The Pulpit Commentary — James — Section 84

of a congregation r-ct but little thanks for the ,vork which they do, Sometimes, o.lso, the r~oplc forget t.hat they ought to have large mutual patience with one nnother. 'l'he libernl progre~s-lo\·ing member is apt to groan over the attitude of his conservative let- things-e.lone brother; and the educated and cultured Christian may fail at .t:fmes to forbear with the me.n of ne.rrow and exclusive views. The exemplary Church member, while ready at all times to maintain and defend his own opinions, is yet willing grace- fully to yield (wherever oonscience does not forbid) to what the majority decide upon, that thereby he may promote the general peacll and edification. II. THE SANCTION BY WHICH THIS WARNING IS ENFORCED. (Ver. 9.) James employs a sweetly persuasive motive in the word "brethren." To complain of each other is to sin against the highest and most sacred brotherhood. This motive, however, is only lightly touched, in passing. The apostle backs up his warnin~ with a solemn sanction. Echoing, as he does so often, his Master's words in the Sermon on tho Mount (Matt. ni. 1), he speaks of the bar of God, and of the Lord Christ the Judge. 'l'o refuse to forbear with brethren, he says, amounts virtuall.v to an assumption of the judicial office, and will expose one's self to be "judged." For what right have we to judge our brethren? Vi! e lack the necessary discrimination; our own hearts are impure; and we ,hall very soon have ourselves to appear before the judgment-bar. Already, indeed, "the Judge standeth before the doors." He is near at band, to dis- charge perfectly those functions which we are so prone to usurp; and, in doing so, to condemn all who may have been guilty of such usurpation. Ill. THE ENCOURAGEMEls"T AFFORDED BY CERTAm OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES. (Vers. 10, 11.) It should cheer us, under this and every other form of trial, to remember how the great seers and saints of old endured their afflictions. L Thd ,xampl,e of the prophets. (Ver. ·10.) 'l'he Jewish Christians had a deep reverence for the memory of these noble men. The prophets had been the religious teachers of ancient Israd; through them the Divine Spirit himself had spoken. The influence which they exercised while they lived had sometimes been prodigious; indeed, their power was often greater than the power of the sovereign. Yet the lot of the prophets had bee;:i one of .sore affliction. They were an example to the New Testament Church: (1) Of suffering. Their trials came upon them as the result of the fidelity with which they "spake in the name of the Lord." It was so with Moses, Elijah, Micaiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel The Jews indeed were accustomed to confess that the prophets generall.v had been persecuted (Matt. xxiii. 30, 37; Acts vii. 52; Heh. xi. 36-38), No wonder, then, since trouble fell on these great men, that it should fall on us. We may be well contented to follow in the faith that has been trodden by "the goodly fellowship." (2) Of long-suffering. We are to think also of the meekness of the 1,rophets when enduring their unparalleled afflictions. They were sorely tried by the murmurings of their "brethren," to whom they spoke the Word of Go~; yet how patiently they bore it all! They laid hold upon the Divine strength, and thus learned to bear and forbear. And so, despite their infirmities and occasional lapses from patience, of these men " the world was not worthy." 2. The example of Job. (Ver. 11.) Although the Book of Job is a poem, our apostle evidently believed it to have an underlying be.sis of veritable history. The man Job actually existed; and his proverbial patience is an example to the Church. 'l'hink of the dreadful distresses which came thick and fast upon him. By successive strokes he was deprived of property, family, health, reputation, and true sympathy. Yet Job left his sufferings with God. He lt>arned to forbear with the bigotry and stupidity of his friends. He evinced at last, in spite of some serious failures, a spirit of perfect submission to the Divine will. He interceded for his misguided comforters; and God forgave them. Job's case, however, is introduced here chiefly with the view of pointing to "the end" or conclusion which the Lord gave to him (Job xlii. 12). His God, whom he feared,_ rewarded signally, even in this life, his 'l'l'onderful patience. And the great lesson which we should learn from Job's career is "that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful." He is so in the very sending of trial, in the measure of it, in the grace which he gives to bear it, in the unravelling of its merciful purpose, and in the happy issues with which he rewards his people, when they "have been approved" (eh. i. 12). Trial is a goodly discipline intended to prepare for the "goodly heritage;" and thus they will be "blessed" who ot.all have "endur~d."-C. J. OB, V, 1-20,] THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. 79