The Pulpit Commentary — James — Section 9

tafiam. thu.t the proof of your faith (.-b that the me11 were mCLde perfect (,rv<1h.u,<r1 lio1elµ,01· llµow -rii• ,..,.,...,.,,) . . . might be '1!11,clo,v .-,r,7'•10,µ.lvo,•), and that not in e. found unto praise," etc. The coincirlence future ste.te, but here on earth, where olone is too close to be &00identa.l, u.lthough the they con be subject to those triols and con- shade of meaning given to '1!01tlµ1ov is slightly flicts by the patient endurance of which diff'el'!'nt, if indeed it hu.s u.ny right in the they are perfected for o. higher state of being. text in St. Peter (see Hort, vol. ii. p. 102). The whole passe.ge before us (vers. 2-6) Here it has its proper force, and signifies affords e. most reme.rkable instCLnce of the that by toliich the faith is tried, i.e. the figure called by gre.mmariu.ns u.no.diplosis, instrument of t.riu.l rather than the process the repetition of e. marked word e.t the olose of trial. Th us the po.ssage in ver. 3 becomes of one clause and beginning of another. pu.raUel to Rom. v. 3, "tribulation worketh " The trie.l of your faith worketh patiencB; pe.tience." With regard to the sentiments but let patience ho.,e her perfect work, that of ver. 2, "Count it a.II joy," etc., contrast ye may be perfect and enhre, lacking in lllatt. vi. 13. Experience, however, shows nothing. But if nny man lack wisdom, let that the two are compatible. It is quite him aek of the giving God . . . e.nd it shall possible to shrink beforehand from temp- be given him; but let him ask in faith, tation, and pray with intense earnestness, nothing doubting, for he that doubtBth," etc. "Lead us not into temptation,'' and yet, Vere. 5-11.-Digression suggested b11 the when the tempt.a.tion comes, to meet it thought of perfection. There can be no true joyfully. n,p,.,dcn,.-,. The use of this word perfectiou without wisdom, which is the implies thu.t the temptations of which gift of God, e.nd must be sought from him. St. Ja.mes ie thinking are ezternal (see It is possible that the thought and connection Luke x. 30, where the same word is used of of the passu.ge is due to a reminiscence of the man who fell among thieves). 1 These. Wisd. ix. 6, " For though o man be never ii. 14 and Heb. x. 32, 33 will sho_w the trials so perfect (.-IJ..,ios) among the children of to which believing Jews were subjeot. But men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, the epithet "manifold " would indiea.te that he shall be nothing regarded." But whether we should not confine the word here to this be so or not, the teaching is manifestly trials such as those. founded on our Lord's words with regard Ver. 3.-Patienoe. 'Troµovf, in general ie to pre.yer, Matt. vii. 7, "Ask, and it she.ll be patience 'With regard to things, µa.Kpo9uµla. is given you;" and Mark xi. 23, "Have faith rather 1.ong-suffering with regard to persons in God. Verily I say unto you, Whoever (see Trench on • Synonyms,' p. 186, and shall se.y . . . and shall not doubt (B,a.1tp11/ii) compare tile notes on eh. v. 7, etc.). in his he11?t," ete. Toii B,B&,,.,.os 0,oii. Tiie Ver. 4.-Patience alone is not sufficient. order of the words shows that God's cha- It must have scope given it for its exercise racter is the.t of e. Giver : " the giving God." that it may have its "perfect work." That His "nature and property" is to give as ye may be perfect (lvc ij.-, .,.b,.,01); cf. Matt. well as to forgive. Man often spoils his v. 48, "Be ye therefore perfect." Both gifts, (1) by the grudging way in which .-b... ,os and oJ..61tJ..11pos were applied to the they are 'given, and (2) by the reproaches initiated, the fully instructed, as opposed which accompu.ny them. God, on the con- to novicea in the ancient mysteries ; and trary, gives to e.11 (1) liberally, and (2) with- as early as I Cor. ii 6, 7 we find .,.b,,.,os out upbraiding. 'A,rJ..ws: only here in the used for the Christian who is no longer in New Testament, but cf. a1rJ..&'"fls in Rom. need of rudimentary teachinl?, and possibly xii. 8; 2 Cor. viii. 2; ix. 11, 13. Vulg11te, this is the thought here. The fignre, how- aiftuenter; A.V. e.nd R.V., "lihere.lly." It ever, is probably rather that of the fuU- is almost equivalent to" without any arriere grown man. Te"-<w,, equivalent to "grown penstfe." Mij ove,B[(o,,.,.os: cf. Eoolus. xli. 22, men" as opposed to children ; oJ..6,cJ..11po,, M•Ta .,.., Boiivc, /J-ij ,,.,.rn,,•. sound in every part e.nd limb (cf. oJ..o- Ver. 6.-The A.V. "nothing wavering. K"-1/p/a.,1 in Acts iii. 16). From this .,-IJ..uos For he that wavereth is like a wave of the W!sumes e. moral complexion, that which has sea," is unfortunate, as suggesting a play utt.a.ined its aim. Compare its use in Gen. vi. upon the words which ha.s no existence in 9 and Dent. xvili. 13, where it is equivalent the original. Render, with R.V., nothing to the Latin integer 'f!itle, and the following doubting : for he that doubtetl, is like the passe.ge from Stobams, which exactly serves eurge of t116 sea. K,\u3o,v, the Hlllgll; a11Eµ1- to illustrate St. James's thought in vers. 4 (&µoos and ~,.,,(/,µe11os both occur here only. e.nd 5, Tov a:yaBov &v5pa. Tb..EWI' .z,,... J..1-,ou- Vere. 7, 8.-The A.V., which makes ver. 8 CHV, /li./,: .-o µ115,µlo.s l,.,roJ..dr"r6a.i a.pnf;s. e.u independent sentence, is certainly wrong. The " perfection " which is to be e.ttained Render, Let not that man think that he shall in this life may be further illustrated from receiTJe anything of the Lord, double-minded Heb. xii. 23--s passage which is often mis- man that he is, unBtable in all his wa111. understood, but which undoubtedly mean, So Vulgate, Vir duple~ animi, incomtm11 cr1. r. 1-2 7.J THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. 3