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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - James 4:11 - 4:11
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11. μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων. The argument reverts to the main subject. It is a last thought on the evils of the tongue. It is a warning against evil speaking and slandering. The mention of the law however points to a particular kind of evil-speaking. This law is, according to Beyschlag and others, the law of love, the νόμος βασιλικός mentioned above ch. Jam 2:8. But then the question arises how does a man speaking against his brother speak against the law, or judge the law? Certainly if he is guilty of slander he transgresses the law. But how does he become a νομοθέτης and a κρίτης? It is said indeed that in slandering a brother a man’s conduct becomes a practical criticism and condemnation of the law of love. He enacts as it were a law opposed to the law of love; whereas his duty is simply to obey the law of love and to abstain from evil-speaking and slander. This explanation however is not wholly satisfactory.
But if the law be understood of the Mosaic law a more natural explanation suggests itself. It is probable that the question of the observance of the Mosaic law had already been mooted in the brotherhood. The earliest rule in the primitive Church was observance of the law as St James himself and even St Paul observed it. But some Jewish Christians had from the first foreseen the transitory character of the law. And among these some, we may imagine, inspired by the thought of Christian liberty, would press their views with needless zeal, speaking against their brethren whose conscience led them to observe the law. These would be rightly regarded as judging the law; just as one who censures a statesman censures his policy.
To such as these St James now addresses himself. He is not as yet prepared for this great revolution. If the law is to be changed, it is for the one only Lawgiver and Judge to change it. It is not for the individual Christian to anticipate the change which time would bring.