1Wicked rich men are warned of God's impending judgments. 7The brethren are exhorted to patience after the example of the prophets and of Job: 12to abstain from swearing; 13to pray in affliction and sickness, and sing psalms in prosperity: 16to acknowledge mutually their faults, and to pray for one another: 19and to endeavour to reclaim sinners.
1GO to now,a ye 1rich men, weep and howl for your miseries 2that shall come upon you.
a Prov. 11:28; Amos 6:1; Luke 6:24; 1 Tim. 6:9.
1 Namely, who gather riches unjustly, or misuse the same, as it is shown what follows. For, otherwise riches in themselves are not evil, but a blessing of God, Prov. 10:22. But are commonly and very easily misused to the hindrance of our salvation. See Mat. 13:22; 19:23, 24. Here are understood not only the common rich, covetous persons and squanderers, but also those who are in public authority, as kings, princes, governors, judges and the like, who abuse their power and authority to the oppression of the poor, as appears out of verse 6.
2 Or, which come upon you, namely, in this life as well as after this life especially. See Luke 16:23.
23Your riches 4are corrupted, and 5your garments are motheaten.
3 Namely, which you ought to have bestowed to the support of the poor.
4 That is, you rather let them rot by you, than impart to the poor.
5 Namely, with which you ought to have clothed the naked. See Isa. 58:7.
36Your goldb and silver 7is cankered;c and the rust of them 8shall be a 9witness against you, and 10shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Yed have heaped 11treasure together 12for the last days.
6 Namely, which you ought to have given for the maintenance of your neighbor, as before.
b in NT currency, $5.00*
7 Namely, in your chests or treasuries, wherein you have covetously kept it, without imparting thereof to the poor.
c eaten away with rust
8 See a similar phrase in Mat. 10:18, and 23:31, namely, in the day of judgment.
9 That is, to convince you of your covetousness, and of your just condemnation. See Mat. 10:18; Mark 1:44.
10 That is, shall be as a fire, with which you shall be tormented.
d Mat. 6:19; Rom. 2:5.
11 Some understand this of the treasure of God’s wrath, which shall befall the covetous in the last days, of which Paul speaks, Rom. 2:5, but is better understood of the treasures of temporal goods, with which covetous persons, in the acquisition of it, are always and only employed. See Mat. 6:19.
12 Namely, of the world. Or of your life, that is, unto the end of your life; even when you are now come unto a great age, nevertheless you do not refrain yet to gather covetously treasures. See Luke 12:19. Or, against the last days.
4Behold, thee hire of the labourers 13who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, 14crieth: and 15the cries of them which have reaped are entered into 16the ears of the Lord of 17sabaoth.
e Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:14.
13 By this one kind of injustice, he understands all other suchlike.
14 Namely, unto God, that He would take vengeance upon it. See Gen. 4:10; Heb. 12:24.
15 Or, the callings. That is, the complaints of the workmen about this your injustice.
16 This must be understood by a similitude taken from men, whereby human members are oftentimes ascribed to God, not properly (for, He is a Spirit, John 4:24), and hereby is understood that God heard their complaints. See Psalm 18:6; Isa. 37:17.
17 Or, Zebaoth, as the Hebrews read. This is a Hebrew word and signifies hosts, namely, of heaven and earth, which are at His service, and fight for Him against His enemies, which title is often ascribed to God in the Old Testament. See Isa. 1:9; Jer. 11:20; Rom. 9:29, and is here expressed by the apostle to show thereby His great power which He has to punish the oppressors of the righteous.
5Yef have lived 18in pleasure on the earth, and 19been wanton; ye have nourished 20your hearts, as in 21a day of slaughter.
f Job 21:13; Luke 16:19, 25.
18 That is, you have consumed your riches in excess, gluttony and revelry, and permitted the poor to suffer hunger. See an example of it in Luke 16:19, 20, etc.
19 See also 1 Tim. 5:6.
20 That is, not only fatted your bodies so, but also done this with great desire of your hearts, to satisfy them.
21 That is, even as on the great feast days, when the peace offerings were slain, men were wont then to make good cheer, so do ye daily. See Prov. 7:14; Isa. 22:13.
6Ye have condemned and killed 22the just; and he doth not 23resist you.
22 That is, by force and cruelty persecuted the innocent. This therefore must be understood of such rich men, who are also placed in eminency and authority.
23 That is, he suffers you to oppress him without doing anything against it. See an example in Naboth, 1 Kings 21:13, and in Stephen, Acts 7:59, 60.
724Be patient therefore, brethren, 25unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandmang waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath 26long patience for it, until he receive 27the early and 28latter rain.
24 That is, endure patiently the injustice and violence which these rich men inflict upon you.
25 Namely, unto judgment; Who shall then revenge the injustice done to the upright, and righteously recompense it to their oppressors, 2 Thes. 1:5, 6, and then perfectly deliver them from the same, Luke 21:28.
g one who works on the land*
26 That is, expecting the same with long-suffering.
27 That is, which is necessary when the field is first sown.
28 That is, which is useful to the fruits afterwards, towards the time of harvest. See Deut. 11:14.
8Be 29ye also patient; 30stablish your hearts: for 31the coming of the Lord 32draweth nigh.
29 Namely, even as the husbandman. Or, be ye therefore long-suffering.
30 Namely, with a firm confidence that the Lord will in His own time certainly fulfill His promises made to the faithful.
31 Namely, unto judgment, as before.
32 That is, will not tarry long; in which He shall deliver you from the company and violence of the ungodly.
933Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, 34the judge 35standeth before the door.
33 That is, give one another no occasion by improper words or deeds to sigh about it one against another, that is, to be grieved, or to complain to God.
34 Namely, Jesus Christ, Who, as Judge of the world, shall punish every injustice.
35 That is, His coming is nigh, as one who is come to the door or gate, being ready to enter in. See Mat. 24:33.
10Take, my brethren, 36the prophets, who have spoken 37in the name of the Lord, for an example 38of suffering affliction, and of patience.
36 The Lord Christ also presents their example unto that end, Mat. 5:12.
37 That is, by order, command and inspiration of the Lord. See 2 Peter 1:20, 21.
38 Gr. of suffering of evil, that is of afflictions.
11Behold, weh count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of thei patience of Job, and have seen 39the end of the Lord; thatj the Lord is 40very pitiful,k and of tender mercy.
h Mat. 5:11.
i Job 1:21, 22.
39 That is, the good issue which the Lord afforded Job out of all his disasters, which he patiently endured. See of the same in Job 42:10.
j Num. 14:18; Psalm 103:8.
40 Gr. is of many bowels; by bowels is understood an inward moving of the mind unto mercy. See Luke 1:78; Philip. 2:1; Col. 3:12.
k full of pity, compassionate*
12But above all things, my brethren, 41swearl not, 42neither by heaven, neither by the earth, 43neither by any other oath: but let 44your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye 45fall into condemnation.
41 Namely, rashly; or, out of despondency, as men in adversity are wont to do many times. See also Mat. 5:34; 23:16, 18. For truly, a lawful oath by the name of God is not forbidden, Heb. 6:16.
l Mat. 5:34; 2 Cor. 1:17, 18.
42 That is, not by any creatures, as many were accustomed to do, who thought that if they did not express the name of God in their discourse, then they did not profane it, or rashly misuse it; as the Pharisees also taught. See Mat. 5:34, etc.
43 Which would be made rashly or by any other creature.
44 That is, simply expressing the truth with yes, and in like manner when anything is denied, simply expressing the same with no, without adding any oath thereto in your common speech, conference or dealings.
45 That is, punishment, which God has threatened to them who vainly misuse His Name, Exod. 20:7. See of this phrase, Mat. 23:14; Luke 23:40; Rom. 2:3; 13:2; 1 Cor. 11:29; James 3:1. Others read into hypocrisy; whereby than would be shown that such vain oaths, or by the creatures, are made out of hypocrisy, or bring men to hypocrisy,as appears in the Pharisees, Mat. 23:19.
13Is any among you 46afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? letm him sing psalms.
46 Namely, of any evil, as the Greek word implies.
m Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16.
14Is any 47sick among you? let him call for 48the elders of the church; and let them 49pray 50over him, 51anointing himn with oil 52in the name of the Lord:
47 Namely, of bodily sickness.
48 Namely, who have the gift of healing by miracles, which at that time was given to some teachers and elders. See 1 Cor. 12:9.
49 As such Elisha prayed over the widow’s son, 2 Kings 4:33; Christ over Lazarus, John 11:41, and Paul over Eutychus, Acts 20:10, namely, that God will forgive him his sins, and restore him his health.
50 Or, for him.
51 Namely, after the example of the disciples, who, having received of Christ the gift of miraculous healing, used oil thereto, Mark 6:13, not that there was any secret virtue in the oil to cure diseases, but they used the same as an extraordinary sign, from which it was known that such a miracle was wrought by God by their ministry for the confirmation of their doctrine; as we see that Christ and the apostles, in healing of diseases, sometimes used spittle, clay, touching, laying on of hands, at other times their shadows, girdles and handkerchiefs for this purpose. Which gift of miraculous healing, seeing it has now ceased for many hundred of years, as being no more needful, forasmuch as the doctrine of the Gospel is sufficiently confirmed by miracles, therefore this outward sign is in vain, and by way of mockery still used at this day as a sacrament, and it is yet more superstitiously misused, while they think that such anointing has power to take away sin, and that it is useful to the salvation of the soul.
n Mark 6:13.
52 That is, calling upon the name of the Lord, Who is the Author of such miraculous healing.
15And 53the prayer of faith shall 54save the sick, and 55the Lord shall 56raise him up; and if he have committed 57sins, they shall be 58forgiven him.
53 That is, which is made to the Lord, both by the elders and by the sick person out of a true faith.
54 That is, shall deliver the sick person from the bodily disease, according to the will of the Lord.
55 Namely, as being the principal Worker of this miraculous healing. Which is expressly added in order that men would not think that the oil or the prayer uttered would have such power in themselves.
56 Or, help him up, namely, out of his sickness.
57 Namely, for which God may have sent him that sickness, as John 5:14; 1 Cor. 11:30.
58 Namely, by the Lord, if men duly pray unto Him for it.
1659Confess your faults one to another, and 60pray one for another, that ye may be 61healed. The 62effectual fervent prayer of a 63righteous man availeth much.
59 The apostle will not hereby teach that the faithful must reveal and confess all their sins in the ear of a minister to obtain a discharge or forgiveness from him, as is perversely thought. For, he speaks here expressly of a confession which must be made one to another, that is, one believer to another, and that also mutual according to the occasion of things. And by sins are understood, first, those sins which one believer may have committed against another, whereby the love of our neighbor is violated, and discord may have been raised; of which the apostle would have him, who has trespassed against his neighbor, to confess or acknowledge his faults, and be reconciled with him about it, as Christ also teaches, Mat. 5:23, which, as it ought to be done at all times, is specially so needful when one is sick. Besides, if any man may have fallen into any sin, about which he is so troubled that he alone cannot comfort himself well, that then he should reveal that sin to another, whether it be a minister or any other good friend, to be comforted by him out of God’s Word, and to help him to pray that this sin may be forgiven him of God; as the following words imply.
60 Namely, for the forgiveness of the sins which men have confessed one to another, as well as for the health of the body when anyone is sick, as in the previous verse.
61 Namely, in body and soul.
62 That is, fervent and sincere; or, pressing strongly.
63 That is, from a devout, believing person.
17Eliaso was a man subject to like 64passions as we are, and he 65prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not 66on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
o 1 Kings 17:1; Luke 4:25.
64 Or, of like feelings. See Acts 14:15; which is added to this, in order that one might not think that Elijah, on account of his great zeal and godliness, would have had any merits of God by his prayer, seeing he has had also his infirmities, and has been heard by God only of grace.
65 Or, prayed with a prayer. An Hebrew phrase, by which repetition was given to understand that he prayed very earnestly.
66 That is, upon the land of the Israelites. For, it was not a universal drought over the entire world.
18Andp he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
p 1 Kings 18:45.
19Brethren, ifq any of you do err 67from the truth, and one 68convert him;
q Mat. 18:15.
67 Namely, of the evangelical doctrine, whether it is in opinion or in practice.
68 Namely, by instructions in the sound doctrine, and earnest exhortations to repentance, which are means whereby God converts people. It is ascribed to these means which is God’s proper work, because He works effectually thereby.
20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall 69save 70a soul 71from death, andr shall 72hide a multitude 73of sins.
69 Namely, as being an instrument of this saving. See the like, 1 Tim. 4:16.
70 Namely, of him who errs, Jude verse 23.
71 Namely, from eternal death.
r Prov. 10:12; 1 Peter 4:8.
72 That is, shall bring it to this, that God shall cover the sins of him who errs, and not impute them to him; and also that his sins shall be forgotten and forgiven by the people.
73 Namely, of the erring person.