Charles Ellicott Commentary James 5:7

"Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain." — James 5:7 (ASV)

Be patient.—The third and last part of the Letter begins here with these exhortations to endurance.

Therefore—that is, because of this your deep and abiding misery, be sure God’s help is near:

“The darkest hour is on the verge of day.”

“Out of your stony griefs” build, like Jacob of old, a house of God (Genesis 28:19), where you may run and find refuge. If there is wrath laid up in store for the oppressor, great is the coming peace of the oppressed.

The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it . . . Be ye also patient.—It is fitting for you, the just, to bear with the unjust until God works the end of your trial, and proves them at the same time. Again and again, through several verses (James 5:7–11), St. James repeats his advice, emphasizing it with various reasons: the nearness of deliverance; the Judge standing at the gate; the example of the prophets—persecuted by men, and therefore blessed of God; the hope of those who endure—Job, for example; the very faithfulness and tender mercy of the Lord, bringing all things to a perfect end.

Few ideas are more startling (this is a reflection of Dr. Evans) than those produced by the strange combinations in Scripture. Matters are joined there which we mostly separate here, speaking of them, at least, as separate.

And thus we read in Revelation (Revelation 1:9) of the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. But all Christians are citizens of a patient kingdom; its King is more patient, as He has greater need of patience than His subjects, and He is patient, because He is strong. Impatience is a sign of weakness. God can afford to wait, for His time is eternity. And we can be strong in His strength, and wait also in patience.

Insofar as St. James’s hearers were earthly minded, they could not learn this lesson. So often, we ourselves want our wrongs righted instantly and to the full. Only one view of life can alter this: namely, lifting our gaze from earth to heaven, remembering that the time is short (1 Corinthians 7:29).

The early and latter rain.—It is, perhaps, just as well to recall that there were only two seasons of rainfall in the Holy Land, and, if long delayed, famine was a certain result. With the change of the Israelites from pastoral life to agricultural, the severity of these scarcities was lessened; but they were and are still severe.

The Bible mentions many such instances—for example, in the days of Abraham (Genesis 12:10), Isaac (Genesis 26:1), Jacob (Genesis 42:2), Ruth (Ruth 1:1), Samuel (2 Samuel 21:1), and Ahab (1 Kings 18:2). The “early rain” fell during the autumn sowing—in October, November, and December; “the latter” in March and April. In many versions the word “rain” is omitted, but, of course, it was always intended.