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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - James 1:26 - 1:26
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Thinketh himself to be religious (dokei thrēskos einai). Condition of first class (ei̇dokei). Thrēskos (of uncertain etymology, perhaps from threomai, to mutter forms of prayer) is predicate nominative after einai, agreeing with the subject of dokei (either “he seems” or “he thinks”). This source of self-deception is in saying and doing. The word thrēskos is found nowhere else except in lexicons. Hatch (Essays in Biblical Greek, pp. 55-57) shows that it refers to the external observances of public worship, such as church attendance, almsgiving, prayer, fasting (Matt 6:1-18). It is the Pharisaic element in Christian worship.
While he bridleth not his tongue (mē chalinagōgōn glōssan heautou). “Not bridling his own tongue.” A reference to Jam 1:19 and the metaphor is repeated in Jam 3:12. This is the earliest known example of the compound chalinagōgeō (chalinos, bridle ago, to lead). It occurs also in Lucian. The picture is that of a man putting the bridle in his own mouth, not in that of another. See the similar metaphor of muzzling (phimoō) one’s mouth (Mat 22:12 ephimōthē).
Deceiveth (apatōn). Present active participle from apatē (deceit). He plays a trick on himself.
Religion (thrēskeia). Later form of thrēskiē (Herodotus) from thrēskos above. It means religious worship in its external observances, religious exercise or discipline, but not to the exclusion of reverence. In the N.T. we have it also in Act 26:5 of Judaism and in Col 2:18 of worshipping angels. It is vain (mataios, feminine form same as masculine) or empty. Comes to nothing.