James

1:2-18

2. Instructions on trials and temptation, 1:2-18

Growing in Christian maturity

The first set of instructions, or probably better sayings, in the letter of James, 1:2-18, touch on the issue of temptations/tests/trials and the dangers and opportunities that these present to a believer. The separate instructions/sayings are as follows: endurance in the face of life's difficulties promotes Christian maturity; v2-4, wisdom aids endurance, v5-8; prosperity is of little value (in the face of life's difficulties??) due to its impermanence , v9-11; those who endure reap the reward of life, v12; testing-times may be divinely sanctioned, but the temptations they promote are not, since these are the product of our own evil desires, v13-15; only good comes from God, not evil, v16-18.

Instruction #1, v2-4. James encourages believers to endure the difficulties of life knowing that such challenges can lead to spiritual growth - maturity in the Christian life.

hJghsasqe (hgeomai) aor. imp. "consider" - consider, count, regard. The aorist is possibly ingressive, "begin to consider".

caran (a) "[pure] joy" - [all] joy. Emphatic position. The "all" functions here as an intensifying adjective for "joy", as NIV; "nothing but joy", Barclay. Being "happy" (cf. "count yourselves supremely happy", REB) in the face of trouble is somewhat difficult and may lead to an unrealistic approach to personal hurts. Of course, "joy" is probably not actually "happiness", but more in line with spiritual joy as expressed in Judith 8:25, "let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who is putting us to the test as he did our forefathers." So, "consider it a sheer gift, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides", Peterson.

oJtan + subj. "whenever" - Forming an indefinite temporal clause.

peripeshte (peripiptw) aor. subj. "you face" - you fall into. Possibly just "encounter".

peirasmoiV (oV) dat. "trials" - afflictions. The meaning can be "adversities/trials", or "temptations". Here "trials", as NIV, seems likely. Note the same problem exists with the Lord's prayer; is it "lead us not into temptation", or "let us not face the trial"?

poikiloiV "of many kinds" - of various kinds, variegated. The genitive is adjectival limiting "trials".

ginwskonteV (ginwskw) pres. part. "because you know" - knowing. The participle is probably causal, "because you know", NIV, but possibly with an imperatival edge, "for you must realize that ...", Barclay. A believer is able to view trouble positively "because we know that God uses trials to perfect our faith and make us stronger Christians", Moo.

oJti "that" - Introducing a dependent statement of perception expressing what they should know.

to dokimion (on) "the testing" - the test, the act of testing / proof, genuine. Here the act of testing, not the result of testing, ie.. "genuine", cf. 1Pet.1:7. So, as of the refining process of gold; "as your faith is proved (refined)", TH.

thV pistewV (iV ewV) gen. "of [your] faith" - of the faith [of you]. This key word has different shades of meaning in the NT. For Paul it is dependence/reliance on the one who is dependent/reliant on our behalf, ie faith in the faith/faithfulness of God in Christ. This is probably how James' understands "faith". Sometimes it is "the faith" as of doctrine, and faith, in the sense of acceptance of that doctrine. It is possible that James uses "faith" in the Old Testament sense of loyalty to God, of "a personal commitment to Jesus Christ in trust [and obedience??], determined loyalty to Him through all kinds of difficulty and opposition", Mitton.

katergazetai (katergazomai) "develops" - works out, results in, brings about, accomplishes. The aspect is perfective, ie. expressing completed action.

uJpomonhn (h) "perseverance" - endurance, staying, fortitude. "Steadfastness / staying-power / constancy..... Used in this sense of unswerving constancy to faith and piety in spite of adversity and suffering", Ropes.

de "[perseverance]" - but, and. Here connective, not adversative; "And as for this consistency to faith and piety".

ecetw (ecw) pres. imp. "must" - let have [complete work]. The endurance must promote, achieve a complete work; "it is essential that this endurance should manifest itself to ...", Cassirer.

teleion adj. "finish [its work]" - complete [work]. "Complete" in what sense? Possibly in a temporal sense, as NIV; "this ability must go right on to the end", Barclay. Yet, it is more likely that James has in mind something like "the full equipment of the complete Christian", Mitton. The word commonly means "perfect", but in Jewish literature it means "mature" = "completeness of character", Martin, rather than "perfect", Ropes.

iJna + subj. "so that" - that. Forming a purpose clause "in order that", or a hypothetical result "so that".

teleioi kai oJloklhroi adj. "mature and complete" - complete and complete. The second adjective supporting the first taking the meaning "complete in all its parts". Such completeness, according to du Plessis in (Perfection in the New Testament) is reflected in a coherence of faith and works, although something even wider is probably in James' mind. James is referring to the "rounded out" believer, Berkeley.

en mhdeni leipomenoi (leipw) perf. pas. part. "not lacking anything" - in nothing lacking. The participial phrase functions adjectivally limiting "complete"; lacking as in "falling short" morally, Johnson. Of course, perfect completeness, a completeness that lacks nothing in the qualities of discipleship, is an ideal for which we aim, not a reality we achieve.

Instruction # 2, v5-8. "James turns our attention to one important element in the full equipment of the complete Christian, namely, wisdom. He insists that it is a gift from God, to be received by faith", Mitton, but is only received by "an asking that is sincere and uncorrupted", Moo.

de "-" - but, and. James has provided a connecting particle between v2-4 and v5-8, although the connection is not easily identified. The link possibly lies in the idea that wisdom provides the ability to handle testing times. James' point is, of course, that what is needed is the correct kind of wisdom, ie. divine wisdom rather than a wisdom of human devising.

ei + ind. "if" - Forming a 1st class condition where the condition is assumed a reality, "if, as is the case, ..... then ..."

leipetai (leipw) pres. pas. "[any of you] lacks" - is lacking. Linked to the part., v4. Linking words to the next block of teaching/saying is a stylistic feature of James. If anyone is lacking wisdom, that element of the full equipment of the complete Christian that enables them to deal with testing times, then ..... "And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem, he has only to ask God", Phillips.

sofiaV (a) "wisdom" - Not "cleverness", which is what wisdom meant for the Greeks, but certainly "the power to discern right from wrong and good from evil", ie. "moral discernment", Mitton, although probably more in the terms of "spiritual discernment" - knowing the mind of Christ and being able to apply it to life's situations; "the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect", Rom.12:2.

aiteitw (aitew) pres. imp. "he should ask" - ask. The present tense is durative, possibly iterative expressing repeated action, although not arm bending; "keep on asking" in the sense of "always pray and do not lose heart", constancy in prayer, not persistence in prayer.

para + gen. "-" - [ask] from [God].

tou didontoV (didwmi) gen. pres. part. "who gives [generously]" - the one giving. The participle functions as an adjective, as NIV. cf. Lk.6:38.

pasin "all" - Probably "all believers", but certainly "all who ask".

mh oneidizontoV (oneidizw) gen. pres. part. "without finding fault" - not reproaching. The participle is adjectival as above. Probably in the sense of a gift generously given either without holding the recipient to account for the gift, or assessing the worth of recipient to receive the gift.

doqhsetai (didwmi) fut. pas. "it will be given [to him]" - "You can be quite sure the necessary wisdom will be given him", Phillips.

de "but" - Adversative?

aiteitw (aitew) pres. imp. "when he asks" - let him ask.

en pistei (iV ewV) "he must believe" - in faith. How do we read the preposition? Is it spatial "in the sphere of faith", or association, "in relationship with faith", or instrumental, "by faith"? If read with the following participle the sense is "in constancy (nothing doubting) of faith", Ropes. Faith" as above, possibly loyalty to, but better confidence/dependence/reliance in God, ie. asking in the sure knowledge that God will do what he has promised. Here the knowledge that God will provide the wherewithal (wisdom) to stand the time of testing.

mhden diakinomenoV (diakrinw) pres. mid. part. "[he must believe and] not doubt" - [in faith] nothing doubting, being at variance with oneself [ie. divide]. The prime meaning of the word is "differentiate / create divisions", but in the middle voice it takes a reflective sense, "dispute with oneself" = "doubt". In the sense of not doubting that God will do what he has promised, not in the sense that we must be free of doubt, "free from hesitation", Mitton, cf. Rom.4:20 + "double-minded, unstable", v8.

gar "for" - Expressing cause/reason, explaining why doubt is a problem; "because ....."

oJ ... diakrinomenoV "he who doubts" - the one doubting. Participle functioning as a substantive. "One who lives in an inner conflict between trust and distrust of God", Mussner.

eoiken (eoika) perf. "is like" - resembles, is similar to, is like. Only here and in 1:23 in the NT, the verb being followed by a dative (here "waves") since it references something. The perfect takes present force. "Like a cork floating on the wave", Mayor. The illustrative simile expresses the "instability", Ropes, of a person who doubts; "always changing", Moo, "unstable", Johnson, "agitation without making any progress to any result .... to and fro like the doubters mind", Adamson.

qalasshV (hV) gen. "[a wave] of the sea]" - of sea. The genitive is adjectival, limiting "waves".

anemizomenw/ (animizw) pres. pas. pat. "blown" - being driven by the wind. This participle, as is the following participle, is adjectival modifying/describing "waves".

rJipizomenw/ (rJipizw) pres. pas. pat. "tossed by the wind" - being blown away, tossed about. "Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open", Peterson.

"For the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord", NRSV, so also NJB. It seems best to take anhr, "man", v8, with its modifying adjectival phrase "double minded unstable in the his ways", as referencing / in apposition to oJ anqrwpos ekeinoV, "this man/person" in v7. So, "let not the/this man who is double minded and unstable ...... be supposing that ...." Most translations agree with the NIV.

gar "-" - for. Expressing cause/reason, the reason why a person must ask in faith without doubting. The reason being that the confidence of a double-minded person is misplaced.

mh .. oiesqw (oiomai) pres. imp. "[that man] should not think" - let not suppose. Mitton runs the line that James is denouncing the supposition that God's grace is freely available apart from the worth of the supplicant ("cheap grace"). In truth, the only worth deserving of God's grace resides with Christ alone, cf. God "gives generously to all without finding fault", v5. James is specifically addressing the issue of prayer. Our confidence is misplaced if we think that God is some sort of Santa Claus. What we can be confident about is that God will answer the prayer of faith, a prayer that rests in the knowledge that God will supply what he has promised.

oJti "-" - that. Introducing a dependent statement of perception expressing what he thinks.

diyucoV adj. "double-minded" - double-souled = double-minded. James is further developing what he means by "nothing doubting", v6. If James understands "faith" primarily as "allegiance", then it is likely that "double-souled" refers to a "divided heart", Ps.12:2, Hos.10:2, which then explains "doubting"; "The OT blesses those who pursue God with `a whole heart', Ps.119:2", Moo. Yet, it still seems likely, given the context, that James is describing "doubting in prayer", Johnson.

akatastatoV adj. "unstable" - having no stability, unsettled. Again the image of a bobbing cork on a stormy sea.

en pasaiV taiV oJdoiV autou "in all he does" - in all his ways. "Such a one is like a mentally ill person who tries to put (seek!!) a positive and negative answer to the same question (request!!) at the same time", Junkins.

Instruction #3, v9-11. James now contrasts the rich with the poor, making the point that there is little value in trusting the impermanence of wealth.

de "-" - but, and. Here functioning as a transitional particle.

oJ adelfoV "the brother" - Obviously "believing brother", as it seems likely that "the one who is rich" = "rich man", is similarly a believer, a "rich brother".

oJ tapeinoV adj. "[the brother] in humble circumstances" - the lowly, humble position [brother]. A believer with limited opportunities due to their social status, poverty, .... is able to find fulfilment in the vagaries of life in the knowledge that social advantage, wealth, .... is transitory. "Let a brother who is in a lower socioeconomic class", Junkins.

kaucasqw (kaucaomai) pres. imp. "ought to take pride" - let boast - to express an unusually high degree of confidence in someone or something being exceptionally noteworthy*. When used in a bad sense "boast" means "self congratulation", but here obviously not in that sense. As Johnson notes the issue here rests with the ground of boasting. A person may boast about their achievements, etc. whereas a person with few opportunities in life is left to boast in eternal verities. "Let the one who boasts, boast in this, understanding and knowing the Lord, and doing judgment and righteousness in the midst of the earth", cf. 1Sam.2:1-10. "Be glad", CEV.

en tw/ uJyei autou "in his high position" - in the height/exaltation of him. Surely referring to a believer's "present spiritual status which, by virtue of his relation to Christ, the Christian now enjoys", Adamson. "Because God has called him to the true riches", Phillips.

de "but" - but, and. Possibly adversative, as NIV, but also possibly correlative, "and"; "the poor brother ought to take pride in their exaltation and the rich brother ought to take pride in their humiliation, because for both rich and poor alike wealth is transitory."

oJ .... plousioV adj. "the one who is rich" - the rich. As above, there is debate whether James has in mind secular "rich and powerful" persons, those who oppress, cf. 2:1-6, 5:1-6, or prosperous believers. It is likely that here he has in mind rich believers; "the wealthy member (believer)", REB.

"should take pride" - Added for meaning, although only appropriate if the rich man is a believer.

en th/ tapeinwsei (iV ewV) "in [his] low position" - in the humiliation, lowly position [of him]. There is some debate as to what James means by the rich believer taking pride in their humiliation. Is it their "reduced circumstances", Goodspeed, or their "low social status", as NIV, now that they are believers? Moo seems to be on the mark when he argues that James is encouraging the rich believer to boast in their Christian standing, their spiritual humility, rather than their wealth (being nothing in themselves but everything in Christ). Both rich and poor believers alike possess the same ground for boasting, for the poor it is their exaltation, for the rich it is their humiliation.

oJti "because" - Here causal. Let both rich and poor boast in their Christian standing because "prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don't even count on it", Peterson.

"You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that's a picture of the `prosperous life'. At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing", Peterson.

gar "for" - Expressing cause/reason.

exhranen (exrainw) aor. "withers" - dries up, dries out, withers, fails. James uses three verbs to express what happens to the "flower/grass" when confronted by the sun's "scortching/blazing/burning" heat. It withers the flower, makes it fall and destroys its beauty.

ton corton (oV) "the plant" - the grass. Usually referring to wild flowers and/or grass growing in a field.

apwleto (apollumi) aor. "destroyed" - [the beauty of the appearance of it] perished, is destroyed, comes to ruin.

ouJtwV "in the same way" - thus, so. Establishing a comparison.

maranqhsetai (marainw) fut. pas. "will fade away" - will waste/wither away. "The reference is to the loss of riches and earthly prosperity, not to eternal destiny", Ropes. "Fading glory" is probably in James' mind, rather than "fade and die", Goodspeed.

en taiV poreiaiV "while he goes about [his] business" - in the journey [of him]. "Figurative .... refers to the experiences and fortunes of the rich", Ropes. "So the life of a rich man is a journey to decay", Barclay.

Instruction #4, v12. God's reward is life for those who endure in Christ. We face two problems with this verse. First, we again have to decide whether the word peirasmoV means "test" ("a heavy ordeal, .. distress and strain"), or "tempt" ("an enticement to do evil", Mitton). It seems likely that "test" is intended and that v13-18 seeks to draw a distinction between divine testing and temptations to evil. Second, there is little agreement as to the division of this saying unit, eg. Mitton, 1:12-15; Johnson, 1:9-12, 13-21; Davids, 1:12-18; Adamson, 1:12-21; Martin, 1:12-19a. Dibelius, Ropes and Moo treat v12 as an isolated saying, followed by the saying unit v13-18. This seems the most likely intended division of the text.

makarioV adj. "blessed" - Possibly in the sense of "happy", but often with the idea of the a divine endowment, so "blessed", as NIV. "God will bless you if you don't give up", CEV. Given the wisdom background of this treatise a more general sense is probably best; "Happy are those who remain faithful under trials", TEV, ie. life goes better for us, now and always, if we maintain our reliance upon the Lord.

uJpomenei (uJpomenw) pres. "perseveres" - endures. The present tense is durative. "Showing constancy" under pressure, Ropes. "Blessed is the man who stands up under trial", Berkeley.

peirasmon (oV) "under trial" - As noted above, "temptation" is possible and adopted by some translators, eg. Junkins, NCV. Better "trials"; "being tested", CEV.

oJti "because" - Here causal, as NIV.

genomenoV (ginomai) aor. part. "when he has [stood the test]" - having become [approved]. The participle is probably temporal, as NIV. "Approved" in the sense of having stood the test.

lhmyetai (lambanw) fut. "he will receive" - Encapsulating the idea of reward, an idea with dubious connotations. If the reward is given for obedience to Christ in the face of testing times then it is more than dubious since "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." On the other hand, reward that rests on free grace, appropriated through an ongoing reliance (faith) in the faithful one, when all about us implies that he is less than faithful, is anything but dubious; it's good news!

thV zwhV (h) gen. "[the crown] of life" - The genitive is adjectival, limiting crown, epexegetic in that it exegetes the nature of the crown. God's reward is life for those who are in a relationship with him in Christ. Of course, the text does not specifically say "eternal life". In a wisdom framework, life is here and now so "the crown of life" could well be "the fullness of life under God".

Instruction #5, v13-15. "God, James has said, promises a blessing to those who endure trials. Every trial, every external difficulty, carries with it a temptation, an inner enticement to sin. God may bring, or allow, trials; he is not, James insists, the author of temptation. Enticement to sin comes from our own sinful natures", Moo, v13-15.

peirazomenoV (peirazw) pres. pas. part. "When tempted" - being tempted. The participle is obviously adverbial, temporal, as NIV. See "test/tempt" above. Here obviously "tempt", although some translators do not agree, cf. NJB.

legetw (legw) pres. imp. "[no one] should say" - let [no one] say.

oJti "-" - that. Introducing a dependent statement, direct speech. "I am being tempted by God", Barclay.

apo + gen. "-" - from [God]. Expressing a divine/heavenly source of temptation without actually blaming God, or suggesting he is the instrument of temptation, ie. "a looser and more remote relation of agency", Ropes.

gar "for" - Expressing cause/reason, setting up an explanation as to why we should not say ....

apeirastoV adj. "[God] cannot be tempted [by evil]" - [God] is untemptable / untempted / having no experience [of evil]. A hapax legomenon. The meaning is somewhat obscure, but generally understood as "not subject to temptation", Zerwick; "God is incapable of being tempted by evil", Moffatt. Yet, this seems a rather strange statement and so it is more likely that the clause means either i] taking an active sense, "for God is not one who tempts with evil, he doesn't tempt anyone", or ii] a passive sense, "God is unable to be tempted to do evil, and he himself tempts no one", cf. Dibelius. The passive sense is supported by the fact that the following clause is introduced by de, "but/and", which may serve here to introduce what is a correction of a previous false statement. Either way, this seems the best approach, in that it answers the believer who is trying to shift the blame for their sin, a kind of "God made me do it", line. Note Davids take, "God ought not to be tested by evil persons" - another possible approach.

kakwn gen. adj. "by evil" - of evil. The genitive is possibly adverbial, means, "by evil things/persons", possibly ablative, expressing separation or source, or simply adjectival, limiting that which God is untemptable of, namely, doing evil. "God cannot be tempted to do evil", Cassirer.

perazei (perazw) pres. ind. "[nor] does he tempt [anyone]" - [he himself (emphatic statement] tempts [no one].

de "but" - Adversative. "On the contrary".

ekastoV "each one [is tempted when]" - each [is tempted]. "Every person is enticed to commit evil ...."

uJpo + gen. "by" - by. Agency, instrumental.

epiqumiaV (a) "evil desires" - lusts, strong desires. "Passions", Knox.

exelkomenoV (exelkw) pres. pas. part. "he is dragged away" - being lured, drawn away. This, and the following participle, are probably adverbial, probably temporal, as NIV, "when he is seduced and enticed by his own evil desire", Barclay, but possibly adjectival modifying "evil desire", "by his own evil desire which lures and entices."

deleazomenoV (deleazw) pres. pas. part. "enticed" - being enticed, allured. Used of catching something by the use of a bait. "That drag us off and trap us", CEV.

eita "then" - Expressing result. "Then the next thing that happens is that ....", Barclay.

sullabousa (sullambanw) aor. part. "after [desire] has conceived" - having seized / helped / conceived [gives birth to sin] . The participle is obviously adverbial, temporal, as NIV. The meaning "conceived" seems best. The imagery of illicit sex is being employed, of desire as a seductress, of lust conceiving and giving birth to a bastard child, namely, sin. Evil desires, plus human willingness, give birth to sin and sin to death, beware!

apotelesqeisa (apotelew) aor. pat. "when it is full grown" - having come to full growth, maturity. Again the participle is temporal, as NIV.

apokuei (akokuew) "gives birth to [death]" - Variant future tense, "will give birth to" is possible. "Sin in the long run means death", Phillips.

Instruction #6, v16-18. James has made the point that God is not the author of temptation, or of anything evil; now he puts the positive side of this truth. God is the "one who gives good gifts to his people - and, preeminently, the gift of the new birth", Moo, v16-18. This saying is usually taken with v13-15, but it is properly a saying in its own right. James often uses the vocative adelfoi "brothers" to introduce a new saying.

mh planasqe (planaw) pres. pas. imp. "Don't be deceived" - Is James referring back (the deception of a "God made me do it" approach), so Martin, Mitton, Dibelius, or is he referring forward (God is the source of all that is good), or both, so Moo? Presumably the second option, but why the warning? Possibly an eschatological, or moral warning, ie. God's gifts are good and by implication evil people will not inherit them, 1Cor.6:9, so Davids. Better, "don't be misled", Junkins/Barclay, leading to misunderstanding, ie. an intellectual failure, "Do not err", Ropes. Even better, it possibly a rhetorical device "make no mistake about this", NJB, even serving to introduce a quote, v17a.

As noted above, v17a is possibly a quoted proverb "every gift is good and every present perfect", Ropes, or as we would say "don't look a gift horse in the mouth", cf. Davids.

agaqh kai .... teleion "[every] good and perfect [gift]" - good and perfect, complete. If referencing the context, wisdom may be in James' mind, but it is more likely that good gifts in general is the intended sense. "All we are given is good and all our endowments are faultless", Moffatt.

estin katabainon (katabainw) pres. part. "coming down" - A periphrastic present construction, ie. "coming down from above = "comes from heaven", rather than "is from above, coming down from the Father ...", as NIV. The construction possibly emphasizes the durative nature of the present tense. "Every complete gift that we have received must come [comes] from above, from the Father of lights", Phillips.

tou petroV twn fwtwn "the Father of heavenly lights" - the father of lights. The image is somewhat obtuse, but it is generally held to refer to the heavenly bodies and thus of God's good and perfect creation. "The Father who created all the lights in the heavens", CEV.

para + dat. "[who]" - with [whom]. The relative pronoun "whom" takes a dative of respect/reference; "with him".

ouk eni (enestin) pres. "does not [change]" - there is no [variation/change]. "With God, there is no change", Barclay, but change with regard to what? Probably in his grace, his good gifts, so "there is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle", Peterson, ie. God's good grace is always constant.

h] "-" - or [of turning shadow]. Ropes, in trying to make sense of this very obtuse metaphor, reads this conjunction as an article. Numerous variant readings exist, the main one being parallagh h] trophV aposkiasmatoV, and so further confuse the matter. The quoted variant only makes sense when h is read hJ (as an article) rather than h], "or", "variation which is of /consist in / belongs to the truth of the shadow", Metzger. Dibelius suggests an additional h], "or", was intended , so: "who himself is without change and knows neither turning nor eclipse." Hort suggested the aposkiasmotoV is actually a corruption of the original aposkiasma autoV, the autoV, "he", introducing the next verse, as NIV.

trophV aposkiasma "like shifting shadows" - of turning shadow. The genitive "of turning" is obviously adjectival, limiting "shadow", a turning type of shadow. "Turning" may be technical referring to a lunar or solar eclipse, thus the moving shadow of an eclipse, but there is no evidence that the word has such a technical meaning. Somehow, for James, the metaphor illustrates change, something that God is not subject to. So, the NIV expresses the idea that God does not change as does a shifting shadow. There is the possibility that the metaphor relates to the image of God as the Father of light, such that God doesn't change and become dark like a shadow; "never makes dark shadows by changing", CEV. The NIV approach seems best; "with him there is no variation, no play of passing shadows", REB.

gar "-" - for. Variant, probably not original, attempting to improve the grammar.

"He" - See autoV above; "he, having willed."

boulhqeiV (boulomai) aor. pas. part. "chose" - having willed, deliberately willed, decided after counsel. The position is possibly emphatic, although the stress is not on God's willing, but on what he willed. If autoV, "he" is original then its position is emphatic, and the participle forms an adjectival participial phrase limiting "he/God"; "he, in the exercise of his will (NASB) / in fulfilment of his purpose (NRSV) / of his set purpose (NEB) / of his own choice (REB) / by his decision (Johnson) / in accordance of his will (Dibelius) ....., gave us birth."

apekuhsen (apokuew) aor. "to give [us] birth" - he gave birth [us]. The difficulty here centers on whether James has in mind a cosmological birth, ie. we were created by God, or a soteriological birth, ie. we were saved by God. Bede argued for regeneration by baptism, but this is unlikely. Moo, following Donald Verseput, argues that "the Father of lights" phrase echoes the Jewish morning prayer which moves from acknowledging God as creator to God as redeemer. So, it is possible that James has in mind spiritual birth. None-the-less, on face value James is saying little more than God created us by his word; "he brought us forth".

logw/ (oV) "through the word" - by word. Instrumental. "Word" in the sense of "message", CEV. What word? The saving word = "word of truth" = "the gospel", is the most popular understanding. Yet, there is much to be said for understanding "the word" here as "God's creative word" = "word of truth", with "firstfruit of his creatures" referring to "the honour and dominion which was given to human beings", Diohysius, cf. Dibelius . This Edenic image well illustrates Jame's proposion that God gives good gifts to his people. By accepting this argument we are not devaluing James' faith. There is little doubt that James uderstood the gospel, but as a piece of wisdom literature in the tradition of Proverbs, he is concerned with practical advice for the business of living with one foot in heaven and the other on earth. We do not need to continually spiritualize what is a very practical "how to" book. The meaning of "word" / "law" constantly crops up in James and commentators generally understand it to mean the "gospel". It seems though that the words usually refer to the ethical guidelines for Christian living revealed in both the Old and New Testaments, summarized in the law of love. The word "works" will tend to refer to the doing of this ethic.

alhqeiaV (a) "of truth" - The genitive is adjectival, limiting "word"; "a divine word which encompasses truth." As noted above, the "word of truth" is often understood to mean "the gospel of truth" = "the gospel", a message that gives life / new birth.

eiV to einai "that [we] might be" - for [us] to be. This preposition with the articular infinitive (of the verb to-be) forms a purpose clause, "in order that ...."

tina "a kind of" - As of an approximate representation of, "a figurative expression of", Ropes.

aparchn (h) "firstfruits" - The word refers to that portion of the harvest which belongs to God, the first and best part of the harvest. So, James is most likely using the image of the "firstfruits" to refer to humans as the best part of his creation. As noted above, the idea is usually spiritualized to mean those born by means of the message of truth, ie. those set-right before God by means of the gospel of truth, cf. Rev.14:4.

twn ... kitismatwn (a atoV) gen. "of [all he] created" - of [his] creatures. Also often spiritualized to mean "the first pioneers of a much larger company who will follow their lead", Mitton; "a foretaste, or down payment (`firstfruits'), of a redemptive plan that will eventually encompass all of creation", Moo. See above.

James Introduction

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