Matthew Henry Commentary James 4
Matthew Henry Commentary
James 4
Matthew Henry Commentary
James 4
"Whence [come] wars and whence [come] fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your pleasures that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend [it] in your pleasures. Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore [the scripture] saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you." — James 4:1-10 (ASV)
Since all wars and fighting come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in our members. Worldly and fleshly lusts are disorders that will not allow contentment or satisfaction. Sinful desires and affections stop prayer and hinder the working of our desires toward God.
Furthermore, let us beware that we do not abuse or misuse the mercies received, which can happen through the disposition of the heart when prayers are granted. When people ask God for prosperity, they often ask with wrong aims and intentions.
If we seek the things of this world in this way, God is just in denying them. Unbelieving and cold desires invite denials; and we may be sure that when prayers are more the language of lusts than of graces, they will return empty. Here is a decided warning to avoid all culpable friendships with this world. Worldly-mindedness is enmity toward God.
An enemy may be reconciled, but “enmity” never can be. A person may have a large portion in the things of this life and yet be kept in the love of God; but whoever sets their heart upon the world, who will conform to it rather than lose its friendship, is an enemy to God. So then, anyone who resolves at all costs to be on friendly terms with the world must be the enemy of God.
Did the Jews, then, or the lax professors of Christianity, think the Scripture spoke in vain against this worldly-mindedness? Or does the Holy Spirit who dwells in all Christians, or the new nature which He creates, produce such fruit? Natural corruption shows itself by envy. The spirit of the world teaches us to lay up, or lay out, for ourselves, according to our own whims; God the Holy Spirit teaches us to be willing to do good to all around us, as we are able.
The grace of God will correct and cure the natural spirit in us; and where He gives grace, He gives a spirit different from that of the world. The proud resist God: in their understanding, they resist the truths of God; in their will, they resist the laws of God; in their passions, they resist the providence of God. Therefore, it is no wonder that God resists the proud. How wretched is the state of those who make God their enemy!
God will give more grace to the humble, because they see their need of it, pray for it, are thankful for it, and they will have it. Submit to God (James 4:7). Submit your understanding to the truth of God; submit your wills to His will of precept and His will of providence. Submit yourselves to God, for He is ready to do you good.
If we yield to temptations, the devil will continually follow us; but if we put on the whole armor of God and resist him, he will leave us. Let sinners then submit to God, and seek His grace and favor, resisting the devil. All sin must be wept over; here, in godly sorrow, or later, in eternal misery. And the Lord will not refuse to comfort one who truly mourns for sin, or to exalt one who humbles himself before Him.
"Speak not one against another, brethren. He that speaketh against a brother, or judgeth his brother, speaketh against the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judgest the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. One [only] is the lawgiver and judge, [even] he who is able to save and to destroy: but who art thou that judgest thy neighbor? Come now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into this city, and spend a year there, and trade, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall both live, and do this or that. But now ye glory in your vauntings: all such glorying is evil. To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." — James 4:11-17 (ASV)
Our lips must be governed by the law of kindness, as well as truth and justice. Christians are brothers and sisters. And to break God's commands is to speak evil of them and to judge them, as if these commands placed too great a restraint on us. We have the law of God, which is a rule for all; let us not presume to set up our own notions and opinions as a rule for those around us, and let us be careful that we are not condemned by the Lord. “Go to now,” is a call to anyone to consider their conduct as being wrong.
How inclined worldly and scheming people are to leave God out of their plans! How vain it is to look for anything good without God's blessing and guidance! The frailty, shortness, and uncertainty of life ought to check the vanity and presumptuous confidence of all projects for the future. We can fix the hour and minute of the sun's rising and setting tomorrow, but we cannot fix the certain time of a vapor being scattered.
Human life is so short, unreal, and fading, as is all the prosperity or enjoyment that accompanies it. Yet, bliss or woe forever will be determined by our conduct during this fleeting moment. We are always to depend on the will of God. Our times are not in our own hands, but at the disposal of God.
Our heads may be filled with cares and plans for ourselves, our families, or our friends; but Providence often throws our plans into confusion. Everything we design and everything we do should be with submissive dependence on God. It is foolish and hurtful to boast of worldly things and aspiring projects; such boasting will bring great disappointment and ultimately prove destructive.
Omissions are sins that will be brought into judgment, just as commissions are. The one who does not do the good they know should be done, as well as the one who does the evil they know should not be done, will be condemned. Oh, that we were as careful not to omit prayer, and not to neglect to meditate and examine our consciences, as we are to avoid committing gross outward vices against the light we have!
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