James 4:6-7 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - James 4:1-10

The former chapter speaks of envying one another, as the great spring of strifes and contentions; this chapter speaks of a lust after worldly things, and a setting too great a value upon worldly pleasures and friendships, as that which carried their divisions to a shameful height. I. The apostle here reproves the Jewish Christians for their wars, and for their lusts as the cause of them: Whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members,... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 4:4-7

4:4-7 Renegades to your vows, do you not know that love for this world is enmity to God? Whoever makes it his aim to be the friend of this world thereby becomes the enemy of God. Do you think that the saying of Scripture is only an idle saying: "God jealously yearns for the spirit which he has made to dwell within us"? But God gives the more grace. That is why Scripture says, "God sets himself against the haughty, but gives grace to the humble." So, then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 4:4-7

In this passage James says that love of the world is enmity with God and that he who is the friend of the world thereby becomes the enemy of God. It is important to understand what he means. (i) This is not spoken out of contempt for the world. It is not spoken from the point of view which regards earth as a desert drear and which denigrates everything in the natural world. There is a story of a Puritan who was out for a walk in the country with a friend. The friend noticed a very lovely... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 4:4-7

James 4:5 is exceedingly difficult. To begin with, it is cited as a quotation from Scripture, but there is no part of Scripture of which it is, in fact, anything like a recognizable quotation. We may either assume that James is quoting from some book now lost which he regarded as Scripture; or, that he is summing up in one sentence what is the eternal sense of the Old Testament and not meaning to quote any particular passage. Further, the translation is difficult: There are two alternative... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 4:4-7

James goes on to meet an almost inevitable reaction to this picture of God as the jealous lover. If God is like that, how can any man give to him the devotion he demands? James' answer is that, if God makes a great demand, he gives great grace to fulfil it; and the greater the demand, the greater the grace God gives. But grace has a constant characteristic--a man cannot receive it until he has realized his need of it, and has come to God humbly pleading for help. Therefore, it must always... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 4:6

But he giveth more grace ,.... The Arabic version adds, "to us"; the Ethiopic version, "to you"; and the Syriac version reads the whole thus; "but our Lord gives more grace to us"; or "greater grace"; than the world can give, whose friendship is courted by men; the least measure of grace, of faith, and hope, and love, and of a spiritual knowledge of Christ, and interest in him, and of peace, joy, and comfort, is more worth than all the world, and everything in it: or greater grace, more... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 4:7

To the will of God, with respect to worldly things, and be content with such things as are enjoyed, and be satisfied with the portion that is allotted; it is right and best for the people of God to leave themselves with him, to choose their inheritance for them, since by all their anxious cares, their striving and struggling, their impatient desires, wars and fightings, as they cannot add one cubit to their stature, so nothing to their worldly substance; and it becomes them to submit to God in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:6

But he giveth more grace - Μειζονα χαριν , A greater benefit, than all the goods that the world can bestow; for he gives genuine happiness, and this the world cannot confer. May this be St. James' meaning? God resisteth the proud - Αντιτασσεται· Sets himself in battle array against him. Giveth grace unto the humble - The sure way to please God is to submit to the dispensation of his grace and providence; and when a man acknowledges him in all his ways, he will direct all his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:7

Submit - to God - Continue to bow to all his decisions, and to all his dispensations. Resist the devil - He cannot conquer you if you continue to resist. Strong as he is, God never permits him to conquer the man who continues to resist him; he cannot force the human will. He who, in the terrible name of Jesus, opposes even the devil himself, is sure to have a speedy and glorious conquest. He flees from that name, and from his conquering blood. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:7

Verse 7 7Submit yourselves. The submission which he recommends is that of humility; for he does not exhort us generally to obey God, but requires submission; for the Spirit of God rests on the humble and the meek. (Isaiah 57:15.) On this account he uses the illative particle. For as he had declared that God’s Spirit is bountiful in increasing his gifts, he hence concludes that we ought to lay aside envy, and to submit to God. Many copies have introduced here the following sentence: “Wherefore... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - James 4:1-10

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 4:4-7

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 4:4-7

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 4:4-7

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - James 4:4-7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 4:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - James 4:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:7

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