James 5

James 5 (NIV)

In this chapter James gives some warnings against the pride of the rich, encourages others to be patient, and directs everyone on how to act. He also expresses the importance of prayer in our daily lives and the effectiveness of it.

Warning to Rich Oppressors

1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self- indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

So James first speaks to the sinners and then to the saints. In Luke 6:24, Luke tells the rich that they have already received their reward. James is re-illustrating this to the wealthy Jews who are not Christians, but are living worldly lives. They put much faith and pride into their wealth and hoarded it unjustly. They were not paying the workers what was due to them – taking advantage of those less fortunate. These Jews were hardened by their unbelief and rejected Christ. Their trust was in their wealth and they felt no need for a savior. James is revealing their dishonest lives for what they are, and telling them that judgement is coming. Many rich have the attitude of “eat, drink, and be merry” but James is telling them they should mourn and wail because of what is coming. He tries to show them how temporary their riches are, and how little good they will do once they are no longer on the earth.

The misery he mentions in the first sentence isn’t just one misery. The word that is used here means many miseries. James is trying desperately to stress that this is serious. “The cries of the harvesters” is also very important. This phrase is referred to in the Old Testament as “a crying sin” (remember when Abel’s blood cried out to God from the ground?). This phrase was used when the people of God were defenseless and needed protection from enemies that were numerous and powerful. The Lord hears the cry of his people when they are oppressed and gives orders to the hosts of angels to avenge the wrongs that have been done. This is a serious sin and our God is a jealous God with legions of angels at his disposal.

Wealth itself is not a sin. But wealth has a tendency to cause those who have it to live lives of selfish excess. These wealthy Jews were acting legal, but using the laws to unjustly get estates and steal from others for their own selfish gains.

Patience in Suffering

7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Now James encourages the believers to be patient and not to complain, or hold a grudge against one another, or they would also be judged. He assured them that justice was coming and they would receive their reward if they stood firm. This was meant to encourage them and also to reassure them that just as God said it would be, it would. He uses the example of a farmer who has to wait patiently for the seeds he planted to grow and produce a harvest. The farmer does not doubt that there will be a harvest, but it takes time and must be waited upon. He must do all that is necessary to ensure the harvest is a good one, and wait.

10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Again, James uses an example of patience. This time he uses the prophets to encourage them to wait on the Lord. He reminds them how much those prophets were blessed because they stood firm and waited on God. Many of them faced much suffering and Job is a perfect example. But he is also a perfect example of blessing that was the result of perseverance. He never gave up, no matter how much was lost. God rewarded him by not just returning all he had lost, but God multiplied it so that he was even more blessed than he had been before the trial. Serving a God who is full of mercy, compassion, and blessing is something we can be encouraged by.

12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

James is now preparing to close his letter, so he is giving some attention to important items one right after the other similar to a list, rather than a conversation on one subject. This time he says “above all”, which mean “before all things”. This refers to the customary swearing that all Jews were in the habit of starting their conversations with. They would do this to lend extra credibility to their words. It was actually a source of pride for them, regardless of whether their words were truthful or not. James is telling the Christians not to practice such pompous talk and behavior, but to simply speak the truth. Let their words stand for themselves, without extra embellishments. They were to be a people that lived and spoke the truth, so the extra words were just prideful, which is sin and would condemn them, just as it would condemn the wealthy Jews. (Remember how Peter denied Jesus – and the last time he swore…)

The Prayer of Faith

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

These should be our automatic responses. If you are facing difficulty – pray. If you are happy – rejoice to God. If you are sick – call for your leaders (or those more mature) to pray for you and anoint you with oil. God is faithful and just and will heal us, he will raise us up, and he forgives us. Notice that healing also goes together with confessing sins and being forgiven. There are times when we are not healed because of something we are holding against another. Our circumstances on this earth are constantly changing, but in all things we should always look to God. There is nothing here that is larger or more powerful than he is. We are instructed to confess to each other and pray for each other. And here is the statement as to what prayer does. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and it is answered by heaven itself.

17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Again James gives an example from scripture, one that the Christians could understand and relate to. Elijah was just a man, like us. James gives an example of the results of his ernest prayer. It did not rain for three and a half years because of his prayer. It did not rain again until he prayed for it to return. That is how powerful our prayers are as well. This is why James uses this example. There is no difference between Elijah and any other follower of Christ.

19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Here James gives us the instruction to try to restore each other if one of us should stumble and fall. If we show them the way back to the truth, it is the same as saving them from death. It is our responsibility to do all that we can to help one another and lift each other up. This is one reason we are to confess our sins to each other, because if we have that kind of a relationship, where we feel comfortable confessing our sins, then we should feel comfortable enough to take correction and guidance from one another as well. Of course, we must carefully choose those we confide in by looking for the fruit in their lives. This will tell us if we are safe to cultivate that kind of relationship with that person.