Journey Through James: Chapter 1 (Commentary)

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

• Ironically, James refers to himself as a servant, where he could’ve claimed the title of church leader, or brother to the resurrected Lord. Although this self designation is often common in NT writings, we shouldn’t understand it as trite, or a sense of false humility. James had a clear biblical understanding of who he was – a servant.
• THEOLOGY (THEO:) – God does not exist to serve us, but rather we exist to serve Him.
• APPLICATION (APP:) – Influence and authority are best clothed in humility, not arrogance or clout.

TRIALS PRODUCE MATURITY

• 3 Keys for facing adversity
  • Trials demand wisdom
  • wisdom demands prayer
  • prayer demands faith

² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

• “Count” – James is essentially saying, “This is how we should think about/approach trials.
• “various kinds” – colorful, or multicolored, variegated.
• “testing” – carries the idea of reliability.
• “perfect and complete” – meaning mature and well rounded. For the Christian, suffering is not meaningless. It, no matter how painful it may be, is God’s way of bringing them to spiritual maturity.

GOD GIVES WISDOM

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

⁷ For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

• “wisdom” – “We must not confuse it with knowledge. Knowledge is information; wisdom is application. Knowledge is comprehending facts; wisdom is handling life. Knowledge is theoretical; wisdom is practical.” – Roger Ellsworth, Opening up James, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009), 27.
• “let him ask God” – What is your first prayer request when facing trials? Doubtful that it is for wisdom. It is usually that it be ended, or the difficulty resolved. But do we ask that God help us handle it in such a way that it brings glory to Him and edifies others around us?
• APP: Prayer is the direct connection between God’s sovereignty and sufficiency to our hurt and inadequacy.
• “generously” – God gives generously, but the word also means he gives sincerely.
• THEO: God is generous because it is in himself and his character to be such. He is not stingy when it comes to wisdom.
• “to all without reproach” – God does not look down and see our weaknesses and our faults and refuse to give us wisdom. He does not refuse wisdom because of anger.
• “faith” – Faith is not believing that God will do what we want done. Rather it is believing that God will do what he has promised to do.
• Consider a definition of faith from Rom. 4.13-21:¹³ For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. ¹⁵ For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. ¹⁶ That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, ¹⁷ as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. ¹⁸ In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness^[b] of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹ fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
• “with no doubting” – APP: “All anxiety is atheism.”
• We cannot pray for God’s will to be done in our lives in times of suffering or trial and turn around and take matters into our own hands, all the while expecting God to move in our lives. Pride and independence are never good bedfellows with patience and faith.

THE BLESSING OF POVERTY

A few verses on poverty, prosperity, and grace.

⁹ Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,

¹⁰ and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.

¹¹ For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

• “exaltation” – Here, James is writing to encourage the church who is no doubt suffering economically under increase persecution. The world likes to place people in various classes, according to economics. We have, even within our own culture: poor, middle, and upper class individuals. However, in God’s kingdom, money does not result in one havind more or less clout. Grace is the great equalizer. Under no circumstance or label is there a thing known as an “inferior Christian.” The key is to find your self worth in Christ, not in life’s circumstances. Christ places all of his children in a place of exaltation. We are his!
• “rich” – We must be careful we do not misunderstand what the Bible says about riches. It is not against God’s people being rich. Abraham was rich. Job was rich. David was rich. It is rather against Christians allowing their riches to make them proud, elitist and presumptuous.
• “So also will the rich man fade away” – A life spent in the sole pursuit of finance always ends in failure. If possessions become a source of pride or self worth. The realization that we are mere mortals is a quick reminder of the brevity of life and the need to treasure Christ and not treasure.

GOD IS GENEROUS

¹² Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

¹⁸ Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

• “trial” – Perhaps better translated as “temptation” here, judging by the context.
• “crown of life” – James draws upon a sports analogy. The victor of the race was awarded a crown made from foliage. The believer receives a crown that lasts forever. APP: Keep your eyes on the finish line!
• “tempted by God” – People have often allowed their difficulties to give them a sense of entitlement. Some of them have even allowed themselves to conclude that God is the source of their temptations. They may very well have reasoned along these lines: •God has sent the trial. •The trial has caused me to be tempted. •Therefore, God has tempted me to sin. This has been going on since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.
• “cannot be tempted” – God cannot tempt anyone to sin because he cannot! His very nature is so opposed to sin that he cannot possibly tempt anyone in that direction.
• “he himself tempts no one” – The problem isn’t with the beauty or wisdom of what God has created, but the issue lies in our desire to abuse that beauty/wisdom. Money isn’t the problem, It’s our trust in it or our desire to have more that causes sin. Rest isn’t the problem, It’s our desire to make an idol of recreation. Sex isn’t the problem, It’s our desire to not be satisfied with the parameters God gave for sex that causes us to pervert it into sin.
• “lured and enticed” – “The words translated “drawn away” (lured) and “enticed” (ensnared) are taken from the language of fishing.’ R. V. G. Tasker notes that the imagery is that of ‘… a fish swimming in a straight course and then drawn off toward something that seems attractive, only to discover that the bait has a deadly hook in it’.” – Roger Ellsworth, Opening up James, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009), 43.
• “by his own desire” – The excuse of, “The Devil made me do it” really doesn’t hold up well after considering the verse.
• Ill: Milli Vanilli, after being found out for lip syncing said, “The devil made me do it.”
• James is clearly pointing to the at fault party regarding sin – oneself. Certainly not God. No, not even Satan. But self.
• Just as the hog has a nature that inclines it to wallow in the mud, so we have a nature that inclines us to sin.
• “conceived…fully grown” – Here we see the progression, or growth of sin. One’s own desire grows, It gives birth to sin, when it matures, it leads to death.
• “fully grown” – meaning ‘brought to completion’
• “death” – Sin is not the light, casual thing which we make it out to be. It always leads to death. Gordon Keddie is correct: ‘You can only be a fun-loving sinner for so long. Soon the bill has to be paid.’
• “every perfect gift is from above” – CAUTION: When life is about us, we appreciate the gift instead of the giver. That’s why Rom. 1 notes that people chose to worship the created over the Creator. The self involvement of sin creates misplaced priorities.
• Do not doubt the goodness of God. This is how Satan deceived Eve. This disrupts communion between you and your good Creator.
• “no variation or shadow due to change” – THEO: God cannot not be good. He will never stop being good. He will never decide to be evil.
• “he brought us forth by the word of truth” – “How does this spiritual life become ours? We most certainly cannot produce it ourselves. We can no more will ourselves into spiritual life than we can will our way into physical life. Granting spiritual life is God’s work! “- Roger Ellsworth, Opening up James, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009), 45.
• Saving us from our own sin, death, and hell is God’s ultimate act of goodness.
• “first fruits” – The source of salvation is the grace of God. The channel is the Word of God. And the outcome is ‘that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures’ (v. 18). 
• “The term ‘firstfruits’ refers to ‘the choicest part’ or ‘the pick’ of humanity. This was James’s way of showing his readers the supreme honor of their position. The Puritan Thomas Manton put it in his own quaint way. He said of believers and God, ‘The world are his goods, but you his treasure.’” – Roger Ellsworth, Opening up James, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009), 51–52.

LISTEN AND DO

¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.

²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

• • “every person” – This includes me.
  • “quick to hear” – Jesus, again and again, encourages us to be people who listen when God speaks. See Mark 4 and Revelation 2-3 concerning the letters to the churches where Jesus emphasized, . “…ears to hear, let him hear.” 
  • The question is, whom should I be quick to listen to? God? Others? Both may be intended here.
  • Ways one can be quick to hear God: Set aside consistent, meaningful time with God, reading his Word and praying. Address the shallowness of your heart and weeds that may be choking out what God is doing in your life. Pray for God to make your heart “good soil.” Be active in attending and be an active listener of your church.
  • Ways one can be quick to hear others: Value others as more important than yourself. The goals in communication are godly – mutual understanding, love, holiness, fellowship, etc. The goal of communication is NOT for you to win, or be proven right.
  • “slow to speak” – Rash words more often do harm, not good. See Eph. 4:29 as a filter for our speech. Most often, rash speach, criticizes, demeans, tears down, etc.
  • See James 3:5-10. Rash speech 1) can be a great souce of wickedness, 2) it reveals the inconsistencies in our faith, 3) can quickly cause believers to be seen as hypocritical.
  • “slow to anger” – The vast majority of the time, anger among fallen people is unrighteous. We should be angry over that which offends God, not that which offends our sense of entitlement or pride. This trend has become increasingly noticeable within the last several years in American culture. Being offended has become the trademark for intelligence and worth. It should be replace by being known as someone who is loving and forgiving.
  • Blessed are the peacemakers…
  • Let each of us esteem others as more important than ourselves…
  • Titus 3:2-speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.
  • “anger of man” – Anger causes far-reaching ripples. Anger destroys the individual himself, as well as those other parties directly involved, as well as others who may not be directly involved.
  • “does not produce righteousness” – Instead, the anger of man produces bitterness, resentment, etc. It gives the devil an environment in which he can build a nest and set up residency in relationships. The fruit of man centered anger does not mix well with the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus teaches that a good tree cannot produce bad fruit and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. (Matt. 7.17-20)
  • “filthiness” – meaning what defiles us in God’s sight.
  • “receive” – meaning, to welcome it enthusiastically.
  • “weakness” – come to the Word with a soft, gentle, teachable disposition, recognizing the authority of God’s Word and submitting to it.
  • The anger of man is centered in pride. The remedy is found in humbling oneself under the authority of God and allowing His Word to grow and change us.
  • “which is able to save your souls” – As mentioned earlier, sin, if allowed to grow into maturity, produces death. God’s planted word, if nurtured with meekness, is able to produce salvation.
  • “But be doers…not hearers only” – In v. 22-25 James argues that the claim of Christian should be aligned with the acts of a Christian, and that the true believer not only hears from God, but obeys out of love. Once the word is received, it should be obeyed.

  • “looks into the perfect law” – as in a habitual, deliberate, observant look.

  • “persevers” – Do not confuse obedience with perfection. Instead, associate it with perseverance.

“doing” – Steps to Obedience:

1. Listen

2. Apply

3. Take Action

ACTION REPORT:

²⁶ If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

• “bridle” – The metaphor of a horse. The tongue is powerful and can be wild and destructive or tames and beneficial.
• 3 Evidences of an Unbridled Tongue

1. Ongoing Gossip

2. Chronic Complaining

3. Consistent Criticising

Evidences of a Bridled Tongue

1. Persistent Praise

2. Engaging in Encouragement

3. Words of Wisdom

• “worthless” – James is emphasizing ongoing habitual acts of sin with the tongue. To ignore sin and claim Christ is a warning that there has been a disconnect between our hearing and our doing.
• “to visit” – This verse encourages believers to live according to the great compassion we have received: (1) as an outpouring to others who need compassion and to (2) pursue God from a heart of appreciation for what he has done for us.
• One of the saddest dimensions of our day is that so many Christians are so absorbed with their seminars, charts, notebooks, study groups and discipling techniques that they don’t have the time to bake a pie, send a card or mow the grass for the sick, the elderly and the lonely. It’s easy to be a very good Pharisee while the world cries for a good Samaritan. – Roger Ellsworth, Opening up James, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009), 71.

• Although, Jesus is speaking of a different topic, this same principle is found in Matt.18:33.
• “unstained” – To be unstained from the world is to maintain both personal integrity and moral purity. It’s to refuse to allow the world to set the standards for our beliefs and our conduct. – Roger Ellsworth, Opening up James, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2009), 72.
• To avoid becoming stained by the world, the believer must mortify sin, proactively worship and serve the Lord, and quickly seek cleansing in times of sin.
• ILL: Jar, which has sat in the woods for years. It became dirty, by becoming still.
• APP: The church must stop trying to attract the world by becoming more like the world.

FOR DISCUSSION

Would Adam and Eve still choose to eat of the tree of knowledge if the serpent had not been present? (12-15)

What advice can you give to a fellow-believer who expresses the desire to prize the Word of God more? (21)

Why does James mention that the natural result of sin is death, but that God’s Word only has the ‘ability’ to save one’s soul? (12-15; 21)