Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of James 5:2
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
2. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten ] The union of the two chief forms of Eastern wealth in this and the following verse, reminds us of the like combination in Mat 6:19, “where moth and rust doth corrupt.” Comp. St Paul’s “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel” (Act 20:33).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Your riches are corrupted – The word here rendered corrupted ( sepo) does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament. It means, to cause to rot, to corrupt, to destroy. The reference here is to their hoarded treasures; and the idea is, that they had accumulated more than they needed for their own use; and that, instead of distributing them to do good to others, or employing them in any useful way, they kept them until they rotted or spoiled. It is to be remembered, that a considerable part of the treasures which a man in the East would lay up, consisted of perishable materials, as garments, grain, oil, etc. Such articles of property were often stored up, expecting that they would furnish a supply for many years, in case of the prevalence of famine or wars. Compare Luk 12:18-19. A suitable provision for the time to come cannot be forbidden; but the reference here is to cases in which great quantities had been laid up, perhaps while the poor were suffering, and which were kept until they became worthless.
Your garments are moth-eaten – The same idea substantially is expressed here in another form. As the fashions in the East did not change as they do with us, wealth consisted much in the garments that were laid up for show or for future use. See the notes at Mat 6:19. Q. Curtius says that when Alexander the Great was going to take Persepolis, the riches of all Asia were gathered there together, which consisted not only of a great abundance of gold and silver, but also of garments, Lib. vi. c. 5. Horace tells us that when Lucullus the Roman was asked if he could lend a hundred garments for the theater, he replied that he had five thousand in his house, of which they were welcome to take part or all. Of course, such property would be liable to be moth-eaten; and the idea here is, that they had amassed a great amount of this kind of property which was useless to them, and which they kept until it became destroyed.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Your riches are corrupted] . Are putrefied. The term , riches, is to be taken here, not for gold, silver, or precious stones, (for these could not putrefy,) but for the produce of the fields and flocks, the different stores of grain, wine, and oil, which they had laid up in their granaries, and the various changes of raiment which they had amassed in their wardrobes.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Your riches are corrupted: either by riches he means the general, and by
garments, gold and silver, the particulars in which their riches consisted; and then being corrupted, is to be taken generally, as comprehending the several ways whereby the several kinds of their riches were spoiled: or else, by riches he understands such things as were liable to corruption, or putrefaction, as corn, wine, oil, which were a great part of their riches.
And your garments are moth-eaten; costly garments, in which rich men are wont to pride themselves; and under them may be comprehended all such clothes as may be eaten by worms or moths.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. corruptedabout to bedestroyed through God’s curse on your oppression, whereby yourriches are accumulated (Jas 5:4).CALVIN thinks the senseis, Your riches perish without being of any use either to others oreven to yourselves, for instance, your garments which are moth-eatenin your chests.
garments . . .moth-eatenreferring to Mat 6:19;Mat 6:20.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Your riches are corrupted,…. Either through disuse of them; and so the phrase is expressive of their tenaciousness, withholding that from themselves and others which is meet, and which is keeping riches for the owners thereof, to their hurt; or these are corrupted, and are corruptible things, fading and perishing, and will stand in no stead in the day of wrath, and therefore it is great weakness to put any trust and confidence in them:
and your garments are moth eaten; being neither wore by themselves, nor put upon the backs of others, as they should, but laid up in wardrobes, or in chests and coffers, and so became the repast of moths, and now good for nothing.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Riches ( ). Masculine singular, but occasionally neuter in nominative and accusative (2Co 8:2). Apparently fulness (from full, to fill). “Wealth.”
Are corrupted (). Second perfect active indicative of (root as in , rotten), to corrupt, to destroy, here intransitive “has rotted.” Only here in N.T. On the worthlessness of mere wealth see Matt 6:19; Matt 6:24.
Were moth-eaten ( ). “Have become (second perfect indicative of , singular number, though , neuter plural, treated collectively) moth-eaten” (, late and rare compound from , moth, Mt 6:19f. and , verbal adjective of to eat Joh 6:13. This compound found only here, Job 13:28, Sibyll. Orac. Proem. 64). Rich robes as heirlooms, but moth-eaten. Vivid picture. Witness the 250 “lost millionaires” in the United States in 1931 as compared with 1929. Riches have wings.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Are corrupted [] . Only here in New Testament.
Are moth – eaten [ ] . Lit., have become moth – eaten. Only here in New Testament, but compare skwlhkobrwtov, eaten of worms, Act 12:23; and see Mt 6:19, 20.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) Riches ill gotten are moth eaten riches like heirloom robes with moth holes and crawling with moth worms – such wealth brings no lasting peace, Mat 6:19-20. He who gets riches wrongly sits on, trusts them for life, is like a partridge sitting on eggs that never hatch. Jer 17:11.
2) The writer of this commentary has been much blessed in business endeavors, but feels he can not afford to waste his life making money, 1Ti 6:10-11.
MISPLACED CONFIDENCE
Years ago a social event of statewide interest took place in Colorado – the wedding of Charles Tabor, a pioneer millionaire miner, to “Baby Doe.” Tabor had divorced his wife that he might marry the young, beautiful and popular socialite. It was a gala occasion. One source of Tabor’s wealth was the Matchless Mine. For a while, things were rosy for the newly weds. Then reverses came. Tabor lost his vast fortune and succumbed to mortal illness. Before his death he said to his bride, “Cling to the Matchless Mine.” He felt that the mine would stage a comeback. She took his advice, but the mine didn’t stage the anticipated comeback. She spent the last thirty-six years of her life in poverty, waiting for the mine to bring her wealth and restore her to her former social position. She waited in vain. She died in poverty and without friends. Her confidence was misplaced. The question is pertinent: “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven”. (Pro 23:5)
W. B. K.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
2 Your riches. The meaning may be twofold: — that he ridicules their foolish confidence, because the riches in which they placed their happiness, were wholly fading, yea, that they could be reduced to nothing by one blast from God — or that he condemns as their insatiable avarice, because they heaped together wealth only for this, that they might perish without any benefit. This latter meaning is the most suitable. It is, indeed, true that those rich men are insane who glory in things so fading as garments, gold, silver, and such things, since it is nothing else than to make their glory subject to rust and moths; and well known is that saying “What is ill got is soon lost;” because the curse of God consumes it all, for it is not right that the ungodly or their heirs should enjoy riches which they have snatched, as it were, by violence from the hand of God.
But as James enumerates the vices of which the rich brought on themselves the calamity which he mentions, the context requires, as I think, that we should say, that what he condemns here is the extreme rapacity of the rich, in retaining everything they could lay hold on, that it might rot uselessly in their chests. For thus it was, that what God had created for the use of men, they destroyed, as though they were the enemies of mankind. (137)
But it must be observed, that the vices which he mentions here do not belong to all the rich; for some of them indulge themselves in luxury, some spend much in show and display, and some pinch themselves, and live miserably in their own filth. Let us, then, know that he here reproves some vices in some, and some vices in others. However, all those are generally condemned who unjustly accumulate riches, or who foolishly abuse them. But what James now says, is not only suitable to the rich of extreme tenacity, (such as Euclio of Plautus,) but to those also who delight in pomp and luxury, and yet prefer to heap up riches rather than to employ them for necessary purposes. For such is the malignity of some, that they grudge to others the common sun and air.
(137) Reference is made here to three sorts of riches, — stores of corn, which rotted, — garments, which were moth-eaten, — and precious metals, money, and jewels, etc., which rusted.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) Your riches are corrupted . . .As expanded in the eloquent gloss of Bishop Wordsworth, Your wealth is mouldering in corruption, and your garments, stored up in vain superfluity, are become moth-eaten: although they may still glitter brightly in your eyes, and may dazzle men by their brilliance, yet they are in fact already cankered; they are loathsome in Gods sight; the Divine anger has breathed upon them and blighted them; they are already withered and blasted. (Comp. Mat. 6:19.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Riches are corrupted Under a series of physical images the great truth is proclaimed that ill-gotten and oppressive wealth brings upon the possessor the divine malediction, fulfilled in this or a coming world. The various forms of wealth are either to be themselves destroyed, or to become the destroyers of their holders. As it is rich men of the twelve tribes who are here more specifically addressed as the epistle was written from Jerusalem, and as the magnates of the tribes were even now on the brink of destruction in the coming overthrow of the Jewish State, it is a plausible interpretation which applies this passage as a prophecy, in accordance with our Lord’s memorable predictions of that downfall.
Nor is it supposable that a man so deeply imbued with so national and patriotic a sympathy for his kindred would overlook that coming catastrophe so fully predicted by Jesus, and so well understood by Jewish Christians as that they thereby effected their own escape. Indeed, this predicting the day of slaughter, and then the parousia of Jas 5:7, is remarkably parallel to our Lord’s discourse distinguishing and contrasting these two great events. The specifications of their treasures with their destruction embraces a triad, namely, riches, or hoarded goods; garments; and gold and silver. The first has been (for the three verbs are in the perfect tense, and should have been strictly so rendered) rotted; the second, motheaten; the third, not only rusted, but so rusted as that the rust shall corrode like fire, and consume their flesh. Like the old prophets, our apostle takes his standpoint in the future, and contemplates the destruction he predicts as already completed.
Corrupted Literally, putrified, rotted.
‘Your riches are corrupted,
And your garments are moth-eaten.
Your gold and your silver are corroded,
And their corrosion will be for a testimony against you,
And will eat your flesh as fire,
‘You have laid up your treasure in the last days.’
This was not, of course, literally true, although possibly partly so. Moths and corrosion wait for no man. It was rather as they were seen looking into the future. In God’s eyes it was already so. He was seeing things as they would be when their miseries came on them. All the wealth that they possessed would be marred in one way or another in such a way as to make it useless and undesirable. This contrasts with Jas 5:5 where they have ‘lived delicately on the earth, and taken their pleasure’. They have been used to luxury and the very best. Now they will experience the very worst. Their riches will have spoiled (the corn, oil and wine), their garments will have been eaten by moths, and their gold and silver will have corroded, because instead of doing good with it in the present, they had stored it up as treasure for the future. It would thus act as evidence of their failure to do the Father’s will. It was not the wealth itself that was evil, it was the love of it (1Ti 6:10) and the failure to use it properly.
Silver and gold were normal means of investment for the future, and clothing was also another form in which the wealthy stored up their wealth. Fine clothing was much valued. Joseph gave changes of clothing to his brothers (Gen 45:22). It was for a beautiful robe from Shinar that Achan brought judgment on Israel and death both to himself and his family (Jos 7:21). Samson offered changes of clothing to anyone who could solve his riddle (Jdg 14:12). Naaman brought a gift of clothing to Elisha, the prophet of Israel, to obtain which Gehazi, his servant, sinned grievously (2Ki 5:5; 2Ki 5:22). Paul declared that he had coveted no man’s money or clothing (Act 20:33).
But all these things would suffer from the ravages of nature. James has in mind here the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus promised similar catastrophes (Mat 6:19-21). But the general idea was initially based on the Old Testament, see Psa 39:11; Isa 50:9; Isa 51:8; Lam 4:1; Hos 5:12, and compare also Eze 7:19.
‘And will eat your flesh as fire.’ Because it would be damning evidence at the judgment their spoiled riches will be responsible for them suffering the flames of judgment. Thus it would ‘eat their flesh as fire’. The very corrosion of their silver and gold would also corrode them.
‘You have laid up your treasure in the last days.’ This connects to the previous line indicating that they have well and truly ‘laid up their treasure in the last days’, for it will eat their flesh as fire. Jesus had told men to lay up their treasure in Heaven (Mat 6:19), but these men have foolishly laid theirs up on earth even though they knew that it was ‘the last days’. It will thus act as a judgmental fire to burn them. For Jews the coming of the Messianic Kingdom was expected and they thus considered themselves to be in the last days. For Christians the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit in overwhelming power were indications of the last days (Act 2:17) because the Messiah had already come. And the Messiah was to bring forth both a deluge of Holy Spirit and a deluge of fire (Mat 3:11).
Jam 5:2. Your riches are corrupted, By riches here are very probably meant their stores of corn, wine, oil, and other perishing goods, which they used to lay up in great abundance: see Jam 5:4 and Luk 12:16-19. Dr. Heylin reads it, your stores. Another thing which confirms this conjecture is, that the word , which we render corrupted, signifies any thing’s being putrified by being kept too long,like the manna, Exo 16:20. Such riches as gold, silver, &c. afterwards mentioned, are not liable to a putrefaction of this kind. We have heretofore observed, that the rich among the ancients used to have many changes of garments ready made up, as many (or more sometimes,) as would serve them all their lives; and those they kept by them, as a considerable part of their possessions. The apostle alludes to this, when he says, Your garments are moth-eaten. See the note on Mat 22:11.
Jas 5:2 . Description of the judgment destroying all riches: ] In a prophetical manner the future is described as having already taken place (Hottinger, Schneckenburger, de Wette, Wiesinger, Bouman, and others). By is not here as Estius, Raphelius, Wolf, Semler, Gebser, Bouman on account of think to be understood such things (fruit, etc.) as undergo literal rottenness, but is to be understood generally; and as a figurative expression denotes generally the destruction to which riches is abandoned. The explanation of Calvin is incorrect: hic immensa divitum rapacitas perstringitur, dum supprimunt, quicquid undecunque possunt ad se trahere, ut inutiliter in area computrescat (similarly Hornejus, Laurentius, Grotius, Bengel, Theile [218] ); James “does not here intend to give the natural result of covetousness, and thus the reason of the judgment, but the effect of the judgment breaking forth” (Wiesinger). [219] James describes the reason from Jas 5:4 and onwards.
The verb , to cause to rot , in the passive and second perfect to corrupt , is in the N. T. . ., but often occurs in the LXX.; comp. Job 33:21 ; Job 40:7 ; as here in a general sense (= ) it is found in Sir 14:19 .
. . .] The general idea is here and in what follows specialized.
] moth-eaten , in the N. T. . ., does not occur in the classics, but in Job 13:20 , LXX.: ; comp. Isa 51:8 . in Act 12:23 is similarly formed.
[218] Theile, who takes the preterite in its literal sense, thus explains the passage: divitiae a vobis coacervatae perierunt nulla vestra aliorumque utilitate atque ideo vos coram judice perdent. Ita causa additur istarum calamitatum perferendi, gravi oppositione eorum quae per absurda et impia ipsorum avaritia jam facta sunt eorumque, quae pro justa Dei retributione adhuc fient.
[219] In agreement with his explanation of , Lange understands also in a symbolical sense, namely, the externalized Judaistic righteousness “connected, of course, with worldly prosperity.” His assertion is also incorrect, that here not the last judgment, but “the natural immanent judgments of sinners” are meant.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Ver. 2. Your riches are corrupted ] Being subject to vanity and violence, Mat 6:19 . See the note there. Provide yourselves therefore bags that wax not old; treasure that faileth not, &c.,Luk 12:33Luk 12:33 .
2 .] The effect of the coming judgment is depicted as already present , and its material as already stored up against them. What is meant by the figure used, we learn in Jas 5:4 . Your riches are corrupted (see besides reff., Job 33:21 ; Job 40:7 . is transitive , Job 40:7 (12), but the perf. middle. The expression is figurative, and to be understood of all riches: ‘your possessions’) and your garments (the general term is now split into its component parts. clothing and treasure) are become motheaten (ref.: see also Isa 51:8 ; Act 12:23 . The reference to Mat 6:19-20 is obvious):
Jas 5:2 . The use of the Hebraic prophetic perfects in this passage is another mark of Jewish authorship. : this cannot refer to wealth in the abstract because this would be out of harmony with the rest of the verse which speaks of literal destruction; we have here precisely the same idea, as to actual destruction, as that which occurs in the eschatological passage Enoch , xcviii. 1 ff., where in reference to foolish men “in royalty, and in grandeur, and in power, and in silver and in gold, and in purple ,” it says that “they will perish thereby together with their possessions and with all their glory and their splendour”. : . . in N.T., cf. Sir 14:19 , . . : . in N.T., cf. Job 13:28 , ; Sir 42:13 , . For the form of the word cf. in Act 12:23 .
riches = wealth. The Greek word ploutos conveys the idea of abundance. Compare Luk 12:19.
corrupted. Greek. sepo. Only here.
are = have become.
motheaten. Greek. setobrotos. Only here.
2.] The effect of the coming judgment is depicted as already present, and its material as already stored up against them. What is meant by the figure used, we learn in Jam 5:4. Your riches are corrupted (see besides reff., Job 33:21; Job 40:7. is transitive- , Job 40:7 (12),-but the perf. middle. The expression is figurative, and to be understood of all riches: your possessions) and your garments (the general term is now split into its component parts. clothing and treasure) are become motheaten (ref.: see also Isa 51:8; Act 12:23. The reference to Mat 6:19-20 is obvious):
Jam 5:2. , are corrupted) The grasping avarice of the rich is set forth.-, moth-eaten) Job 13:28, , a garment that is moth-eaten.
Your riches: Jer 17:11, Mat 6:19, Mat 6:20, Luk 12:33, 1Pe 1:4
your garments: Jam 2:2, Job 13:28, Psa 39:11, Isa 50:9, Isa 51:8, Hos 5:12
Reciprocal: Exo 16:20 – bred worms Jdg 14:12 – change 2Ki 5:5 – ten changes Job 27:16 – prepare raiment Pro 23:5 – riches Ecc 5:8 – regardeth Jer 25:34 – Howl Jer 48:36 – the riches Zec 5:4 – and it shall remain Jam 4:9 – afflicted 1Pe 1:7 – that
Jas 5:2. Wealth that is not needed and especially that has been accumulated in an evil manner, will deteriorate by the simple fact of hoarding.
Jas 5:2. Your riches are corrupted. We have here a description of the doom that was to befall the rich. Your riches, in which you prided yourselves, and in which you trusted, will be taken from you. Some suppose, on account of the term corrupted, that riches in grain are to be understood, which are liable to corruption; but this is refining too much: the word corrupted is evidently a figurative term used to denote the perishable nature of the riches. The fact is stated, in a prophetical manner, in the past tense, as having already occurredyour riches are corrupted, denoting the certain and impending nature of the calamity.
and your garments are moth-eaten. The general idea of riches is here specialized as consisting in garments and in treasuresilver and gold. Among the Orientals garments still often constitute a considerable portion of their riches(compare Mat 6:19; Act 20:33).
Jas 5:2-3. Your riches are corrupted Greek, , are putrefied, or are as things putrefied by being kept too long. The riches of the ancients consisted much in large stores of corn, wine, oil, and costly apparel. These things the rich men in Judea had amassed, like the foolish rich man mentioned Luk 12:18, little imagining that they would soon be robbed of them by the Roman soldiers, and the destructive events of the war. Your garments In your wardrobes; are moth-eaten The fashion of clothes not changing in the eastern countries as with us, persons of fortune used to have many garments made of different costly stuffs, which they laid up as a part of their wealth. Thus, according to Q. Curtius, (lib. 5. c. 6,) when Alexander took Persepolis, he found the riches of all Asia gathered together there, which consisted not only of gold and silver, but vestis ingens modus, a vast quantity of garments. Your gold and silver is cankered Or eaten out with rust; and the rust of them Your perishing stores and moth-eaten garments; shall be, , for a testimony against you Of your covetousness and worldly mind; and of your having foolishly and wickedly buried those talents in the earth, which you ought to have employed, according to your Lords will, in relieving the wants of your fellow-creatures. And shall eat your flesh as it were fire Will occasion you as great a torment as if fire were consuming your flesh. Or, as the rust eats into the gold and silver, so shall your flesh and wealth be eaten up as if you had treasured up fire in the midst of it. This was punctually fulfilled in the destruction of that nation by their own seditions, and their wars with the Romans. For, among the Sicarii and the Zealots, the ringleaders of all their seditions, it was crime enough to be rich; and their insatiable avarice induced them continually to search into the houses of the rich, and, by false accusation, to slay them as deserters, for the sake of their property. Yea, both their substance and their bodies were devoured by the flames which burned up the city and the temple: and if any thing remained, it became a prey to the Roman soldiers. Ye have heaped treasure for the last days The days which are now coming, when your enemies shall seize or destroy all, to your infinite vexation and distress: or, you have heaped them up when it is too late; when you have no time or opportunity to enjoy them. This phrase, the last days, does not merely signify for the time to come, but for that period when the whole Jewish economy was to close, and when those awful judgments, threatened in the prophets to be poured out upon wicked men in the last days, were just coming.
Verse 2
In ancient times, wealth often consisted of great accumulations of perishable property.
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are Moth-eaten.
In this verse the riches and Moth-eaten garments are in the perfect tense, something that is corrupted and will be corrupted to the end of the process, and the garments are Moth-eaten now and they will continue in this Moth-eaten condition to completion – most likely the destruction of the garment.
These are processes that are happening, are ongoing and that will come to a final conclusion. Not much hope for the rich man’s riches and clothes.
We need to understand that riches may not mean money, but can relate to power, position and holdings. The end is the same for all kinds of riches – corruption.
These are most likely the miseries of verse one. The rich weep and howl at the declining condition of their riches. One of the joys of giving your riches away must be knowing that the money is going to a good cause not just sitting in an investment somewhere drawing corruption.
Recently I saw Bill Gates talking about his foundation and the tremendous good it was doing around the world. I could be mistaken but I really felt that he was very happy at the moment as he spoke of the changed lives. He seemed much happier than when I’ve seen him talking about computers and software. There was a real peace and joy in his face and his speech.
Riches bring short lived joy and happiness, but they cannot bring that joy that the soul desires from God.
2. The corrosive effect of wealth 5:2-3
The riches that rot are presumably perishable commodities such as food and drink. Garments were one of the most popular forms of wealth in the biblical world. People used them to pay for things, and they were also heirlooms and popular presents (cf. Mat 6:19).
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)