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Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - James 5:1-6

Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. (2) Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. (3) Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. (4) Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - James 5:1-6

Go now rich men, &c. In the first six verses, he gives admonitions to those among the Christians who were rich, not to rely on riches, nor value themselves on this account. You must look upon your riches and treasures as if they were already putrefied and corrupted, your gold and silver eaten and consumed with rust: and their rust shall rise in testimony and judgment against you, for not making better use of them. As your coin is eaten with rust, so shall your bodies be hereafter as it... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - James 5:1-6

1-6 Public troubles are most grievous to those who live in pleasure, and are secure and sensual, though all ranks suffer deeply at such times. All idolized treasures will soon perish, except as they will rise up in judgment against their possessors. Take heed of defrauding and oppressing; and avoid the very appearance of it. God does not forbid us to use lawful pleasures; but to live in pleasure, especially sinful pleasure, is a provoking sin. Is it no harm for people to unfit themselves for... read more

Frank Binford Hole

F. B. Hole's Old and New Testament Commentary - James 5:1-99

James 5 IN THE CLOSING verses of chapter 4 James was addressing those of his own people belonging to the prosperous commercial class, who professed to receive Jesus as their Lord. In the opening of the fifth chapter his thoughts turn to the rich Jews, and these, as we have before mentioned, were almost to a man found amongst the unbelieving majority. In the first six verses he has some severe and even scorching things to say about them, and to them. The accusation he brings against them is... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - James 5:1-6

Various Admonitions in View of the Nearness of the Judgment. Exhortation to the rich: v. 1. Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. v. 2. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. v. 3. Your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. v. 4. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - James 5:1-6

IX. SEVENTH ADMONITIONDENUNCIATION AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE IMPENDING JUDGMENT ON THE RICH I. E., THE JUDAISTS PROPER COUCHED IN PROPHETIC STYLE. EXHORTATION TO REPENTANCE OR TO THE PRESENTIMENT OF THE JUDGMENTJames 5:1-61     Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.1 2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver Isaiah 3:0 cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh2 as it... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - James 5:1-11

Patiently Await the Lord’s Coming James 5:1-11 There are many among the rich who are using money as a sacred trust. Not against these does the Apostle utter his terrible anathemas, but against those who make money by oppression and hoard it for their selfish ends. Riches, which have not been gotten righteously, ever bring a curse with them; and the rust of unused or misused wealth eats not only into the metal but into the miser’s flesh. In the light of this passage, it is as great a wrong to... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - James 5:1-20

Approaching the conclusion of his letter, the writer addressed a terrible indictment and solemn warning to the rich. He showed the failure of possessions, and how they may become the curse of life. Selfish life which results in oppression of the poor and consequent robbery of God is known by God. The teaching reveals remarkably the divine passion for justice. To those who suffer, the writer addressed words full of tender comfort. He called them to patience. All that was said at the beginning... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - James 5:1-6

Diatribe Against The Ungodly Rich (James 5:1-6 ). Notice the complete contrast between the rich as described here and those who are being tested and tried in the opening words of the letter, ‘count it all joy when you enter into testing’ (James 1:2) compared with ‘weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you’ (James 5:1). In this contrast we come to the heart of James’ letter. Those who are looking to God have much to rejoice in, while those who are friends of the world have nothing... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - James 5:1-12

He Now Reminds Them That They Need To See Life In Terms Of The Last Day (James 4:11 to James 5:12 ). From this point on until James 5:12 there will be an emphasis on judgment, and on seeing life in the light of it. The passage parallels James 1:9-12, with its references to judgment, to the rich and poor and to the frailty of the rich. It proceeds in four stages: o First he gives a warning against judging others in view of the fact that it is God and not them Who is Lawgiver and Judge. They... read more

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