Verse 22 James 1:22 Here is a more literal translation of the text: But be doers of the word, and not

hearers only, deceiving yourselves First, let us look at the term hearers. This expression is closely linked to the word disobedience in the Greek. The writer of Hebrews joins the verb to hear and the noun disobedience in the same breath. (from New Testament
Commentary by William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Copyrights 1953-2001 by Baker Books, William Hendriksen, and Simon J. Kistemaker, as indicated. All rights reserved. For specific copyright information on each volume, see the copyright page.)

Verse 25 David wrote in Psalm 19: (7,11) the law of God is perfect, reviving the soul. James 1:22 The perfect law of liberty. This is not the Mosaic Law; it is the law of grace. James does not talk about law here in the same sense that Paul does. When Paul talks about law, he is talking about the Mosaic Law. When James talks about law, it is the law of faith. There is love in law in the Old Testament, and there is law in love in the New Testament. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36). However, the Lord also said, If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15), and Paul said, Bear ye one anothers burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). What law? Christs law. John says in his first epistle, For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments (1 John 5:3). McGee, J. Vernon (1990). Thru the
Bible 1-5 (5 Volume Set) (Kindle Locations 135446-135452). Grupo Nelson. Kindle Edition

.Doctrinal Considerations in 1:22-25 If the person who hears the gospel but does not respond to it forfeits salvation, then the one who acts in response to God's Word is not deceived but rather is blessed with salvation. It stands to reason that the person who acts in obedience to the Word of God gains salvation. He performs good deeds and God blesses him accordingly. Consequently, the question is whether salvation is still a free gift of God. Of course! Says Paul to the Ephesians, For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this not from yourselves, it is the gift of Godnot by works, so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8-9). What then are good works? They are the fruits of faith and expressions of gratitude to God for his saving work in Jesus Christ. Scripture clearly teaches that they cannot earn salvation for us or cleanse us from sin. Sixteenthcentury Swiss theologian Heinrich Bullinger wrote in 1561 that the purpose of good works is for the glory of God, to adorn our calling, to show gratitude to God, and for the profit of our neighbor. (from New Testament Commentary
by William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Copyrights 1953-2001 by Baker Books, William Hendriksen, and Simon J. Kistemaker, as indicated. All rights reserved. For specific copyright information on each volume, see the copyright page.)

Verse 26 religion: 1. threskeia signifies "religion" in its external aspect (akin to threskos, see below), "religious worship," especially the ceremonial service of "religion"; it is used of the "religion" of the Jews, Acts 26:5; of the "worshiping" of angels, Col 2:18, which they themselves repudiate Rev 22:8,9; "there was an officious parade of humility in selecting these lower beings as intercessors rather than appealing directly to the Throne of Grace" (Lightfoot); in James 1:26,27 the writer purposely uses the word to set in contrast that which is unreal and deceptive, and the "pure religion" which consists in visiting "the fatherless and widows in their affliction," and in keeping oneself "unspotted from the world." He is "not herein affirming... these offices to be the sum total, nor yet the great essentials, of true religion, but declares them to be the body, the threskeia, of which godliness, or the love of God, is the informing soul" (Trench). (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright 1985,
Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

This is a tremendous statement. Pure is the positive side, and undefiled is the negative side. You need to have both if you are to have the right kind of religionand Christianity certainly ought to produce this. McGee, J.
Vernon (1990). Thru the Bible 1-5 (5 Volume Set) (Kindle Locations 135479-135481). Grupo Nelson. Kindle Edition.

V4 2:4 shown partiality. See note on verse 1. The true nature of the sin in this passage, not the lavish apparel or rings of the rich man or that he was given a good seat. judges with evil thoughts. This is better translated judges with vicious intentions. James feared that his readers would behave just like the sinful world by 1

catering to the rich and prominent, while shunning the poor and common. MacArthur, John (2005). The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 63170-63173). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. James 2:6-7 The charge James put to the readers of his epistle is serious. He states a fact: you have insulted the poor (see also I Cor. 11:22). The implication is that those who insult the poor insult Jesus Christ, the protector and guardian of the poor. They no longer champion the cause of Christ; by showing favoritism to the rich they have sided with the devil against God. What is the effect of this snobbery? In his teaching Jesus put it in these words: He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters (Matt. 12:30). James pointedly addresses the issue of favoritism. His intent is to root it from the soil of the early Christian church. He exhorts the believer to open his eyes, look at reality, and answer the following three questions: (from New Testament Commentary by William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Copyrights 1953-2001 by Baker Books, William Hendriksen, and Simon J. Kistemaker, as indicated. All rights reserved. For specific copyright information on each volume, see the copyright page.) V8 The phrase royal law translates better as sovereign law. The idea is that this law is supreme or binding. James quotes the second half of what Jesus taught was the whole of the sovereign law. Love your neighbor as yourself, which James quotes from Leviticus 19:18 as well as from Mark 12:31, when combined with the command to love God (Deut. 6:45), summarizes all the Law and the Prophets (Matt. 22:3640; Rom. 13:8 10). James has already alluded to the first part of the great commandment (2:5). Here he focuses on the theme of this section, which is human relationships. James is not advocating some kind of emotional affection for oneself; self-love is clearly a sin (2 Tim. 3:2). Rather, the command is to pursue meeting the physical and spiritual needs of ones neighbors with the same intensity and concern as one does naturally for ones self (Phil. 2:34), while never forgetting we are under royal law to do so. MacArthur, John (2005). The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 63199-63204). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. 2:13 A person who shows no mercy and compassion for people in need demonstrates that he has never responded to the great mercy of God and, as an unredeemed person, will receive only strict, unrelieved judgment in eternal hell (cf. Matt. 5:7). Mercy triumphs over judgment. The person whose life is characterized by mercy is ready for the day of judgment, and will escape all the charges that strict justice might bring against him because, by showing mercy to others, he gives genuine evidence of having received Gods mercy. MacArthur, John (2005). The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 63207-63211). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. 2:13 (law of liberty) 1:25 perfect law. In both the OT and NT, Gods revealed, inerrant, sufficient, and comprehensive Word is called law (cf. Ps. 19:7). The presence of His grace does not mean there is no moral law or code of conduct for believers to obey. Believers are enabled by the Spirit to keep it (see note on Rom. 8:4 ). liberty. Genuine freedom from sin. As the Holy Spirit applies the principles of Scripture to believers hearts, they are freed from sins bondage and enabled to obey God (John 8:3436). MacArthur, John (2005). The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Kindle Locations 63133-63136). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. James 2:12-13 Doctrinal Considerations in 2:12-13 From biblical history we learn the sad story that God's people failed to keep the law of love by neglecting mercy. In the days of the prophets, for example, God told the unrepentant Israelites that he required mercy and not sacrifice (Hos. 6:6). Next, Micah asked and answered the question: And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (6:8). And last, God spoke through the prophet Zechariah: Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another (7:9). But the 2

Jews turned a deaf ear to God's instruction and hardened their hearts instead. The person who refuses to extend mercy will experience God's justice without mercy. Man can never claim God's mercy, however, by performing deeds of mercy. Mercy is never earned but is always granted when it is sought. If we were able to earn it, mercy would no longer be mercy. We must look to the One who grants it to us. Mercy does not triumph at the expense of justice; the triumph of mercy is based on the atonement wrought at Calvary. The Christian knows that in the judgment day, mercy triumphs over justice because of Christ's meritorious work. (from New Testament Commentary by William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Copyrights 1953-2001 by Baker Books, William Hendriksen, and Simon J. Kistemaker, as indicated. All rights reserved. For specific copyright information on each volume, see the copyright page.)