Giacomo 4:14 Commento

In this chapter we are directed to consider, I. Some causes of contention, besides those mentioned in the foregoing chapter, and to watch against them (Jam 4:1-5). II. We are taught to abandon the friendship of this world, so as to submit and subject ourselves entirely to God (Jam 4:4-10). III. All detraction and rash judgment of others are to be carefully avoided (Jam 4:11, Jam 4:12). IV. We must preserve a constant regard, and pay the utmost deference to the disposals of divine Providence (Jam 4:13 to the end).

INTRODUCTION TO JAMES 4 In this chapter the apostle gives the true cause of contentions and strifes; and cautions against intemperance, covetousness, pride, detraction, and vain confidence. Having, in the latter part of the preceding chapter, inveighed against strife and contention, he here shows from whence they spring, from a covetous desire of riches and honour; and which yet are not obtained, because they did not ask these things of God with submission to his will; or they asked with a wrong view, namely, to gratify their lusts, Jam 4:1 and he dissuades from such unlawful desires, partly because they were no other than adultery; and partly because indulging them was declaring themselves enemies of God, Jam 4:4 and he deters from pride, under the name of envy, proud men being generally envious; from the sense of the Scripture, which says, not in vain, that the spirit lusts unto it; and from the consequence of it, such as are proud being resisted by the Lord, when he gives more grace to humble ones, Jam 4:5 hence follow several exhortations, and various duties relating to humility; as to submit to God, and resist the devil, encouraged thereunto by this motive, he will flee, Jam 4:7, to draw nigh to God in a way of religious worship, who will draw nigh in a way of grace to his people; to purity of action, and of heart, or to that which is outward and inward, Jam 4:8 to be humbled, mourn, and weep, instead of joy and laughter, Jam 4:9 to lie low before the Lord, who will raise such up, Jam 4:10 and not to speak evil of anyone, since this is judging a brother; nay, a speaking evil of the law, and a judging of that; which is to invade the prerogative of God, the lawgiver, who is able to save, and to destroy; and therefore one man should not take upon him to judge another, Jam 4:11 and as another instance of great neglect of God, and his providence, and disrespect unto it, the apostle takes notice of a common practice among men, and even professors of religion, who resolve to go to such a place, and continue so long, and there make merchandise, and promise themselves success; not considering what frail short lived creatures they are, and how much all depends upon the will of God; and which they should consider, submit to, and be determined by, Jam 4:13 and he reproves them for their boastings and joy in them, as evil, Jam 4:16, and observes, that it is not enough to know what is right and good, unless it is done; and that such knowledge is but an aggravation of the evil of sin committed, Jam 4:17.

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow,.... Whether there would be a morrow for them or not, whether they should live till tomorrow; and if they should, they knew not what a morrow would bring forth, or what things would happen, which might prevent their intended journey and success: no man can secure a day, an hour, a moment, and much less a year of continuance in this life; nor can he foresee what will befall him today or tomorrow; therefore it is great stupidity to determine on this, and the other, without the leave of God, in whom he lives, moves, and has his being; and by whose providence all events are governed and directed; see Pro 27:1 for what is your life? of what kind and nature is it? what assurance can be had of the continuance of it? by what may it be expressed? or to what may it be compared? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away; which rises out of the earth, or water, and expires almost as soon as it exists; at least, continues but a very short time, and is very weak and fleeting, and carried about here and there, and soon returns from whence it came: the allusion is to the breath of man, which is in his nostrils, and who is not to be accounted of, or depended on.

Restoring health for a time to a man’s body amounts to no more than extending his breath for a little while longer. Therefore it should not be considered of great importance, because it is temporal, not eternal.

Who are ignorant what shall be tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a vapor appearing for a little while, and afterward it shall vanish away; "For what is your life?" This says, pointing out the vanity and wretchedness of our life: and shaming us for the fact that throughout all the time of our life we consume ourselves in temporary evils, and in those things that arise and vanish simultaneously, all our labor is fulfilled. This is also echoed by David, saying: "Yet man passes away like a shadow; yet he is in vain troubled," (Ps. 38:7) that is, about that which is not, but exists only in a mere illusion: for such are the things and the image; or about that which does not exist, but insofar as it has a resemblance and image with life that truly proceeds. "It is a vapor." Vapor is a condensation of air expiring from the moisture due to the heat of fire, having minimal existence. For due to its extreme low density, it easily yields to the surrounding body and vanishes and dissolves, like a moderate moisture when water is added. Thus, it has similarity to our life: and that very cleverly.

Behold now, you who say: "Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and spend a year there, and trade, and make a profit," yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. He notes the folly in this kind of planning in many ways, since clearly they both consult about the increase of profit and assume they will live for a long time, and that it is within their power to spend a year there, and in all of these things they disdain to recall the judgment of the Supreme Judge to mind.

For what is your life? It is a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. He does not say what is our life, but what, he says, is your life? Because the righteous truly begin to live when they reach the end of this life. But the enemies of the Lord, when they have been honored and exalted, will perish like smoke (Psalm 36). However, it should not be thought that this is the same sentiment which the ungodly are reported to have expressed in the book of Wisdom: For we are born from nothing, and after this we will be as though we had never been (Wisdom 2). Because smoke has been blown into our nostrils, and a word as a spark to stir up our heart. When this is extinguished, the body will be ashes, and the spirit will be dispersed like soft air. For these things reasoned with those who believed in no life except this one, saying with Epicurus: “After death there is nothing, and death itself is nothing.” But the blessed James added that the life of the wicked is short in the present, yet in the future, eternal death follows, according to the saying of the blessed Job: They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave (Job 21).

He shows the vanity of our life and puts us to shame for spending our entire life in vanity, for all our labor is exhausted on temporal evil. David says the same: "Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely he busies himself in vain" ("Truly, man walks about like a phantom; in vain he bustles") (Ps. 39:6) — that is, he busies himself over what does not exist but appears as if in a shadow, or over what has no independent existence but constitutes merely a likeness and image of a truly flourishing life. Vapor is a dark compound arising from intense heat and moisture and having the briefest existence, for on account of its extreme fineness it quickly "vanishes" from contact with its surroundings, entering into them and dissolving, just as a small portion of moisture dissolves in water. This is what the apostle likened our "life" to, and most fittingly.

The origin of wars and contentions, and the wretched lot of those who are engaged in them, Jam 4:1, Jam 4:2. Why so little heavenly good is obtained, Jam 4:3. The friendship of the world is enmity with God, Jam 4:4, Jam 4:5. God resists the proud, Jam 4:6. Men should submit to God, and pray, Jam 4:7, Jam 4:8. Should humble themselves, Jam 4:9, Jam 4:10. And not speak evil of each other, Jam 4:11, Jam 4:12. The impiety of those who consult not the will of God, and depend not on his providence, Jam 4:13-15. The sin of him who knows the will of God, and does not do it, Jam 4:16, Jam 4:17.

Whereas ye know not - This verse should be read in a parenthesis. It is not only impious, but grossly absurd, to speak thus concerning futurity, when ye know not what a day may bring forth. Life is utterly precarious; and God has not put it within the power of all the creatures he has made to command one moment of what is future. It is even a vapour - Ατμις γαρ εστιν· It is a smoke, always fleeting, uncertain, evanescent, and obscured with various trials and afflictions. This is a frequent metaphor with the Hebrews; see Psa 102:11; My days are like a shadow: Job 8:9; Our days upon earth are a shadow: Ch1 29:15; Our days on the earth are a shadow, and there is no abiding. Quid tam circumcisum, tam breve, quam hominis vita longissima? Plin. l. iii., Ep. 7. "What is so circumscribed, or so short, as the longest life of man?" "All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, because the breath of the Lord bloweth upon it. Surely the people is like grass." St. James had produced the same figure, Jam 1:10, Jam 1:11. But there is a very remarkable saying in the book of Ecclesiasticus, which should be quoted: "As of the green leaves of a thick tree, some fall and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood: one cometh to an end, and another is born." Ecclus. 14:18. We find precisely the same image in Homer as that quoted above. Did the apocryphal writer borrow it from the Greek poet? Οἱη περ φυλλων γενεη, τοιηδε και ανδρων· Φυλλα τα μεν τ' ανεμος χαμαδις χεει, αλλα δε θ' ὑλη Τηλεθοωσα φυει, εσρος δ' επιγιγνεται ὡρη· Ὡς ανδρων γενεη, ἡ μεν φυει, ἡ δ' αποληγει. Il. l. vi., ver. 146. Like leaves on trees the race of man is found, Now green in youth, now withering on the ground Another race the following spring supplies; They fall successive, and successive rise. So generations in their course decay; So flourish these, when those are pass'd away. Pope.

AGAINST FIGHTINGS AND THEIR SOURCE; WORLDLY LUSTS; UNCHARITABLE JUDGMENTS, AND PRESUMPTUOUS RECKONING ON THE FUTURE. (Jam. 4:1-17) whence--The cause of quarrels is often sought in external circumstances, whereas internal lusts are the true origin. wars, &c.--contrasted with the "peace" of heavenly wisdom. "Fightings" are the active carrying on of "wars." The best authorities have a second "whence" before "fightings." Tumults marked the era before the destruction of Jerusalem when James wrote. He indirectly alludes to these. The members are the first seat of war; thence it passes to conflict between man and man, nation and nation. come they not, &c.--an appeal to their consciences. lusts--literally, "pleasures," that is, the lusts which prompt you to "desire" (see on Jam 4:2) pleasures; whence you seek self at the cost of your neighbor, and hence flow "fightings." that war--"campaign, as an army of soldiers encamped within" [ALFORD] the soul; tumultuously war against the interests of your fellow men, while lusting to advance self. But while warring thus against others they (without his knowledge) war against the soul of the man himself, and against the Spirit; therefore they must be "mortified" by the Christian.

what--literally, "of what nature" is your life? that is, how evanescent it is. It is even--Some oldest authorities read, "For ye are." BENGEL, with other old authorities, reads, "For it shall be," the future referring to the "morrow" (Jam 4:13-15). The former expresses, "Ye yourselves are transitory"; so everything of yours, even your life, must partake of the same transitoriness. Received text has no old authority. and then vanisheth away--"afterwards vanishing as it came"; literally, "afterwards (as it appeared), so vanishing" [ALFORD].