Greetings!

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THE ARGUMENT

It appears from the writings of Jerome and Eusebius, that this Epistle
was not formerly received by many Churches without opposition. There
are also at this day some who do not think it entitled to authority. I,
however, am inclined to receive it without controversy, because I see
no just cause for rejecting it. For what seems in the second chapter to
be inconsistent with the doctrine of free justification, we shall
easily explain in its own place. Though he seems more sparing in
proclaiming the grace of Christ than it behooved an Apostle to be, it
is not surely required of all to handle the same arguments. The
writings of Solomon differ much from those of David; while the former
was intent on forming the outward man and teaching the precepts of
civil life, the latter spoke continually of the spiritual worship of
God, peace of conscience, God's mercy and gratuitous promise of
salvation. But this diversity should not make us to approve of one, and
to condemn the other. Besides, among the evangelists themselves there
is so much difference in setting forth the power of Christ, that the
other three, compared with John, have hardly sparks of that full
brightness which appears so conspicuous in him, and yet we commend them
all alike.

It is enough to make men to receive this Epistle, that it contains
nothing unworthy of an Apostle of Christ. It is indeed full of
instruction on various subjects, the benefit of which extends to every
part of the Christian life; for there are here remarkable passages on
patience, prayer to God, the excellency and fruit of heavenly truth,
humility, holy duties, the restraining of the tongue, the cultivation
of peace, the repressing of lusts, the contempt of the world, and the
like things, which we shall separately discuss in their own places.

But as to the author, there is somewhat more reason for doubting. It is
indeed certain that he was not the Son of Zebedee, for Herod killed him
shortly after our Lord's resurrection. The ancients are nearly
unanimous in thinking that he was one of the disciples named Oblias and
a relative of Christ, who was set over the Church at Jerusalem; and
they supposed him to have been the person whom Paul mentioned with
Peter and John, who he says were deemed pillars, (Galatians 2:9.) But
that one of the disciples was mentioned as one of the three pillars,
and thus exalted above the other Apostles, does not seem to me
probable. I am therefore rather inclined to the conjecture, that he of
whom Paul speaks was the son of Alpheus. I do not yet deny that another
was the ruler of the Church at Jerusalem, and one indeed from the
college of the disciples; for the Apostles were not tied to any
particular place. But whether of the two was the writer of this
Epistle, it is not for me to say. That Oblias was actually a man of
great authority among the Jews, appears even from this, that as he had
been cruelly put to death by the faction of an ungodly chief-priest,
Josephus hesitated not to impute the destruction of the city in part to
his death.
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CHAPTER 1
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James 1:1-4

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve
tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

1 Jacobus, Dei ac Domini Jesu Christi servus, duodecim tribubus quae in
dispersione sunt, salutem.

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

2 Omne gaudium existimate, fratres mei, quum in tentationes varias
incideritis;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

3 Scientes quod probatio fidei vestrae, patientiam operatur

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and
entire, wanting nothing.

4 Patientia vero opus perfectum habeat, ut sitis perfecti et integri,
in nullo deficientes.


1 To the twelve tribes. When the ten tribes were banished, the Assyrian
king placed them in different parts. Afterwards, as it usually happens
in the revolutions of kingdoms (such as then took place,) it is very
probable that they moved here and there in all directions. And the Jews
had been scattered almost unto all quarters of the world. He then wrote
and exhorted all those whom he could not personally address, because
they had been scattered far and wide. But that he speaks not of the
grace of Christ and of faith in him, the reason seems to be this,
because he addressed those who had already been rightly taught by
others; so that they had need, not so much of doctrine, as of the goads
of exhortations. [98]

2 All joy. The first exhortation is, to bear trials with a cheerful
mind. And it was especially necessary at that time to comfort the Jews,
almost overwhelmed as they were with troubles. For the very name of the
nation was so infamous, that they were hated and despised by all people
wherever they went; and their condition as Christians rendered them
still more miserable, because they held their own nation as their most
inveterate enemies. At the same time, this consolation was not so
suited to one time, but that it is always useful to believers, whose
life is a constant warfare on earth.

But that we may know more fully what he means, we must doubtless take
temptations or trials as including all adverse things; and they are so
called, because they are the tests of our obedience to God. He bids the
faithful, while exercised with these, to rejoice; and that not only
when they fall into one temptation, but into many, not only of one
kind, but of various kinds. And doubtless, since they serve to mortify
our flesh, as the vices of the flesh continually shoot up in us, so
they must necessarily be often repeated. Besides, as we labor under
diseases, so it is no wonder that different remedies are applied to
remove them.

The Lord then afflicts us in various ways, because ambition, avarice,
envy, gluttony, intemperance, excessive love of the world, and the
innumerable lusts in which we abound, cannot be cured by the same
medicine.

When he bids us to count it all joy, it is the same as though he had
said, that temptations ought to be so deemed as gain, as to be regarded
as occasions of joy. He means, in short, that there is nothing in
afflictions which ought to disturb our joy. And thus, he not only
commands us to bear adversities calmly, and with an even mind, but
shews us that this is a reason why the faithful should rejoice when
pressed down by them.

It is, indeed, certain, that all the senses of our nature are so
formed, that every trial produces in us grief and sorrow; and no one of
us can so far divest himself of his nature as not to grieve and be
sorrowful whenever he feels any evil. But this does not prevent the
children of God to rise, by the guidance of the Spirit, above the
sorrow of the flesh. Hence it is, that in the midst of trouble they
cease not to rejoice.

3 Knowing this, that the trying. We now see why he called adversities
trials or temptations, even because they serve to try our faith. And
there is here a reason given to confirm the last sentence. For it
might, on the other hand, be objected, "How comes it, that we judge
that sweet which to the sense is bitter?" He then shews by the effect
that we ought to rejoice in afflictions, because they produce fruit
that ought to be highly valued, even patience. If God then provides for
our salvation, he affords us an occasion of rejoicing. Peter uses a
similar argument at the beginning of his first Epistle, "That the trial
of your faith, more precious than gold, may be," etc. [1Peter 1:7.] We
certainly dread diseases, and want, and exile, and prison, and
reproach, and death, because we regard them as evils; but when we
understand that they are turned through God's kindness unto helps and
aids to our salvation, it is ingratitude to murmur, and not willingly
to submit to be thus paternally dealt with.

Paul says, in Romans 5:3, that we are to glory in tribulations; and
James says here, that we are to rejoice. "We glory," says Paul, "in
tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience." What
immediately follows seems contrary to the words of James; for he
mentions probation in the third place, as the effect of patience, which
is here put first as though it were the cause. But the solution is
obvious; the word there has an active, but here a passive meaning.
Probation or trial is said by James to produce patience; for were not
God to try us, but leave us free from trouble, there would be no
patience, which is no other thing than fortitude of mind in bearing
evils. But Paul means, that while by enduring we conquer evils, we
experience how much God's help avails in necessities; for then the
truth of God is as it were in reality manifested to us. Hence it comes
that we dare to entertain more hope as to futurity; for the truth of
God, known by experience, is more fully believed by us. Hence Paul
teaches that by such a probation, that is, by such an experience of
divine grace, hope is produced, not that hope then only begins, but
that it increases and is confirmed. But both mean, that tribulation is
the means by which patience is produced.

Moreover, the minds of men are not so formed by nature, that affliction
of itself produces patience in them. But Paul and Peter regard not so
much the nature of men as the providence of God through which it comes,
that the faithful learn patience from troubles; for the ungodly are
thereby more and more provoked to madness, as the example of Pharaoh
proves. [99]

4 But let patience have her perfect work. As boldness and courage often
appear in us and soon fail, he therefore requires perseverance. "Real
patience," he says, "is that which endures to the end." For work here
means the effort not only to overcome in one contest, but to persevere
through life. His perfection may also he referred to the sincerity of
the soul, that men ought willingly and not feignedly to submit to God;
but as the word work is added, I prefer to explain it of constancy. For
there are many, as we have said, who shew at first an heroic greatness,
and shortly after grow weary and faint. He therefore bids those who
would be perfect and entire, [100] to persevere to the end. But what he
means by these two words, he afterwards explains of those who fail not,
or become not wearied: for they, who being overcome as to patience, be
broken down, must, by degrees, be necessarily weakened, and at length
wholly fail.
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[98] The salutation is peculiar; but in the same form with the letter
sent to Antioch by the Apostles, (of whom James was one,) and the
church at Jerusalem, Acts 15:23. It is therefore apostolic, although
adopted from a form commonly used by the heathen writers. See Acts
23:26. John in John 2:10 and John 2:11 uses the verb chairein in a
similar sense; and it means properly to rejoice. It being an
infinitive, the verb lego, to say or to bid, is put before it by John,
and is evidently understood here. Hence the salutation may thus be
rendered, -- "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
bids, (or sends, or wishes) joy to the twelve tribes who are in their
dispersion." There had been an eastern and a western dispersion, the
first at the Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, and the second during
the predominancy of the Grecian power, which commenced with Alexander
the Great. As this epistle was written in Greek, it was no doubt
intended more especially for those of the latter dispersion. But the
benefit of the eastern dispersion was soon consulted, as the very first
version of the New Testament was made into this language, that is, the
Syriac; and this was done at the beginning of the second century.

[99] The word used by James is dochimion, trial, the act of testing,
and by Paul dochime, the result of testing, experience. James speaks of
probation, and Paul of the experience gained thereby.

[100] "Perfect, teleioi," fully grown, mature; "entire, holochlezoi,"
complete, no part wanting. The first refers to the maturity of grace;
and the second to its completeness, no grace being wanting. They were
to be like men full grown, and not maimed or mutilated, but having all
their members complete.