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Jam_4:9. The μετάνοια required in Jam_4:8 does not take place without grief and mourning for guilt. The consciousness of the latter is the road to the former; therefore the summons now to this mourning: ταλαιπωρήσατε καὶ πενθήσατε καὶ κλαύσατε . The repetition of καί is an expression of emotion; ταλαιπωρεῖν ] in the N. T. ἅπ . λεγ . (the adjective in Rom_7:24; Rev_3:17; the substantive in chap. Jam_5:1; Rom_3:16), literally, to suffer external hardships, as in Mic_2:4, is here used of the internal condition: to feel unhappy, wretched, as the adjective in Rom_7:24. Estius, Gagnejus, Grotius erroneously refer it to bodily castigations: affligite vosmet ipsos jejuniis et aliis corporis σκληραγωγίαις (Grotius); similarly Hottinger: sensum miseriae claris indiciis prodite; falsely also Beza: reprehendit ἀναλγησίαν in adversis.
πενθήσατε καὶ κλαύσατε ] the same combination in Neh_8:9; 2Sa_19:1; and in the N. T. Mar_16:10; Luk_6:25; Rev_18:15; Rev_18:19 : wail and weep. Grotius incorrectly explains πενθήσατε = lugubrem habitum induite, saccum et cilicia; there is not the slightest indication that James had in view the external signs of mourning in dress and the like. If the foregoing exhortations point to a change of the lusts and joy of worldly life into godly mourning ( τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν λύπην , 2Co_7:10), this is still more definitely expressed in what follows, by which James passes from the outward manifestation ( γέλως … πένθος ) to the internal state ( χαρὰ … κατήφεια ).
κατήφεια ] ἅπ . λεγ . (the adj., Wis_17:4), literally, the casting down of the eyes, here indicates internal shame; in Plutarch, Them. 9, it is used synonymously with δυσθυμία . Compare with this the picture of the publican in Luk_18:13.