james-1:16-27-nasb

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:18

Of his own will begat he us ,.... The apostle instances in one of those good and perfect gifts, regeneration; and he pitches upon a very proper and pertinent one, since this is the first gift of grace God bestows upon his people openly, and in their own persons; and is what involves other gifts, and prepares and makes meet for the gift of eternal life; and therefore may well be reckoned a "good" one, and it is also a "perfect one"; it is done at once; there are no degrees in it, as in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:19

Wherefore, my beloved brethren ,.... Since the Gospel, the word of truth, is the means and instrument which God makes use of in regeneration, and in forming people for himself: let every man be swift to hear ; not anything; not idle and unprofitable talk, or filthy and corrupt communication; but wholesome advice, good instructions, and the gracious experiences of the saints, and, above all, the word of God; to the hearing of which men should fly, as doves to their windows; should make... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:20

For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. This is so far from engaging persons to do that which is right and acceptable in the sight of God, that it puts them upon doing that which is evil. The Alexandrian copy reads, "with the wrath of men do not work the righteousness of God"; do not attend upon the word and ordinances of God with a wrathful spirit. Compare, with this, 1 Timothy 2:8 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:21

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness ,.... All manner of filthiness, both of flesh and spirit; all pride, vanity, wrath, malice, and evil speaking, under hearing the word: the allusion seems to be to a boiling pot, which casts up scum and filth, which must be taken off: and such is the spirit of wrathful men; it throws up the filth of haughtiness and pride, of anger, wrath, and wickedness, which must be taken off, and laid aside; or the word will not be heard to any profit, or advantage: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:22

But be ye doers of the word ,.... And they are such, who spiritually understand it; gladly receive it; and from the heart obey it, and make a sincere and ingenuous profession of it; and who submit to the ordinances it directs to, and keep them as they have been delivered; and live, and walk, becoming their profession of it. The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, "be ye doers of the law"; and so one of Stephens's copies, as in Romans 2:13 and not hearers only ; though the word should be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:23

But if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer ,.... The Arabic version here again reads, "a hearer of the law", and so some copies; not hearing, but practice, is the main thing; not theory, but action: hence, says R. Simeon, not the word, or the searching into it, and the explanation of it, is the root, or principal thing, אלא המעשה , "but the work" F16 Pirke Abot, c. 1. sect. 17. : and if a man is only a preacher, or a hearer, and not a doer, he is like unto a man... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:24

For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way ,.... He takes a slight glance of himself, and departs: and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was ; he forgets either his spots, blemishes, and imperfections; or his comeliness and beauty; the features of his face, be they comely or not: so a bare hearer of the word, who is not concerned to practise what he hears, while he is hearing, he observes some things amiss in himself, and some excellencies in Christ; but, when the discourse... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:25

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty ,.... By which is meant, not the moral law, but the Gospel; for only of that is the apostle speaking in the context: this is no other than the word of truth, with which God begets men of his own will; and is the ingrafted word which is able to save, and of which men should be doers, as well as hearers, James 1:18 , and this is compared to a glass by the Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 3:18 , and the word here used for looking into it is the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:26

If any man among you seem to be religious ,.... By his preaching, or praying, and hearing, and other external duties of religion, he is constant in the observance of; and who, upon the account of these things, "thinks himself to be a religious man", as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions render it; or is thought to be so by others: and bridleth not his tongue ; but boasts of his works, and speaks ill of his brethren; backbites them, and hurts their names and characters, by... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:27

Pure religion and undefiled ,.... That which is sincere and genuine, and free from adulteration and hypocrisy: before God and the Father ; or in the sight of God the Father of Christ, and all his people; that which is approved of by him, who is the searcher of hearts, and the trier of the reins of men, "is this": not that the apostle is giving a full definition of true religion; only he mentions some of the effects of it, by which it is known, and without which it cannot be true and... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:20

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:24

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:26

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 1:27

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