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I.
V. 19 {This} you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone
must be quick to hear, slow to speak {and} slow to anger;
a.
{This} you know - histe {hice'-teh} - Know, understand something
i.
Literally - "know this"
b.
My beloved brethren - agapetos {ag-ap-ay-tos'} adelphos {ad-el-fos'}
- one having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people,
or countryman and regarding as esteemed
i.
Once again James identifies with his audience [ my brothers] (BKC)
c.
Everyone must be quick to hear - pas [pahs] esto {es'-to} tachus
{takh-oos'} akouo {ak-oo'-o}- everyone should be speedy to comprehend
or to understand
i.
thoroughly weighing and considering what is said; and this
may regard silence under hearing the word, be content to be hearers
of the word, and not forward to be preachers of it; think before
you speak, meditate on the word, and study to be approved to God
and men (John Gill)
ii.
docile in receiving "the word of truth" (Commentary
Critical)
iii.
This may be applied to the afflictions and temptations spoken
of in the beginning of the chapter. And then we may observe, It
is our duty rather to hear how God explains his providences, and
what he designs by them (Henry)
d.
Slow to speak - bradus {brad-ooce'}
laleo {lal-eh'-o} - being slow to use words in order to declare
one's mind and disclose one's thoughts
i.
nothing is better for the body than silence; that if a word
is worth one shekel, silence is worth two, or worth a precious stone
(Gill)
ii.
A good way of escaping one kind of temptation arising from
ourselves James
1:13 (Commentary Critical)
iii.
Two ears are given to us but only one tongue: the ears are
open and exposed, whereas the tongue is walled in behind the teeth
(Commentary Critical)
e.
Slow to anger - bradus {brad-ooce'}
orge {or-gay'} - being slow in movement or agitation of the soul,
impulse, desire, any violent emotion, but especially anger
i.
If we treat men according to the first promptings of anger, we shall
always do them wrong (A. W. Momerie)
ii.
In an argument, of course, the one who is listening rather than
lambasting is the one who is slow to anger (BKC)
iii.
Let the provocation be what it may; for our anger leading to attempting
to repay our adversaries in kind is never in accord with the righteousness
of God (Ironside)
iv.
If men [want to] govern their tongues, they must govern their passions.
When Moses' spirit was provoked, he spoke unadvisedly with his
lips. If we [want to] be slow to speak, we must be slow to wrath
(Henry)
v.
Slow in becoming heated by debate: another Jewish fault.
Hastiness of temper hinders hearing God's word (Commentary
Critical)
II.
V. 20 for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness
of God.
a.
for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God -
orge {or-gay'} aner {an'-ayr} katergazomai {kat-er-gad'-zom-ahee}
ou {oo} dikaiosune {dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay} theos {theh'-os} Š ManÕs
anger does not accomplish integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness,
correctness of thinking feeling, and acting
b.
The particular meaning of this passage is that wrath in the mind
of man will not have any tendency to make him righteous (Coffman)
c.
men often pretend zeal for God and his glory, in their heat and
passion, let them know that God needs not the passions of any man;
his cause is better served by mildness and meekness than by wrath
and fury (Henry)
d.
Man's angry zeal in debating, as if jealous for the honor of God's
righteousness, is far from working that which is really righteousness
in God's sight. True "righteousness is sown in peace,"
not in wrath (Commentary Critical)
e.
This is so far from engaging persons to do that which is right and
acceptable in the sight of God, that it puts them upon doing that
which is evil. (Gill)
III.
How does this fit in with writing emails/IM/chats to your friends/family/co-workers?
Do you hastily write back, not thinking clearly, do you spout
off, and find yourself feeling guilty about what you wrote? |
