Verse by Verse

¹⁹ Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back,

²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

a soul (v.20) = the turned back sinner

multitude of sins (v.20) — 1 Peter 4:8

It is noteworthy that James is addressing the “brethren” as he closes the epistle. If any one among them, who knew the Lord, departed from the truth, the one who restores him to the faith was to be commended. In this context, the truth is the kingdom gospel. Whenever some of their number wandered from the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount every effort was to be made to restore them to the faith. Solomon calls the soul that leaves his spiritual moorings a blackslider, whose heart is “filled with his own ways” (Proverbs 14:14). 

The statement “and one converteth him,” has the idea to encourage the fallen believer to turn from the error of his way. In so doing, the one who has invested the time to minister to this wayward soul may well have saved him from death, that is, physical death. In biblical times, the judgment of God upon sin was often swift and sure, especially at the beginning of a new dispensation (1 Corinthians 5:1-5; 11:29; 1 John 5:16). God was teaching them, of course, that sin had serious consequences. When a brother in Christ repented, it covered a multitude of sins, not only because he would be forgiven for confessing his sins, but also because he was restored to fellowship with God, which meant he wouldn’t slip deeper into sin (1 John 1:7-9). — Sadler, pages 141-142.

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.

¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Like the Apostle Paul, James instructed his readers to be content in whatever state they may find themselves. If thy were suffering an affliction, they were to be content and pray. If they had a song in their heart, they were to sing psalms. True contentment is resting in the Lord, that He is in control of all things. — Sadler, page 137.

__________

James inquires, “Is there any sick among you?” If so, “let him call for the elders of the church.” The elders here were the older men of those local kingdom churches, as the term implies, who served as the spiritual leaders of the assembly. When called upon, these elders were to visit at the bedside of the sick and pray over them, anointing them with oil. The anointing with oil in biblical times was often done for medicinal purposes, as seen in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:34). This was a very common practice in the east.

James, however, seems to connect the need to anoint the sick with oil with the Great commission under which he worked. It was said of those who labored under this commission, “and they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:13). Notice how the anointing was closely associated with the miraculous healing of the sick. It is also significant that the anointing with oil was to be done in the name of the Lord. It appears that God used the physical element of anointing to convey the divine grace of healing, whereby restoring the sick believer. We must be very careful to remember that James was ministering under the kingdom program in which miraculous manifestations were quite common. What James records here does not apply to us during the administration of grace. — Sadler, pages 137-138.

__________

the “prayer of faith” (v.15) also looks back to the earthly ministry of Christ. The Lord promised those who proclaimed the kingdom gospel: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). These were not empty words, but a legitimate promise as witnessed when the little flock prayed for boldness. They asked that the Lord would stretch forth His hand to heal, and that signs and wonders might be done. The place in which they had assembled literally shook in answer to their prayer (Acts 4:28-31). 

Oftentimes, salvation and physical healing went hand in hand under the kingdom gospel, as James suggests when he says, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up” (Acts 3:1-16). — Sadler, page 138.

raise him up (v.15) = restore to health

The sins of verse 15 and the faults of verse 16 are plainly those committed against fellow-believers and not secret sins committed only against God. Hence the command to mutual forgiveness and mutual prayer.  — Williams, page 997.

__________

Verses 14-15 reinforce an earlier date for the writing of this epistle. We know that the gift of healing was a sign gift in the Kingdom church (Matthew 21:22; Mark 16:17-18, 20: Acts 3:6-8; 4:30-31; 5:12-16) to whom James addressed this epistle (James 1:1). When the body of Christ began under the Apostle Paul the gift was initially present to show the Jews that God was now working a new program with the Gentiles (Romans 10:19; 11:11; 15:19; 1 Corinthians 1:22; 14:22; 2 Corinthians 12:12), but it soon passed away (1 Corinthians 13:8-10; Colossians 1:25). This verse also links sin with illness, which is a Kingdom principle (Matthew 9:2; Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20; John 5:1-15). Note also that verse 15 gives unconditional statements: the prayer of faith will save the sick, shall raise him up, and his sins shall be forgiven him (not may, if he has enough faith, as is said today). Under the kingdom program, this was a sure thing (Matthew 21:22). But today, in our Dispensation of Grace, the so-called “prayer of faith” is not guaranteed to heal the sick — and it certainly does not forgive sins as it did under the Kingdom (Matthew 16:19; John 20:23). — Grace, page 2202.

__________

Confession played a very important role in the kingdom program. Here James makes it clear that the reason some were not being healed was because they were harboring sin in their lives. We do not believe James required these sins be confessed before the local assembly, as some teach. He is rather singling out the brother who had offended another brother, but refused to set the matter right. The brother who had been offended, on the other hand, was probably harboring bitterness in his heart due to his mistreatment. James counsels these brethren to confess their faults to one another and pray for each other, lest their prayers be hindered (cf. 1 Peter 3:7). — Sadler, page 140.

A lack of dispensational understand of this passage creates all sorts of problems. Look at how much energy the KJV Commentary puts into explaining what it doesn’t mean.

God honors unity in prayer, but the healing process here specifically involves the elders, mature spiritual leaders of the church. No inference can be found of the gift of healing. Moreover, it is the sick who must take the initiative: “let him call.” The oil carries no supernatural powers, but often was used in anointing to symbolize the out-pouring of God’s Spirit. … Also, the service is to take place in the privacy of the home, since the needy person summoned the elders to him. … Nothing about the passage requires instantaneous healing, nor is there any restriction of medical treatment. The presence of sins may be the cause for the sickness, but not necessarily. We must reserve judgment for God alone. “They shall be forgiven” assumes that the one who seeks help from the church also recognizes his personal shortcomings. — KJV Commentary, page 1725.

It goes on like that in an obvious attempt to make the passage conform to the writer’s beliefs.

⁹ Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!

¹⁰ My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience.

¹¹ Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

¹² But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

James was obviously concerned that the trouble these saints were enduring might cause them to become impatient with one another. This, of course, would only serve to further Satan’s goal to cause dissension among the brethren. … [His warning not to grumble] was, don’t murmur, complain, criticize, or find fault with one another. To do so would grieve the heart of God. Furthermore, James adds, “lest ye be condemned,” which in this context does not refer to eternal damnation, but to be judged with the implication of suffering loss. Contrary to popular opinion, “criticism” isn’t one of the gifts of the Spirit. — Sadler, page 131.

__________

The “door” that James speaks of [in v.9] is the entry through which the kingdom believers will pass at the Second Coming of Christ. The Lord is said to be standing at the door as the judge of all the earth. With the suspension of the kingdom program, the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) and what James states [here] will ultimately be fulfilled during the future day of the Lord. 

Essentially, the Son of Man will sit in judgment when He returns to the earth in power and glory (Matthew 25:31-46). When He knocks at the door upon His return, those kingdom believers who are faithfully watching and waiting will enter into the millennium where their conduct will be reviewed. … After the door is shut many will say, “Lord, Lord, open to us.” Clearly, these are the unsaved that are said to have taken “no oil” with them, which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. As the Scriptures state: “If any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (Romans 8:9). — Sadler, page 133.

__________

James … shares with his hearers that not only should they find consolation in the patience of Job, but also [in the] reward he received for being patient. If they patiently endured like Job, they, too, would be rewarded at the Second Coming of Christ. … We believe [“the end intended by the Lord] is a reference to God abundantly blessing Job to a far greater degree at the end of his life than He had in the beginning. — Sadler, page 136.

example (v.10) — In the Greek, this word appears first in the sentence for emphasis.

[Verse 12] is the clearest allusion in this epistle to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:34-37). — KJV Commentary, page 1724.

__________

Stress and affliction can cause us to lose control of that untamable member of our body — the tongue (James 3:2-12). When stressed, we are not to condemn ourselves by letting oaths slip past our lips, as did Peter when he denied the Lord (Matthew 26:74; Mark 14:71). — Grace, page 2202

⁷ Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.

⁸ You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

patient (v.7) = long-suffering

establish (v.8) = strengthen

at hand (v.8) = close at hand, approaching

Remember that James is a Kingdom epistle written to Jews, so the “coming of the Lord” refers to His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation (Matthew 24), not His return for the Body of Christ at the Rapture before the Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). — Grace, page 2201.

__________

James addresses in these words the believers, the suffering remnant amongst the unbelieving masses which attended the synagogue. They are to be patient and suffer in patience, without resisting. The coming of the Lord, which is mentioned twice in these verses, is His visible and glorious manifestation, the same which our Lord speaks of in Matthew 24:30-31. The first Epistle to the Thessalonians, which contains that unique revelation of the coming of the Lord for His saints, the resurrection of the holy dead and the sudden transformation of the living saints, to be caught up together in the clouds to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) had not yet been given. The mystery “we shall not all sleep but be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52), was then unknown. And let us note here, that this is one of the mysteries nowhere made known in the Old Testament.

The coming of the Lord, we repeat, is that coming which is so many times announced in the Prophetic Word of the Scriptures. That the destruction of Jerusalem, and the judgment of the nation was predicted by our Lord is known to all, that the event when it came in the year 70 is the coming of the Lord, is not true.

James exhorts his suffering brethren to be like the husbandman who has to wait between the sowing time and the harvest. But here is another wrong interpretation. The latter rain of which James speaks has been foolishly interpreted as meaning a spiritual latter rain, another Pentecost. This is one of the star arguments of present day Pentecostalism with its supposed revival of apostolic gifts. The former and latter rain of which James speaks has no such meaning; it is purely the rainfall in nature. In Palestine there are two distinct rainy seasons, one in the spring, the other in the fall (See Deuteronomy 11:14). — Gaebelein, pages 1135-1136.

__________

These dear brethren [believing Jews] had suffered so many abuses and injustices at the hand of the rich that James was concerned they would become despondent and possibly try to retaliate. While this would be the fleshly response to those who mistreated them, the Scriptures are clear that it is not given to the believer to retaliate under any circumstances. This is divine ground and they were to rest assured that it is a righteous thing with God to repay those who trouble them (2 Thessalonians 1:5-7). — Sadler, pages 129-130.

⁴ Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

⁵ You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.

⁶ You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

Sabaoth (v.4) = armies, hosts, an innumerable throng

James was infuriated when he discovered that the rich landowners were withholding wages from the poor, and the law justified his righteous anger.” “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates. Each day you shall give him his wages, and not let the sun go down on it, for he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to the Lord, and it be sin to you” (Deuteronomy 24:14-15).

The rich would often withhold wages until the next day when their memory of the preceding day wasn’t as clear concerning what they had agreed to pay. By doing so, they were robbing the poor of what rightfully belonged to them. Thus, their riches were unjustly gained at the expense of the poor. According to the law, this was a sin. The hired servant dared not complain … because he feared he would not be hired the next day. But the hired servant did have recourse: he could take the injustice that was done to him to the Lord. … James tell sus they cried unto the Lord of Sabbath. This particular title is borrowed from the Old Testament where it is translated Lord of hosts, the One who created the sun, moon, and stars. The same God who spoke and worlds came into being is also deeply concerned about the mistreatment of the poor and needy. — Sadler, pages 128-129

__________

An ox greedily eats the rich herbage on the very day that it is to be slaughtered, so the senseless rich indulged their passions … on the very eve of the coming judgment (v.5). — Williams, page 996.

__________

The “day of slaughter” refers to the day of Israel’s judgment. The picture here is that they have been unknowingly fattening themselves as a sheep or ox does in preparation for its own day of slaughter. Their ignorance in going their own way without considering God (as in James 4:13-16) and building up earthly treasure is like that of the rich fool in Luke 12:15-21). — Grace, page 2201.

__________

the just (v.6) — Refers to the righteous in general, although they did indeed kill the Just One (Acts 3:14-15; 7:52). — Grace, page 2201.

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

² Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

³ Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.

Let us remember that the Epistle was written years before the destruction of Jerusalem. When Jerusalem fell, and even before its fall, many of the rich Jews became paupers; they were ruined, tortured and murdered, as Josephus tells us. The fall of Jerusalem with its awful horrors, in the year 70 A.D., was a judgment of the Lord, but not the day of the Lord and the coming of the Lord. What happened then to the stubborn unbelieving masses will happen again, only on a larger scale during the coming great tribulation and when the Lord returns in power and in great glory. We believe therefore, that this exhortation to the rich has a special bearing for the future, during the very end of the age. — Gaebelein, page 1135.

corrupted (v.2) = lit. putrefied

The general designation “rich men” used here by the apostle indicates that these men were Jewish unbelievers who were well connected in the community. We believe this is substantiated by the fact that the cries of these believers, who were suffering at the hands of the rich, were heard by the Lord of Sabbath (v.4). Furthermore, they were responsible for condemning and killing the just, which is another clear indication that they didn’t know the Lord (v.6). — Sadler, pages 122-123.

__________

The apostle wanted the rich to understand the peril they were facing, for soon their laughter would turn to mourning and the loss of their riches into great cries of lamentation. Unlike the west where the response to a loss is usually measured, in the east, the reaction is far more dramatic. … Since the Scriptures are written to those of the household of faith, the primary purpose of the apostle’s warning to the rich was for the benefit of his hearers. James didn’t want them to fall into the snare of envying the wealthy because he understood the serious consequences that could have on their spiritual life. — Sadler, page 123.

__________

a witness against you (v.2) — i.e. that they did not use their riches properly (cf. Luke 16:13; 18:22). — Grace, page 2201.

__________

In biblical times [wealth] was measured in food, costly apparel, and precious metals. … The three verbs James chose to use in this context: corrupt, motheaten, and cankered confirm these were the particular riches he had in mind. … Interestingly, all three of these verbs are in the past tense. This, however, does not necessarily mean these miseries had already befallen the rich. The Scriptures often speak of future events as if they have already happened. It seems these were prophetic utterances James speaks of that would befall the rich in the future. Prophesies often have a short-term and long-term aspect to their fulfillment and this may well be the case in regard to these warnings. The siege of Jerusalem by Titus in 70 A.D. would certainly be at least a partial fulfillment of what is recorded here. But it is more probable that James has a far more sweeping fulfillment of these judgments in mind, as indicated by what follows in the text. …

[The Jews] were well aware that the day of calamity was coming from the hand of the Lord, so they sought to store up their treasure to endure the dreadful time of Jacob’s Trouble. What they failed to realize was they will be the subjects of the wrath to come. 

The “last days’ James makes reference to here must not be confused with the “last days” spoken of in Paul’s epistles. The events of these two periods called the “last days” are mutually exclusive of one another by the very nature of the programs in which they are revealed. The special revelation committed to Paul addresses the last days of the Church, which is His Body, that will precede the Rapture, which is heavenly in nature. James, on the other hand, is speaking about the last days of Israel that precede the Second Coming of Christ, which is earthy in nature.

The prophetic last days were predicted by the prophet Joel in the Old Testament, but it was Peter who announced their arrival. In his Pentecostal address to Israel, Peter says: “This is that, which was spoken of by the prophet Joel.” This is what? You see, Peter was speaking under the direction of the Holy Spirit so he knew exactly where he was at in relation to the plans and purposes of God according to prophecy. Those who had gathered at Jerusalem witnessed the beginning of the End Times on the day of Pentecost. These days were being fulfilled before their very eyes.

However, by the time James wrote his epistle, Israel was already in the process of being set aside in unbelief by God. Therefore, the last days of prophecy have been temporarily interrupted by the Mystery. With this in mind, the Spirit of God would have us understand that the “last days” spoken of by James are the continuation of them in the coming day of the Lord. What God began at Pentecost will resume at the beginning of the Tribulation. It is then the rich will weep and wail with great lamentations when they see their riches go up on smoke. — Sadler, pages 125-126.

__________

There was a unique application for believing Jews after their Messiah came that required them to liquidate their assets (Matthew 6:19-31; Luke 12:33; 14:33). This does not apply to believers in the Dispensation of Grace. The believer today is to sow bountifully of his material goods “as he purposeth in his heart” in order that he may reap bountifully in this service for the Lord (2 Corinthians 9:6-7). — Grace, page 2201.