Tiago 4
John Phillips · Citado em PreceptAustin
Tiago 4
Phillips - Sins of the tongue! How terrible are sins of the tongue! Sins of the tongue can kill a person as surely as the sword. So David Livingstone discovered. His wife died a premature death, thanks to the backbiting tongues of some people in the white settlements of Africa. No wonder James waxes so eloquent when it comes to sins of the tongue! (Exploring the Epistle of James: An Expository Commentary) My brethren...brother...brother (80)(adelphos from a = denotes unity + delphus = a womb) means brother or near kinsman. Adelphós generally denotes a fellowship of life based on identity of origin, e.g., members of the same family, specifically referring to believers. Recall the Jewishness of his audience in James 1:1+ "To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad." So again James again appeals to them as those who are genuine believers. Adelphos in James - Jas. 1:2; Jas. 1:9; Jas. 1:16; Jas. 1:19; Jas. 2:1; Jas. 2:5; Jas. 2:14; Jas. 2:15; Jas. 3:1; Jas. 3:10; Jas. 3:12; Jas. 4:11; Jas. 5:7; Jas. 5:9; Jas. 5:10; Jas. 5:12; Jas. 5:19; Notice that the sin of slander keeps close company with the sin of judging others! In effect the one slandered is then condemned (presumably for that which he was slandered!) Paul had strong words for this attitude/action in Romans writing Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things....But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? (Ro 2:1, 3+) Paul alluded to a similar sin in his letter to the believers in Galatia... But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. (Gal 5:15+) Comment: Then Paul gave the solution for biting and devouring one another = Galatians 5:16+ "Walk (continually - present imperative) by the Spirit." He who speaks against (katalaleo) a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law - Amplified = " He that maligns a brother or judges his brother is maligning and criticizing the Law and judging the Law." NLT = "If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God's law." In short James says, when we speak against others or judge them (pronounce condemnation upon them), we are guilty of sin because we have broken God's law, we are out of His will! And we in effect put ourselves in the place of the law (which judges) and so in a sense we act as a judge of the law (see God's warning in Ps 101:5)! Phillips - The person who judges another brother or sister in Christ sets himself up as a substitute for the law itself. More than that, he actually becomes a critic of the law. The function of the Word of God is to monitor our lives and the lives of others. It is the work of the Spirit of God to apply the Word of God to the consciences of the people of God. That is not our work but God's work. CRITICISM IS A VERY SUBTLE FORM OF SELF-EXALTATION Don Anderson adds explains "for if I can run him down, it puts me in a better light because I don' do those things." The criticizer is passing judgment without knowing or wanting to know the truth. The one who is criticizing is also acting apart from humility because he feels he is taking God's place and judgment. So often the most critical are the most guilty. Tn the act of criticizing, we are breaking the LAW of LOVE that James has mentioned in James 2:8+. (Notes) POSB says "When we criticize a brother or sister in Christ, we are slandering one of God's own children. Just think; we are actually slandering a son or daughter of God. This alone should keep us from speaking evil of our brothers in Christ." (Ibid) THOUGHT- There are several reasons why people tend to judge and criticize. 1) Criticism boosts our own self-image. Pointing out someone else's failure and tearing him down makes us seem a little bit better, at least in our own eyes. It adds to our own pride, ego, and self-image. 2) Criticism is simply enjoyed. There is a tendency in human nature to take pleasure in hearing and sharing bad news and shortcomings about others. 3) Criticism makes us feel that our own lives (morality and behavior) are better than the person who failed. 4) Criticism helps us justify the decisions we have made and the things we have done throughout our lives. We rationalize our decisions and acts by pointing out the failure of others. 5) Criticism points out to our friends how strong we are. Criticism gives good feelings because our rigid beliefs and strong lives are proven again. Proven how? By our brother's failure. 6) Criticism is an outlet for hurt and revenge. We feel he deserves it. Subconsciously, if not consciously, we think, "He hurt me so he deserves to hurt, too." So we criticize the person who failed. (Borrow The Preacher's outline & sermon Bible) Why does the one who speaks against a brother speak against the law? The Law says "‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD." (Lev 19:18+) When you are speaking against or judging your brother, you are speaking against and judging the truth written in the law (Lev 19:18+). Similarly, you are speaking against and judging the "royal law" to "love your neighbor as yourself." (James 2:8+) Just try loving your neighbor while you are speaking against them! Slander is passing judgment and that is God's purview not ours as he goes on to say in the next passage "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge." Only God is the perfect Judge. All of our judgments are tinged with our flesh and are therefore imperfect at best and sometimes are outright sin against the one we judge! Beware when you are tempted to speak against or judge a brother or sister in Christ! Slander slays three persons: the speaker, the spoken to, and the spoken of. Alexander Ross explains that "such censoriousness in speech leads to one of the worst forms of pride; the man who is guilty of it does not merely criticise his brother but really criticises the Law of God, that is, no doubt chiefly the Royal Law of love (James 2:8+). That kind of thing lands us in moral chaos. It is one of the fundamental axioms of the spiritual life that there is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy (cf. Matt. 10:28) and the thought of His august majesty and illimitable power ought to restrain the promptings of human pride. (The Epistles of James and John) Warren Wiersbe offers an antidote for a critical, censorious spirit in the church - Christians are to speak "the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15+); they are not to speak evil in a spirit of rivalry and criticism. If the truth about a brother is harmful, then we should cover it in love and not repeat it (1 Peter 4:8+). If he has sinned, we should go to him personally and try to win him back (Matt. 18:15-19; Gal. 6:1-2+). (Bible Exposition Commentary) To criticize is easy as you pass along life's road. It is easy to condemn and sneer when another bears the load. But if you know an easier way, lend a helping hand. Do not let a worker sweat while you criticize and stand. To criticize is easy as you pass along life's road but a better and a nobler way is to help to bear the load. Ridenour - Be genuine, be acceptant, be understanding. These three simple rules were practiced and lived by the same Person Who, one day, will judge us all. The best cue for criticism and judging others is to remember each of us will stand personally before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Each of us will give account of himself to God. (Borrow How to Be A Christian Without Being Religious) Judges (2919) (krino English - critic, critical) basically means to divide out or separate off and thus means to decide between in the sense of considering two or more things and reaching a decision, specifically in this context passing an adverse sentence on a brother. James is not saying do not show discernment in the church (cf Mt 7:15, 16+ which takes discernment), but just don't take God's place in passing judgment. As Jesus says below, we are to do a "speck check" before we a "saint critique!" Remember the inherent dangers in judging a brother - we cannot see their heart motive (only God can) and we do not have all the facts in the case to make a just and accurate judgment (only God does). Steven
Tiago 4:4
Phillips: You are like unfaithful wives, flirting with the glamour of this world, and never realising that to be the world's lover means becoming the enemy of God! Anyone who deliberately chooses to love the world is thereby making himself God's enemy. ( Phillips: Touchstone) RSV: Unfaithful creatures! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. TLB: You are like an unfaithful wife who loves her husband’s enemies. Don’t you realize that making friends with God’s enemies—the evil pleasures of this world—makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy the evil pleasure of the unsaved world, you cannot also be a friend of God.
Tiago 4:5
Phillips: Do you think what the scriptures have to say about this is a mere formality? Or do you imagine that this spirit of passionate jealousy is the Spirit he has caused to live in us? ( Phillips: Touchstone) TLB: Or what do you think the Scripture means when it says that the Holy Spirit, whom God has placed within us, watches over us with tender jealousy Weymouth: Or do you suppose that it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "The Spirit which He has caused to dwell in our hearts yearns jealously over us"? WBC: Or do you really imagine there is no ground in what Scripture says: the Spirit God made to dwell in us opposes envy? (Ralph Martin)
Tiago 4:6
Phillips: No, he gives us grace potent enough to meet this and every other evil spirit, if we are humble enough to receive it. That is why he says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' (
Tiago 4:7
Phillips: Be humble then before God. but resist the devil and you'll find he'll run away from you. (
Tiago 4:8
Phillips: Come close to God and he will come close to you. Realise that you have sinned and get your hands clean again. Realise that you have been disloyal and get your hearts made true once more. (
Tiago 4:9
Phillips: As you come close to God you should be deeply sorry, you should be grieved, you should even be in tears. Your laughter will have to become mourning, your high spirits will have to become heartfelt dejection. (
Tiago 4:10
Phillips: You will have to feel very small in the sight of God before he will set you on your feet once more. (