
Text -- James 1:21-27 (NET)




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collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Robertson -> Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:22; Jam 1:22; Jam 1:22; Jam 1:22; Jam 1:23; Jam 1:23; Jam 1:23; Jam 1:23; Jam 1:24; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:26; Jam 1:26; Jam 1:26; Jam 1:26; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27
Wherefore (
Because of this principle. See Eph 4:25.

Robertson: Jam 1:21 - -- Putting away ( apothemenoi ).
Second aorist middle participle of apotithēmi , to put off, metaphor of removing clothing as in Rom 13:12; Col 3:8; E...

Robertson: Jam 1:21 - -- Filthiness ( ruparian ).
Late word (Plutarch) from ruparos , dirty (Jam 2:2), here only in N.T. Surely a dirty garment.
Filthiness (
Late word (Plutarch) from

Robertson: Jam 1:21 - -- Overflowing of wickedness ( perisseian kakias ).
Perisseia is a late word (from perissos , abundant, exceeding), only four times in N.T., in 2Co 8:...
Overflowing of wickedness (

Robertson: Jam 1:21 - -- With meekness ( en praūtēti ).
In docility. "The contrast is with orgē rather than kakias "(Ropes).
With meekness (
In docility. "The contrast is with

Robertson: Jam 1:21 - -- The implanted word ( ton emphuton logon ).
This old verbal adjective (from emphuō to implant, to grow in), only here in N.T., meaning properly in...
The implanted word (
This old verbal adjective (from

Robertson: Jam 1:21 - -- Able to save ( dunamenon sōsai ).
Cf. 1Pe 1:9; Jam 2:14; Jam 4:12; Jam 5:20; Rom 1:16. Ultimate salvation (effective aorist active infinitive sōs...

Robertson: Jam 1:22 - -- But be ye ( ginesthe de ).
Rather, "But keep on becoming"(present middle imperative of ginomai ).
But be ye (
Rather, "But keep on becoming"(present middle imperative of

Robertson: Jam 1:22 - -- Doers of the word ( poiētai logou ).
Old word for agent (̇tēs ) from poieō to do as in Jam 4:11; Rom 2:13, but in Act 17:28 our "poet"(long...

Robertson: Jam 1:22 - -- Hearers ( akroatai ).
Old word for agent again from akroamai (to be a hearer), in N.T. only here and Rom 2:13.
Hearers (
Old word for agent again from

Robertson: Jam 1:22 - -- Deluding yourselves ( paralogizomenoi heautous ).
Present middle (direct) participle of paralogizomai , to reckon aside (para ) and so wrong, to che...
Deluding yourselves (
Present middle (direct) participle of

Robertson: Jam 1:23 - -- And not a doer ( kai ou poiētēs ).
Condition of first class, assumed as true, and ou (rather than mē ) contrasts poiētēs with akroate...
And not a doer (
Condition of first class, assumed as true, and

Robertson: Jam 1:23 - -- Unto a man beholding ( andri katanoounti ).
Associative instrumental case after eoiken as in Jam 1:6. Note andri as in Jam 1:8 in contrast with g...
Unto a man beholding (
Associative instrumental case after

Robertson: Jam 1:23 - -- His natural face ( to prosōpon tēs geneseōs autou ).
"The face of his birth"(origin, lineage, nativity). For this use of genesis see Jam 3:6;...

Robertson: Jam 1:23 - -- In a mirror ( en esoptrōi ).
Old word (from eis , optō ) in N.T. only here and 1Co 13:12. The mirrors of the ancients were not of glass, but of...

Robertson: Jam 1:24 - -- He beholdeth himself ( katenoēsen heauton ).
Usually explained as gnomic aorist like those in Jam 1:11, but the ordinary force of the tenses is bes...
He beholdeth himself (
Usually explained as gnomic aorist like those in Jam 1:11, but the ordinary force of the tenses is best here. "He glanced at himself (

Robertson: Jam 1:25 - -- He that looketh into ( ho parakupsas ).
First aorist active articular participle of parakuptō , old verb, to stoop and look into (Joh 20:5, Joh 20:...
He that looketh into (
First aorist active articular participle of

Robertson: Jam 1:25 - -- The perfect law ( nomon teleion ).
For teleion see Jam 1:17. See Rom 7:12 for Paul’ s idea of the law of God. James here refers to the word of...

Robertson: Jam 1:25 - -- The law of liberty ( ton tēs eleutherias ).
"That of liberty,"explaining why it is "perfect"(Jam 2:12 also), rests on the work of Christ, whose tru...

Robertson: Jam 1:25 - -- And so continueth ( kai parameinas ).
First aorist active articular participle again of paramenō , parallel with parakupsas . Paramenō is to st...
And so continueth (
First aorist active articular participle again of

Robertson: Jam 1:25 - -- Being ( genomenos ).
Rather, "having become"(second aorist middle participle of ginomai to become).
Being (
Rather, "having become"(second aorist middle participle of

Robertson: Jam 1:25 - -- Not a hearer that forgetteth ( ouk akroatēs epilēsmonēs ).
"Not a hearer of forgetfulness"(descriptive genitive, marked by forgetfulness). Epil...
Not a hearer that forgetteth (
"Not a hearer of forgetfulness"(descriptive genitive, marked by forgetfulness).

Robertson: Jam 1:25 - -- But a doer that worketh ( alla poiētēs ergou ).
"But a doer of work,"a doer marked by work (descriptive genitive ergou ), not by mere listening ...
But a doer that worketh (
"But a doer of work,"a doer marked by work (descriptive genitive

Robertson: Jam 1:25 - -- In his doing ( en tēi poiēsei autou ).
Another beatitude with makarios as in Jam 1:12, like the Beatitudes in Mat 5:3-12. Poiēsis is an old...
In his doing (
Another beatitude with

Robertson: Jam 1:26 - -- Thinketh himself to be religious ( dokei thrēskos einai ).
Condition of first class (ei̇dokei ). Thrēskos (of uncertain etymology, perhaps fr...
Thinketh himself to be religious (
Condition of first class (

Robertson: Jam 1:26 - -- While he bridleth not his tongue ( mē chalinagōgōn glōssan heautou ).
"Not bridling his own tongue."A reference to Jam 1:19 and the metaphor ...
While he bridleth not his tongue (
"Not bridling his own tongue."A reference to Jam 1:19 and the metaphor is repeated in Jam 3:12. This is the earliest known example of the compound

Robertson: Jam 1:26 - -- Deceiveth ( apatōn ).
Present active participle from apatē (deceit). He plays a trick on himself.
Deceiveth (
Present active participle from

Robertson: Jam 1:26 - -- Religion ( thrēskeia ).
Later form of thrēskiē (Herodotus) from thrēskos above. It means religious worship in its external observances, r...
Religion (
Later form of

Robertson: Jam 1:27 - -- Pure religion and undefiled ( thrēskeia kathara kai amiantos ).
Numerous examples in papyri and inscriptions of thrēskeia for ritual and revere...
Pure religion and undefiled (
Numerous examples in papyri and inscriptions of

Robertson: Jam 1:27 - -- Before our God and Father ( para tōi theōi kai patri ).
By the side of (para ) and so from God’ s standpoint (Mar 10:27). Amiantos (compo...
Before our God and Father (
By the side of (

Robertson: Jam 1:27 - -- To visit ( episkeptesthai ).
Epexegetic (explaining hautē ) present middle infinitive of episkeptomai , common verb to go to see, to inspect, pres...

Robertson: Jam 1:27 - -- The fatherless and widows ( orphanous kai chēras ).
"The natural objects of charity in the community"(Ropes). Orphanos is old word for bereft of ...
The fatherless and widows (
"The natural objects of charity in the community"(Ropes).

Robertson: Jam 1:27 - -- Unspotted ( aspilon ).
Old adjective (alpha privative and spilos , spot), spotless. This the more important of the two illustrations and the hardest ...
Unspotted (
Old adjective (alpha privative and

Robertson: Jam 1:27 - -- To keep ( tērein ).
Present active infinitive, "to keep on keeping oneself un-specked from the world"(a world, kosmos , full of dirt and slime that...
To keep (
Present active infinitive, "to keep on keeping oneself un-specked from the world"(a world,
Vincent: Jam 1:21 - -- Filthiness ( ῥυπαρίαν )
Only here in New Testament, but James uses the kindred adjective (Jam 2:2), " vile raiment." Ῥύπο...

Vincent: Jam 1:21 - -- Superfluity of naughtiness ( περισσείαν κακίας )
A translation which may be commended to the attention of indiscriminate pane...
Superfluity of naughtiness (
A translation which may be commended to the attention of indiscriminate panegyrists of the A. V.

With meekness (
Lit., " in meekness;" opposed to malice.

Vincent: Jam 1:21 - -- Engrafted ( ἔμφυτον )
Only here in New Testament. Better, and more literally, as Rev., implanted. It marks a characteristic of the w...
Engrafted (
Only here in New Testament. Better, and more literally, as Rev., implanted. It marks a characteristic of the word of truth (Jam 1:18). It is implanted; divinely given, in contrast with something acquired by study. Compare Mat 13:19, " the word of the kingdom - sown in his heart." Grafted or graffed is expressed by a peculiar word, employed by Paul only,

Vincent: Jam 1:21 - -- Which is able to save ( τὸν δυνάμενον σῶσαι )
Compare Rom 1:16, " the power of God unto salvation. "
Which is able to save (
Compare Rom 1:16, " the power of God unto salvation. "

Hearers (
Used by James only.

Vincent: Jam 1:22 - -- Deceiving ( παραλογιζόμενοι )
From παρά , beside, contrary to, and λογίζομαι , to reckon, and hence to concl...
Deceiving (
From

Vincent: Jam 1:23 - -- Beholding ( κατανοοῦντι )
With the notion of attentively considering (κατά , down into, or through; compare εἰς , i...
Beholding (
With the notion of attentively considering (

Vincent: Jam 1:23 - -- His natural face ( τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς γενέσεως )
Lit., the countenance of his birth; the face he was born with.
His natural face (
Lit., the countenance of his birth; the face he was born with.

Vincent: Jam 1:23 - -- In a glass ( ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ )
Better, Rev., a mirror; a metallic mirror. The word occurs only here and 1Co 13:12.
In a glass (
Better, Rev., a mirror; a metallic mirror. The word occurs only here and 1Co 13:12.

Vincent: Jam 1:24 - -- He beholdeth ( κατενόησεν )
The aorist tense, throwing the sentence into a lively, narrative form: he beheld himself and forgot....
He beholdeth (
The aorist tense, throwing the sentence into a lively, narrative form: he beheld himself and forgot. Compare Jam 1:11.

Vincent: Jam 1:25 - -- Whoso looketh ( ὁ παρακύψας )
Rev., more strictly, he that looketh. See on 1Pe 1:12. The verb is used of one who stoops sidewa...
Whoso looketh (
Rev., more strictly, he that looketh. See on 1Pe 1:12. The verb is used of one who stoops sideways (

Vincent: Jam 1:25 - -- Into ( εἰς )
Denoting the penetration of the look into the very essence of the law.
Into (
Denoting the penetration of the look into the very essence of the law.

Vincent: Jam 1:25 - -- The perfect law of liberty ( νόμον τέλειον τὸν τῆς ἐλευθερίας )
Lit., the perfect law, the law of libert...
The perfect law of liberty (
Lit., the perfect law, the law of liberty. So Rev. The law of liberty is added as defining the perfect law.

Continueth therein
Better, Rev., so continueth; i.e., continues looking.

Vincent: Jam 1:25 - -- Forgetful hearer ( ἀκροατὴς ἐπιλησμονῆς )
The latter word only here in New Testament. Lit., a hearer of forgetfulness...
Forgetful hearer (
The latter word only here in New Testament. Lit., a hearer of forgetfulness; whom forgetfulness characterizes. Rev., very happily, a hearer that forgetteth; a rendering which gives the proper sense of forgetfulness as a characteristic better than A. V., a forgetful hearer .

Vincent: Jam 1:25 - -- Doer of the work
Lit., of work, as the noun has no article. Rev., a doer that worketh.
Doer of the work
Lit., of work, as the noun has no article. Rev., a doer that worketh.

Vincent: Jam 1:25 - -- In his deed ( ἐν τῇ ποιήσει αὐτοῦ )
More correctly, as Rev., in his doing. Only here in New Testament. The preposit...
In his deed (
More correctly, as Rev., in his doing. Only here in New Testament. The preposition

Vincent: Jam 1:26 - -- Seem to be ( δοκεῖ )
Rev., correctly, thinketh himself to be. A man can scarcely seem to be religious, when, as Trench observes, " his...
Seem to be (
Rev., correctly, thinketh himself to be. A man can scarcely seem to be religious, when, as Trench observes, " his religious pretensions are belied and refuted by the allowance of an unbridled tongue."

Vincent: Jam 1:26 - -- Religious ( θρῆσκος )
Only here in New Testament, and nowhere in classical Greek. The kindred noun θρησκεία , religion, occur...
Religious (
Only here in New Testament, and nowhere in classical Greek. The kindred noun

Vincent: Jam 1:26 - -- Bridleth ( χαλιναγωγῶν )
Used by James only. See Jam 3:2. Lit., to guide with a bridle. So Plato, " Laws," 701: " I think that th...
Bridleth (
Used by James only. See Jam 3:2. Lit., to guide with a bridle. So Plato, " Laws," 701: " I think that the argument ought to be pulled up from time to time, and not to be allowed to run away, but held with bit and bridle."

Vincent: Jam 1:27 - -- Undefiled ( ἀμίαντος )
See on 1Pe 1:4. The two adjectives , pure and undefiled, present the positive and negative sides of purity.
Undefiled (
See on 1Pe 1:4. The two adjectives , pure and undefiled, present the positive and negative sides of purity.

Vincent: Jam 1:27 - -- To visit ( ἐπισκέπτεσθαι )
See on Mat 25:36. James strikes a downright blow here at ministry by proxy, or by mere gifts of money...
To visit (
See on Mat 25:36. James strikes a downright blow here at ministry by proxy, or by mere gifts of money. Pure and undefiled religion demands personal contact with the world's sorrow: to visit the afflicted, and to visit them in their affliction. " The rich man, prodigal of money, which is to him of little value, but altogether incapable of devoting any personal attention to the object of his alms, often injures society by his donations; but this is rarely the case with that far nobler charity which makes men familiar with the haunts of wretchedness, and follows the object of its care through all the phases of his life" (Lecky, " History of European Morals," ii., 98).
As a dirty garment.

Wesley: Jam 1:21 - -- For however specious or necessary it may appear to worldly wisdom, all wickedness is both vile, hateful, contemptible, and really superfluous. Every r...
For however specious or necessary it may appear to worldly wisdom, all wickedness is both vile, hateful, contemptible, and really superfluous. Every reasonable end may be effectually answered without any kind or degree of it. Lay this, every known sin, aside, or all your hearing is vain.

Constant evenness and serenity of mind.


The hope of salvation nourishes meekness.

How exactly does the scripture glass show a man the face of his soul!

Wesley: Jam 1:25 - -- Not with a transient glance, but bending down, fixing his eyes, and searching all to the bottom.
Not with a transient glance, but bending down, fixing his eyes, and searching all to the bottom.

Wesley: Jam 1:25 - -- Of love as established by faith. St. James here guards us against misunderstanding what St. Paul says concerning the "yoke and bondage of the law." He...

Not like him who forgot it, and went away.

There is a peculiar force in the repetition of the word.

Not barely in hearing, but doing the will of God.

Exact in the outward offices of religion.

Wesley: Jam 1:26 - -- From backbiting, talebearing, evilspeaking, he only deceiveth his own heart, if he fancies he has any true religion at all.
From backbiting, talebearing, evilspeaking, he only deceiveth his own heart, if he fancies he has any true religion at all.

In their most helpless and hopeless state.

Wesley: Jam 1:27 - -- From the maxims, tempers, and customs of it. But this cannot be done, till we have given our hearts to God, and love our neighbour as ourselves.
From the maxims, tempers, and customs of it. But this cannot be done, till we have given our hearts to God, and love our neighbour as ourselves.
JFB -> Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:21; Jam 1:22; Jam 1:22; Jam 1:23; Jam 1:23; Jam 1:23; Jam 1:24; Jam 1:24; Jam 1:24; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:25; Jam 1:26-27; Jam 1:26-27; Jam 1:26-27; Jam 1:26-27; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27; Jam 1:27
JFB: Jam 1:21 - -- "once for all" (so the Greek): as a filthy garment. Compare Joshua's filthy garments, Zec 3:3, Zec 3:5; Rev 7:14. "Filthiness" is cleansed away by hea...

JFB: Jam 1:21 - -- Excess (for instance, the intemperate spirit implied in "wrath," Jam 1:19-20), which arises from malice (our natural, evil disposition towards one ano...
Excess (for instance, the intemperate spirit implied in "wrath," Jam 1:19-20), which arises from malice (our natural, evil disposition towards one another). 1Pe 2:1 has the very same words in the Greek. So "malice" is the translation, Eph 4:31; Col 3:8. "Faulty excess" [BENGEL] is not strong enough. Superfluous excess in speaking is also reprobated as "coming of evil" (the Greek is akin to the word for "naughtiness" here) in the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5:37), with which James' Epistle is so connected.

JFB: Jam 1:21 - -- In mildness towards one another [ALFORD], the opposite to "wrath" (Jam 1:20): answering to "as new-born babes" (1Pe 2:2). Meekness, I think, includes ...
In mildness towards one another [ALFORD], the opposite to "wrath" (Jam 1:20): answering to "as new-born babes" (1Pe 2:2). Meekness, I think, includes also a childlike, docile, humble, as well as an uncontentious, spirit (Psa 25:9; Psa 45:4; Isa 66:2; Mat 5:5; Mat 11:28-30; Mat 18:3-4; contrast Rom 2:8). On "receive," applied to ground receiving seed, compare Mar 4:20. Contrast Act 17:11; 1Th 1:6 with 2Th 2:10.

JFB: Jam 1:21 - -- The Gospel word, whose proper attribute is to be engrafted by the Holy Spirit, so as to be livingly incorporated with the believer, as the fruitful sh...
The Gospel word, whose proper attribute is to be engrafted by the Holy Spirit, so as to be livingly incorporated with the believer, as the fruitful shoot is with the wild natural stock on which it is engrafted. The law came to man only from without, and admonished him of his duty. The Gospel is engrafted inwardly, and so fulfils the ultimate design of the law (Deu 6:6; Deu 11:18; Psa 119:11). ALFORD translates, "The implanted word," referring to the parable of the sower (Mat. 13:1-23). I prefer English Version.

JFB: Jam 1:21 - -- A strong incentive to correct our dulness in hearing the word: that word which we hear so carelessly, is able (instrumentally) to save us [CALVIN].
A strong incentive to correct our dulness in hearing the word: that word which we hear so carelessly, is able (instrumentally) to save us [CALVIN].

JFB: Jam 1:21 - -- Your true selves, for the "body" is now liable to sickness and death: but the soul being now saved, both soul and body at last shall be so (Jam 5:15, ...

JFB: Jam 1:22 - -- Qualification of the precept, "Be swift to hear": "Be ye doers . . . not hearers only"; not merely "Do the word," but "Be doers" systematically and co...
Qualification of the precept, "Be swift to hear": "Be ye doers . . . not hearers only"; not merely "Do the word," but "Be doers" systematically and continually, as if this was your regular business. James here again refers to the Sermon on the Mount (Mat 7:21-29).

JFB: Jam 1:22 - -- By the logical fallacy (the Greek implies this) that the mere hearing is all that is needed.
By the logical fallacy (the Greek implies this) that the mere hearing is all that is needed.

JFB: Jam 1:23 - -- More literally, "a notdoer" [ALFORD]. The true disciple, say the rabbis, learns in order that he may do, not in order that he may merely know or teach...
More literally, "a notdoer" [ALFORD]. The true disciple, say the rabbis, learns in order that he may do, not in order that he may merely know or teach.

JFB: Jam 1:23 - -- Literally, "the countenance of his birth": the face he was born with. As a man may behold his natural face in a mirror, so the hearer may perceive his...
Literally, "the countenance of his birth": the face he was born with. As a man may behold his natural face in a mirror, so the hearer may perceive his moral visage in God's Word. This faithful portraiture of man's soul in Scripture, is the strongest proof of the truth of the latter. In it, too, we see mirrored God's glory, as well as our natural vileness.

JFB: Jam 1:24 - -- More literally, "he contemplated himself and hath gone his way," that is, no sooner has he contemplated his image than he is gone his way (Jam 1:11). ...
More literally, "he contemplated himself and hath gone his way," that is, no sooner has he contemplated his image than he is gone his way (Jam 1:11). "Contemplate" answers to hearing the word: "goeth his way," to relaxing the attention after hearing--letting the mind go elsewhere, and the interest of the thing heard pass away: then forgetfulness follows [ALFORD] (Compare Eze 33:31). "Contemplate" here, and in Jam 1:23, implies that, though cursory, yet some knowledge of one's self, at least for the time, is imparted in hearing the word (1Co 14:24).

The repetition expresses hastiness joined with levity [BENGEL].


JFB: Jam 1:25 - -- Literally, "stoopeth down to take a close look into." Peers into: stronger than "beholdeth," or "contemplated," Jam 1:24. A blessed curiosity if it be...
Literally, "stoopeth down to take a close look into." Peers into: stronger than "beholdeth," or "contemplated," Jam 1:24. A blessed curiosity if it be efficacious in bearing fruit [BENGEL].

JFB: Jam 1:25 - -- The Gospel rule of life, perfect and perfecting (as shown in the Sermon on the Mount, Mat 5:48), and making us truly walk at liberty (Psa 119:32, Chur...
The Gospel rule of life, perfect and perfecting (as shown in the Sermon on the Mount, Mat 5:48), and making us truly walk at liberty (Psa 119:32, Church of England Prayer Book Version). Christians are to aim at a higher standard of holiness than was generally understood under the law. The principle of love takes the place of the letter of the law, so that by the Spirit they are free from the yoke of sin, and free to obey by spontaneous instinct (Jam 2:8, Jam 2:10, Jam 2:12; Joh 8:31-36; Joh 15:14-15; compare 1Co 7:22; Gal 5:1, Gal 5:13; 1Pe 2:16). The law is thus not made void, but fulfilled.

JFB: Jam 1:25 - -- Contrasted with "goeth his way," Jam 1:24, continues both looking into the mirror of God's word, and doing its precepts.
Contrasted with "goeth his way," Jam 1:24, continues both looking into the mirror of God's word, and doing its precepts.

Rather, "a doer of work" [ALFORD], an actual worker.

JFB: Jam 1:26-27 - -- The Greek expresses the external service or exercise of religion, "godliness" being the internal soul of it. "If any man think himself to be (so the G...
The Greek expresses the external service or exercise of religion, "godliness" being the internal soul of it. "If any man think himself to be (so the Greek) religious, that is, observant of the offices of religion, let him know these consist not so much in outward observances, as in such acts of mercy and humble piety (Mic 6:7-8) as visiting the fatherless, &c., and keeping one's self unspotted from the world" (Mat 23:23). James does not mean that these offices are the great essentials, or sum total of religion; but that, whereas the law service was merely ceremonial, the very services of the Gospel consist in acts of mercy and holiness, and it has light for its garment, its very robe being righteousness [TRENCH]. The Greek word is only found in Act 26:5, "after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee." Col 2:18, "worshipping of angels."

JFB: Jam 1:26-27 - -- Discretion in speech is better than fluency of speech (compare Jam 3:2-3). Compare Psa 39:1. God alone can enable us to do so. James, in treating of t...
Discretion in speech is better than fluency of speech (compare Jam 3:2-3). Compare Psa 39:1. God alone can enable us to do so. James, in treating of the law, naturally notices this sin. For they who are free from grosser sins, and even bear the outward show of sanctity, will often exalt themselves by detracting others under the pretense of zeal, while their real motive is love of evil-speaking [CALVIN].

It and the tongue act and react on one another.

JFB: Jam 1:27 - -- "Pure" is that love which has in it no foreign admixture, as self-deceit and hypocrisy. "Undefiled" is the means of its being "pure" [TITTMANN]. "Pure...
"Pure" is that love which has in it no foreign admixture, as self-deceit and hypocrisy. "Undefiled" is the means of its being "pure" [TITTMANN]. "Pure" expresses the positive, "undefiled" the negative side of religious service; just as visiting the fatherless and widow is the active, keeping himself unspotted from the world, the passive side of religious duty. This is the nobler shape that our religious exercises take, instead of the ceremonial offices of the law.

JFB: Jam 1:27 - -- Literally, "before Him who is (our) God and Father." God is so called to imply that if we would be like our Father, it is not by fasting, &c., for He ...
Literally, "before Him who is (our) God and Father." God is so called to imply that if we would be like our Father, it is not by fasting, &c., for He does none of these things, but in being "merciful as our Father is merciful" [CHRYSOSTOM].

In sympathy and kind offices to alleviate their distresses.

JFB: Jam 1:27 - -- Not in the Greek; so close is the connection between active works of mercy to others, and the maintenance of personal unworldliness of spirit, word, a...
Not in the Greek; so close is the connection between active works of mercy to others, and the maintenance of personal unworldliness of spirit, word, and deed; no copula therefore is needed. Religion in its rise interests us about ourselves in its progress, about our fellow creatures: in its highest stage, about the honor of God.
Clarke: Jam 1:21 - -- All filthiness - Πασαν ῥυπαριαν . This word signifies any impurity that cleaves to the body; but applied to the mind, it implies all...
All filthiness -

Clarke: Jam 1:21 - -- Superfluity of naughtiness - Περισσειαν κακιας· The overflowing of wickedness. Perhaps there is an allusion here to the part cut ...
Superfluity of naughtiness -

Clarke: Jam 1:21 - -- The ingrafted word - That doctrine which has already been planted among you, which has brought forth fruit in all them that have meekly and humbly r...
The ingrafted word - That doctrine which has already been planted among you, which has brought forth fruit in all them that have meekly and humbly received it, and is as powerful to save your souls as the souls of those who have already believed. I think this to be the meaning of

Clarke: Jam 1:22 - -- But be ye doers of the word - They had heard this doctrine; they had believed it; but they had put it to no practical use. They were downright Antin...
But be ye doers of the word - They had heard this doctrine; they had believed it; but they had put it to no practical use. They were downright Antinomians, who put a sort of stupid, inactive faith in the place of all moral righteousness. This is sufficiently evident from the second chapter

Clarke: Jam 1:22 - -- Deceiving your own selves - Παραλογιζομενοι ἑαυτους· Imposing on your own selves by sophistical arguments; this is the me...
Deceiving your own selves -

Clarke: Jam 1:23 - -- Beholding his natural face in a glass - This metaphor is very simple, but very expressive. A man wishes to see his own face, and how, in its natural...
Beholding his natural face in a glass - This metaphor is very simple, but very expressive. A man wishes to see his own face, and how, in its natural state, it appears; for this purpose he looks into a mirror, by which his real face, with all its blemishes and imperfections, is exhibited. He is affected with his own appearance; he sees deformities that might be remedied; spots, superfluities, and impurities, that might be removed. While he continues to look into the mirror he is affected, and wishes himself different to what he appears, and forms purposes of doing what he can to render his countenance agreeable. On going away he soon forgets what manner of person he was, because the mirror is now removed, and his face is no longer reflected to himself; and he no longer recollects how disagreeable he appeared, and his own resolutions of improving his countenance. The doctrines of God, faithfully preached, are such a mirror; he who hears cannot help discovering his own character, and being affected with his own deformity; he sorrows, and purposes amendment; but when the preaching is over, the mirror is removed, and not being careful to examine the records of his salvation, the perfect law of liberty, Jam 1:25, or not continuing to look therein, he soon forgets what manner of man he was; or, reposing some unscriptural trust in God’ s mercy, he reasons himself out of the necessity of repentance and amendment of life, and thus deceives his soul.

Clarke: Jam 1:25 - -- But whoso looketh into the perfect law - The word παρακυψας, which we translate looketh into, is very emphatic, and signifies that deep an...
But whoso looketh into the perfect law - The word

Clarke: Jam 1:25 - -- And continueth - Παραμεινας· Takes time to see and examine the state of his soul, the grace of his God, the extent of his duty, and the...
And continueth -

Clarke: Jam 1:25 - -- He being not a forgetful hearer - This seems to be a reference to Deu 4:9 : "Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forg...
He being not a forgetful hearer - This seems to be a reference to Deu 4:9 : "Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life."He who studies and forgets is like to a woman who brings forth children, and immediately buries them. Aboth R. Nathan, cap. 23

Clarke: Jam 1:25 - -- Shall be blessed in his deed - In Pirkey Aboth, cap. Deu 4:14, it is said: "There are four kinds of men who visit the synagogues
1.  ...
Shall be blessed in his deed - In Pirkey Aboth, cap. Deu 4:14, it is said: "There are four kinds of men who visit the synagogues
1. He who enters but does not work
2. He who works but does not enter
3. He who enters and works
4. He who neither enters nor works
The first two are indifferent characters; the third is the righteous man; the fourth is wholly evil.
As the path of duty is the way of safety, so it is the way of happiness; he who obeys God from a loving heart and pure conscience, will infallibly find continual blessedness.

Clarke: Jam 1:26 - -- Seem to be religious - The words θρησκος and θρησκεια, which we translate religious and religion, (see the next verse), are of ver...
Seem to be religious - The words

Clarke: Jam 1:26 - -- Bridleth not his tongue - He who speaks not according to the oracles of God, whatever pretences he makes to religion, only shows, by his want of scr...
Bridleth not his tongue - He who speaks not according to the oracles of God, whatever pretences he makes to religion, only shows, by his want of scriptural knowledge, that his religion is false,

Clarke: Jam 1:27 - -- Pure religion, and undefiled - Having seen something of the etymology of the word θρησκεια, which we translate religion, it will be well to...
Pure religion, and undefiled - Having seen something of the etymology of the word
In the 28th chapter of the 4th book of his Divine Instructions, Lactantius, who flourished about a.d. 300, treats of hope, true religion, and superstition; of the two latter he gives Cicero’ s definition from his book De Natura Deorum, lib. ii. c. 28, which with his own definition will lead us to a correct view, not only of the etymology, but of the thing itself
"Superstition,"according to that philosopher, "had its name from the custom of those who offered daily prayers and sacrifices, that their children might Survive Them; ut sui sibi liberi superstites essent . Hence they were called superstitiosi , superstitious. On the other hand, religion, religio , had its name from those who, not satisfied with what was commonly spoken concerning the nature and worship of the gods, searched into the whole matter, and perused the writings of past times; hence they were called religiosi , from re , again, and lego , I read.
This definition Lactantius ridicules, and shows that religion has its name from re , intensive, and ligo , I bind, because of that bond of piety by which it binds us to God, and this he shows was the notion conceived of it by Lucretius, who labored to dissolve this bond, and make men atheists
Primum quod magnis doceo de rebus, et Arcti
Religionum animos Nodis Exsolvere pergo
For first I teach great things in lofty strains
And loose men from religion’ s grievous chains
Lucret., lib. i., ver. 930, 93
As to superstition, he says it derived its name from those who paid religious veneration to the memory of the dead, ( qui superstitem memoriam defunctorem colunt ), or from those who, surviving their parents, worshipped their images at home, as household gods; aut qui, parentibus suis superstites, colebant imagines eorum domi, tanquam deos penates . Superstition, according to others, refers to novel rites and ceremonies in religion, or to the worship of new gods. But by religion are meant the ancient forms of worship belonging to those gods, which had long been received. Hence that saying of Virgil: -
Vana superstitio veterumque ignara deorum
"Vain superstition not knowing the ancient gods.
Here Lactantius observes, that as the ancient gods were consecrated precisely in the same way with these new ones, that therefore it was nothing but superstition from the beginning. Hence he asserts, the superstitious are those who worship many and false gods, and the Christians alone are religious, who worship and supplicate the one true God only. St. James’ definition rather refers to the effects of pure religion than to its nature. The life of God in the soul of man, producing love to God and man, will show itself in the acts which St. James mentions here. It is pure in the principle, for it is Divine truth and Divine love. It is undefiled in all its operations: it can produce nothing unholy, because it ever acts in the sight of God; and it can produce no ungentle word nor unkind act, because it comes from the Father
The words

Clarke: Jam 1:27 - -- To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction - Works of charity and mercy are the proper fruits of religion; and none are more especially ...
To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction - Works of charity and mercy are the proper fruits of religion; and none are more especially the objects of charity and mercy than the orphans and widows. False religion may perform acts of mercy and charity; but its motives not being pure, and its principle being defiled, the flesh, self, and hypocrisy, spot the man, and spot his acts. True religion does not merely give something for the relief of the distressed, but it visits them, it takes the oversight of them, it takes them under its care; so
The subject in Jam 1:11 suggests several reflections on the mutability of human affairs, and the end of all things
1. Nature herself is subject to mutability, though by her secret and inscrutable exertions she effects her renovation from her decay, and thus change is prevented from terminating in destruction. Yet nature herself is tending, by continual mutations, to a final destruction; or rather to a fixed state, when time, the place and sphere of mutability, shall be absorbed in eternity. Time and nature are coeval; they began and must terminate together. All changes are efforts to arrive at destruction or renovation; and destruction must be the term or bound of all created things, had not the Creator purposed that his works should endure for ever. According to his promise, we look for a new heaven and a new earth; a fixed, permanent, and endless state of things; an everlasting sabbath to all the works of God
I shall confirm these observations with the last verses of that incomparable poem, the Faery Queene, of our much neglected but unrivalled poet, Edmund Spenser: -
"When I bethink me on that speech whylear
Of mutability, and well it weigh
Me seems, that though she all unworthy wer
Of the heaven’ s rule; yet very sooth to say
In all things else she bears the greatest sway
Which makes me loath this state of life so tickle
And love of things so vain to cast away
Whose flow’ ring pride, so fading and so fickle
Short Time shall soon cut down with his consuming sickle
Then gin I think on that which Nature sayd
Of that same time when no more change shall be
But stedfast rest of all things, firmly stay
Upon the pillours of eternity
That is contrayr to mutability
For all that moveth, doth in change delight
But thenceforth all shall rest eternall
With him that is the God of Sabaoth hight
O that great Sabaoth God, grant me that Sabaoth’ s sight!
When this is to be the glorious issue, who can regret the speedy lapse of time? Mutability shall end in permanent perfection, when time, the destroyer of all things, shall be absorbed in eternity. And what has a righteous man to fear from that "wreck of matter and that crush of worlds,"which to him shall usher in the glories of an eternal day? A moralist has said, "Though heaven shall vanish like a vapour, and this firm globe of earth shall crumble into dust, the righteous man shall stand unmoved amidst the shocked depredations of a crushed world; for he who hath appointed the heavens and the earth to fail, hath said unto the virtuous soul, Fear not! for thou shalt neither perish nor be wretched.
Dr. Young has written most nervously, in the spirit of the highest order of poetry, and with the knowledge and feeling of a sound divine, on this subject, in his Night Thoughts. Night vi. in fine
Of man immortal hear the lofty style: -
"If so decreed, th’ Almighty will be done
Let earth dissolve, yon ponderous orbs descen
And grind us into dust: the soul is safe
The man emerges; mounts above the wreck
As towering flame from nature’ s funeral pyre
O’ er desolation, as a gainer, smiles
His charter, his inviolable rights
Well pleased to learn from thunder’ s impotence
Death’ s pointless darts, and hell’ s defeated storms.
After him, and borrowing his imagery and ideas, another of our poets, in canticis sacris facile princeps , has expounded and improved the whole in the following hymn on the Judgment
"Stand the Omnipotent decree
Jehovah’ s will be done
Nature’ s end we wait to see
And hear her final groan
Let this earth dissolve, and blen
In death the wicked and the just
Let those ponderous orbs descen
And grind us into dust
Rests secure the righteous man
At his Redeemer’ s beck
Sure to emerge, and rise again
And mount above the wreck
Lo! the heavenly spirit tower
Like flames o’ er nature’ s funeral pyre
Triumphs in immortal powers
And claps her wings of fire
Nothing hath the just to los
By worlds on worlds destroy’ d
Far beneath his feet he views
With smiles, the flaming void
Sees the universe renew’ d
The grand millennial reign begun
Shouts with all the sons of Go
Around th’ eternal throne.
Wesle
One word more, and I shall trouble my reader no farther on a subject on which I could wear out my pen and drain the last drop of my ink. The learned reader will join in the wish
" Talia saecla suis dixerunt, currite, fusi
Concordes stabili fatorum numine Parcae
Aggredere O magnos (aderit jam tempus!) honores
Cara Deum soboles, magnum Jovis incrementum
Aspice convexo nutantem pondere mundum
Terrasque, tractusque maris, coelumque profundum
Aspice, venturo laetentur ut omnia saeclo
O mihi tam longae maneat pars ultima vitae
Spiritus, et quantum sat erit tua dicere facta !
Virg. Eclog. iv
There has never been a translation of this, worthy of the poet; and to such a piece I cannot persuade myself to append the hobbling verses of Mr. Dryden
2. Taken in every point of view, Jam 1:17 is one of the most curious and singular in the New Testament. It has been well observed, that the first words make a regular Greek hexameter verse, supposed to be quoted from some Greek poet not now extant; and the last clause of the verse, with a very little change, makes another hexameter: -
"Every goodly gift, and every perfect donation
Is from the Father of lights, and from above it descendeth.
The first line, which is incontestably a perfect hexameter, may have been designed by St. James, or in the course of composition may have originated from accident, a thing which often occurs to all good writers; but the sentiment itself is immediately from heaven. I know not that we can be justified by sound criticism in making any particular distinction between
- -
Man, boast of naught: whate’ er thou hast is given
Wisdom and virtue are the gifts of Heaven
But how tame is even Pindar’ s verse when compared with the energy of James
3. In the latter part of the verse,
The word
As I shall make some farther use of this point, in order to make it plain to those who are not much acquainted with the subject, to which I am satisfied St. James alludes, I shall introduce the following diagram: Let the circle OKNS. in the annexed figure, represent the earth, E its center, O the place of an observer on its surface, whose visible or sensible horizon is OH, and the line EST, parallel to OH, the rational, true, or mathematical horizon. Let ZDFT be considered a portion of a great circle in the heavens, and A the place of an object in the visible horizon. Join EA by a line produced to C: then C is the true place of the object, and H is its apparent place; and the angle CAH is its parallax; and, because the object is in the horizon, it is called its horizontal parallax. As OAE, the angle which the earth’ s radius or semidiameter subtends to the object, is necessarily equal to its opposite angle CAH, hence the horizontal parallax of an object is defined to be the angle which the earth’ s semidiameter subtends at that object
The whole effect of parallax is in a vertical direction; for the parallactic angle is in the plane passing through the observer and the earth’ s center, which plane is necessarily perpendicular to the horizon, the earth being considered as a sphere. The more elevated an object is above the horizon, the less the parallax, the distance from the earth’ s center continuing the same. To make this sufficiently clear, let B represent an object at any given altitude above the visible horizon OAH; then the angle DBF, formed by the straight lines OB and EB produced to F and D, will be the parallax of the object at the given altitude, and is less than the parallax of the same object when in the visible horizon OAH, for the angle DBF is less than the angle CAH. Hence the horizontal parallax is the greatest of all diurnal parallaxes; and when the object is in the zenith, it has no parallax, the visual ray passing perpendicularly from the object through the observer to the earth’ s center, as in the line Zoe
The quantity of the horizontal parallax of any object is in proportion to its distance from the place of observation, being greater or less as the object is nearer to or farther removed from the spectator. In illustration of this point, let I be the place of an object in the sensible horizon; then will LIH be its horizontal parallax, which is a smaller angle than CAH, the horizontal parallax of the nearer object A
The horizontal parallax being given, the distance of the object from the earth’ s center, EA or EI, may be readily found in semidiameters of the earth by the resolution of the right-angled triangle OEA, in which we have given the angle OAE, the horizontal parallax, the side OE, the semidiameter of the earth, considered as unity, and the right angle AOE, to find the side EA, the distance of the object from the earth’ s center. The proportion to be used in this case is: The sine of the horizontal parallax is to unity, the semidiameter of the earth, as radius, i.e. the right angle AOE, the sine of ninety degrees being the radius of a circle, is to the side EA. This proportion is very compendiously wrought by logarithms as follows: Subtract the logarithmic sine of the horizontal parallax from 10, the radius, and the remainder will be the logarithm of the answer
Example. When the moon’ s horizontal parallax is a degree, what is her distance from the earth’ s center in semidiameters of the earth
10.0000000 | |
Subtract the sine of 1 degree | 8.2418553 |
Remainder the logarithm of 57.2987 | 1.7581447 |
Which is the distance of the moon in semidiameters of the earth, when her horizontal parallax amounts to a degree. If 57.2987 be multiplied by 3977, the English miles contained in the earth’ s semidiameter, the product, 227876.9, will be the moon’ s distance from the earth’ s center in English miles
The sun’ s horizontal parallax is about eight seconds and three-fifths, as is evident from the phenomena attending the transits of Venus, of 1761 and 1769, as observed in different parts of the world: a method of obtaining the solar parallax abundantly less liable to be materially affected by error of observation than that of Hipparchus, who lived between the 154th and 163d Olympiad, from lunar eclipses; or than that of Aristarchus the Samian, from the moon’ s dichotomy; or even than that of modern astronomers from the parallax of Mars when in opposition, and, at the same time, in or near his perihelion. The sun’ s horizontal parallax being scarcely the four hundred and eighteenth part of that of the moon given in the preceding example, if 227876.9, the distance of the moon as found above, be multiplied by 418.6, (for the horizontal parallax decreases nearly in proportion as the distance increases), the product will be the distance of the sun from the earth’ s center, which will be found to be upwards of ninety-five millions of English miles
When we know the horizontal parallax of any object, its magnitude is easily determined. The apparent diameter of the sun, for example, at his mean distance from the earth, is somewhat more than thirty-two minutes of a degree, which is at least a hundred and eleven times greater than the double of the sun’ s horizontal parallax, or the apparent diameter of the earth as seen from the sun; therefore, the real solar diameter must be at least a hundred and eleven times greater than that of the earth; i.e. upwards of 880,000 English miles. And as spherical bodies are to each other as the cubes of their diameters, if 111 be cubed, we shall find that the magnitude of the sun is more than thirteen hundred thousand times greater than that of the earth
The whole effect of parallax being in a vertical circle, and the circles of the sphere not being in this direction, the parallax of a star will evidently change its true place with respect to these different circles; whence there are five kinds of diurnal parallaxes, viz. the parallax of longitude, parallax of latitude, parallax of ascension or descension, parallax: of declination, and parallax of altitude, the last of which has been already largely explained; and the meaning of the first four, simply, is the difference between the true and visible longitude, latitude, right ascension, and declination of an object. Besides these, there is another kind of parallax, called by modern astronomers the parallax of the earth’ s Annual Orbit, by which is meant the difference between the places of a planet as seen from the sun and the earth at the same time, the former being its true or heliocentric place, and the latter its apparent or geocentric place. The ancient astronomers gave the term parallax only to the diurnal apparent inequalities of motion in the moon and planets; Ptolemy, who lived in the second century, calling prosaphaeresis orbis what is now named the parallax of the great or annual orbit. This parallax is more considerable than the diurnal parallax, as the earth’ s annual orbit is more considerable than the earth’ s semidiameter. This parallax, when greatest, amounts in Mars, the nearest superior planet, to upwards of forty-seven degrees; in Jupiter to near twelve degrees; in Saturn to more than six degrees, etc. In the region of the nearest fixed stars, i.e. those new ones of 1572 and 1604, double the radius of the earth’ s orbit does not subtend an angle of a single minute of a degree; whence it is evident the nearest fixed stars are at least hundreds of times more distant from us than the Georgium Sidus is, whose greatest annual parallax amounts to upwards of three degrees. The annual parallaxes of the fixed stars are, in general, too minute to be measured; hence their distances from the earth must be inconceivably great
Any farther description of parallax would be useless in reference to the subject to be illustrated
The words
Every person who understands the images will see with what propriety St. James has introduced them; and through this his great object is at once discernible. It is evident from this chapter that there were persons, among those to whom he wrote, that held very erroneous opinions concerning the Divine nature; viz. that God tempted or influenced men to sin, and, consequently, that he was the author of all the evil that is in the world; and that he withholds his light and influence when necessary to convey truth and to correct vice. To destroy this error he shows that though the sun, for its splendor, genial heat, and general utility to the globe and its inhabitants, may be a fit emblem of God, yet in several respects the metaphor is very imperfect; for the sun himself is liable to repeated obscurations; and although, as to his mass, he is the focus of the system, giving light and heat to all, yet he is not everywhere present, and both his light and heat may be intercepted by a great variety of opposing bodies, and other causes. St. James refers particularly to the Divine ubiquity or omnipresence. Wherever his light and energy are, there is he himself; neither his word nor his Spirit gives false or inconsistent views of his nature and gracious purposes. He has no parallax, because he is equally present everywhere, and intimately near to all his creatures; He is never seen where he is not, or not seen where he is. He is the God and Father of all; who is Above all, and Through all, and In all; "in the wide waste, as in the city full;"nor can any thing be hidden from his light and heat. There can be no opposing bodies to prevent him from sending forth his light and truth, because he is everywhere essentially present. He suffers no eclipses; he changes not in his nature; he varies not in his designs; he is ever a full, free, and eternal fountain of mercy, goodness, truth, and good will, to all his intelligent offspring. Hallelujah, the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! Amen
In concluding these observations, I think it necessary to refer to Mr. Wakefield’ s translation of this text, and his vindication of that translation: Every good gift, and every perfect kindness, cometh down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom is no parallax, nor tropical shadow. "Some have affected,"says he, "to ridicule my translation of this verse, if it be obscure, the author must answer for that, and not the translator. Why should we impoverish the sacred writers, by robbing them of the learning and science they display? Why should we conceal in them what we should ostentatiously point out in profane authors? And if any of these wise, learned, and judicious critics think they understand the phrase shadow of turning, I wish they would condescend to explain it."Yes, if such a sentiment were found in Aratus, or in any other ancient astronomical writer, whole pages of commentary would be written on it, and the subtle doctrine of the parallactic angle proved to be well known in itself, and its use in determining the distances and magnitudes of the heavenly bodies, to the ancients some hundreds of years before the Christian era
The sentiment is as elegant as it is just, and forcibly points out the unchangeableness and beneficence of God. He is the Sun, not of a system, but of all worlds; the great Fountain and Dispenser of light and heat, of power and life, of order, harmony, and perfection. In him all live and move, and from him they have their being. There are no spots on his disk; all is unclouded splendor. Can he who dwells in this unsufferable and unapproachable light, in his own eternal self-sufficiency, concern himself with the affairs of mortals? Yes, for we are his offspring; and it is one part of his perfection to delight in the welfare of his intelligent creatures. He is loving to every man: he hates nothing that he has made; and his praise endureth for ever!
Calvin: Jam 1:21 - -- 21.Wherefore lay apart. He concludes by saying how the word of life is to be received. And first, indeed, he intimates that it cannot be rightly rece...
21.Wherefore lay apart. He concludes by saying how the word of life is to be received. And first, indeed, he intimates that it cannot be rightly received except it be implanted, or strike roots in us. For the expression, to receive the implanted word, ought to be thus explained, “to receive it, that it may be really implanted.” For he alludes to seed often sown on and ground, and not received into the moist bosom of the earth; or to plants, which being cast on the ground, or laid on dead wood, soon wither. He then requires that it should be a living implanting, by which the word becomes as it were united with our heart.
He at the same time shews the way and manner of this reception, even with meekness. By this word he means humility and the readiness of a mind disposed to learn, such as Isaiah describes when he says,
“On whom does my Spirit rest, except on the humble and meek?” (Isa 57:15.)
Hence it is, that so far profit in the school of God, because hardly one in a hundred renounces the stubbornness of his own spirit, and gently submits to God; but almost all are conceited and refractory. But if we desire to be the living plantation of God, we must subdue our proud hearts and be humble, and labor to become like lambs, so as to suffer ourselves to be ruled and guided by our Shepherd.
But as men are never thus tamed, so as to have a calm and meek heart, except they are purged from depraved affections, so he bids us to lay aside uncleanness and redundancy of wickedness. And as James borrowed a comparison from agriculture, it was necessary for him to observe this order, to begin by rooting up noxious weeds. And since he addressed all, we may hence conclude that these are the innate evils of our nature, and that they cleave to us all; yea, since he addresses the faithful, he shews that we are never wholly cleansed from them in this life, but that they are continually sprouting up, and therefore he requires that care should be constantly taken to eradicate them. As the word of God is especially a holy thing; to be fitted to receive it, we must put off the filthy things by which we have been polluted.
Under the word
Which is able to save. It is a high eulogy on heavenly truth, that we obtain through it a sure salvation; and this is added, that we may learn to seek and love and magnify the word as a treasure that is incomparable. It is then a sharp goad to chastise our idleness, when he says that the word which we are wont to hear so negligently, is the means of our salvation, though for this purpose the power of saving is not ascribed to the word, as if salvation is conveyed by the external sound of the word, or as if the office of saving is taken away from God and transferred elsewhere; for James speaks of the word which by faith penetrates into the hearts of men, and only intimates that God, the author of salvation, conveys it by his Gospel.

Calvin: Jam 1:22 - -- 22.Be ye doers of the word. The doer here is not the same as in Rom 2:13, who satisfied the law of God and fulfilled it in every part, but the doer i...
22.Be ye doers of the word. The doer here is not the same as in Rom 2:13, who satisfied the law of God and fulfilled it in every part, but the doer is he who from the heart embraces God’s word and testifies by his life that he really believes, according to the saying of Christ,
“Blessed are they who hear God’s word and keep it,”
(Luk 11:28;)
for he shews by the fruits what that implanting is, before mentioned. We must further observe, that faith with all its works is included by James, yea, faith especially, as it is the chief work which God requires from us. The import of the whole is, that we ought to labor that the word of the Lord should strike root in us, so that it may afterwards fructify. 110

Calvin: Jam 1:23 - -- 23.He is like to a man. Heavenly doctrine is indeed a mirror in which God presents himself to our view; but so that we may be transformed unto his im...
23.He is like to a man. Heavenly doctrine is indeed a mirror in which God presents himself to our view; but so that we may be transformed unto his image, as Paul says in 2Co 3:18. But here he speaks of the external glance of the eye, not of the vivid and efficacious meditation which penetrates into the heart. It is a striking comparison, by which he briefly intimates, that a doctrine merely heard and not received inwardly into the heart avails nothing, because it soon vanishes away.

Calvin: Jam 1:25 - -- 25.The perfect law of liberty. After having spoken of empty speculation, he comes now to that penetrating intuition which transforms us to the image ...
25.The perfect law of liberty. After having spoken of empty speculation, he comes now to that penetrating intuition which transforms us to the image of God. And as he had to do with the Jews, he takes the word law, familiarly known to them, as including the whole truth of God.
But why he calls it a perfect law, and a law of liberty, interpreters have not been able to understand; for they have not perceived that there is here a contrast, which may be gathered from other passages of Scripture. As long as the law is preached by the external voice of man, and not inscribed by the finger and Spirit of God on the heart, it is but a dead letter, and as it were a lifeless thing. It is, then, no wonder that the law is deemed imperfect, and that it is the law of bondage; for as Paul teaches in Gal 4:24, separated from Christ, it generates to condemn and as the same shews to us in Rom 8:13, it can do nothing but fill us with diffidence and fear. But the Spirit of regeneration, who inscribes it on our inward parts, brings also the grace of adoption. It is, then, the same as though James had said, “The teaching of the law, let it no longer lead you to bondage, but, on the contrary, bring you to liberty; let it no longer be only a schoolmaster, but bring you to perfection: it ought to be received by you with sincere affection, so that you may lead a godly and a holy life.”
Moreover, since it is a blessing of the Old Testament that the law of God should reform us, as it appears from Jer 31:33, and other passages, it follows that it cannot be obtained until we come to Christ. And, doubtless, he alone is the end and perfection of the law; and James adds liberty, as an inseparable associate, because the Spirit of Christ never regenerates but that he becomes also a witness and an earnest of our divine adoption, so as to free our hearts from fear and trembling.
And continueth. This is firmly to persevere in the knowledge of God; and when he adds, this man shall be blessed in his deed, or work, he means that blessedness is to be found in doing, not in cold hearing. 111

Calvin: Jam 1:26 - -- 26.Seem to be religious. He now reproves even in those who boasted that they were doers of the law, a vice under which hypocrites commonly labor, tha...
26.Seem to be religious. He now reproves even in those who boasted that they were doers of the law, a vice under which hypocrites commonly labor, that is, the wantonness of the tongue in detraction. He has before touched on the duty of restraining the tongue, but for a different end; for he then bade silence before God, that we might be more fitted to learn. He speaks now of another thing, that the faithful should not employ their tongue in evil speaking.
It was indeed needful that this vice should be condemned, when the subject was the keeping of the law; for they who have put off the grosser vices, are especially subject to this disease. He who is neither an adulterer, nor a thief, nor a drunkard, but, on the contrary, seems brilliant with some outward shew of sanctity will set himself off by defaming others, and this under the pretense of zeal, but really through the lust of slandering.
The object here, then, was to distinguish between the true worshippers of God and hypocrites, who are so swollen with Pharisaic pride, that they seek praise from the defects of others. If any one, he says, seems to be religious, that is, who has a show of sanctity, and the meantime flatters himself by speaking evil of others, it is hence evident that he does not truly serve God. For by saying that his religion is vain, he not only intimates that other virtues are marred by the stain of evil-speaking, but that the conclusion is, that the zeal for religion which appears is not sincere.
But deceiveth his own heart. I do not approve of the version of Erasmus — “But suffers his heart to err;” for he points out the fountain of that arrogance to which hypocrites are addicted, through which, being blinded by an immoderate love of themselves, they believe themselves to be far better than they really are; and hence, no doubt, is the disease of slandering, because the wallet, as Aesop says in his Apologue, hanging behind, is not seen. Rightly, then, has James, wishing to remove the effect, that is, the lust of evil-speaking, added the cause, even that hypocrites flatter themselves immoderately. For they would be ready to forgive were they in their turn to acknowledge themselves to be in need of forgiveness. Hence the flatteries by which they deceive themselves as to their own vices, make them such supercilious censors of others.

Calvin: Jam 1:27 - -- 27.Pure religion. As he passes by those things which are of the greatest moment in religion, he does not define generally what religion is, but remin...
27.Pure religion. As he passes by those things which are of the greatest moment in religion, he does not define generally what religion is, but reminds us that religion without the things he mentions is nothing; as when one given to wine and gluttony boasts that he is temperate, and another should object, and say that the temperate man is he who does not indulge in excess as to wine or eating; his object is not to express the whole of what temperance is, but to refer only to one thing, suitable to the subject in hand. For they are in vain religious of whom he speaks, as they are for the most part trifling pretenders.
James then teaches us that religion is not to be estimated by the pomp of ceremonies; but that there are important duties to which the servants of God ought to attend.
To visit in necessity is to extend a helping hand to alleviate such as are in distress. And as there are many others whom the Lord bids us to succor, in mentioning widows and orphans, he states a part for the whole. There is then no doubt but that under one particular thing he recommends to us every act of love, as though he had said, “Let him who would be deemed religious, prove himself to be such by self denial and by mercy and benevolence towards his neighbors.”
And he says, before God, to intimate that it appears in deed otherwise to men, who are led astray by external masks, but that we ought to seek what pleases him. By God and Father, we are to understand God who is a father.
Instead of "superfluity of naughtiness," read "abundance of wickedness."

Defender: Jam 1:21 - -- This is the only occurrence of the word; the basic meaning is probably "implanted.""
This is the only occurrence of the word; the basic meaning is probably "implanted.""
TSK: Jam 1:21 - -- lay : Isa 2:20, Isa 30:22; Eze 18:31; Rom 13:12, Rom 13:13; Eph 4:22; Col 3:5-8; Heb 12:1; 1Pe 2:1, 1Pe 2:11
filthiness : Jam 4:8; Eze 36:25; 2Co 7:1;...
lay : Isa 2:20, Isa 30:22; Eze 18:31; Rom 13:12, Rom 13:13; Eph 4:22; Col 3:5-8; Heb 12:1; 1Pe 2:1, 1Pe 2:11
filthiness : Jam 4:8; Eze 36:25; 2Co 7:1; Eph 5:4
and receive : Psa 25:9; Isa 29:19, Isa 61:1; Zep 2:3; Mat 5:5; Act 10:33; 1Th 1:5, 1Th 2:13
the engrafted : Joh 6:63, Joh 6:68; Rom 6:17 *marg. Rom 11:17; Heb 4:2
which : Act 13:26; Rom 1:16; 1Co 15:2; Eph 1:13; 2Ti 3:15-17; Tit 2:11; Heb 2:3; 1Pe 1:9

TSK: Jam 1:22 - -- be : Jam 4:17; Mat 7:21-25, Mat 12:50, Mat 28:20; Luk 6:46-48, Luk 11:28, Luk 12:47, Luk 12:48; Joh 13:17; Rom 2:13; Phi 4:8; Col 3:17; 1Jo 2:3, 1Jo 3...
be : Jam 4:17; Mat 7:21-25, Mat 12:50, Mat 28:20; Luk 6:46-48, Luk 11:28, Luk 12:47, Luk 12:48; Joh 13:17; Rom 2:13; Phi 4:8; Col 3:17; 1Jo 2:3, 1Jo 3:7; 3Jo 1:11; Rev 22:7
deceiving : Jam 1:26; Isa 44:20; Oba 1:3; 1Co 3:18, 1Co 6:9, 1Co 15:33; Gal 6:3, Gal 6:7; 2Ti 3:13; Tit 3:3; 2Pe 2:13; 1Jo 1:8; Rev 12:9



TSK: Jam 1:25 - -- looketh : Pro 14:15; Isa 8:20; 2Co 13:5; Heb 12:15
the perfect : Jam 2:12; Psa 19:7-10, Psa 119:32, Psa 119:45, Psa 119:96-105; Rom 7:12, Rom 7:22, Ro...
looketh : Pro 14:15; Isa 8:20; 2Co 13:5; Heb 12:15
the perfect : Jam 2:12; Psa 19:7-10, Psa 119:32, Psa 119:45, Psa 119:96-105; Rom 7:12, Rom 7:22, Rom 7:23
liberty : Joh 8:32, Joh 8:36; Rom 8:15; 2Co 3:17, 2Co 3:18; Gal 5:1; 1Pe 2:16
and : 1Sa 12:14; Joh 8:31, Joh 15:9, Joh 15:10; Act 2:42, Act 13:43, Act 26:22; Rom 2:7, Rom 2:8, Rom 11:22; Col 1:23; 1Ti 2:15, 1Ti 4:16; 1Jo 2:24
a forgetful : Jam 1:23, Jam 1:24
this : Psa 19:11, Psa 106:3, Psa 119:2, Psa 119:3; Luk 6:47-49, Luk 11:28; Joh 13:17; 1Co 15:58; Rev 14:13, Rev 22:14
deed : or, doing

TSK: Jam 1:26 - -- seem : Pro 14:12, Pro 16:25; Luk 8:18; 1Co 3:18; Gal 2:6, Gal 2:9, Gal 6:3
bridleth : Jam 1:19, Jam 3:2-6; Psa 32:9, Psa 34:13, Psa 39:1, Psa 39:2, Ps...
seem : Pro 14:12, Pro 16:25; Luk 8:18; 1Co 3:18; Gal 2:6, Gal 2:9, Gal 6:3
bridleth : Jam 1:19, Jam 3:2-6; Psa 32:9, Psa 34:13, Psa 39:1, Psa 39:2, Psa 141:3; Pro 10:19, Pro 10:31, Pro 13:2, Pro 13:3, Pro 15:2; Pro 16:10, Pro 19:1, Pro 21:26; Eph 4:29, Eph 5:4; Col 4:6; 1Pe 3:10
but : Jam 1:22; Deu 11:16; Isa 44:20; Gal 6:3
this : Jam 2:20; Isa 1:13; Mal 3:14; Mat 15:9; Mar 7:7; 1Co 15:2, 1Co 15:15; Gal 3:4

TSK: Jam 1:27 - -- Pure : Jam 3:17; Psa 119:1; Mat 5:8; Luk 1:6; 1Ti 1:5, 1Ti 5:4
To visit : Job 29:12, Job 29:13, Job 31:15-20; Psa 68:5; Isa 1:16, Isa 1:17, Isa 58:6, ...
Pure : Jam 3:17; Psa 119:1; Mat 5:8; Luk 1:6; 1Ti 1:5, 1Ti 5:4
To visit : Job 29:12, Job 29:13, Job 31:15-20; Psa 68:5; Isa 1:16, Isa 1:17, Isa 58:6, Isa 58:7; Mat 25:34-46; Gal 5:6, Gal 6:9, Gal 6:10; 1Jo 3:17-19
to keep : Jam 4:4; Joh 17:14, Joh 17:15; Rom 12:2; Gal 1:4, Gal 6:14; Col 3:1-3; 1Jo 2:15-17; 1Jo 5:4, 1Jo 5:5, 1Jo 5:18

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes: Jam 1:21 - -- Wherefore - In view of the fact that God has begotten us for his own service; in view of the fact that excited feeling tends only to wrong, let...
Wherefore - In view of the fact that God has begotten us for his own service; in view of the fact that excited feeling tends only to wrong, let us lay aside all that is evil, and submit ourselves wholly to the influence of truth.
Lay apart all filthiness - The word here rendered filthiness, occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, It means properly filth; and then is applied to evil conduct considered as disgusting or offensive. Sin may be contemplated as a wrong thing; as a violation of law; as evil in its nature and tendency, and therefore to be avoided; or it may be contemplated as disgusting, offensive, loathsome. To a pure mind, this is one of its most odious characteristics; for, to such a mind, sin in any form is more loathsome than the most offensive object can be to any of the senses.
And superfluity of haughtiness - Literally, "abounding of evil."It is rendered by Doddridge, "overflowing of malignity;"by Tindal, "superfluity of maliciousness;"by Benson, "superfluity of malice;"by Bloomfield, "petulance."The phrase "superfluity of haughtiness,"or of evil, does not exactly express the sense, as if we were only to lay aside that which abounded, or which is superfluous, though we might retain that which does not come under this description; but the object of the apostle is to express his deep abhorrence of the thing referred to by strong and emphatic language. He had just spoken of sin in one aspect, as filthy, loathsome, detestable; here he designs to express his abhorrence of it by a still more emphatic description, and he speaks of it not merely as an evil, but as an evil abounding, overflowing; an evil in the highest degree. The thing referred to had the essence of evil in it (
And receive with meekness - That is, open the mind and heart to instruction, and to the fair influence of truth. Meekness, gentleness, docility, are everywhere required in receiving the instructions of religion, as they are in obtaining knowledge of any kind. See the notes at Mat 18:2-3.
The engrafted word - The gospel is here represented under the image of that which is implanted or engrafted from another source; by a figure that would be readily understood, for the art of engrafting is everywhere known. Sometimes the gospel is represented under the image of seed sown (Compare Mar 6:14, following); but here it is under the figure of a shoot implanted or engrafted, that produces fruit of its own, whatever may be the original character of the tree into which it is engrafted. Compare the notes at Rom 11:17. The meaning here is, that we should allow the principles of the gospel to be thus engrafted on our nature; that however crabbed or perverse our nature may be, or however bitter and vile the fruits which it might bring forth of its own accord, it might, through the engrafted word, produce the fruits of righteousness.
Which is able to save your souls - It is not, therefore, a weak and powerless thing, merely designed to show its own feebleness, and to give occasion for God to work a miracle; but it has power, and is adapted to save. Compare the notes at Rom 1:16; 1Co 1:18; 2Ti 3:15.

Barnes: Jam 1:22 - -- But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only - Obey the gospel, and do not merely listen to it. Compare Mat 7:21. Deceiving your own ...
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only - Obey the gospel, and do not merely listen to it. Compare Mat 7:21.
Deceiving your own selves - It is implied here, that by merely hearing the word but not doing it, they would deceive their own souls. The nature of this deception was this, that they would imagine that that was all which was required, whereas the main thing was that they should be obedient. If a man supposes that by a mere punctual attendance on preaching, or a respectful attention to it, he has done all that is required of him, he is laboring under a most gross self-deception. And yet there are multitudes who seem to imagine that they have done all that is demanded of them when they have heard attentively the word preached. Of its influence on their lives, and its claims to obedience, they are utterly regardless.

Barnes: Jam 1:23-24 - -- For if any be ... - The ground of the comparison in these verses is obvious. The apostle refers to what all persons experience, the fact that w...
For if any be ... - The ground of the comparison in these verses is obvious. The apostle refers to what all persons experience, the fact that we do not retain a distinct impression of ourselves after we have looked in a mirror. While actually looking in the mirror, we see all our features, and can trace them distinctly; when we turn away, the image and the impression both vanish. When looking in the mirror, we can see all the defects and blemishes of our person; if there is a scar, a deformity, a feature of ugliness, it is distinctly before the mind; but when we turn away, that is "out of sight and out of mind."When unseen it gives no uneasiness, and, even if capable of correction, we take no pains to remove it. So when we hear the word of God. It is like a mirror held up before us. In the perfect precepts of the law, and the perfect requirements of the gospel, we see our own short-comings and defects, and perhaps think that we will correct them. But we turn away immediately, and forget it all. If, however, we were doers of the word,"we should endeavor to remove all those defects and blemishes in our moral character, and to bring our whole souls into conformity with what the law and the gospel require. The phrase "natural face"(Greek: face of birth), means, the face or appearance which we have in virtue of our natural birth. The word glass here means mirror. Glass was not commonly used for mirrors among the ancients, but they were made of polished plates of metal. See the Isa 3:24 note, and Job 37:18 note.
For he beholdeth himself - While he looks in the mirror he sees his true appearance.
And goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth - As soon as he goes away, he forgets it. The apostle does not refer to any intention on his part, but to what is known to occur as a matter of fact.
What manner of than he was - How he looked; and especially if there was anything in his appearance that required correction.

Barnes: Jam 1:25 - -- But whoso looketh - ( παρακύψας parakupsas ). This word means, to stoop down near by anything; to bend forward near, so as to lo...
But whoso looketh - (
The perfect law of liberty - Referring to the law of God or his will, however made known, as the correct standard of conduct. It is called the perfect law, as being wholly free from all defects; being just such as a law ought to be. Compare Psa 19:7. It is called the law of liberty, or freedom because it is a law producing freedom from the servitude of sinful passions and lusts. Compare Psa 119:45; Notes, Rom 6:16-18.
And continueth therein - He must not merely look at the law, or see what he is by comparing himself with its requirements, but he must yield steady obedience to it. See the notes at Joh 14:21.
This man shall be blessed in his deed - Margin, doing. The meaning is, that he shall be blessed in the very act of keeping the law. It will produce peace of conscience; it will impart happiness of a high order to his mind; it will exert a good influence over his whole soul. Psa 19:11. "In keeping of them there is great reward."

Barnes: Jam 1:26 - -- If any man among you seem to be religious - Pious, or devout. That is, if he does not restrain his tongue, his other evidences of religion are ...
If any man among you seem to be religious - Pious, or devout. That is, if he does not restrain his tongue, his other evidences of religion are worthless. A man may undoubtedly have many things in his character which seem to be evidences of the existence of religion in his heart, and yet there may be some one thing that shall show that all those evidences are false. Religion is designed to produce an effect on our whole conduct; and if there is any one thing in reference to which it does not bring us under its control, that one thing may show that all other appearances of piety are worthless.
And bridleth not his tongue - Restrains or curbs it not, as a horse is restrained with a bridle. There may have been some reason why the apostle referred to this particular sin which is now unknown to us; or he may perhaps have intended to select this as a specimen to illustrate this idea, that if there is any one evil propensity which religion does not control, or if there is any one thing in respect to which its influence is not felt, whatever other evidences of piety there may be, this will demonstrate that all those appearances of religion are vain. For religion is designed to bring the whole man under control, and to subdue every faculty of the body and mind to its demands. If the tongue is not restrained, or if there is any unsubdued propensity to sin whatever, it proves that there is no true religion.
But deceiveth his own heart - Implying that he does deceive his heart by supposing that any evidence can prove that he is under the influence of religion if his tongue is unrestrained. Whatever love, or zeal, or orthodoxy, or gift in preaching or in prayer he may have, this one evil propensity will neutralize it all, and show that there is no true religion at heart.
This man’ s religion is vain - As all religion must be which does not control all the faculties of the body and the mind. The truths, then, which are taught in this verse are:
(1) That there may be evidences of piety which seem to be very plausible or clear, but which in themselves do not prove that there is any true religion. There may be much zeal, as in the case of the Pharisees; there may be much apparent love of Christians, or much outward benevolence; there may be an uncommon gift in prayer; there may be much self-denial, as among those who withdraw from the world in monasteries or nunneries; or there may have been deep conviction for sin, and much joy at the time of the supposed conversion, and still there be no true religion. Each and all of these things may exist in the heart where there is no true religion.
\caps1 (2) a\caps0 single unsubdued sinful propensity neutralizes all these things, and shows that there is no true religion. If the tongue is not subdued; if any sin is indulged, it will show that the seat of the evil has not been reached, and that the soul, as such, has never been brought into subjection to the law of God. For the very essence of all the sin that there was in the soul may have been concentrated on that one propensity. Everything else which may be manifested may be accounted for on the supposition that there is no religion; this cannot be accounted for on the supposition that there is any.

Barnes: Jam 1:27 - -- Pure religion - On the word here rendered "religion"( θρησκεία thrēskeia ), see the notes at Col 2:18. It is used here evidentl...
Pure religion - On the word here rendered "religion"(
And undefiled before God and the Father - That which God sees to be pure and undefiled. Rosenmuller supposes that there is a metaphor here taken from pearls or gems, which should be pure, or without stain.
Is this - That is, this enters into it; or this is religion such as God approves. The apostle does not say that this is the whole of religion, or that there is nothing else essential to it; but his general design clearly is, to show that religion will lead to a holy life, and he mentions this as a specimen, or an instance of what it will lead us to do. The things which he specifies here are in fact two:
(1)\caps1 t\caps0 hat pure religion will lead to a life of practical benevolence; and,
(2)\caps1 t\caps0 hat it will keep us unspotted from the world. If these things are found, they show that there is true piety. If they are not, there is none.
To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction - To go to see, to look after, to be ready to aid them. This is an instance or specimen of what true religion will do, showing that it will lead to a life of practical benevolence. It may be remarked in respect to this:
(1)\caps1 t\caps0 hat this has always been regarded as an essential thing in true religion; because
\tx720 \tx1080 (a) it is thus an imitation of God, who is "a father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows in his holy habitation,"Psa 68:5; and who has always revealed himself as their friend, Deu 10:18; Deu 14:29; Psa 10:14; Psa 82:3; Isa 1:17; Jer 7:7; Jer 49:11; Hos 14:3.
(b) Religion is represented as leading its friends to do this, or this is required everywhere of those who claim to be religious, Isa 1:17; Deu 24:17; Deu 14:29; Exo 22:22; Job 29:11-13.
(2)\caps1 w\caps0 here this disposition to be the real friend of the widow and the orphan exists, there will also exist other corresponding things which go to make up the religious character. This will not stand alone. It will show what the heart is, and prove that it will ever be ready to do good. If a man, from proper motives, is the real friend of the widow and the fatherless, he will be the friend of every good word and work, and we may rely on him in any and every way in doing good.
And to keep himself unspotted from the world - Compare the Rom 12:2 note; Jam 4:4 note; 1Jo 2:15-17 note. That is, religion will keep us from the maxims, vices, and corruptions which prevail in the world, and make us holy. These two things may, in fact, be said to constitute religion. If a man is truly benevolent, he bears the image of that God who is the fountain of benevolence; if he is pure and uncontaminated in his walk and deportment, he also resembles his Maker, for he is holy. If he has not these things, he cannot have any well-founded evidence that he is a Christian; for it is always the nature and tendency of religion to produce these things. It is, therefore, an easy matter for a man to determine whether he has any religion; and equally easy to see that religion is eminently desirable. Who can doubt that that is good which leads to compassion for the poor and the helpless, and which makes the heart and the life pure?
Poole: Jam 1:21 - -- Wherefore lay apart not only restrain it, and keep it in; but put off, and throw it away as a filthy rag, Isa 30:22 : see Eph 4:22 Col 3:8 1Pe 2:1 . ...
Wherefore lay apart not only restrain it, and keep it in; but put off, and throw it away as a filthy rag, Isa 30:22 : see Eph 4:22 Col 3:8 1Pe 2:1 .
All of every kind.
Filthiness or, sordidness; a metaphor borrowed from the filth of the body, 1Pe 3:21 , and thence transferred to the soul; and it here seems to imply, not only sensuality or covetousness, but all sorts of lusts, whereby men are defiled, 2Co 7:1 2Pe 2:20 .
And superfluity of naughtiness i.e. that naughtiness which is superfluous. That is said to be superfluous or redundant, which is more than should be in a thing; in which respect all sin is superfluous in the soul, as being that which should not be in it: and so this intimates that we are not only to lay apart more gross pollutions, but all the lusts of the flesh, and relics of old Adam, as being all superfluities which may well be spared, or excrements, (as some render the word, agreeably to the former metaphor), which should be cast away.
And receive not only into your heads by knowledge, but into your hearts by faith.
With meekness with humility, modesty, and gentleness, which makes men submissive to the truth of the word, and ready to learn of God even those things which are above their natural capacity, Psa 25:9 Isa 66:2 Mat 11:5,27 : this is opposed to wrath, which makes men unteachable.
The ingrafted word either which is ingrafted or implanted, viz. ministerially, by the preachers of the gospel, 1Co 3:6,7 ; principally by the Spirit of God, who writes it in the heart, Jer 31:33 . And thus it may be taken particularly for the word of the gospel, in opposition to the law, which came to men’ s ears from without, and admonished them of their duty, but was not written in their hearts, or ingrafted thereto from them unto obedience to it. Or, that it may be ingrafted, i.e. intimately united to, or rooted in, the heart by a vital union; or made natural to it, (as some render the word), the heart being transformed by the power of it, and conformed to the precepts of it, 2Co 3:18 Rom 6:17 .
Which viz. when received by faith, is able to save instrumentally, as being the means wherein God puts forth his power in saving them, Rev 1:16 .
Your souls yourselves; the soul, as the noblest part, is by a synecdoche put for the whole person: see 1Pe 1:9 .

Poole: Jam 1:22 - -- But be ye doers of the word the same as doers of the work, Jam 1:25 , namely, which the word prescribes; q.d. Receive the word by faith into your he...
But be ye doers of the word the same as doers of the work, Jam 1:25 , namely, which the word prescribes; q.d. Receive the word by faith into your hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in your lives: see Luk 11:28 Joh 13:17 .
And not hearers only not contenting yourselves with a bare hearing the word, though it have no influence upon you.
Deceiving your own selves playing the sophisters with, or putting a fallacy upon, yourselves; particularly, persuading yourselves into a good opinion of your state, merely because of your being hearers of the word, Mat 7:21 .

Poole: Jam 1:23 - -- He is like unto a man: the Greek word here used, properly signifies the sex, not the species, but is indifferently used by this apostle with the othe...
He is like unto a man: the Greek word here used, properly signifies the sex, not the species, but is indifferently used by this apostle with the other, as Jam 1:12,20 , so that by a man looking at his face in a glass, is meant any man or woman.
Beholding his natural face or, the face of his nativity, by a Hebraism, for natural face, as we translate it; i.e. his own face, that which nature gave him, or he was born with.
In a glass the word is here compared to a looking-glass: as the glass represents to us the features and complexions of our faces, whether beautiful or deformed; so the word shows us the true face of our souls, the beauty of God’ s image when restored to them, and the spots of sin which so greatly disfigure them.

Poole: Jam 1:24 - -- The remembrance of what his face is vanisheth as soon as his eye is off the glass; he remembers not the spots he saw in his face, to wipe them off. ...
The remembrance of what his face is vanisheth as soon as his eye is off the glass; he remembers not the spots he saw in his face, to wipe them off. So he that sees the blemishes of his soul in the glass of the word, and doth not remember them to do them away, looks in that glass (i.e. hears the word) in vain.

Poole: Jam 1:25 - -- But whose looketh into viz. intently and earnestly, searching diligently into the mind of God. The word signifies a bowing down of the head to look i...
But whose looketh into viz. intently and earnestly, searching diligently into the mind of God. The word signifies a bowing down of the head to look into a thing; and is used of the disciples’ looking into Christ’ s sepulchre, Luk 24:12 Joh 20:5 ; see 1Pe 1:12 ; and seems to be opposed to looking into a glass, which is more slight, and without such prying and inquisitiveness.
The perfect law of liberty the whole doctrine of the Scripture, or especially the gospel, called law, Rom 3:27 , both as it is a rule, and by reason of the power it hath over the heart; and a law of liberty, because it shows the way to the best liberty, freedom from sin, the bondage of the ceremonial law, the rigour of the moral, and from the wrath of God; and likewise the way of serving God freely and ingenuously as children; and because, being received into the heart, it is accompanied with the Spirit of adoption who works this liberty, 2Co 3:17 . It is called a perfect law, not only as being entire and without any defect, but as directing us to the greatest perfection, full conformity to God, and enjoyment of him, 2Ti 3:16,17 .
And continueth therein perseveres in the study, belief, and obedience of this doctrine, Psa 1:2in all conditions, and under all temptations and afflictions. This seems to be opposed to him, who, when he hath looked in a glass, goes away, Jam 1:24 . By which are set forth slight, superficial hearers, who do not continue in Christ’ s word, Joh 8:31 .
He being not a forgetful hearer Greek, hearer of forgetfulness, by a Hebraism, for a forgetful hearer; it answers to him in the former verse, that forgetteth what manner of man he was; and implies, not only not remembering the truths we have heard, but a not practising them, as appears by the next clause.
But a doer of the work viz. which the word directs him to do: the singular number is put for the plural; he means, he that reduceth what he hears into practice, Psa 103:18 .
This man shall be blessed in his deed this is opposed to bare hearing, and the doer of the work is said to be blessed in or by his deed, as the evidence of his present begun blessedness, and the way to his future perfect happiness.

Poole: Jam 1:26 - -- If any man among you seem to be religious seems to others, or rather to himself; thinks himself religious, because cause of his hearing and outward w...
If any man among you seem to be religious seems to others, or rather to himself; thinks himself religious, because cause of his hearing and outward worship: thus the word rendered seems is often taken, 1Co 3:18 8:2 14:37 Gal 6:3 . Here he shows who are not doers of the work, as in the next verse, who are.
And bridleth not his tongue restrains it not from the common vices of the tongue, reviling, railing, censuring, &c.
But deceiveth his own heart either deceiveth his own heart in thinking himself religious, when indulging himself in things so contrary to religion, or deceiveth his own heart, being blinded with self-love, and lifted up with self-conceit, which is the cause of his censuring and speaking evil of others.
This man’ s religion is vain empty, and to no purpose, having no reality in itself, and bringing no benefit to him.

Poole: Jam 1:27 - -- Pure religion true, sincere, genuine, Mat 5:8 Joh 15:3 .
And undefiled this seems to reflect upon the hypocritical Jews, whose religion consisted s...
Pure religion true, sincere, genuine, Mat 5:8 Joh 15:3 .
And undefiled this seems to reflect upon the hypocritical Jews, whose religion consisted so much in external observances, and keeping themselves from ceremonial defilements, when yet they were sullied with so many moral ones, Jam 1:14 Mat 23:23 Joh 18:28 ; devoured widows’ houses. They thought their religion pure and undefiled; the apostle shows here which is really so before God; in the sight of God, and according to his judgment.
God and the Father i.e. God who is the Father, and being only explicative, as Eph 1:3 5:20 : yet this title may be given here to God with respect to what follows, and to show that such acts of charity are acceptable to him that is called the the Judge of widows, and the Father of the fatherless, Psa 68:5 .
To visit this includes all other acts of charity to them, comforting, counselling, relieving them, &c.
The fatherless and widows he doth not exclude others from being the objects of our charity and compassion, but instanceth in fatherless and widows, as being usually most miserable, because destitute of those relations which might be most helpful to them; and possibly in those times persecution might increase the number of widows and orphans.
In their affliction when they had most need; lest any should think it sufficient to visit them that were rich, or in a prosperous condition.
And to keep himself unspotted from the world untainted by the evil example of men in the world, and free from the lusts of the world, moral pollutions. The apostle doth not here define religion but only instanceth in these two things, good works and holiness of conversation, as testimonies and arguments of the truth of it.
Haydock: Jam 1:21 - -- All uncleanness. [8] The Greek shews that hereby is meant a sordid, filthy uncleanness, infecting and defiling the soul. ---
The engrafted [9] wor...
All uncleanness. [8] The Greek shews that hereby is meant a sordid, filthy uncleanness, infecting and defiling the soul. ---
The engrafted [9] word. The word and doctrine of Christ, by the labours of his preachers, and chiefly by his divine grace engrafted and fixed in your souls. (Witham)
===============================
[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
Immunditiam, Greek: ruparian, from Greek: rupos, sordes, spurcitia.
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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
Insitum verbum, Greek: emphuton logon.
====================

Haydock: Jam 1:23 - -- He shall be compared to a man, &c. The sense is, that it is not enough for a man to examine and look into his interior, and the state of his conscie...
He shall be compared to a man, &c. The sense is, that it is not enough for a man to examine and look into his interior, and the state of his conscience in a negligent and superficial manner, no more than one that goes to a looking-glass, but does not take care to take away the dirt or spots which he might discover. (Witham)

Haydock: Jam 1:25 - -- The law of Christ, called here the perfect law of liberty, as it is distinguished from the Jewish law of fear and slavery, is as it were a looking-g...
The law of Christ, called here the perfect law of liberty, as it is distinguished from the Jewish law of fear and slavery, is as it were a looking-glass, which may make us know ourselves, and discover and correct our failings. (Witham)

Haydock: Jam 1:26 - -- If any man think, &c. He here blames those hot disputes, which seem to have been frequent amongst the converted Jews, concerning the necessity of ob...
If any man think, &c. He here blames those hot disputes, which seem to have been frequent amongst the converted Jews, concerning the necessity of observing the legal rites. In vain, says he, do you pique yourselves upon the rigorous observance of the law, and your zeal to unite its ceremonial rites with the practice of the gospel. If you be void of the essence of Christianity, which is charity, prudence, and moderation, your religion will avail you nothing. (Calmet) ---
This may also be understood of those devotees who are fond of making a parade of their virtues, and who, as St. Gregory says, (hom. xii. in Mat.) afflict their bodies indeed with fasting, but for this they expect to be esteemed by men. (Haydock) ---
A man must not imagine himself to be religious, and perfect in the way of virtue, unless he governs and bridles his tongue from oaths, curses, calumnies, detractions, lies, of which more in the third chapter. (Witham)

Haydock: Jam 1:27 - -- Religion pure and unspotted, &c. St. James may use the word pure, as a proper admonition to the Jews, who were generally mostly solicitous to avoi...
Religion pure and unspotted, &c. St. James may use the word pure, as a proper admonition to the Jews, who were generally mostly solicitous to avoid legal uncleanness, such as were incurred by eating meats forbidden in their law as unclean, by touching a dead body, &c. He therefore tells them that the Christian religion is known by acts of charity, by visiting and assisting widows, the fatherless, and such as are under afflictions, and in general by keeping our consciences interiorly clean, unspotted, and undefiled from this world, from the corrupt maxims and sinful practices so common in this wicked world. (Witham)
Gill: Jam 1:21 - -- Wherefore lay apart all filthiness,.... All manner of filthiness, both of flesh and spirit; all pride, vanity, wrath, malice, and evil speaking, under...
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness,.... All manner of filthiness, both of flesh and spirit; all pride, vanity, wrath, malice, and evil speaking, under hearing the word: the allusion seems to be to a boiling pot, which casts up scum and filth, which must be taken off: and such is the spirit of wrathful men; it throws up the filth of haughtiness and pride, of anger, wrath, and wickedness, which must be taken off, and laid aside; or the word will not be heard to any profit, or advantage:
and superfluity of naughtiness, or "malice"; the abundance and overflow of it, which arises from such an evil heart, where wrath prevails, and governs: see 1Pe 2:1. There seems to be an allusion to the removing of the superfluous foreskin of the flesh, in circumcision, typical
of the foreskin of the heart, spoken of in Jer 4:4 which the Targum, in that place, calls
and receive with meekness the ingrafted word; which becomes so when it is received; when it is put into the heart by the Spirit of God, and is mixed with faith by them that hear it; so that it is, as it were, incorporated into them, and becomes natural to them, which before was not; and taking deep root in them, brings forth much fruit: and where it comes with power, it reduces every high thought into the obedience of Christ, and makes men meek and humble; and only such receive the truth in the love of it; and to such is the Gospel preached, Isa 61:1, and none but such hear it with profit and edification:
which is able to save your souls; even your whole persons, both soul and body: but the soul is only mentioned, as being the more excellent part of man: this must not be understood of the word, as if it was the author or cause of salvation, but as an instrument; it being a declaration of salvation by Christ, or what shows unto men the way of salvation by him; and is the power of God unto salvation to them, when it is attended with the energy of the Spirit, and the efficacy of divine grace. See 2Ti 3:15.

Gill: Jam 1:22 - -- But be ye doers of the word,.... And they are such, who spiritually understand it; gladly receive it; and from the heart obey it, and make a sincere a...
But be ye doers of the word,.... And they are such, who spiritually understand it; gladly receive it; and from the heart obey it, and make a sincere and ingenuous profession of it; and who submit to the ordinances it directs to, and keep them as they have been delivered; and live, and walk, becoming their profession of it. The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "be ye doers of the law"; and so one of Stephens's copies, as in Rom 2:13
and not hearers only; though the word should be heard swiftly and readily, and received with meekness; yet it should not be barely heard, and assented to; but what is heard should be put in practice; and especially men should not depend upon their hearing, as if that would save them; this is deceiving your own selves; such as rest upon the outward hearing of the word will be sadly deceived, and will find themselves miserably mistaken, another day; see Luk 13:25. Arguments taken from hence are like the sophisms, paralogisms, and false reasonings of sophisters, which carry a fair show, and ensnare and deceive.

Gill: Jam 1:23 - -- But if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,.... The Arabic version here again reads, "a hearer of the law", and so some copies; not hearin...
But if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer,.... The Arabic version here again reads, "a hearer of the law", and so some copies; not hearing, but practice, is the main thing; not theory, but action: hence, says R. Simeon, not the word, or the searching into it, and the explanation of it, is the root, or principal thing,
he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; or, "the face of his generation"; the face with which he was born; his true, genuine, native face; in distinction from any counterfeit one, or from the face of his mind: it means his own corporeal face. The Ethiopic version renders it, "the lineaments of his face".

Gill: Jam 1:24 - -- For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way,.... He takes a slight glance of himself, and departs:
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he...
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way,.... He takes a slight glance of himself, and departs:
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was; he forgets either his spots, blemishes, and imperfections; or his comeliness and beauty; the features of his face, be they comely or not: so a bare hearer of the word, who is not concerned to practise what he hears, while he is hearing, he observes some things amiss in himself, and some excellencies in Christ; but, when the discourse is over, he goes his way, and thinks no more of either.

Gill: Jam 1:25 - -- But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,.... By which is meant, not the moral law, but the Gospel; for only of that is the apostle speaking ...
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,.... By which is meant, not the moral law, but the Gospel; for only of that is the apostle speaking in the context: this is no other than the word of truth, with which God begets men of his own will; and is the ingrafted word which is able to save, and of which men should be doers, as well as hearers, Jam 1:18, and this is compared to a glass by the Apostle Paul, 2Co 3:18, and the word here used for looking into it is the same word the Apostle Peter uses of the angels, who desired to look into the mysteries of the Gospel, 1Pe 1:12 all which serve to strengthen this sense; now the Gospel is called a law; not that it is a law, strictly speaking, consisting precepts, and established and enforced by sanctions penalties; for it is a declaration of righteousness and salvation by Christ; a publication of peace and pardon by him; and a free promise of eternal life, through him; but as it is an instruction, or doctrine: the law with the Jews is called
And continueth therein; is not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, nor carried about with divers and strange doctrines; but is established in the faith, stands fast in it, and abides by it; or continues looking into this glass, and to Christ, the author and finisher of faith, who is beheld in it; and keeps his eye upon it, and the object held forth in it; and constantly attends the ministration of it:
he being not a forgetful hearer; but takes heed to the things he hears and sees, lest he should let them slip; and being conscious of the weakness of his memory, implores the divine Spirit to be his remembrancer, and bring to his mind, with fresh power and light, what he has heard:
but a doer of the work; of the work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope, and of every work and ordinance the Gospel ministry points unto; doing and being subject to all in faith, from a principle of love, and with a view to the glory of God and Christ.
This man shall be blessed in his deed; or "doing", and while he is doing; not that he is blessed for what he does, but "in" what he does; see Psa 19:11 he having, in hearing the word, and looking into it, and in submitting to every ordinance of the Gospel, the presence of God, the discoveries of his love, communion with Christ, and communication of grace from him by the Spirit; so that Wisdom's ways become ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace; see Psa 65:4, moreover, in all such a man does, he is prosperous and successful; in all he does he prospers: and so he is blessed in his deed, by God, whose blessing makes rich, both in spirituals and temporals: there seems to be an allusion to the blessed man in Psa 1:1.

Gill: Jam 1:26 - -- If any man among you seem to be religious,.... By his preaching, or praying, and hearing, and other external duties of religion, he is constant in the...
If any man among you seem to be religious,.... By his preaching, or praying, and hearing, and other external duties of religion, he is constant in the observance of; and who, upon the account of these things, "thinks himself to be a religious man", as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions render it; or is thought to be so by others:
and bridleth not his tongue; but boasts of his works, and speaks ill of his brethren; backbites them, and hurts their names and characters, by private insinuations, and public charges without any foundation; who takes no care of what he says, but gives his tongue a liberty of speaking anything, to the injury of others, and the dishonour of God, and his ways: there seems to be an allusion to Psa 39:1.
But deceiveth his own heart; with his show of religion, and external performances; on which he builds his hopes of salvation; of which he is confident; and so gives himself to a loose way of talking what he pleases:
this man's religion is vain; useless, and unprofitable to himself and others; all his preaching, praying, hearing, and attendance on the ordinances will be of no avail to him; and he, notwithstanding these, by his evil tongue, brings a scandal and reproach upon the ways of God, and doctrines of Christ.

Gill: Jam 1:27 - -- Pure religion and undefiled,.... That which is sincere and genuine, and free from adulteration and hypocrisy:
before God and the Father; or in the ...
Pure religion and undefiled,.... That which is sincere and genuine, and free from adulteration and hypocrisy:
before God and the Father; or in the sight of God the Father of Christ, and all his people; that which is approved of by him, who is the searcher of hearts, and the trier of the reins of men, "is this": not that the apostle is giving a full definition of true religion; only he mentions some of the effects of it, by which it is known, and without which it cannot be true and genuine; and they are these:
to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction; and not only to see them, and speak a word of comfort to them, but to communicate to them, and supply their wants, as they may require, and according to the ability God has given: where there is true religion in the heart, there is love to God; and where there is love to God, there is love to the saints; and this will show itself to them, in times of affliction and distress; and where this is wanting, religion itself is not pure and undefiled:
and to keep himself unspotted from the world: from the men of the world, who defile by their evil communications; and "from the vices of the world", as the Arabic version renders it, which are of a defiling nature; and, where religion is in its power and purity, and the Gospel of the grace of God comes with efficacy, it teaches to separate from the rest of the world, and to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes




Geneva Bible: Jam 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with ( t ) meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your soul...

Geneva Bible: Jam 1:22 ( 15 ) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, ( 16 ) deceiving your own selves.
( 15 ) Another admonition: therefore God's word is heard,...

Geneva Bible: Jam 1:23 ( 17 ) For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his ( u ) natural face in a glass:
( 17 ) Secondly: becaus...

Geneva Bible: Jam 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall b...

Geneva Bible: Jam 1:26 ( 18 ) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his ( y ) own heart, this man's religion [is] vain.
( 18...

Geneva Bible: Jam 1:27 ( 19 ) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To ( z ) visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep hims...

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Jam 1:1-27
TSK Synopsis: Jam 1:1-27 - --1 We are to rejoice under the cross;5 to ask patience of God;13 and in our trials not to impute our weakness, or sins, to him,19 but rather to hearken...
Maclaren: Jam 1:25 - --The Perfect Law And Its Doers
Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of t...

Maclaren: Jam 1:27 - --Pure Worship
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himse...
MHCC: Jam 1:19-21 - --Instead of blaming God under our trials, let us open our ears and hearts to learn what he teaches by them. And if men would govern their tongues, they...

MHCC: Jam 1:22-25 - --If we heard a sermon every day of the week, and an angel from heaven were the preacher, yet, if we rested in hearing only, it would never bring us to ...

MHCC: Jam 1:26-27 - --When men take more pains to seem religious than really to be so, it is a sign their religion is in vain. The not bridling the tongue, readiness to spe...
Matthew Henry -> Jam 1:19-27
Matthew Henry: Jam 1:19-27 - -- In this part of the chapter we are required, I. To restrain the workings of passion. This lesson we should learn under afflictions; and this we shal...
Barclay: Jam 1:21 - --James uses a series of vivid words and pictures.
He tells his readers to strip themselves of all vice and filthiness. The word he uses for strip is t...

Barclay: Jam 1:22-24 - --Again James presents us with two of the vivid pictures of which he is such a master. First of all, he speaks of the man who goes to the church meeti...

Barclay: Jam 1:25 - --This is the kind of passage in James which Luther so much disliked. He disliked the idea of law altogether, for with Paul he would have said, "Chri...

Barclay: Jam 1:26-27 - --We must be careful to understand what James is saying here. The Revised Standard Version translates the phrases at the beginning of Jam 1:27: "Relig...
Constable: Jam 1:19-27 - --C. The Proper Response to Trials 1:19-27
Having explained the value of trials and our options in trials,...

Constable: Jam 1:21 - --2. The essential response 1:21
The filthiness in view seems to be all kinds of unclean behavior ...

Constable: Jam 1:22-25 - --3. The complete response 1:22-25
Whereas verses 19-21 stress the importance of listening to the Word, verses 22-25 emphasize the necessity of putting ...

Constable: Jam 1:26-27 - --4. The external behavior 1:26-27
James proceeded to explain in 1:26-2:13 what a doer of works (1:25) does.
1:26 "Religious" (Gr. threskos, used here o...
College -> Jam 1:1-27
College: Jam 1:1-27 - --JAMES 1
I. GREETING (1:1)
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.
Ja...

expand allCommentary -- Other

Evidence: Jam 1:23 The only way you and I can see ourselves in truth is to look into a mirror. Yet a mirror can only do its job and reflect truth if there is bright ligh...
