James 4
4:1 a quarrels and fights (literally wars and battles): James uses military imagery to declare that their own evil desires at war within them were the immediate cause of the battles among church members. James uses the Greek word translated evil desires again in 4:3 b (translated “pleasure”) to enclose the entire paragraph and indicate the source of conflict and unanswered prayer (Luke 8:14 c; Titus 3:3 d).4:2 e you scheme and kill: Killing was the extreme, but logical, outcome of their rapacious attitude. Some of James’s readers might have followed the Jewish Zealot movement and engaged in murder to benefit their cause. Hostile attitudes and violent methods do not provide satisfaction—you can’t get what you want by them.
Summary for Jas 4:4-10: 4:4-10 f James explains the causes of conflict: love for the world, divided loyalty, and arrogant criticism (4:11-12 g). He gives exhortations which will rectify these causes and lead to peace. 4:4 h You adulterers: James uses this prophetic imagery (see, e.g., Jer 3:6 i; Hos 3:1 j) because his readers were seeking what friendship with the world could give them—social acceptance (Jas 2:1-4 k), prestige (3:1 l), or wealth (4:13 m). Divided loyalty toward God (4:8 n) is like adultery against one’s spouse.
• In the ancient world, friend was used as a title for special and exclusive relationships (Luke 23:12 o, Herod and Pilate; John 19:12 p, Pilate as “friend of Caesar”; see also 1 Maccabees 2:18; 6:28). Both Moses (Exod 33:11 q) and Abraham were called friends of God (Jas 2:23 r; 2 Chr 20:7 s; Isa 41:8 t; cp. John 15:15 u).
• The world consists of society that is opposed to God and his kingdom. The world is guided by earthly wisdom, not heavenly (Jas 3:15-17 v), and is characterized by evil desires, fighting, and killing (4:2-3 w).
4:5 x Scriptures ... say: James summarizes one of the messages of Scripture, that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.
4:7 y Resist the devil: See also Eph 6:11 z; 1 Pet 5:8 aa.
4:8 ab Come close to God: This is the language of friendship (2:23 ac) and loyalty (1:6-8 ad).
• Wash your hands ... purify your hearts: The language of ceremonial cleansing is applied to the inner purity of one’s intentions (cp. Mark 7:1-23 ae).
4:10 af To those who humble themselves before him, God gives honor in place of the shame of their persecution and oppression (Jas 2:6-7 ag).
Summary for Jas 4:11-12: 4:11-12 ah These verses reflect on Matt 7:1 ai and Luke 6:37 aj (see study note on Jas 1:22-23). 4:11 ak Don’t speak evil against each other: This exhortation for peace in the Christian community requires that Christians not slander each other. Slandering one’s neighbor is the same as slandering God’s law, because the law prohibits slander and demands love for one’s neighbor (2:8 al; Lev 19:16-18 am; Matt 7:1-5 an).
Summary for Jas 4:13-16: 4:13-16 ao Itinerant merchants depended on personal assertiveness as a solution to their poverty and low social status. James urges greater recognition of God’s providence and warns against arrogantly planning events which one cannot really control.
4:15 ap The Lord has authority over life and death (Deut 32:39 aq; 1 Sam 2:6 ar; Matt 10:28 as).
4:16 at Christians may boast about what God has done (1:9-10 au), but not about their own arrogant plans, which assume that God has no claim or authority over their lives.
4:17 av Remember: This verse is probably a maxim that James expected his readers to recognize. Its source is unknown, but it is consistent with the teaching of Scripture (cp. Deut 24:15 aw; Prov 3:27-28 ax; Matt 25:41-46 ay; Luke 12:47 az).
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