Albert Barnes Commentary James 5:11

"Behold, we call them blessed that endured: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful." — James 5:11 (ASV)

Behold, we count them happy which endure. The word rendered "we count them happy" (makarizomen) occurs only here and in Luke 1:48, where it is rendered "shall call me blessed." The word makarios (blessed or happy), however, occurs often. See Matthew 5:3-11; Matthew 11:6; Matthew 13:6, and often.

The sense here is that we speak of their patience with commendation. They have done what they ought to do, and their name is honored and blessed.

Ye have heard of the patience of Job, one of the most illustrious instances of patient sufferers . The book of Job was written, among other reasons, to show that true religion would bear any form of trial to which it could be subjected (Job 2:5–6).

And have seen the end of the Lord. This refers to the end or design which the Lord had in the trials of Job, or the result to which He ultimately brought the case. Namely, He showed Himself to be very merciful to the poor sufferer; He met Job with expressions of His approval for the manner in which he bore his trials; and He doubled his former possessions, restoring him to more than his former happiness and honor (see Job 42).

Augustine, Luther, Wetstein, and others, understand this as referring to the death of the Lord Jesus, meaning that they had seen the manner in which He suffered death as an example for us. However, although this might strike many as the true interpretation, the objections to it are insuperable.

1. It does not accord with the proper meaning of the word end (telos). That word is in no instance applied to death, nor does it properly express death. It properly denotes an end, term, termination, or completion, and is used in the following senses:

   • To denote the end, the termination, or the last of anything (Mark 3:26; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Luke 21:9; Hebrews 7:3).

   • An event, issue, or result (Matthew 26:58; Romans 6:21; 2 Corinthians 11:18).

   • The final purpose, that to which all the parts tend and in which they terminate (1 Timothy 1:5).

   • Tax, custom, or tribute—what is paid for public ends or purposes (Matthew 17:25; Romans 13:7).

2. This interpretation, referring it to the death of the Savior, would not accord with the apostle's remark at the end of the verse, that the Lord is very merciful. That is, what he says was "seen," or this was what was particularly illustrated in the case referred to. Yet this was not particularly seen in the death of the Lord Jesus. He was indeed most patient and submissive in His death, and it is true that He showed mercy to the penitent malefactor; but this was not the particular and most prominent trait He displayed in His death. Besides, if it had been, that would not have been the thing to which the apostle would have referred here. His object was to recommend patience under trials, not mercy shown to others; and this he does by showing:

   • That Job was an eminent instance of it; and

   • That the result was such as to encourage us to be patient.

   The end or the result of the divine dealings in Job's case was that the Lord was very pitiful and of tender mercy; and we may hope that it will be so in our case, and should therefore be encouraged to be patient under our trials.

That the Lord is very pitiful. As He showed deep compassion in the case of Job, we have equal reason to suppose that He will in our own.