A.T. Robertson Commentary James 1:6

"But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed." — James 1:6 (ASV)

In faith (εν πιστε). Faith here "is the fundamental religious attitude" (Ropes), belief in God's beneficent activity and personal reliance on him (Oesterley).

Nothing doubting (μηδεν διακρινομενος). Negative way of saying εν πιστε (in faith), present passive participle of διακρινω, old verb to separate (κρινω) between (δια), to discriminate as shown clearly in Ac 11:12, 15:9, but no example of the sense of divided against oneself has been found earlier than the N.T., though it appears in later Christian writings. It is like the use of διαμεριζομα in Lu 11:18 and occurs in Mt 21:21; Mr 11:23; Acts 10:20; Romans 2:4; 4:20; 14:23. It is a vivid picture of internal doubt.

Is like (εοικεν). Second perfect active indicative with the linear force alone from εικω to be like. Old form, but in N.T. only here and verse 23 (a literary touch, not in LXX).

The surge of the sea (κλυδων θαλασσης). Old word (from κλυζω to wash against) for a dashing or surging wave in contrast with κυμα (successive waves), in N.T. only here and Lu 8:24. In associative instrumental case after εοικεν. In Eph 4:14 we have κλυδονιζω (from κλυδων), to toss by waves.

Driven by the wind (ανεμιζομενω). Present passive participle (agreeing in case with κλυδων) of ανεμιζω, earliest known example and probably coined by James (from ανεμος), who is fond of verbs in -ιζω (Mayor). The old Greek used ανεμοω. In Eph 4:14 Paul uses both κλυδονιζω and περιφερω ανεμω. It is a vivid picture of the sea whipped into whitecaps by the winds.

Tossed (ριπιζομενω). Present passive participle also in agreement with κλυδων from ριπιζω, rare verb (Aristophanes, Plutarch, Philo) from ριπις (a bellows or fire-fan), here only in N.T. It is a picture of "the restless swaying to and fro of the surface of the water, blown upon by shifting breezes" (Hort), the waverer with slight rufflement.