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Jam 1:1. Ἰάκωβος, James) Peter, John, and James were the apostles of the circumcision; Galatians 2. James was especially employed at Jerusalem and in Palestine and Syria; Peter, at Babylon and in other parts of the East; John, at Ephesus and in Asia. Of the twelve apostles, these and Jude have left us seven Epistles, which are called General Epistles, a title given to them all in ancient times, though not adapted to all alike, since some of them are addressed to individuals; they are also called the Seven Canonical Epistles, to distinguish them from the Canonical Epistles of St Paul. John wrote from Ephesus to the Parthians, as ancient tradition affirms; Peter, from Babylon to the dispersed Jews of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia; Jude (from what place is unknown), to the same persons as his brother James; James wrote from Jerusalem to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. This James is an apostle: respecting him, see on Act 15:23.
The Epistle has three parts.
I. The Inscription, Jam 1:1.
II. An Exhortation,
1. To Patience, that the brethren endure outward, Jam 1:2-12 overcome inward temptations, Jam 1:13-15.
2. That, having regard to the goodness of God, Jam 1:16-18;
Every one be swift to HEAR, slow to SPEAK, slow to WRATH.
And these three subjects
a) Are proposed, Jam 1:19-21;
b) Are discussed:
I. That HEARING be joined with doing, Jam 1:22-25;
(And in particular with bridling the tongue, Jam 1:26;
With compassion and purity, Jam 1:27;
Without respect of persons, Jam 2:1-13.)
And, moreover, that faith be joined in all cases with works, Jam 2:14-26.
II. That the SPEECH be modest, Jam 3:1-12.
III. That WRATH, together with the other proud (inflated) passions, be restrained, Jam 3:13 to Jam 4:10; Jam 4:11-17.
3. A second exhortation to Patience, which
a) Derives weight from the COMING of the Judge, in which draws near-
I. The calamity of the wicked, Jam 5:1-6;
II. The deliverance of the righteous, Jam 5:7-12.
b) Is nourished by PRAYER, Jam 5:13-18.
III. The Conclusion, by Apodioxis,[1] Jam 5:19-20.
[1] See Append. on Apodioxis.
-Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, of the Lord Jesus Christ) The apostle does not again introduce the name of Jesus Christ in this Epistle, except ch. Jam 2:1; nor at all in his speeches, Act 15:14-15; Act 21:20-21. If he had often used the name of Jesus, it might have been supposed that he was influenced by vanity, because he was the brother of the Lord; and therefore he less knew Christ after the flesh: 2Co 5:16. He makes no mention of Abraham, of Isaac (except incidentally, ch. Jam 2:21), of Jacob, or Moses; he says nothing about Judea, Jerusalem, and the temple. Christianity, so recently introduced, is the source from which the whole Epistle is derived.-δώδεκα φυλαῖς, to the twelve tribes) of Israel.-διασπορᾷ, in their dispersion) 1Pe 1:1; Act 8:1; (Septuagint) Deu 28:25; Deu 30:4.-χαίρειν, to rejoice) A word of frequent use in salutations, and especially adapted to this passage. Χαρὰν, “joy,” in the next verse. The design of the apostle is, amidst the distress of those times, to exhort to patience, (ὑπομονὴν), and to check their Jewish pride (inflation), which was aggravated by the abuse of Christian faith: in fewer words, to commend moderation, or, if the expression is preferred, a spiritual calmness of soul. See notes on Jam 1:19 : comp. Heb 12:1. For in many particulars the Epistle of James corresponds with the Epistle to the Hebrews, and also with the First Epistle of Peter. We will point out the agreement at the passages in question. Oft-times have prophets and apostles, apart from each other, used the same sentiments and expressions, to confirm the minds of their hearers.[1]
[1] St James makes frequent use of the figure Anadiplosis, which properly signifies the use of the same word at the end of one sentence and at the beginning of the next. When used, as here, in a wider sense, it denotes the using of cognate words in the same way; for instance, χαίρειν at the end of this verse, and χαρὰν at the beginning of the next verse: and so in the word ὑπομονὴν, Jam 5:3-4; λειπόμενοι, Jam 5:4-5; διακρινόμενος, twice, Jam 5:6. Add Jam 5:13, etc., James 5:19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27.