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Jam_1:6. A more particular statement how prayer must be made; αἰτείτω δὲ ἐν πίστει ] With αἰτείτω the αἰτείτω in Jam_1:5 is resumed; δέ indicates the carrying out of the thought.
The prayer, if it is to be heard, must be a εὐχὴ τῆς πίστεως , chap. Jam_5:15 (comp. Sir_7:10 : μὴ ὀλιγοψυχήσῃς ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ σου ).
ἐν πίστει ] that is, in the confident assurance of being heard; on what this is founded is not here expressed. The explanation of Calvin: fides est quae Dei promissionibus freta nos impetrandi, quod petimus, certos reddit (similarly Baumgarten), expresses what is in itself true, but is not here indicated by James. Some ancient commentators incorrectly supply to πίστει as a more definite statement Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ .
The object of the prayer (namely, τὴν σοφίαν ) is not here named, where only the necessary condition of prayer is treated of. The remarks made by many expositors on the manner in which the Christian should ask for external good things are here inappropriate.
μηδὲν διακρινόμενος ] expresses the same idea as ἐν πίστει , only in a negative form; μηδέν is here, as frequently, adverbial = on no account, nulla ratione. διακρίνεσθαι is, according to N. T. usage, to doubt; compare besides Act_10:20; Act_11:12 : particularly Mat_21:21 : ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν καὶ , μὴ διακριθῆτε ; Rom_4:20 : οὐ διεκρίθη τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ; Rom_4:23; it is not = ἀπιστεῖν (Luk_24:21), or ἀπειθεῖν (Joh_3:36), but includes in it the essential character of ἀπιστία ; while πίστις says “Yes” and ἀπιστία “No,” διακρίνεσθαι is the conjunction of “Yes” and “No,” but so that “No” has the preponderance; it is that internal wavering which leans not to πίστις , but to ἀπιστία . The deep-lying ground of it is pride, and so far Theophylact is right in saying διακρινόμενος δὲ ὁ μεθʼ ὑπεροψίας αἰτῶν , ὑβριστὴς ὁμολογουμένως , ὁ διακρινόμενος ; whereas Oecumenius, in the words: λέγων ἐν σεαυτῷ , ὅτι πῶς δύναμαι αἰτησαί τι παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ λαβεῖν , ἡμαρτηκὼς τοσαῦτα εἰς αὐτόν , brings out a point which belongs not to διακρίνεσθαι , but to a yet weak faith.[49] Comp. with this passage Hermas James 29: tolle a te dubitationem et nihil omnino dubites petens aliquid a Deo.
The following words: Ὁ ΓᾺΡ ΔΙΑΚΡΙΝΌΜΕΝΟς Κ . Τ . Λ ., are annexed to the preceding ΔΙΑΚΡΙΝΌΜΕΝΟς , more clearly explaining it (in figurative language) with reference to the exhortation ΑἸΤΕΊΤΩ Κ . Τ . Λ .; but the reason of this exhortation is given in Jam_1:7. The first ΓΆΡ , accordingly, has the meaning of namely, whereas the second has that of for. According to this interpretation, the relation of the thoughts expressed in Jam_1:6-7 is more correctly recognised than when we say that the first γάρ assigns the reason why we should pray nothing doubting, but that this thought is only brought to a conclusion in Jam_1:7 (Wiesinger, and so in the earlier edition of this commentary, where it is said that the sentence taken together would read: Ὁ ΓᾺΡ ΔΙΑΚΡΙΝΌΜΕΝΟς , ἘΟΙΚῺς ΚΛΎΔΩΝΙ … ΜῊ ΟἸΈΣΘΩ , ὍΤΙ ΛΉΜΨΕΤΑΊ ΤΙ Κ . Τ . Λ .). Lange incorrectly supposes that the first ΓΆΡ has a more limited meaning, whilst it declares the ΔΙΑΚΡΙΝΌΜΕΝΟς as incapable of praying aright; whereas the second ΓΆΡ refers in a wider sense to the unbelieving condition of the man to God, and therefore is to be rendered by also.
ἔοικε ] only here in the N. T. and in Jam_1:23.
ΚΛΎΔΩΝ ΘΑΛΆΣΣΗς ] only here in the N. T. and in Luk_8:24 ( ΚΛΥΔ . ΤΟῦ ὝΔΑΤΟς ); usually ΚῦΜΑ . The verb ΚΛΥΔΩΝΊΖΕΣΘΑΙ occurs in Eph_4:14; Isa_57:20, LXX. The point of comparison is contained in the subjoined words: ἈΝΕΜΙΖΟΜΈΝῼ ΚΑῚ ῬΙΠΙΖΟΜΈΝῼ ] The verb ἈΝΕΜΊΖΕΣΘΑΙ is entirely an ἍΠΑΞ ΛΕΓ . occurring nowhere else, equivalent to ἈΝΕΜΟῦΣΘΑΙ , found in classical language (see Hegesippus James 6: ἉΛῸς ἨΝΕΜΩΜΈΝΗς ) = agitated, i.e. agitated by the wind. The verb ῥιπίζεΙΝ (only here in N. T.) is also elsewhere used to denote the agitation or excitement of water by the wind; see Dio Chrysostom, xxxiii. p. 368 B: ΔῆΜΟς ἌΣΤΑΤΟΝ ΚΑΚῸΝ ΚΑῚ ΘΑΛΆΣΣῌ ΠΆΝΘʼ ὍΜΟΙΟΝ , ὙΠʼ ἈΝΈΜΟΥ ῬΙΠΊΖΕΤΑΙ ; Philo, de mundo: πρὸς ἀνέμου ῥιπίζεται τὸ ὕδωρ . Heisen incorrectly explains ῬΙΠΊΖΕΣΘΑΙ as equivalent to calefieri et accendi; the word never has this meaning, although used of the kindling of fire.[50] The two expressions (which Lange incorrectly denies) are synonymous, and are placed together only for the sake of strengthening the idea. The opinion that ἀνεμίζ . refers to agitation coming from without, and ῥιπίζ . to agitation coming from within (Bengel), is without foundation; also the assertion that the former word denotes the cause and the latter the effect (Theile, Wiesinger) is not entirely correct, as ἀνεμίζεσθαι itself expresses the effect.
By this image the mind of the doubter is characterized as unsteady and wavering, to which a calm and sure rest is wanting.[51] Comp. Isa_57:20-21, LXX.: οἱ δὲ ἄδικοι κλυδωνισθήσονται καὶ ἀναπαύσασθαι οὐ δυνήσονται , οὐκ ἔστι χαίρειν ( ùÑÈìåÉí ) τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν .[52]
[49] As weak faith is to be distinguished from διακρίνεσθαι , so also is the doubt, of which the believer is conscious as a trial. Calvin strikingly remarks: Fieri quidem non potest in (hac) carnis infirmitate, quin variis tentationibus agitemur, quae sunt veluti machinae ad labefactandam nostram fiduciam: ita nemo reperietur, qui non sensu carnis suae vacillet ac trepidet. Sed oportet ejusmodi tentationes fide tandem superari, quemadmodum arbor, quae firmas radices jecit, quatitur quidem venti impulsu, sed non revellitur, quin potius suo loco stabilis manet.—Whilst the διακρινόμενος , according to the proper meaning of the term, will not believe, it is the longing of the tried to be confirmed in the faith.
[50] Theile correctly rejects this explanation, saying: “Hoc, quamquam undae spumantes ventis revera incalescunt Latinisque etiam ebullire aestusque dicuntur, longius tamen petitum est.”—The verb ῥιπίζειν comes either from ῥιπίς = (1) follis (a bellows); (2) flabellum, having the meaning both of kindling (the fire) and of fanning (for the sake of cooling); or from ῥιπή = vibration, which is also used of wind; thus ῥιπὴ Βορέαο , Il. xv. 171; ῥιπαὶ ἀνέμων , Sophocles, Ant. 137; also ῥιπή = storm, Pind. P. ix. 49. The original import of the German verbs schwingen, bewegen, is thus entirely equivalent to ἀνεμίζειν .
[51] “A doubtful petitioner offers not to God a steady hand or heart, so that God cannot deposit in it His gift,” Stier.
[52] Lange supposes that James has used these expressions with a conscious reference to the O. T. symbols, according to which the sea is “the emblem of the national life, agitated hither and thither in pathological sympathies,” whilst in his time “these waves of the sea” had already begun to roar.