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Jam_1:12. Whilst the rich man is condemned in the judgment, the ἀδελφὸς ὁ ταπεινός , who suffers the πειρασμόν proceeding from the rich man, is blessed. This blessedness forms the conclusion of the series of thought begun at Jam_1:2. To μακάριος ἀνήρ (see Psa_1:1, and frequently in O. T.) not ἔστω , but ἐστί is to be supplied. No special emphasis is to be put on ἀνήρ ; comp. Jam_1:8; Jam_1:20; incorrectly Thomas: beatus vir, non mollis vel effoeminatus, sed vir; and not less incorrectly Lange, who explains ἀνήρ here as he does in Jam_1:8. ὂς ὑπομένει πειρασμόν ] is not = ὃς πειρασμοῖς περιπίπτει or ὃς πειρασμὸν πάσχει (Hottinger); comp. Jam_1:3; it is the man who does not succumb to the temptations which he has to endure. Laurentius: aliud est ferre crucem, aliud preferre. To supply ὄταν περιπέσῃ (Wiesinger) is unnecessary.
The following sentence beginning with ὅτι adduces the reason of the μακαρισμός : for being approved, he will receive the crown of life. By δόκιμος γενόμενος ] is given not so much the condition as the cause, why he that endureth temptation will receive the crown of life; the being approved is the consequence of ὑπομένειν πειρασμόν .
δόκιμος is not, with Krebs, Lösner, Augusti, Pott, and others, to be referred as a figurative expression to the trial preceding the contests of athletes; but if a conscious figurative reference is to be assumed at all (which de Wette, Brückner, and Wiesinger not without reason consider as doubtful), it is to be referred to the purification of metals by fire (Hornejus, Gebser, Schneckenburger, Theile, and others[62]). In ΤῸΝ ΣΤΈΦΑΝΟΝ Τῆς ΖΩῆς ] (“not the crown which is peculiar to eternal life, i.e. which is imparted to it,” Gunkel) τῆς ζωῆς is not the genitive of possession (Lange), but of apposition: ΖΩΉ , i.e. the eternal blessed life, is itself the crown of glory with which he that endures is adorned; comp. Rev_2:10; 1Pe_5:4; 2Ti_4:8. It is at least doubtful if there is here any allusion to the reward of the victor in the Greek games,—which is maintained by Zwingli, Michaelis, Hensler, Pott, de Wette, Wiesinger, and others, and contested by Semler, Augusti, Schneckenburger, Hottinger, Theile, Brückner, and others,—as even among the Jews, without any reference to a contest, a crown or diadem is regarded as the symbol of peculiar honour; comp. besides Psa_21:4 (Brückner), especially Wisdom of Solomon Jam_5:16, 17: δίκαιοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ζῶσι … λήψονται τὸ βασίλειον τῆς εὐπρεπείας καὶ τὸ διάδημα τοῦ κάλλους ἐκ χειρὸς κυρίου ; with Paul, on the other hand, such an allusion frequently occurs. The certainty of receiving this crown of glory is founded on the divine promise: ὋΝ ἘΠΗΓΓΕΊΛΑΤΟ ( Ὁ ΚΎΡΙΟς ) ΤΟῖς ἈΓΑΠῶΣΙΝ ΑὐΤΌΝ ] If Ὁ ΚΎΡΙΟς is the correct reading, we are to understand not Christ (Baumgarten, Schneckenburger), but God (Gebser, Theile, Wiesinger).
The expression ΤΟῖς ἈΓΑΠῶΣΙΝ ΑὐΤΌΝ (comp. Psa_97:10; Psa_145:20; Rom_8:28, etc.) intimates that ὙΠΟΜΈΝΕΙΝ ΠΕΙΡΑΣΜΌΝ is a proof and testimony of love to God, and is accordingly a proof how careful James was to designate love as the essence of true faith (so also Lange); therefore the repetition of the same addition in chap. Jam_2:5. On the whole passage, comp. particularly 2Ti_4:8.
[62] Lange asserts that this figurative reference is so far incorrect, as “that figure presupposes the idea of refining, which, although contained in the trial or proof, is not identical with it;” but the identity is not maintained.