James 4:3 KJV

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:1-17

Denunciation of Greed and Love of Pleasure1. Lusts] better, ’pleasures.’2. ’You eagerly desire something which another has and you have not. This unregulated desire may lead to hate and even murder (cp. Ahab, 1 Kings 21), but even so your covetous desires go on; they grow by what they feed on. Still you have not got your desire. Then comes the wholesale murder of unjust war; and yet you are unsatisfied, because you try to get things for yourselves, instead of asking God for them.’ The chief... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - James 4:2-3

(2, 3) Ye lust, and have not . . .—Better thus: Ye desire, and have not; ye kill, and envy, and cannot obtain; ye fight and make war; ye have not, because ye ask not; ye ask and receive not, because ye ask that ye may spend it on your lusts. It is interesting to notice the sharp crisp sentences, recollecting at the same time that St. James himself fell a victim to the passions he thus assails, probably at the hands of a zealot mob. The marginal note to the second of the above paragraphs gives... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - James 4:1-17

James 4:1 At the coiner of old maps of the world, of the fifteenth century, may be noted a large, blank space, without form and without name, whereon these three words are inscribed: Hic sunt leones . This sombre corner exists also in man. The passions prowl around and mutter, somewhere within us, and it may be said also of one dark spot in our souls: 'Here are lions'. Victor Hugo. 'Politics, domestic and foreign, are very discouraging,' wrote Sydney Smith in a letter in 1827. 'Jesuits abroad,... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - James 4:1-13

Chapter 18ST. JAMES AND PLATO ON LUSTS AS THE CAUSES OF STRIFE; THEIR EFFECT ON PRAYER.James 4:1-13THE change from the close of the third chapter to the beginning of the fourth is startling. St. James has just been sketching with much beauty the excellences of the heavenly wisdom, and especially its marked characteristic of always tending to produce an atmosphere of peace, in which the seed that produces the fruit of righteousness will grow and flourish. Gentleness, good-will, mercy,... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - James 4:1-17

IV. FURTHER EXHORTATIONS TO RIGHT LIVING CHAPTER 4 1. Fightings and worldliness rebuked (James 4:1-6 ) 2. The Godly walk (James 4:7-17 ) James 4:1-6 A strong rebuke follows the statements concerning the wisdom from beneath and the wisdom from above. It must be borne in mind that these exhortations are addressed to the twelve tribes scattered abroad; to say that these words mean believers only would be a serious mistake; while Christians are contemplated, those of the tribes of Israel who... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:1-17

This chapter, to the end of v.6, continues the subject begun in Ch.3:13. Sensual. devilish wisdom was accompanied by wars and fightings: but this proceeded from the lusts of the flesh active within the hearts of men. We must remember that James is not addressing the assembly of God, but Jews in the synagogue who at least acknowledged the Name of Jesus. It would be most abnormal and reprehensible if any assembly of saints of God were guilty of such contention. The flesh here is exposed in its... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - James 4:1-17

WORLDLY MINDEDNESS Like other divisions of this epistle this is so connected with the last, and grows out of it so naturally, that it is difficult to say where the division occurs. The writer had been speaking of envying and strife in expression through the tongue, and now puts in his plow deeper to show their source in the antecedent condition of the heart. “Lust” is not to be taken in the limited sense of sensuality, but in the broader sense of worldly pleasure or gratification of any kind.... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - James 4:1-17

"What Is Your Life?" Jam 4:14 The question may be asked in many tones. It may be asked rebukingly, pensively, comfortingly; we may throw into the inquiry a tone of music and most solemn wonder. There is no doubt as to how the question was asked by the Apostle. He was taking a rather humbling view of life. He was addressing certain persons who were boastfully saying, "To-day, or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain," descendants of the... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - James 4:1-6

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? (2) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. (3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (4) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - James 4:1-10

1-10 Since all wars and fightings come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that war in the members. Wordly and fleshly lusts are distempers, which will not allow content or satisfaction. Sinful desires and affections stop prayer, and the working of our desires toward God. And let us beware that we do not abuse or misuse the mercies received, by the disposition of the heart when prayers are granted When men ask of God prosperity, they often ask with wrong... read more