James 1:22-27 NASB,NASB

The Pulpit Commentary - James 1:27

God and the Father ; rather, our God and Father. The article ( τῷ ) binds together θεῷ and πατρί , so that they should not be separated, as in the A.V. To visit the fatherless … and to keep himself unspotted. Observe that our duty towards our fellow-men is placed first; then that towards ourselves. ἐπισκέπτεσθαι is the regular word for visiting the sick; cf. Ecclesiasticus 7:35, "Be not slow to visit the sick ( μὴ ὄκει ἐπισκέτεσπθαι ἀῤῥωστον ) . " The... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:22

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only - Obey the gospel, and do not merely listen to it. Compare Matthew 7:21.Deceiving your own selves - It is implied here, that by merely hearing the word but not doing it, they would deceive their own souls. The nature of this deception was this, that they would imagine that that was all which was required, whereas the main thing was that they should be obedient. If a man supposes that by a mere punctual attendance on preaching, or a respectful... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:23-24

For if any be ... - The ground of the comparison in these verses is obvious. The apostle refers to what all persons experience, the fact that we do not retain a distinct impression of ourselves after we have looked in a mirror. While actually looking in the mirror, we see all our features, and can trace them distinctly; when we turn away, the image and the impression both vanish. When looking in the mirror, we can see all the defects and blemishes of our person; if there is a scar, a deformity,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:25

But whoso looketh - (παρακύψας parakupsas). This word means, to stoop down near by anything; to bend forward near, so as to look at anything more closely. See the word explained in the notes at 1 Peter 1:12. The idea here is that of a close and attentive observation. The object is not to contrast the manner of looking in the glass, and in the law of liberty, implying that the former was a “careless beholding,” and the latter an attentive and careful looking, as Doddridge, Rosenmuller,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:26

If any man among you seem to be religious - Pious, or devout. That is, if he does not restrain his tongue, his other evidences of religion are worthless. A man may undoubtedly have many things in his character which seem to be evidences of the existence of religion in his heart, and yet there may be some one thing that shall show that all those evidences are false. Religion is designed to produce an effect on our whole conduct; and if there is any one thing in reference to which it does not... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:27

Pure religion - On the word here rendered “religion” (θρησκεία thrēskeia), see the notes at Colossians 2:18. It is used here evidently in the sense of piety, or as we commonly employ the word religion. The object of the apostle is to describe what enters essentially into religion; what it will do when it is properly and fairly developed. The phrase “pure religion” means that which is genuine and sincere, or which is free from any improper mixture.And undefiled before God and the Father - That... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 1:22

James 1:22. But be ye doers of the word See on Matthew 7:21; Matthew 7:24. We are then doers of the word, when, being enlightened by its doctrines, awed by its threatenings, and encouraged by its promises, we, through the aid of divine grace, love and obey its precepts, both those which enjoin repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, as terms necessary to be complied with in order to our justification and regeneration, and those subsequent commands which show how those, who... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 1:23-24

James 1:23-24. If any be a hearer of the word merely, and not a doer If he do not comply with its design, do not so consider and believe it as to lay it to heart, and be influenced by its doctrines, obey its precepts, embrace and rely on its promises, revere and stand in awe of its threatenings, guarding against what would expose him to them; he is like a man beholding From custom or by accident; his natural face in a glass Without any intention to discover, and wash or wipe off, the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 1:25

James 1:25. But whoso looketh Not with a transient glance, but, as παρακυψας signifies, bending down, as it were, with an intention to fix his eyes upon, examine with accuracy, and search all things to the bottom. The expression implies much thought and meditation, joined with self- examination: into the perfect law Namely, that of the gospel, termed a law, as being a rule of faith and practice, obligatory upon all to whom it is made known, acquitting or condemning men, (for by it... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 1:26-27

James 1:26-27. If &c. Here the apostle shows more particularly who are the doers of the word; 1st, Negatively, in this verse: 2d, Positively, in the next verse. If any man among you Who are professors of Christianity; seem to be religious Θρησκος , pious, devout, or a worshipper of God: and if his conduct in other respects be irreprehensible, and he be exact in all the outward offices of religion, yet if he bridleth not his tongue From tale-bearing, backbiting, evil-speaking,... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - James 1:27

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:22

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:23-24

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:25

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:26

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - James 1:27

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 1:22

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 1:23-24

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 1:25

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - James 1:26-27

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