James 1:1-8 (NKJV) James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
(Through the Bible Day by Day: A Devotional Commentary (7 Vols.)) OUTLINE OF THE EPISTLE OF JAMES
THE MEASURE OF A CHRISTIAN
SALUTATION (1:1).
Tested Character (1:2-18).
Hearing and Doing (1:19-27).
The Hypocrisy of Class Distinctions (2:1-13).
The Evidence of True Faith (2:14-26).
The Unruly Tongue (3).
The Grace of Humility (4).
The Curse of Ill-Gotten Wealth (5:1-6).
The Need of Patience and Prayer (5:7-20).
V1 “James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.” James is the half-brother of Jesus. See Mark 6:3, Acts 12:17, and Galatians 1:19. The Greek word for “bondservant” is (G1401) δοῦλος doulos, which is a person in service to another whether voluntary or involuntary. The context determines which. Jesus is not a slave owner. We are servants in willing service under the Lord Jesus and God the Father. Even though James writes to his fellow countrymen who believe in Jesus, he also writes to us. In the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7), the whole church began experiencing persecution and fled from Israel (Acts 8:4).
V2 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials…” The Greek word for “joy” is (G5479) χαρά chara, which means joy, joyful, rejoice, Joy is that whelming up to feelings of excitement, peace, rest, love, even relief from worry and stress. See Matthew 13:44, Matthew 28:8, Luke 15:7, and 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (said of those believers suffering persecution for believing in Jesus).
The Greek word for “trials” is (g3986) πειρασμός peirasmos, which means (Word Study Dictionary) “to make trial of, try, tempt. Trial, temptation, a putting to the test, spoken of persons only. When God is the agent, peirasmós is for the purpose of proving someone, never for the purpose of causing him to fall. If it is the devil who tempts, then it is for the purpose of causing one to fall.” Wuest adds: “The word “temptations” is from Peirasmos which refers both to trials and testings, and also solicitations to do evil, in short, to all that goes to furnish a test of character. The trials may come from God or under His permissive will from Satan, or may be the result of our own wrong doing. The solicitations to do evil come from the world, the evil nature, or Satan.”
V3 “…knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” How can one increase their patience ability? God sends the testing of our faith. He allows things to happen as Job (Job 1-2) and David (1 Chronicles 21:7–the Hebrew word (H5496) סוּת çûwth, which means (Outline of Biblical Usage): “to incite, allure, instigate, entice”). How does this increase patience? It is an irritant that lasts longer than we want it to. It has the idea of continuous faithfulness. We need God’s grace (1 Corinthians 10:13).
V4 “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” If we are faithful, we must wait until whatever God wants accomplished is finished. See Psalm 37:34, Isaiah 30:18, and Jeremiah 14:22. There is also waiting with expectation as in Philippians 3:20.
V5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” There is knowledge (the facts), understanding (how and why the facts operate), and wisdom (how to use knowledge and understanding to accomplish something with the greatest possibility of success). Good wisdom comes from experience. God is the source of good wisdom (Exodus 31:3, Exodus 36:2, 1 Kings 3:28, and Matthew 13:54). There is wisdom that is evil (1 Corinthians 1:21 (good and bad contrasted), Genesis 2:17-18, Isaiah 7:5, and James 3:14-18 (also shows the contrast). God never is angry when someone turns to Him for help. The Scriptures says He gives, but not when or how or what means, etc.
V6 “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” Faith believing God is able and wishes to give wisdom. This doubting is not periods of doubt which all have, but a continuing doubt. It would be seem more in action and deed rather than verbal. So if we have a few doubts, God understands, but if it is continuous then God will not bless one with wisdom.
V7 “For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord…” Why should God bless someone who continuously believes that God will not give wisdom? God help us all.
V8 “…he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” Double-minded because they ask for wisdom but act as if God will not give wisdom. Having this inconsistency in what we say and what we do, leads to being double-minded. Compare 1 Kings 18:21, 2 Kings 17:33, and Isaiah 29:13. Jesus warns us in Matthew 6:24 and Mark 9:22-23. The solution is holding on stubbornly as in Psalm 119:69, Psalm 119:113-115, and 1 Thessalonians 5:1. The double-minded man of Mark 9:24 repented when Jesus made it clear to him.
Note for v12: “In the ancient world there was no banking system as we know it today, and no paper money. All money was made from metal, heated until liquid, poured into moulds and allowed to cool. When the coins were cooled, it was necessary to smooth off the uneven edges. The coins were comparatively soft, and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens to stop the practice of whittling down the coins then in circulation. But some money-changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money; they were men of honour who put only genuine, full-weight money into circulation. Such men were called dokimos, and this word is used here for the Christian as he is to be seen by the world.” (Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans: God’s Glory, p. 18.)” (Outline of Biblical Usage–Blue Letter Bible)
We learn:
- The importance of prayer
- The offer for us to pray
- The leading of God to increase our patience
- Being double-minded is not pleasing to God