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Text -- James 2:24 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
2:24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Righteousness | Religion | JUSTIFICATION | Hypocrisy | HOW | Faith | Abraham | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
, Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Jam 2:24 - -- Ye see ( horāte ). Present indicative active of horaō . Now he uses the plural again as in Jam 2:14.

Ye see ( horāte ).

Present indicative active of horaō . Now he uses the plural again as in Jam 2:14.

Robertson: Jam 2:24 - -- Is justified ( dikaioutai ). Present passive indicative of dikaioō , here not "is made righteous,"but "is shown to be righteous."James is discussin...

Is justified ( dikaioutai ).

Present passive indicative of dikaioō , here not "is made righteous,"but "is shown to be righteous."James is discussing the proof of faith, not the initial act of being set right with God (Paul’ s idea in Rom 4:1-10).

Robertson: Jam 2:24 - -- And not only by faith ( kai ouk ek pisteōs monon ). This phrase clears up the meaning of James. Faith (live faith) is what we must all have (Jam 2:...

And not only by faith ( kai ouk ek pisteōs monon ).

This phrase clears up the meaning of James. Faith (live faith) is what we must all have (Jam 2:18), only it must shew itself also in deeds as Abraham’ s did.

Wesley: Jam 2:24 - -- St. Paul, on the other band, declares, "A man is justified by faith," and not by works, Rom 3:28. And yet there is no contradiction between the apostl...

St. Paul, on the other band, declares, "A man is justified by faith," and not by works, Rom 3:28. And yet there is no contradiction between the apostles: because, They do not speak of the same faith: St. Paul speaking of living faith; St. James here, of dead faith. They do not speak of the same works: St. Paul speaking of works antecedent to faith; St. James, of works subsequent to it.

JFB: Jam 2:24 - -- That is, by "faith without (separated from: severed from) works," its proper fruits (see on Jam 2:20). Faith to justify must, from the first, include ...

That is, by "faith without (separated from: severed from) works," its proper fruits (see on Jam 2:20). Faith to justify must, from the first, include obedience in germ (to be developed subsequently), though the former alone is the ground of justification. The scion must be grafted on the stock that it may live; it must bring forth fruit to prove that it does live.

Clarke: Jam 2:24 - -- Ye see then how - It is evident from this example that Abraham’ s faith was not merely believing that there is a God; but a principle that led ...

Ye see then how - It is evident from this example that Abraham’ s faith was not merely believing that there is a God; but a principle that led him to credit God’ s promises relative to the future Redeemer, and to implore God’ s mercy: this he received, and was justified by faith. His faith now began to work by love, and therefore he was found ever obedient to the will of his Maker. He brought forth the fruits of righteousness; and his works justified - proved the genuineness of his faith; and he continued to enjoy the Divine approbation, which he could not have done had he not been thus obedient; for the Spirit of God would have been grieved, and his principle of faith would have perished. Obedience to God is essentially requisite to maintain faith. Faith lives, under God, by works; and works have their being and excellence from faith. Neither can subsist without the other, and this is the point which St. James labors to prove, in order to convince the Antinomians of his time that their faith was a delusion, and that the hopes built on it must needs perish.

TSK: Jam 2:24 - -- Jam 2:15-18, Jam 2:21, Jam 2:22; Psa 60:12

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Jam 2:24 - -- Ye see then - From the course of reasoning pursued, and the example referred to. How that by works a man is justified, and not by faith on...

Ye see then - From the course of reasoning pursued, and the example referred to.

How that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only - Not by a cold, abstract, inoperative faith. It must be by a faith that shall produce good works, and whose existence will be shown to men by good works. As justification takes place in the sight of God, it is by faith, for he sees that the faith is genuine, and that it will produce good works if the individual who exercises faith shall live; and he justifies men in view of that faith, and of no other. If he sees that the faith is merely speculative; that it is cold and dead, and would not produce good works, the man is not justified in his sight. As a matter of fact, therefore, it is only the faith that produces good works that justifies; and good works, therefore, as the proper expression of the nature of faith, foreseen by God as the certain result of faith, and actually performed as seen by men, are necessary in order to justification. In other words, no man will be justified who has not a faith which will produce good works, and which is of an operative and practical character. The ground of justification in the case is faith, and that only; the evidence of it, the carrying it out, the proof of the existence of the faith, is good works; and thus men are justified and saved not by mere abstract and cold faith, but by a faith necessarily connected with good works, and where good works perform an important part. James, therefore, does not contradict Paul, but he contradicts a false explanation of Paul’ s doctrine. He does not deny that a man is justified in the sight of God by faith, for the very passage which he quotes shows that he believes that; but he does deny that a man is justified by a faith which would not produce good works, and which is not expressed by good works; and thus he maintains, as Paul always did, that nothing else than a holy life can show that a man is a true Christian, and is accepted of God.

Poole: Jam 2:24 - -- Ye see then an inference either from the instance of Abraham, or from the whole preceding discourse. How that by works works of new obedience. A m...

Ye see then an inference either from the instance of Abraham, or from the whole preceding discourse.

How that by works works of new obedience.

A man is justified declared to be righteous, or approved as such, and acquitted from the guilt of hypocrisy.

And not by faith only not by a mere profession of faith, or a bare assent to the truth, without the fruit of good works.

Question. How doth this general conclusion follow from the particular case of Abraham?

Answer. Abraham’ s faith and justification, both before God and the world, are set forth as the exempars of ours, to which the faith and justification of all believers, both Jews and Gentiles, is to be conformed, Rom 4:11,12,23,24 .

Question. Doth not James here contradict Paul’ s doctrine in the matter of justification, Rom 4:1-25 ?

Answer. The contradiction is but seeming, not real, as will appear, if four things be considered:

1. The occasion of these apostles’ writing, and their scope in it. Having to do with different sorts of persons, they had likewise different designs. As Christ speaks one way when he dealt with proud Pharisees, whom he would humble; another way, when with humble hearers, whom he would encourage. and Paul carried it one way when among weak brethren, in condescension to whose infirmities he circumcised Timothy, Act 16:2,3 ; and another, when he was among false brethren, and men of contention, who opposed Christian liberty, seeking to bring believers into bondage, and then would not suffer Titus to be circumcised, Gal 2:3-5 . So in the present affair. Paul’ s business lay with false apostles and Judaizing Christians, such as did, in the matter of justification, either substitute a self-righteousness instead of God’ s grace, or set it up in conjunction with it; and therefore his scope is (especially in his Epistles to the Romans and Galatians) to show the true cause and manner of justification, and vindicate the freeness of grace in it, by the exclusion of man’ s works, of what kind soever; to which purpose he propounds the examples of Abraham and David, in their justification, Rom 4:1-1-25 . Whereas James having to do with carnal professors, and such as abused the doctrine of grace to encourage themselves in sin, and thought it sufficient that they had faith, (such as it was), though they did not live like believers, resting in an empty profession, with the neglect of holiness; his design plainly is, to show the effects and fruits of justification, viz. holiness and good works; thereby to check the vanity and folly of them who did thus divorce faith from a holy life, (which God hath joined to it), and fancied themselves safe in the profession of the one, without any respect to, or care of, the other, as appears in this chapter, Jam 2:14,17,26 . And because they might bear themselves high in this false confidence by the example of Abraham, their father according to the flesh, and whom Paul had set forth, Rom 4:1-25 , as justified by faith, without the concurrence of works to his justification; James makes use of the same example of Abraham, as one eminent for holiness as well as faith, and who made his faith famous by the highest act of obedience that ever a saint did, to show, that faith and holiness ought not to be separated; Abraham’ s faith being so highly commended, especially as productive of it. To the same purpose he makes use of the instance of Rahab, who, though a young saint, and newly come to the knowledge of God, yet showed the truth of her faith by so considerable an exercise of her love and mercy to God’ s people, as her receiving the spies in peace was. This therefore helps not a little to reconcile the difference between these two apostles. Paul deals with those that magnified works too much, as if they were justified by them, and slighted faith and grace; and therefore, though he frequently shows the usefulness of faith and good works unto salvation, and presseth men every where to the practice of them, yet he proves that they have no interest in the justification of a sinner before God’ s tribunal, which he asserts to be wholly and solely of grace, and by faith. But James, in dealing with loose Christians, who magnified faith, and slighted good works, not only as having no influence on justification, but as not necessary at all to salvation; he takes upon him to maintain good works, not as necessary to justification, but as the effects, signs, and evidences of it, and such as without which their faith was vain, and themselves in an unjustified state.

2. Paul and James take faith in different senses: Paul speaks of a true, lively faith, which purifies the heart, and worketh by love, Gal 5:6 . Whereas James speaks of a profession, or presumption of faith, barren, and destitute of good fruits, such a faith as is dead, Jam 2:17 , such as the devils may have, Jam 2:19 , which is but historical, and consists only in a belief of God’ s being, not a consent to his offer, or relying on his promises. What contradiction then is there here between these two apostles, if Paul assert justification to be by faith, viz. a lively, working faith; and James deny it to be by faith, viz. an idle, inactive, barren faith, and which hath only the name, but not the nature of that grace, and is rather the image of faith than faith itself?

3. But because James not only denies justification to the faith he speaks of, but ascribes it to works in this verse; therefore it is to be considered, that justification is taken one way by him, and another by Paul. Paul takes it for the absolution and acceptation of a sinner at God’ s bar, by the imputation of Christ’ s righteousness, which is the primary and proper notion of justification. But James takes it for the manifestation and declaration of that justification; and the word is taken in the like sense in other scriptures: Luk 7:29 , the people justified God, i.e. owned and declared his righteousness by confession of their sins, and submission to John’ s baptism; and Luk 7:35 , Wisdom is justified, i.e. declared to be just and right. Rom 3:4 , justified in thy sayings, i.e. acknowledged and declared to be true in thy word. And what is Christ’ s being justified in the Spirit, 1Ti 3:16 , but his being declared to be the Son of God? Rom 1:4 . And that James takes justification in this sense, appears:

(1.) By the history of Abraham here mentioned: he was (as hath been said) justified by faith long before his offering up his son, Gen 15:1-21 , but here is said to be justified, i.e. declared and proved to be so, by this testimony which he gave to the truth of his faith, and consequently to his justification by it; and the Lord therefore tells him, Gen 22:12 , Now I know that thou fearest God, & c.; q.d. By this obedience thou hast abundantly showed the sincerity of thy graces.

(2.) Because if James doth not here speak of Abraham’ s being justified declaratively, how can it be true which he speaks, Jam 2:23 , that the Scripture was fulfilled (in his sacrificing his son) which saith, He believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness? For if James intends justification in the proper sense, how was Abraham’ s being justified by works a fulfilling of the Scripture, which asserts him to be justified by faith? Here therefore again there is no contradiction between these apostles. For it is true, that Abraham was justified, i.e. accepted of God, and absolved from guilt, by faith only; and it is as true, that he was justified, i.e. manifested and declared to be a believer, and a justified person, by his works.

4. Lastly, we may distinguish of the person that is said to be justified; either he is a sinner, in the state of nature; or a believer, in a state of grace; whence ariseth the two-fold justification here mentioned. The justification of a sinner, in the remission of his sins through the imputation of Christ’ s righteousness, and acquitting him from the condemnation of the law, is the justification properly so called, and which Paul speaks so much of; and this is by faith only. The justification of a believer, is his absolution from condemnation by the gospel, and the charge of infidelity, or hypocrisy, and is no other than that declarative justification James speaks of, or an asserting and clearing up the truth and reality of the former justification, which is done by good works, as the signs and fruits of the faith, by which that former is obtained: and this is but improperly called justification. The former is an absolution from the general charge of sin, this from the special charge of hypocrisy, or infidelity. A sinner’ s great fear (when first awakened to a sense of his sin and misery) is of a holy law, and a righteous Judge ready to condemn him for the violation of that law; and so his first business is to look to Christ by faith for righteousness, and remission of sin. But when he is justified by that righteousness, men may charge him with hypocrisy or unbelief, and so may the devil and conscience too, when faith is weak, or a temptation strong; and therefore his next work is to clear himself of this imputation, and to evidence the truth and reality of his faith and justification in God’ s sight, which must be done by producing his obedience and good works, as the indications of his faith; and hereby he proves that he hath indeed closed with the promise of the gospel, and so is clear of the charge of not believing it, which was false; as well as (by consequence) is justified from the charge of sin against the law, which was true. To conclude, therefore, here is no opposition between Paul and James. Paul speaks of Abraham’ s being justified as a sinner, and properly, and so by faith only; James speaks of his being justified as a believer, improperly, and so by works; by which not his person was justified, but rather his faith declared to be justifying: nor he constituted righteous, but approved as righteous. In a word, what God hath joined must not be divided, and what he hath divided must not be joined. He hath separated faith and works in the business of justification, and therefore we must not join them in it, as Paul disputes; and he hath joined them in the lives of justified persons, and there we must not separate them, as James teaches. Paul assures us they have not a co-efficiency in justification itself; and James assures us they may, and ought to have, a co-existence in them that are justified. If the reader desire further satisfaction yet, let him consult Turretine de Concordia Pauli et Jacobi, where he may find much more to the same purpose as hath been here said.

Gill: Jam 2:24 - -- Ye see then how that by works a man is justified,.... Not as causes procuring his justification, but as effects declaring it; for the best works are i...

Ye see then how that by works a man is justified,.... Not as causes procuring his justification, but as effects declaring it; for the best works are imperfect, and cannot be a righteousness justifying in the sight of God, and are unprofitable in this respect; for when they are performed in the best manner, they are no other than what it is a man's duty to perform, and therefore cannot justify from sin he has committed: and besides, justification in this sense would frustrate the grace of God, make void the death of Christ, and encourage boasting in men. Good works do not go before justification as causes or conditions, but follow it as fruits and effects:

and not by faith only: or as without works, or a mere historical faith, which being without works is dead, of which the apostle is speaking; and therefore can bear no testimony to a man's justification; hence it appears, that the Apostle James does not contradict the Apostle Paul in Rom 3:28 since they speak not of the same sort of faith; the one speaks of a mere profession of faith, a dead and lifeless one; the other of a true faith, which has Christ, and his righteousness, for its object, and works by love, and produces peace, joy, and comfort in the soul. Moreover, the Apostle Paul speaks of justification before God; and James speaks of it as it is known by its fruits unto men; the one speaks of a justification of their persons, in the sight of God; the other of the justification and approbation of their cause, their conduct, and their faith before men, and the vindication of them from all charges and calumnies of hypocrisy, and the like; the one speaks of good works as causes, which he denies to have any place as such in justification; and the other speaks of them as effects flowing from faith, and showing the truth of it, and so of justification by it; the one had to do with legalists and self-justiciaries, who sought righteousness not by faith, but by the works of the law, whom he opposed; and the other had to do with libertines, who cried up faith and knowledge, but had no regard to a religious life and conversation; and these things considered will tend to reconcile the two apostles about this business, but as effects declaring it; for the best works are imperfect, and cannot be a righteousness justifying in the sight of God, and are unprofitable in this respect; for when they are performed in the best manner, they are no other than what it is a man's duty to perform, and therefore cannot justify from sin he has committed: and besides, justification in this sense would frustrate the grace of God, make void the death of Christ, and encourage boasting in men. Good works do not go before justification as causes or conditions, but follow it as fruits and effects:

and not by faith only: or as without works, or a mere historical faith, which being without works is dead, of which the apostle is speaking; and therefore can bear no testimony to a man's justification; hence it appears, that the Apostle James does not contradict the Apostle Paul in Rom 3:28 since they speak not of the same sort of faith; the one speaks of a mere profession of faith, a dead and lifeless one; the other of a true faith, which has Christ, and his righteousness, for its object, and works by love, and produces peace, joy, and comfort in the soul. Moreover, the Apostle Paul speaks of justification before God; and James speaks of it as it is known by its fruits unto men; the one speaks of a justification of their persons, in the sight of God; the other of the justification and approbation of their cause, their conduct, and their faith before men, and the vindication of them from all charges and calumnies of hypocrisy, and the like; the one speaks of good works as causes, which he denies to have any place as such in justification; and the other speaks of them as effects flowing from faith, and showing the truth of it, and so of justification by it; the one had to do with legalists and self-justiciaries, who sought righteousness not by faith, but by the works of the law, whom he opposed; and the other had to do with libertines, who cried up faith and knowledge, but had no regard to a religious life and conversation; and these things considered will tend to reconcile the two apostles about this business.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

Geneva Bible: Jam 2:24 ( 12 ) Ye see then how that by works a man is ( o ) justified, and not by ( p ) faith only. ( 12 ) The conclusion: Only he who has faith that has wor...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Jam 2:1-26 - --1 It is not agreeable to Christian profession to regard the rich, and to despise the poor brethren;13 rather we are to be loving and merciful;14 and n...

MHCC: Jam 2:14-26 - --Those are wrong who put a mere notional belief of the gospel for the whole of evangelical religion, as many now do. No doubt, true faith alone, whereb...

Matthew Henry: Jam 2:14-26 - -- In this latter part of the chapter, the apostle shows the error of those who rested in a bare profession of the Christian faith, as if that would sa...

Barclay: Jam 2:20-26 - --James offers two illustrations of the point of view on which he is insisting. Abraham is the great example of faith; but Abraham's faith was proved ...

Constable: Jam 2:1-26 - --III. Partiality and Vital Faith 2:1-26 "In the epistle of James, the Holy Spirit has given the church a commenta...

Constable: Jam 2:14-26 - --B. The Importance of Vital Faith 2:14-26 Some have seen this section as dealing with a new subject, the ...

Constable: Jam 2:24-26 - --6. James' final argument 2:24-26 2:24 The use of the plural "you" in this verse in the Greek text shows that James had completed his response to the o...

College: Jam 2:1-26 - --JAMES 2 VII. JUDGING BY APPEARANCE (2:1-13) A. FAVORITISM (2:1-7) 1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favorit...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: James (Book Introduction) THE EPISTLE OF JAMES BEFORE a.d. 50 By Way of Introduction The Author He claims to be James, and so the book is not anonymous. It is either ge...

JFB: James (Book Introduction) THIS is called by EUSEBIUS ([Ecclesiastical History, 2.23], about the year 330 A.D.) the first of the Catholic Epistles, that is, the Epistles intende...

JFB: James (Outline) INSCRIPTION: EXHORTATION ON HEARING, SPEAKING, AND WRATH. (Jam. 1:1-27) THE SIN OF RESPECT OF PERSONS: DEAD, UNWORKING FAITH SAVES NO MAN. (Jam. 2:1-...

TSK: James (Book Introduction) James, the son of Alphaeus, the brother of Jacob, and the near relation of our Lord, called also James the Less, probably because he was of lower stat...

TSK: James 2 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Jam 2:1, It is not agreeable to Christian profession to regard the rich, and to despise the poor brethren; Jam 2:13, rather we are to be ...

Poole: James 2 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 2

MHCC: James (Book Introduction) This epistle of James is one of the most instructive writings in the New Testament. Being chiefly directed against particular errors at that time brou...

MHCC: James 2 (Chapter Introduction) (Jam 2:1-13) All professions of faith are vain, if not producing love and justice to others. (Jam 2:14-26) The necessity of good works to prove the s...

Matthew Henry: James (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The General Epistle of James The writer of this epistle was not James the son of Zebedee; for he was pu...

Matthew Henry: James 2 (Chapter Introduction) In this chapter the apostle condemns a sinful regarding of the rich, and despising the poor, which he imputes to partiality and injustice, and show...

Barclay: James (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTER OF JAMES James is one of the books which bad a very hard fight to get into the New Testament. Even when it did come to ...

Barclay: James 2 (Chapter Introduction) Respect Of Persons (Jam_2:1) The Peril Of Snobbery Within The Church (Jam_2:2-4) The Riches Of Poverty And The Poverty Of Riches (Jam_2:5-7) The R...

Constable: James (Book Introduction) Introduction Historical background The writer of this epistle was evidently the half-b...

Constable: James (Outline) Outline I. Introduction 1:1 II. Trials and true religion 1:2-27 A. The v...

Constable: James James Bibliography Adamson, James B. The Epistle of James. New International Commentary on the New Testament se...

Haydock: James (Book Introduction) THE CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF ST. JAMES, THE APOSTLE. __________ ON THE CATHOLIC EPISTLES. INTRODUCTION. The seven following Epistles have bee...

Gill: James (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JAMES This epistle is called "general", because not written to any particular person, as the epistles to Timothy, Titus, and Philem...

Gill: James 2 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JAMES 2 In this chapter the apostle dissuades from a respect of persons, on account of outward circumstances; shows that the law is...

College: James (Book Introduction) FOREWORD I owe a debt of gratitude to many for assistance with this volume. John York and John Hunter are responsible for making me a part of the Co...

College: James (Outline) OUTLINE I. GREETING - 1:1 II. ENDURING TRIALS - 1:2-4 III. ASK FOR WISDOM - 1:5-8 IV. RICHES TEMPORARY - 1:9-11 V. TEMPTATION NOT FROM ...

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