Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• Debtors 24:10-15
  The Israelites were not to take advantage of their poorer brethren because of their vulnerable condition. God looked out for them. They were not to withhold their clothing and wages from them (cf. James 5:4). Specifically the...
• Solomon's wealth 10:14-29
  This pericope summarizes Solomon's wealth as the previous one summarized his wisdom.God brought much wealth to Solomon, almost 25 tons of gold a year (v. 14), plus many other riches."Those who would consider his income of 666...
• 1. God's desire for Israel 2:1-4
  2:1a The presence of another superscription to the following prophecies (cf. 1:1), the only other one in Isaiah, bears witness to the composite nature of the book; it consists of several different prophecies. Probably one app...
• The luxurious indulgence of the Samaritans 6:4-7
  6:4-6 Amos described the luxury and self-indulgence that characterized the leaders of Samaria during his day. They reclined on very expensive beds inlaid with ivory. They sprawled, implying laziness or drunkenness, on couches...
• Judgment for self-exaltation 2:9-11
  2:9 Babylon used its unjust acquisitions to build a secure place for itself that they thought would be safe from all calamity (cf. Gen. 11:4). It built a strong and rich dynasty (house) so it would be self-sufficient.Saving t...
• God's will concerning oaths 5:33-37
  5:33 Jesus next gave a condensation of several commands in the Old Testament that forbade taking an oath, invoking the Lord's name to guarantee the oath, and then breaking it (Exod. 20:7; Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2; Deut. 5:11; 6:...
• The disciple's relationship to wealth 6:19-34 (cf. Luke 12:13-34)
  6:19-21 In view of the imminence of the kingdom, Jesus' disciples should "stop laying up treasures on earth."329Jesus called for a break with their former practice. Clearly money is not evil. The wise person works hard and ma...
• 2. Entrance into the kingdom 13:22-30
  Another question led to this teaching. The thematic connection with Jesus' words about the small beginning of the kingdom (vv. 19, 21) should be obvious. As elsewhere, Luke recorded Jesus teaching lessons and using illustrati...
• The duty of masters 6:9
  Masters should seek to please the Lord in their dealings with their slaves even as slaves should try to please Christ as they serve their masters. They should not threaten because our heavenly Master does not threaten us. Thr...
• A. The beginning of the day of the Lord 2:1-5
  2:1-2 Paul introduced his teaching by urging his readers not to be shaken from their adherence to the truth he had taught them by what they were hearing from others. The issue centered on Paul's instructions concerning the Ra...
• Historical background
  The writer of this epistle was evidently the half-brother of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:19) and the brother of Jude, the writer of the epistle that bears his name (cf. Matt. 13:55). This was the opinion of many of the earl...
• Message13
  The Book of James teaches us that faith in God should result in behavior that is in harmony with God's will. The theme of the book is "living by faith"or "spiritual maturity."James' concern was Christian behavior (ethics) as ...
• Outline
  I. Introduction 1:1II. Trials and true religion 1:2-27A. The value of trials 1:2-111. The proper attitude toward trials 1:22. The end product of trials 1:3-43. Help in adopting this attitude 1:5-84. The larger view of circums...
• 1. The proper attitude toward trials 1:2
  What kinds of trials was James talking about? Did he mean troubles such as running out of money, or failing a test in school, or having to stay up all night with a sick child? Yes. The Greek word translated "trials"(peirasmoi...
• 4. The larger view of circumstances 1:9-11
  James had been urging his readers to adopt God's view of their trials. Now he broadened their perspective and encouraged them to adopt His viewpoint on all their present circumstances.1:9 Materially poor believers should deri...
• 1. The source of conflict 4:1
  As in the previous chapters, James began this one with a clear introduction of a practical problem his readers faced. He had just been referring to the importance of avoiding strife (3:14-16) and loving peace (3:13, 17-18). N...
• A. Warnings for the Rich 5:1-6
  It is characteristic of James' well-balanced style that he opened and closed his exhortations (in 2:1-5:6) with references to the rich. There is also a return in this chapter to encouragement to persevere in the will of God w...
• 2. The corrosive effect of wealth 5:2-3
  5:2 The riches that rot are presumably perishable commodities such as food and drink. Garments were one of the most popular forms of wealth in the biblical world. People used them to pay for things. They were also heirlooms a...
• 3. The misuse of wealth 5:4-6
  5:4 Some of James' readers were evidently getting rich by cheating their hired workers out of their fair wages (cf. Deut. 24:15). Cries for justice from these oppressed people had entered God's ears (cf. Gen. 4:5; 18:20-21). ...
• 1. The exhortation to be patient 5:7-9
  5:7 Because of the dangers James just expounded, believers should adopt a patient attitude. The verb makrothymesate(be patient) describes "self-restraint which does not hastily retaliate a wrong."182The Lord's return is near ...
• 2. Examples of endurance 5:10-11
  5:10 One could use just about any one of the Hebrew prophets as an example of patient endurance in suffering (cf. 1:4).5:11 Job was not always patient, but he did determine to endure whatever might befall him as he waited for...
• VII. THE WAY BACK TO LIVING BY FAITH 5:19-20
  James concluded this section and his entire epistle by explaining how a brother who had erred could return to fellowship with God and could resume living by faith. These instructions apply directly to what James just explaine...