John Calvin 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. Erasmus introduces here two persons as speakers: one of whom boasts of faith without works, and the other of works without faith; and he thinks that both are ultimately refuted by the Apostle. But this view seems to me too forced. He thinks it strange that this should be said by James, Thou hast faith, who acknowledges no faith without works. But in this he is much mistaken, in that he does not acknowledge an irony in these words. Then ἀλλὰ I take for “on the contrary;” and τὶς for “any one;” for the design of James was to expose the foolish boasting of those who imagined that they had faith when by their life they showed that they were unbelievers. For he intimates that it would be easy for all the godly who led a holy life to strip hypocrites of that boasting with which they were inflated.

Shew me. Though the more received reading is “by works,” yet the old Latin version is more suitable, and this reading is also found in some Greek copies. I therefore did not hesitate to adopt it. Then he asks him to show faith without works, and thus reasons from what is impossible to prove what does not exist. So he speaks ironically. But if anyone prefers the other reading, it comes to the same thing: “Shew me by works thy faith;” for since it is not an idle thing, it must necessarily be proved by works. The meaning then is, “Unless your faith brings forth fruits, I deny that you have any faith.”

But it may be asked, whether the outward uprightness of life is a sure evidence of faith? For James says, “I will shew thee my faith by my works.” To this I reply that the unbelieving sometimes excel in specious virtues and lead an honorable life free from every crime; and hence, works apparently excellent may exist apart from faith. Nor indeed does James maintain that everyone who seems good possesses faith. This only he means: that faith, without the evidence of good works, is vainly pretended, because fruit always comes from the living root of a good tree.