My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse
temptations, 3 knowing that the trying of your faith develops patience. 4 But
let patience perfect its work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking
nothing.
James 1:2-4 Modern English Version (MEV)
*******************
THE
RELATION OF THIS EPISTLE TO THE WRITINGS OF ST. PAUL AND OF ST. PETER - THE
DATE OF THE EPISTLE - THE DOCTRINE OF JOY IN TEMPTATION.
THIS
passage at once raises the question of the relation of this Epistle to other
writings in the New Testament. Did the writer of it know any of the writings of
St. Paul or of St. Peter? It is contended in some quarters that the similarity
of thought and expression in several passages is so great as to prove such
knowledge, and it is argued that such knowledge tells against the genuineness
of the Epistle. In any case the question of the date of the Epistle is involved
in its relation to these other documents; it was written after them, if it can
be established that the author of it was acquainted with them.
With
Dr. Salmon we may dismiss the coincidences which have been pointed out by
Davidson and others between expressions m this Epistle and the Epistles to the
Thessalonians, Corinthians, and Philippians. Some critics seem to forget that a
large number of words and phrases were part of the common language, not merely
of Jews and early. Christians, but of those who were in the habit of mixing
much with such persons. We can no more argue from such phrases as "be not
deceived," (1Co_6:9, Gal_6:7, and Jas_1:16) "but
some one will say," (1Co_15:35, and Jas_2:18) "a
transgressor of the law," (Rom_2:25; Rom_2:27, and Jas_2:11)
"fruit of righteousness," (Php_1:11, and Jas_3:18) or
from such words as "entire," (1Th_5:23, and Jas_1:4)
"transgressor" used absolutely, (Gal_2:18, and Jas_2:9)
and the like, that when they occur in two writings the author of one must have
read the other, than we can argue from such phrases as "natural
selection," "survival of the fittest," and the like that the
writer who uses them has read the works of Darwin. A certain amount of
stereotyped phraseology is part of the intellectual atmosphere of each
generation, and the writers in each generation make common use of it. In such
cases even striking identity of expressions may prove nothing as to the
dependence of one author upon another. The obligation is not of one writer to
another, but of both to a common and indefinite source. In other words, both
writers quite naturally make use of language which is current in the circles in
which they live.
Some
of the coincidences between the Epistle of James and the Epistle to the Romans
are of a character to raise the question whether they can satisfactorily be
explained by considerations of this kind, and one of these more remarkable
coincidences occurs in the passage before us. St. James writes, "Knowing
that the proof of your faith worketh patience." St. Paul writes,
"Knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, probation".
(Rom_5:3) In this same chapter we have another instance. St. James says,
"Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only." (Jas_1:22)
St. Paul says, "Not the hearers of a law are just before God, but the
doers of a law shall be justified". (Rom_2:13) There is yet a third
such parallel. St. James asks, "Whence come fightings? Come they not
hence, even of your pleasures which war in your members?" (Jas_4:1)
St. Paul laments, "I see a different law in my members, warring against
the law of my mind". (Rom_7:23)
The
effect of this evidence will be different upon different minds. But it may
reasonably be doubted whether these passages, even when summed up together, are
stronger than many other strange coincidences in literature, which are known to
be accidental. The second instance, taken by itself, is of little weight; for
the contrast between hearers and doers is one of the most hackneyed
commonplaces of rhetoric. But assuming that a prima facie case has been
established, and that one of the two writers has seen the Epistle of the other,
no difficulty is created, whichever we assume to have written first. The
Epistle to the Romans was written in A.D. 58, and might easily have become
known to St. James before A.D. 62. On the other hand, the Epistle of St. James
may be placed anywhere between A.D. 45 and 62, and in that case might easily
have become known to St. Paul before A.D. 58. And of the two alternatives, this
latter is perhaps the more probable. We shall find other reasons for placing
the Epistle of St. James earlier than A.D. 58; and we may reasonably suppose
that had he read the Epistle to the Romans, he would have expressed his meaning
respecting justification somewhat differently. Had he wished (as some
erroneously suppose) to oppose and correct the teaching of St. Paul, he would
have done so much more unmistakably. And as he is really quite in harmony with
St. Paul on the question, he would, if he had read him, have avoided words
which look like a contradiction of St. Paul’s words.
It
remains to examine the relations between our Epistle and the First Epistle of
St. Peter. Here, again, one of the coincidences occurs in the passage before
us. St. James writes, "Count it all joy, when ye enter into manifold
temptations; knowing that the proof of your faith worketh patience"; and
St. Peter writes, "Ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if
need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold temptations, that the proof of
your faith might be found". (1Pe_1:6-7) Here there is the thought
of rejoicing in trials common to both passages, and the expressions for
"manifold temptations" and "proof of your patience" are
identical in the two places. This is remarkable, especially when taken with
other coincidences. On the other hand, the fact that some of the language is
common to all three Epistles (James, Peter, and Romans) suggests the
possibility that we have here one of the "faithful sayings" of
primitive Christianity, rather than one or two writers remembering the writings
of a predecessor.
In
three places St. James and St. Peter both quote the same passages from the Old
Testament. In Jas_1:10-11, St. James has, "As the flower of the
grass he shall pass away. For the sun ariseth with the scorching wind, and
withereth the grass; and the flower thereof falleth," where the words in
italics are from Isa_40:6-8. St. Peter (1Pe_1:24) quotes the
words of Isaiah much more completely and consecutively, and in their original
sense; he does not merely make a free use of portions of them. Again, in Jas_4:6
St. James quotes from Pro_3:34, "God resisteth the proud, but
giveth grace to the humble." In 1Pe_5:5, St. Peter quotes exactly
the same words. Lastly, in Jas_5:20 St. James quotes from Pro_10:12
the expression "covereth sins." In 1Pe_4:8, St. Peter quotes a
word more of the original, "love covereth sins." And it will be
observed that both St. James and St. Peter change "covereth all sins"
into "covereth a multitude of sins."
Once
more we must be content to give a verdict of "Not proven." There is a
certain amount of probability, but nothing that amounts to proof, that one of
these writers had seen the other’s Epistle. Let us, however, assume that echoes
of one Epistle are found in the other; then, whichever letter we put first, we
have no chronological difficulty. The probable dates of death are, for St.
James A.D. 62, for St. Peter A.D. 64-68. Either Epistle may be placed in the
six or seven years immediately preceding A.D. 62, and one of the most recent
critics places 1 Peter in the middle of the year A.D. 50, and the Epistle of
James any time after that date. But there are good reasons for believing that 1
Peter contains references to the persecution under Nero, that "fiery
trial" (1Pe_4:12) in which the mere being a Christian would lead to
penal consequences, (1Pe_4:16) and in which, for conscience’ sake, men
would have to "endure griefs, suffering wrongfully," (1Pe_2:19)
thereby being "partakers of Christ’s sufferings". (1Pe_4:13)
In which case 1 Peter cannot be placed earlier than A.D. 64, and the Epistle of
James must be the earlier of the two. And it seems to be chiefly those who
would make our Epistle a forgery of the second century (Bruckner, Holtzmann)
who consider that it is James that echoes 1 Peter, rather than 1 Peter that
reproduces James. There is a powerful consensus of opinion that if there is any
influence of one writer upon the other, it is St. James who influences St.
Peter, and not the other way.
We
must not place the Epistle of St. James in or close after A.D. 50. The crisis
respecting the treatment of Gentile converts was then at its height; (Act_15:1-41)
and it would be extraordinary if a letter written in the midst of the crisis,
and by the person who took the leading part in dealing with it, should contain
no allusion to it. The Epistle must be placed either before (A.D. 45-49) or
some time after (A.D. 53-62) the so-called Council of Jerusalem. There is
reason for believing that the controversy about compelling Gentiles to observe
the Mosaic Law, although sharp and critical, was not very lasting. The modus
vivendi decreed by the Apostles was on the whole, loyally accepted, and
therefore a letter written a few years after it was promulgated would not of
necessity take any notice of it. Indeed, to have revived the question again
might have been impolitic, as implying either that there was still some doubt
on the point, or that the Apostolic decision had proved futile.
In
deciding between the two periods (A.D. 45-49 and 53-62) for the date of the
Epistle of St. James, we have not much to guide us if we adopt the view that it
is independent of the writings of St. Peter and of St. Paul. There is plenty in
the letter to lead us to suppose that it was written before the war (A.D.
66-70) which put an end to the tyranny of the wealthy Sadducees over their
poorer brethren, before controversies between Jewish and Gentile Christians
such as we find at Corinth had arisen or become chronic, and before doctrinal
controversies had sprung up in the Church; also that it was written at a time
when the coming of Christ to judgment was still regarded as near at hand, (Jas_5:8)
and by some one who could recollect the words of Christ independently of the
Gospels, and who therefore must have stood in close relationship to Him. All
this points to its having been written within the lifetime of James the Lord’s
brother, and by such a person as he was; but it does not seem to be decisive as
to the difference between cir. A.D. 49 and cir. A.D. 59. We must be content to
leave this undecided. But it is worth while pointing out that if we place it
earlier than A.D. 52 we make it the earliest book in the New Testament. The
First Epistle to the Thessalonians was written late in A.D. 52 or early in 53;
and excepting our Epistle, and perhaps 1 Peter, there is no other writing in
the New Testament that can reasonably be placed at so early a date as 52.
"Count
it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations." "My
brethren," with or without the epithet "beloved," is the regular
form of address throughout the Epistle, (Jas_1:16; Jas_1:19; Jas_2:1;
Jas_2:5; Jas_2:14; Jas_3:1; Jas_3:10; Jas_3:12;
Jas_5:12) in one or two places the "my" being omitted. (Jas_4:11;
Jas_5:7; Jas_5:9; Jas_5:19) The frequency of this
brotherly address seems to indicate how strongly the writer feels, and wishes
his readers to feel, the ties of race and of faith which bind them together.
In
"Count it all joy," i.e., Consider it as nothing but matter for
rejoicing," we miss a linguistic touch which is evident in the Greek, but
cannot well be preserved in English. In saying "joy" (χαραν) St.
James is apparently carrying on the idea just started in the address,
"greeting" (χαιρειν), i.e., "wishing joy." "I wish you
joy; and you must account as pure joy all the troubles into which you may
fall." This carrying on a word or thought from one sentence into the next
is characteristic of St. James, and reminds us somewhat of the style of St.
John. Thus "The proof of your faith worketh patience. And let patience
have its perfect work". (Jas_1:3-4) "Lacking in nothing. But
if any of you lacketh wisdom" (Jas_1:4-5). "Nothing doubting:
for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea" (Jas_1:6).
"The lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin; and the sin, when it is
full grown, bringeth forth death" (Jas_1:15). "Slow to wrath:
for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God" (Jas_1:19-20).
"This man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before our God
and Father is this" (Jas_1:26-27). "In many things we all
stumble. If any man stumbleth not in word." (Jas_3:2) "Behold,
how much wood is kindled by how small a fire, And the tongue is a fire". (Jas_3:5-6)
"Ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not". (Jas_4:2-3)
"Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a
testimony against you". (Jas_5:3) "We call them blessed which
endured: ye have heard of the endurance of Jas_5:11.
It is
just possible that "all joy" (πασαν χαραν) is meant exactly to
balance "manifold temptations" (πειρασμοις ποικιλοις). Great
diversity of troubles is to be considered as in reality every kind of joy.
Nevertheless, the troubles are not to be of our own making or seeking. It is
not when we inflict suffering on ourselves, but when we "fall into"
it, and therefore may regard it as placed in our way by God, that we are to
look upon it as a source of joy rather than of sorrow. The word for "fall
into" (περιπιπτειν) implies not only that what one falls into is
unwelcome, but also that it is unsought and unexpected. Moreover, it implies
that this unforeseen misfortune is large enough to encircle or overwhelm one.
It indicates a serious calamity. The word for "temptations" in this
passage is the same as is used in the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer; but
the word is not used in the same sense in both places. In the Lord’s Prayer all
kinds of temptation are included, and especially the internal solicitations of
the devil, as is shown by the next petition: "Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the tempter." In the passage before us internal
temptations, if not actually excluded, are certainly quite in the background.
What St. James has principally in his mind are external trials, such as poverty
of intellect (Jas_1:5), or of substance (Jas_1:9), or
persecution, (Jas_2:6-7) and the like; those worldly troubles which test
our faith, loyalty, and obedience, and tempt us to abandon our trust in God,
and to cease to strive to please Him. The trials by which Satan was allowed to
tempt Job are the kind of temptations to be understood here. They are material
for spiritual joy, because
(1)
they are opportunities for practicing virtue, which cannot be learned without
practice, nor practiced without opportunities;
(2)
they teach us that we have here no abiding city, for a world in which such
things are possible cannot be a lasting home;
(3)
they make us more Christlike;
(4) we
have the assurance of Divine support, and that no more will ever be laid upon
us than we, relying upon that support, can bear;
(5) we
have the assurance of abundant compensation here and hereafter.
St.
James here is only echoing the teaching of his Brother: "Blessed are ye when
men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against
you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your
reward in heaven". (Mat_5:11-12) In the first days after Pentecost
he had seen the Apostles acting in the very spirit which he here enjoins, and
he had himself very probably taken part in doing so, "rejoicing that they
were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name." (Act_5:41.
Comp. Act_4:23-30) And as we have already seen in comparing the parallel
passages, St. Peter (1Pe_1:6) and St. Paul (Rom_5:3) teach the
same doctrine of rejoicing in tribulation.
As St.
Augustine long ago pointed out, in his letter to Anastasius ("Ep.,"
145:7, 8), and Hooker also ("Eccl. Pol.," 5. 48:13), there is no
inconsistency in teaching such doctrine, and yet praying, "Lead us not
into temptation." Not only is there no sin in shrinking from both external
trials and internal temptations, or in desiring to be freed from such things;
but such is the weakness of the human will, that it is only reasonable humility
to pray to God not to allow us to be subjected to severe trials. Nevertheless,
when God, in His wisdom, has permitted such things to come upon us, the right
course is, not to be cast down and sorrowful, as though something quite
intolerable had overtaken us, but to rejoice that God has thought us capable of
enduring something, for His sake, and has given us the opportunity of
strengthening our patience and our trust in Him.
This
doctrine of joy in suffering, which at first sight seems to be almost
superhuman, is shown by experience to be less hard than the apparently more
human doctrine of resignation and fortitude. The effort to be resigned, and to
suffer without complaining, is not a very inspiriting effort. Its tendency is
towards depression. It does not lift us out of ourselves or above our
tribulations. On the contrary, it leads rather to self-contemplation and a
brooding over miseries. Between mere resignation and thankful joy there is all
the difference that there is between mere obedience and affectionate trust.
The
one is submission; the other is love. It is in the long run easier to rejoice
in tribulation, and be thankful for it, than to be merely resigned and submit
patiently. And therefore this "hard saying" is really a merciful one,
for it teaches us to endure trials in the spirit that will make us feel them
least. It is not only "a good thing to sing praises unto our God"; it
is also "a joyful and pleasant thing to be thankful". (Psa_147:1)
And
here it may be noticed that St. James is no Cynic or Stoic. He does not tell us
that we are to anticipate misfortune, and cut ourselves off from all those
things the loss of which might involve suffering; or that we are to trample on
our feelings, and act as if we had none, treating sufferings as if they were
non-existent, or as if they in no way affected us. He does not teach us that as
Christians we live in an atmosphere in which excruciating pain, whether of body
or mind, is a matter of pure indifference, and that such emotions as fear or
grief under the influence of adversity, and hope or joy under the influence of
prosperity, are utterly unworthy and contemptible. There is not a hint of
anything of the kind. He points out to us that temptations, and especially
external trials, are really blessings, if we use them aright; and he teaches us
to meet them in that conviction. And it is manifest that the spirit in which to
welcome a blessing is the spirit of joy and thankfulness.
St.
James does not bid us accept this doctrine of joy in tribulation upon his
personal authority. It is no philosopher’s ipse dixit. He appeals to his
readers’ own experience: "Knowing that the proof of your faith worketh
patience." "Knowing" (γινωσκοντες) i.e., "in that ye are
continually finding out and getting to know." The verb and the tense
indicate progressive and continuous knowledge, as by the experience of daily
life; and this teaches us that proving and testing not only bring to light, but
bring into existence, patience. This patience (υπομονη) this abiding firm under
attack or pressure, must be allowed full scope to regulate all our conduct; and
then we shall see why trials are a matter for joy rather than sorrow, when we
find ourselves moving onwards towards, not the barrenness of stoical
"self-sufficiency" (αυταρκεια), but the fullness of Divine
perfection. "That ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing,"
is perhaps one of the many reminiscences of Christ’s words which we shall find
in this letter of the Lord’s brother. "Ye therefore shall be perfect, as
your heavenly Father is perfect". (Mat_5:48)
Expositor’s Bible Commentary
****************
God never promised that our lives would be a bed of
roses. In fact, we’ve been given warning after warning that things are going to
happen, not all of which will be good, or pleasant. WE are even warned that our
faith in Jesus could bring additional trials into our lives. Jesus and James
tell us that these trials should be a source of joy in our hearts. That is
definitely not something we learn through head knowledge. It is something that
comes with time and, yes, experiencing trials. The key for us is that we
shouldn’t be so quick to pray that God would remove the trials in our lives,
but that he would grant us strength, peace, wisdom, and joy as we pass through
those trials.
