James 4:13-5:12 Lesson 443

James 4:13-5:12
Lesson 443

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

Pride, plans, possessions, and patient endurance.

Jesus will return and put an end to suffering (5:7-11).

Job praying.

By an unknown artist.

Who was -

Job -
Job (Hebrew name Iyyob) was from "the land of Uz" (Job 1:1) between Damascus and Edom. He is the main character in the Old Testament "Book of Job," which deals with suffering and faith. A "perfect and upright man" (Job 1:1; 1:8), Job was a wealthy landowner (Job 1:3). By today's standards, Job was a multi-millionaire. But Satan took everything Job had, and his name became synonymous with suffering and patient endurance. Job lost all his material possessions, his children (Job 1:18-19), his health and he became estranged from his wife and friends. After years of suffering, Job found peace. Thanks to his humility and faith, Job endured Satan's horrific physical and emotional trials, and God restored his health and property. To learn the lessons of patience, humility, and faith, see "The Book of Job."

Study Tip:

We read as if we're in a race.
But slow down when you read the Bible.
Take the time to meditate on each passage.

The General Epistle of James

The King James Bible

James 4:13-5:12
Boasting

13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 5:1-12
A warning to oppressors

1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

Margin notes:

"Go to now, ye that say." (4:13) - "Come now, you who say."

"And get gain." (4:13) - "And make money."

"For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." (4:14) - Life is short (1 Chronicles 29:15; Job 8:9; Psalm 102:3; 102:11), so make good use of your time by working for God. Soon "the night cometh, when no man can work" (John 9:4). See also Jesus' words in Luke 12:18-20.

"For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will." (4:15) - "What you ought to say is, "if the Lord is willing."

"Ye rejoice in your boastings." (4:16) - "You take pride in your bragging."

"Him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (4:17) - People who know what is right but don't do it are committing a sin of omission. They are as bad as someone who knows an action is wrong and does it anyway. This is called a sin of commission.

"Your riches are corrupted." (5:2) - "Your riches are rotted." See also Proverbs 11:4, 11:28
and Jesus' proclamation in Matthew 6:19.

"Your gold and silver is cankered." (5:3) - "Your gold and silver is corroded."

"Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." (5:3) - "You have laid up your (worthless) treasure for the last days (judgment day)."

"The hire of the labourers." (5:4) - "The wages of the workers."

"The Lord of sabaoth." (5:4) - "The Lord of Hosts." Sabaoth is an Old Testament name for God.

"Ye have nourished your hearts." (5:5) - "You have given yourself everything your hearts desired."

"As in a day of slaughter." (5:5) - James is comparing the decadent, unbelieving rich with fatted cattle ready for the slaughter.

"Ye have condemned and killed the just." (5:6) - A reference to God's Old Testament prophets who were murdered. Ironically, James was later killed. He was dragged to the top of the Temple in Jerusalem and thrown off. James was severely injured but survived the fall. An angry mob then stoned him until a fuller (launderer) stepped out of the crowd and clubbed him to death with a pole used to beat dirty laundry.

"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord." (5:7) - "Be patient until the Lord (Jesus) returns." Use patience to endure suffering. Adversity can be a spiritual test.

"The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth." (5:7) - "The farmer waits for the harvest."

"Until he receive the early and latter rain." (5:7) - "Until the spring and fall rains." James is referencing God's promise to give the Israelites crops two good rains a year (Deuteronomy 11:14).

"Stablish your hearts." (5:8) - "Strengthen your hearts."

"Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned." (5:9) - We should not complain about others (Philippians 2:14). We are not above criticism and will someday also be judged (Matthew 7:1-5).

"The judge standeth before the door." (5:9) - "The judge is standing at the door." Someday he will judge us all.

"We count them happy which endure." (5:11) - Those who endure persecution for the Lord's sake will be rewarded in heaven Matthew 5:11-12.

"The patience of Job." (5:11) - "The perseverance of Job."

"The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." (5:11) - "The Lord is compassionate and merciful." See Numbers 14:18 and Luke 6:36.

"Swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath." (5:12) - "Don't promise by "heaven or earth" or by any oath." Develop a reputation for honesty. That way, you won't have to swear an oath to be believed. James is reinforcing this message from Matthew 5:34-37.

New Living Translation

James 4:13-5:12
Warning about Self-Confidence

13 Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit."

14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog-it's here a little while, then it's gone.

15 What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that."

16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

James 5:1-12
Warning to the Rich

1 Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.

2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.

3 Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you on the day of judgment.

4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven's Armies.

5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.

6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.

Patience and Endurance

7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.

8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.

9 Don't grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look-the Judge is standing at the door!

10 For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. What should we think when we fall into trials and tribulations?

Pray for the strength to resist sin. Ask for forgiveness when you fall to temptation and give thanks when you don't.

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. We should remember that trials and tribulations can be a test of our faith.

Application thought for the day:

What does this passage teach about materialism?
How can this passage help you grow?

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2023 evolke

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