Page 47 - book_james

The believers in James’s congregation had drawn away from the Lord through carnality. Sin
had overcome their lives, and they had become hypocrites. The Greek word for “draw nigh”
was used of the priests in the Old Testament who were fully qualified to enter into the
presence of God (Leviticus 10:3, 21:21‐23) and, in a wider sense, of man’s approach to God
in worship (Isaiah 29: 13; Hosea 12:6). The thought is of entering into communion with the
Lord. This is the humble person to whom God will give grace (4:6).
The fact that God will draw nigh to this person is a type of the prodigal son after his return
home. The decision to return was the son’s, not the father’s. Once the decision was made,
the father gave more grace and ran to meet him with great rewards. As the son drew nigh
to the father, the father drew nigh to the son.

. . . Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double‐minded, , ,

The next command for the carnal believers is to “cleanse their hands.” This also is a type of
the Old Testament priests coming into the presence of God. They had to clean themselves
before entering in to the holy of holies (Exodus 30:19‐21; Leviticus 16:4). The type is carried
into the

New Testament describing the cleansing from the defilement of sin (2 Corinthians 7:1).
James calls the believers “sinners” in this verse, indicating the relationship of carnal
believers to unbelievers (1 Corinthians 3:3; Ephesians 5: 11‐17). They are in essence
“sinning Christians.”

They are also called “double‐minded,” making it clear that James is addressing believers.
The same comparison is made in 1:8 where the “double‐minded (two‐souled) man is
unstable in all of his ways.” Many in the congregation at Jerusalem, thought they were
spiritual when actually, they were carnal and no better than unbelievers. These
congregational members were guilty of trying to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).

Jas 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and
your joy to heaviness.

Be afflicted (talaiporesatae: to be wretched), and mourn and weep, let your laughter (gelos:
loud laughter) be turned (around) to mourning, and your joy to heaviness (katepheian:
gloominess, dejection).

Here, three commands are given by James to his members. It is an open reprimand and
demand for repentance. “Be afflicted” means “to be wretched.” This is a recognition of
their shame and sin, which must begin any process of repentance.

Then he tells them to “mourn and weep,” which is the outward expression of their inward
repentance. This is not something that is done in public, but in private before the Lord.
These words are often used together in the New Testament (Mark 16:10; Luke 6:25;
Revelation 18:15). This is the same type of reaction Peter had to his sin when he realized
what he had done by denying the Lord (Mark 14:72).