The Pulpit Commentary — James — Section 57

rather than the triumph of tho truth. While it may be sometimes dutiful to contenrl. earnestly in defence of the gospel, the love of controversy for its own ~rike, and the cherishing of a contentious spirit towards brethren, is always sinful, mucl, less a ground for" glorying." A professing Christian who lives to foster either doctrinal wranglings or social quarrels presents to the world a caricature of Christianity, and is himself e. living lie "against the truth." II. hs ORIGIN. (Ver. 15.) 1. "Earelily." Every good gift is from above; but this so-called wisdom is of earthly origin, and busies itself about earthly things. Those cultivate it whose souls are wholly immersed in worldly pursuits.- 2. "Sensual;" i.l'. psychical or natural, as opposed to spiritual. It originates in the lower sphere of man'd intellectual nature; it is the wisdom of his unspiritual mind and his unsanctified heart. Until the human spirit becomes possessed by the Spirit of God, it8 works will be "the works of the flesh." 3. "JJevilish." The false wisdom is demoniacal in source, as it is in character. The envious heart, like the evil tongue, " is set on fire by hell " ( ver. 6). Implicitly followed, this wisdom will tend to make a man " half-beast, half-devil." These three adjectives correspond to our three great spiritual enemies. Earthly wisdom has its origin in the world; natural wisdom, in the flesh ; demoniacal wisdom, in tho devil. And, recognizing this, our prayer should be, " From all such deceits, good Lord, deliver us." III. ITS RESULTS. (Ver. 16.) Where there are "bitter zeal and faction" in the heart, these may be expected to produce commotion and wretchedness in society. What misery has not the spirit of strife and self-seeking wrought in the midst of fami- lies, and in the bosom of Churches I It is a fruitful source of heart-burnings and of lifelong alienations. It sows tares among the wheat. And the han·est of " this wisdom" shall be "a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow." LEBBONB. 1. Loathe the vile spirit of strife. 2. Covet earnestly the gift of holy wisdom. 3. Remember that the climax of the true wisdom consists in meekneu.-C. J. Vers. 17, 18.-True wisdom. These two verses exhibit, with much terseness and beauty, the features of the true or heavenly wisdom, i.e. the characteristic qualities of the state of mind which is produced by a sincere reception of saving truth. The picture here presented forms a direct contrast to the description of false or earthly wisdom given in vers.14-16. I. 'l'HE NATURE OF TRUE WISDOM. (Ver.17.) Inoriginitis"from above." It is not the product of self-culture, but altogether supernatural and gracious. And, being a gift of God, it is " good" and " perfect" in all its characteristics ( eh. i. 5, 17). James here represents the heavenly wisdom as possessed of seven great excellences. Seven was the perfect number among the Jews; and there are, so to speak, seven notes in the harmony of Christian character; or seven colours in the rainbow of the Christian life, which, when blended, form its pure white sunlight. Of these seven, the first is marked off from the others, because it refers to what a man is within his own heart ; while the other six deal with the qualities shown by true wisdom in connection with one's deportment towards his fellow-men. 1. In respect of a man himself. Here true wisdom is "pure." This word means chaste, unsullied, holy. Purity is the funda- mental characteristic of everything that is "from above." Righteousness lies at the foundation of all that is beautiful in character. Christian wisdom leads a man "to keep himself unspotted from the world," and to " cleanse himself from all defilement or flesh and spirit." Every person, therefore, who lives a sensual, selfish, or openly sinful life, shows himself to be destitute of the heavenly wisdom. For its chief element is holiness-that purity which is obtained through the blood of Christ and by the indwelling of his Spirit. 2. In respect of his demeanour towards his fellow-men. The expressions, "first," and "then," do not imply that the wise man must be perfectly "pure" before he beains to be "peaceable." '!'hey indicate the logical order, and not merely the order or"time. The phrase, "first pure, then peaceable," has often been sadly abused in the interests of the " bitter jealousy and faction" which belong to fabe wiij,\om. But surely, even in doctrinal matters, we are to be peaceable with a view to purity, RB well as pure for the _sake of peace. •~ P_eaceable;" ind)sposed to conllict ur rlissension. "Jealousy and faction" are character1st1cs of earthly wisdom. The heavenly wisdom deprecaks disputotious dobate, and lobonrs to quench animosities. " Genlle;" 62 THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. [ 011, m. 1-18.