Tiago 4
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Tiago 4
Henry says "We Must Preserve a Constant Regard, and Pay the Utmost Deference to the Disposals of Divine Providence. You ought - These words are added by the translators. Burdick comments "No Christian can safely assume that he can live independently of God. For a believer to leave God out of his plans is an arrogant assumption of self-sufficiency, a tacit declaration of independence from God. It is to overlook reality. Whether men recognize it or not, they "will live and do this or that" only "if it is the Lord's will." A study of the use of this conditional clause in the NT makes it clear that we are not to repeat it mechanically in connection with every statement of future plans. Paul, for example, employs it in Acts 18:21 and 1 Corinthians 4:19, but he does not use it in Acts 19:21; Romans 15:28; or 1 Corinthians 16:5, 8. Yet it is obvious that whether Paul explicitly stated it or not, he always conditioned his plans on the will of God." (Expositor's Bible Commentary – Volume 12: Hebrews through Revelation) To say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." - James uses Lord (see below) which describes the One Who is in absolute control of the Universe. Jesus created the world we live in and He sustains the world we live in as Paul wrote in Colossians For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17+) In Hebrews we read in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through Whom (Jesus) also He (God the Father) made the world. And He (Jesus) is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds (present tense - continually) all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb 1:2-3+) Given these truths about the Lord, how foolish it is to undertake business decisions (James 4:13) or any major life decision (we will live and do this or that) for that matter without seeking His will! One of the rabbis says, “It is revealed and known before Thee that our will is to do Thy will” (Berachoth, 17a). Don Anderson says "Real progress comes in a Christian life when we are submissive to His perfect will for our lives and the leadership of His Spirit." Rod Mattoon has a good word on God's will - Our presumptions and assumptions have a way of getting us into trouble and bringing disappointment in our lives. Beloved, the will of God is not cold and impersonal. It is a living relationship between God and the believer. God is very interested in us and what happens in our lives. He is willing to reveal His will to those who are willing to obey it. God wants us to know His will. He wants us to understand His will. (Eph 5:17+) He wants us to prove His will. (Romans 12:2+) (Mattoon's Treasures – Treasures from James) A T Robertson on the phrase if the Lord wills - The proper attitude of mind (Acts 18:21; 1 Cor. 4:19; 1 Cor. 16:7; Ro 1:10 Ro 15:32 Phil. 2:19, 24; Hebrews 6:3), not to be uttered always in words like a charm. This Hellenistic formula was common among the ancient heathen, as today among modern Arabs like the Latin deo volente. In his commentary
Tiago 4:4
Henry comments that in this passage James is giving his readers "fair warning to avoid all criminal friendships with this world. Worldly people are called adulterers and adulteresses, because of their perfidiousness (faithlessness, acts of disloyalty) of God, while they give their best affections to the world. Covetousness is elsewhere called idolatry, and it is here called adultery (Col 3:5+); it is a forsaking of Him to Whom we are devoted and espoused, to cleave (to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly) to other things; there is this brand (a mark fixed or) put upon worldly-mindedness-that it is enmity to God. A man may have a competent portion of the good things of this life, and yet may keep himself in the love of God; but he who sets his heart upon the world, who places his happiness in it, and will conform himself to it (cp Ro 12:2+), and do any thing rather than lose its friendship. He is an enemy to God. It is constructive treason (the highest crime of a civil nature of which a man can be guilty) and rebellion against God to set the world upon His throne in our hearts. Whosoever therefore is the friend of the world is the enemy of God. He who will act upon this principle, to keep the smiles of the world, and to have its continual friendship, cannot but show himself, in spirit, and in his actions too, an enemy to God. You cannot serve God and mammon, Mt. 6:24+. Hence arise wars and fightings, even from this adulterous idolatrous love of the world, and serving of it; for what peace can there be among men, so long as there is enmity towards God? Or who can fight against God, and prosper?" Michael Andrus - The label "adulterous people" seems strange in a passage addressed to believers, until one realizes that he is probably not referring to physical adultery, which hopefully is relatively uncommon in the church, but rather to spiritual adultery, which is very common in the church. This is, in fact, a term borrowed from the OT. God had brought Israel into a covenant relationship with Himself, but they had been unfaithful to Him through idolatry, disobedience, and compromise with the pagan cultures around them. So the prophets accused the people of being spiritual adulterers. James sees the same problem in the church of his day–too much fraternizing with the enemy. Christians don't want to be different; they don't want to stand out in the crowd; so they borrow the world's priorities; and they pursue worldly pleasures. But what they often fail to consider is that the world hates their Heavenly Father, and when they fraternize with the world they stir up God’s jealousy. (Understanding Conflict: A Prerequisite to Peacemaking ) Steven
Tiago 4:6
Henry: Defenders Study Bible. World Publishing - Highly Recommended Resource) W A Criswell adds that… "Adulterers and adulteresses" (Jas 4:4-note) is a strong metaphor for those who have been spiritually unfaithful to God and who have engaged in an affair with the "world" (that evil organized system under the rule of the devil which opposes God and His will). This unfaithfulness results in: (1) experiencing hostility from God and (2) becoming God's enemy. (Jas 4:5) The precise OT text James has in mind is unclear, as is the correct translation. NKJV translators understand "the Spirit" to be the Holy Spirit and not the human spirit (contra KJV). This judgment is probably correct, and it should be noted that if this is the proper translation/interpretation, it is the only reference to the Holy Spirit in this epistle. The verse then is best understood as saying that the Holy Spirit, Who indwells believers, intensely desires their loyalty, love, and faithfulness. (The Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Translation: 1995. Moody Publishers) Dr Ryrie has these comments on Jas 4:4, 5-note… (Jas 4:4-note - You adulteresses) Symbolic language for unfaithful people, as often in the OT. friendship with the world. The Greek word is philia, indicating a reciprocal relationship. Unfaithful people love the world, and the world loves them. (Jas 4:5) The thought may also be expressed thus: Do you imagine there is no meaning to the Scripture that says, "The Spirit that dwells in us longs jealously over us"? The Spirit does not want us to have divided allegiance. (Criswell, W A. Believer's Study Bible: New King James Version. 1991. Thomas Nelson) But (1161) (de) introduces a "change of direction". The interpretation of this portion of Jas 4:6 is somewhat controversial. What is James contrasting? What is God's grace greater than? Context is always king in interpretation. Read the previous 5 verses again. What is the "thrust" of those passages? What is James describing? Is he not focusing on the wicked old nature, the flesh? Compare - quarrels, conflicts, wage war, lust, commit murder, envious, fight quarrel, ask with wrong motives, your pleasures, adulteresses, friendship with the world, hostility toward God, enemy of God. Clearly the focus is on the evil propensity of the "anti-god" energy of the flesh. Unfortunately this interpretation is not as straight forward as one would like, because there is some disagreement over whether Jas 4:5 refers to the Holy Spirit or the spirit within men. And so the UBS Handbook comments that… (1) If the subject of Jas 4:5 is taken to be divine jealousy (God’s or the Spirit’s), then the point may be that God’s grace is more than adequate to meet the requirements of His jealousy. (Ed: A holy jealousy which calls us to be in the world but not of the world [Jn 15:19], not seeking the passing pleasures of this world which is fading away, but instead seeking the will of God, 1Jn 2:17) (2) If the reference in Jas 4:5 is seen to be to the evil desires of the human spirit (Ed: E.g., Jas 4:5ESV, Jas 4:5KJV), then the contrast is that God’s grace is greater and stronger than this human tendency to sin. (The United Bible Societies' New Testament Handbook Series) Gives (1325) (didomi) means to give, to bestow, to confer, to make a present of something, to put something into another's possession. The 1828 Noah Webster's Dictionary has an excellent definition of give as "to pass or transfer the title or property of a thing to another person without an equivalent or compensation" (Ed: What a great description of grace - unmerited favor). Note that in Jas 4:6, the verb didomi is in the present tense which signifies this giving is not just a one time gift but pictures God's desire to continually bestow grace upon the humble person! The present tense in this context can also convey the idea of a fact which is always true ("He always gives greater grace"). Whichever meaning one prefers, the point is that our benevolent God ever seeks to bless us with His grace, despite the widespread opinion held by many unbelievers that He is out to get us! No, in fact "He is out to give to us"! He continually gives amazing grace. As Augustine once said "God gives what He demands." And in context He demands our love and loyalty to Himself instead of to the evil, "anti-god" world system, which exerts a powerful pull on all men, specifically on the fallen flesh of both the unsaved and the saved (who still possess the flesh, but now in Christ and "under grace" [Ro 6:14-note] have the power to say "no" to the pleasures of the world - Gal 6:14, cp Ro 6:11-note, Ro 6:12, 13-note) (Note that this strong "magnetic" pull of worldly pleasures is the emphasis in Jas 4:1, 2, 3,4). It is only by grace that the believer can "resist" the attraction of the pleasures (albeit passing! cp He 11:25-note), the power of His grace always being greater than the attraction of the world's pleasures. But the only way to be a benefactor of His greater grace is by maintaining a humble attitude (Jas 4:6), which is manifest by submission to Him and His will (His Word), resistance to the allures of Satan (Jas 4:7), a drawing near to God with clean hands and pure heart (Jas 4:8), and a heart attitude which laments over sin (Jas 4:9). The Wycliffe Bible Commentary writes that… The difficulties of living wholly for God in a wicked world are many, but he giveth more grace, which here seems to mean “gracious help.” And this gracious aid God makes available, as Pr 3:34 declares, not to proud, self-sufficient persons, but to humble, dependent men. GREATER GRACE Greater (3173) (meizon) is the comparative of megas which means great, strong or large. The adjective meizon thus speaks of a kind characterized by relative largeness or more remarkable in magnitude, degree or effectiveness. Meizon expresses a larger, more extensive or more unusual degree of any thing. Greater grace - As noted above there is some variation on how this phrase is interpreted. Robert Morgan… What did James mean by Jas 4:5b ("He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us")—The spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely? Commentators agree that this might be the most difficult sentence in the whole book to translate and interpret correctly. There are two basic possibilities: (1) The Holy Spirit that God has placed within us is jealous for our godliness and intensely yearns for us to live godly lives; and as we humble ourselves we can draw from the grace of God and overcome these sinful desires. (2) The human spirits that God placed within us have fallen into sin and are full of envy and jealously; and we need to humble ourselves and draw on the grace of God to overcome them. The NIV comes down on the side of the second option (Jas 4:5NIV, cp Jas 4:5ASV, Jas 4:5KJV, Jas 4:5ESV, Jas 4:5NLT). Notice that the word spirit begins with a small s. God made us body and soul. We have a spirit within us. It was created by God who placed it with us. In the book of Genesis, we read that God created Adam from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and Adam became a living soul. But this spirit within us—our human spirit and our human nature—is full of envy and jealousy and evil desires. But God gives more grace! How do we access it? How do we win the victory? How do we mature and grow in Christ? James gives us a wonderful process here, which we’ll look at in greater next Sunday. But let me just outline it for you. 1. Humble yourself 2. Submit to the Lord (Jas 4:7) 3. Resist the devil (Jas 4:7) 4. Draw near to God (Jas 4:8) (Fights and Quarrels) Steven