James 1:12

II. THE THEMETHE BEATITUDE OF ENDURANCE IN TEMPTATION AS A WARNING AGAINST YIELDING TO IT

James 1:12

12     Blessed is the man32 that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord33 hath promised to them that love him.34

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

That this verse contains the proper theme of the whole Epistle and indicates tie dominant fundamental idea of the same follows from the twofold consideration that 1. the same thought comes up already in the Introduction James 1:2; James 1:2. that it is repeated in a corresponding final theme at James 5:7. It is a beatitude after the manner of the sermon on the mount and moreover the last of these beatitudes of our Lord, in which all the preceding ones blend (Matth. James 1:10-11), appropriately adapted to the situation of the readers in the time of James.

Blessed (is) the man.—ἀνήρ instead of ἄνθρωπος not only with reference to Psalms 1:1, for it occurs repeatedly (see James 1:5, here, James 1:20 and James 3:2) and we have already intimated that it may be accounted for by the temptations of the time, which James had in view, making the round especially among Jewish men. Thomas appears to have noticed, but not to have understood this characteristic, as would seem from his comment: “beatus vir, non mollis vel effœminatus, sed vir.”

Who endureth temptation.—[Bengel reads with K. L. ὑπομενεῖ, Future; but ὑπομένει is the ordinary reading and, the blessing being absolute, the tense is immaterial.—M.]. Although the proposition is valid and will be valid as a general dogma, the πειρασμός here does not primarily denote the concrete unity of all the πειρασμοί mentioned in James 1:2, for the reference to these very πειρασμοί runs through the whole Epistle. Therefore not: ὅταν περιπέσῃ (Wiesinger). Hence ὑπομένει like ὑπομονή in James 1:3 and μακροθυμήσατε James 5:7, etc.

Because when he has become approved. One who has become approved, not only proved: one who has become approved by the fact of proof. [He has stood the test of the δοκίμιον James 5:2 and thereby has become δόκιμος—M.]. The idea is identical with that expressed in James 2:23 : Abraham has become the friend of God by δικαιοῦσθαι. And here we see how James and Paul agree in their dogmatical views, for Paul also mentions the δοκιμή as the consequent of ὑπομονή Romans 5:3. But the subjective and inner side of this proof is σφραγίζεσθαι according to Ephesians 1:13. Krebs, Augusti and al., have found here an allusion to the trial preceding the contest of the athletes, but such an allusion is out of place, so is that of Gebser, Theile and al., to the refining of metals by fire, for that figure presupposes the idea of refining, which although involved in the trial or proof, is not identical with it. The same situation presupposes the certainty of success in refining, questions it in the trial and endangers it in temptation. De Wette and Wiesinger reject a figurative reference; but the crown of life, which is here promised, at least reminds us of the idea of the race-course also in Paul, 1Co 9:24; 2 Timothy 2:5.

He shall receive the crown of life; στέφανος, garland, chaplet of victory or honour in its fullest significance denotes a crown and in this sense we are warranted to take it here, according to Matthew 5:9 and Revelation 5:10.—Τῆς ζωῆς is explained by Huther as the Genitive of apposition: “The ζωή i.e. eternal, blissful life is the crown of honour wherewith he that endures is adorned.” But John 3:36 says: “he that believeth hath everlasting life”; does “the crown of righteousness” 2 Timothy 4:8 signify “righteousness is given me as a crown?” If the crown denotes the crown of honour of the finished proof, matured in the life of faith but also objectively awarded and glorified by God, it is the crown of life, i.e. the crown granted to a life which has developed itself into coronation, as life, the Summum of life as life’s prize of honour; our Genitive is consequently the Genitive of possession or dependence. Cf. 1 Peter 5:4, Revelation 2:10. If the legal men [i.e. sticklers for the Jewish Law. M.] of that time were perhaps wont to say with reference to Psalms 1:0.: Blessed is the man that ever keeps to the law, he is the tree by the rivers of water, his leaves do not fade i.e. his life shall retain perpetual freshness, the beatitude of James expressing his continuance and promise of life would receive a peculiar significance. Although we cannot assert with Zwingli, Michaelis, Wiesinger and al., that the foundation of this figure is as in 1 Corinthians 9:0. the idea of the Grecian games, it may be shown that the Jews also regarded the crown or diadem not only as “a symbol of peculiar honour” (Huther referring to Psalms 21:4; Wis 5:16-17), but also of an honour accorded by God to a well-endured warfare of life. Both the Jews and the Greeks started with the presumption that persevering wrestling in a higher course of life constituted the condition of the diadem and that presumption repeats itself more or less among all mankind in the most diversified forms. This law of life was recognized in the Old Testament especially in the case of the typical Judah, of David, of the ideal man (Psalms 8:0), and of the Messiah (Psalms 110:0). The crown of believers is contrasted with the perishable garland of honour in 1 Corinthians 9:25 and it is also alluded to in 1 Peter 1:4; 1 Peter 5:4. Why is the antithesis here wanting? The Jews and the Jewish Christians of that time might readily remember it; all their visionists wanted to see the day of the kingdom of Zion, of the coronation of their chiliastic Messiah, the crowning of the Jewish rulers of the world. On this account Peter also points the suffering Christian pastors to the crown of glory (1 Peter 5:0) and the promise of the Epistle to the Hebrews also is the kingdom which cannot be moved (Hebrews 12:28).—

Which He (the Lord) has promised.—See Critical Note. “If ὁ κύριος is the right reading, it signifies not Christ (Baumgarten, Schneckenburger), but God (Gebser, Theile, Wiesinger [and Alford—M.].” Huther.—But that means nevertheless: God revealed in Christ. But might not James by this very omission have designed a supplying which he had prepared in James 5:1?—

To them that love Him.—James 2:5; Psalms 97:10; Psa 155:20; Romans 8:28; 2 Timothy 4:8. The love of the Lord, with James and Paul is consequently the real and eternal nature of faith, its root, its sap and its crown; and it is love which proves itself in endurance and by it attains to completion. Cf. John 15:0. [Amor parit patientiam. Bengel.—M.].

[In Shemoth Rabba, sect. 31, p. 129 and in Rab. Tanchum p. 29, 4, we read: “Blessed is the man, who stands in his temptation; for there is no man whom God does not try. He tries the rich, to see if they will open their hands to the poor: He tries the poor, to see if they will receive affliction and not murmur. If, therefore, the rich stand in his temptation, and give alms to the poor, he shall enjoy his riches in this world, and his horn shall be exalted in the world to come; and the holy blessed God shall deliver him from the punishment of hell. If the poor stand in his temptation, and do not repine, he shall have double in the world to come.”—M.].

For “doctrinal and ethical” and “homiletical and practical” see the preceding section.

Footnotes:

James 1:12; James 1:12. The reading ἄνθρωπος in Cod. A. and several minuscule Mss., being a false correction, calls attention to the significant ἀνήρ.

James 1:12; James 1:12. ὁ κύριος is wanting in A. B. Cod. Sin., and rejected by Lachmann, Tischendorf, (Alford—M.) and al. Theile retains it with G. K. (C. without the Article) and al. the Syriac, [Armenian—M.] and other versions. Several minuscule Mss. and versions [Vulg. Syr. Copt. Aeth. and al.—M.], read ὁ θεός. As the insertion is more readily accounted for than the omission, we may presume that the Apostle in λ ήμψεται reverts to λήμψεταί τι παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου [James 1:7—M.]. But summary sentences have generally a summary mode of expression. We follow therefore Bouman. p. 63.

James 1:12; James 1:12. Lange: Blessed (is) the man … for when he has become approved.…