness, adultery, envy, pride and slander Heb. xii. 11; cf. Prov. iii. 17, where itis are rife; the conception of the nature of said of wisdom that ‘all her paths are prayer seems to have been altogether peace”. The word is evidently chosen wrong among these people, and they ap- to emphasise the strife referred to in an pear to be given over wholly to a life of earlier γείβε.- ἐπιεικής: the word is pleasure. It must have been terrible for meant as a contrast to unfair, unreason- the writer to contemplate such a sink of able argument, cf. Pss. of Sol. v.14.— iniquity. On the assumption, therefore, εὐπειθής: this word, again, implies a of unity of authorship for this Epistle, it contrast to the unbending attitude of self- is absolutely incomprehensible how, in centred controversialists; it does not oc- view of such an awful state of affairs, the cur elsewhere in the Ν.Τ.--μεστὴ writer could commence his Epistle with ἐλέους καὶ καρπῶν ἀγαθῶν: the the words: “ Countit all joy, my brethren, exact reverse of the cursing and bitterness when ye fall into manifold temptations”. of which some had already been con- It is held by some that the writer is, in victed; in Wisd. vii. 22, 23, wisdom is part, using figurative language; thus, spoken of as having a spirit which is: Mayor and Knowling do not think that φιλάγαθον. . - φιλάνθρωπων.--ἀ St- the adultery referred to is meant literally ; άκριτος: Cf. διακρίνομαι above (i. 6, but in view of the mention of the “ plea- ii. 4) which, as Mayor points out, makes sures that war in your members,” and of it probable that we must understand the the injunctions ‘Cleanse your hands,” adjective here in the sense of “single- ‘‘ Purify your hearts,” it is difficult to be- minded”; perhaps one might say that lieve that the writer is speaking figura-_ here it means almost “‘ generous,” incon- tively. Is one to regard the words in trast to the unfair imputations which ii. 11 (‘‘ For he that saith, Do not commit might be made in acrimonious discus- adultery, said also Do not kill . . .”) as sion; tne word occurs here only in the figurative also? And i. 14, 15? Cf, N.T.—avumédxperos: Cf. 1 Pet. i. Acts xv. 20,29. Moreover, it is one of