James

James 4 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on James 4 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

"Ye ask amiss"
If your prayers are not answered, it's your own damned fault.

Unlike what the author of the SAB thinks, not receiving an answer to prayer can be mercy. It would be in case the answer would be consumed in lusts, in sin, and would count against us, and work against our good. God is good not to answer this prayer, as a father does not give his children everything they ask for.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses.... Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

Why is this injustice? If you chose against God, if you chose to be his enemy, are you not his enemy indeed?

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

"The scripture saith"
James quotes a scripture that says, "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy." But there is no such verse in the Bible.

The author of the SAB interprets “the scripture saith” as “there is a verse in scripture that reads like the following words which are ....” But the author of the SAB should read this verse as:

Do ye think that the scripture speaks in vain? Do you think the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

So with regards to the first sentence, James does not quote a particular verse, but gives the sense of all scripture, a summary of what is found in the whole of scripture. As John Gill says:

his meaning is, the sense of the Scripture everywhere, where it speaks of this matter, is to this purpose: nor does it say this, or any thing else in vain; whatever is written there is to answer some end, as for learning, edification, and comfort, for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness;

With regard to the second sentence, the meaning is: does the Holy Spirit, that dwells in Christians, provoke fleshly lusts? No, it is the opposite, the Holy Spirit lusts against the flesh and the works of it, Gal. 5:17.

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Can the devil capture us at will?

As Looking unto Jesus has noted, the author of the SAB compares apples and oranges. This verse is said to Christians. And resisting the devil means put on the Christian armor: prayer and dependence upon Christ. No one can resist the devil any other way.
On the verse which the author of the SAB reads as if the devil could capture us at will, see 2 Tim. 2:26.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

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

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

"Speak not evil one of another."

Except when you're blogging or giving interviews I suppose...

12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Don't judge other people.
To judge or not to judge
Does hell exist?

Does James mean here to say humans should never judge? So abolish the judiciary? Of course not, that's a crazy conclusion to draw from such a verse. The meaning here is that we should not judge another as explained in the previous verse. I.e. not judge by speaking evil of one another. We should not judge another one's heart, and we cannot. Only God can.

13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

"Ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
(All we are is dust in the wind.)

The author of the SAB spends a little too much time on projects like this to really believe that all we are is dust in the wind.

15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.