The Book Of James

Chapter 1:9-20

In keeping with what has been previously said about trials and wisdom, James passes to the subject of poverty and wealth. Both circumstances can bring their own temptations, and wisdom is needed to live godly in both situations. 'The last chapter (section of verses) talked about the double-minded man who was unstable in everything. Such a man has the wrong view of life. He thinks that if he is poor, he is forsaken of God and if he is wealthy, he is blessed of God.' (Draper p. 25) 'The trials that believers encounter often cause a reassessment of life's real values. They frequently affect economic conditions and social standing. Rich believers can become poor, and the poor can become poorer. The occasion is offered for some careful evaluation of what is really important.' (Kent p. 42)

1:9 'But let the brother of humble circumstances glory in his high position;'

'brother of humble circumstances'-'of position, power, and esteem, of low position, poor, lowly, undistinguished of no account' (Arndt p. 804) That is, someone who is "undistinguished" in the eyes of the world, someone who is poor and seems from a worldly point of view to have no apparent value in the community.

'glory in his high position'-'rejoice in his exalted station as a Christian' (Wms).

Points To Note:

  1. God doesn't bestow material blessings as an inherent reward for faithfulness. There existed many poor Christians in the first century (1 Cor. 1:26). 2. The poor Christian, instead of resenting his social status, blaming God, wallowing in self-pity and thus giving into various temptations, needs to realize how highly God has exalted him. Every Christian has been raised up with Christ and placed in a heavenly place (Ephesians 2:6), and has been given access to every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3). 3. The poor man also needs to glory in the fact that he possesses wealth which cannot be touched by external circumstances (Matthew 6:19-21). Barclay notes, 'Christianity brings to every man what every man needs. As Mayor put it "As the despised poor earns self-respect, so the proud rich learns self-abasement." (p. 55)


'glory'-Which means to take pride in and boast. The Christian should never suffer from a lack of purpose or lack of self esteem. We need to take pride in the status which God has given to us. The poor man should not be intimidated or ashamed of his humble position, rather, in reality he is extremely wealthy. Let us spend more time boasting in our blessings from God (Romans 5:11; 15:17; 1 Cor. 1:31; Phil. 3:3; Galatians 6:14; Romans 5:2; 2 Thess. 1:4).

1:10 'and let the rich man glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.'

'rich man'-It would seem very clear that the rich man under consideration is a Christian. There were wealthy Christians in various congregations (1 Timothy 6:17).

'glory in his humiliation'-'The man who is wealthy in the things of the world should rejoice that his personal value is more permanent than his wealth' (Draper p. 26) 'He (the rich), too, could find reason to glory in his Christian faith, even in persecution. To be the object of ridicule and scorn because he had adopted Christian values would have been an humiliating experience for a rich man, perhaps even more so than for a poor one. To relegate material things to a lesser plane because the wealthy person had put his concentration on spiritual concerns would lower him in the eyes of many of his pagan neighbors. James said to him that this should be no cause of shame, but rather an opportunity for proper exultation that his values had now been straightened out.' (Kent p. 43)

The rich Christian needs to rejoice, because God has shown him his true spiritual poverty and the temporal nature of his wealth (Luke 12:15-21). 'The great peril of riches is that they tend to bring to a man a false sense of security. He feels that he is safe; he feels that he has the resources to cope with anything; he feels that he can buy anything he wants, and buy himself out of any situation which he may wish to escape or to avoid.' (Barclay p. 55)

'because like flowering grass he will pass away'-Life is fleeting for both poor and rich alike, but the rich man has the greater tendency to trust in the uncertainty of riches, and think that he and his life will last forever (1 Tim. 6:17; James 4:13-14; Luke 12:15-21). In addition, the rich man could lose his wealth overnight, and cease to be a rich man (Hebrews 10:34; Philippians 3:5-8).

'flowering grass'-(1 Peter 1:24-25). 'James's description of the wealthy man and the comparative shortness of human life reminds him of the wild flowers that carpeted the hillsides of his native land. They were dazzlingly beautiful for a few brief weeks in the spring after the rains had come, but their beauty was always short-lived.' (Kent p. 44)

Points To Note:

1. Temptations exist for both the poor man and the rich man (Proverbs 30:7-9). 'Poverty is not an unmixed blessing, nor are riches an unadulterated evil.' (Woods p. 47). 2. 'The greatest temptation the poor face is coveteousness. We would think that the rich would be the most coveteous, but it is easy for those who do not have all the things they would like to have to view themselves as deprived (Mark 4:19)….James is saying, "Don't become bitter and depressed by dwelling on your poverty, but recognize from a new perspective that you are exalted in the eyes of God and in the face of eternity." There is no room in the Christian's life for bitterness because we don't have what we want. We would then saying that God has given us less than we need.' (Draper p. 27) 3. Clearly, we have the tendency to rejoice about the wrong things. 4. 'When asked how much money it takes to make a man happy, John D. Rockefeller answered, "Just a little more".' (Draper p. 30)

1:11 'For the sun rises with a scorching wind, and withers the grass; and its flower falls off, and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.'

'scorching'-'burning heat' (Thayer p. 342) In the land of Palestine, there were times when a hot wind coming off the deserts from the east would hit the land like 'a blast of hot air when an oven is opened' (Barclay p. 56). As quickly as the sun or a hot wind can destroy vegetation, just as quickly a rich man can die or lose everything (Luke 12:20 'This very night…')

'rich man in the midst of his pursuits'-that is, in his busy pursuits, his undertakings. It is amazing that we spend so much time pursuing things that don't last. In the midst of all his great plans, activities and endeavors, the rich man can either die or lose everything. So much for the idea that as long as I am working hard, as long as I am busy and trying to stay ahead I am safe (James 4:13ff). Great passages concerning the short-comings of wealth are found in Ecclesiastes 2:8-11, 18-21; 4:8; 5:10-14; 6:2.

Successful Testing:

1:12 'Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.'

'Blessed'-'Fortunate, happy, usually in the sense, privileged recipient of divine favor' (Arndt p. 486) 'Happiness is not a normal response to temptation and testing. We would say, "Blessed is the man who is never under pressure. Blessed is the one who never has his faith tested. Blessed is the individual who always gets his way, who is prosperous, who never experiences sorrow, who never knows sickness, who always succeeds.' (Draper p. 32)

Carefully note that the blessing isn't upon the man who is tested-for everyone experiences hardship (1 Corinthians 10:13). Rather, the blessing is upon the individual who endures. 'Happy is the man who doesn't just simply go through testing, but endures it. His endurance has the capacity to take something that could devastate him, turn it around and make it into a blessing' (Draper p. 33)

'perseveres'-'bear bravely and calmly' (Thayer p. 644); 'stand one's ground, hold out, endure in trouble, affliction' (Arndt p. 845); 'present active indicative' (Robertson p. 16) (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Mark 13:13; Romans 12:12; 1 Corinthians 13:7).

'under trial'-The trials under consideration are typically viewed as outward trials which need to be endured, such as persecution, poverty, hardship, etc….and not inward spiritual temptations which need to be resisted. And yet, an outward trial can quickly lead to spiritual problems if our attitude isn't right. Persevering under trial would include resisting the temptation to blame God, seek relief in sinful activities, compromise and so on.

'for once he has been approved'-'approved, tried and true, genuine' (Arndt p. 203). Side reference NASV, 'passed the test'. 'For once his testing is complete' (Phi); 'for when he has stood the test' (Wey). (Romans 16:10; 2 Timothy 2:15). Concerning the word "approved", 'It is the Greek word meaning to test metal to see if it is pure, to purge out the impurities and leave only the purest metal. The word speaks of heating a piece of metal in the furnace in order to scrape off the impurities that rise to the top. What is left is pure and valuable.' (Draper p. 34) (1 Peter 4:12)

'he will receive the crown of life'-'STEPHANOS-the victors crown, the symbol of triumph in the games or some such contest…a reward or prize.' (Vine p. 258) (2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10). "of life"-the crown which consists of eternal life.

Points To Note:

  1. This crown of life isn't given after the first 'trial' the Christian overcomes, for eternal life for the Christian, is still future (Titus 1:2; Mark 10:30), in the sense of having it permanently. 2. In addition, the Christian will encounter many trials (Acts 14:22). 3. Unfortunately, even for some Christians, overcoming trials isn't viewed as a great victory! We tend to place more importance on losing weight, finding that ideal piece of property, getting a raise, climbing the company ladder, or if our favorite team makes it into the playoffs. Let us remember that this is a crown that doesn't fade! 'Everything in this life loses its value to us. Everything the world gives wears out…Every human acclaim, every human achievement, every human blessing goes downhill.' (Draper p. 36)

'which the Lord has promised to those who love Him'-One more verse which clearly teaches that love for God is shown by a definite pattern of conduct and attitude (John 14:15). This also infers that to overcome trials, one must have a great love for Jesus. Too many people think that sheer human determination will enable them to overcome every hardship, such thinking is nothing more than declaring that man himself is God. (Matthew 5:10-12). The Bible is full of promises to those who love God (Exodus 20:6; Deut. 7:7-11; 1 Corinthians 2:9).

The Truth About Temptation

In Jewish thought there were many ideas concerning the source of temptation. Some said it started with Satan, or fallen angels were responsible. Some even argued that since God was the Creator of all things, that God must be responsible for evil. Draper notes, 'Testing and temptation are not necessarily the same thing. A trial is not necessarily an enticement to do evil. And yet we need to recognize that in every test of our faith, in every trial of our lives, in every pressure that we experience, there is an element of temptation. It contains, for example, an opportunity to become bitter or resentful, or to let animosity and hatred build.' (p. 39)

'The Christian life is not always the tranquil experience that is commonly expected. Believers are not less subject to trouble and calamity than are other people. They are often part of a minority, and this can provide special pressures. Their physical bodies are just as susceptible to disease or injury as their neighbors'. Their houses catch fire, their possessions are stolen, their jobs are lost, and their families are threatened….Another kind of trouble, however, is more subtle and is often more difficult to handle. This is the problem of evil thoughts, tendencies to sin, feelings of guilt and discouragement….Every person has such temptations, and Christians are not immune. Some have tried to escape the problem by associating only with other Christians, or even by withdrawing totally from the world into some monastic setting, however, those who are perceptive and honest will admit their sinful thoughts went right along with them.' (Kent pp. 47-48)

1:13 'Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.'

'Let no one say when'-Which infers that all Christians will be tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13). The question is not "if" you will be tempted, but rather, "when" temptation will happen. The verse also infers that there is the tendency to shift blame during temptation.

"I am being tempted by God"-'Even though God is not usually blamed directly….there are subtle ways in which the blame is shifted elsewhere, often to God…The frequent heard defense, "I'm only human," implies that the sinner could not help himself, and thus the blame is shifted to the Creator." (Kent p. 49) The Greek word rendered here "by", is usually translated "from" in other passages. 'He meant that it is not enough merely to avoid blaming God for being the direct instigator of some temptation. We must not even imply that He is remotely responsible.' (Kent p. 49)

Points To Note:

  1. The word "tempted" here means being enticed or solicited to yield to evil. 2. Not only does God have nothing to do with enticing us to sin, God actually helps us during temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). 3. But it is so easy to shift blame (Genesis 3:12 "The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me…"). It is so easy to blame others, the circumstances, the short-comings of others, and so on. And many of our complaints are veiled accusations against God. 'I wouldn't sin, if God hadn't allowed sin to happen in the first place', 'I was born into a sin cursed world', 'I'm only human', 'It's unfair to demand perfection of imperfect beings', 'the problem is the body that God gave me.'


'for God cannot be tempted by evil'-God cannot be enticed to sin. Which means that there is nothing in God which responds to evil. 'God is perfect; he needs nothing else. He is complete within himself. There is nothing within God that needs fulfillment, satisfaction, or gratification. God is whole. His happiness is perfect. He needs nothing else.' (Draper p. 40) There is no desire for evil within God, in fact, God never even toys with the idea of doing something evil. God is never tempted to misuse His absolute power and authority. Rather, God is totally pure (1 John 1:5; Titus 1:2; 1 Peter 1:15).

'and He Himself does not tempt anyone'-Since God is untemptable, then how could He ever tempt others? God does allow people to be tested (Genesis 22:1; Deut. 4:34; 7:19; 29:2; Psa. 95:8) to strengthen their faith (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5). But God never entices people to sin. What this means is that the trials which God allows were never meant to destroy our faith. We can therefore have confidence that God is always pulling for us, that every hardship or setback can be used for our improvement. 'Tempting others to evil would require a delight in evil, of which he is himself incapable.' (Adamson p. 70)

Point To Note:

In view of the above statement, certain conclusions must be made. Since Jesus is God (John 1:1), it is also clear that Jesus never tempts anyone and there is nothing in Jesus which would respond to evil. Which means that when the Bible says that Jesus was tempted, it doesn't mean that there was something in Jesus which would respond to sin. It doesn't mean that Jesus was often on the verge of yielding to sin (Hebrews 2:18; 4:14-16). When the text says that Jesus was tempted, it is clear that all the various trials which come upon all men generally, fell upon Jesus, but there was nothing in the nature of Jesus which responded to any of those temptations. Some seem to think that since Jesus had a physical body that such made Him more vulnerable to evil. But there is nothing evil about our physical bodies, and temptation arises in the mind, not the body (Mark 7:20-23). In addition, I would think that absolute and unlimited power would be a greater "temptation" to someone who could be enticed to sin-then a physical body.


1:14 'But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.'

'is tempted'-Obviously, the word "tempted" here means to be enticed to sin. Carefully note that the idea of entire sanctification wherein one rises above the possibilities of sin by the eradication of evil tendency in himself is false. In this life, the Christian never rises above the possibility of being tempted (1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 John 1:8).

'carried away'-'to lure forth' (Thayer p. 222); 'as in hunting or fishing game is lured from its haunt' (Vine p. 337); 'drag away, taken in two by his own desires' (Arndt p. 274)

'and enticed'-'to lure by a bait' (Vine p. 36). 'Temptation is the pull of man's own evil thoughts and wishes' (Draper p. 41) These two words "carried away", "and enticed" are hunting and fishing terms. 'one can visualize the fish being first aroused from its original place of safety and repose, and then being lured to the bait that hides the fatal hook.' (Kent p. 51)

'by his own lust'-Man is not enticed by Adam's sin or the sin of his parents, but rather, his own lusts. Man does not sin due to circumstances, determinism, fate, predestination, natural forces beyond his control, inherited factors or the whim of various deities.

Points To Note:

  1. But someone may argue, 'How can God blame me for yielding to lusts which God created in me?' 2. The truth of the matter is that God made us with desires, pure and noble, but we are the ones who take those wholesome desires and turn them into selfish demands. God didn't create us with evil desires, rather whatever evil desires are presently within us are of our own making, the result of twisting legitimate desires, of creating false needs. Carefully note that our body isn't the source of sin, but rather, the origin is found in our own evil thoughts (Mark 7:20-23).

Barclay aptly describes how the wholesome can become twisted into the sinful: 'Immorality, impurity, licentiousness are perversions of the sexual instinct which is in itself a lovely thing and a part of love. Idolatry is a perversion of worship, and was begun as an aid to worship. Sorcery is a perversion of the use of healing drugs in medicine. Envy, jealousy and strife are perversions of that noble ambition and desire to do well which can be a spur to greatness……anger…. a perversion of that righteous indignation without which the passion for goodness cannot exist. Dissension and the party spirit are a perversion of the devotion to principle which can produce the martyr.' (Flesh and Spirit, p. 39)

Often we talk about the "power of sin". We need to remember that the power of sin is what happens when we become selfish, when we become convinced that God and His ways cannot be trusted for our happiness. Selfishness and unbelief can take the most wholesome desires and completely twist them into something which is tremendously evil.

1:15 'Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.'

'when lust has conceived'-'The will yields to lust and conception takes place' (Robertson p. 18). 'sin occurs following the arousing of sinful desires and the attraction to some tempting lure.' (Kent p. 51)

Point To Note:

Various writers have noted that James seems to place a gap between lust and sin, that the moment an evil thought enters your mind, doesn't mean that you have right then and there sinned. Woods notes, 'James does not affirm that sin sprang into life at the moment desire was experienced…it is impossible to purge our minds of fleeting desires, improper thoughts, and questionable ideas….We must, when such occur, rigidly exclude them, and never harbor and entertain them.' (p. 61) Some have said that while you can't stop evil thoughts from entering your mind, you do have control as to whether or not you will dwell upon those thoughts. Such things must be resisted (2 Timothy 2:22), we must work on having our minds and thoughts in subjection to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5; Philippians 4:8). A good illustration is that while you can't stop the birds from flying over your head you can certainly prevent them from building a nest in your hair. All of these are good thoughts. But, we need to warn people that God doesn't tell us what the "time frame" is between lust and sin. In certain situations, it may be very short! And the line between the evil desire and the point of sin might be thin. Jesus pointed out that evil deeds are the result of evil desires (Mark 7:20-23). And He rebuked people for having or dwelling upon sinful desires (Matthew 5:28; 5:22). In view of these last two passages I think most would agree that while the initial evil thought might not be viewed as sin, a lust upon which one dwells is sin.

'when sin is accomplished'-'when it has run its course' (Arndt p. 101); 'to perfect, to bring to maturity, to become "full-grown", the full development of sin.' (Vine p. 101) James is not saying that a some sins or sin at a certain level doesn't result in spiritual death. Rather, sin does develop, and again, this process can be very rapid and quick. In Matthew 5:28 we see sin at a certain stage, still within the mind. There is a warning here and that is that sin will grow. Unchecked, lusts will break out into action and evil deeds.

'bringeth forth death'-(Romans 6:16,21,23; 2 Cor. 7:10; 1 John 5:16,20). 1. If sin is not repented of, if lustful thoughts are not checked, such will always result in spiritual death! 2. Sin, uncontrolled and unrestrained and allowed to run its natural course will always result in separation from God, and if one dies in that condition, eternal separation from God. Carefully note that this warning was given to Christians! Christians can sin and they can so sin as to forfeit their salvation (James 5:19-20). James is not teaching that sin separates us from God only when it has done all the damage it can accomplish. Because even evil thoughts can defile a man (Mark 7:20-23). There is a warning here. If we refuse to check an evil thought which enters our mind---we already know the outcome! We will always pay a high price for being spiritually slack. Carefully note, that people end up separated from God, not because of the sins of others, but because of their own choice in yielding to sin. The good news is that since sin is our fault, it also means that we can do something about it! We can short-circuit the process! (Philippians 4:8)

1:16 'Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren'.

'Do not be deceived'-'make no mistake' (Arndt p. 665). It includes the idea of deceiving yourself. Christians are often warned against being deceived (1 Cor. 6:9; 15:33; Galatians 6:7). 'Make no mistake about this' (Mof).

'my beloved brethren'-Notice the combination of pointed teaching, of warning and admonition, with an intense love for these people (2 Timothy 2:24-25).

Points To Note:

  1. Verse 16 is a transition verse between 1:13-15 and 1:17. 'God cannot be the author of temptation, which thus leads to sin and death, because all good and perfect gifts, and these only, come from Him.' (P.P. Comm. p. 4) 2. Anyone who allows themselves to be convinced that somehow someone or something else is to blame for their sins, is walking right into a falsehood. 3. 'Only good comes from God; all good originates with God. Don't be deceived into thinking there can be anything fulfilling, anything worthwhile, anything good or proper anywhere else but with God.' (Draper p. 45) 4. But the verse infers that even Christians can be deceived. The Calvinistic idea that God makes sure that the predestined always make the right choices, runs counter to this verse. 'This command is no less valid for every modern reader. Our efforts to blame environment, poverty, bad luck, circumstances, or our humanness (which comes from God) have not enabled us to solve our sin problem. The reason is told to us by James: we have deceived ourselves by looking in the wrong direction.' (Kent p.54)



1:17 'Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.'

'Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift'-'Every beneficent gift and every perfect present' (Ber). "Good"-useful, being good in its character or constitution, beneficial in its effect. 'Fit, capable, useful' (Arndt p. 2)

'perfect'-complete or without defect. In addition, this also could mean that what God gives us, is perfectly suited for us and the stage in our life when it is given. 'appropriately suited to the person or the occasion. It is all that the gift should be.' (Kent p. 55)

Point To Note:

But do we really believe this assertion? How many Christians are still convinced that there is "good" outside of what God allows or gives? How many think that God and His way of doing things actually prevents us from receiving good things? In view of such a statement how can any of us ever claim that we don't have everything we need to live happy and productive lives? Do you believe that God is taking good care of you, do you believe that every good thing you enjoy, comes ultimately from God?

'coming down from'-present tense, a continual stream of blessings coming from God.

'the Father of lights'-apparently, the "lights" in this verse refer to the heavenly bodies in the solar system (Genesis 1:3, 14-16; Amos 5:8). In addition, to being the source of all physical light, God is also the source of all spiritual light (John 8:12). The idea seems to be, how could the Creator of all light ever abide in the darkness?

'with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow'-"Variation"-'who is himself never subject to change' (TCNT); 'change in the degree or intensity of light, such as is manifested by the heavenly bodies' (Vincent p. 732). "Shifting shadow"-as with changes seen in the stars, moon and planets.

Points To Note:

1. God is unchangeable (Hebrew 13:8). God doesn't have 'bad' days in which He tempts people, rather, He consistently gives good gifts. 2. God gives good things on a constant basis (James 1:5; Matthew 7:7-11). 3. 'As constant as the heavenly bodies are, they do exhibit changes as man perceives them. Seasonal variations, eclipses, phases of the moon, clouded skies, and the shifting shadows seen hourly on the sundial…But God's character and nature are unchanging. He does not shift from good given to occasional evil giving.' (Kent p. 56) 4. Do we ever thank God for not being moody? Are we thankful that God is always the same, that He is consistent and that He doesn't keep changing the rules on us? 'For one thing, this means that God is always approachable. We can always find him.' (Draper p. 47) It also tells us that God always loves us and is always wishing for the sinner to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). That God will always forgive us-if we seek forgiveness.

Speaking Of Gifts: Our Salvation

1:18 'In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.'

'In the exercise of His will'-'Of his set purpose' (NEB); 'Voluntarily' (Ber); literally, having willed. Let the reader be impressed that man's salvation was a deliberate choice on the part of God. It wasn't a forced choice or a regretted choice. Rather, God freely chose to have Jesus die for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Note, that is wasn't God's fault that we sin, for God gives only good things (1:17). God gives every incentive as to why we shouldn't sin.

'brought us forth'-'to produce' (Thayer p. 64); 'bear young' (Vine p. 153). This is the language of the new birth (John 3:5; 1 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Peter 1:23).

'by the word of truth'-God didn't cause us to be born again in some miraculously or mysterious manner. Rather, it was through the Gospel message that we came to believe (Romans 10:17), our hearts were pricked (Acts 2:38), and this message also told us to repent of our sins (Acts 2:38), confess Christ (Romans 10:9-10) and submit to water baptism for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38). Compare with 1 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Peter 1:23; Luke 8:8,15. The statement "word of truth" contradicts the idea that the Bible is a mixture of truth and error. The "word of truth" is simply another way of saying the gospel message (Colossians 1:5), or the word of God (John 17:17).

Point To Note:

Seeing that the preaching of the Word of God and the acceptance of that Word brings about the new birth. And that the gospel message is to preached to all (Mark 16:15). It is clear that God hasn't predestined who will be lost and who will be saved. In saying that the exercise of the will of God resulted in our salvation is not to say that His will was exercised arbitrarily or that the choice was made independently of human choice. The Lord calls men and women by the gospel message (2 Thess. 2:14); but all are called (Mark 16:15). Remember, whenever we talk about the new birth, we need to remember that the writer is addressing people who have been baptized for the forgiveness of their sins.

'so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures'-the phrase, "as it were" is also translated, "a kind of" (KJV); "in a sense" (Bas); "so to speak" (Phi). Which means, not literal first fruits. In the Old Testament, the first fruit was the first portion of the produce or livestock. It belonged to God and was to be offered to Him before the rest could be used by man. It was to be the choicest part of the harvest (Deut. 18:4; Numbers 18:12; Exodus 13:11-16).

Points To Note:

  1. This generation of Christians constituted the first-fruits of a larger harvest to follow in the succeeding ages. 2. As first fruits, these Christians are also to see themselves as dedicated to God and to the purposes of God (Ephesians 2:10). 3. The word "creatures" may either mean mankind (Mark 16:15), or all created things. Here it probably means 'mankind'. 4. The word first fruits, should also remind us, 'God did not want the gospel to stop with us. God wants us to be a vehicle through which other people may hear the Good News.' (Draper p. 49) 5. The term first fruits is also used of the first converts in a region (1 Corinthians 16:15).


Our Attitude Towards The Word of Truth

James now makes a quick shift from God's word, to our words. This is something which people in every generation need to heed. For we often rely upon our own human wisdom rather than the wisdom available to us in the Scriptures. In addition, seeing that we live in a world which will contain many trials (1:2-4); in which we need wisdom to survive (1:5), and in which we can turn the wholesome into the perverted by being selfish (1:14), it is essential to recognize that we don't have the answers to life within ourselves!

1:19 'This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;'

'This you know'-Side reference NASV, 'Or, "Know this". We all have the problem of not putting into practice what we already know. Reminding people of what they already know is a constant need among Christians (2 Peter 1:12). See also Eph. 5:5 and Hebrews 12:17.

'let everyone'-all Christians need this teaching. One never reaches a point in their relationship with God that they don't need to be 'quick to hear', etc…It is easy to become arrogant and think that you have progressed to a point that you know it all and that you don't need to listen to what others have to say.

'quick to hear'-as in a quick and attentive ear. We can often listen rather carelessly, we can also listen to what only sounds good to our ears (2 Timothy 4:3). In the context, attentive hearing is especially needed in reference to the word of truth (1:18). (Matthew 13:19; Luke 8:18 'Therefore take care how you listen'; Hebrews 3:7; 4:2; Proverbs 15:31-32; 18:13.

Points To Note:

  1. This applies to every Christian, we can never grow beyond our need for truth or good advice from others (Proverbs 9:9). 2. One cannot become a doer of the Word (1:22ff), if one is not paying close attention to what God is saying. 3. Quick to hear, also means that we are EAGER and anxious to hear what God has said. 'the really good man will be much more anxious to listen to God than arrogantly, garrulously (talkative) and stridently to shout his own opinions' (Barclay p. 65). 'a fast and attentive mind…a ready disposition to listen.' (Woods p. 74) We must be eager to hear the Word of God, rather than listen to our own ideas. In addition, attentive hearing was especially important to these Christians, for most of them they did not possess their own personal copy of the Scriptures. Most of them were dependent upon hearing it read (see Nehemiah 8:1-8; 1 Timothy 4:13).


'slow to speak'-The Bible places a tremendous importance upon the ability to control what you say (Prov. 13:3; 15:28; 17:27,28; 21:23; Ecc. 3:7; James 1:26; 3:1ff).

Points To Note:

  1. Often people will say, 'The first response you usually think of is the right response'. God questions this conviction. In fact, the verse infers that man doesn't have some inner light which guides him inherently into the truth and neither is the Holy Spirit controlling our lives so that we make all the right decisions. 2. Often, the first thing we say is the wrong thing. We need to let the word of God determine our response (1 Peter 4:11), we need to ask ourselves, 'What would be a response that would please God?' 3. Too often we excuse our rash words and careless speech. God views what we say as a tremendous indicator of our character (Matthew 12:36-37). 'The Rabbis had a saying that we have two ears and one tongue, and our tongue was put behind a wall of teeth to control it.' (Draper p. 52) 'The tribute was once paid to a great linguist that he could be silent in seven different languages.' (Barclay p. 65)


'and slow to anger'-Rash speaking is often the result of anger and can add more fuel to the fire (Proverbs 10:14; 15:1).

Points To Note:

  1. God believes that anger can be controlled! (Prov. 14:29) That we can keep righteous indignation from degenerating into a selfish form of anger (Ephesians 4:26). 2. Often people are angry because the Bible says something that they don't want to hear, especially something about themselves (Galatians 4:16). 3. For most people, anger doesn't result in killing someone, or even hitting them, but in saying untrue, harsh, and cruel things about them. Gossip, slander, lying, are all forms of verbal anger. 4. Preachers need to be very careful that they don't take out their frustrations on the congregation. 'Those who are so certain they are right must be cautioned against wrathful argument.' (Kent p. 63)


1:20 'for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.'

'anger of man'-as opposed to righteous opposition to sin (Romans 12:9; Psalm 119:104).

'does not achieve the righteousness of God'-'does not further the righteous purpose of God' (Mon); 'does not produce the uprightness God wishes' (Gspd); 'an angry man doesn't do what is right before God' (Beck).

Points To Note:

  1. Far from God's will being done, the angry individual will find him or herself involved in sin (Proverbs 14:17). 2. 'Defenders of God's truth do not further His cause by resorting to wrath, for man's wrath is usually mixed with other motives---ambition, revenge, jealousy, egotism, to name a few. Furthermore, men engaged in wrathful debate are rarely in possession of all the facts.' (Kent p. 64) 3. The 'righteousness of God', involves the righteousness which God demands (Matthew 6:33), arriving at a state of being right with God, and seeing that righteousness is done or furthered (Acts 10:35). 4. Selfish anger doesn't bring about the will of God and it keeps one from being right with God. Anger results in a misuse of the tongue, a misuse of your brethren (James 3:8-12), a twisting of God's justice (Romans 12:19), and many other things. 'God does not condemn all anger. There is a godly anger, a righteous indignation. But we must be careful because when we are angry, sin is at the door ready to come in. When things upset us and make us angry, we should ask why. Its it because it is an affront to us personally? Is it because it goes against something we want for ourselves?' (Draper p. 53)