santiago-4:11-5:20-ntv

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:11-17

He Now Reminds Them That They Need To See Life In Terms Of The Last Day (James 4:11 to James 5:12 ). From this point on until James 5:12 there will be an emphasis on judgment, and on seeing life in the light of it. The passage parallels James 1:9-12, with its references to judgment, to the rich and poor and to the frailty of the rich. It proceeds in four stages: o First he gives a warning against judging others in view of the fact that it is God and not them Who is Lawgiver and Judge. They... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - James 4:11

James 4:11 f. A return to the topic of James 1:26, James 2:12, James 3:1-2 Kings :. Backbiting was a conspicuous habit among these Jews, who applied to one another some of the censoriousness they freely dealt out to the Gentiles. “ Judge,” here as elsewhere, means “ condemn”— there is no opening for a judge’ s impartiality. James tells them that such conduct abrogates the royal law” of James 2:8, and makes them usurp the function of the One Lawgiver. The thought, of course, was suggested to... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - James 4:11

Speak not evil one of another; viz. unless in the way of an ordinance, by reproof, admonition, &c., Leviticus 5:1; 1 Corinthians 1:11; 1 Corinthians 11:18; 2 Corinthians 11:13; 2 Timothy 4:14,2 Timothy 4:15. He forbids all detraction, rigid censuring, and rash judging the hearts and lives of others, when men condemn whatever doth not suit with their notions or humours, and make their own moroseness the rule of other men’s manners. Judgeth his brother; finds fault with and condemns him for... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - James 4:11-12

CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTESJames 4:11. Speak not evil.—Backbite (Romans 1:30; 2 Corinthians 12:20). Omit “and” before “judgeth.”James 4:12.—Read, “There is one lawgiver and judge.”MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—James 4:11-12Criticising Persons.—Again and again we are reminded how thoroughly St. James was imbued with the spirit and the teachings of our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. This paragraph presents a fresh instance. It is an evident echo of our Lord’s familiar words, “Judge not, that... read more

William Nicoll

Sermon Bible Commentary - James 4:11-12

James 4:11-12 Evil-speaking. Part of the Christian life has to do with the tongue, and looking at it in its social aspect, the greatest part. The ways in which the sin forbidden in the text may be committed are legion, and time would fail us in any attempt to give them even the barest enumeration. I. The first and most absolute form in which we can speak evil of a brother is by uttering against him a wilfully false accusation. One could have wished, for the sake of the honour of our race, that... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - James 4:1-17

Chapter 4This chapter could be entitled how to win friends and influence people. Guard your tongue, bring your tongue under control, use it for good, use it to encourage to build up, don't use it to tear down, to destroy, to cut, to hurt. Your wisdom, let it be Godly wisdom let it be demonstrated in your manner of life, that is your life let it be pure. Let your life be peaceable, merciful. Now this fruit of righteousness that we desire is actually sown in peace and that fruit of righteousness... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - James 4:1-17

James 4:1-2 . From whence come wars and fightings among you? St. James saw in the Spirit the bloody and cruel wars which would rise among christian powers, much the same as among the heathen. He had a clear conviction that the cause of wars is uniformly the same, namely, evil concupiscence, pride, avarice, revenge. The prophet Isaiah assigns the same reason for all wars, the pride of the human heart, Judah envying Ephraim, and Ephraim vexing Judah. Isaiah 11:13. He also adds the promise,... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - James 4:11-12

James 4:11-12Speak not evil one of anotherEvil speaking1.Wilful false accusation. This may be held as the very worst form of it. It involves two evils--one of heart and one of conduct--malice and falsehood. 2. The exaggeration of faults that are real. Few things are more common than this. It springs from the same odious principle of malice. 3. The needless repetition of real faults. The principle of this is still the same. 4. The whispering of slander, with the simulation of regret. Oh, there... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - James 4:11

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. Ver. 11. Speak not evil, &c. ] As Ezekiel’s hearers did of him "by the walls, and in the doors of the houses," Ezekiel 33:30 , and as too many of ours do; for the which they will be full dearly accountable. The tale bearer hath the devil in his tongue, the tale... read more

Samuel Bagster

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - James 4:11

Speak: Psalms 140:11, Ephesians 4:31, 1 Timothy 3:11, 2 Timothy 3:3, Titus 2:3, 1 Peter 2:1 and judgeth: Matthew 7:1, Matthew 7:2, Luke 6:37, Romans 2:1, Romans 14:3, Romans 14:4, Romans 14:10-2 Kings :, 1 Corinthians 4:5 speaketh evil of the law: Romans 7:7, Romans 7:12, Romans 7:13 a doer: James 1:22, James 1:23, James 1:25, Romans 2:13 Reciprocal: Exodus 20:16 - General Job 19:29 - that ye may Psalms 15:3 - backbiteth Psalms 119:34 - I shall Romans 14:13 - judge one Colossians 2:16 -... read more