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.
__________