James 5
James started
off by using a Hebraism from Amos 6:1 that the rich should weep for the
miseries that will come upon them (eperchomenais) (v. 1). James is not
necessarily and only thinking of wealth ingatherers in his own day, it will
become clear within the next verse. Although he says that their riches are
rotted and garments moth-eaten as if in the past, using the past verbs, yet,
the next verse stretch out the event into a distant future far remote than
James’ day. Their gold and their silver have rusted, sounding like it already
happened but then James timed the context clearer by saying that their rust
(ios) will be a witness (eis maturion humin estai) against them and will
consume (pagetai) their flesh like fire (v. 3). He brings in eschatology by
saying that it is “in the last days” (en eschatais hemerais) that they have
stored up. Now we understand that James can see the role of wealthy people in
the distant future near the end of time, in fact, in our time, storing up with
no purpose. Like one wealthy millionaire did, he made his dog his sole receptor
in his Testament. Again James used a Hebraism to open the next verse. Knowing
the commands in Deuteronomy 24:14-15 well, he pointed out that the wealthy
broke these commands by withholding the pay of the laborers on the field, which
now cries out against them and their cries reached the Lord God Almighty (v.
4). These end-time wealthy “lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of
wanton pleasure”. The problem is that they have fattened their hearts/souls in
a day of slaughter (v. 5). The “day of slaughter” in the context of the last
days, will be the little time of trouble that will precede the Great Time of
Trouble that Daniel spoke about just before Jesus comes in Daniel 12:1. It is
also the righteous that they have condemned, or will condemn [from James’ time
viewpoint into the future] and put to death. They do not resist (v. 6). James
do have the Advent of Christ in mind since he asks all to be patient
(makrothumesate) “until the coming of the Lord” (heos tes parousia tou kuriou)
(v. 7). A farmer for example waits patiently for his produce until he gets the
early and latter rain. Knowing what Joel promised and knowing what Luke
described in Acts 2, we see hints of the early and latter rain promises of the
Holy Spirit for the harvest of souls here. In similar way he hopes the readers
will also be patient “for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (v. 8) (oti he
parousia tou kuriou eggiken). Did James thought the Lord is coming in his day?
No. He is not so unaccustomed about the book of Daniel predictions as some wish
to see. He is looking into the future to the Hell fire in verse 3 at the end of
the Milllennium, to the time of Little Trouble before the close of the Door of
Mercy in verse 5, the early and latter rain events in verse 7 with the patient
call for the Coming of the Lord delay. The nearness is not in his own time. It
is that generation that in future will be the wealthy gatherers and
entertainment seekers, they should be patient, they are suffering at the hand
of the wealthy, they will receive the Latter Rain, the remnant of that time,
which is ours today, should strengthen their hearts. All past tense verbs by
James in this chapter is made future by the use of some future verbs but also
by explicit references to the Advent of Christ and eschatology. At this time,
they are not to complain against one another so that they may not be judged. “The
Judge is standing before the door” (v. 9). Just before the Door of Mercy
closes, the Judge will stand near that door. In the Investigative Judgment the
thrones were placed and they sat to Judge. When Christ stands up in Daniel 12:1
the Time of Jacob’s Trouble kicks in. James is fully equipped with prophetic
chronology of events. As an example of suffering during the Little Time of
Trouble and the Time of Jacob’s Trouble they are to look at the patience of the
prophets of old and their suffering (v. 10). Just like Daniel 12:13 counts
people blessed who endured so also James (v. 11). Job is mentioned as an
example and the character of God will be revealed as full of compassion and
merciful. James wants to follow a gentle counsel which is contrary to the
advice of cynics and so he presented the content of Matthew 5:34-37 that they
should not swear and let their yes be yes so that they may not fall under
judgment (v. 12). Then James used a number of rhetorical questions in a list:
Is anyone suffering? Let them pray (v. 13a); Is anyone cheerful? Let them sing
praises (v. 13b); Is anyone sick? Call the elders and let them anoint the
person and pray (v. 14). James is convinced of the power of prayer. The sick
will be restored, the Lord will raise them up (in the Day of Resurrection) and
if they have sins the Lord will forgive all sins (v. 15). Confession of
wrongdoings against one another, praying for each other can help with healing. Healing
in spirit and physically. “The effective prayer of the righteous can accomplish
much” (v. 16). Elijah was a man like all of us but he prayed and God answered
his prayers (v. 17-18). My father said
that the reason Elijah had to pray in one event six times to be answered in the
seventh, is so that we may learn the lesson that it is not the prayer style
that accomplish but that God is the Giver and Provider. Then James indicates
the value of a ministry to the wayward. If anyone can bring people back to church
after they have gone astray “let him know that he who turns a sinner from the
error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of
sins” (v. 20). There is a reason for this: soul winning is the biggest business
of God and it has all His attention, interest and support.
Dear God James reminds us of difficult times for us to experience but that
patience is needed especially at the time of the end. Help us, to live for the
Lord and for the salvation of the wayward. Amen. Koot van Wyk, (DLitt et Phil; ThD) Kyungpook
National University, Department of Liberal Education, Sangju, South Korea;
conjoint lecturer of Avondale College, Australia