Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 1:19
Swift to hear - Talk little and work much, is a rabbinical adage. - Pirkey Aboth, cap. i. 15. The righteous speak little, and do much; the wicked speak much, and do nothing. - Bava Metzia, fol. 87. The son of Sirach says, cap. v. 11: Γινου ταχυς εν τῃ ακροασει σου, και εν μακροθυμιᾳ φθεγγου αποκρισιν . "Be swift to hear, and with deep consideration give answer." Slow to wrath - " There are four kinds of dispositions," says the Midrash hanaalam, cap. v. 11: "First, Those who are... read more
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 1:18
Of his own will begat he us - God's will here is opposed to the lust of man, James 1:15 ; his truth, the means of human salvation, to the sinful means referred to in the above verse; and the new creatures, to the sin conceived and brought forth, as above. As the will of God is essentially good, all its productions must be good also; as it is infinitely pure, all its productions must be holy. The word or doctrine of truth, what St. Paul calls the word of the truth of the Gospel, Colossians... read more