James 4:5

Or think ye that the Scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?

It is the conviction here that spirit should be read Spirit, since the only spirit ever made to dwell in Christian hearts is the Holy Spirit.

This is a disputed text, of course, with almost as many renditions of it as there are translators and commentators, the first sentence usually being presented as a formula for introducing a Scriptural quotation. We agree with Lenski who said, "We are not convinced that the question is a formula of quotation; if it were, we should certainly expect the addition of saying that."[14] The proof that this does not introduce a quotation from the Bible is that no quotation is given, a problem which has perplexed the commentators extensively. Rather than being troubled by the presentation of different views on it, we shall be content with giving what would appear to be the best rendition of it, as follows:

Or do you suppose that the Scripture speaks falsely? Does the Spirit that dwells in us strongly incline to envy?[15]

This rendition, which actually is not out of harmony with our text above, also fits in beautifully with James 4:6, given by the same translation thus:

Indeed, it bestows superior favor; therefore, it is said, "God sets himself in opposition to the haughty, but gives favor to the lowly.[16]

Do you suppose the Scripture speaks falsely ... Although James was not at this point introducing a specific text, the inherent truth in this is that Christians were familiar with the New Testament teaching regarding the indwelling Spirit, and the fruits of it, which never included envy! Oesterley agreed here that the reference "must be to the New Testament";[17] and this shows that James, with all Christians, held the Pauline writings to be authentic Scripture.

The rendition which is accepted here is challenged by many; but Punchard defended the practical equivalent of it, pointing out that Wordsworth favored it, and that it may be fully justified by only a slight variation in punctuation," adding that, "Defensible or not as this translation may be, at least it escapes some of the difficulties."[18] It should be added that punctuation is all of men and not of God.

[14] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 631.

[15] Emphatic Diaglott (Brooklyn: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society), p. 769.

[16] Ibid.

[17] W. E. Oesterley, op. cit., p. 459.

[18] E. G. Punchard, Ellicott's Commentary on the Holy Bible, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 373.