Jam 5 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Jas 5:1-6: 5:1-6 This section denounces the rich people for their greed and arrogant oppression of the poor (Lev 19:13 ). James warns them to repent while they can; if they do not, they will face terrible troubles . . . on the day of judgment .

Summary for Jas 5:1-6: 5:1-6 ^a This section denounces the rich people for their greed and arrogant oppression of the poor (Lev 19:13 ^b). James warns them to repent while they can; if they do not, they will face terrible troubles . . . on the day of judgment.
5:2 ^c The wealth and fine clothes are so excessive that they deteriorate from lack of use; their destruction is a sign of the anticipated judgment.
5:3 ^d Material wealth, represented by gold and silver, is worthless in the face of God’s judgment. In fact, it will testify against them because it was unjustly gotten (5:4 ^e) and wickedly used (5:5-6 ^f).
5:4 ^g These rich people (5:1 ^h) were exploitive landowners. Like those in 2:6 ⁱ who oppressed and dragged Christians into court, they were exploiting the day laborers whose work was to harvest their fields.

• cries ... have reached the ears of the Lord: God hears the prayers of the oppressed (see Deut 24:14-15 ^j). Even while the laborers are still suffering, the Lord has heard (see Exod 3:7 ^k).

• the Lord of Heaven’s Armies (1 Sam 17:45 ^l; Ps 103:20-21 ^m; Rom 9:29 ⁿ): This title emphasizes God’s power to act when the oppressed cannot.
5:6 ^o killed innocent people (or killed the Righteous One): In this context, the phrase most likely refers to innocent people such as the oppressed laborers in this paragraph rather than to Jesus (cp. Acts 3:14 ^p; 7:52 ^q).
Summary for Jas 5:7-8: 5:7-8 ^r be patient: This is the ultimate resolution for the poor in their economic pressures and for the unjust treatment by the wicked rich (5:1-6 ^s; see 2:6-7 ^t). Even though the poor have been marginalized and oppressed, they must not give up or strike out at their oppressors. At the Lord’s return, the faithful will receive their final reward (Isa 40:10 ^u; Luke 6:20-35 ^v; 1 Cor 15:23 ^w; 1 Pet 1:17 ^x; 5:4 ^y; Rev 22:12 ^z).
5:9 ^aa the Judge is standing at the door! The coming of Christ is imminent.
5:10 ^ab This verse reflects on Matt 5:11 ^ac and Luke 6:23 ^ad (see study note on Jas 1:22-23).
5:11 ^ae Job was a man of great endurance because he remained faithful to God throughout his hardships (Job 1:20-21 ^af; 2:9-10 ^ag) despite his complaints (Job 3:1-26 ^ah; 12:1-3 ^ai; 16:1-3 ^aj).
5:12 ^ak never take an oath: Because the churches were having such severe verbal conflicts (4:1-3 ^al, 11-12 ^am), James calls upon them to avoid the pitfalls of deceitful oaths by not using any oaths at all (Matt 5:33-37 ^an). To swear an oath in the name of the Lord was to call upon him to enforce the oath (Gen 31:53 ^ao; 1 Kgs 8:31-32 ^ap). When people swore by heaven or earth they were either feigning reverence while avoiding the use of the divine name, or they were being deceitful with clever verbiage (see Matt 23:16-22 ^aq). Peter used an oath deceitfully (Matt 26:71-73 ^ar), but Paul used an oath to confirm his assertions (Rom 1:9 ^as; 2 Cor 1:23 ^at), which suggests that the prohibition of oaths is not absolute.
5:14 ^au The elders of the church were responsible for the well-being of a local assembly of Christians. Elders were selected because of their relative age and their qualifications as Christian leaders (Acts 14:23 ^av; 20:17 ^aw, 28 ^ax; 1 Pet 5:1-4 ^ay; cp. 1 Tim 3:1-7 ^az; Titus 1:5-9 ^ba).

• At this early stage in the development of the church (AD 40s; see James Book Introduction, “Date and Location of Writing”), the word church is apparently a non-technical term meaning “congregation, assembly” (cp. Matt 18:17 ^bb).

• The act of anointing ... with oil symbolizes divine blessing and healing (Isa 1:6 ^bc; Matt 6:17 ^bd; Mark 6:13 ^be; Luke 10:34 ^bf).
5:15 ^bg a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick: This proverb is a generally true statement, subject to the will of God. Only prayers that embody true faith will be answered affirmatively by the Lord, and faith for a particular healing is a gift that comes from God. See also Mark 9:23 ^bh; John 14:13-14 ^bi; 15:7 ^bj, 16 ^bk; 16:23-27 ^bl; 1 Jn 3:22 ^bm; 5:14-15 ^bn.

• if you have committed any sins: James suggests that some illnesses might be caused by sin, and it is important that the sin also be confessed and forgiven (Jas 5:16 ^bo; see Mark 2:3-12 ^bp; John 5:14 ^bq).
5:17 ^br Elijah ... prayed: See 1 Kgs 17:1 ^bs; 18:41-46 ^bt.

• Three and a half years (see 1 Kgs 18:1 ^bu; Luke 4:25 ^bv) is a round figure, half of seven, which symbolizes a period of judgment (cp. Dan 12:7 ^bw; Rev 11:2 ^bx).
Summary for Jas 5:19-20: 5:19-20 ^by These verses end the letter as a bookend (inclusio) counterbalancing the exhortation to endurance in 1:2-4 ^bz.
5:20 ^ca To save a sinner from death refers not merely to physical death but to eternal death, the punishment for departing from the truth of the Good News of Jesus Christ (see 1:12 ^cb, 15 ^cc; cp. Heb 6:4-8 ^cd). If the sinful person listens and repents, eternal punishment will be averted (see also Gal 6:1 ^ce; Jude 1:22-24 ^cf).