James 3:17 - Exposition

The wisdom which is from above ; ἡ ἄνωθεν σοφία , equivalent to הגוילע המכח —an expression not unknown among rabbinical writers. First pure, then peaceable. "The sequence is that of thought, not of time" (Plumptre). Purity must be secured, even at the expense of peace. Gentle, and easy to be entreated ( ἐπιεκὴς εὐπειθής ). The former of these two terms signifies "forbearing under provocation" (cf. 1 Timothy 3:3 ; Titus 3:2 ; 1 Peter 2:18 ); the latter is found only here. Vulgate, snadibilis ; Syriac, "obedient;" R.V. as A.V., "easy to be entreated," i.e. ready to forgive. Thus the conjunction of the two terms ἐπιεικής and εὐπειθής reminds us of the Jewish saying in 'Pirqe Aboth,' 5.17, describing four characters in dispositions, in which the man who is "hard to provoke and easily pacified " is set down as pious. Without partiality ( ἀδιάκριτος ); here only in the New Testament. The word is used in the LXX . in Proverbs 25:1 ; and by Ignatius ( Ephesians 3:1-21 ; Magn. 15; Trall. 1), but none of these passages throw light on its meaning. It may be either

probably (1) as R.V. text.

Without hypocrisy ; ἀνυπόκριτος applied to πιστίς in 1 Timothy 1:5 ; 2 Timothy 1:5 ; to ἀγαπή in Romans 12:9 ; 2 Corinthians 6:6 ; and to φιλαδελφία in 1 Peter 1:22 .