Albert Barnes Commentary James 2:18

"Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith apart from [thy] works, and I by my works will show thee [my] faith." — James 2:18 (ASV)

Yea, a man may say, etc. The word that is translated "yea," (alla), would be better translated as "but." The apostle intends to introduce an objection, not to make an affirmation. The meaning is, "Someone might say," or, "To this it might be urged in reply." That is, it might perhaps be said that religion is not always manifested in the same way, or we should not suppose that, because it is not always exhibited in the same form, it does not exist.

One person may manifest it in one way, and another in another, and still both have true piety. One may be distinguished for his faith, and another for his works, and both may have real religion. This objection would certainly have some plausibility, and it was important to address it.

It would seem that all religion was not to be manifested in the same way, just as all virtue is not. It might occur that one person might be particularly eminent for one form of religion, and another for another; for example, one person may be distinguished for zeal, another for meekness, another for integrity, another for truth, another for gifts in prayer, and another for large-hearted benevolence.

To this, the apostle replies that the two things referred to, faith and works, were not independent things that could exist separately, without one materially influencing the other (as, for example, charity and chastity, or zeal and meekness can). Instead, one was the germ or source of the other, and the existence of the one was to be known only by its developing itself in the form of the other.

A person could not show that he possessed the one unless it developed itself in the form of the other. In proof of this, he could boldly appeal to anyone to show a case where faith existed without works. He himself was willing to submit to this just trial in this regard and to demonstrate the existence of his own faith by his works.

You have faith, and I have works. You have one form or manifestation of religion in an eminent or prominent degree, and I have another. You are characterized particularly for one of the virtues of religion, and I am for another, just as one person may be particularly eminent for meekness, another for zeal, and another for benevolence, and each be a virtuous person. The expression here is equivalent to saying, "One may have faith, and another works."

Show me your faith without your works. That is, you who maintain that faith is enough to prove the existence of religion; that a person may be justified and saved by that alone, or where it does not develop itself in holy living; or that all that is necessary in order to be saved is merely to believe.

Let the reality of any such faith as that be shown, if it can be. Let any real faith be shown to exist without a life of good works, and the point will be settled. I, says the apostle, will undertake to exhibit the evidence of my faith in a different way—in a way about which there can be no doubt, and which is the appropriate method.

It is clear, if the common reading here is correct, that the apostle meant to deny that true faith could be shown without appropriate works. It should be said, however, that there is a difference of reading here of considerable importance.

Many manuscripts and printed editions of the New Testament, instead of without [works—cwriv], read from or by, (ek), as in the other part of the verse: Show me your faith by your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

The reading "from" or "by" is found in Walton, Wetstein, Mill, and in the received text generally. The other reading, "without," is found in many manuscripts, and in the Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, English, and Armenian versions; and is adopted by Beza, Castalio, Grotius, Bengel, Hammond, Whitby, Drusius, Griesbach, Tittman, and Hahn, and is now commonly received as the correct reading.

It may be added that this reading ("without") seems to be demanded by the similar teaching in James 2:20: But will you know that faith without works (cwriv twn ergwn) is dead, evidently implying that something had been said before about "faith without works."

This reading ("without") also is so natural, and makes such good sense in the connection, that it would seem to be demanded. Doddridge felt the difficulty in the other reading ("from" or "by") and has given a version of the passage that showed his great perplexity, and which is one of the most unhappy he ever made.

And I will show you my faith by my works. I will furnish in this way the best and most certain proof of the existence of faith. It is implied here that true faith is adapted to lead to a holy life, and that such a life would be the appropriate evidence of the existence of faith. By their fruits the principles held by people are known. (See Barnes on Matthew 7:16).

Regarding the textual variant "without" or "by" (referring to James 2:18, which includes the phrase I will show you my faith), compare also James 3:13.