James 4:5

In this verse James gave scriptural support for what he just asserted (James 4:4). However, he did not quote a particular verse but evidently summarized the scriptural teaching on God’s jealousy (cf. Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14; Psalms 42:1; Psalms 84:2; Zechariah 8:2) in a new statement. [Note: See Sophie S. Laws, "Does Scripture Speak in Vain? A Reconsideration of James IV. 5," New Testament Studies 20 (1973-74):210-15; and Stulac, pp. 146-47.]

It is very difficult to translate this statement, but the best rendering seems to be something such as the following. "God jealously longs for the spirit that He made to live in us." Another translations is, "the Spirit which he made to dwell in us jealously yearns for the entire devotion of the heart" (cf. Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:30; John 7:39; John 16:7). [Note: Mayor, p. 141.] Both translations fit the preceding context well. God’s people who love the world have committed spiritual adultery against Him (James 4:4), but God (or His Spirit) jealously longs for their love (James 4:5). Furthermore these translations accurately represent the Greek text. The phrase pros phthonon literally means "to envy," but it is also an adverbial idiom meaning "jealously." [Note: A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, s.v. "phthonon," p. 718. See also Ropes, p. 262.] The verb epipothei means "to long for" or "to yearn for" rather than "to tend toward." Another view is that the human spirit in us lusts enviously. [Note: See Sidebottom, p. 53.]

"Thus, in James 4:4 James has accused his readers of spiritual unfaithfulness. If they are not willing to accept this indictment, he asks in James 4:5 what they think about the OT passages dealing with God’s jealous longing for his people. This is the significance of the introductory conjunction ’or.’ Do they think Scripture speaks ’without reason’ or emptily? Of course they don’t think this. Consequently, it is necessary to believe that friendship with the world is enmity toward God, and thus it is spiritual unfaithfulness." [Note: Burdick, p. 194. Cf. Martin, p. 151.]